What a let down. We had heard about the craziness of arriving in Delhi - hoards of people, everyone wanting you to go with them, use their taxi, or fall for their scam. We arrived at noon, had a little trouble with the fingerprint scanner at immigration, and then peacefully walked to the very nice, clean, quiet and calm metro express. We were quickly whisked from the lovely airport to the metro station at the main Delhi train station.
We braced ourselves for Delhi as we exited the station. The police were friendly even if somewhat unhelpful in pointing us in the direction of our hotel. The tuktuk drivers (3 wheeled motorized taxi carts) we also helpful, and even they encouraged us to walk, and pointed us in the right direction. Hello! We wanted our kids to experience third world chaos - we were not impressed.
Then we crossed an invisible threshold. Weaving through a sea of taxis, cars and tuktuks in waiting - no signs, no clarity, no clue! Our confidence vanished, and a small island of white faces, uncertain in a sea of India daily life, emerged as a target of uncertainty. "You must go around" "It is too far, you must take a taxi" "You go right through the station" "You cannot go through unless you have a ticket" "It will take a half an hour or more, let me help you" Who to believe? How do we find our hotel? What should we do?
We are learning - use the best information you have, set your course and go with the best confidence you can muster.
Yes, we did have to go through the rail station.
Yes, we did have to go through security.
No, you did not need a rail ticket.
No, it was not too far.
No, we still did not have a clue once we came out the other side.
Yes, we knew the hotel was only a 4 minute walk from our location, but in exactly which direction - That we did not know....
I started asking - I had no choice - I needed more information. Asking draws attention, brings the helpful, the useless, and the opportunist..... and a determined bike-rickshaw driver. But we were going to walk, but we was going to push his way through the crowded street to offer his help every 15 feet. "50 rupees - I take bags and 2 kids" (how was that going to work?" "40 rupees, I take your wife" (she is worth so much more).
Half I block later I realized he wasn't going anywhere, this wasn't easy, and that he couldn't go any faster than I could. Oh, and I realized he actually knew where we were going, and I certainly did not.... So load up the luggage, the wife and Corban - and make sure the rest of us never lose that rickshaw. We were off, and a few minutes later up a road which is hard to describe to Americans, we arrived at the doors of Hotel Kriishna.
He was willing to do it for 40, he started at 50, he was exactly what we needed when we needed it, and didn't give up on getting our business - priceless. 100 rupees later he was happy, and we were in the oasis of a clean hotel in a gritty, crowded, hectic part of a huge foreign city.
Here is my reflection - What would you do for 80 cents? How hard would you work to make it through life? We were saved by a friendly capable man in his 50's who was doing whatever he could to get whatever was possible. Coming from a land where people won't take a job at $9 an hour because... It is humbling to see a grown man working so hard for so little. Yes, America is still the land of opportunity. This man, willing to doggedly pursue my pocket change, will probably never get ahead. He will survive, get by, his kids may have a better life - but if you put the same work and effort into the system at home, most likely he would not end up a rags to riches story, but the possibilities are so much greater. Yes, life can feel hard in the USA, but coming to places like this is such a good reminder of the great opportunities, the amazing social supports, and the many good things of America. It is good to be in India - a wonderful place filled with wonderful hardworking people.
So that was the first few hours in Delhi. Since then we have seen, traveled and learned. The Taj Mahal is truly amazing, the outreach of Salaam Baalak Trust is making a difference, and I've got a few theories brewing of cultural difference. More to come...
We braced ourselves for Delhi as we exited the station. The police were friendly even if somewhat unhelpful in pointing us in the direction of our hotel. The tuktuk drivers (3 wheeled motorized taxi carts) we also helpful, and even they encouraged us to walk, and pointed us in the right direction. Hello! We wanted our kids to experience third world chaos - we were not impressed.
Then we crossed an invisible threshold. Weaving through a sea of taxis, cars and tuktuks in waiting - no signs, no clarity, no clue! Our confidence vanished, and a small island of white faces, uncertain in a sea of India daily life, emerged as a target of uncertainty. "You must go around" "It is too far, you must take a taxi" "You go right through the station" "You cannot go through unless you have a ticket" "It will take a half an hour or more, let me help you" Who to believe? How do we find our hotel? What should we do?
We are learning - use the best information you have, set your course and go with the best confidence you can muster.
Yes, we did have to go through the rail station.
Yes, we did have to go through security.
No, you did not need a rail ticket.
No, it was not too far.
No, we still did not have a clue once we came out the other side.
Yes, we knew the hotel was only a 4 minute walk from our location, but in exactly which direction - That we did not know....
I started asking - I had no choice - I needed more information. Asking draws attention, brings the helpful, the useless, and the opportunist..... and a determined bike-rickshaw driver. But we were going to walk, but we was going to push his way through the crowded street to offer his help every 15 feet. "50 rupees - I take bags and 2 kids" (how was that going to work?" "40 rupees, I take your wife" (she is worth so much more).
Half I block later I realized he wasn't going anywhere, this wasn't easy, and that he couldn't go any faster than I could. Oh, and I realized he actually knew where we were going, and I certainly did not.... So load up the luggage, the wife and Corban - and make sure the rest of us never lose that rickshaw. We were off, and a few minutes later up a road which is hard to describe to Americans, we arrived at the doors of Hotel Kriishna.
He was willing to do it for 40, he started at 50, he was exactly what we needed when we needed it, and didn't give up on getting our business - priceless. 100 rupees later he was happy, and we were in the oasis of a clean hotel in a gritty, crowded, hectic part of a huge foreign city.
Here is my reflection - What would you do for 80 cents? How hard would you work to make it through life? We were saved by a friendly capable man in his 50's who was doing whatever he could to get whatever was possible. Coming from a land where people won't take a job at $9 an hour because... It is humbling to see a grown man working so hard for so little. Yes, America is still the land of opportunity. This man, willing to doggedly pursue my pocket change, will probably never get ahead. He will survive, get by, his kids may have a better life - but if you put the same work and effort into the system at home, most likely he would not end up a rags to riches story, but the possibilities are so much greater. Yes, life can feel hard in the USA, but coming to places like this is such a good reminder of the great opportunities, the amazing social supports, and the many good things of America. It is good to be in India - a wonderful place filled with wonderful hardworking people.
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| After two days of travel - roof of Hotel Krishna |
Thanks for this story and application. I'm so glad you're braving the world with your family. It can't help but make a difference in our lives.
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