Tetanus

Note: Not me in the picture! I hope to get at least one photo of me getting one done!

So today I went to the Dr. again, and discussed which vaccinations I am still needing to get etc.

Still to be done:

- Meningacoccol/Meningitis x 3 (different strain of the disease to NZ's)

- Rabies x 3

- Japanese encephalitis (will get it in India)

- hepatyrix (HepA/Typhid) booster (in India)

Also need to be done:

- take a cholera tablet

- 1 x doxycycline tablet every day (for malaria)

- get migraine medicine prescription

- get iron tablets (because I will probably go veg next year)

I have to be careful to take my malaria and iron medication at different ends of the day, because apparently they have a habit of canceling one another...

My arm aches... going to be fun sleeping/moving/getting changed.

x

A few small things:

A pretty and very tiny flower that managed to find its way out through a small hole in a wall - sometimes you need to appreciate the small things in life.

My brother and I with an Indian couple that our family knows - I am wearing my first ever authentic Indian outfit - all of the detailing around the neck etc is hand-stitched with tiny beads and springs! So beautiful. Maybe it is here I first fell in love with India?

So I have only a few shots left of this disposable camera, and I have no idea what photos are on it! I have had it for about 5 years - it is like a time capsule! So hopefully I can get it exposed and printed in the next few weeks...

A very staged photograph of myself in the Weekend Sun newspaper last week.

And finally, this is what I have been listening to non-stop for the past few days. What can I say? I am so excited for Christmas! Like not even so much the day itself, I just love the atmosphere, the good cheer, and of course Starbucks Gingerbread Frappes. Mmmmm.

x

An interesting encounter...

Last night at church we were singing these lyrics:

"We are in freedom,

We are in hope"

It really lay the burden on my chest of the women in the red-light district of Sonagachi in Kolkata; why do I get to walk in freedom and in hope, while so many suffer, are trapped and have little freedom, if any at all? The burning desire in me is to see some of these women come to realise there is hope out there, that they can walk in freedom away from such a terrible industry.

It is easy to disregard our freedom, and forget just how well-off we are here in New Zealand.

I feel like my freedom and hope is selfish, which is why I need to help these women, and share this priviledge with them; to see just one woman's life turned around by the freedom Freeset offers is what will make my trip to India worthwhile.

~~~

In other related news, I had a very awkward encounter on my bus to work on Saturday with an older Indian man originally from New Delhi. After he initiated the conversation, I mentioned what I am going to be doing in India. He basically shut me down, and believed that there would never be a significant difference that we could make there - that was until I told him how many women had already been freed. He began talking about a disease he picked up from Sonagachi, and something about condoms and how they never use them through there... and went on about the strip-bar 'Showgirls' in Auckland, and of his lap-dances he had received (and a few other things I wish not to say!)

He then went on to say that I had very nice teeth and 'sexy' lips... 

Then sang to me.

And briefly rubbed my shoulder (he was sitting behind me).

Then asked me if I would like to go out for a coffee (which I politely declined).

And then I briskly left the bus as soon as I could. 

(Just so you know, I am in no way 'haunted' or 'traumatised' by this, even though I guess it could be seen as sexual harassment - I knew that I couldn't be harmed while on a half-full bus with many people listening in - I am just a little unnerved).

What I have learnt from this experience is:

- not to smile too much at some men in India in case they get the wrong impression

- to say I am married

- that there will be many people who will be skeptical of what myself and Freeset are hoping to achieve, and that I just need to keep believing in what I am helping out with

- that some Indian's can often be quite open and not ashamed to speak about things that Westerners might find personal etc. I had already learnt this from information I have been reading about the culture - things like finance, family etc, are things not seen to be too personal to talk about.

(Please know that these are very much rough generalisations, and by no means do these things apply to all Indian's - it is only what I have so far experienced and learnt about - of course it is going to be a completely different story while I am there).

I don't want to go to India expecting that every man (or woman) is going to act quite intensely towards me, because it will not be the case with every person I meet - but because I have pale skin and reddish hair, I will be the sore thumb sticking out in some crowds, and I have to realise there will be situations where it might get intense, but I know I will always be with someone else so we can stick together.

~~~

In other other news, I have received a kindly donation from a Mr. Williams in Tauranga (I wont disclose his full name in case he wishes to not be known publicly) after an article went into the Weekend Sun about my volunteering trip. I am so grateful for that.

~~~

And finally, here is a photo of a few of us on a trip to Takapuna Beach to soak up some Vitamin D:

Lyd, Suzi, myself and Mel traveling through the new tunnel here in Auckland - on our way to bask in the sun at Takapuna beach wooooo!!

I would love to hear any comments or opinions regarding topics discussed, as I know this is very one-sided, and a tiny bit negative.

I still cannot wait to get to India and learn about the culture first-hand, and then be able to form some reliable opinions etc. I know that while there will be a few set backs here and there, the overall experience of it all will far surpass these.

x

12 February 2012, 6.30pm, Auckland Airport.

A summary of what I am doing for those new to the whole concept :)

It is so lovely to be home.

I have just spent part of the afternoon relaxing in the garden with Smokey (the cat), who has been a psycho and chasing his own tail and my feet. But now the sun is out, these flowers are just such bright colours and so pretty to look at - naturally I had to whip the camera out:

This is my amazing film camera that I scored for $2 on TradeMe. It is a Minolta Uniomat, and I am in love with it's saturated photographs it produces. You can see examples of these in my Flickr account.

Mum and I started a fitness bootcamp this week that starts at 5.45am (!) on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I didn't go to the next session, nor will I go to any further sessions... I was ill in my first and only trial after eating something bad the night before. Just became a bad experience overall. Dancing, walking and going to the gym suit me much better as forms of exercise.

Back to Auckland tomorrow to do a couple of shifts!

x

New blog name!

I have finally settled on a new title for my blog, as my previous one seemed a bit too cutesy for what it is now becoming - my travel blog!

So I decided on 'Chaos + Colour', as this is the way that Kolkata was described in The Rough Guide To India, and I believe that it will probably live up to this standard when I arrive there and experience this for myself.

Here are a few examples of this 'chaotic colour':

Above images sourced from here.

So excited.

x

Penguins!!

So last Saturday I moved back to my parent's home in Tauranga, to spend the remaining time in Auckland with them and friends here. I'm going to miss my tiny, closet-sized room:

My epic wall collage!

 Today mum took me to the rehabilitation area for the Rena victims (a major oil spillage here in the Bay of Plenty); the little blue penguins!! They are just too cute. I wanted to hold every one of them. But they bite... hard. Most of them were rescued from the beaches, and had to go through a few different areas on the site to be cleaned. Each one takes about 45 mins to clean, and uses about 500-1000litres to complete it! Woah!

In other news... these are the yummiest things in the world!! They are small pineapple cakes, and they taste so amazing! A guy from my dad's work network bought them over from his home in Taiwan. Look at the amazing packaging!!

Aaaaand finally for today, here is a freshly wrapped gift for my nan in Blenheim. She hasn't been very well or happy lately, so hopefully this might lift her spirits a bit more!:

Don't you just love this fabric???

Hope everyone is enjoying the lovely weather if you are here in Tauranga!

x