Charley's Travels

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Cooking up a storm with Manju and Schveta 💛

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Sometimes you need a helping hand. The ladies we met last night at a women's session are so amazing. It reminded me that this is experience means learning for everyone, and that any opportunity can be taken to learn something new.

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Some traffic in Jaipur

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This mornings sunrise ☀️

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Holi with the crew!

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Pre-Holi celebrations in Nosal!

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Mid-Phase Review

So I'll start this post by telling you how much I needed MPR and a break from community life. Desperately. Whilst there are so many things to love about being here, the people I've met, and the things I've learnt, I was very much struggling with the closeness of community and my emotions were at times very much getting on top of me. It is safe to say that MPR allowed me to reflect on my time so far and the lessons I've learnt. Much more importantly it gave me the opportunity to really see how I can use these lessons to become the person I want to be. Previously I joked about becoming my own 'personal project'. But now this has become a reality, and one that I love. I managed to write two sides of A4 on what I think I've learnt, and trust me, I could have gone on. At points in this experience I have thought it would be impossible for me to work on who I am, and I didn't know where to start. Now I know what it is I want to work on and how I can go about doing that. This experience has become a real personal journey and I'm learning to love every minute of it, even those that I hate! Outside of my personal learning I loved having everyone together - when the family is complete, then I'm happy! We also managed to explore Jaipur a bit and ended up having a great evening out sitting opposite one of the castles watching their lights show from afar as we sat and tucked into our food. I will admit though, sober dancing just isn't quite the same! We had a lot of fun and it gave everyone a chance to enjoy each other's company without focusing on our projects and being able to forget about community life. I know I for one was very excited to see the city! A little bit of shopping didn't go amiss either, thanks to some great bargaining skills (thanks Rosie!) I managed to get the shopkeeper to cut his pricing in half (1,400 rupees - I don't think so buddy!) before enjoying two ice creams. (Yes, the second was highly necessary). All in all we had a great few days, and I found myself entering community again with a much more positive mindset than I'd had when I left. With only five weeks left in community I know I need to make the most of the rest of this experience - the ups and the downs - to enable an amazing journey.

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Project Update!

So at this point in the journey we've spent four weeks in community and nearly five weeks in country - I can't believe we're already a over a third of the way through our time here! In regards to the project, Megha, Simi and I led our first women's group in Nosal, aimed at the age group of 12-18 years old on Friday 17th. We were happily surprised with how it went, despite the fact that Megha did have to go and collect the girls from their houses as only two girls initially turned up. So after starting 45 minutes later than planned we eventually ended up with a turnout of fifteen girls for our session. Having read handover notes from the previous volunteer group in Nosal we were aware that the girls were rather shy and therefore decided to base our first meeting on games and activities rather than issues in community life. This was definitely the right decision to make as it allowed us a chance to get to know the girls better, as well as give us an insight as to who might make good leaders to continue the group after we leave. The second women's session for young girls was a bit more of a disappointment however. Whilst a few girls did show up, there was a religious holiday due the day our regular session was set, which unfortunately we didn't realise until the day was upon us. Instead of discussing education with the girls, the value and importance of, plus their future goals, we ended up playing some more games, which at least allows us to get to know the girls even better for some of the future sessions planned. We also managed to reach out to the older women of the community and have decided to hold a group for them on Thursday for them to discuss their issues and other general topics they might want to cover. Having two women's groups for different generations allows a greater insight as to the issues women in rural India may face and their typical lifestyle, which as far as I'm aware, is to feed people up as much as they possibly can! Our host mummy is still continuously feeding us subji and rotis, and Manju, who has quickly become another mummy figure to me, also insists on feeding me up if I visit Freya, Megha and Abi's host home anywhere near meal time. Manju reminds me of another little Nani, except a lot taller, and she really does look after me, she's very huggable and I love that! We've had a couple of lovely bonding sessions such as sitting in the kitchen cracking and eating peanuts, drinking chai and laughing at each other. I'm constantly reminded of how simple it can be to communicate through language barriers. She's always wanting to include us in her activities; only the other day were Rosie and I dragged in and dressed up in saris for some pre-wedding celebrations within the village where Manju-Mummy and the teenage girls at the host home took a great pleasure in dressing us up (and I'll admit, I took great pleasure in all the attention too!). I am definitely loving my relationship with Mummy Manju the most out of the community, I want to bring her back home with me at the end of this trip! Otherwise things have been a bit hectic in and around the project, as well as planning and having our CAD (which was very successful) many of us have been confined to bed with DnV as well as having to take visits to Ajmer due to visa issues. It was nice to explore beyond the community (before everything - quite literally - went to pot), and find comfort in some western food in Ajmer, but getting home at 11pm didn't put me in the best of moods. However, it meant we were able to see some of our fellow volunteers from the neighbouring village of Jackolai, and we quickly organised and finalised plans of a day trip to one of the mountains in Nosal. It is safe to say that team dynamics and mood have been very up and down, and at points motivation is lacking, especially as team members are sick and unable to attend team meetings, which unfortunately can seriously affect moral. There's no escape out here, and I know I for one am struggling to find my own space to relax in, but these are just some of the challenges we have to face over the course of this three months! Keeping a positive mindset is crucial, although sometimes a vent is also necessary to expel any built up negative attitudes. Other than that I'm very much looking forward to furthering our women's groups and helping educate and discuss community life with these amazing females.

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Delhi Belly Round 1

We thought we'd make it. How naive we were. It was three weeks into community life when Delhi Belly struck, to which we were the helpless victims. A total of four (and counting), including myself, have been confined to bed, other than our endless trips to the toilet with what seems like (and most likely is) at least half the community watching you enter the outdoor metal shack. On the plus side, this is the skinniest I've been yet what with Mummy and her endless chapatti supply, so I can't exactly complain. As well as the fact that the more toilet trips I make, the less I seem to actually care about any audience there might be, and more than anything congratulate myself on making it in time. We came here to help, but alas, now with a cruel twist of fate we are the ones seeking help. Before I came out to India, I was often asked if I was scared or nervous of coming, to which I often replied that even if I came out here for three months and completely and utterly hated it, at least that would serve me a few funny stories for my return. Although it's safe to say I'm definitely not hating it, I'm sure this will provide a chuckle for some of you out there, and for that, I'm glad. DnV may not be my highlight of the trip, but I feel assured that there may be a few who find a giggle in my discomfort, as it may be the only comedy I can provide you with! For that reason I dedicate this post to my brother, who I don't doubt for a moment will find this hilarious and highly satisfying.

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Back at Manthan campus for a training morning regarding various topics, focusing on child’s marriage, sexual and menstrual health within the rural communities. These are some of the questions we would like answering! Very happy as this will be such useful information for our upcoming CAD on menstrual health as well as the women’s groups scheduled to start next week. After all, you have to be educated on a topic to successfully challenge it in my eyes! These questions that we came up with alos put a lot into perspective for me. Whether we agree or disagree of certain things out here, we have to accept and respect them. We are coming into someone's home, to learn and to love, not to challenge their morals. " I knew, too, that the fact of menstruation was a shamefully unclean secret that should not be allowed to contaminate immaculate male ears" - Tsitsi Dangarembga

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The first few steps...

So far, so good! We’re nearly three weeks into our time here in India and it’s passing so quickly! In the past couple of weeks we were further split into two groups and introduced into our respective communities. We then started our sustainable project planning as well as planning our Active Citizenship Days (ACDs) and our Community Action Days (CADs) as well as exploring the market of Kishingah on our day off - some of us definitely over ate (oops!) but it was a pleasure to explore beyond the village and get a better look at the surrounding area.

Our CAD is coming up a week on Monday and we’re very excited to be working in the girls school running workshops on various topics relating to health and hygiene. We all knew this would be a topic that would be prevalent in community, but not perhaps to this extent. One evening a few of us were chatting to one of the girls in the neighbourhood, and quickly discovered that she had been told by her mum that periods occur if she eats spicy food, or too much food in general, as well as the fact that she had never told her mum that she had had her period, and, like many other girls around the world had no clue what it is what it first started. We’re all very excited to be able to discuss these issues and others with members of the community in order to help them create and develop healthier lifestyles.

In terms of project planning we have decided to set up four groups regarding the topics we are most concerned and passionate about for the Nosal community. These include water, youth groups and council, education and women’s groups, which I will be working in. As we become more focused on the project we’re definitely becoming more passionate and excited about how we are able to help the community help itself in a sustainable way. The hardest part so far is trying to create ways that these groups and projects can be kept sustainable making it easier for the community to stick with them after we leave - after all, there’s no point going in and teaching them English for three months if there’s no one to continue teaching them after we leave!

Outside of the project things are great in community, and I’ve yet to experience a real culture shock (although I can’t wait to walk on clear pathways and not be crammed into a jeep with 13 other people!) Our host mummy is amazing and is constantly trying to feed us up, as well as all the other ladies in the household. There’s a little old lady living opposite us who I’ve become particularly fond of, and I hope she has of me too, as she’s always looking out for me, and fits in well as the temporary Nani I was looking for, although no one is quite as good as the one I’ve got back home. I feel like I’m fitting in well in community, and whilst I wouldn’t say I’m homesick, I do miss my family - when I’ve got the time to! But I often visit one of the temples in the village and like to pray and reflect on what I’m so lucky to have that many others don’t. Already I’ve been in so many situations that have put everything in perspective for me, and showed me what I do and don’t need, nudging me in the direction of a better and healthier lifestyle.

Before I head out to work again I would like to share something I said to a fellow volunteer the other day. “We are not only here to help the community, but to help each other”. All too often we forget the different ways in which we can help each other, and become distracted by other less pressing issues in life. This trip has reminded me that it is not always through money or physical aid that we can help, but sometimes, just making a friend is enough. You never know who might need someone to talk to, and you might learn a lot more from them than you expect.

(Side note: we wash our plates with sand on the ground)

"Sometimes it's the journey that teaches you a lot about your destination" - Drake

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The past few days of training have been amazing and so inspiring! It's wonderful to see how much closer the Indian volunteers and U.K. volunteers have become in such a small amount of time, and I'm making friendships I never would have though possible before. The language barrier can occasionally be a struggle but more often than not we are able to help each other out and communicate very well. Smita and I exchange our English and Hindi words often in the evening, such as we did today after a very competitive card game and watching Rishtey. Sarah and I are up to our usual antics, which mainly including singing each other love songs and prancing about the place with each other. Today we were told by one of our volunteers she thinks we have found our soulmates in each other, and I think this might be correct - we seem to read each other's minds automatically! To think we bonded over birthday chips at the airport and our opinions on Bridget Jones 😂 Observing growing relationships and being part of them is beautiful to watch as we all become more open with each other. I am loving the experience so far (although I haven't reached the hardest bit yet - in community life!) and am feeling very proud of both myself and my team. "When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time" - Maya Angelou

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A peek at yet more of the hectic Dlehi traffic; although it doesn't quite convey just how fast paced it all is in reality! "This isn't life in the fast lane, it's life in the oncoming traffic" - Terry Pratchett

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A Day in Delhi

It’s been a delightfully confusing first day in Delhi if I’m completely honest with you (which naturally, I will be). I’m writing this at 10pm but by the time I get round to posting it tomorrow it will probably be sometime in the morning for the UK. Speaking of early mornings, our flight from Abu Dhabi to Delhi this morning left an hour later than was expected, and I only got two hours sleep – if that! On top of arriving at the airport with no one to greet us 😫 however we kept the mood light as one of my fellow volunteers; Sarah and I were a perfect duet singing away any lingering blues of our fellow travellers. Seeing the traffic was amazing, I’d expected the rush and noise, but actually being caught up in it all added just another element of excitement to the upcoming journey. I’ve also had a taste of my first chai in India – it’s got nothing on my Nani’s though! Meeting the Indian volunteers was rather daunting; as we walked into the Delhi YMCA they had a song prepared for us which we rather awkwardly stood there smiling and clapping along to (us British are rather excellent at being awkward). We were also soon to discover that we would be sharing a room with one of the Indian volunteers – ah, our first taste of discomfort! However soon enough I warmed to my new roomie – Smita – who spent some time teaching me more Punjabi (although I should really have been focusing on my Hindi – oops!). The next few days are our ‘In-Country Orientation’ and will be filled with sessions, so I’m very much aware I better try and fit as much fun time in and around this as possible haha! All in all, it has turned out to be a rather successful first day in Delhi. As long as you have a positive mindset, there’s no problem you can’t overcome. “A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions” – Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

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Just arrived in New Delhi after a very long plane ride. Excited for the new adventures ahead of me, but perhaps not as excited as I might be with more than two hours sleep... "Adventure is worthwhile" - Aesop

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'Failing to prepare is preparing to fail...'

No matter how many times I either hear or use that phrase, it seems it will never quite sink in… Almost two days until I depart for my three-month trip to the little village of Kotri, Rajasthan, India, and I’ve been rushed off my feet with last-minute preparations (or rather, my mum has – thank you mummy!). Although I have what I must admit is a rather organised habit of list making, and colour coordinating these lists (bought, prepared, packed), it is now evident I rather resiliently refuse to carry out the necessary tasks until a somewhat ‘raised voice’ demands I do so. Ah well, at least I recognise my faults, the first steps to amending them! It is safe to say that the emotions I’m currently experiencing are a mixture of excitement and nervousness, though thankfully the closer I get to the departure date the more that excitement outweighs the nervousness (unless of course I am reflecting upon my lack of organisation regarding packing – rather unfortunately I only have myself to blame). However I’m looking forward to spending some quality family time with everyone before I leave, especially my grandma – it’ll be strange not being able to call her daily! On another note, thank you to everyone who helped my fundraising, without you I would not have been able to carry through with this journey, and I look forward to sharing my experiences with all of you, if I have the ability to do so whilst out there. Not only have you contributed to the Pravah charity, but to a very important part of my own life, and therefore it is only fair that you see the impact we are both able to make. “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone” -Neale Donald Walsch.