On the 27th we got a mini bus to a market nearby Gopalpur (where we are staying for training). Around 90% of people tended to stare at us but it isn’t intimidating, it’s just intrigue, like they’ve never seen a white person/western person before. What I couldn’t get used to (and still can’t) are the requests to be in photos, the people who try to sneak in a photo when they think you can’t see, and even more peculiar; the ones at a distance who are glaring and taking some pretty extensive photos.
Anyway, the markets were pretty damn cool. Very busy. Full of wandering cows, tuk tuks, bicycles, rickshaws, motorbikes, buses, cars and people.
When returning to our base in Gopalpur, we had a really nice game of cricket on the beach. Beaut.
The next day was the start of training and the first talk was on awareness about safety, i.e. the risk of kidnappings and sexual harassment. Great way to start the day.
Language barriers meant I couldn’t understand the chat on the political structure of India, which was frustrating as I am keen to know. What I do understand is that it is a federal system with a constitution and both a President and a Prime Minister.
