"Damn good pelvis!"

The rural area was sooo beautiful! Off the main highway, we drove into the mountains where the amount of farms around us got bigger and bigger. The Dabaks have a little flat built just for them and they have like two neighbors who are farmers. We were totally surrounded by mountains, clean air, and nature. You'll have to see the pictures! We got to tour a government school for the children of the surrounding villages. Then we got to go attend a self help presentation by two men that the Dabaks brought. The men talked to women of all ages about being good to themselves by eating right, and excercising. The other was using us three girls as an example about being brave and letting your child go out into the world to experience new things. He was saying that we left our families so far away just to learn about India and their culture. Afterwards, so many ladies came up to us just to say "hi" and to shake our hands. I think that it was so great that so many women showed up for this presentation and there should be more to empower them in this male dominated society. Afterward we headed back to the Dabaks and we had some snacks and walked their property. They have a bunch of fruit trees like bananas, guavas, papayas, and coconut. So the water there was kind of stinky and I didn't want to use it. As it turned out, frogs from the week before had jumped in the water tanks and DIED in there so that was why it smelled like cow poop. On the drive back to Pune, I realized that I washed my face with that water. EEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! Well, what can you do now? I'm doing fine so no problem, it happens. Later that afternoon we hopped the train to Mumbai.
Oh my gosh, I loved Mumbai! It was so much fun once you got past the traffic and the terrible smells of Mumbai. On the train it took 4 hours. Then we got on the local train system with the help of a local to get to where we needed to be. Then this other lady helped us get on a local bus to where we were staying at. Holy cow, I can't believed that we used all local systems and didn't get lost once. Everyone is soooo incredibly helpful and they want to make sure that you get to the right place. On Friday night, we went out to a hookha bar. Then on Saturday we did the gateway of India and the Taj Hotel. Both were stunning and beautiful. It was really sureal that we were having tea at the Taj Hotel a week shy of the 26.11 attack there. There was so much security there. After a wonderful pot of tea we hit the markets there! The markets are so awesome! Since there are so many stalls you can get the prices of things really down. They actually start yelling at you with lower prices if you walk way. It was great and I got a whole bunch of stuff! I got to go to a wedding there to. The weddings here are affairs that lasts for days. We got to attend the grooms party for his friends and family. It was in the lavish Imperial Palace and there was live music, open bar, mendhi, and lots of good food. Then the wedding was held at The Resort Hotel, which was spectacular. The groom has his own parade in to the wedding ceremony with a band and he rides in a carrige pulled by white horses. Then the bride comes in all decked out with jewlery. She could hardly walk with all of her stuff on! Again you'll have to look at the pictures when I get back to the states.
This week we been at this one clinic with the great doctor. I am learning so much there! Well one more day at that clinic and I hope that there is more to come! I'll write more on her later. I'm off to Goa tomorrow!

Happy Thanksgiving you all! I am thankful for having such a great family (biological and extended) and for having such wonderful friends! I miss you all and I hope to see you all in about two weeks! Eat lots of yummy food for me, especially chocolate pie! And don't forget the whip cream fight!

Wish you all were here! <3