The smiles of Mumbai

A wonderful week is coming to an end. Our visitors are leaving, and we will miss them deeply. And what can be better than letting them tell you themselves how their first visit to India and Mumbai has been? Today's post is therefore a guest post. My fabulous sister: the floor is yours: 

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We`re driving through the streets of Mumbai. Houses that look more like huts or not even that, maybe only some sheds. People live there, I think to myself. Small kids without shoes, close to the gutter. Lives lived on the pavement. So many harsh impressions, visions that will stay on my mind forever.

Suddenly I hear my son saying, pointing out the window; Look mum, that`s terrible!
I am convinced he`s thinking the same as me. About the unfair world we live in.When I put on my most serious "comforting face" to talk to him, he responds with the special look he get`s when there`s something mum "clearly" doesn`t understand.
"No mum, not that. But look, that boy is wearing a Manchester United shirt!"

I just have to smile. My son is what you would describe as a serious soccerfan. He`s probably quite an average 7-year old Norwegian boy. Loves to play soccer and watch soccer (favourite team being Liverpool), loves everything about the game.

As many norwegians do, he has also travelled a lot, but mostly on typically child-friendly charter tours. Before we left Norway for India I therefore got the advice to try to prepare him for the poverty we would see. I tried to have a serious "preparation-chat", but he started being scared of what poor people look like, behave and what they will do to him, so I ended up dropping the subject.

Our little drive this particular day ended at the school where my sister is a volunteer for Children's Future India, and it turned out to be the best experience on the whole trip. It was joy, it was singing "head, shoulder, knees and toes" and reading a story about David (7) together with some children of Mumbai. It was a meeting filled with learning for all of us, and memories for ever.
"This was the best day, Mom", my son told me later that evening. Although he still cant get over that none of them had ever heard about Liverpool or soccer. Only cricket.

Normally in the winter holiday would go skiing. This year, we went to India.

Now, over a week has passed and we have had days filled with the most extreme impressions - all at the same time. The streets are full of contrasts. It`s fantastic, I`ve loved being here. My son has loved being here. Seeing my sister's life, being around to the places she has been talking about, meeting lots of wonderful people. Taking it all in.

But what really took with me by surprise is all the happiness. The friendly curiosity towards us visitors.
"Why are they looking at me, mom?"
"They`re probably curious. Maybe they haven`t seen people like us before?"
"But mom, aunt Eli has lived here for over a year!"
And we can`t really grasp how many people actually lives here - there are people everywhere!

We`re getting used to it. Today my son smiled back to the guys in the rickshaw that stared and waved to him. An attitude to take back to Norway. Along with heaps of memories..and some tailor-made clothes..:)

Yes, we`re in the picture, along with some enthusiastic kids we met during our visit to Mumbai.