So I'm a liiitle sad today (and I mean reaaally little since every opportunity I'm having here in India is amazing in it's own way) because I was not able to go back to Mayapuri today. Don't get me wrong, I am really grateful for the chance to work in the office and learn so much about how Asha operates and is able to help so many slum residents, but I definitely miss the kids and can't wait to do some teaching again. I'm going to be in the office again tomorrow, so I'll be seeing the kiddies again on Monday :). Since a day at a desk is probably not the most exciting thing to write about, I'll do another back in time post about the end of my first week here in India, when the other two volunteers and I spent the day in Agra...
Despite a slight runny nose and a headache, this has been one of the best days eveeer (but actually)!! Around 6am, Sam, Jake and I left the flat to meet the taxi driver who would be driving us to and around Agra. When I woke up in the morning, I was all congested, which was kind of frustrating, but nothing in comparison to how excited I was to go see the Taj Mahal. We got in the taxi and all passed out right away, which was good for me because the car ride was 5 hours long and I'm not too good with long car rides (I gets quite antsy).
On our way, the driver stopped at a market to pick something up, so Sam, Jake and I were just sitting in the car, trying to politely turn down all the people who kept knocking on the windows to sell us things. Turns out, politeness doesn't really work (awww shucks), so we just sat there and stopped responding. Eventually, a guy walked by the car with two monkeys, which I absolutely could not resist taking pictures of. Now that, my friends, was a bad idea. After I got a few pictures, the man held out his for money, and I was just thinking, 'Really now? You couldn't have told me this before?!'. After a few seconds of him pounding so hard on the windows that I thought the glass would break, we paid him, just in time for the driver to get back in the car and drive off.
When we finally arrived in Agra, the traffic was madness, but like a pro, the driver maneuvered his way through the roads and got us to the Taj around noon. After declining all the tour guide offers (which was no easy task), we finally made it in. And when I saw the Taj Mahal, all I could say was (hehe I actually said this), "Woa. Is this real life right now?" What a beaaauuutiful, beaaauuutiful place! Even now, sitting here, I can't believe that I actually got to see it and touch it and walk around in it. The experience was made even more memorable by all the Indian people who wanted to take pictures with us. I thought it was so hilarious that we were there, completely amazed by the Taj, while the Indian nationals were there, completely amazed by the foreigners.
We wandered around the inside for a while and took some more pictures with strangers before heading outside to find a shady place to sit (Because I felt like I was actually being cooked. In an oven. And I was definitely getting a thousand shades darker). After 10 minutes or so of chilling in the shade, we left to go check out the nearby Taj museum and then made our way to Cafe Coffee Day for lunch (yay AC and yummy eats!).
Before we left Agra, the driver took us to this amazing shop that sold jewelry, carpets, clothes, and instruments. Jake and I walked in without any money (best to avoid temptation), and the workers definitely knew that we weren't going to buy anything. How do I know this? Well, because I asked for the price of a ring, and when the store clerk told me, Jake and I stared at each other and started laughing.
The prices were insanely expensive though! So yea, that's how I know. But what I found so interesting was that even though they all knew that we weren't going to buy anything, the workers in the instruments department still put on a great show for us. They played something for us with the drums and the sitar and even let us try to play (Sam and I didn't but Jake was actually really good on the drums). They brought out sodas for us and were genuinely so excited to be entertaining us.
As we left the shop and Agra, I began to drift off (at this point in the day I was insanely congested, even though I somehow hadn't noticed all day). The trip back took 8 hours because of traffic, but I didn't even notice because I was so tired from walking around so much. But yea, it was quite a day. Definitely unforgettable.
Wow...so that was still really long. Goodness gracious, a lot happened that day.
Despite a slight runny nose and a headache, this has been one of the best days eveeer (but actually)!! Around 6am, Sam, Jake and I left the flat to meet the taxi driver who would be driving us to and around Agra. When I woke up in the morning, I was all congested, which was kind of frustrating, but nothing in comparison to how excited I was to go see the Taj Mahal. We got in the taxi and all passed out right away, which was good for me because the car ride was 5 hours long and I'm not too good with long car rides (I gets quite antsy).
 |
| So worth it ;) |
When we finally arrived in Agra, the traffic was madness, but like a pro, the driver maneuvered his way through the roads and got us to the Taj around noon. After declining all the tour guide offers (which was no easy task), we finally made it in. And when I saw the Taj Mahal, all I could say was (hehe I actually said this), "Woa. Is this real life right now?" What a beaaauuutiful, beaaauuutiful place! Even now, sitting here, I can't believe that I actually got to see it and touch it and walk around in it. The experience was made even more memorable by all the Indian people who wanted to take pictures with us. I thought it was so hilarious that we were there, completely amazed by the Taj, while the Indian nationals were there, completely amazed by the foreigners.
 |
| Magnficence |
We wandered around the inside for a while and took some more pictures with strangers before heading outside to find a shady place to sit (Because I felt like I was actually being cooked. In an oven. And I was definitely getting a thousand shades darker). After 10 minutes or so of chilling in the shade, we left to go check out the nearby Taj museum and then made our way to Cafe Coffee Day for lunch (yay AC and yummy eats!).
 |
| Cafe Coffee Day dessert |
The prices were insanely expensive though! So yea, that's how I know. But what I found so interesting was that even though they all knew that we weren't going to buy anything, the workers in the instruments department still put on a great show for us. They played something for us with the drums and the sitar and even let us try to play (Sam and I didn't but Jake was actually really good on the drums). They brought out sodas for us and were genuinely so excited to be entertaining us.
As we left the shop and Agra, I began to drift off (at this point in the day I was insanely congested, even though I somehow hadn't noticed all day). The trip back took 8 hours because of traffic, but I didn't even notice because I was so tired from walking around so much. But yea, it was quite a day. Definitely unforgettable.
Wow...so that was still really long. Goodness gracious, a lot happened that day.
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