India - 7/22, Mumbai

I had been looking forward to this day for a very long time.

Ever since I discovered years ago that Indian fashion involved bright colors and sparkles, I've been somewhat obsessed with it.  I discovered an Indian shop in downtown Pittsburgh when I was in high school and was completely hooked.  I've been fascinated by India ever since.  I started praying when I was a junior in high school and still going on missions trips to Mexico to go on a mission trip to India.

10 years later, I'm here.

Our trip to the sari shop was more than just a trip to buy a sari.  I have always wanted to own a beautiful one, but could never find them anywhere in the US.  I actually bought one when we visited  London on my mission trip to Africa, but it was unfinished and missing a few things that were necessary to wear it, like a petticoat.  I'd never actually worn it.

We walked into the shop and sat on the huge white cushions, surrounded by folded saris on shelves.  The men working in the shop began pulling them off the shelves and unfolding them, holding them up so we could see the patterns.  About 8 or 9 saris in, I realized that I had a problem:  I liked them all.  They figured out that I liked blue and green with sparkles, so they started showing me all the ones that had one of those 3 elements.  The pile I had started of ones that I liked was huge and growing.  Eventually, I had to stop them because if I saw any more, I was going to buy the whole store.

I had a tough decision on my hands.  I managed to get it down to 4 that I loved: red, green, bright turquoise with an eastern pattern and one crimson and my favorite shade of green, covered with hand sewn sequins.  When it came right down to it, I had to pick.  So . . .

I picked all 4.

My team was surprised and started laughing at me.  Casey and Jill called me crazy.  I plunked down three-quarters of the spending money I had brought with me and bought the four most beautiful saris I have ever seen.  The fact that I now have no money is of no consequence.  I now have what I really wanted after so many years, and I feel so fortunate.  I will hang on to these saris for a very long time, and most likely hand down the most beautiful one as an heirloom.  We will get these saris custom tailored in a shop when we get to Ashagram, and I will finally get the one I bought in London a few years ago finished.

After we went to the sari shop, we went to a place called The Gateway to India.  It is a beautifully detailed arch overlooking the ocean.  While we were taking pictures, there were several street vendors around.  One approached us selling postcards.  When the girls initially ignored him, he went to Trisha's husband Melvin and tried to sell him some.  The vendor opened up his postcard book, closed it, and like a corny magic trick, when he reopened it a bag of drugs appeared in between the pages.  Melvin politely refused and kept walking.  We will never think of postcards the same way again.

We then went to a pretty nice mall.  One of the stores was called Pantaloons and reminded me of a cross between Macy's and Target.  We walked across the plaza and went to another store called Big Bazaar, which was essentially an Indian Wal-Mart without the colorful and downright scary characters you'll find in mine.

We decided to stop for lunch.  I had not been surprised to see McDonald's in India, because McDonald's is everywhere but North Korea, it seems.  I walked in, expecting to see a variation of a quarter pounder on the menu.  I didn't.  McDonald's, like the rest of India, doesn't serve beef.  They had chicken sandwiches, chicken nuggets and fish.  I ended up getting a chicken sandwich and fries that tasted surprisingly like the ones back home.

Even though I spent the majority of my money in one day (sorry everyone, I don't think you'll be getting India souvenirs) I feel very blessed.  Today has been an answer to one of those goofy little prayers that I've been praying for years.