Somewhere in the Himalayan Mountains

Hi everyone!

I'm sorry I haven't posted in a couple days, I've been in Kullu, India in the Himilayas. The internet connection is even shottier than in Delhi. I'm also sorry that today's post isn't going to be very educational or investigative because in these mountains you just care less about things like development and politics and economics and much more about things like hiking and river rafting and fresh air and pretty handmade fabrics.

These mountains are unbelievably beautiful. The Rockies are definitely better, but these are pretty good too. They're greener than ours and they are so big! I know that sounds stupid, because they're the Himalayas and, well, duh, but seriously- so big. I'm getting frustrated because the pictures I'm taking aren't doing them any justice. I was able to get two pictures posted on here and since then haven't had any more luck, so I might just start posting them on facebook. If you're interested look there. Mom and Dad, I'll email them.

I'm technically here in Kullu to be working with a NGO that focuses on empowering the women of these rural mountain villages. Mumtha (I think that is how you would spell it) is an old friend of my grandmothers... well she looks like shes about 27 so she's not that old of a friend, but anyway she established and pretty much runs the organization here. Shes one of the coolest people I've ever met and the only Indian I've met so far that is any fun.

Mumtha and her organization work with over 1000 women in 108 villages. That may not sound that impressive, but yesterday it took me three hours to hike to just one of those villages. The furthest one is a four hour hike. Her organization teaches the women to use their environment (these villages are entirely dependent on the mountain) in a sustainable way. She has also established a program that helps the women create and sell products like soap, scrubs, oils, teas etc. from the herps and plants they grow so that they can become more financially independent.

By our standards the people in the villages are very poor. But actually, they're only poor economically. They have cold clean water readily available, they wake up every morning to views that most of us would pay a lot of money to have for a few days, they have enough food, access to education, and they unlike most people in the world, live without fear. There is almost no crime, no violence, basically no danger except for sickness. Their family and friends are always close by in the same little village. Their lives are hard, but they don't really know that because they just live the way they have always lived. They're so happy. Its kind of hard not to be a little jealous.

I'm definitely a spectacle here... especially when I wear my hiking shorts (which are down to my knees). Apparently women don't show anything above the ankle in India... nobody told me. Yesterday the kids in the villages were laughing and Mumtha said that they couldn't believe they were seeing a foreigner in their village and that they were having a good look at my funny clothes.

Anyway, so I'm technically here as an intern for Mumtha's organization (I would tell you the name but I can't even pronounce it so I won't bother), but I'm being a total slacker. Pretty much all I've done so far is hiking, river rafting, eating, shopping, taking pictures, exploring Buddhist and Hindu temples... somehow I don't really feel that bad though.

We leave for another mountain town, Manaly, tomorrow, so I may or may not be able to post again for a couple days. I love and miss you all!

Caddie

Things I have learned about India:
Delhi has been invaded 17 times in recorded history. Three times by Hindu's, 12 times by Muslims and twice by the British. No invader has ever been able to hold the city for more than 50 years.

Things I have yet to learn about India:
Anything coherent about the Hindu religion... I can tell that cows are sacred, they definitely believe in reincarnation and there are tons of gods, but beyond that it really doesn't make much sense to me. Every time we pass a statue or a shrine I'll say, "Oh, is that Shiva, the one that rides on the tiger," or something and she'll look at me like I'm stupid and say "No, that's Vestla." or something equally enlightening.