Bittersweet. The best way to describe leaving New Delhi. As I waved goodbye to the insane city that introduced me to this incredible country, a pang of sadness threatened to overwhelm the excitement that has consumed my every thought of Pune. I’ve learned so much in the two weeks I’ve been here. Crossing streets has ceased to be a nightmare. Stepping in front of honking cars to catch a rickshaw on the opposite side of the highway almost seems like second nature. I can eat with my hands, grabbing rice and curry between pieces of roti like I’ve been doing it for years. Animals, goats, cows, monkeys, donkeys, camels and elephants making their way between cars and rickshaws, no longer make me stare in utter amasement. The people, the noise, the smells - all seem like a part of home, a new home. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg... But new adventures await, so with lots of hugs and promises to return soon, I bid farewell to Shrishti’s family.
Meghan (another ACM student that was also spending time in Delhi) and I reached Mumbai just after midnight. We were fully expecting to walk out of the airport into the welcoming and capable hands of ACM staff, so it was a bit of a surprise when no one was there to greet us. There must have been a bit of a mix up on timing. After waiting just outside the gate for a good 30 minutes, we finally located the guy that was driving us to meet the rest of the students at the International Airport. The poor guy was so worried! He must have gotten there right after we walked out, ‘cause he was waiting by the gate almost as long as we were waiting outside of it, less than 10 ft away from us.
Driving through Mumbai at 2am probably doesn’t give you the best representation of the city, but I was surprised by how quiet it was. It was also much cooler, less humid, and less polluted than Delhi, which was nice. The drive from Mumbai to Pune is said to be one of the most beautiful in the country. The darkness of night couldn’t cloak the majestic appearance of the cities below us as we wove through the Western Ghats. Mist settled like a cloak over the dark forms of the mountains. It’s cool fragrance blowing over my face as I lay against the open window frame was a wonderful refreshment from the city air I was used to. I felt as though I was floating in a dream (My tiredness contributed to that effect I’m sure).
We reached Pune at 6am and got a few precious hours of sleep before our first meeting at noon. I can’t even imagine how tired the other students were, after traveling for over 24 hours between the plane and car ride. It was fun to see everyone’s varied reactions to the food and sights on the streets (streetdogs got a lot of sympathy). It seems like I’ve been around it forever, I had to keep reminding myself that it’s all new to me too! We found a nice coffee shop that has a very western atmosphere, so that was a big hit. I got a delicious iced mocha. It was super expensive by Indian standards, but probably 1/6 the price of a Starbucks drink. Sometimes it’s worth it to splurge a bit. :p
Pune is much quieter and cleaner than Delhi. Everyone around me seems to be melting, but I’m in heaven! It’s so much cooler and waaay less humid than what I’ve been in. And the pollution is a billion times better. I can breathe again! We had our first class today, and I made friends with some Indian students! But, I’m super tired and need to get to bed so I can get up early for class again. I’ll definitely give more details soon!
Love from Pune!
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