What to Expect
Cell Phone rental:
Highly recommended! I will be arranging phone rental opportunities our first day in Delhi. This will allow you to have contact w/ friends and family while you are gone. We will not always be able to stop at a public phone. It will be about $40-$60 USD. If you are interested then please bring a small passport size photo for the application.
E-mail:
Most Hotels have internet access, but the ashram doesn't. There are many internet cafes near the ashram so you will have access.
Clothing:
I would recommend being comfortable. You don't have to wear a sari, you will always stand out, no matter what you wear, so it is best to be comfortable. The general cultural guidelines are no cleavage, no crack, no ankles, and no shoulders. Here are some recommendations:Inland Yoga sells some kurtas and long skirts, those are always good. Kurtas you can wear over jeans, or any pants and it looks good. Kurtas are long shirts, and usually go to your thigh. You can go to Target, or Old Navy and there are a lot of "Indian influenced" long tee-shirts (kurtas). As long as you are not exposing too much skin you are fine. You will probably want to buy clothes when you arrive there anyway. In mosques and Gudwaras cover your head with a scarf, you can get a scarf in India for about $2USD.
Yoga clothes in India:
I think the same rules apply, try not to walk around the ashram in a skimpy tank and tight pants. This is a safe haven for boys, and a place of worship. I want our group to have a good reputation. If you wear clothes like this, just bring a kurta or a long top to cover up as you walk around the ashram and out on the street. If you are a clothing minimalist, just remember people will stare, and you may get more attention than you are used to.
Eating and Drinking:
You will be fine! (As long as you follow certain rules). Don't drink the water in the hotel room, unless it is bottled, AND ALWAYS check the bottle seal. Don't eat food from street vendors. In Dharamsala (17day tour) only eat at Chonor House, other places can be risky. Wash your hands before every meal with anti-bacterial wipes and after visiting crowded shops. Make sure food is cooked. Trust your instincts, if it looks curious, don't eat it, and remember we will be on LONG car rides. People share bottled water, but they never touch their lips to it. Just practice drinking your bottled water without touching your lips to the top. At the ashram you will enter the dining room and take a seat on the floor at your small table. Then go get your food, come back and eat it. This is an opportunity for you to be quiet and thankful for your food. Once you have finished you place your dishes in the bucket and leave.
Bathroom and shower:
Ladies, this is where we have more of a challenge. In India, it seems men can use the restroom anywhere, but for women it is not the same. While traveling by car, frequent bathroom trip can be difficult, and bathrooms are not always what we are used to. Some are squatters, some are regular, but it will always be an adventure to use them Honestly, I try not to eat too much or drink to much the day of car travel, especially in the morning. I even avoid too much water. The showers are what we are used to in Delhi, Agra, and Dharamsala. At the Ashram, we will have an Indian shower which is just a shower head in the wall, with a big bucket and a little bucket below. It is great! Water goes everywhere. You can fill the big bucket up and use the small bucket to rinse with. It will be a fun experience. You might like to bring some shower flip-flops.