Passion

"Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life." --Confucius

You know those days when you're just sitting at work, wondering why you're there, and then suddenly something happens that takes you back to why you're doing what you're doing? Well on Friday I had one of those moments. 

I've started to interview people for my graduate school research capstone and have been lucky enough to be connected with some amazing people working in various public health offices on a national level. When I initially sat down with the Executive Director for the organization I'm working with and he listed all the organizations he's connected with and who I could interview, my inner professional self did a happy dance. To be able to talk with some of the people who have developed the adolescent reproductive health curricula for the entire country or talk with people who have been part of one of the largest IEC/health promotion event in the world just gives me the greatest joy. 

So on Friday, I met with staff at the National AIDS Control Office (NACO) under the Ministry of Health. Back in 2007, NACO started the Red Ribbon Express, one of the largest health promotion campaigns in the world. They knew that they had to develop an innovative and successful health promotion campaign teaching people about HIV prevention and why to get tested. So they decided to have a train go around the country for an entire year, spreading awareness about HIV/AIDS, promoting safe sex and reducing discrimination against AIDS victims. They painted colorful murals on the outside of the train cars and inside the train cars were various multi-media exhibits. 

This campaign was so successful that they ended up running this train for a total of three years, with each year having a different focus. The second year of the Red Ribbon Express focused on how to change stigma about HIV/AIDS and the third year focused on targeting youth. 

When I spoke with someone who had worked on this campaign from the very beginning, it just amazed me that despite all of their challenges and issues they thought they would face along the way, they were still very successful in their efforts. During the first year of the Red Ribbon Express, they thought that people wouldn't come for HIV counseling because of the stigma associated with it, but in fact it worked so well that during the second year of the train, they added HIV testing to their activities. 

This is what drives me. It gives me the motivation to get through those crummy days because I know that sooner or later I'm going to have one of these amazing days. And when you have an amazing day at the office, you know it's been a good day.

Ringing in the New Year in New Delhi

Whenever I'm living in a foreign country for any time longer than a few weeks, I realize that I usually try to immerse myself so much into the culture and every day life that I sometimes forget I'm a tourist. This isn't always a bad thing, but halfway through my time there, I realize why I have chosen to live in that country....to explore! It's great to attempt to live like a local and go on about my every day life but it's also important not to wrap up in too much of the every day so that I don't see the sights that I came there to see. 

During my time in New Delhi so far I've been so wrapped up in work during the week and school work during the weekend, that I haven't had the time or energy to visit some of the temples and other attractions. This first weekend of the new year though, I vowed to myself that I would see some of the sights in New Delhi. 

I decided to see three temples that weren't far away from each other, and one of them being the Lotus Temple, one of only seven Baha'i Houses of Worship in the World!

From the Metro station I was able to see a bit of the Lotus Temple and it was gorgeous! The Lotus Temple is made up of white marble and has 27 petals, with 9 main points of the lotus flower. Jutting from each point is a pool. Then inside and kind of underneath the lotus structure is the actual house of worship and sanctuary. The sanctuary is actually quite simple with barely any altar or decorations. It reminded me almost of an outside amphitheater. Inside the sanctuary, we were asked to take no pictures and remain completely silent so that others could meditate and reflect. For me, it was difficult to be at peace when a new group of people came into the sanctuary practically every 10-15 minutes, but it was still worthwhile.

Despite the fog and cloudiness of the day, I was glad I still went. There are so many things that I want to see in New Delhi before I go back to the US and I only have so much time to do it all. With it being the first weekend of the new year, I really wanted to visit somewhere where I could just meditate and channel my inner spiritual being. The Lotus Temple seemed like the perfect place to be. 

The central theme of the Baha'i faith is that humanity is one single race. The founder of the Baha'i faith, Baha'u'llah, said that the day has come for humanity to unify into one global society. 

After visiting the Lotus Temple, I became really interested in this faith and decided to check it out more on their website. 

They list the Baha'i Beliefs as:

• All humanity is one family
• Women and men are equal
• All prejudice--racial, religious, national or economic--is destructive and must be overcome.
• We must investigate truth for ourselves, without preconceptions.
• World peace is the crying need of our time. 
• All major religions come from God.
• There is one God.
• The family and its unity are very important.
• Our economic problems are linked to spiritual problems.
• Science and religion are in harmony.

Once I left the Lotus Temple, I decided to head to a Hindu temple dedicated to goddess Kali, which I found was right across the street from the Lotus Temple. 

A vendor selling fresh flowers and other gifts that people can give to the deity

So I wandered through the street and turned into alleyways and found myself at the back of a very long line of people waiting to enter the temple. I really wasn't in the mood to wait at least 45 minutes to even get to the temple.So instead I decided to grab a quick bite to eat on the side of the road and venture off to the ISKCON Temple.

The ISKCON Temple stands for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and is considered a spiritual institution. Besides housing a temple, the center also has an education center, a yoga vedic center and an entertainment center, among others. 

A Hindu god in a pool outside of the temple

Once I got to the ISKCON Temple, I found out that the temple itself was closed for another hours. So instead I decided to go to a fog and lights show about the Bhagavad Gita, the holy book for Hinduism. The fog and lights show was strange to say the least. It reminded me of a cross between a Halloween haunted house and natural history museum. I wouldn't recommend seeing the lights show, but I'm sure the temple would be worthwhile. If I have another free weekend before I leave, I might head back to see the actual temple. 

Some deities in the education center

Living in New Delhi has really made me reflect on my life and goals. After this weekend's excursions, I've decided to make one of my new year's resolutions a meditative one. I want to be able to find inner calm and a place of reflection no matter where I am--whether it's the crowded streets of New Delhi or a quiet church sanctuary.