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Published: January 4th 2013
It's so hard to believe that just over 48 hours ago we hadn't left UK soil and hadn't met any Indian Rotarians!
Everyone we have met is SO friendly and it would be impossible to name them all. People are so genuine and friendly out here and go out of their way to make us welcome.
Today we experienced our first Indian wedding and if I had to describe it in one word it would be - colourful!!!! More photos to follow in other blogs as I very unhelpfully left my camera at Devdas Kamath's house in Mangalore!
We were taken in our personal minibus this afternoon to the district of Upupi where we are staying for 2 nights and met our first set of hosts - who are all female Rotarians, many of them doctors. This is the first night we've not been staying as a group and although we were all aprehensive at initialy parting it only took a few moment to be in the host home to feel welcome and part of the family.
My host is Dr Gowri who is a very respected padeatrician in Manipal and Nicola is staying with her sister (also a doctor, but specialising in gynaecology) Dr Girija. We were both taken round the hospital which their father founded - Sonia Clinic - and saw their offices and consulting rooms. We also met their 86 year old father who still lectures at the medical college and lives right next door to the hospital.
Both our hosts are members of a local Ladies Club which meets once a fortnight and we were lucky enough to be invited to their first meeting of 2013 and greeted once again with open arms and many "Happy New Years". We were fed (again!!!) and watched the new committee being sworn in for duty.
Please click
">HERE to watch a video to hear everyone singing the Indian National Athem at the end of the meeting.
Vocational visits start tomorrrow at 8.15am and I am off to various farms and a cooperative marketing company for farmers to sell their produce. Very excited to start learning more about the rural economy here in India and how our farmers in UK can learn to work in a more cooperative manner.
Over and out from me on Day 2 and can't wait to start another adventure tomorrow!!! Emily
Susie Byrne
non-member comment
What an experience
So delighted that you are there safe and sound and it looks like you've been really busy already! Hope that you get your camera back soon so that we can see some photos, espcially of the colour of the wedding! Hope you continue to enjoy your trip.