Last Day at Rising Star. I was up early and changed our sheets and finished packing and cleaning up. I really wanted to say by to Abisha but they were having opening exercises and then were supposed to go in and clean the school on their last day and knew I would be too much of a distraction. Instead I took my last few minutes and went and wrote in her memory book and along with Thrisha's- who had finally opened up to me and really just got close to her the last night and was so happy for me to show her her new baby cousin. Her Aunt had been the one whose painting I had bought in town and who had lost fingers and toes to leprosy. This had been a reminder to me that she was in a family that has been deeply affected by leprosy but also whose life had deeply changed because of RSO and the course of her and her family's future.
We left with the group and said our goodbyes to Dr. Navadtha, the in country Indian volunteer coordinator who would be staying after everyone had left. She is a great addition to the school being a Dr, being 24 and Indian and a great role model and just a great liaison like Dr. Susan between the girls and donors and volunteers. Grateful for her. I worked out with her that I would be sending her all the photos to give to the girls who were so excited to get photos of themselves and their families I had visited.
We drove about 90 mins to a town where there is a temple which has an elephant that gives blessings. Sure enough when we walked in there was the elephant. We lined up to give a small donation to the elephant which in exchange he would swing his trunk and touch your head #blessing. We walked through the town, which was extremely crowded and would be good if we wanted Saris since it had several silk shops. But we strolled for about 45 mins in the scorching heat, saw a couple other temples in the village and then returned to the van again sweating like crazy. It was a good confirmation that it was time to leave to go home and get back to the cool weather. The students all return home tomorrow because it is too hot for anyone to be out and about. Definitely too hot for anyone not used to this heat. A few hours later we made it to Chennai and went right to California Pizza Kitchen and had a tasty sandwich, sorry over Indian food ;) I did a speed shop in the mall and bought some fun outfits that we can use at an Indian Theme night we have to have this summer and then off to the Courtyard Marriott.
At the hotel Sam fell fast asleep while I took a shower. We rested and had dinner a few hours later and around 11 p.m. headed to the airport. We are on our way home. In Frankfurt, Germany after a 10 hour flight and now ready for our next 10 hour flight to Denver. Can't wait to be home. Can't wait to see Kendall who is picking us up at the airport and then see Nate tonight after his moto race. Ready to regroup and be with family and friends and sleep in my own bed.
It has been an amazing journey. I can't believe all that we have done since we left home in Jan. To think we did the 5 day hiking trip in NZ on this trip is crazy! So many wonderful memories. So glad we ended with Rising Star. So glad we got to see so much of India. So happy to have been humbled here, to have felt all the love we have felt here. So grateful for this experience with Sam. But also it has gotten so hot and I can't have another bite of Indian food for a while. Time has come to head home. Miss my hubby and my girls and our friends. Need to regroup. Will head out soon enough and need to get that all planned. But it will be easy in comparison. Sam needs to get some work caught up. He has been amazing about keeping a daily journal through his blog. For me it has been so great to keep the blog as my journal where I can go on and write wherever I am and remember it all, which I don't want to forget any of it.
So grateful for this gift to have traveled and learned and experienced so much. So grateful for friends and family through the blog and social media have traveled with me and supported this journey. I am grateful for new friends made, old friends we have connected with and family that has joined along the way. It's been all that I hoped for, and more.
We left with the group and said our goodbyes to Dr. Navadtha, the in country Indian volunteer coordinator who would be staying after everyone had left. She is a great addition to the school being a Dr, being 24 and Indian and a great role model and just a great liaison like Dr. Susan between the girls and donors and volunteers. Grateful for her. I worked out with her that I would be sending her all the photos to give to the girls who were so excited to get photos of themselves and their families I had visited.
We drove about 90 mins to a town where there is a temple which has an elephant that gives blessings. Sure enough when we walked in there was the elephant. We lined up to give a small donation to the elephant which in exchange he would swing his trunk and touch your head #blessing. We walked through the town, which was extremely crowded and would be good if we wanted Saris since it had several silk shops. But we strolled for about 45 mins in the scorching heat, saw a couple other temples in the village and then returned to the van again sweating like crazy. It was a good confirmation that it was time to leave to go home and get back to the cool weather. The students all return home tomorrow because it is too hot for anyone to be out and about. Definitely too hot for anyone not used to this heat. A few hours later we made it to Chennai and went right to California Pizza Kitchen and had a tasty sandwich, sorry over Indian food ;) I did a speed shop in the mall and bought some fun outfits that we can use at an Indian Theme night we have to have this summer and then off to the Courtyard Marriott.
At the hotel Sam fell fast asleep while I took a shower. We rested and had dinner a few hours later and around 11 p.m. headed to the airport. We are on our way home. In Frankfurt, Germany after a 10 hour flight and now ready for our next 10 hour flight to Denver. Can't wait to be home. Can't wait to see Kendall who is picking us up at the airport and then see Nate tonight after his moto race. Ready to regroup and be with family and friends and sleep in my own bed.
It has been an amazing journey. I can't believe all that we have done since we left home in Jan. To think we did the 5 day hiking trip in NZ on this trip is crazy! So many wonderful memories. So glad we ended with Rising Star. So glad we got to see so much of India. So happy to have been humbled here, to have felt all the love we have felt here. So grateful for this experience with Sam. But also it has gotten so hot and I can't have another bite of Indian food for a while. Time has come to head home. Miss my hubby and my girls and our friends. Need to regroup. Will head out soon enough and need to get that all planned. But it will be easy in comparison. Sam needs to get some work caught up. He has been amazing about keeping a daily journal through his blog. For me it has been so great to keep the blog as my journal where I can go on and write wherever I am and remember it all, which I don't want to forget any of it.
So grateful for this gift to have traveled and learned and experienced so much. So grateful for friends and family through the blog and social media have traveled with me and supported this journey. I am grateful for new friends made, old friends we have connected with and family that has joined along the way. It's been all that I hoped for, and more.
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