rugs, saris, and more rugs!!!!!!!

Today we went to the president of India’s mansion. I can not construct an appropriate sentence to explain the beauty of the building and the gardens surrounding it. It is extremely difficult to get tours through these buildings, but Winnie, my ongoing and ever present hero was able to convince the secretary of the president that we MUST see this… Much like we have the white house in the states, I call this the red house, for the president’s mansion is one huge red rock home. It is three to four times as big as the white house, and with so much character. Unfortunately due to increased security, we were unable to take any for of camera or cell phone on the premises. I have been told that if one were to break the rules, the penalty would be deportation….enough said on this matter. After leaving the group to shop Delhi more, I left with Sonal, Winnie, Ted, Tom, to purchase medicine for the trip to Kotwara which will then be distributed to the three hundred children that live in the remote village town. Winnie was able to arrange for a pharmacist to visit her home to make the purchasing process easier for Ted and Tom, (who is a family practitioner from Connecticut). We then trekked across the city to an local grassroots NGO to get some information on HIV/AIDS prevention. I was so glad to go because there were so many resources that I could use for research. I was so motivated there, it is doing things such as this that make me realize that my future lies somewhere in the social sector….Today, the weather as continued to reflect that of Monsoon season, however, I can’t complain, I am always suffering from being too hot, so the cool rain fresh air was a treat.

Later on that night….Winnie took us to the most wonderful shop in which one of her close friends has the finest cashmere and silk rugs. The owner’s name is Wikki and he is one of the kindest men I have met here in India. (of course not as kind as the General, wink wink) He took almost fifty percent off all of his goods for us. I have taken pictures of some of the rugs in hopes that I can tempt my mother to purchase one for our home in Texas. Then, after an amazing time, in which, I was taught to weave a rug with cashmere, Wikki prepared a feast of food fit for a king. He not only fed Winnie, Sonal and the rest of our Maitri gang, but also all twenty six of the University of Utah students as well. Tonight was definitely one of the most amazing experiences I have had shopping wise since arriving to Delhi. Too bad I don’t have any money. Yet, even though I was only able to look, I was still able to have such a good time. I am of the belief that a goodtime is what one makes of it. With that said, I bid you goodnight~K