Spending the day in bed for the first time this week, due to fatigue and bit of a grumpy belly again, foreshadowed more productive and exciting ventures in the evening as we were all invited by the beautiful Indian model Amanpreet Wahi we met on Tuesday to a fashion Show at the Taj Palace Hotel today. The Show commenced after 9pm, which was lucky for us as our British Council executive organiser Sharan (we love you Sharan!) told us to be ready for an earlier time - which meant we were on time of course. In Delhi, it seems you must plan at least 15 minutes ahead of time. Or it'll race ahead of you like the deadline for the Common Wealth construction must be for the workers. Although, they work night and day to meet this - the city is being put together as quickly as it is being pulled apart - and what do workers get? Not a very large Salary. But they carry on with what Seems to be endless determination, a lack of Sufficient tea breaks that any English builder would no doubt don Stillettoes to work in protest of, and a never-ending Schedule of work.
The fashion Show was great, the host whose name I cannot remember stood out in a unusually short hair-cut, and a sparkling bright pink gown, which increased the impression that she was an interesting person of exubrancy, a travelled mind (when she told us about her recent affairs in Germany)and smiling confidence. I liked her, despite not "knowing" her - she seemed like a groovy woman. Honest, with probably some interesting stories up her sleeve. Though I doubt she would hide them as she told us of her two lovers - one who had gone mad and one who went to heaven - with brimming charm, wit and humour. She spoke during short intervals between different phases of the show - as the models and the stage changed to encapsulate the various stages of an Indian wedding - which never begins at the alter. But earlier, as we learnt, with something akin to our British hen nights as the bride will go through Mehindi -having heena applied to her hands and feet - she must not leave the house for a day! I tried with straining arms, more so after the monday morning yoga, thoroughout the show to get some memorable pictures which captured the beautiful flowing fabric, the performance of the children of disabled charity who began the show by confidently flaunting the clothes line, and the face of another disabled boy who amazed the crowd with his solo singing perfomances, but alas! My camera failed me in the dark room with bright concentrated stage lights, exposure, macro - flash - settings, nothing worked. I did get some pictures but their worthiness will have to be determined by external sources. Spotting our model associate was hard! They all looked so similair it was hard to tell which was which. Afterwards, we indulged in the delicious free-food, though because of my apetite and stomach I only tried some of the delicious chocolate pudding, an indian sweet spongy desert typically present in weddings, and some tiramisu. I wandered over to Odelle, another fellow, who was speaking to two guys - it intrigued me to find out who they were. Low and behold they guy I spoke to was a journalist and a historian, who invited to look around his village, where he grew up - either next tuesday or wednesday. This shall be fun, if we can find time for it during school with the host family and their children.After that we said our brief goodbyes to Amanpreet who was jetting off quickly, and then spoke to a freelance DJ and his model girlfriend about globalisation, the commonwealth games, nightlife, England and his offer to put on the next guestlist - he is perfoming whilst we are here! This is great, it seems the British Council, or the Global Fellowship, provides us with these unique opportunities to explore our potential and embark on our own adventures - really setting us up for life. We really do make the opportunities out here and they are so much more than haggling in a local market successfully, or learning another hindi phrase - or visiting the Taj Mahal. Communication, asking questions, being open, honest, free of expectations, destroying your perceptions - letting change happen, discussing change and just damn talking to people - is the way. Things as I write that seem like theorectical common sense to an little travelled person such as myself, or perhaps lost anyway, but are rienforced in experience and inspiration here in India - at the Taj Palace hotel - via email and through the dusty windows of an artists workspace.
I must digest my writing more, this is just one evening. Haha perhaps you can understand what I was trying to convey in my previous article? How difficult it is to blog about India. To put India into words. It's "only" through my perspective, there are many more I won't see. It's only through Delhi, there's so much of that I won't see, and the entire of India is left. There are so many things, emotions, events, realisations, which have happened so far, and there seems like not enough time nor words nor memory to really convey them to you. Ahh but it's something you have to take with it, appreciate, understand, enjoy and love - I'm not memory or literary god, even if I was - it's still hard to encapsulate everything with encapsulates India for you so far on this unique adventure.
The reason I entitled this article S, was because it seemed to be popping up a lot today. Originally the source of inspiration was my response to a comment a former fellow wrote on my facebook post of the first blog. It made me think that I had encountered the letter S today a lot, when Ravi the journalist told me email and I confused one or two of the letters with S. When we were interviewed pretty much as soon as we arrived at the fashion show for Indian television about the show, indian culture/nightlife, globalisation (what were here for) and Odelle's rapping. He did of course rap for the programme, and then we all broke into "if you leave me now..." thanks to Reece's "inspiring" distraction. And other reasons I've forgotten because I've "multi-tasking" whilst writing the article and I don't even want to look at what time it is here now. I hope the British Council aren't reading this (it's educational, a lack of sleep isn't important surely?).
Seen as we got back late tonight, induced in star-struck awe as we mingled with such a different crowd, to say the least, I'll not write more than I already have. And I'll write more of this week's other adventures tommorow, so many mental promises - can they all be fulfilled with so much happening? Hmm organisation, for next years fellows, do try and exercise more than I "do". I'm too busy reflecting on my journeys, taking pictures/videos, thinking, questioning, writing blogs that are too long for human consumption and procrastinating, as well as enjoying these experiences I'm having. This is just the beggining, yet it seems, scarily and wistfully, that we are already past that stage - moving to quickly to stop and take it all in and write it down and think about the future. This is the here and now, and it's already in the past. Hang on tight I say to myself, and everyone else, the end is nigh on this fast rollercoast ride.
Alright I'll stop ranting, leaving my thoughts scattered, my blog feeling unfinished again with my experiences and my memory, leaving my blog unedited (probably not a good idea) and leaving any appreciation of time right now firmly unbeknowst to myself. Ignorance is bliss.
And as Hagar mused, perhaps we will be brought back down to Earth tommorow in this paradoxical place. I think Delhi is the Shepherd and my mind is the Sheep. (See what did I tell you about the S's?!)