November 14-December: SOUTH INDIA!!
11 exchange students (8 Americans, 2 Germans, and 1 Canadian) + our tour guide and friend RK! He has been doing the Rotary tours for 11 years!
The journey took me from one city to the next... like this: Nasik, Nagpur, Hydrabad, Chennai, Mahabalipuram, Bangalore, Hassan, Mysore, Ooty, Pollachi, Munnar, Thakkadi, Allappy, Kanyakumari, Kovalam, Cochin, Goa, Mumbai, and back to Nasik.
Greatest time EVER! Made great friends, saw so much, did a lot, ate good/new food, learned a lot, got awesome pictures, and made the best memories!
One thing I have to say is that I realized how many different cultures there are even within India.
I could tell you story after story and type it all out in description.. but I will let the photo's speak for themselves. Read the descriptions under them for some details!
Here is the link to the south tour photo's! Just click it...
https://picasaweb.google.com/114855458453565628556/January12012
Christmas: Nasik and homesick!
As south tour came to an end and I got back to Nasik the homesickness set in. I felt like the trip was ending and I should be going back to my family in a weird way...almost all of the exchange students felt that way. But I have a wonderful host family and they were very encouraging and great to be with. However, as expected, at this time I missed being around all the exchange students and mostly I missed being in US for the holiday season.
I got to skype with my parents and sisters while they decorated the Christmas tree and watched the movie Rudolf (our tradition). As the days neared the 25th they kept me informed of all of their Christmas plans...they are the best! (Love you Dad, Mom, Kayla and Addie!)
The week before Christmas I spent it in the big city of Pune and a small village called Pawas. Just a little trip with my host parents! We reached Nasik on the 24th and I had a really bad flu and fever from all the travel. So I slept a lot that day! But the next day was Christmas and NOTHING could keep me from celebrating. My host family has some really good friends that are Christians and they invited me to spend a couple days with them. My host family encouraged me because we were not doing anything for Christmas. I went and had such an amazing time there. Over the days spent with them, they had Christmas parties with other families. They had some friends from Italy, Germany, and France over one night. I had some great food and desserts. I got really close to their son and nephew who are around my age. There were little kids running around and making cookies, Christmas decor, lights, a little tree, conversations about Jesus, and they even got me a Christmas gift which was under the tree. A wonderful way to spend Christmas! I felt so loved and like part of a bigger family. The neat part is that they are 'Anglo Indians' which means that English is their first language. I also will be joining them at their church from now on.
New Years Eve and the Start of 2012: Nasik and partying!
Went to my host cousins house. They are two girls around my age. We went out on the 31st at 10pm (I usually don't even get home after 8pm so to start my night at 10 was soooooo cool!) Got all dressed up in 'western clothes' (dresses we would wear in the US). We went with some other friends to a restaurant with a hall attached where there was a dj, a live band, dancing, dinner, and just a typical party I guess. It was a blast. I got called on stage for an award for best dancing! So now I get a free dinner at that place sometime. We counted down and I was so excited to enter into 2012 quite a few hours before i normally would... it was like I was in the future! :P
We had a sleepover at their house that night. And the next morning I called my family at midnight (Ohio time) and wished them a Happy New Year too!
New Years day was awesome. Spent it with another friend going all around the city!
Now as I look back on the end of 2011 it was full of good times. Even though at times I got discouraged, God picked me back up and gave me something to be joyful about! I am having a blast and thank you all for the prayers and well wishes. This is an incredible experience...now I know why they call it "Incredible India" and why everyone told me to do exchange.
So to 2012 and the second half of my exchange.....let's go!
11 exchange students (8 Americans, 2 Germans, and 1 Canadian) + our tour guide and friend RK! He has been doing the Rotary tours for 11 years!
The journey took me from one city to the next... like this: Nasik, Nagpur, Hydrabad, Chennai, Mahabalipuram, Bangalore, Hassan, Mysore, Ooty, Pollachi, Munnar, Thakkadi, Allappy, Kanyakumari, Kovalam, Cochin, Goa, Mumbai, and back to Nasik.
Greatest time EVER! Made great friends, saw so much, did a lot, ate good/new food, learned a lot, got awesome pictures, and made the best memories!
One thing I have to say is that I realized how many different cultures there are even within India.
I could tell you story after story and type it all out in description.. but I will let the photo's speak for themselves. Read the descriptions under them for some details!
Here is the link to the south tour photo's! Just click it...
https://picasaweb.google.com/114855458453565628556/January12012
Christmas: Nasik and homesick!
As south tour came to an end and I got back to Nasik the homesickness set in. I felt like the trip was ending and I should be going back to my family in a weird way...almost all of the exchange students felt that way. But I have a wonderful host family and they were very encouraging and great to be with. However, as expected, at this time I missed being around all the exchange students and mostly I missed being in US for the holiday season.
I got to skype with my parents and sisters while they decorated the Christmas tree and watched the movie Rudolf (our tradition). As the days neared the 25th they kept me informed of all of their Christmas plans...they are the best! (Love you Dad, Mom, Kayla and Addie!)
The week before Christmas I spent it in the big city of Pune and a small village called Pawas. Just a little trip with my host parents! We reached Nasik on the 24th and I had a really bad flu and fever from all the travel. So I slept a lot that day! But the next day was Christmas and NOTHING could keep me from celebrating. My host family has some really good friends that are Christians and they invited me to spend a couple days with them. My host family encouraged me because we were not doing anything for Christmas. I went and had such an amazing time there. Over the days spent with them, they had Christmas parties with other families. They had some friends from Italy, Germany, and France over one night. I had some great food and desserts. I got really close to their son and nephew who are around my age. There were little kids running around and making cookies, Christmas decor, lights, a little tree, conversations about Jesus, and they even got me a Christmas gift which was under the tree. A wonderful way to spend Christmas! I felt so loved and like part of a bigger family. The neat part is that they are 'Anglo Indians' which means that English is their first language. I also will be joining them at their church from now on.
New Years Eve and the Start of 2012: Nasik and partying!
Went to my host cousins house. They are two girls around my age. We went out on the 31st at 10pm (I usually don't even get home after 8pm so to start my night at 10 was soooooo cool!) Got all dressed up in 'western clothes' (dresses we would wear in the US). We went with some other friends to a restaurant with a hall attached where there was a dj, a live band, dancing, dinner, and just a typical party I guess. It was a blast. I got called on stage for an award for best dancing! So now I get a free dinner at that place sometime. We counted down and I was so excited to enter into 2012 quite a few hours before i normally would... it was like I was in the future! :P
We had a sleepover at their house that night. And the next morning I called my family at midnight (Ohio time) and wished them a Happy New Year too!
New Years day was awesome. Spent it with another friend going all around the city!
Now as I look back on the end of 2011 it was full of good times. Even though at times I got discouraged, God picked me back up and gave me something to be joyful about! I am having a blast and thank you all for the prayers and well wishes. This is an incredible experience...now I know why they call it "Incredible India" and why everyone told me to do exchange.
So to 2012 and the second half of my exchange.....let's go!
India is a very beautiful country of south Asia which is spotted with natural and manmade attractions which entices tourists to visit this place from every hook and nook of the country.Thanks for the post..
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