My First Week In India-D'AGOSTINO FRIENDS AND TAJ MAHAL

Taj Mahal:  I am finding that the local Indians do not know how to work a camera.  My body definitely looks photo-shopped but I promise you that I was actually at the Taj Mahal.

I have arrive safely and have spent a week in the capital of India, Delhi. This country is going to have to clear enough space for one more human being (me) into its already overpopulated country of 1 billion plus people. My first impression of India is one of welcoming people, lovely aromas (and sometimes not so lovely), delicious foods and deserts, rich history, beautiful monuments and an intriguing variety of religious influences.

Humayun's Tomb: A tomb in Delhi of one of the Emperors that ruled in the 1600s.

This stretch of my trip will surely prove to be one of pleasure. My plan is to travel throughout the country for the next month. My itinerary is flexible and I am willing to adjust my plans at any time. Here is my tentative itinerary: Delhi, Agra, Khajuraho (Kama Sutra structures), Varanasi, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jaiselmer, Udaipur, Mumbai, Aurangabad, Goa and Leh. It will be a challenge to accomplish such terrain in such a short time. I happen to be up to the task knowing that cutting this trip short means accelerating the inevitable reality that awaits me at home.

The Henna Ceremony (a traditional party leading up to a wedding) I attended in Delhi.

 I arrived last Saturday and my time in Delhi has been very enjoyable. I am staying with close family friends, the Puris. Upon arriving at their home, these people that I have never personally met but only heard stories about embraced me with a hug and explained emphatically that we are family and urged me to make myself at home. Later on that evening, the one family member that I knew from many of her visits to Tony and Mayme D’Agostino’s home during holidays, Mandy, arrived in Delhi from New York. It was a pleasant surprise when she arrived, considering I had no idea she was coming to Delhi to visit her family. The generousity and warmth extended to me by the Puris cannot be duplicated.

Saturday night eight of us went out to dinner and became acquainted with each other. Sunday night we also went out to dinner at a tasty Chinese restaurant. The Puris were emphatic that I eat non-Indian food knowing that I will soon have Indian food overload (if that is possible) because many of the places throughout my journey will only serve Indian food. Monday afternoon I accompanied two of the sister, Radhika and Rashmani, to a Henna Ceremony. This is one of a series of 4-5 back-to-back wedding parties culminated by the wedding ceremony. The Henna Ceremony is traditionally a female only gathering but they made an exception. As I arrived at the event venue, the home of the bride's father, I was overtaken in awe. I thought some people in the states through extravagant wedding parties. How wrong I was. This party was one of 5 parties leading up to the wedding and it was nicer than any wedding reception I have attended. The Puris informed me later that this party was relatively modest compared to many they attend. That evening we celebrated Mandy's birthday with 40-50 close friends of the Puris at their home.  Tuesday I attended a wedding reception. Once again, the event was something that is not so easy to describe. I felt like royalty which is ironic considering that I met 10 or so princesses (of different regions throughout the country) as I played the role of Delhi social-light. I tried to convince them that I was the Prince of the Midwest but my clothes, not to mention my unrefined behavior, made it difficult to believe. 

The Puris at Mandy's birthday party:  Radhika, Rashmani, David (Rashmani's husband), Mandy (in yellow), and Mr. and Mrs. Puri.

Mandy and I at her party.

Mrs. Puri and I.

The following two evening I was privileged enough to have dinner with other family friends. On Wednesday evening I had dinner with the Mukarjis and Thursday dinner with the Seghals (none of whom I had met before). Both evening were similar in that I was stuffed with tasty food over conversation about various topics, mainly stories and memories of past experiences with my family members. I was grateful to continue these family connections.

The Seghals at their home.  I am mad that I forgot to get a picture with the Mukarjis.

Agra
This evening I am leaving Agra for ??????.  I must decide in the next hour or so where I want to go to next.  This decision will be made at the train station.

The Taj Mahal was as striking and beautiful as expected.  I met a young guy at the train station when I arrived and we decided to share a room and save some money.  Why was I so willing to share a room with a complete stranger that I had just met....because he a Kansas City native that went to Shawnee Mission Northwest.  After an intense and extensive conversation about KC BBQ, a bond of trust was established. 

The Taj Mahal looks more beautiful without me in the picture.

Closer view of the marble work of the Taj Mahal.

 Today I went to a previously abandoned city, Fatehpur Sikri, that the Emperor built as the capital of his empire in the 1500's, only to move the capital a decade later after facing water shortages (a long line of D'Agostino plumbers could have diagnosed this city's eventual water problems long before moving the capital here).

Rooftop restaurant in Agra.  Not a bad spot to enjoy a beer during the sunset.

 Now I am off to the train station to catch a random train.  I will let you know in a week or so where I ended up and what transpired.

Streets of Fatehpur Sikri, a city abandoned in the 1500's due to water shortages.  Obviously people live their now.

 Until Next Time... 

Saying Goodbye to Kenya

 


The family of a security guard of the Village



Today I am leaving Kenya to travel throughout India for the next 3-4 weeks.  My time in Kenya has concluded.  My feelings at this moment are bitter-sweet.  It has been difficult to say goodbye to this place that I have come to consider my home for the last 5+ months, but then again I have recently developed a desire to move on to the next challenge and phase in my life.  My personal quest will continue as I explore a significant portion of another former British stronghold, India.  I am, as you would expect, experiencing feeling of excitement and unease as I prepare for a month of traveling on my own in a foreign land full of beauty and rich history. 

The child of a police officer of the Village

My Last Weeks in the Village

Two weeks ago I had the pleasure of welcoming Board Members from around the world into the Village.  Nyumbani (COGRI) hosts a yearly summit meeting in which members of the US, Italy, Spain, UK, Ireland, and Kenya board gather to discuss the organization’s progress.  The visit proved to be a wonderful opportunity to meet close friends of Father D’Agostino.  These people were eager to share stories and shed more light on who my great uncle was and what made him tick.  Stories were shared about how Uncle Angelo’s passion, insight and wisdom changed their lives as he stubbornly and confidently persuaded them to become a life-long Nyumbani supporter.  One women quit her job immediately after have a discussion with Uncle Angelo and vowed to devote her life to supporting those of need in Kenya (she created an organization that supports Nyumbani along with other projects in Kenya).  My time with these people was truly inspiring, not to mention the benefit of networking with influential people throughout the world. 

A young D'Agostino supporter

A young child of a community member.

Last Friday evening I hosted my going-away party at the Village Guest House.  It proved to be quite a day.  I woke up and finished packing and taking care of some loose ends.  The goat that I purchased arrived at the Guest House at 2:00pm.  At 2:30, the preparations for dinner (the slaughter) began.  Three community members were designated as butchers.  As I have learned from my extensive time watching travel channel programs such as Anthony Bourdain’s-No Reservations and Andrew Zimmern’s-Bizarre Foods is that a major component to experiencing another culture is embracing the food, including preparation of food.  Although it was not the easiest situation to endure, I observed the slaughter and food preparation process from living, breathing animal to delicious meat on my plate (you really can’t get much more connected to your food).  It was quite a different experience from driving to your local supermarket and buying the most delicious-looking slab of meat on the refrigerator shelves. 

Myself, a security guard, a guest house cook and our dinner for my party.

The butchers in action

The company was as satisfying as the meal.  A large percentage of the staff and about 25 village grandmothers attended the celebration.  I would like to think that they came to say farewell to me, but I am a realist and understand that Kenyan’s will jump at any chance to enjoy a free meal.  The meal was followed by kurubu (Kenyan homemade beer), jungle-juice (a mixture of vodka and juice), chocolates from Spain provided by one of our volunteers, music, and dancing.  I was up late showing-off my recently acquired Kenyan dance moves and savoring my last moments in the Village.  

Kenyan dancing

Slums

The following day I journeyed back to Nairobi to stay at Nyumbani Home (the base of the organization).  I spent a few days relaxing and embracing the city life before visiting the slums on Tuesday and Thursday.  One of our programs, Lea Toto, provides assistance for HIV+ children in 8 slums throughout Nairobi.  Lea Toto organized my visit to the slums of Kangemi and Mukuru. 

The sewage system of Mukuru slum

Kangemi offered more livable accommodations, where as Mukuru was more inhumane.  Homes in the slums are anywhere from 10ft by 10ft to 15ft by 15ft shacks constructed of sheets of tin.  Each shack is attached to the next in long isles of tin structures that span miles.  The slums are basically towns/cities constructed of shacks and small alleys of trash and often sewage.  The slums resemble what I imagine the living accommodations were like for impoverished immigrants in large US cities in the 1800s.  The most significant difference between Kangemi and Mukuru was the toilet/bathing accommodations.  In Kangemi, each section of the slums had toilets and structures to take a bucket shower. Makuru, on the other hand, did not have toilets or bathing facilities in the near vicinity.  People must walk a mile or so to reach the nearest toilet, not to mention the fee to use the facility (many people can not afford the fee to use the toilet).  Furthermore, most of the inhabitants of the slums appeared to be young people, mostly single women, in their twenties with several children.  Many of these young people moved from their rural homes in search of work and the city life.  After arriving in the city with little money, they struggle to find a job and eventually end up in the slums scraping by every day.  To make things worse, some people get comfortable with the free assistance that many NGOs are providing them and begin to take advantage of the system (does this remind you of a similar problem we face in the states with some people that become comfortable and dependent on our welfare system).

So I will no doubt miss my friends I have made in Kenya but am excited for what lies ahead…..INDIA.

Until Next Time From India…..