We have been in New Delhi for 2 weeks now! It seems crazy! Many of you are asking for pictures and so I am trying to be very diligent in taking pictures while at the same time not acting like too much of a tourist since we do actually live here. So I will post a few pictures here and there but it may take a few weeks before I get a good amount of pictures up on the blog. I’ll try to give you a little insight into what New Delhi is like as well as telling you a few fun stories of our first two weeks! Here goes!!!
To start things off the best way I have heard India described is complete sensory overload! Where I am used to things being organized and orderly this is not always the case here. Things are crowded almost everywhere you go especially when driving. I have tried taking some pictures but they don’t quite do it justice. The driving is at best ordered chaos and at worse absolute chaos. It humors me at times to imagine what my mom’s reactions to traffic would be.. On that note we had two very interesting things happen to us on our first Saturday. Foster, one of the other CFMT’s here offered to take Kaysi and I to ACSA (American Community Support Association, which is at the American Embassy) where there is a pool and you can get some American food. It is an awesome getaway from the craziness that is New Delhi.
Pool Side at ACSA
On our way there we ran out of gas in the middle of the afternoon in probably one of the busiest streets in New Delhi. We heard a beeping noise when we got in the car.. and soon we figured out what it was trying to tell our driver. Then after leaving the ACSA we were making a u-turn (which are always a fun adventure in India) and came within a few feet of getting t-boned (something Foster assured us was not a common occurrence).
Our driver trying to figure out something after we ran out of gas...
So the driving is always an adventure, I am learning how to not tense up when riding. The good news is although it looks like chaos the drivers are very aware and know exactly how much space they need to fit their vehicle into an open spot in traffic!
It is also fun seeing the autos, even got to ride in one a week ago!
the occasional cow!
Your sense of smell and taste are also overwhelmed. When we first arrived we both asked each other what that smell was, apparently it is just simply what it smells like here and which we have now become accustomed to. (Kinda like not noticing the refinery in Artesia). Tastes and food is one area we are still working on adjusting to. Most everything you will order will have some sort of spice to it. We are blessed to be in a guest house where our meals are prepared for us but even the conti (or continental) food has a little kick to it. Kaysi is having a harder time adjusting to this than I am. The guest house also just serves vegetarian food so that too has been an adjustment. Pray for our stomachs and bodies to quickly adjust to this.
Your sense of sight is also overwhelmed as well. There is always so many things to look at I feel that I need time to slow down so that I can take it all in. When on the streets there are always tons of cars, as well as people walking. At the metro station near Kaysi’s work there always tons of people there. In most stores there are items stacked floor to ceiling in about a 10 foot wide store. Luckily there are always tons of employees at these stores to help you out, you never have to wander around looking for someone to help you they are just right there! The stores are usually located in neighborhood markets which at first can be overwhelming but are very interesting! You can get almost anything you need within the markets, you just may have to go to 15 different stores! I soon will be having to go and purchase our groceries and other goods there so I have been tagging along with a couple of the other spouses of CFMT’s to get the layouts down. You also are overwhelmed just by the sheer number of people as well as the variety of different people you encounter.
One sense that has been awesomely overwhelmed, is the sense of welcome we have received! First and foremost the people here have been great! The staff here at the guest house are very accommodating and always very friendly! We also attended Delhi International Christian Fellowship the last two Sundays for church! It was awesome to get to worship with such a diverse group of people while there! Even met someone who knows someone I know back in the States. (What a small world after all, haha the song is in your head now!).
Kaysi had a full first two weeks at VARDAN the first week! They have a day of training one week a month and that was the week she started so she worked six days last week. She worked the regular 5 days this past week. After returning to the guest house after the first day at work she was crazy excited about the clinic! She was like a kid on Christmas morning! She is so excited about all the opportunities for treatment she will have over this next year!! There are also numerous Indian Physio Therapists and Kaysi was given a cake for her birthday on Wednesday!! Their tradition is to cake people which is what the pictures are below! They allowed me to be the first to cake her!
One other great bonus is the other CFMT’s that are here from the States as well! They have been so gracious in including Kaysi and I in weekend outings to the pool and to a movie and one couple (Pete and Katie) had Kaysi and I over last Sunday night for a Birthday Supper for Kaysi which was amazing!!
Kaysi Birthday Meal
Kaysi's Birthday Snickers!!
We have felt so welcomed everywhere we have been! One last blessing this week is that we were able to move into our apartment on Friday which has been awesome to have our own space now! We were able to go to the market today and did our first bit of shopping!! We look forward to sharing more with you all as we continue on the great adventure that has just begun! Thanks for all of your support and prayers for Kaysi and I as we have began our adventure of a life time!!!
