FabIndia and Dilli Haat shopping day (July 17th)

After fighting what I thought was food poisoning all night I woke up excited about the day.

Today we visited FanIndia to learn about the history of the company. FabIndia was actually started by an American man in the 1960s. His goal was to provide a place for artisans and craftsman to sell their work and profit from them. They currently have 170 stores, 8 international store and an online store. 

I was so impressed by the quality and beauty of everything in the store.

The store was colorful and the textiles were all well made. I could have spent hours looking at everything. 

I bought a lot of presents for people at the FabIndia home store across the street. Many things I bought are hand embroidered and/or hand stamped fabrics. I would love to decorate my entire house with their products! 

After FabIndia we went to Dilli Haat for lunch and more shopping. Dilli Haat is a handicrafts market of items made locally. It is a market without set prices. I got a couple of things but I was honestly too hot and sweaty to be interested in haggling with the market people. 

We ate lunch at an all homegrown organic lunch at Navdanya Organic Cafe.  I especially liked the amaranth cutlets. They were delicious. 

Next, the founder of Navdanya, Dr. Vandana Shiva, came to talk to us about her campaign on the health hazards of GMOs and how to farm safely and organically. 

She also told us that there needs to be more focus on sustaining the Himalayas which are  rich in medicinal herbs and plants but are not being protected. 

I was completely soaked from the sweat by the time we got on the bus. I'm guessing the humidity was about 90%.  

Next we went to Qutub Minar to see the ruins and tower from the 14th century. Lots of people were taking our picture there. 

Our dinner was at Magique. The restaurant was pretty fancy and they fed us a ton of food. We were all completely exhausted when we got back to the hotel around 10pm.

Poona School and Home for Blind Girls

This morning I had the opportunity to visit the Poona School and Home for Blind Girls.  The bus picked us up around 9:30am from the hotel and drove us 45 min. to the school.  The bus ride reminded me how big of a city this is.  I knew Pune would be smaller than Mumbai, but I was thinking it would be more like the size of Asheville. Mumbai has over 20 million people in the city.  Pune has 3 million.  So yes, it is much smaller than Mumbai, but it is not small by any means. I didn't think the traffic could get any worse but it did. Apparently our hotel is in Camp Pune. This school was in the new part of the city, an even more urban part. Almost everyone was wearing jeans am tahirts an very few signs were in English. 

 When we arrived at the school, I immediately noticed the lush tropical plants surrounding the grounds.  It looked like a tropical rain forest. We went inside to talk to the principal and the assistant principal.  They both spoke English but had very thick accents.  We had a hard time understanding them at times. She told us about the school and that is was founded in 1924 to "give the blind light through school".  

We were then taken on a tour of the school. The school has a vocational center for the older girls.  These girls learn weaving, candle making, massage, sewing, knitting, braille printing, how to make bags, how to use a computer and how to make notepads.  They have a little store where they sell the things they make.  I bought 2 of their bed sheets,(which can be used as tablecloths) a  napkin and a towel all for 400 rupees...that is equal to $6.64. I almost felt bad for giving them so little for their hard work. During our visit, I kept wishing I was a millionaire so I could just hand them a check for a ton of money. It was all very sad, but inspiring at the same time. They were doing so much with so little. I don't think I'll ever complain again about not having enough resources available in my classroom. 

This girl was completely blind but could thread a needle in like 5 seconds. She was incredible. 

 Here is a third grade classroom. Most of the schools in India use rote memory style teaching.  The teacher lectures and the students listen. These students were studying the geography of India.  There were a couple of braille maps of India and the teacher had a book. Notice the walls are nearly blank, the chairs don't match and the room is practically empty.  

The girls live here 10 months out of the year. Here is the "little girls" hostel or dorm.  

Again, notice the lack of everything.  

It was hard not to cry when we were at this school.  It was old and not upkept.  The paint was peeling, the floor was dirty, but somehow it was all still very beautiful.  The teachers who got to visit the blind school for the boys today said they were told that India has 50% of the world's blind population. You would think with that many blind children, they would have a better facility that this.  All in all, I learned that good teaching does not come from "stuff".  Good teaching comes from passionate teachers who genuinely care about their students and want to help them learn.  

This school had so little but was doing a lot of great things to help the blind girls of India. 

Vidya Valley School (July 9-10)

Yesterday and today (Tuesday and Wednesday) I went to Vidya Valley School in Sus Valley, Pune.  I visited the school with Melinda and Lori.  Today, when we finally left at 5:00pm after being there since 7:30am, we were all holding back tears.  The principal and her employees were all so nice to us.  They made us home cooked Indian food and gave us lots of Chai tea. (Which, by the way, I have learned that I LOVE real Chai tea.) When we arrived, the principal even gave us all a handmade purse from a local blind school from another Indian state that they are partner schools with.  

This school had been making me feel very emotional for the past two days but I wasn't quite sure.  I thought maybe I getting homesick or that I was just tired.  Now that I've had time to reflect on my experiences at Vidya Valley School, I've realized that I've been so emotional because this school is what I thought teaching was going to be like.  It's what school is supposed to be.  It truly is a dream school.

Vidya Valley School was founded in 2000 by Nalini Sengupta.  She is the current principal and an amazingly inspirational woman.  This school developed out of her vision for students to have an education that allows them to discover themselves and their personal interests in a happy environment.

For the first 3 years of the school, the school was held in apartment flats that were not yet finished or purchased. They started with only 30 students, but by the third year had 600 students.  Mrs. Sengupta was able to purchase 15 acres for 50,000lakh.  (1 lakh is equal to 100,000 rupees) Apparently this was a very good price from the seller.

Vidya Valley sits in the lush green hills of the Sus Valley.  There are approximately 1200 students in grades K-10.  Mrs. Sengupta provides lots of activities for active learning and a chance to explore oneself.  There is a great emphasis on reading and social skills in the school.

They teach math, reading, social studies/history, computer applications (including Java and C++), drama, Tabla (drums), chorus, art, gymnastics, yoga, guitar, French, Hindi, dance, games (PE) and grammar (to just name a few). Sports that are offered are football (soccer), basketball, handball, cross country/track and field, volleyball, and gymnastics. Cricket is not played at this school.  One of the high school boys told me it was considered "the lazy man's game" at the school. I thought that was funny. 

Grades 6-10th are broken up into houses (just like Harry Potter!).  The houses are named Cheetah, Jaguar, Puma and Sher (lion).  All year long, students from the houses compete in speeches, debates, arts performances, sports, etc. to earn points for their house.  In the spring, a Sports Day is held to decide the winner of the "Top Cat" award for the year.  The students are all very competitive and want to do their best. 

Both yesterday and today, I was given tours and led into classrooms by the Head Preceptors.  These students are from 10th grade and were voted as leaders of their school.  I talked to them for a long time about behavior expectations and respect in the classroom.  I had noticed that everyone was extremely respectful and well-behaved.  I asked the students what happens or what punishment is given to them if they disrespect their teachers or refuse to do their work. They looked at me like I had four heads. They couldn't even comprehend what that must look like in the classroom.  They told me that they are taught and expected to show the up most respect for their teachers.  If a teacher has been teaching for many years or holds high credentials, students may even bow down and kiss their feet. They said they would never dare disrespect a teacher, administrator or classmate.

Walking around, I did not see any "clip charts" or "card charts", often times there were not even rules posted in the classrooms.  There were no students in the hallway for "time out", there is ISS room, and there weren't any students ever in the office for discipline issues. The students just behave because they want to learn and they love their school.  Today, the Preceptor named Chinmay told me that he loves his school because his teachers love his school and care deeply for their students.  He also said that the principal cares a lot for all of the students and wants to make the school the best years of their life.  Mrs. Sengupta's passion for education, learning, and happiness for her students is brought out through her pupils.  This school is such a happy, welcoming environment. Some students stay until 6pm participating in extracurricular activities and clubs and still don't want to leave.  They truly love their school and take pride in their learning.

After leaving today, I realized that this was the kind of school we all want to work in. I think I would even move to India to work at this school; that's how wonderful it is. We all want to teach in a school where sports and arts are valued.  We all want to work with administration that cares deeply for their students.  We all want to work in a school where students want to come to school everyday to learn and take pride in their work.  Most of all, we all want to be part of a school that encourages students to be happy and enjoy life. I understand that Vidya Valley can do things a little differently than other schools in India and in the U.S.  Privates schools have more freedom to control their curriculum and schedules.  However, I did take back a lot of great ideas that will motivate me to help make North Carolina schools happier (and less stressful) for students these days.  I learned that happiness is the key to a successful learning environment for children...and that is has to include the happiness of all stakeholders of the school. Children should want to learn, strive to do their best and love their school.  At Vidya Valley, this is true for all of the students.

The principal of the school: Mrs. Sengupta. 

 Singing Hindi songs. 

 A third grade classroom!

Lunch break. 

Tomorrow I am visiting the Women's Blind school.  I'm pretty sure what I saw at Vidya Valley School was a dream school for India.  I don't even know what to expect for the blind school tomorrow.

Tour of Mumbai (July 7th)

(Posted late due to lack of internet service for the past couple of days.)

We all keep saying “We’re in India!” every time we see each other.  It is very surreal and we still can’t believe it.  Today was our only full day in Mumbai.  Like I said, I was only able to sleep until 4:30am.  My roommate was also wide awake so we went ahead and got ready for the day and decided to explore the hotel.  We walked around the lobby, checked out the restaurants downstairs and went up to the rooftop.  We were disappointed that the rooftop was not outdoors like we expected. Instead it was a banquet hall but it still had a great (almost 360 degree view of Mumbai).

Here is what the view looked like from our hotel room.

At 7am we went down for the hotel buffet breakfast. It was amazing.  I'm 100% positive I would never be able to afford to stay in a hotel this nice...although maybe in India.  I'm amazed at the savory foods Indians eat for breakfast.  In the U.S., we tend to eat sugary foods in the morning.  We saw beans, chicken, soups, breads, and vegetable dishes at breakfast.  They also had traditional eggs to order and a fruit, cereal, nut and cheese bar.  

After our delicious breakfast buffet in the hotel, we met with Mala our tour guide for the day.  We drove around Mumbai in a tour bus and made stops along the way.  We were able to stop at the train station and take pictures.  We next went to the Hanging Gardens.  There, Mala told us about the Tower of Silence (Dakhma) and how the bodies for the Parsi community are disposed.  You can learn more about it here:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakhma This was one of the more shocking things I have learned about India thus far. The tower is hidden by trees so we were not able to see it.

Here is a picture of the train station.  They really do hang out the sides of the train cars.  I'll have to take a picture of that in the next few days.

Here is a picture of Mala our tour guide.  She was an exchange student in North Carolina when she was 16. She was so excited to do our tour.

We saw a lot of amazing things in Mumbai.  Mala knew where to take us and how to prepare us for what we were about to see and experience.  One of the most fascinating places she took us to was the laundry (Dhobi Ghat). She told us that 90% of the people in Mumbai use the laundry service.  Your laundry is picked up from your house and taken to the laundry via cart or bicycle. The dhobis wash the clothes and they are returned clean in about a week.  I don't know how they keep all of the laundry from getting mixed up or lost.  Apparently it rarely happens according to Mala.

Note all of the laundry being taken by cart. 

We also visited the Jain Temple.  Mala told us that they don't want tourists to come into the temple anymore so we were lucky that she got us in.  It was pretty amazing to see. They were fixing up the temple and renovating.  They use real gold to paint the marble and the doors are all solid silver.  It was so colorful and beautiful and really a moving experience to be inside such a large, old and elaborate temple.  

After our tour, we went back to the hotel to relax for a few hours.  A bunch of us went to the pool to relax.  It was a really nice pool but it was so windy outside.  We actually had to tread water and fight the current the wind was creating so we didn't crash into the wall.

After our swim, we were off to meet the whole group for dinner at the Cricket Club of India.  It was like the country club at the big cricket field in Mumbai.  I have a feeling you have to "be somebody" to normally get into the club.  We had a very lovely, and not to mention spicy, dinner. It was hosted by SAS (a software company) which I will learn about more on this trip.

Tomorrow we leave early for a 4 hour bus ride from Mumbai to Pune.  It's really hot and humid and Mumbai so we are all hoping the weather will be cooler in Pune.

We made it to India! (July 6th)

I made it to India! What a trip! After I drove 2 hours to Charlotte, waited 2 hours for my flight, took a 2 hour flight from Charlotte to Newark, waited 3 hours for the flight to India and then sat on a plane for 14 hours from Newark to India, then took a one hour bus ride from the airport to southern Mumbai, we’re here!!! 

The plane ride wasn’t as long as I thought it would be.  This was a big plane, unlike the one from Charlotte to Newark which only had one seat on the right and two on the left for 19 rows.  I had the window seat for both flights which was great so I see the view and what we were flying over.  We flew over Afghanistan where my brother is so that was neat to see.  On the flight to India, I sat next to a man who was originally from India.  He lives in the U.S. and works for United Airways. He was flying home to surprise his mother in Mumbai on her 92^nd birthday.  He was hoping to be in the dining room when she woke up in the morning.  

Another thing that was unexpected was the fact that they served us Indian food on the flight.  I didn’t read too much into what I thought of the food since it was basically airplane Indian TV dinners.  We also got a “snack bag” for the middle of the night and then they served us breakfast before we landed.  I was starting to feel car/plane sick so I passed on the breakfast.   

We arrived at our hotel (The Trident) around 11pm.  It took a while to go through immigration, get our luggage, go through customs, get rupees out at the ATM and get on the bus.  Then we had an hour drive to south Mumbai from the airport.  Even though I was jetlagged, tired, and possibly car/plane sick, I was still alert enough to be intrigued with the “night scene” of Mumbai. The Trident is one of the two nicest hotels in Mumbai.  It is definitely the nicest hotel I've stayed at.  Our tour guide told us that this hotel and the Taj Mahal hotel were the ones that had the terrorist attacks a few years ago.  Now the security is very strict. There are metal detectors and police officers everywhere.  There is also a guard who has a mirror on wheels who takes it around your car (or bus) to check to see if there are any bombs hidden under it.  I am thankful for the strict security at this hotel.  

From roughly 10:00-11:00pm we drove through the bustling, loud, traffic packed streets on Mumbai.   There were children begging on the streets and running into traffic.  Seeing kids on the streets (even babies) unattended this late at night was a shock.  The traffic here is unlike traffic I have ever seen.  When Matt and I went to Puerto Rico for our honeymoon, we thought the traffic there was insane.  On the inner city roads, very few people stay in their “lanes”.  In fact, I’m not sure that some streets have lanes.  They are more like extra wide roads and people scatter about.  Cars, rickshaws, taxis, buses, bicycles and mopeds swarm the streets honking as they dodge one another, cut each other off and slam on the brakes.  It was madness.  When we stopped at stop lights, beggars would come up to the bus to try to sell us an angry bird balloon, a pink rose or something else.  Many people would follow the bus just asking for money.

We had a warm welcoming to the Trident Hotel.  They told us they would take our luggage to our rooms for us.  I was so tired and I stayed up till 12:30am waiting for it. Finally I called the front desk and my luggage was at my room within a minute.  Needless to say, I only slept from 12:30-4:30am. I guess I slept a little too long on the plane! 

Itinerary

Tomorrow is the big day! 

I just have a few more things to cram into my suitcase 

and then I think I'm ready to go! 

 

Below is my itinerary for the trip. I figure there might be a few days here and there when I don't have internet access.  This way, you can see what I'm doing and where I am.  I think my flight leaves tomorrow at 2:45pm out of Charlotte. Then I connect with the rest of the group in Newark. After a 3 hour layover, we'll fly from Newark to Mumbai, India (approx. 17 hour flight). This will surpass the longest flight I have ever been on by at least 11 hours!

India Professional Development Program July 2013 Itinerary

Friday, July 5: RDU or Charlotte / In-Transit

Depart for Mumbai, India

Saturday, July 6: Mumbai, India

9:10pm: Arrive & Transfer to Trident Nariman Point  (Arrival flight info: UA 48 EWR/BOM  9:10pm)

Internet Rates for this hotel:  In room INR 600 plus taxes for 1 hour, In business Centre INR 200 for 15 mins, INR 350 for 30 mins, INR 700 for 1 hour.

Sunday, July 7: Mumbai, India

7:00am-10:30am: Breakfast served at Hotel Restaurant

9:30am: Meet in hotel lobby (will receive introduction to tour from Ravi)

10:00am-4:00pm: Cultural Tour (may included dependent on weather: Gateway of India, Regal Circle, Prince of Wales Museum, NGMA, Police Headquarters, Kala Ghoda Art Precinct, Bombay University and cricket at the Oval Maidan, Flora Fountain, Town Hall, Victoria Terminus and the Municipal Building, Crawford Market, Marine Drive and Chowpatty Beach, Mani Bhavan, home of Gandhi, Malabar Hill, Dhobi Ghat and lunch at Copper Chimney)

7:00pm: Meet in lobby to depart for group dinner

7:30pm: Group Dinner hosted by SAS at The Cricket Club of India

Attire: Casual during day / Business Casual for Dinner

Monday, July 8: Mumbai / Pune, India

7:00am-10:30am: Breakfast served at Hotel Restaurant

8:00am: Meet in lobby to depart by bus to Pune (must be checked out with luggage ready at this time, ~4 hrs travel time)

12:00pm: Arrive in Pune & Transfer to Hotel Sagar Plaza (complimentary internet service available here)

1:00pm-3:00pm: Group Buffet Lunch at Hotel Restaurant

3:00pm-6:00pm: Orientation to Education in India & Village Visit Prep with Armene (Mazda Hall)

6:30pm: Walking Tour of Pune

Evening: Free / Dinner on own

Attire: Casual

Tuesday, July 9: Pune, India

7:00am-10:00am: Breakfast served at Tangerine Restaurant

Morning/Afternoon: School Visits (departure and arrival times, transportation method and lunch will depend on specific school visiting, should have enough cash to cover your lunch and taxi with tip to/from)

Evening: Free / Dinner on own

Attire: Business Casual

Wednesday, July 10: Pune, India

7:00am-10:00am: Breakfast served at Tangerine Restaurant

Morning/Afternoon: School Visits (departure and arrival times, transportation method and lunch will depend on specific school visiting, should have enough cash to cover your lunch and taxi with tip to/from)

6:30pm-8:00pm: Odissi Dance Performance at Mazda Hall

Evening: Free / Dinner on own

Attire: Business Casual

Thursday, July 11: Pune, India

7:00am-10:00am: Breakfast served at Tangerine Restaurant

9:00am: Meet in lobby to depart for either Door Step of Blind School Visit

Morning/Early Afternoon: Visit to either Door Step, Poona School for Blind Boys, or Blind School for Girls/Vocational Training Center for Blind Women (lunch included)

3:00pm-6:00pm: Debrief at Mazda Hall

Evening: Free / Dinner on own

Attire:  Nice Casual

Friday, July 12: Pune, India

7:00am-10:00am: Breakfast served at Tangerine Restaurant

9:00am: Meet in lobby to depart (must be checked out by this time – can pack weekend bag to pick up for home stay later and store additional luggage at hotel over the weekend)

9:00am-5:00pm: Village & Ashta No Kai Visit (includes lunch in family homes)

5:00pm: Return to hotel

~7:00pm: Meet host families & transfer with them for home stay (Armene recommends bringing several bottles of water to have on hand for your home stay visit)

Attire:  Nice Casual (please note the villages are more conservative than urban areas in India)

Saturday, July 13: Pune, India

Day/Evening: Host Family Time

Sunday, July 14: Pune, India

Morning/Afternoon: Host Family Time

Evening: Arrive back to Hotel Sagar Plaza to check back in

7:30pm: Group Dinner at Poona Club with Host Families (in walking distance from hotel)

Evening Attire: Business Casual for dinner

Monday, July 15: Pune / Delhi, India

7:00am-10:00am: Breakfast served at Tangerine Restaurant

9:00am: Check out of hotel (must have luggage ready at this time) & depart for company visits

10:30am-1:30pm: Company Visit to Tata Consulting Services (TCS) or SAS (both will include lunch)

Afternoon: Visit to the Serum Institute (will include High Tea)

Late Afternoon: Transfer to airport

6:50pm-8:55pm: Flight from Pune to Delhi (Flight Details: Indigo 6E 406 / Pune-Delhi / 6:50-8:55pm / 2 hrs, 5 mins / Nonstop)

8:55pm: Arrive in Delhi & Transfer to Oberoi Maidens Hotel

Internet rates for this hotel: INR 190 plus taxes for 1/2 an hour, INR 250 plus taxes for 1 hour, INR 375 plus taxes for 2 hours, INR 1000 plus taxes for 24 hours.

Attire: Business Casual (may want to bring something more comfortable to change into for flight)

Tuesday, July 16: Delhi, India

Breakfast served at Hotel Restaurant

TBD: Meet in lobby to depart

Morning or Afternoon: Meeting with Dr. Shashi Tharoor

Morning or Afternoon: Cultural Tour (includes Lotus Temple, Qutub Complex and lunch at Lodi Garden Restaurant)

Evening: Free / Dinner on own

Attire: Visit with Dr. Tharoor is Business Casual and Cultural Tour will be casual .

Wednesday, July 17: Delhi, India

Breakfast served at Hotel Restaurant

TBD: Meet in lobby to depart

10:00am-12:00pm: Meeting with Fabindia (confirmed, waiting on time)

1:00pm-2:00pm: Lunch at Navdanya Slow Cook Organic Restaurant & Meeting with Dr. Vandana Shiva

Afternoon: Cultural Tour (will include time for shopping at Dilli Haat)

Evening: Debrief & Group Dinner at Magique

Attire: Nice Casual

Thursday, July 18: Delhi, India

Breakfast served at Hotel Restaurant

FREE DAY

Evening: Free / Dinner on own

Attire: Casual

Friday, July 19: Delhi / Agra, India

Breakfast served at Hotel Restaurant

7:30am: Meet in lobby to depart for Agra by bus (~4 hrs travel time, must be checked out with luggage at this time)

11:30am: Arrive in Agra & Check in to Trident Hotel

Internet Rates for this hotel:  INR 150 plus taxes for 1/2 an hour, INR 250 plus taxes for 1 hour, INR 800 plus taxes for 24 hours.

Lunch at Hotel (pay on own)

Afternoon: Visit to Wildlife SOS & Mother Theresa Charity Mission

Evening: Free / Dinner on own (restaurant recommendation: Pinch of Spice - http://www.pinchofspice.in/)

Attire: Casual

Saturday, July 20: Agra / Delhi, India & In-Transit back to U.S.

6:00am: Meet in lobby to depart for Sunrise Tour of Taj Mahal

9:30am: Return to hotel for breakfast

10:30am: Meet in lobby to depart for Agra Fort Tour

12:30pm: Return to hotel to check-out

2:00pm: Depart for Group Lunch at Pinch of Spice and to travel to Delhi by bus (will do final debrief on bus)

7:00pm: Arrive to Delhi Airport / Flights back to U.S. from Delhi

Attire: Casual

Sunday, July 21: In-Transit back to U.S.

Flights arrive back this day

Expect the Unexpected

"Why are you going to India??!!"
Here's the scoop:

If you know me well enough, you know I have never been out of the country.  Matt and I went to Puerto Rico on our honeymoon, but being a U.S. territory, I don't consider that leaving "the mainland".

I have always wanted to visit another country.  My lifelong dream has been to visit France someday to watch the Tour de France and practice the 6 years of French I took in high school and college.  Now that I think about it, this trip to India is 10xs more ambitious and adventurous than a trip to France would ever be.  Up until a couple of months ago, I had never even thought about India as a travel option.

Nonetheless, in January, I applied for a scholarship program through the Beattie Foundation which pays for two Buncombe County/Asheville City schools teachers to attend a study trip to India for two weeks with the Center for International Understanding out of Chapel Hill.  This trip would include 30-some other teachers across NC who would be attending as well.  I interviewed for the scholarship trip in February and found out a couple weeks later that I was chosen as an alternate.  Disappointed and believing that no one would ever back out of an opportunity to travel to India, I sort of brushed off the opportunity and began to make plans for the summer.  I took on a job to be the head coach for a local neighborhood swim team and planned on working and staying around in Asheville for the summer.  Then, at the end of May, as the school year was winding down, I received an email from the folks at CIU inquiring if I still wanted to go on the India trip.  Apparently a position became available.  After a day of panicking because I had missed the trip orientation in Raleigh, I was able to make a plan for who would help out my swim team while I was gone for two weeks.  I emailed CIU back and told them that I would LOVE to attend the trip to India and here I am now.  I am going to India in TWO DAYS.

I am nervous but extremely excited at the same time.  I don't really know what to expect so I have told myself to expect the unexpected.

Today is packing day with the anticipation of the weather clearing up enough tomorrow to get to do something fun outside on the 4th of July.  Hopefully I can find internet access frequently enough to update this blog with pictures and stories of my experiences. 

Here are some of the gifts I am bringing to India as well as some necessities...