I'm Still Out Here!

Sorry for not writing in so long. A lot (and I do mean A LOT) has been going on the past month. Plus, it's so hard to put things into words. This post will be on the shorter side but I wanted to give some sort of update.

Some things to tell..

I switched host families now. My new family owns a Printing and Xerox business and we live in a flat above that. We have a yellow lab named Sunny. My host parents are so sweet. My host mom is an English teacher for adults. My host sister was an exchange student to Canada a few years back and now she has graduated college and works there. She will come visit soon I think. My host brother is 17 and studies in Pune but has been home hanging out for Diwali Holidays which were in November. He is like the big brother that I never had, so that's cool! My new family is non veg so I get to eat chicken pretty regularly which is always yummy.

I have been to Mumbai once and Pune twice. I really enjoy it in those cities..so big and full of fun! Actually... I am in Pune as I write this. Having a ball!

I will be leaving November 14 to go on a tour of south India with the other exchange students in my district. I am sooooo excited about that! Going to see so much and go all around with just a backpack. It is a 24 day trip.

I will try to write something of substance soon. Maybe before I leave on the tour. But if not...I will as soon as I get back in December.

Hope life is well on the the other side.
Peace!

If God Is For Us, Who Can Ever Be Against Us? -Romans 8:31

Lately, I have witnessed what it means to be treated differently because of my Faith.
How awesome is it that no matter what, despite everything, no one can take my Lord and Savior away from me? As my host family does puja a lot, it seems like lately my host family REALLY wants me to partake more and more in it. This past week we have had the festival of Navratri. This is a festival for the goddess of Shaptashrung. Everyone paints the statue and dresses it up in a sari and then worships it for nine days. I have had to tell my host dad "no" about 3 times as he has tried to push my head down to bow to the statue. It has been pretty hard for me. In fact I get more and more adimit each time because he knows that I am not going to do it and still he tries to force me. The best part is, he can't control me and I am making that clear. I've gotten to tell him that I don't feel comfortable, this isn't my religion nor do I believe in it, and I am not going to bow to anything other than my God. He doesn't seem to like that too much in the moment, but then later he always acts extra nice to me. They do this a lot when there is any kind of conflict because they just want everything to be ok, and instead of talking about it, they just act like everything is fine.

They finally took me to church last Sunday and dropped me off. After service I called and asked if the pastor, his wife, and family, could drive me home. My host mom said it was fine. My pastors wife came up to the house and met my host mom. They were both so friendly. It really encouraged me. But I was so confused when she left and my host mom and host dad both came to me and forbid me to ever see them. They told me that our driver will take me and pick me up from church. They said I cannot go to their house for dinner, ride in the car with them, or even stay after church to talk with anyone. Right then, my heart sunk to my shoes. For fellowship with other Christians is something I have been needing more than everything. No matter what I said, it was not fixed in anyway. They even said "You should be happy we are letting you even go to church." Wow... is my God that much of a threat to them? I praise the Lord, He has a plan. This is just a road block that isn't going to discourage me for too long. I will make it through this.

I have a little wooden cross on my bedside table with all of my books and my bible. I think it is so cool when I come into my room after college and it is constantly moved..someone is putting it in my drawer instead of out in the open where I choose to keep it. I always put it back and it somehow finds it way back in the drawer. It gives me chills because I know that even a little cross is shaking things up. I don't know who is doing it, it could be one of my host family members or one of our helpers, but nevertheless I pray that God will use me to show His love even when I am not being shown open arms for my truth.

Sure there have been some other issues too with my host family, but God is keeping me strong and just growing me into a stronger person with every experience. I thank the Lord for my friends Carmen (from Canada), Meleah (from USA), and Helena (from Germany). They are a gift and help me whenever I get down or whatever. I also met with a couple from Rotary who are helping me. It makes me not have to worry and neither do you have to worry. God is working everything out! I am being friendly and continue show love everyday to my host family. Still so thankful for this opportunity every moment.

No, I am not an Indian!

Yeah, everyone here thinks I am just one of them. I get it more and more. Seems like everyday, the amount of people who assume I am an Indian double. I can use this to my advantage though. The other exchange students get stared at all the time. I never do really. Sometimes my clothes give it away and of course when I talk. But it's nice, because I can seem Indian when I need to, but I can also have the advantage of being a foreigner from America too.

So let's talk about school. What is the definition of school? Come to mine and you may get a different answer than what dictionary.com is saying. Actually, no one here even calls it school because 'school' is for grades up to 10th standard. Then it's considered college from 11th grade on. After 12th, they take exams and compete with all the students in India. Then they begin their concentration for four years at University. So it is pretty similar to our system, and yet so different.
I attend a 'HPT College of the Arts'. This college actually has 2 tracks in which you can pick science or arts. With arts the subjects are Psychology, Political Science, History, Economics, Geography, Environmental Studies, English, and Hindi.
Although I have graduated high school back home, I am in 11th standard here. It's alright to be with a bunch of 16 year olds everyday, but I suppose they placed me in 11th because they know the education system in the United States is not as difficult or advanced. I don't even have to worry about my marks or anything either.
I have noticed that it is mainly about individual study here. Most students bunk (skip classes) whenever they want and teachers don't even show up some of the time either. It is not compulsory or mandatory to attend class at all really. It is all on the student whether or not they succeed. After school, every student has tutions. This is for every grade, even elementary. This is when you meet with special teachers outside of school for individual and group study. These are way more important than actual classes because it is when you really do all of you studying. (I don't go to tutions though).
So regarding my daily routine... I go to college pretty much everyday (except Sunday is a holiday). I usually  go to the first two classes and then leave and go eat or hangout with my friends. I wear a uniform that is all white. There are about 35 students that actually come to the college and the rest don't come.. ever. The boys sit on one side of the room and the girls on the other. 80% of the class are girls (boys don't care as much). We have one classroom and the teachers are the ones that switch rooms each period. We call the teachers "sir" or "madam". When a teacher enters the room we all stand up until they sit down. If you are late (which doesn't matter) and wish to enter the room, you must ask first. The classes are suppose to be in English but sometimes they trail off into Marathi and when they do speak English it's hard to understand. When the boys misbehave they get smacked on the back of the head. I don't know what happens if the girls misbehave, they never do. The biggest difference between the education system here and at home is that in India, they focus more on knowledge, rather than just the information.
My first day of college? Yeah, I got scolded for yawning (which happened twice) and ALL of my teachers thought I was Indian (like I said.. it happens all the time).
That all explains academics. I also have art classes I attend. Like tabla (indian hand drums), dance, drawing (I am not a fan of this, but I go anyway...sometimes), and I am going to start my other dance classes this month along with yoga and also running.
Ok thanks for reading. I'm going to go study now....... haha, just kidding. :)

The Post That Was Suppose To Be A Video

I made a video. It was me sharing about my thoughts on the religion here and my personal experience with the Lord. It didn't upload. I've been trying for days to upload it on here and youtube. But the internet is too slow. So i will type the thoughts out instead. Kinda a bummer but it's better than not filling you in at all.

I have realized (being with a hindu family) that they are really into rituals. What you have to do, how you have to do it, how many times you have to do it... and so on and so forth. At first I asked myself why they felt the need to do this and it made me really sad. I actually cried after experiencing my first puja (worship) because I couldn't believe the bondage they were enslaved to...and all for these idols. I started to seek God. I knew that this was going to be my everyday life and I had to find a way of realizing God's power and truth in the midst of my grief for this religion.
First I thanked Jesus that my faith in Him does not have to be a list of rituals. The Lord requires a life of justice and for us to be pleasing to Him as an outflowing of God's grace. I thanked Him that I don't have to go through any motions in order to appease Him.
Next, I began to praise God. Everytime we do puja and they are praying to these idols, I praise God for how great He is. I offer thanks for this experience, my relationship with Him, and for being with me even as everyone around me worships falsely. I praise Him for who He is and all He has done. These moments of glorifying His name are some of the best and it is an amazing experience that cannot be described.
After this, I pray. I pray for my family and friends here to know the truth, to see a difference in my life, and for them to open their eyes as God reveals Himself. I also pray for God to bless them, despite everything.
Hindu puja is a challenging time for me but it has gotten better because I know that the Lord is right there with me.
I respect the hindu people though. I see how passionate they are for what they believe and how much they do for their gods. I think hindus think about what they have to for their gods. But I am thankful to live knowing that God will supply our every need. However, I think that we need to offer the Lord more honor and more praise. I mean, if they are doing all of these things for statues and idols...shouldn't we be offering our God, the God, so much more than that?

My time with God here is so rich and fulfilling. I don't sit in my room too often because I enjoy being with my family and friends (soaking up the culture) but when I do come in here it is my time with God. I gave this room to Him when I arrived here and made it like my sanctuary. My dad gave me a letter before I left which encouraged me to run towards the Lord and cling tight to Him as I am moving through this experience. I re-read that letter all the time. I have also been reading Oswald Chambers "My Utmost For His Highest" which gives me so much food for the day (thanks Kayla). Then, there is my daily calendar which my mom gave me. It has a new scripture everyday and then every few days my mom wrote me a message too. It always cheers me up. The scriptures always fully apply to whatever I am going through at the time and it is such a refreshing way to start my day. I am so thankful to my family for this. Such love I have been shown. God is faithful and true.
I can see a change in me already, and it has only been a month. It's hard to think about because I know in another month I will be even different from who I am now. But I look forward to the many hours I will spend with the Lord here in India. My faith in God is the only "familiar" I have from home. EVERYTHING else is different. It's great to know that the Lord never changes though and that He is the only thing I need to have be familiar while I am here.
I wish that all Christians could come live in India, not travel for awhile, but live here. Live with rich hindus while there is poverty right outside your window. To see the puja everyday, as you sit, in an expensive flat, with maids serving you water, while your family feed their gods an abundance of food, and yet there are kids starving right outside your front door. Find God in that. Because that has become my new reality. I wish that every Christian could experience that and be humbled. Be humble before the Lord.
You know that joy that is talked about in the Bible? I finally know what that is. I've experienced it. Sure, I'm not happy all of the time but I have this immense joy that comes from the Lord. I pray that you experience that joy too. He's grown me and shown me so much. I can't thank Him enough. I also want to thank you for the prayers and encouragement. Please continue to pray for me because I will continue to need it.
This year is going to prove to be a defining moment in my life and I praise God for that. I praise God that He is already bringing me to my knees. I'm in love with the same God that the church there is. It's great to know He is with all of us. I'm feeling the love of the Lord is Nasik, India. And in that I can say... hallelujah!

A Microscopic Fraction of My New Life Here

I have been purposely not writing this blog. Why you ask? Well it is because I do (and see) so much on a regular basis, that I find it impossible to choose what actually should go into my blog. Daily life is so much different that I can barely put it into words. Plus, when I get home at night I am so tired. However, I am deciding to sit down and force myself to update all of you about things. Just know that what you are about to read is only a microscopic fraction of my new life here in India. But be prepared...for this is still a very long post.

Some things I've gotten to do...
-Attend a rally to watch women in traditional Indian dresses, doing traditional Indian dancing
-Go to the mall and the market (two totally different experiences)
-Take a drive outside of the city and saw the mountains, river, green grass, livestock, and wine yards (Nashik is famous for the wine).
-Meet some amazing people
-Watch a competition of human pyramid building. It was a race to reach the goal of 50 feet high in the air. It seemed like the whole city came out for this.
-Be a model in a fashion show for Sari's (Indian Dress)
-Have a famous actress come to my house and eat with us. She was a huge actress in Bollywood and still very well known even though she is older. She brought along a women who was a Bollywood dancer back in the day and another women who is a writer and director now. I got to share my ambitions of acting and production with them. The director took my information and her daughter e-mails me a lot now!
-Go to two birthday parties and an anniversary (all in which were a very big deal).
-Attend a dinner party at a very modern restaurant, with a big group of my family friends
-Go to an exhibition that came to town with all sorts of handy crafts and Indian clothes and decor.
-Traveled to the city of Nagpur to meet the other exchange students in my district. It was a 12 hour train ride there and back, which I did two nights in a row.
-Play a karaoke/singing video game that we own. It has Hindi and English songs on it. Kind of makes me miss Rockband (a video game I play at home).
-Learn a bunch of random words in Marathi and Hindi which I use a lot now :)
-Ride around in the crazy traffic on my sisters two wheeler (I wish I could drive it though). Everyone has these here.
-Go to the movie theater to watch the newest box office hit "Bodyguard". It was all in Hindi but I was able to follow the storyline and explain the entire movie to my host dad and sister.
-Hangout with the other two exchange students in my city. Meleah is from the Portland, Oregon and Carmen is from Ontario, Canada. I love having them so close!
-Go to McDonalds. They don't have beef obviously.. but they had McChickens, fries, coke, and ice cream. Everything tastes the same too. That was the only meat I've had so far while being here.
-Give a speech to the Nashik Rotary Club and I also performed a dance to a Bollywood song, with the other exchange students and our host siblings.
-Go to an engagement party for my friend (who also lives next to us). I kept thinking "If this is for an engagement, what is the wedding like!?" It was amazing!
-Put on a magic show to like one hundred people. It's neat to think my love for magic tricks all started because of another exchange student I met last year
-Eat some really good and really spicy food. We eat a lot here. Everyone feeds me. But I am starting to figure out the Indian food that I really like and the stuff I don't like. Since it is southern Indian food, it is different from what I grew up with because my mom makes northern Indian food. But I am getting use to it and really like it so far!

So besides these things which I've gotten to do, I have left out the one thing that I've spent most of my time doing. As you know my family here are Hindu's. Well they are very devout Hindu's. Their passion for their religion is like my passion for the one, true, living God. Now you can imagine how hard these two passions would clash. Which, yes, inside of me it has been a challenge. But God has taught me so much from living with my family here. I have prepared a video of my thoughts and the things that God has been doing. I will post that soon. Please watch that when I post it, because it has a lot of insight and I share it from my heart.

However, right now I want to at least give you an picture of what they do here. The past ten days has been the Ganesh Festival. This is the Hindu god of the man with an elephant head. There are 9 names for Ganesh and the one they use the most during this festival is "Ganpati". During the 10 days every family buys a Ganesh sculpture or statue for the home so they can pray to it. There are also tons of these all over the city. We also decorate our home with posters of Ganesh's wives and they pray to them too. They give their god's food  (like actually lay food by them). They give gifts, clothes, fruit and meals. It is so hard to explain though.
The biggest aspect of the 10 days is that each evening, every colony (or neighborhood) gets together for puja (worship) where they sing songs, perform rituals, and pray to this statue. Then after the puja we have games and competitions; such as musical chairs, 3 legged race, cooking contest, races, and many more. We also eat together as a community. I have gotten to know people in my colony (which is 3 condo buildings) very well during this. At the end of the 10 days (which was today) we dance for hours and hours to really loud Indian music and throw colorful powder all over. We also had a talent show and then had a prize distribution for everyone who won the contests. (all the kids got something for participation). Then tonight, we all went to the river together (where hundreds of people were) and as a colony we immersed the Ganesh statue into the water. There has just been so much to this new culture and religion that I can't write it all in an orderly fashion. They always chant "Ganpatiu Bappa, Morya" which basically is like saying "Oh Ganesh, my lord".

I received a few questions that I will take a moment to answer now.
1. The way I am dressed in the picture on my last post is not a typical days outfit. Young girls are dressing more modern now with jeans and a longer top. But they wear a punjabi dress (like the one I was wearing) when they dress up for special occasions. Then they wear a sari only for a wedding or something really fancy. I cannot say they dress like Americans because the girls are actually modest here. I like that aspect a lot. Adult women wear sari's basically everyday. Men and boys dress pretty much the same as in the U.S. except for special occasions they wear long tops. The guys also care about what they look like too, like in the U.S. fashion isn't in a boys mind too much, here they care.
2. I can still wear my style of clothing but definitely not to the extreme level that I did back home. I do not have to conform to the way the dress here but I want to because I really like it. In fact, I wear Indian dresses more often than most girls do here. But I wear jeans a lot too!
3. I said in my last post that they treat me different after they find out I am an American and an exchange student. I meant that in a good way I guess. Before they figure it out they just treat me like my host sisters friend or something. But when they come to know who I am they first start offering me things like chai tea and food. Then they ask "What are your thoughts about India, coming from the U.S.A.?" and then it is just question after question about why I wanted to come here, how I like certain things, when my birthday is, how their English is, what my future is going to look like, if I like Justin Bieber, if I can be their best friend, and things like that.

I have more that I could write about, but that will always be the case when I post a new update on here. Besides I already wrote a novel anyway. I guess I will wait a few days and then write some more about the way I have been feeling lately. I haven't really shared too much of that yet. I will also be posting that video soon too. So check back in a couple of days.

I pray the Lord's blessings on all of you as you read this. Continue to pray for me too!

The First Week of Many

Namaste,

I write this to inform you that my first week in India has just come to an end. It is hard to believe it has only been a week. Mainly because I have done and seen so much in 7 days that I can hardly keep it all straight. Wow..only one week?!

I am beginning to realize that I will not be able to fully share my experiences with you. Unless you were experiencing this with me, it is impossible to relay such a different and unique culture that is now my everyday life. However, I can give you an idea of what I am experiencing through words and pictures (once I figure out how to actually post pics on here).

I arrived here last Monday and basically jumped into a lifestyle that is the complete opposite of what I am used to.

*small town to big city
-so far so good.
*farm house (with a lot of land) to an apartment flat
-they have a very nice place.
*hot and humid climate (typical summer in Ohio) to the rainy season in India
-this resulted in a cold which i am still dealing with.
*eating meat to eating all vegetarian food
-but man, they feed me so much here.
*helping around the house to having helpers do everything
-this is a tough one, but it is the culture and so I try to respect it from both angles. they are like part of the family too. we all joke around and we have established what I can do to help as well (even though its nothing like having chores back home).
*devoted Christian home to a strong Hindu home
-this was the hardest and will continue to be a challenge. I already feel lonely at times because of this factor. but God is my refuge and I look forward to finding the church full of other believers in the body of Christ.

interesting facts are...
1. No one knows I am from the United States cause I blend in so well. As soon as they learn I am an exchange student they treat me so different.
2. We must take our shoes off before entering a home, doctors office, hospital, (basically everywhere except stores and restaurants).
3. Everywhere we go (including homes, businesses, and schools) I am offered pani (water) and chai (tea)
4. The people I meet love it when I try to say something in Marathi (this is the language they speak where I am at) but I am getting better at common phrases. With time I hope to "wow" them.
5. The culture is SO laid back (I don't even know how to elaborate on this).
6. My host dad is the president of a company called  "NIMA" (Nashik Industries and Manufacturer's Association) and he owns a fiber glass making company.
7. My host mom is a social worker with the "Inner Wheel Club" (like Rotary for women).
8. My host brother (Harshad, age 21) is studying Indian government in New Delhi.
9. My host sister (Devyani, age 16) wants to be an architect.

My favorite thing so far is riding in the car. The destination does not matter because when going through the streets, there is always a sight to behold; something new, something different. I see a lot of the culture this way.

I am looking forward to starting school after this week! I have already done so many fun things but a routine will be cool.

These are just some random things that people wanted to know. I have so much more to share and I will when I get more time to just write. PLEASE email me with questions so I know the kinds of things you want to hear about. Reach me at superstar4thelord@yahoo.com I will then post the answers in my blog posts. I can have no communication with anyone personally until September 21st though.

Keep me in your prayers. God has already shown Himself to me so much. Love to my family back home!

Chloe Anna

Somewhere Between What Is Known and What Is Yet To Be

As I sit in the living room of my old, farm house in West Lafayette, Ohio, I cannot help but take it all in. It is hard to think that in less than a week, this will all be gone (well for about year at least). I remember being a little girl and dancing around this room. Now I will be studying dance at a school in India. I think about dressing up in my mom's saris (Indian dresses) with a dab of lipstick on my forehead and bangles up both of my arms. Pretty soon my closet will be full of Indian garbs and I will get to "play dress up" quite often. I reminisce of when I would sit on the floor and listen, as my mom would speak Hindi on the phone with her mother. Within a few short months, I will be speaking on the phone, in Hindi, with my mother (hopefully).

This Sunday, August 21st, I will say goodbye to my family and get on a 15 hour flight to India. I've known for months that this day would come, but now it is actually happening. I think this is the first time it has hit me, and it hit me right in the face, haha. Am I really going to go live in another country for almost a year!? Well according to the title of this blog...I suppose I am. I would say I am super stoked about this or in other words, REALLY excited! I cannot wait to begin this adventure and create new memories.

However, right now, I am not thinking of what is to come. I am pondering on what has already come. I am reflecting on the events and the people that have brought me to the place I am in right now.

I cannot begin to thank my family enough. The Lord has blessed me, I mean truly blessed me, with my family. My parents have set for me, a true example of  following Christ. Now, I am going to follow Him all the way to India. My older sister, Kayla, is constantly encouraging me to "Place myself in the means of God's grace." Now, His grace is going to carry me through this new season of life. Addie, my little sister, loves telling me to follow my heart, probably because that is where God is. Now, my heart's compass has directed me to Rotary Youth Exchange and I couldn't be happier. It will be hard to say farewell to them, but it is time to go out and give the world the very things that my family has given to me.

While the changes that I will experience are vast; the memories I have are tightly held. While the challenges I will face are unknown; the excitement ahead is crystal clear. As I go on this journey independently; I am still fully dependant on God.

I will miss the familiarity of this place, but I look forward to finding a new place call familiar. So as I sit in the living room of my old, farm house in West Lafayette, Ohio, I cannot help but take it all in. For very soon, the adventure will take me in.