So we got off the train this morning at 9:30am and are now in Ernakulam. It is so beautiful here. There are palm trees everywhere, and we even saw some rivers on our way into town. Everyone is so nice! They're still celebrating New Years here, so we'll see about joining in tonight! We will start teaching tomorrow and we'll keep you posted, and hopefully we will be able to share some of our pictures!
~Nicole, Matt, Jenna, Shawn, and Erin
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
our first day in India
My first day in India!
So, today we arrived in Chennai, India at 1 am. We waited in the airport for several hours due to lost baggage, and then made our way out to find a taxi. It was one of the scariest rides I've ever had. There seem to be no traffic laws here and everyone runs red lights. Of course my taxi got a flat tire and the driver left us all inside, so Shawn jumped out to make sure nobody was going to run off with our stuff in the trunk. Then we all got out and Matt, Shawn, and the drive changed the tire as cars and trucks with strange loads zoomed by. After that experience our driver got lost and around 5am we are stopping to ask every Indian we can find for directions, but we made it.
Later in the day after a short nap, and a much needed and wanted shower, we enjoyed breakfast (toast wrapped in egg) and headed out for a peek at India. We walked the streets for a while. The sites were nice but the smell was not so nice. There were so many shops and so many people out, and the children loved us. They stopped and wanted their picture taken and everyone wanted to meet us. In the afternoon we went to the beach. It was beautiful and the weather was great. We played there and meet some new friends from the near by University. Everyone is so nice here!
Tonight my group catches the train (12hours). Until we get to our next destination; Happy New Years!!!
~Nicole
So, today we arrived in Chennai, India at 1 am. We waited in the airport for several hours due to lost baggage, and then made our way out to find a taxi. It was one of the scariest rides I've ever had. There seem to be no traffic laws here and everyone runs red lights. Of course my taxi got a flat tire and the driver left us all inside, so Shawn jumped out to make sure nobody was going to run off with our stuff in the trunk. Then we all got out and Matt, Shawn, and the drive changed the tire as cars and trucks with strange loads zoomed by. After that experience our driver got lost and around 5am we are stopping to ask every Indian we can find for directions, but we made it.
Later in the day after a short nap, and a much needed and wanted shower, we enjoyed breakfast (toast wrapped in egg) and headed out for a peek at India. We walked the streets for a while. The sites were nice but the smell was not so nice. There were so many shops and so many people out, and the children loved us. They stopped and wanted their picture taken and everyone wanted to meet us. In the afternoon we went to the beach. It was beautiful and the weather was great. We played there and meet some new friends from the near by University. Everyone is so nice here!
Tonight my group catches the train (12hours). Until we get to our next destination; Happy New Years!!!
~Nicole
Greetings from Chennai
We've all finally made it to Chennai safe and sound. The trip to London was nice. London was cold but also very pretty with all the buildings decorated for Christmas. We arrived in Chennai this morning at 1am and almost made it to the hotel without any drama, but then British Airways lost Erin's luggage, and then Matt's taxi got a flat tire on a very dark street in the middle of the night! Regardless, all is well with everyone. Matt, Jenna, Nicole, Erin, and Shawn leave for Kerala this evening on an overnight train. They'll try to make the most of New Year's Eve though. The rest of us leave for Mamallapuram in the morning. We'll keep you informed.
- Ben
- Ben
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
The Terrorist Attacks in Mumbai
This past week, Swim India's upcoming programs have been overshadowed by the terrible terrorist attacks that rocked Mumbai. Many people lost their lives in this tragedy and a whole country is now in mourning. It will be months before the full repercussions of last week's events are fully realized and, although we don't know how this incident will affect our organization's future, we are continuing with our program plans for January.
While we are in India, we will be taking a number of precautions in order to minimize the risk to our volunteers. First, we will be travelling in two states, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. These states have some of the safest track records in all of India. We will be sticking to smaller towns for the most part, never closer than 600 miles from Mumbai. Also, we will be avoiding any high profile targets such as government buildings, resort hotels, and fancy restaurants. Our volunteers will always travel in groups, avoid public mass transit systems, and minimize the amount of time spent outside after dark.
India has also taken measures to ensure the safety of its citizens and visitors. In the shadow of these attacks, India has increased its security and intelligence nationwide. Pakistan has been assisting in the investigation and has pledged any support India needs to bring these terrorist cells to justice.
Swim India will continue to monitor events as they unfold over the next few months and will adjust its future programs accordingly. We are committed to making our volunteers' safety our top priority. You may check our website and blog for updates as we become aware of them. Please keep the people of India in your thoughts as they come to terms with a changing world.
Regards,
Ben Schaub
Executive Director
While we are in India, we will be taking a number of precautions in order to minimize the risk to our volunteers. First, we will be travelling in two states, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. These states have some of the safest track records in all of India. We will be sticking to smaller towns for the most part, never closer than 600 miles from Mumbai. Also, we will be avoiding any high profile targets such as government buildings, resort hotels, and fancy restaurants. Our volunteers will always travel in groups, avoid public mass transit systems, and minimize the amount of time spent outside after dark.
India has also taken measures to ensure the safety of its citizens and visitors. In the shadow of these attacks, India has increased its security and intelligence nationwide. Pakistan has been assisting in the investigation and has pledged any support India needs to bring these terrorist cells to justice.
Swim India will continue to monitor events as they unfold over the next few months and will adjust its future programs accordingly. We are committed to making our volunteers' safety our top priority. You may check our website and blog for updates as we become aware of them. Please keep the people of India in your thoughts as they come to terms with a changing world.
Regards,
Ben Schaub
Executive Director
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