Day 1- Dress for success

 

Reflection pool at the hotel

Material at the clothing shop

the two boys, just out of school

After a long 20 hours of flying, we landed in Chennai at around 12:40 in the morning on Tuesday the 4th.  We started from Seattle then flew to Frankfurt then directly form Frankfurt to Chennai.  As we stepped off the plane there was an instant humidity change.  It feels like it could be compared to a Florida or Georgia humidity.  Cold inside from the AC but hot enough outside to drip sweat.  We flew through customs and immigration thanks to Miles, Vydia's husband, and soon saw our first glimpse of the people.  Pushing past the customs booth a mass of people behind glass and a guard rail stood with sings and frantically waving.  You could see the smog of the city through the pink hue the nights sky had with the street lights.  Miles soon directed our attention to a flash, then another flash... there was Vydia in a beautiful Sari and jasmine strands in her hair smiling and waving.   We all meet beyond the glass and Vydia and her sister Brinda welcomed us with our own garlands of jasmine.  As we walked out of the airport, it was like walking down a catwalk, with everyone staring at you.  Locals on either side without shame or care following our group with their eyes.  We soon hopped in our cab and took off on an adventure of the streets.  Rules are guidelines and when it comes to night driving, changes are high.  A flicker of the headlights and sound of the horn are the signals for the right of way.  Its like a composition of music specific to the city, a rhythm and sound of its own combination of horns and motors.  We arrived into our hotel and attempted to fall asleep for at least a few hours before waking up to begin our day of shopping.

After sleeping in until about 7 am, we took our time getting up and exploring what Niketana had to offer.  The lush gardens that sound as if your in the jungle to the warm welcome pond at the center filled with fresh marigolds and lotus flowers, the kind staff never ceased to show us around even on to the roof top to gat a more panoramic view of were we were.  Soon the gang had met up and joined Vydia for breakfast.  Breakfast was both new and old foods; the best was the tangy orange juice that looks as if it is half lime and half lemon on the outside but orange on the inside. We soon dressed and headed to see Vydia's mom  and her sister Brinda.  Both women welcomed us into their home with open arms and smiles.  After bypassing the usual chatter, we learned that Vydia's mother is 85, a mother of 5 and loves to hit up the town for musical events.  She gave us motherly advice about shopping and how to be aware of your surroundings as well as teaching us a little bit more about the Sari tradition here in India, as well as Tamil Nadu.
We were off and headed to our first shop made of strictly organic materials and were in complete awe of the colors, openness and willingness to help and never give up on finding us clothes.  We soon got a tour of the handicraft area where things from hand carved patterns for cloth to metal statues of Gods.  The best part though was when we entered the Sari shop.  Beautiful silk sari's glowed with color and life where draped across the room.  Bolts and bolts of material and cloth 6 yards long stretched across the room.  After inquiring about how one is worn and folded, a shop assistant picked our a yellow sari and asked if I wanted to be draped in it.  The girls whipped out their cameras as I stood there in awe of how fast this woman was at draping a sari on me with no hesitation.  She began wrapping around and around and around, throwing cloth over my shoulder then creating her own pleats in the front of the sari.  I questioned more about what is worn underneath and how they are ordered as she unwrapped me, and the girls and I looked at each other with a promise to return and purchase our own sari's before the trip is over.
We next went to lunch at a restaurant inside of a hotel, after being dropped off in the chaos of the street traffic, we doged our way inside when we were greeted with stares and strange looks.  Lunch was full of a tortilla based bread made of rice and deep fired as well as rice and a vegetable curry dish.  The main 7 members of our group sat at one large table together, while megan and I sat at a table with two lovely gentlemen, one dressed in full purple head to toe with a skirt.  They showed their enjoyment for their own meal with loud burps and eating with their fingers.  Watching the acceptability of eating at the same table although not being of the same party was humorous at best. I felt as if I was the own who could not stop staring.  Eventually our silence with our table-mates was broken as we told them of our trip here for school; meanwhile, Vydia spoke to them in Hindi of how fascinated we were at their ways of agreeing and saying yes to questions and comments. A simple head bobble, literally, a bobble head.  The men laughed as megan and I attempted to imitate, no doubt we need more work as to when it is appropriate and how much bobble to add.
Next stop was the city center mall for more clothes, this involved even more questionable looks from locals as the 8 American girls walked by, myself being both the tallest and one of two blondes of the trip found this most amusing.  Inside the mall was like something from back home, we went into a department store full of cosmetics and perfume and soon made our way up to the clothes.  From here we bought a few things but headed to a store across the street.  Yes, across the street meaning we had to walk across a 6 lane chaos zone with no rules followed.  After safely making it across we were greeted by a young Indian boy who shot his head out of the window saying " Welcome to India!! Enjoy!"  and another group of school boys whom licked their teeth as we walked by.  This next store was full of helpful men whom helped us till the end to find the perfect outfits, as Vydia relaxed in a chair glowing with excitement when we walked out to show her.  As we left the shop, two school boys had just popped out of a rigshaw and I couldn't help myself, reaching for my camera, the one boy spun the other around and the two hit a synchronized pose instantly before my lens cap was even off.  They laughed and smiled and we were on our way. The streets were packed with people, from cleaning clothes, to fixing shoes, drinking coffee to using the restroom.  Even the cows and goats on the street seemed to be enjoying themselves. As crazy and chaotic as the traffic seems, its totally functional; yet another rhythm to sync into.  Our driver took us through the city and to the beach where we were able to see our first glimpse of the slums.  Poverty is everywhere in India, yet the people are so rich in community. Everyone seems to get along, from the rigshaw driver to the bus driver, the Muslim man to the Christian woman; regardless of differences of frustrations coincide with such harmony.  Each person has a task to do, no matter how big or small, from the cobbler fixing shoes to the man sharpening knives.
We came back after the drive to a warm environment at our hotel for dinner and early bed, we begin at 6:30 am to head to the school for begging or impoverished children tomorrow.
Namaste!