Getting Settled in Hubli

It's now day 3 of our stay in Hubli, Karnataka and the reality of the coming months has started to set in... in a good way. Acclimating to India this time around has been much easier; practically seamless. I used to feel overwhelmed by the cacophony of sounds, sights, smells and the sheer volume of people. Each time I have returned, I have felt increasingly comfortable... accepting that India truly is a culture of contradictions and beautiful commotion. Just getting to Hubli has proved this and it's been exciting throughout...even the 9 hour delay in the Delhi airport! I guess I can say that I feel a little more Indian these days.

After a few days of rest in Bombay (Mumbai), I met a group of my fellow GIP-ers waiting at the gate for our flight to Hubli. That's when the excitement really kicked in for me... seeing friendly faces and feeling the growing anticipation.

Hubli has been full of surprises and I'm slowly getting a sense of the city. Although it has the feel of a proper Indian city (black and yellow auto-rickshaws, taxis, honking lorries, cows, buffalos, etc all fighting for the right of way..) the surrounding area is surprisingly quiet and verdant. The bus rides to Dharwad and outside of the city have provided a small glimpse of the rural life that is so prevalent in this region. The transition to Hubli would have been impossible without the efforts of the Deshpande Foundation's incredible staff and fellows. They have provided (and continue to do so) everything needed to ensure a comfortable stay. Orientation was very well coordinated... we started our first day with a hearty South Indian breakfast (Idli and Sambar) and headed out to our first NGO site visits. Over the course of the orientation, we have had the opportunity to visit KHPT, an organization that provides medical, housing, and support services for sex workers and children affected by HIV/AIDS; Samarthanam, which provides job/life skills training for the differently abled population; Akshaya Patra, a very well-run organization that provides free, high-quality lunches for public school children; BAIF, an agriculture organization implementing agroforestry; and Agastya, a science education organization providing programs to underprivileged children.

These site visits have been incredible; we've received detailed explanations of the programs, tours, Q&A, and info on technical and management-related concerns. Most of all, the site visits have reinforced my excitement to get started on the project and work with people who do such powerful work.

We've also been having a good amount of fun.. just being in an environment with students from American and Indian universities has provided the framework for some legitimate humor. And, of course, today's scavenger hunt through the cities of Hubli and Dharwad with the social entrepreneurship fellows was highly entertaining. I never thought I'd be running through Indian streets with a bag full of bangles and sweets, desperately trying to find the closest coconut water stand.

So at this point, I think we're ready to get our hands dirty and start our projects with a real sense of comfort, knowing that we have strong resources and great people on our side. Stay tuned for pics and updates on the upcoming antics... we're just getting warmed up.