Day 18- Only day 2 and I already skipped a class... And Dharavi is in a whole other league...
I am safe to say that I slept aproximately 15 hours and I still feel tired. My alarm went off and I dismissed it as I thought it was Tuesday. Wrong, I was meant to be at my Bollywood dancing class at 7 but managed to wake up at 8, therefore, missing it. I have a plan of catching up on Wednesday so I hope it works out.
Today we had to go on a treasure hunt that took us through the whole of South Bombay, from the Gateway to India to the Watson Hotel to the Sassoon Library and dock and even to Starbucks, that has a delicious Iced Hibiscus Infusion tea. This was followed with the most extraordinary visit to the largest slum in Asia, Dharavi. The experience left me speechless and during my time there I barely said a couple of words, except for questions to our tour guide from Reality, an NGO that uses 80% of its profits to implement social programs in the slum.
Our visit coincided with the first day of the 10-day festival dedicated to lord Ganesh, the god with a head of an elephant and protector of all things. The tour of the slum is an experience I will never and it will make me experience the commodities of modern life back home even more. Strolling along the narrow and dark paths of the slum, taking sneak peaks through flowery curtains into the life of the people living there and watching through open doors how they work, live and love has been a most enlightening happening.
It was emotional to see the happiness of the children that we engaged with in small conversations on side streets and their eagerness to say a simple "Hello". What impressed me the most was their perseverance, their genuine belief that if they work hard enough, not them, but their children or grandchildren will have the chance for a better life.
Today we had to go on a treasure hunt that took us through the whole of South Bombay, from the Gateway to India to the Watson Hotel to the Sassoon Library and dock and even to Starbucks, that has a delicious Iced Hibiscus Infusion tea. This was followed with the most extraordinary visit to the largest slum in Asia, Dharavi. The experience left me speechless and during my time there I barely said a couple of words, except for questions to our tour guide from Reality, an NGO that uses 80% of its profits to implement social programs in the slum.
Our visit coincided with the first day of the 10-day festival dedicated to lord Ganesh, the god with a head of an elephant and protector of all things. The tour of the slum is an experience I will never and it will make me experience the commodities of modern life back home even more. Strolling along the narrow and dark paths of the slum, taking sneak peaks through flowery curtains into the life of the people living there and watching through open doors how they work, live and love has been a most enlightening happening.
It was emotional to see the happiness of the children that we engaged with in small conversations on side streets and their eagerness to say a simple "Hello". What impressed me the most was their perseverance, their genuine belief that if they work hard enough, not them, but their children or grandchildren will have the chance for a better life.
