New Developments

Hey all! I'm going to be quick but I wanted to drop by and give another update. I will be ordaining as a Buddhist nun on Sunday so I won't be updating next week because going into town as a westerner in robes is...complicated. I will be shaving my head for a second time which is a little sad because I kind of like the little fuzz that grew back. Classes are going well though I have a ton of homework. Meditation is...well um...a half hour of sitting and concentrating on breathing in and out which is hard when my mind goes EVERYWHERE! I'm getting better though. I have been practicing walking meditation at the Mahabodhi which I am MUCH better at. I can't get into my MBC email account not that I need to check it but it is a little frustrating. I beleive I will be going to Thailand at the end of November and I will be going to Varanasi in a couple weeks. I buy my train tickets for the latter trip tommorow which is very exiting. Beyond that things have really settled down. I am still loving Bodh Gaya and I really don't want to leave...ever. Okay when the power is down and there are no fans to break the heat I do have spurts where I wish I was home but only for a working fan. If I found a battery powered fan I would be set. A few days a go there was a puja which was a big festival and it was for the God of workers so everyone blessed their tools and by tools I mean anything from horses to phones. We got to paticipate in a puja for some of the people who live in the monstary's cars. It was a lot of fun. We got to put incents under the cars hood and eat sweets. Life is good!

A Whole New World

Well I have a surprise for everyone. I shaved my head. It was the most liberating experience, I feel like a new person and as I am experiencing new spirtual sensations my head is experiencing new bodily sensations. Feeling the wind on my head for the first timed was incredible. I also have this very cool birthmark on my head that I never saw before. I feel more alive and more in touch with everything. I went to the Mahabodhi where the Bodhi tree is yesteday and I almost cried. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Also I have a chance in a couple of weeks to ordain as a Buddhist nun and I might do it. On a side note today was the first day of classes. My history class is amazing but I might switch from Hindi to Anthropology because I feel it is more along the lines of what I feel I should be learning right now. These three days have been a beautiful spirtual experience unlike anything else I have ever felt. Bodh Gaya is beautiful and the place where I am staying is incredible! I am staying in a single for the moment because I wanted some private time. My room is so cozy and being able to finally unpack has been amazing. Also the food here is very yummy we have five meals a day the usual with the addition of two tea times. I feel surrounded by happiness. Oh! I realized it's been a while since I have posted. I bought four sets of Indian clothes in Delhi. We went to this store called Fab India and it was great! It was pretty expensive but when you think that I got four whole outfits for under $150 it is pretty amazing. I look very stylish. One of them is embrodered all over and the craftmenship is great. It was so much fun shopping for new clothes. Also on the way to Bodh Gaya our train was stopped by protesters. We waited for over two hours while the police negotiated. Their we actually a bunch of army men on the train with rifles and it was pretty scary. Nothing harmed however. It's been an incredible experience, I know there is so much I have yet to tell everyone but I feel a little overwhelmed at the moment. I'll be back in less then a week to tell you how I am still feeling. Right now I can think of no other place in the whole world I would rather be then in where I am and it is a great feeling. I know this will totally rock my world.

TII: This is India

So I am in India. Currently I am am in Delhi. People told me that India would be a emotional rollarcoaster ride and these few days have been living proof. I have never felt such a combination of crying one minute and total joy the next. Actually I have only cried once and after a long cry I think I am better. Yesterday I wasn't really in touch with my emotions. I kind of was in a daze. I hurt my ankle my last day in London which no one should worry about but I have been a little self-conscious about my limp. It's a little painful but not so much. The worst part was as we landed all the tip-tip birds as my family calls them (better known as the people who want to hall your luggage for a fee) flocked to me because of the limp. It was not a great introduction to India. That day we went to a bazaar and to the shopping district to look. There were hawkers everywhere. I was groped by a man along with several other girls. That is one of the worst parts of going to India. I have never been so aware of the fact that I was a woman and in such a negative way. There was this body building competition and it was outside but women were not aloud to go near it. Having to watch something from a window because of your sex is a little frustrating. I know I will get used to it but it is a big change. I guess my first day in Delhi was not fun but I was in such a daze from shock and exhaustion that I didn't notice how I was feeling. I knew I was not doing amazing but I wasn't prepared for the rush of emotion that hit me when I called my dad. I tried not to cry but I immediatly teared up when I heard his voice. I got off the phone and I went to my room and I cried for a while then got in the shower and went to bed. It was the best thing I did because I was able to deal with my bad first image of India up in personal and the sleep it off. I feel so much better now and I can officially report I love it here. I feel bad because I don't want my father to think I am having a awful time now. I will call him and perhaps Alyse later but it's really hard to call home. I am realizing now why they say it is better to minimize contact. I just need to get a better footing in India before I call again so I can handle that enomorous rush of homesickness that I get when I call home. Delhi is great though. We went to two Mehrauli Archaeological Park and the Baha'i Temple today. Both of them were very cool. The Mehrauli was interesting because it was originally Hindu then torn down and rebuilt as a Mosque then changed by rulers throughout the centuries like the British. It's interesting to see the layers of history. Our guide was Hindu and he had a different spin then others. The Baha'i Temple looked like a cross between the Sydney Opera House and the Durian shaped building in Singapore but it's designed to look like a Lotus flower. It was a nice tour and we saw the India gate as well as the British built goverment buildings. We had a really yummy lunch after and we exchanged money so now I have a huge was of Indian cash. Tommorow we are going shopping for clothes which will be nice because I didn't bring many and they are starting to get smelly. We go to Bodh Gaya on Tuesday which is very exciting. I am learning to like Delhi but I feel once I get into the routine in Bodh Gaya I will really learn to love India. I might post later while I am in Delhi but I'm not sure. I hope everyone is having a truely wonderful time!

London Calling

So I wasn't going to post for a while but I had to get my calling card information and I have like 40 min. left of internet and I have already gone through my email. It is a really slow computer but I suppose it is getting me prepared for the world of blogging in India. So I am writing to tell you that I saw We Will Rock You because student rush tickets rock seriously. Plus I went to the National Potrait Gallery, the National Gallery, and the Royal Academy of Art. I have met all the cool people I am going to India with and many of us have hit it off. We had a very long orientation today and I learned all sorts of new things like most of us are scared to death of getting sick. I leave tommorow evening for India which is just absolutely spledid. London has been great though and I really have forgotten how much I love this city. Tonight I am going out with the group to get Indian food which is weird since we are going to have a lot of that coming up. We also went to the British Museum and I saw some things I didn't see before and realized that there are a lot of artifacts there from Bodh Gaya. One thing I am not looking forward to is the 100 degree heat and 100% humidity where I am going. It will be fun though we have all sorts of plans to see festivals and the Dalai Lama might make a apperence in Bodh Gaya this November which would be thrilling. I am so looking forward to it even if today they prepared us for the rough time ahead. That's all for now. I'll be spending a few days in Delhi before I finally get to my destination so I will try to write again then. Until then cheers!

London Musings

Hello everyone! I am in London now. The trip was nice except the Tube isn't working and it took me little to handle the bus system. However I am here and I have already been to the British Museum which was my 1 goal for yesterday. I didn't however get to the National Portrait Gallery but perhaps I'll have time today. If not I can handle not spending £5 to see pictures of Nell Gwyn. I did see the house where Peyps lived which was exciting since he is my best friend and all. I have met one person from the trip, a girl named Rose and I have been hanging out with her. It's been tons of fun. Others should be coming in today so I can meet everyone coming with me. London is very fun and I went to the West End to look though I can't afford to go see We Will Rock You, darn. I have done a lot of wandering and walking. I wanderend into the Blackfrairs district and even though I know the original is long gone it reminded me of home. No Globe for me either. Unfortunatly there is not the time or budget. I am saving money for India. Good thing the British Museum is free. I will be going there again today with others who haven't seen it. Oh, I saw the Rosetta Stone there, which I forgot was there. It was awesome. Hopefully I'll get some art in today but if not I suppose I can live with that. I am going to be in India in a few days and that is exciting. This post is all over the place, sorry. I slept like 15 hours last night because I didn't sleep on the plane and I bought cheese and crackers for dinner because I know there won't be much cheese where I am going. Next time I post I will be at my destination. Also I have desided that I am going to post every Tuesday, god willing but my Tuesday might at times be your Monday. Okay I have been random enough so I am going to end and hope everyone is having a great time at home! I don't have spell check so I hope this post isn't to awful to read! Have fun and I will talk to you all in less then a week!
-Robyn