Breaking in the newbie.

We have two habitat support staff with us on this trip Winston and Jason. Both have been with Habitat for about 5.5 years. Vincent is a seasoned GV coordinator and has helped  over 30,000 families and has hosted 38 teams. Jason has been working in the office writing proposals for funding, etc. We are Jason's first team. Winston is helping him along and leading for the most part but we will be alone with Jason on the weekend.

Still unsure of the name of the village--I just keep forgetting to get it written down. But, for some people in the village it is their first time seeing foreigners. Imagine. There is about 300 years of history in the village.

A team in the Netherlands has adopted the village and will be sending over 100 corporate team members in the next few months to help build...we are doing some of the prep work for them, hence the hole digging.

The hotel is amazing. It really is the 4 star hotel it seemed on the internet. The hotel is a big Habitat supporter and are giving us an amazing deal on rooms and food. Essentially every other person stays for free. Yeah! When Habitat first started using the hotel the staff would ask Winston what he was doing with the tourists, they would come back to the hotel at the end of each night very dirty and very tired. He told them and said they should join a build....so they did. A large number of the hotel staff have helped at a build and as Winston said to me they 'understand the pain of the volunteer.' I like that statement. So, we get the ROYAL treatment from the hotel staff. They hover close to our tables and ignore other guests, which was very amusing last night when we were being served ahead of the European tourists who had arrived first. A girl could get used to this.

Interesting facts about this trip:
-all the home owners will be women.


End of facts.

How cool is that? The womens group in the community got together and approached another group for support for helping to increase the equality between the men and the women of the community and to help with education, housing, etc. The other group partnered with Habitat and here we are. It's really great to be helping these women out.

*****
Notes from Monday night...

Monday night. My second Monday since leaving PEI. It was the first build day--it went really well. Though early days yet the team seems to be getting along well. We dug holes.

-greeted village
-digging
-money exchance
-supper
-walk to promenade


Tuesdays notes:
non existent. At 10pm my head hit the pillow and within a few minutes I was out like a light.

Wednesday. No notes yet today. I'm at the internet shop typing away and trying to remember everything that has happened over the past couple of days. We have now completed 3 days of 8 building days. Everyone is looking forward to Friday and our massages. :) Monday after the greeting by the community we started to dig holes. Each house will need 6 holes dug for it. We didn't finish any of our holes on Monday. Tuesday we continued with the digging of the holes. It is SO hot. Ok, maybe not hotter than last time but it is hot. I think the temps are comparable to my last trip. It is 6:35pm on Wednesday and the outside temperature is 30, feels like 37 with the humidity. It peaked at 34 on Monday...though ask anyone on the trip and we all think this morning was the hottest thus far, but that is likely due to our work locations in direct sun.

Today went quite well. I wasn't feeling 100% this morning and so I sat out from work until the morning break. Feeling rejuvinated I joined the team  and took my turn in helping move sand. It is very hot work and hard. Sand is heavy.

The GV India folks are very pleased with our progress and so are we. The holes for 2 homes have been finished and we spent today helping mix cement, line the holes and sift sand. Does this sound like your idea of a holiday?

Am having a great time and loving all my team members. Tonight we are headed out for supper at a restaurant that serves Northern Indian. Mmmm. Can't wait.

Send EMAILS...I love getting emails when on the road. I may not get a chance to write but just hearing about the news from back in Canada is always good.

I'm hot.I'm dirty. I'm covered in sweat. What a great day I had. :)

All team members were present and accounted for at breakfast this morning which means that my lost sheep had arrived. He took a taxi from Chennai at midnight last night and made the trip in just under 2 hours vs the 3.5 hour ride we had during the traffic of day time.

After a lovely breakfast with SOOOOO much variety I could barely decide what to have we were off for a 40 minute ride to the build site. I still haven't managed to catch the name of the village we are in but I know I will soon. The ride out is nice and we pass a number of rice fields along the way, a coconut grove and got to see about 100 cranes hanging out. You can see the water as well during one point of the trip but we actually build about 2km away from the sea.

Our arrival was a big event for the community as we are the first Habitat team to ever build there. There were village officials, funding partners and members of the community out for our arrival. The homes will be owned by the women and it is a womens group that helped put together the project so we all feel very proud to be involved in this event and to have the ability to help these women acheive some equality in the home. I was given my lei of flowers by the head of the village. It is only proper in India for the head of one organization to be greeted by the head of another organization. I think it is also good for the men of the community to see me as the leader of the team, I'm sure the women see it as a good thing.

The children threw flowers at us which made everyone laugh and smile. One girl didn't want to part with all the petals they had piled on the place and started to cry. We had a welcome ceremony in the tent which is to be our haven for the next two weeks--providing shelter from the HOT sun. Then a quick look at one of the homes that we would be replacing. We met the family who would be moving into the home, 2 sons and the mother. One of the sons is an electrician and the other a mason. The eldest, the electrician worked with us all day. He was a dynamo and never stopped. Once the house is completed he will be able to get married and live there with his wife so he is very keen to work hard and fast. There were a number of jokes made from our team on not rushing cause it wouldn't be as much fun as he is thinking. LOL. We didn't say that to him--it is a very big occasion for him and will be a good thing for the family.

Once again I spent my first day in India digging holes. At the spot I was working we dug three holes and didn't manage to finish any of them. They are bigger than before, 5 feet by 5 feet by 5 feet deep. They had to keep stopping us because they would add water to the hole to help soften the clay. With absolutely no shade over head it was a very hot day. The other half of my team was working on another home and while they got to work under the shade of a palm tree they had to deal with a hill of fire ants where they needed to dig--so both sub-teams had their issues.

I keep a paper diary as I go and update the blog when I have time. Unfortunately you won't get any pictures until I return.

Here's Thursday last week moving forward:

My shuttle arrives at 5:30am for my 8:30am flight to Brussels. UGH. I wonder if I need to check in when I arrive in Brussels--better check. Some people should not be in the service industry. The 'nice' man at the front desk of the hotel was cranky with me for not answering my phone--the 5am wake up. He started calling as I was locking the door. Oh well. How Paris! Within minutes my shuttle arrive and was there early! and we were off ot the airport. There were no line ups and the whole thing went pretty smooth. I made my connection in Brussels and as my bag was tagged for Chennai I can only assume it will find me later today.

There is now just over one hour to go on this 9.5 hour flight. My hip is sore, I'm dehydrated, I need to pee but my belly is full and overall the flight has been good. Within 15 minutes of my arrival I should be re-united with an old pal/team member. She has been travelling for 2 straight days and must be exhausted. I wonder if we can arrange for massages tomorrow. I've fnished both books I brought with me. I left the first at the hotel in Paris and will be leaving the second one on the plane. Sorry Shannon--I owe you a copy of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. It was GREAT and I can't wait to read the second one when I get back to PEI. So I will need to find a book  now inChennai to read over the next couple weeks. Who was I kidding when I was only brought 2 books-but taking more means extra weight to drag around. Ok--more tv before we land.

The last 20 minutes of a flight are the longest. You are almost at your destination and all you can do now is figet. It isn't just me. You can see it in a lot of people, the restlessness. Is it because suddenly you are almost there? That you can't stand? I think its a combination of things.

India at night is dark when flying in compared to North America where orange lights highlight each road and house--here in Indiacities are bright but the spaces between seem darker. In my opinion.

******

It's Friday. Just back from supper. It was a really great meal at Daksin which is located at the Sheraton. It was worth every rupee--all 3500 of them--plus our ride there and back for a grand total of 3900 rupees. Which btw is still under $100--for both of us.

We ordered the thali which is essentially a set meal, like a table d'hote. One veg one non-veg. They started us with different breads and sauces them some fried appies. You could watch them making and frying them--yummy. There was soup which was a bit spicy but delish. The main meal which was served in 6 or 7 little silver dishes. 1. chicken, 2. fish, 3 mutton, 4 radish, 5 spincah, 6 dahl, 7...I forget already. Plus plain yoghurt, flavoured rice and a sauce. It was all you can eat which we didn't know at first but it didn't matter we couldn't finish what we had. Pistachio ice cream and coffee for dessert. The coffee according to RSC was pretty good. 3 gentlemen played music the whole time and it was a great way to spend the evening. Now with a full belly, I'm off to sleep.

*****

Saturday we didn't do much in Chennai. RSC was feeling the effects of jet lag and we hung out in the room napping and chatting. One of the other team members joined in the afternoon. Supper was at the hotel and it was very nice. In the next few hours I am expecting 5 more team members. They should arrive between 1am and 5am....I hope to be asleep.

******

Sunday morning and shortly after awakening there was a knock at the door --2 very awake and perky team members. Hugs all around. I was very happy to see them and said I would see them for breakfast. When I got to the restaurant shortly after there was another member of the team there and within a few more minutes the others had joined. Intros were made and we were off to a good start. Check out went fine and we boarded the bus to the airport. 3 members of the team were to arrive at 9:30am. The decision was made to head over see if we could meet them and head out. Two were found shortly after our arrival and within another 5 minutes the 11th. The 12th person was still in the US waiting for his flight to leave.
(I had to pay 60 rupees to go into the airport to meet them--only in India?!)

We boarded the bus and headed to Pondicherry. Approx 150km and 3.5 hour drive. It went quite well and people either napped or chatted amongst themselves on the two busses.

That basically brings you up to date from my first post. I will try over the next couple of days to tell you about the orientation meeting and the first day at the build site....both were great.

I'm not really tired (yet), and I've showered so I'm clean, but a few minutes ago I was hot, tired, dirty and sweaty--a very appealing combination. It's amazing the power of a shower.

For those of you who were with me for the first trip to India you know how I spent my first day at the build site--I dug a hole. Guess what--I dug another one. Well, my sub team worked on 3 during our short day. The temperatures are much higher this time and we have no shelter so the work was slow...but we made good progress.

It's almost 7:30pm in Pondicherry and I'm hungry. Supper starts in 15 minutes--gotta go.

Thanks for hanging in with me.

Hi! I've arrived in Pondicherry. WOW. It's good to be back. We arrived around 2:30pm today--sunday. It's hot and the 3.5 hour bus ride seemed long but everyone is still in good spirits. We start building tomorrow. One team member is on the missing list. Missed his connection in chicago due to weather and Obama. He will arrive in Chennai tonight and take the bus down to Pondicherry tomorrow. At least he is courageous enough to take a local bus.

The actual building starts tomorrow and it is going to be a hard day for most of the team. Jet lag is still a factor for most and the heat will rule their enthusiasm. I keep saying, it isn't a race to finish its just to get done what we can. Some is better than none.

At 5pm I'm heading out for a walk and anyone who wants to join can tag along. I suspect the majority will want to venture out for a bit. Then back to the hotel for our orientation to India, to get some information on the actual build and then supper. I am hoping to then head back up to the roof top to enjoy the breeze coming in off the Bay of Bengal and the lights of Pondicherry.

Hotel is amazing. It is a 4 star hotel. Apparently they give Habitat a really good rate--they must. Jason is going to be our on the ground co-ordintator for GV. It is his first international group--we will break him in. There is a roof top pool and while it is only open until 7pm I suspect we will really get some use out of it. Restaurant was fabulous for lunch and I look forward to supper here tonight. They do a buffet and you can tell they cater to tourists as all the dishes are marked with the name of the dish and then 'spicy', 'mild', 'sweet', etc. very helpful for one of our folks who found all the mild dishes spicy!

wifi in the hotel room and my roomie RSC brought a notebook computer so access is good. Should be plenty of updates as we go.

Hope it is Spring in Canada.

Welcome to the India GV trip 2011. I will be traveling to Paris for the next few days and will start blogging when I arrive in India on Thursday. Enjoy some of the pictures from my last build.

As I sit in my living room sipping a glass of wine this may be a great time to chat about alcohol on the trip.
Habitat does not allow the consumption of alcohol on trips. If you read over the Medex insurance policy you would actually not be covered if you were consuming alcohol. If you wish to drink and party every night this is not your trip. We will be working in the hot sun during the day and if you are working hard you will not be able to party all night and then work the next day.

Shopping! Many people will be interested in bringing home souvenirs for themselves or friends and family...as long as you go forth with a few pointers ahead of time you will do fine.

1. If the shop keeper offers you a beverage and you think you may be shopping there accept it. You will get better pricing in the end. Ask for a coke and watch them take the top off the bottle. No straw--it may be recycled. You will not need to finish the coke but you should at least start to drink it. Chai is also acceptable to ask for and drink.
2. Be prepared to haggle and ask for a better price. In fact it is part of the way you shop in India--you ask for better prices always.
3. There are certain stores where you do not haggle. You will know you are in a no haggle store if there are prices on the items.
4. Be prepared to walk away. The sales people can be very pushy...VERY pushy. They will think you have a LOT of money because you are from Canada. We know this is not necessarily the case. If you find the shop keeper/sales people getting pushy and wanting to show you more than you want to buy or pressuring you to stay longer just leave. Its always ok to just leave. Do not worry about offending them.
5. Shop with a friend. Do not venture out alone.
6. Many shops will have a mat and shoes outside the door. If you are comfortable taking off your shoes and going in do so...if you are not then leave on your shoes. Your feet will be dirty regardless.
7. Know what your money is worth. I printed out a small cheat sheet of conversions. $1 CDN=45 rupees, $10 CDN=456 rupees...that kind of thing. It will help you keep your head when shopping and give you an idea of what it is worth.

If you are touring before or after India with a tour/driver/group beware of the shopping. More often than not--as in always, the tour guide/driver/etc gets a kick back from whatever you spend. It is in their best interest to take you lots of places and have you spend lots of money. Do not feel pressured. When I was in India in 2008 I got to the point where I was saying...no more shopping. Please no more stores. It was hard to say no and hard to get them to accept no as an answer. Remember--walk away if you need to.

Don't misunderstand what I am writing. The shopping is great--there is lots to select from, bring home, etc I myself brought home many wonderful items.

This weekend I will post some information about our meals.

It's January. Our trip is in April. WOW!!

Here's what you should be working on this month:

-send your deposit to Habitat (if you have not already done so)
-look at flights to/from India and get the approval of your team leader for flight times
-book flight (or wait--your choice but tickets should be booked no later than the first week of March)
-check your passport and make sure it will not expire within 6 months of the trip or you may be denied entry/exit
-book appointment with your local travel clinic and make sure you get any/all shots/vacines/etc.
-the visa you need for entry to India is only good for 6 months--get it now or next month but don't wait until the last minute
-read the Global Village Orientation Handbook over carefully. Take notes on areas you wish to have more information and bring up those points for discussion on our google team page

Is or has anyone purchased a guide book for India? Lonely Planet? Frommers? Is there any tourst attraction or area that you would like to see while we are in the area? Let me know. Our schedule is a bit flexible depending on the event and wishes of the team.