last post from faridisbad

Hopefully this will be the last entry for a while as I’ll be far far away from computers for a while (computered out) may have to check email for FACE India stuff (I’ll probably have written a new post in a couple of days – its just how I feel at the moment)

Not been ‘doing’ much. Been writing a lot of adverts, making templates, info sheets, strategy documents and procedure forms for people to use as I’m not going to be in the office again, and there are kids doing stuff on the internet everyday but there not even sure what there doing and there not recording things or capable of proof reading. Hope it all goes well … set up a facebook group thank god some people joined. Hope they all forwarded it on to anybody who may be interested and they forwarded in on and so on and on and on and (you get the idea). Quick highlight of problems faced (organizationally). Wrote out many adverts for the street kids in goa project then was told today (manoj only found out today as well) that all applicants need to have had a CRB check to work with kids in goa. Luckily we have another partner in goa that works with women so we can send people to volunteer there!! James Smythe is going to check out the website (and some competitors) to see what we can improve (thanks big bear :-) need to get feedback on the website as manoj thinks it may just be my opinion that its shit. And I do think its shit…(but that could just be my opinion)

What I’m doing now is going to Delhi for a couple of days, met a person through couch surfers who’s taking me to a hip hop party.. Could be fun. Need a night out and copious amounts of alcohol. Brandy coffee is to much like hard work to make. Then heading to jaipur I think and onto some really cool sounding place that I’ve forgotten the name of but have written down.

Stuff that’s been happening in faridabad includes; the actual wedding reception of the next door neighbour. Was fun. Just like a wedding in England really. Lots of family, drunk uncles. Kids running round. Lots of food (food was very good) was really good fun actually, a drunk uncle grabbed me and he could speak perfect English so he took me on a tour then showed me where everybody was drinking the whiskey (out the back!!!) lots of drunk Indians there and I was the main attraction. Bit weird but funny. Manoj came and rescued me after a bit and I went home. All the kids were really funny. They helped me get food then this one cheeky thing bought a leaf (from a plant) up to me and told me it was local specialty and I needed to eat it (I didn’t – nearly did for comic effect, but don’t want to give the English a bad name:)

Mr gupta has been coming everyday –not sure who mr gupta is he just comes to the office sits down reads his paper and then wants to talk to me. I try to talk to him but as charlotte my wonderful sister would say I CBA’d (Can’t Be Arsed for all you uncool cats – harsh but true) had some cool India teenagers/ young adults coming to the office doing work though, there wicked, nice ‘normal’ people who just chat normally.

Got the train to delhi couple of days ago but had to get of the train after one stop and come back as wasn’t feeling well. What a mission. First of all getting to the train station was hard enough everybody wanted to charge me 25 roupes when I’d been told pay no more than 5. In the end got a young lad to help me and I paid 5 roupes but had to walk fopr about 100 meters. Then on the platform I literally attracted a crowd of Indians who stood round me. Very strange and a little disconcerting, was speaking to a couple of them and they were nice enough. Got on the train then got off the train in some strange unpronounceable place. Crossed over to the other side and waited for the next train heading my way. While sat there I got more funny looks then a guy who I assume was a milk man (he was surrounded by milk holder jug thingies) started talking to me in hindi and no matter how many things I said in English he just kept speaking hindi to me?? On a quick note I can now say 4 things in hindi with complete confidence. When the train came it was like something from a film, people hanging out of the sides (but not on roof) and then everybody from the platform (a lot of people) tried to get on the train. I took one look at it and decided to wait for the next train. While waiting I got talking to this Indian guy who worked for some strange religion. Think he was trying to convert me.. He was nice and the religion sounded perfect apart from I don’t believe in god. When I said this to the guy he looked visibly shaken. Having been stuck on a train not doing much all day I decided to have some fun and ridicule every religion I could. He was very sporting about it all and he left as a friend. Train came (it was the wrong one) and i had to get off at a different station.. This is how nice some Indians are though. On train I’d been speaking to a guy, just general stuff when I realized I wasn’t going to my station. He was also getting off the train at this station and took me to a very hectic rick shaw stand and arranged with a driver to take me home for just 5 roupes !! was ace!!

Made peace with chai man today. The guy who owns the stall next to chai man wanted me to have some chai so I tried to order two cups and he refused to serve me. He bought out one cup for his friend and none for me!!!! I was about to walk off when he bought out another cup for me he’d been hiding behind the counter :- ) was very funny.

That’s it for faridabad going to reply to everyone on facebook, pack and go to sleep soon. Early start hopefully. Will miss faridabad its starting to feel like home and I’ve made some really good friends, started to know some of the shop keepers that sort of thing, but its time to move on really, going to still work for FACE as I travel round

Extras
Well done to Shirley who got top marks for her first exam very very chuffed for her!!
My sister charlotte wants me to mention her name.. She’s got a show in the winter gardens (blackpool) Saturday
Checked bank balance today…..
Phoned family for catch up and to let them know I’m safe, tried to ring my grandma and kev. but no answers, spoke to my mum, Elliot and Shirley wanted to speak to my dad because he worries but he was at the cash and carry
Got an email that reminded me of something I had to forward on to someone, couldn’t help it just want them to know