I wanted to write a final post about DC but wasn't able to, so hopefully I'll be able to get some photos up soon. A brief synopsis: We (IHP group) stayed in the basement of a church called The Pilgrimage, in Dupont Circle bordering Georgetown-- it was like a hostel with bunkbeds and a kitchen/lounge. Class lectures and discussions were held in a room upstairs in the church, and there were lots of site visits, including the Institue for Policy Studies, World Bank, IFPRI (International Food Policy Research Institute), and Conservation International, involving power point presentations and lots of questions. I got to explore DC quite a bit and really like Dupont Circle and the neighboring Adams Morgan neighborhood. One night I went out for Peruvian food in Adams Morgan with Jessie, Audrey, Kayla, Emma, and Majandra (who's from Peru and said it was really authentic) and had vegan cebiche. The next day we went to a really big craft fair called Crafty Bastards with a lot of silkscreened shirts and poster, handmade clothes, and buttons galore. Later in the week about 6 of us walked through the major monument area and all the way to Earth Care Corps in Anacostia and then took the metro to the Anacostia community history museum, then up to Columbia Heights, and walked back to the Pilgrimage. My first impressions of DC were based on K street (financial/NGO district) and thought it was all so business-y, but it after seeing different neighborhoods it has a lot more character than I expected.
A 14.5-hour flight of endless sunsets took the group from Chicago to Delhi, and the flight was really pleasant as transportation goes. The only downside was that sitting for so long made my feet swell up (which was a shock when I finally laid down in the hotel and noticed), but the UPSIDE was that there was almost no turbulence, good Indian food (vegetarian!), and a beautiful view of the night sky (even the northern lights at one point, on the other side of the plane).
We were greeted at the Delhi airport by the IHP India country coordinator Savysaatchi, and two professors- George and Aseem. Upon arrival we were given roses, water, chocolates, and when we go to the hotel/hostel had a welcome with incense, marigold garlands, and red for our foreheads (called Aarti I think ?)
Yesterday was a super long day and I'm running out of time at this internet cafe so here we go:
-A brief introduction/info session from the IHP india team (including tea & samosa snack time on the roof)
- A walk around our block, went into a beautiful temple
- Walked to Khan Market, went in Fab India and was overwhelmed by amazing fabric
-Ate a crazy delicious lunch in the hostel cafeteria
-Took the metro (clean, cool tokens for admissions, but most crowded train I have ever seen.. quickly learned that the first car is Ladies Only) to Panar Ganj and walked around a hippy market (Audrey fox: think the santee alley of delhi), then to Connaught place which is an upscale rotunda and at the city center
-Back to the hotel by autorickshaw, which is a GREAT mode of transportation and super inexpensive
-Had a candle-lighting official welcome ceremony to burn the negative things and illuminate positivity as we move into the India program, then a great dinner, and bed
