Bajju....self reflections...(24/03/11)

Bajju was fantastic. One of my favorite parts would have been the night sky...it was amazing. I've never seen a sky like it, you could see all the stars!! People don't realise what they're missing when light pollution takes away the night sky.

Self Reflection: I never really thought about how lucky i was before today. The girls told us that one of the men from the village sell them to off to another man when they are 11. I know that when i was at that age i was deffinatley not ready to be put into a situation like that. I was still a child...and i've had chance to change in my own time since then. Some of the girls from this village have to grow up a lot quicker when they are thrown into situations like this. I suppose i find it hard to understand because i havn't experienced anything like that myself, maybe if i was in that situation i wouldnt find it so hard after all...?

Bajju.

On Thursday we headed out to the desert villages of Bajju. The journey there was amazing. I'll never forget it. It was just desert for miles and miles with thorney trees and bushes scattered around. There were young goat herders out in the middle of know where, just wondering through the desert, a completely different life to the children back home. Completely free.

The first village that we went to we sat under a straw awning to keep out of the sun, and the woman and children surrounded us. It was so surreal. The women and girls were wearing beautiful sari's and heavy looking jewellery. The older women there were mesmerising.



The women and girls showed us techniques in embroidery, and i've never seen someone so skilled st sewing. I can only hope to become as good as them...but the young girls were extremely talented.

They showed us some intricate pieces that they use for weddings etc, but when we asked Rangsutra why this type of embroidery couldnt be sold in the shops we were told it was because no one would be willing to pay a fair price for the amount of work that has to go into them. It's a shame because they really were master pieces.

My first day with Rangsutra. (23/03/11)

Today we arrived in Bikaner where we went straight to the office after dropping our bags off. Im suprised i managed to stay awake as i didnt sleep on the coach here...just picked up some nice bruises! We spent the whole day clothes checking, putting them into the good pile or rejections (to be sent back to be altered- not thrown away!) There were a lot of alterations to be made...more than i would have thought. I suppose i learnt today that you if you want people to think of your clothes as top quality you have to make sure everything is perfect. Not just up to my standards but up to everyones!

Claire, Elle and I also had to go on a trip to the police station to get permission to travel out to the villages near the Pakistan border. He told us all about the Karni Matra Temple so we now have to go see it!

Later on Cia gave me a head massage which i loved! It made me so sleepy! I never spend time just relaxing and im learning that having a little time with nothing to do can be good!