My dad has been to India several times before. He showed me pictures of beautiful people wearing different clothes and going about their lives. My mom loves the colors, my dad loves their faces. He says you can tell a lot about someone by the look in their eyes, and that each wrinkle in their face tells a different story. And if you're in luck, and people talk to you, you can learn a lot from them... I guess I was in luck!
We drove around the Pink City that morning. It was busy and there was always someone honking.
"Wow, tuk tuks are so popular here! Why?"
I saw elephants taking people up a hill, and a man riding a camel.
"Dad, why is that man traveling by camel?"
I learned about Jaipur's history, saw many palaces, forts and monuments; instruments for measuring the sky; schools and universities. I saw cows, monkeys and a even a man playing music to a dancing snake, and every time we talked to someone we heard pride, and tales of dedication and hard work.
My dad explained to me that here they have a strong culture, and they invest a lot in education and that is why they were the only growing economy last year. One man told me that in Jaipur, for some industries they don't allow automation so everything is made using their hands.
"So they do everything by hand?"
I saw a man weaving a carpet that would take him 6 months to complete, and another polishing gemstones with a tool made from a stick. They were so happy with all my questions they gave me a tiger's eye for my rock collection.
Outside, one man was playing a harmonium...
"It's an accordion stuck to a piano but mini size"
... while another was playing a type of indian violin he made himself!
"Dad, can we make our own instruments too, when we're back?"
Mostly, from today, I remember the people. Not the monuments or the palaces, but the people. Amazing people doing amazing things.
People here work differently than back home, and society has a different dynamic. I understand now why my dad wanted us to come here, and why he loves it so much. We're going to be coming back...
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