This was going to be called ‘Goodbye to Gurgaon’, but I don’t really want anything to be as final as goodbye, so this is more of a thank you for the memories. It has taken me so long to write this post I actually left Gurgaon 3 weeks ago and it is sadly my last day in India.
I’ve wanted to come to India for a long time and for one reason or another put it off because I didn’t have any one else to travel with and felt really nervous about coming here alone. I’m so pleased I finally came, and definitely glad it was for 3 months and not just a few weeks. I have definitely only scratched the surface of this incredible country, and if anything what I have seen of places has just made me create an itinerary in my mind for my next trip which would probably take me at least 9 months to complete, but I’ll probably need another sabbatical in a few years time.
It has never been more clear to me that people can make the most important difference to a place or an experience. I need to thank everyone who has taken part in this adventure with me......whether you have taken a starring role, supporting role, a small speaking part, a character who only returned for 3 episodes, or if you were simply an extra, I could not have done it with out you......hang on this isn’t an Oscars speech....but it has been a pleasure meeting most people (apart from Sachin and Susan who made me cry, but that’s another story)
There were definite feelings of horror and shock that Anna and I experienced moving into our apartment, being greeted by 19 stray dogs and 2 howling Alsatians, but that soon changed when we met the neighbours, Rathee, Dev and Nitish! Not only were they helpful in any kind of advice about the building, the neighbourhood, or any ridiculous question we might have about India but we became really good friends. It has been really strange travelling on my own for the last few weeks and not going back to S block for a beer, a chat, some TV and dinner, or a weekend party with far too much Old Monk and an impromptu Karaoke session......but I think the less said about those the better.....
People have asked me frequently where my favourite place has been in India. I have loved lots of different places for different reasons, Chennai had the crazy atmosphere of the Ganesh festival, the river rituals in Varanasi felt very special, the Punjab experience was hilarious, the Taj Mahal is stunningly beautiful, Shimla has a wonderfully calm atmosphere, isn’t too hot and the air is fresh. Delhi is vibrant and bonkers from the low hanging electrical wires on the back streets of Old Delhi, to the wonderful markets and the modern and lively bars and nightclubs of South Delhi, how do you pick a favourite? Oh and not forgetting the lazy beaches in Goa, the incredible Rock figures in the gardens at Chandigarh, the spiciest curry I have ever eaten in Bangalore, the magnificent fortresses of Jaipur, the lakeside blessings in Pushkar, beautiful stunning Udaipur.......
I could go on, but what I really want to say is Gurgaon had some of my best moments, and actually I can probably summarise it in a series of waves. I felt at home there, and the longer we were in the neighbourhood the more waves we received from the moustached tuk-tuk driver who was always at the end of the road. Tom and I had a couple of arguments about price with him early on, but by my last week he would wave at me then offer me a free ride home if he saw me in the village and was going in the same direction. Two of the little boys who worked in family restaurants on the main street would always wave as we walked through the village. The two men from ‘Discovery Wines’ – the English beer and wine shop, hated us when we first arrived, they were so grumpy, unhelpful and rude, waved at us from across the street even if we weren’t going in by mid November.
People in the village were really interested and open. From the guys in the village supermarket always asking how we were, to fellow customers at the juice bar who would stop to chat about where we were from, and what we were doing here in S block, at Abdullah’s juice bar. I am going to miss the 60p Thali in Suraj, our favourite restaurant. It’s not much to look at, and the resident lizard freaked me out a little to start with, but the food and staff were both great. I will miss Kathi Rolls and especially the green sauce that came in a miniature zip lock plastic bag to go with them. Despite asking a number of times no one could ever list the ingredients in English. I might try and recreate it when I get home, there was definitely some coriander, onion, lime, curd and chilli in it.
As I spend my last hours mooching around Mumbai I’ve been contemplating the lessons that India has left with me. Despite the craziness around you, and apparent difficulty there is a spirit of optimism and getting on with life, making a solution and that in India everything is possible. In a country of 1.2 billion people life could get pretty tiresome without this attitude.
Final thoughts come from many of the students I spoke to at Literacy India. Despite a seemingly poor lifestyle, living in one room with 6 other family members the children were openly thankful to their parents for providing for them. They were satisfied with what they had and when I asked if they could live anywhere, in any kind of house, what would it be like many of them said “I like my house, I would live there”. The cynical side of me wonders if they were just saying that to me because they thought that was the right answer. A piece of me wonders if in a country of such extremes between rich and poor they are genuinely satisfied because they know how much worse it could be? Would I find the same answer if I spoke to children in a more affluent school? Will their aspirations change as they grow older and this country continues to grow and develop?
What I can tell you is that as I get ready for my flight to Australia I am sad to leave India, but massively excited to be reunited with my lovely Emma Morris. In 11 years of friendship we a have only once spent this long without seeing each other before, so it is ultimately with a smile that I get on that plane, but the last 3 months have been awesome, and I know I’ll be back.
I’ll leave you with a few photos of some of my favourite times!!
I’ve wanted to come to India for a long time and for one reason or another put it off because I didn’t have any one else to travel with and felt really nervous about coming here alone. I’m so pleased I finally came, and definitely glad it was for 3 months and not just a few weeks. I have definitely only scratched the surface of this incredible country, and if anything what I have seen of places has just made me create an itinerary in my mind for my next trip which would probably take me at least 9 months to complete, but I’ll probably need another sabbatical in a few years time.
It has never been more clear to me that people can make the most important difference to a place or an experience. I need to thank everyone who has taken part in this adventure with me......whether you have taken a starring role, supporting role, a small speaking part, a character who only returned for 3 episodes, or if you were simply an extra, I could not have done it with out you......hang on this isn’t an Oscars speech....but it has been a pleasure meeting most people (apart from Sachin and Susan who made me cry, but that’s another story)
There were definite feelings of horror and shock that Anna and I experienced moving into our apartment, being greeted by 19 stray dogs and 2 howling Alsatians, but that soon changed when we met the neighbours, Rathee, Dev and Nitish! Not only were they helpful in any kind of advice about the building, the neighbourhood, or any ridiculous question we might have about India but we became really good friends. It has been really strange travelling on my own for the last few weeks and not going back to S block for a beer, a chat, some TV and dinner, or a weekend party with far too much Old Monk and an impromptu Karaoke session......but I think the less said about those the better.....
People have asked me frequently where my favourite place has been in India. I have loved lots of different places for different reasons, Chennai had the crazy atmosphere of the Ganesh festival, the river rituals in Varanasi felt very special, the Punjab experience was hilarious, the Taj Mahal is stunningly beautiful, Shimla has a wonderfully calm atmosphere, isn’t too hot and the air is fresh. Delhi is vibrant and bonkers from the low hanging electrical wires on the back streets of Old Delhi, to the wonderful markets and the modern and lively bars and nightclubs of South Delhi, how do you pick a favourite? Oh and not forgetting the lazy beaches in Goa, the incredible Rock figures in the gardens at Chandigarh, the spiciest curry I have ever eaten in Bangalore, the magnificent fortresses of Jaipur, the lakeside blessings in Pushkar, beautiful stunning Udaipur.......
I could go on, but what I really want to say is Gurgaon had some of my best moments, and actually I can probably summarise it in a series of waves. I felt at home there, and the longer we were in the neighbourhood the more waves we received from the moustached tuk-tuk driver who was always at the end of the road. Tom and I had a couple of arguments about price with him early on, but by my last week he would wave at me then offer me a free ride home if he saw me in the village and was going in the same direction. Two of the little boys who worked in family restaurants on the main street would always wave as we walked through the village. The two men from ‘Discovery Wines’ – the English beer and wine shop, hated us when we first arrived, they were so grumpy, unhelpful and rude, waved at us from across the street even if we weren’t going in by mid November.
People in the village were really interested and open. From the guys in the village supermarket always asking how we were, to fellow customers at the juice bar who would stop to chat about where we were from, and what we were doing here in S block, at Abdullah’s juice bar. I am going to miss the 60p Thali in Suraj, our favourite restaurant. It’s not much to look at, and the resident lizard freaked me out a little to start with, but the food and staff were both great. I will miss Kathi Rolls and especially the green sauce that came in a miniature zip lock plastic bag to go with them. Despite asking a number of times no one could ever list the ingredients in English. I might try and recreate it when I get home, there was definitely some coriander, onion, lime, curd and chilli in it.
As I spend my last hours mooching around Mumbai I’ve been contemplating the lessons that India has left with me. Despite the craziness around you, and apparent difficulty there is a spirit of optimism and getting on with life, making a solution and that in India everything is possible. In a country of 1.2 billion people life could get pretty tiresome without this attitude.
Final thoughts come from many of the students I spoke to at Literacy India. Despite a seemingly poor lifestyle, living in one room with 6 other family members the children were openly thankful to their parents for providing for them. They were satisfied with what they had and when I asked if they could live anywhere, in any kind of house, what would it be like many of them said “I like my house, I would live there”. The cynical side of me wonders if they were just saying that to me because they thought that was the right answer. A piece of me wonders if in a country of such extremes between rich and poor they are genuinely satisfied because they know how much worse it could be? Would I find the same answer if I spoke to children in a more affluent school? Will their aspirations change as they grow older and this country continues to grow and develop?
What I can tell you is that as I get ready for my flight to Australia I am sad to leave India, but massively excited to be reunited with my lovely Emma Morris. In 11 years of friendship we a have only once spent this long without seeing each other before, so it is ultimately with a smile that I get on that plane, but the last 3 months have been awesome, and I know I’ll be back.
I’ll leave you with a few photos of some of my favourite times!!
Hi Sarah Dibley!
ReplyDeleteI'm interested in going to India to work and live for a little while.
As a white western solo female, I have some hesistancy as to what the best way to go on about this is.
I appreciate that you've published your experiences here.
I was wondering if you'd like to share a bit more, I have specific questions.
You can contact me at lotsaloot [at] gmail
Thank you !
M