13th March
Well, after more than a year of planning it…we’re on our way to India!
Yesterday we flew from Dublin to England and spent the night there before catching our next flight to Amsterdam. And now we are on the long leg of the journey-Amsterdam to Hyderabad. This is it!
17th March
Spent a few days in Hyderabad…a city of 7 million people. A city where there are no traffic rules and no traffic lights. A city where cars, trucks, auto-rickshaws, rickshaws, people, dogs, chickens and buffalos all mix up into one chaotic rush of madness!
But now we are finally at the first orphanage. It’s a lot more humid there than in Hyderabad, and as soon as we stepped off the plane in Vijawada we noticed it. It’s like you could drink the air!
Joseph wasn’t waiting for us when we arrived, so we hung around for awhile and waited for him. Soon we got surrounded by men. Did we need a taxi? Where were we from? What were our names? The policeman wanted me to write my name on his hand. I took the pen and made a move to write it on my OWN hand, but he insisted that I write it on his. I hurriedly scribbled “Celeste.” All the young men repeated my name, and the policeman kissed his hand. The men all laughed.
It’s such a novelty to see white girls.
Joseph arrived half an hour later and we made the half an hour trip to the orphanage. It’s pretty remote out here and as we travelled along we passed grass huts, and chickens, dogs and buffalo by the side of the road. There were small shops with butchered chickens hanging up in the sun and covered in flies. To be honest, my stomach started to knot with fear.
But we soon arrived at the orphanage, and those fears melted away. As we bumped along the driveway we saw a group of children waiting for us and holding up a sign they had made. “Welcome Nicola and Celeste from Ireland.” It was so sweet.
We got out and were swarmed by the children. Each shook our hands and told us their names. Then two Australians who are staying for 3 months came out and introduced themselves. We are going to be their “next door neighbours” because their room is right next to ours and we will be sharing the bathroom. They had to show us how everything worked….the toilet…and the shower. (Hole and bucket!)
18th March
Two o’clock in the afternoon and the children have just gone back into class. I pity their poor teacher, they’re absolutely wild! We handed out balls, baloons, bubbles…and camera! Somewhere along the line one of the boys took my camera and they went racing around taking photos or each other and everything else they saw!
This morning Joseph took Nicola and I to another orphanage to hand out the clothes I brougth along. We also had pencils and combs and hair bands. I had sewn a few dresses before I got here, and it was special to see the girls who have finally gotten them!
On Saturday we are having a children’s festival with about 200 children. Us four white people are going to divide into groups…We’re all dreading it. Four people with 200 kids?!? And no telegu!!
Only been here a few days, but I know I am going to miss this place awfully when I leave. I just love it.
20th March
I have a cold. How on earth can I get a cold in India?! I’m feeling all heady and my nose it running. Not nice in 40C weather!
Yesterday Nicola and I spent the day at Paul’s orphanage. With five minutes warning we were thrown into two classrooms of 30 children each and told to teach! VERY hard when you have so little resources (not even a map) and no planning! I got the class with John and I was so glad. He showed me what he had written about me in his diary. “Celeste, I like you so much. I can’t stop thinking about you.” He had cut out my picture from one of the flyers (published for the children’s festival) and had stuck it in his book.
Evening
Once again it is night in India. I’m still feeling very hot and sticky-may have something to do with this awful cold.
After I wrote this morning, some of us headed out to visit the leper colony about any hour away from here. We lest at 11am this morning and got back home at 5pm…spent five hours in the car…HOT, BUMPY, LONG!
Once we got there we had a small church servive with the people and then helped serve them lunch. After that we went and ate seperatly. I had such a strange detatched feeling being there. It was scary and sad…but I don’t think it really sunk in.
Being there caused a stir, as usual. People from the village looked across the river saw “white people” at the leper colony, and within minutes we had a huge crowd. The young ladies wanted their photos taken and giggled when they saw themselves, and the young men seemed delighted if we would so much as smile at them!
Once we were back in the car, the children’s teacher (who came with us) told Nicola and I that everybody thought we were really beautiful girls. It’s funny. In Ireland nobody would even notice me, but here, apparently, I’m beautiful!
We eventually got home near tea time and some of the children were getting their hair cut. The hair was cut soo short and a few of the boys were so embarrassed and depressed about it, that they didn’t want to come for tea!
Again we had about 60 children, because the village children come for tea as well. They normally sing for half an hour before they eat, and as we did so, I kept playing with Raj from a distance. We both had pencils and he would copy whatever I did with mine. Behind my ear. Under my nose. Twirling in my fingers…and then stuck in my hair. His hair was too short and I won. As I was standing up the front with David, Trish and Nicola, all the children could see me, and were giggling. I figured I better stop before I got them in trouble! 
After tea Anil was still depressed about his hair. Before it kind of had a “rock star” look to it…and now it was all cut off. I told him he looked good and he should smile. He gave me a weak smile and continued being depressed!
March 25th
After a lot of tears and goodbyes, we are on the train now and headed to Tuni. I don’t want to go. It’s too hard saying goodbye to all the children. I have just left a peice of my heart behind-I’ve left it ALL there.
Last night they had a special farewell service for us. Joseph, his wife, Trish and David all gave speeches while Nicola and I cried! I told David he wasnt supposed to say anything that would make us cry, but obviously he ignored me. He also said that he was going to write a petition and get everyone to sign it to make us stay. He told us he had never met two girls with such big hearts.
But it’s THEM, that are the wonderful ones…them…the children and all the adults we have met since being here. Everyone has been so good to us.
Joseph told us in his speech that we are welcome back at ANY time… “Even if you get married!” We laughed, and David said he’d get us married off soon. “It hasn’t worked yet!” I told him, but he said that it surely wouldn’t be long.
So there was laughter in the tears as well.
They had brought a cake for us, and they gave us huge flower wreaths which they hung over our necks. Then Joseph told the children to go down and get ready for tea. I noticed some of the children had tears on their faces, but Raj was inconsolable when David brought him over to me. I put my arm around him and cried along with him. We walked down to get his plate for tea, and then sat on the steps. Both bawling our eyes out. I guess I wasn’t much of a comfort to him!
After tea I saw Dipika putting away her plate in the room and she was crying. I told her to come and give me a hug. She rushed over to me and put her arms around me and caught her breath in a huge sob. Then suddenly, she stepped back. Dried her eyes, took a deep breath and walked out. This tiny little eight year-old was being so brave.
During the homework/study time that night, not a lot got done. Instead Nicola and I signed our autographs, drew pictures and took photos. The boys were asking me if I was married…we’d had that conversation before, so they knew I wasnt. Then Anil, very seriously said to me, “You. Good husband. You be good husband!” I burst out laughing and said “WIFE! NOT husband! I’m never going to be a husband!”
Yesterday I had given all the girls hair bands, and the boys had insisted on having them too-to put on their wrists. Tonight Prasad, Gopi and Rentesh gave theirs back and John Thomas translated for them and said, “So you won’t forget them.”
I’m wearing them now. I want to go back. SO much.
I think I got a lot closer to the boys than to the girls. Nicola seems to have grown more attached to the girls. While the girls dance, I played cricket with the boys. “It’s TOO hot now!” I wailed. “Wait until five o’clock when it’s cooled off a little!” But no, it had to be now. So we trouped out into the baking hot 3pm sun and played cricket. Of course this made me “Super!” In their eyes.
We didn’t stay for 10 days in the next orphanage at Tuni as we had first planned, but for various reasons ended up going back to “our” orphanage a few days later. But here are a few funny things about our time in Tuni.
27th March
It’s been really nice having Mike here, and being able to chat with another “white person” and exchange thoughts and ideas. He’s been really good to us.
Something that cracked me up today was when Mike, Nicola and I were walking through town with Prasad. We have nicknamed Prasad “The Body Guard” because he always goes EVERYWHERE with us. Here it is normal for young men to hold hands as they walk around. Once today, Nicola and I were walking a bit behind the guys and we saw Prasad trying to take Mike’s hand. Mike kept pretending to fix his belt and tuck in shirt in and eventually Prasad gave up trying to hold his hand. It was SO funny to watch from behind. Later we were laughing about it, and Mike said normally he would keep dropping his water bottle on the ground and use it as an excuse not to hold hands as he bent over to pick it up!
Prasad seems a nice guy. He keeps trying to talk to me, and is always really friendly and seems to have a good sense of humour. The only problem is: we can’t speak each other’s language! Sometimes he’d say something to me which would leave me wondering what he was saying…and I felt bad because I just couldn’t understand!
He and Raja brought us back to the train station a few days later and Prasad was helping us get out luggage on the train. It’s crazy here, the train stops for two minutes before taking off. Prasad was just getting my bag onto the train when it started moving and he was stuck inside. He just had time to say “Sisters! Seats number 25 and 26!” Then he raced for the nearest exist and jumped out of the moving train.
I felt a bit sad, because we didn’t even say goodbye.
30th March
We’re back with our dear friends in Vijawada. This morning the boys insisted on me going up the mountain to the Hindu temple. 750 steps in the hot sun. It was only 9am, but already powerfully hot. I had told them the night before I would go if we went at 6am, but somehow we only left at nine.
The view from the top was wonderful…gorgeous. “Beautiful India!” they kept saying proudly.
We arrived back late for church and hot and sweaty. “Are you okay?” Nicola asked as I sat down next to her. “Is that water on your face?” No it wasn’t water….even if it looked like I had just splashed my face with it. It was all just sweat!
I’m completely dead today. All the travelling has left me drained, I think. I’m sitting up here again with the children and John Thomas is reading over my shoulder. He can read English, so I keep poking him and he thinks its a great laugh. I’m going to get up and chase him away now.
1st April
Just back from a walk into the village. It’s 11am and baout 40C outside. It’s so remote here, and it’s really hard to find gifts to take back home. Should I buy a pot, or a mango for the family in Ireland?!?
As usual, everyone stared at us. I don’t think I’ll get used to it…these people very rarely ever see white skins. Some, perhaps, have never seen people like us before.
David said that once some people asked him if he was a famous actor from Hollywood!
It’s our last day here. It’s going to be so hard to say goodbye. Still, at the same time, I am almost ready to go home. I have always hated the idea up until now. But I am sort of looking forward to just getting back to everything that is familiar. It’ll be nice to have areal shower. A REAL toilet…and to eat something other than rice.
We were serving tea again last night, and I accidentally got some black soot on my face from the pot. The kids thought it was funny, because it shows up so much on my white skin. I then put more marks on my face and gave Shrikant a moustache and we took a photo. It’s not fair though. I look crazy in the photo and you can barely see his moustache!
The children closest to us kept laughing, but the children sitting further away hadn’t see what was going on. When they came up for more food they kind of stopped dead in their tracks and stared at me. It wasn’t until I started laughing that they realised it was all a joke.
*
We left the orphanage for the last time today. The children were in class so we could only shake hands goodbye. Maybe this was good, because it was quicker and not so emotional. Still tears came to my eyes as I went around and said goodbye. I didn’t want to cry openly, because it would upset the children all over again.
Sai looked deep into my eyes when I said goodbye to him…Shrikant, Prasad, Rentesh, Anil, Sai…my boys….we became such good pals.
And the sweet girls…Ba By, Lelawati, Nagalakshmi, Dipika….
I’m going to miss them all so much.
__________________________
David and Trish just sent me this email…and it’s so typical of our time there!
Gday Celeste,
Great that you got home safely after such a long journey with lots of waiting. Please send us some of your cooler weather. I bet you are in jumpers again. Things here are still hot, unpredictable, but fun too. We went to the markets here a few times. I still hate being stared at… I will never get used to it.
The kids have been asking about you and saying they want you and Nicola back. The boys (Prasad and Srikanth) are still stealing mangos, so I got them to write “I will not steal mangos’ 100 times in their books. They were not impressed.
We are both missing you and I look at the photos of us in the kitchen ‘pretending to cook’ and laugh, remembering the fun. I hope you have settled back in to your normal routine again, I guess it will take a while. Hope you got to have some good nights sleep.
Take care
love from Trish and David
(And listen to the horns constantly blaring!!!)
