Back from India and Nepal

We just returned from 2 weeks in India and Nepal. It was a very unique trip. One week of work in India, and one week of visiting family and friends in Nepal.

Both countries had their challenges and their rewards. 

Kolkata was all sorts of chaos. It was gritty and dirty, loud and very stimulating, but we found so much beauty working with the women of Sari Bari. It was bucket showers, spicy foods, and pollution. But it was also communication with body language and laughter (smiles and hand holding with the women). It was hearing stories, watching women make beautiful quilts and bags. It was sensing a freedom in the midst of oppression. 

Nepal was relaxing and nostalgic. Walking down the street of our old apartment, wandering through the fruit and vegetable market we used to buy all our produce at, and generally soaking up all the memories we made in that beautiful country. It was also grand reunions, first with Kevin's sister and brother in law who live there with their 3 kids, and second with all the sweet girls from the aftercare home we worked at. There were happy tears, and much laugher, lots and lots of stories, and just good fellowship. It was also cold with little electricity and not much gas. If you didn't know, India has stopped the petrol and gas from going into Nepal (because Nepal changed their constitution to a secular nation and not a Hindu one, so India was not too happy about that), so there is little heat.  I slept in my jacket and threw a few hand warmers into bed just to cozy it up. But cold or not, it was such  delightful time of reunions with old friends and family.

I took next to no personal pictures on this trip. Because I was shooting 8 hours a day for Sari Bari in India, the last thing I wanted to do when I left was take pictures. And once in Nepal, I just wanted to fully be present and not distracted with my camera. So, here are the crumbs of pictures I took:)

I am so grateful for this trip in many ways. I hope to share more about my time there, as i'm still processing. But this will do it for now:) Happy Wednesday friends!