Journey to Walchandnagar

Hello Everyone,

Today was mostly a travel day between Mumbai and Walchandnagar where the school is that we will be teaching engineering outreach starting tomorrow. Before leaving Mumbai we made a quick stop at McDonalds. It was a little disappointing that there was only the items from their breakfast menu available until 11am. However, I was a trend-setter and initiated the McFlurry run since while they weren’t making burgers and fries yet, they were indeed selling ice cream! Then it was off to the bus where we would be for the 7.5 hour journey (including two bathroom/stretch breaks). The first bathroom break included many participants’ first squatty-potty experience! The bus ride was full of naps, conversation, group sing-alongs, and fun (including some entertaining billboards). We had the opportunity to drive through many towns and country-sides. It was enlightening to see how much living accommodations seemed to vary by area. We were driving through mountainside and along the water at various points in our journey and had the opportunity to see more of the beauty that India has. A good description of what it felt like to be passengers of the van we were in was said by a friend, “I’d look up and feel like we were playing chicken with an oncoming semi and didn’t appreciate it…”. It was an odd experience because of the shear amount of congestion of the roads, the narrow streets that one would assume is a one-way, to only find it is in fact being used as a two-way, and the number of motorcycles that seem to have different rules for the roads. It was very interesting because the more we watched, the more I am convinced that the constant honking isn’t like rude angered honking in the US. Instead, honking here in India seemed to be mostly warnings, like “I’m about to pass you on the right, don’t cut me off” (People drive on left side of the street in India, just like the UK). We were all in awe at the families on motorcycles because women would be riding side-saddle with a baby in their lap and holding on the back of the bike, while on the highway, and nobody seemed distressed! Also the women in their saris were absolutely beautiful. I’m pretty sure everyone on the trip now wants to buy one or at least try one on. (Just found out we will be taught how to do so in a few days!) Along our road trip we encountered a few entertaining billboards. While I don’t know the language, a friend was only able to translate “Congratulations”, I’d like to infer that this billboard is of a male beauty contest… J

Once we arrived in Walchandnagar, we were warmly welcomed by various members of the Walchandnagar community. They made us all individual flower bouquets as we arrived in the guest houses. Then we had some time to settle in before dinner and a meeting with the principal and a few teachers to go over the plan of the week. Hopefully we all will be able to get some sleep tonight, I am sure everyone is as excited as I am about meeting the kids and teachers as we begin our week of teaching engineering outreach to the ~80 middle-high school students. J  

I can’t wait to share more stories and videos with you all when I see you next!