After a 30 hour plane ride, I finally landed in Mumbai! Just from the airport I could tell I was in a developing country. The other airports were very clean, and had nice shops etc. Lets just say the Mumbai airport didn't exactly have that kind of style. I arrived at 3 in the morning, but then it took a hour or so to get my bags, and fill out a report because they lost my other bag. Thankfully on one of my more difficult days adjusting, I received my lost bag, so it was really a blessing in disguise! :)

The first couple of days here we have toured the many institutes they have established in Loni, and nearby villages. They are all very grateful of the first man who envisioned this kind of system, where the local people would work. I not only know this because there are pictures in every principle office we visit, but there are also statues at almost every school, and local stores named after him. His name was Dr. Vithalrao Vikhe Patil. See, in the 1940's the local farmers were being exploited by outside sugar factories, and so it made it very difficult for people to survive on their own. Dr. Vithalrao Vikhe Patil only had four years of education, but he saw what was happening to the local people and envisioned the local people running their own sugar factory. After five years of dedication that is exactly what happened. We were able to tour the sugar cane factory, where it all started. Since then there has been many schools and colleges built, so the local people can be educated to run their own village.

The sugar factory smelled so awful though. The local people were so proud to show us around, explaining how everything worked, so I tried not to make the face that screamed this smell is unbearable. I tried to just breathe enough to where I got a little bit of oxygen and still not take all the smell in. I also noticed a lot of workers did not have the protective gear we would see in the United States. There was a man welding with only a welding helmet on, other than that he had sandals, short-sleeve shirt and jeans on. When we toured the building where they made alcohol and poured it into bottles there was glass everywhere. The people were in everyday clothes, there was no desire to pick up the chunks of glass lying on the floor. And when we finally got to talk to the head honcho who was in charge of the sugar factory I asked him if the workers had any rights. He told me that they were in unions, and that they were very happy working here. They received outpatient care, education for their children, and other benefits. I was kind of expecting because first what owner is going to tell an American girl the problems going on in his facility right from the get go, and in the Indian culture they believe every day is a good day, no matter what. They believe that if they are not ill, every day is blessed. So my question is, how can a facility like that improve if every day is a good day?

The other challenge I have personally had to face is the staring. We are in a very rural part of India, so there is not a lot of racial variety. But some of the principles at the schools, say the stares are because they love the color of our skin. So, I'll take it, at least I'm not getting mean mugged.

Exciting news is I purchased my first set of Indian clothing!!! I am going to pick them up on the fourth of July, so pictures will come then! Tomorrow we are scheduling out what we are going to do for the rest of our time here, so I will have more exciting stories and pictures to tell soon!