The Difference Dinner Makes

10-11-06

After settling into our room, and gaining my composure, we head out for dinner. Awhile back, Lonely Planet recommended “The Pole” restaurant to travelers. There are now 5 Pole restaurants, and each says THEY are the recommended restaurant. We ate at “the original pole” restaurant – whatever THAT means.

I am already surprised at the different feel of this village. Here we are greeted with “Namaste”, and there is a friendly feeling in the air again. The young man who helped us with our luggage was very excited to see us, and was hesitant to take the tip. He just wanted to visit. His name sounds something like Sandwich.

After dinner, I asked to walk to the bridge to see the water. The sunset was nice and it felt good to breathe again, but it was getting dark. Cedric continued across the bridge. On the other side is the village where his friends live, but we were not planning on going there until tomorrow. As we walk we are approached by a young boy on a bike, Pernod, who asks our names and where we are from – already it is feeling very different here than it has. As our conversation with him continues Cedric asks if he knows Ghulan (said Julian) and Ravi, and he does! He says they are his friends, he says he can take us to them. Soon we are also approached by two younger boys, who say they live next door to Ghulan and they will also take us there. It is dark now, and we are on a rural village road with children all around, talking to us in their broken English. I am getting a little frightened, but there is no going back. We enter into the village Sugata, people are cooking dinner on the side walks, and we are greeted at every turn. Soon, we are into the alleys and streets of the village, a rat scurries across my feet and my scream startles the boys around me. There is much laughter. We walk on.

This has been a walk with no motorized vehicles around, and soon a car approaches. As the car passes the man yells out the window, “Brother Cedric? Is that you?”. This is the man that inspired Cedric to come here, the man who runs the orphanage, the man who wants to build a better school. This man is Siddartha.

Siddartha is thrilled to see Cedric, and very welcoming to me. He says we have arrived at exactly the right time as they are celebrating the opening of the new school building and that there is a big party for us to come to. Soon we meet up with the boys who are good friends with Cedric, they are so excited to see him. They call him Brother, and reminisce about the wonderful times they had when Cedric was here before. They want to show us the school, and they are very polite and concerned for my safety. They constantly hold my hand and say, “come please” as they lead me around the school. They call me Mama.

We are treated like honored guests. They have much to tell us about their growth and success over the past two years. They want us to see it all. It is a 4 story school, with running water and toilet facilities and a small computer lab. The boys who are friends with Cedric have graduated from this school, and are now attending college. Ghulan says he is in college because of Cedric.

It is very, very dark now, and with the very, very dark faces of the boys it is difficult to distinguish one from the other. But there is one with a red baseball cap who stays close to me. He is sure I get everywhere safely. He wants me to see the orphanage, and to meet the orphans. There are 16. When we arrive, they are on the open patio outside their dorm, washing up for the night. They range from 6-12 years old. There are approximately 16. They are very excited to meet us, and each shakes our hand, asks us our name, tells us theirs, and asks where we are from. I want to stay here. This is why I have come.

My oh my, the difference a dinner makes.

Tonight, I sleep like a rock.