'it's fun to stay at the YMCA'

It is funny how something as small as a smile can connect two people in such a way that is ever changing. This seemingly insignificant gesture, when done honestly, can leave a lasting impression. Today I made many invisible bonds with the young children of the Madras YMCA Center for Destitute Boys. Throughout the course of the day, each timid glance turned toothy grin has been etched in my mind as memories that I shall forever cherish.
I set out on this morning’s service visit not knowing what to expect only hoping for an opportunity to interact with local people. Without holding my expectations too high, I was anxious to start the trip and excited for my small group number of only 8 students. Once we were all piled into the van that would be our magic carpet for the day, we learned of our itinerary and the pleasant anticipation inside my stomach grew. Our guide, Mr. Jeevakumar told us that we were to visit 4 different YMCA and YWCA centers throughout our 9 hour day. Without any further details, we set out on our adventure and into the realm of Chennai.
Passing through immigrations we entered the busy streets swarming with traffic composed of cars, rickshaws, bicycles, pedestrians and the occasional bull, goat or horse. We flew past the street-side vendors selling their fruits and treats, past the gigantic billboards that boasted advertisements for music, and past the long stretch of sand littered with bodies. After a dangerous yet effective U-turn, we entered the gated community of the YMCA Center for Destitute Boys, the act which began my series of smiles.
From a distance I could see the kids, in their uniformed red YMCA shirts, frantically running toward their main center in order to beat our car to the entrance. Before leaving our vehicle, Mr. Jeevakumar informed us that we would be spending the next 3 hours with these boys which thrilled my anticipation and transformed it into excitement. We made our way into the large open center of the YMCA and found 100 young boys seated around tables waiting for us 8 girls to take our seats in the front of the room. Feeling like a cross between a member of a panel of judges and a member of a royal family, I took my seat along with the other students and overlooked the shy that returned our observation.
Within minutes the ice was broken as songs were performed to us in small groups and applause and laughter broke the silence. While listening to these young boys sing I glanced around the room and made eye contact with a boy seated at a table near the front. I smiled at him hoping not to make him uncomfortable and in return I was granted the biggest grin. This happened many times throughout our afternoon performance swap where the boys would sing and then we would treat them to a off-key rendition of “If You’re Happy and You Know It…”, a song that I have not sung since the days when recess was considered a critical part of my education. These boys, who ranged from ages 5 to 16, were all from destitute homes. They were placed into the YMCA by the Indian government after their parents died or a single parent could not manage to support their child. These 100 boys lived were dispersed into four cottages that each housed 25 boys. With new guidance, the boys work on their education, are cared for by mother-figures, and are encouraged to succeed in careers by offering them vocational training in engineering, metalwork and weaving. The boys were clearly well behaved and through their support team of giving adults, they were offered new confidence in replace of a broken past.

Mr. Jeevakumar explained the many trials that these boys had suffered and presented the new assistance and life that they now were leading. Moving from songs to questions, Mr. Jeevakumar translated the boys’ inquiries about American fruit, our wildlife, politics and the crazy life aboard a ship. Their questions were mature for their childish figures and demonstrated the difference of their culture in comparison to ours which is obsessed with mass media and the Hollywood minute. They wanted to know what we studied and what we did for hobbies back in the United States. Answering that I enjoyed ballet as my pastime, I was later trapped in a corner with 30 excited boys screaming “dance!” at me until I appeased them with a few pirouettes and leg lifts.
After they were fully satisfied by our information about the states, the boys stood to retreat into their respective cottages. As they slowly exited the room the first young boy who returned my smile walked up to my table and whispered, “Please come and visit me”. With another quick smile and a frenzied escape the room fell silent as the boys positioned themselves in their rooms and awaited our arrival. Being only 8 students and having 3 hours to play, we were set free with no instructions but to enjoy ourselves. “Split up” said Mr. Jeevakumar, “Have some fun!” With no further comments I felt as though I was venturing into the jungle, an unknown atmosphere that I had no way to prepare for.

As soon as I entered the first cottage I was taken aback by how clean the place was. The two large rooms were composed of neat little beds each with a boy seated upon it. As soon as I waved and said hello, the hours of smiles, dance, and photos began. With no adult supervision and being alone in this adventure, the boys flocked over to me with excitement over this casual contact with a foreign female. With my camera they begged to take pictures and were gracious at the chance to pose for portraits and take turns playing photographer. I must say that without their help I would not have had documentation that I was there as they were as fascinated with my “super hairstyle” as I was with their flexible figures and toothy grins. The boys fought for my attention and began hanging from the ceiling rafters becoming monkeys in the jungle that I had first feared.
They were captivated by my English and imitated the phrases they found amusing such as “oh wow” and “careful”. I was forced into performing the Macarena, which in another world would have been a humiliating chance for future blackmail, but there it was just plain fun. I found the boy who had earlier beckoned me to visit and I learned his name was Moon…or at least that was his English name. They boys Tamil names were easy for me to reproduce after mimicking each syllabyl, but after letting a few minutes pass I would forget how to say them since their pronunciation and sounds were so foreign to me. Names such as Manikandan, Kasdura and Sivasundarun are not as simple to remember when there are 40 children crowded among 1 girl and I was feeling overwhelmed.

But I had an amazing time. Moon and Kasdura stayed at my side until it was time for me to leave. They held my hands with a sense of affection and need for female love. The smiles scattered throughout my photographs will forever be souveniers of my time with them. I cannot forget the feelings that accompanied these smiles and I will forever hope for the best in their futures.

ey ey captain!

Captain Jeremy Kingston walks with an air of superiority. He appears aware of the fact that he has control over the lives of hundreds of young passengers and he his proud of it. As he stepped into classroom #5 this morning, the Captain, donning his crisp white uniform, had no idea what he was about to get himself into. With a reserved yet pleasant look upon his face he found himself to be the center of an interview and with the following 30 minutes he divulged information he may not have been prepared to share. Surprisingly calm before the firing squad, the Captain took a seat and was primed for the attack. “What do you do in your morning meetings?”… “Why work at sea?” the students began, and with an automated instinct the Captain shot back with clever one-liners and then remained quiet, refueling before the next blow. An awkward air settled over the room as we slowly collected an assortment of facts about his life piecing together the story of a man, that of the Captain of the MV Explorer.
Born in 1956, the British Captain has had many an adventure within his 51 years of life. 33 of those years have been spent at sea after he saw a Royal Navy Officer magazine that caught his eye as a child. Little did he know that this magazine would play such a large part in his future life’s profession. Having always had ambitions of piloting an airplane or driving a ship, the closing of flight schools in England along with the romanticism involved in the open sea together made his decision for sailing a clear choice. “Besides,” the Captain added, “I realized that in case of an emergency my chances of survival by swimming were a lot higher than that of my ability to fly.” This sort of humorous logic was weaved into many of his responses confirming his intelligence and mix of dry English wit. Not to be mistaken for conceit, the Captain used this style of jest in order to disguise intimate facts and leave no room for retort.
The Captain has had a very interesting life thus far. Living in various places such as France, Ukraine and now presently residing in the Philippines has offered as sense of worldly knowledge that further supplements his wisdom of the sea. He is currently married to his third wife, a Filipino fashion model who resides in her home country, and she is the last key player in a long line of relationships that have impacted his life. These said relationships offered an abundance of intimate facts, which the Captain graciously answered as intrigued with our interest in his personal life as we were with him. His first wife was British but has since past away leaving his two eldest children who are now ages 13 and 8 to also reside in the Philippines. He has two other children ages 7 and 4 whom are the products of an “overlap in relationships”. Those two live in the Ukraine presumably remaining with their mother who was never married to the Captain as the two adults “never made it that far.” “I try to stay in touch regularly.” says the Captain of his younger children, but the pressed look upon his face left no room for further questions as it was clear that he had little to do with their lives as of now. “There are many hardships within relationships,” the Captain truthfully advised, then with a smile he finished with “but the Internet makes it easier” to add a sense of lightness back into the mood.
Maintaining his precise posture, the Captain folded his hands across the table in front of him. “I think I am one of the nicest people that I know.” said the Captain creating somewhat of a paradox between his outside personality and his actions within his personal relationships. “I enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of this ship as the passengers do not complain much,” the Captain added, “and I enjoy the enthusiasm in everything that you students do…It is quite rewarding.” People are a topic in which Captain Jeremy’s life revolves around. “I would be happy sitting on a pavement café watching life pass,” the Captain states with a profound glance. He enjoys small ships as “the passengers are not just numbers” and the involvement with the passengers as well as the crew is more open. His life is all about observing and striving to learn something more. At his various ports of call, the Captain is much more likely to discover the culture of the people and of the place than to lie on the beach with the other tourists. He enjoys music of all sorts, water sports and he defiantly states he is scared of nothing.
Like many others, Captain Jeremy is a distinguished man who appears to have everything together. Today we learned that like many, he has his own secrets and interesting past. Bringing humor and seriousness into his life, the Captain remained poised during the prodding of his personal life. Throughout the session he became less of an icon and more of a mere mortal while preserving a deserved level of respect that has been earned from years of hard work.

i heart south africa

I will be living in Capetown someday…or at least I will be returning. From the morning we pulled into port I could tell that this week was going to be amazing. The sight of Table Mountain is so spectacular, especially when you see the sunrise through it at 6 in the morning. When we got off of the ship docked at the V&A Waterfront I was immediately stunned by the beauty of the area. The waterfront is very hip as it has been built up in the recent years and it is the number one spot to visit in Capetown. There are the malls, restaurants, jazz cafes and street entertainment. My dearest friend, Kate Laudermilk, once said that I am looking for tall, lengthy men, with long hair and prominent noses…if you add amazing fashion sense and a British accent then you get the boys of South Africa. Let me say it again, I will be living in Capetown someday.
On my first day in Capetown I went on a visit to the District Six Museum and to the Langa Township. Although the tour was ridiculous since we were rarely allowed off of the bus, it was still such an eye opening experience to see where many of the people in South Africa still live. It is such a contrast to the cleanliness of Cape Town city center as the streets were lined with shacks built from scraps. At the Langa Community Center we were able to see how the township attempts to support it self and create jobs. They make pottery and do metalwork as well as have a community theatre project. This juxtapostion between the impeccable beauty of the waterfront and the inland lifestyle was intense. It is hard to think that the Apartheid took place so recently in the past and that they have come so far already but still have such a ways to go.
On the second day, Molly, Mary, Sherri, Corrine and I hopped on a train to Simon’s Town. We were attempting to see the penguins on Boulders Beach. Needless to say, it never happened. We rode the train from Cape Town for an hour until we reached the end of the line. We passed some beautiful houses atop the hillsides as well as beaches for surfing and hangouts for the locals. The billboards we passed boasted advertisements for AIDS awareness and condom use and we even saw signs for abortion clinics. Once we ventured off the train into Simon’s Town, we were unluckily caught in a downpour. Of course we were each decked out in shorts and tank tops assuming that there would be sun but that absolutely wasn’t the case. To make matters worse, the Rikkis, a form of taxi, never came and we were forced to walk. We only made it to the nearest convenience market where we ate the local Gatsby sandwich, then we had no choice but to walk back to the train. Apparently there are no cabs in Simon’s Town and the Rikkis only come at random. Luck was not on our side as our only option was to walk to the beach that was 20km away or go back to Cape Town. We went back to Cape Town, but even that was not as easy as it sounds. As soon as we boarded the train we hit our first stop and then we never started moving again. Apparently someone had stolen the cable off of the track. A worker for the railway said that this is a common practice as everyone needs to make a little money. The cables were stolen a few times a week and then sold on the black market. This was fine and dandy, as the man said it should be fixed within an hour, but 3 and a half hours later we were still sitting and waiting. We asked if there was a way to call a taxi but the man said that there the taxis would rip you off and rob you so we continued to wait. Finally after the hours of delirium, stupid joke and interesting riddles, we were herded onto a bus. The bus took us to the nearest train stop where the line was working. We finally made it back 5 hours later than planned, but at least we didn’t miss our dinner reservation. The food here is absolutely amazing. I didn’t have one bad meal. That night the girls and I went to Mama Africa, a trendy restaurant serving African food, and we tried the ostrich, crocodile and venison game meat. It was very good but difficult to describe.
My safari was unbelievable. Myself and a group of 12 others traveled to Johannesburg and made our way to Kruger National Park. After a 2 hour flight and a 6 hour drive we found ourselves in the middle of the African Bush staying at the most fabulous secluded lodge named Castleton. The lodge was so serene and beautiful it is hard to realize that I was in the same world. Every two of us shared a private bungalow and we had the most fantastic common area with outdoor dining and lounging areas that looked out to our open backyard of greenery and a herd of grazing impala. I cannot even begin to describe my four days there. We had morning and evening game drives that were conducted on open Land Rovers with our own private German guide who was reminiscent to Brendan Frasier from “The Mummy” but much more handsome, and then we had our incredibly knowledgable local animal tracker. The drives were a fusion between Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park. I could hear a John Williams soundtrack playing in my head as we pulled out at dawn and ventured into the wild. Seeing rhino, elephant and buffalo made me picture a dinosaur hiding around the corner. I have never been so close to animals before and these ones seemed so fantastical that it was hardly believable. We saw everything including lions on the prowl and feasting on impala, leopards stalking through the drainage, giraffes 10 feet away and hippos playing in the water.
Every morning we were woken at 5 AM and after enjoying tea and biscuits we bundled ourselves up in the vehicles and departed for a four hour drive. Each day featured a different path, a different feel. The reserve owned by our lodge was 40,000 acres and so there was plenty of land to roam. The best part of the safari experience was that it was a real hunt. It wasn’t set up knowing where each animal commonly resided, rather we had to track the footprints and follow instinct to come upon a surprise. Themba, our tracker, was amazing. He could sense which direction an animal traveled, he knew how long ago it passed a particular area and he could spot a chameleon in the dark from a mile away. This journey we had to take to find each animal made it more worthwhile as it added our own story to the experience.
Themba lived in the local village of Justicia, where many of the trackers have their homes. We were fortunate enough to get a tour of the area and it was a surprising experience. One of the boys in my group said something about feeling guilty for looking at their misery as entertainment, but by the end of the day he ate those words. The people of the village were so happy. It was unlike anything I had ever seen. I don’t know if the phrase “ignorance is bliss” truly applies to Justicia, but I think it is quite possible. The people of the village were so friendly and pleasant and the waved to the visitors as they approached. The children were so pleased for a high five or a hand shake and although they lived in poverty they appeared unphased. This village differed from the township for they were not near a city for miles. All they have is the African bush and their small rural areas for play. They did not know of skyscrapers and fast paced technology, rather they enjoyed the simple things of life. I believe that this community did not measure happiness upon wealth as they appeared to be most content with their life and in no hurry for a new one.
Ahh I have so much more to write...

I jumped out of a plane.

Everyone has an innate fear of dying. Something that you are just born with knowing that you probably shouldn’t take any moments for granted never knowing when it will be your last. For someone like me, who I believe has an even stronger fear of death, skydiving probably isn’t expected or if I was leading my “normal” life would I ever had considered doing it…but I did. In South Africa! On my last day in Capetown, fresh from my amazing time at my safari, I flew over South Africa with quite possibly the most amazing view in the world.
After being picked up from the waterfront, Molly, Katie, Mary and I were picked up along with other SAS kids and we were shipped off to the location for Skydive Capetown. Once we got there we entered somewhat of a bunker filled with hippie men with dreads and long hair. We watched as they were folding parachutes up into the backpacks looking so calm and relaxed. There were other students there who had just completed their jumps and they had the biggest smiles on their faces. It appeared as though they had just won a million dollars. They all said that they were jealous of us because they wanted to go again and they were excited that we were going to do it as well. I myself was terrified, as I was counting down the minutes of my life, but soon enough I was being strapped into a harness while the owner buckled me up and continually was asking me questions to distract the thoughts of plummeting to my doom.
Molly, Katie and I all went up in the plane together with our tandem professionals who will jump as many as 20 times a day. Crazy. The guys acted like this was nothing and continually laughed at us as we were probably white with fright and as we boarded the tiny tiny plane we were as quite as mice.
I cannot even remember the plane taking off. All I can think of is the sight of us scrunched up like sardines in the back of the plane, us six people in the fetal position and the scenery becoming more and more clear as we ascended to 9,000 feet in the air. I could see Robben Island and Table Mountain so clearly and the ocean looked so vast next to the plains of Capetown. The guys thought we were hilarious for not talking and so they decided to make fun of us making us more uncomfortable and awkward. I would like to think it was more of a calm before the storm. At that point I was no longer scared or nervous because I was all set to go and I really didn’t have a choice.
Anyways…when we finally reached the altitude, the guys had us sit on their laps and the attached us to them. Within 30 seconds the had opened up the door that was by my legs and without leaving any room to ask questions Molly was set to go out. I was the last to go and I cannot explain the sight of someone falling out of an airplane. It was ridiculous. Molly screamed bloody murder, I mean the most blood curdling scream I had ever heard in my life. I could hear the shriek fade as she fell and then Katie was set to go. It seemed like it went by so fast and then my legs were flapping out the door as I went to fold my arms and fall.
The free falling part probably only lasted like 30 seconds but it seemed like so much more. It was crazy. I was spinning around and the wind was whipping against my face. I am sure I was screaming bloody murder myself but I can’t really remember. I can however remember the feeling of the change of falling to flying. Suddenly Jerry opened the chute and time seemed to stop. The view was amazing and it was so much fun to steer the chute and make turns. I could see Katie’s and Molly’s parachutes beneath me and it was so cool. My landing was not the best ever as I ended up lying on top of Jerry trapped until I was unhooked…but Mary faired worse as she face planted into the ground. Anyways, it was crazy. I will do it again someday and now I can say I flew in Africa. Pretty awesome.