We don't know what's happening with the VISA... but at the Rotary District meeting last night, where all the leadership was changed, everyone got gifts and bouquets presented to them, the new leaders were installed, the waiters came around with hors deurves and whisky, a little beer... we had a good time. We were dressed right in the middle, not as nice as the dignitaries and award winners, but nicer than most of the friends and family attendees. I was so glad we went and bought nice stuff they announced our presence and asked us to come up on the dais as they presented Julie with a bouquet so everyone (about 75-100 people) could see what we look like and take our picture. They are doing a lot of great stuff here for community service, Polio eradication is their number one goal, and Bill Gates foundation has stepped up to donate 350 million american dollars, if the Rotary matches 200 million... so there's that drive, they have gotten polio down from 1000 cases a day to 50 and the goal is 0... india is one of 4 countries in the world where polio still exists and we see many people sitting on the road begging, peddling bicycle rickshaws with their hands, and walking on their hands with deformed legs, etc.
Aside from that project they are funding and operating a vocational school in rural area's to teach farmer (mostly women) job skills, and also a program to teach computer literacy (MS OFFICE), so they can aspire to get a job as a clerk rather than menial labor or peon work. After the meeting, over drinks (I got some hard looks when I declined the straight wiskey with water as they all were drinking)... there was a great buffet line of veg things and some meat as well, and the deserts were strange... some white balls of curd like stuff flavored, kindof gritty, and YOU MUST TRY THIS! Ashok tells me as he piles something that looks like scalloped potatoes then puts on a white gravy... and then some ice cream may have been pistacio...
we hear from many people about the visa hassle they have all heard of it by now. Some say that should be no problem, to others who say what a mess you are in!
Anyway, we agree to dinner at Ashok and Alka's home an hour out of Delhi Friday night at 7:00 and say our goodnights, it's nearly midnight as we leave and the meeting is still going strong with the food and drink, but we have had enough. Kuldeep is waiting outside in the lot and we are in by 12:30.
Thursday, July 16. Article in the paper this morning Delhi U colleges are opening some holding their first days of class, others orientation as they open at different times over the next 2 weeks. Julie is a little disappointed she isn't starting school and settled by now, we've been here over 2 weeks and still don't know if she will have to travel home and back or what, we're finally adjusted to the time difference it's day when it's night at home and verse visa. Ashok calls this morning and 3 ways a call with a high ranking man we met last night who has a connection somewhere, and asks us to scan and email copies of all the documents to him so he can see what can be done. Mind you, this is where there are no office max's or kinkos, not in this part of the city anyway, photstat or fax is the best you can do and they are usually open air with mininum 10 year old equipment. We walk quite a while and it is hot again, though the monsoons have started just one day and the next 3 no rain is expected, we stop and ask several places and get pointed down the road or to Nehru Place, so we flag a tuk-tuk and start for there then see the place I saw the other day "RK Document Filing" We stop in and in a few minutes are sitting in an office with a guy on a pc while another meeting between 3 men takes place on the other end of the desk. 15 minutes later it's all done and we cash out for 100.
We celebrate by stopping in Narulas for a Fanta Ice creme soda and fries, then take a tuk-tuk to Greater Kailash market, which is supposed to be THE market in this sector of the city. We are greatly disappointed it is mostly clothing and jewelry, upscale for Delhi, higher priced than we are used to, and most of the stuff is plain ugly. An article in the paper this morning about the "Freshers" Freshmen girls at the Lady SriRam College just up the road "you must have different stuff" and they are all shopping at places like this for plaid capri's, denims (jeans), and tshirts with american slogans or ads on them... Julie thinks this is hideous and you can be different by being yourself so we flag a tuk-tuk and head for our favority market Lajpat Nagar. No word from Ashok so we pick up a few things and cannot find a Ganesha statue in wood, only brass, someone suggests Connaught place, so after back to the room to unload and cool off we will venture back up north to Connaught place, where we can also catch the metro on to the Chandni Chowk, the biggest best market in all of Delhi, in my humble opinion.
Oh I picked up another 3 india kurta tops (super lighweight, loose cotton with a pocket), and 2 pairs of the elastic waist loose cotton pants that are so lightweight you can wash them all out in the sink and hang up and within a couple hours they are dry and ready to wear again. Julie's ready to go so more tomorrow, it's 2:10 in the afternoon which means it's what 3:40 in the morning Thursday back in Orlando, so when I write again tomorrow Friday morning it will be Thursday night for you all!
We hope to have good news for the Visa by tomorrow so we can make a trip somewhere this weekend, if not I may have time to dash out to Patna and Gaya next Tues/Weds before I am coming home next Thursday.
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