Arriving in Kerala

Rice Fields in Kerala, India

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My weekend in Kerala was far from what I expected or could have even imagined.

Before I departed from Mumbai, I was sure to pack my pillow, a blanket, lots of bug spray, granola bars, and water. I was prepared to sleep anywhere and was just thankful that I had somewhere to stay. My friend Wazim told me that unfortunately he wouldn't be there when I arrived, but he would have his driver, Rafeek, pick me up and take me back to his family's home. He told me that his family would be gone for the weekend, but the people who work in his home and his friends would be there to help during my stay. 

To try to sum up the weekend in a single blog would be very difficult. Words can't quite describe my experience of Kerala. It was simply amazing. I guess I'll just try to give a few little blogs of some of my experiences: 

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Arriving in Kerala:

As my flight is landing in Cochin, Kerala, the sun is shining down on little forrest patches of coconut palms scattered among the vast areas of lime green rice fields. Every shade of green fills the land as we descend. There are pockets of villages living among the forests of coconut trees and I can see women working out in the fields. The plane arrives in the town of Cochin and we step off into the hot sun to wait for the shuttle.

After I successfully find my luggage, I head outside to look for a sign with my name on it. I have no idea what to expect during my trip here in Kerala. I just hope that my friend's driver actually picks me up. I look at my phone and realize that it only has one bar. Oops. Hopefully I don't get stranded. Everyone around me speaks another language which I can't recognize. My Hindi will not exactly be useful here....so hopefully everything works out.  I walk outside and see a tall man holding a sign with my name on it. He knows it's me because I am smiling that he actually arrived. I ask him if he speaks Hindi and he says "no." I ask if he speaks English and he says "a little." I ask him what his language is and he does't understand, so I start listing the ones I've heard of, "Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam?" He nods his head and says, "Malayalam." All I know in Malayalam is "Nanni." (thank you), so that's what I say and he smiles a little bit. He points to himself and says, "Rafeek." and points to me, "Wazim friend, Jennifer." I say, "Namastey Rafeek." He says, "Namaskaram." 

Rafeek drives through the streets of Cochin and we arrive at an enormous, gorgeous home. The house is surrounded by water and palm trees, chinese fishing nets down the river, and beautiful large green lawns that are perfectly mowed. There is another guy waiting at the entrance of the house and they take me to my room. It is two stories. Downstairs are velvet covered couches, bookshelves, and windows decorated with curtains made of beautifully colored yarn carefully woven into a silk type fabric. Then we go up the stairs to find a huge wooden armoire and a bed covered with an elegant white fabric made with detailed patterns intricately laced into designs. My bathroom has stone walls, wooden dressers, and a large glass shower. I stare at this room in awe and disbelief that I'm actually going to sleep here. They laugh at me as I "Ooo and ahh" at everything I see. They give me a tour of the entire house and I click away with my camera documenting how beautiful this home is. After my tour, they tell me, "Dinner, 8 o'clock." And I smile and say, "Nanni." 

As I head up to my room to get settled in, I hear a knock on the door. "Maddum?" A very pretty lady opens the door and walks up the stairs to deliver a tray with a cup of traditional Indian Chai Tea, biscuits, and peppered cashews. I can't stop smiling and tell her "Nanni." After she leaves I look around for a place to sit. The bed is perfectly made, with not a single wrinkle in the flawless white silk cover piece. So I sit on the bench instead and sip delicious hot tea and enjoy my little snacks. I feel like I'm living in a dream, a movie, someone else's life. I can't stop smiling and the cashews and biscuits taste so unbelievably good!

At 8 o'clock, Rafeek takes me to Wazim's dad's general manager's home. He and his family know English and when I arrive they say, "Come in! Welcome!" On the table there are several different Indian dishes already prepared. I'm not familiar with any of the dishes but tell them that I'd like to try a little bit of everything. They start piling food on my plate :) There is rice with sambar, vegetable dishes, chipati, and several others. After they serve my food, I look down for a fork. Then I look up and no one has silverware. I'm not quite sure how to eat the rice and sambar....maybe if I try to scoop it into the chipati I could manage.... As I'm contemplating this, I look up to see how everyone else does it. They take their hands and use their fingers to swirl the mixtures of food together. They skillfully mix and scoop the food with their fingers. Even though I washed my hands, my germophobia kicks in and I don't want to touch the rice with my fingers. I take the chipati and try to scoop it like a barrito and the rice falls out back onto the plate. I feel clumsy compared to their skillful eating. When they look up at my poor attempt to eat with my fingers, they all start laughing and offer to get me silverware. I tell them, "No, no, I can try..." But they get me silverware anyway and I am able to eat the rice and sambar :)

After an evening of delicious food and chatting for a little while in the living room, they tell me that I am welcome back to their home anytime I come to India. I am amazed at their kindness. With only knowing I was a friend of Wazim's, they took me into their home, cooked an amazing meal, and insisted that their home is my home. I am blown away at the hospitality and generosity all around me. They tell me that guests are treated like royalty in India. They hug me goodbye and tell me if I need anything at all during my stay in Kerala, to give them a call.

Rafeek drives me back to the beautiful mansion that is my temporary home for the weekend. He tells me, "Breakfast. 9 o'clock. Houseboat tour." And I give him a huge smile, and say, "Nanni." As I head up to my room, I can't stop smiling. (I know..I sound like Elf, "Smiling's my favorite."... but it's true..) This is definitely not what I thought it would be like here in Kerala. I finally get the courage to actually wrinkle the covers on the bed and get in. I am overwhelmed with gratitude. Everyone has been so unbelievably generous and kind to me during my trip to India- Richa especially, Dr. Tibrewala, my resident/fellow (Dr. Mugdha), friends-of-friends, cousins of friends offering their help, and now Wazim, his family, their friends, and the people who work in his home. I feel guilty for having so much. And undeserving. I feel so incredibly thankful. I hope that I can give back to the world one day.

Sorry so sappy.... 
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Me....being spoiled....

Only part of the house! The area in the middle is called, "a window to nature." 

Historically, women were not allowed to leave the house, so these little rooms were their only view of nature. 

The Window to Nature

The Window to Nature again...

Part of the outside porch. 

...Makes you appreciate actual nature when you realize others only had a "window." 

One of the living rooms

The downstairs to "my room" (a wonderful place to read!)

                                 

My bed for the weekend!                                  

And bathroom!

Tea with biscuits and peppered cashews. So much goodness. 

Dinner with my friend's dad's manager and his family :)

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"The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness." (Dalai Lama) 

"The main thing is to be moved, to love, to hope, to tremble, to live." (Auguste Rodin)