Still just getting ready

I received my visa today.  It only took about 2 weeks.  I guess it is not always that quick.  The application asked what I will be doing in India I said traveling on vacation and studying yoga.  The instructor that I am going with also mentioned he is going to do yoga and they denied him.  He has to fill out a new visa application and this time not mention yoga. I am not sure why but for some reason they deny some people because they want to study yoga.  I called passportsandvisas.com and they said it really depends on who you get that reviews your application and what kind of day they are having.


I can't decide if I should pack tennis shoes or not.  I want to just bring flip flops.  I want to bring a book bag of a couple of outfits and my toiletries and thats it.  I want to see how little I actually need.  I am hopefully leaving for the Peace Corps with my husband in March.  That will be 27 months with only 80 lbs of stuff.  How much of all this stuff that I have do I really need?


To prepare myself for my trip right now I am reading Gandhi's Autobiography and  The Art of Happiness by the Dalai Lama and Dr. Cutler.

Preparing for India

Hello world.

I leave in 43 days!  January 14th, 2011.  That is so soon.  I am preparing to go to Goa, India to get certified to teach yoga. I am starting out with the 200 hour certification.

I already have my plane ticket. I bought it at Cheaptickets.com.com for $1500.  I also purchased insurance for $90 so that I can change my flight plans or even cancel the ticket, I think that it will be worth it to have.  I leave from Cincinnati, Ohio and arrive in Goa, India 26 hours later!  (Only 18 hours in the air)  but what am I going to do during my 6 hour layover in Mumbai?  I guess read one of my many books I am required to read for yoga training.  I will be in India for 52 days.  I stay in Goa for 5 weeks for teacher training.  After that is completed, I am traveling by train around southern India for 10 days. I leave from Chennai, India to fly back to Cincinnati, Ohio on March 6th, 2011.

The only preparing I have done so far is I have applied for my 6 month tourist visa. I went to Passportsandvisas.com. Don't forget to sign your passport because I did and it cost me an extra $30 for shipping.  Without that mistake it would have only cost around $200.  

My yoga training, room and board, and "delicious vegetarian meal" plan for 5 weeks is only going to cost $2800! Isn't that insane!?  So cheap!  For JUST teacher training it costs $2500 in Cincinnati, Ohio!  Plus I would have to stay in my garbage can apartment during our cold and miserable midwestern winter. No thanks I'd rather go to India! ( I really do love my home and I will miss my husband but I am so excited to miss winter and go on my yoga adventure!) My 10 day adventure tour will only be $900 for room and board and any travel costs.