Money Money Money

Here’s a breakdown of what I need to save for this trip:
-2 wk program fee $300
-orientation week $220
-Taj Mahal trip $100
-tourist visa $70
-round trip flight $1,200 or less
Total $1890

It seems like nothing, but its alot for someone who is paying rent, a crapload of student loans, and the government. I did my taxes on my lunch break and I’ve been in a funk ever since. Not to be a whiner, but I work really freakin hard. Like 14hr work days at least four times a week hard, but I’m still barely making it. That’s why working towards my masters in social work is so important to me. I can’t be stuck in this kind of existence.  Regardless I’m going to make this trip happen.

What If?

It’s snowing like crazy here in New York and India seems so far away.  I’m moving from New Jersey to Queens in 2 weeks so that has been my focus. India is still not very real to me yet. Probably won’t be until I at least have the visa or plane ticket. 

After speaking with some volunteers who have gone before I decided to do 3 weeks in India (one week orientation, two weeks with the orphanage). The orientation week makes it more expensive, but I think meeting the other volunteers and the trip to the Taj will be well worth it. After clearing the 3 weeks with IVHQ I freaked a little and thought about backing out for a second.   I don’t know the language, I’ll have to get used to a lack of personal space, squat toilets, what if there are bugs in my room, will it be clean, I’m really going to miss meat in my diet, what if I get sick, what if i get lost, what if I experience racism, what if I get ‘taken’, what about those rapes I keep hearing about….what if, what if, what if. If I don’t go I’ll never know. The whole purpose of this trip is to experience a different way of life. Hiding in my Western comfort zone isn’t going to help with that.

245 days to India

One step…

Last night I took a giant step and put down a registration fee for what I imagine in my head will be the trip of a lifetime.  I’ve paid nearly that much for a pair of too high Zara shoes that I have never worn, but somehow this $250 feels alot more significant.  For as long as I can remember India has always been at the top of my Places I Want To Visit list.  I think the movie A Little Princess may have had something to do with this initially, but my fascination with the country and anything Indian continues.

Travel has always been something I wanted to do someday, but somehow whenever I made plans with others it never came through.  A planned trip with my grandparents to Grenada fell through because a month before the airline cancelled the flight and bumped up the prices.  Trips with exes fell through because they became my exes before the planned trips (so much for DR).  After the last fail I decided that the common issue in all of these plans was that it was planned with others.  Granted, traveling with family, friends, and loves is great, but why not go solo?  Do you!  YOLO!  Why wait????  Who gon’ stop me???? *in Kanye voice*  Make it work!!!! *in Tim Gunn voice*

So after much research and hemming and hawing I put my money where my mouth is….New Delhi, India in early October 2014 for 2-3 weeks volunteering at an orphanage through an organization called International Volunteer Headquarters.  Honestly, volunteering wasn’t even in my mind when I first seriously thought about traveling to India, but while trolling the web for affordable traveling options I learned that this was a good way to go.  I get to reside in a homestay with an Indian family so I’ll be able to get a real feel for what local life is like.  I’m also really looking forward to interacting with the children, learning from them while also teaching.  I haven’t worked with kids for some time and I’ve really missed the little heads popping into my office for candy and crayons and Beyonce songs.  Along with all that is the various travel options on the weekends to Agra (home of the Taj Mahal), Rajasthan, Goa, etc.  I am beyond excited, but also realistic.  I took a leap, but there is alot more jumping to do…..immunizations, saving funds, learning some basic Hindu, the visa process (which I hear is a nightmare), packing, mastering the squat toilet (eeek!!!), etc.  And you, my friends will be going along for the ride 🙂

287 days to India!!!!

Scene from A Little Princess

P.S. Donations to help fund this trip are more than welcome (http://www.gofundme.com/3zsinw)