pink rice and goodbyes

10/12 so i am now writing from gangtok in sikkim. i am filled with mixed emotions; sadness for leaving the kids of glenburn and the adult welfare volunteers that we were helping with english but excited for adventures to come and exploring other areas of india (and escaping the loud tv and electronics of my homestay).

our last week at glenburn was during a hindu festival so school was closed but we had three last days of library at sikari durgha pry school. our last day, we were first told, was fri and the end of the session was rather anti-climatic so we were feeling sad about the way our goodbye went. then we were told there would be library on monday and again it was fun but with an anti-climatic goodbye (basically chaos and no one saying goodbye :) ). then we were told there would be library on tues. sooo, we hiked the 1/2 hour thru the tea fields and quaint tea planters villages for the last time again. today we were honored by the children who stood in a line and draped silk scarves over our shoulders one at a time while clapping. it was very sweet and the whole thing brought a tear or two to my eye. the teacher that leads library there, sarman (a very nice man who is extremely dedicated to the children), tried desperately to have the kids sing songs and dance for us but there were a bunch of new kids that hadn't worked with us before and who were too interested in playing with the games and things we had bought for the library. his efforts were much appreciated but we also loved just watchng the kids enjoying our small gifts to the school. he had also written us each a speach in nepali to read to the kids so we attempted to read these emotional goodbye/thank you speaches but none of the children listened. it was very funny! then we tried learning a nepali song which we can now not get out of our heads... kanchi hai kanchi, kanchi kohita kholana..... :)
we were also honored at the cultural ceremony held in town for the festival. we had no idea what was being said or what was going on but suddenly out of the stream of nepali we heard i-to-i blah blah blah iceland and england (so much for representing the states) and then scarves were draped on our shoulders in front of the whole town!
on thurs we were brought to a local tea pluckers house to witness the tika ceremony. they graciously invited us into their home to watch this wonderful hindu ceremony where first the elders and then sisters give blessing to the family from eldest to youngest by chanting, putting pink rice (tika) on the foreheads and flowers in the hair or under a hat or handkerchief. after the entire family received tika we were invited to also receive the blessing. the women were very happy including us and all family members wanted to have photos taken with us and asked that we return to their house again someday. they offered us tea and treats even though they have so little and all was very appreciated.
so, it is with sadness and excitement of what's to come next that i write this post. i'm in gangtok in sikkim with Silla, who will be leaving in a couple days. i'm hoping to then join a group for a trek and praying my knee holds out! i might be buying a yak to ride... figure it could also keep me warm and cozy in my tent! trek will be either dzongri or goecha la with dzongri being the wiser choice as it's a few days shorter. so, i'll be out of touch for 7-10 days but in good hands with guides, porters, yaks and horses to carry me back if my knee gives out so i'll be in touch when i return!! wish me luck with the knee and gorgeous himalayan sunrises every a.m.! thanks :) hope all is well at home! i'm thinking of you all! think i'm going for a good indian meal (hopefully spicy curry and garlic naan or stuffed paratha and maybe even some rice pudding) and a cocktail!!!
cheers!!

p.s. sikkim is plastic bag free, organic encouraging and give heavy fines for littering and spitting. they're also anti excessive horn blowing and loud noise making!!! it's a very nice repreive from the rest of india... i'm expecting culture shock when i finally make my way to kolkata!
p.s.s. the hotel we're staying at is costing us each a little over 2$/night and we had an amazing indian meal yesterday for about 5$ each!