Well, about 28 hours later, I made it back home. Safely with no problems. It is nice to be home. Nice to see my family, and my puppy was particularly excited to see me when she came to pick me up at the airport with my brother.
My great summer adventure of 09 is over. I am so happy that I made the decision to go and do this work. I look forward to more travels in the future. But for now, a new adventure begins. Year two of grad school with lots of new possibilities. I'm excited to see where it all goes ...
xo
KJ
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Waiting at the airport
So, the time has come. I am at the airport in Delhi. Getting ready to leave India and head back to the states. Sitting here, I am getting really excited to go back. I am going to be really happy to see my family and friends. It will be really nice to be home. Plus, I am kind of disappointed in the last couple of days and am glad to have that part done with. And today was actually just pretty shitty overall, so I am happy to be leaving this particular day. It was just a lot of driving. Some final shopping, not getting the deals that I had been told I could find but because it was my last day, not having much of a choice. Kind of annoying. Driving through really heavy rains which was kinda scary. Stopping by a shop and one of the sales men being totally inappropriate and making me feel SO uncomfortable and trying to kiss me before I could get the hell out of there. And all under the pretense of it being Indian culture and a gift he has to read people and the spiritual side of the country, bull shit. He was simply a creep that tries to take advantage of women traveling by themselves. And it makes me that much more angry at him that he was trying to use something spiritual and special to justify his totally out of line behavior. And then my driver telling me that the restaurant he was supposed to take me to doesn’t open until seven, which is when I needed to leave for the airport and me arguing with him until he finally agreed to take me somewhere else. And then of course there was tons of traffic so if we had left later I would have been totally stressed out and rushing at the airport. And then he took me to a monument I had already been to on Friday and he told me to get out and take pictures. I was like, no, I’ve been here. He was like, really? And I was also starving at this point so I was pretty mad. BUT I finally was able to get some food, leave at the time I had wanted to the airport and make it with plenty of time.
The airport is full of people wearing masks, which I guess makes sense due to the sudden increase of swine flu here. I’m glad I’m leaving now so mom doesn’t worry about me.
I am a little worried about this flight. Last time I was really prepared, at least mentally. I had thought about it a lot. This time I have not. I am about to spend 15 hours on an airplane and then another 9 in transit and another plane and I have not thought about it. But I have a book and ipod and sleeping pills. So with all of that combined with the in flight entertainment system I’ll literally have at my fingertips, I think I’ll be able to manage, one way or another.
The airport is full of people wearing masks, which I guess makes sense due to the sudden increase of swine flu here. I’m glad I’m leaving now so mom doesn’t worry about me.
I am a little worried about this flight. Last time I was really prepared, at least mentally. I had thought about it a lot. This time I have not. I am about to spend 15 hours on an airplane and then another 9 in transit and another plane and I have not thought about it. But I have a book and ipod and sleeping pills. So with all of that combined with the in flight entertainment system I’ll literally have at my fingertips, I think I’ll be able to manage, one way or another.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Starting to wrap up …
As I get ready to leave India, I am trying to think about the last six weeks and what they have meant to me. It has been kind of strange for me to be keeping a blog, but I am glad I did. There is a lot that I did not include on here, but it was fun getting to share some of my experiences.
On a number of levels this trip has been amazing. I learned so much from the students and professors here. I had some intense and amazing experiences during field work and talking to people in very remote villages. The extremes and contrast of this country continue to amaze me, as does its diversity and its beauty. The poverty is extreme. Everywhere you go is crowded. The colors are beautiful. The people are incredibly nice. The food is delicious. Being involved on this project has meant a lot to me personally, to be actively working on solutions to the water crisis is incredible. And traveling to different places and hearing stories inside people’s homes is emotional and transforming. The people that I have met will stay with me. On a personal level this trip has also been an incredibly healing six weeks. It has meant so much to be able to be here and do this, to show to myself that I can, to be away from the comforts and familiarity of home, and to get through it not just in one piece, but stronger. I have learned new things about myself. And most of all I have gotten to experience a country that is absolutely amazing. If anyone is thinking about visiting India, I highly recommend it.
On a number of levels this trip has been amazing. I learned so much from the students and professors here. I had some intense and amazing experiences during field work and talking to people in very remote villages. The extremes and contrast of this country continue to amaze me, as does its diversity and its beauty. The poverty is extreme. Everywhere you go is crowded. The colors are beautiful. The people are incredibly nice. The food is delicious. Being involved on this project has meant a lot to me personally, to be actively working on solutions to the water crisis is incredible. And traveling to different places and hearing stories inside people’s homes is emotional and transforming. The people that I have met will stay with me. On a personal level this trip has also been an incredibly healing six weeks. It has meant so much to be able to be here and do this, to show to myself that I can, to be away from the comforts and familiarity of home, and to get through it not just in one piece, but stronger. I have learned new things about myself. And most of all I have gotten to experience a country that is absolutely amazing. If anyone is thinking about visiting India, I highly recommend it.
If I see one more palace or place of historical importance …
I have been learning a whole lot over the past few days. I’ve seen amazing sites and met some interesting people. But the time for sightseeing is DONE. I am very over it. The first few times I heard the lineage of the Mughal dynasty, I still found it interesting. No more monuments, no more history, no more restaurants that are only filled with other foreigners. I’m done. I miss Kolkata, at least kind of knowing my surroundings, having more things to do and people around. It has been great and I have learned a lot, but it’s also been a bit of an overload.
Leaving soon
I have two nights left in India. Although I have been homesick, I am now not ready to leave. It has been an incredible summer and I have learned so much. There is amazing work going on here and amazing people doing it. I am really excited to see my family and to start the year back up in the bay in my new apartment with new classes and internships and to see my friends. But I will also be sad to leave this country. There is so much that I did not see, so much that I have not learned. So many more people I want to spend time with and places I want to visit and get to know. I want to come back next summer and see more! I want to catch up with everyone at home and try to share this experience as best as I can. It has been amazing for me on so many levels. But I also wish that it was not quite over, that I had just a little more time. It is really hard to believe that my time to leave has almost come. That six weeks have passed since I arrived here. So much has happened during this time. I hope I can carry most of it with me.
Taj Mahal
What can you say after you have seen one of the wonders of the world? How can one capture with words the beauty of one of the greatest memorials of love ever? Seeing the Taj Mahal, being there in person, was an incredible experience.
I got to touch the marble, trace the jeweled flowers with my fingers, sit in the gardens and admire the amazing structure before me. I learned more about the history and the love story behind the amazing mausoleum. The white marble changes color under different types of sunlight. All of the detailed decoration was done by hand and hundreds of years ago. Hearing about the construction gives one a whole new level of appreciation to the beauty and wonder of the architecture. The whole structure took over 22 years to build. The emperor Shah Jahan built it in memory of his great love, his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who was one of three wives. She was the last wife he married and they were truly in love. She traveled with him everywhere. They were on a military expedition when she passed away during childbirth. He was so upset, he decided to build a symbol of their love. Over 350 years later, that symbol still stands today.
The structure was built around her body. Her grave is perfectly symmetrical with the entire architecture. There are four columns on each corner of the structure, they are each built leaning slightly away from the Taj. This way in case there is ever an earthquake, they will fall away from the building and not onto it.
I slowly walked to the Taj. I walked all around the graves, admiring the amazing art work and architecture. I sat in the gardens and watched it. I daydreamed about visiting other wonders of the world and sharing them with those I love. I watched all the other tourists and visitors as they came to admire, take pictures, and experience the Taj in person.
If anyone gets the chance, I highly recommend it. The next time I go, I definitely want to see it in during sunrise or sunset … or under a full moon.
I got to touch the marble, trace the jeweled flowers with my fingers, sit in the gardens and admire the amazing structure before me. I learned more about the history and the love story behind the amazing mausoleum. The white marble changes color under different types of sunlight. All of the detailed decoration was done by hand and hundreds of years ago. Hearing about the construction gives one a whole new level of appreciation to the beauty and wonder of the architecture. The whole structure took over 22 years to build. The emperor Shah Jahan built it in memory of his great love, his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who was one of three wives. She was the last wife he married and they were truly in love. She traveled with him everywhere. They were on a military expedition when she passed away during childbirth. He was so upset, he decided to build a symbol of their love. Over 350 years later, that symbol still stands today.
The structure was built around her body. Her grave is perfectly symmetrical with the entire architecture. There are four columns on each corner of the structure, they are each built leaning slightly away from the Taj. This way in case there is ever an earthquake, they will fall away from the building and not onto it.
I slowly walked to the Taj. I walked all around the graves, admiring the amazing art work and architecture. I sat in the gardens and watched it. I daydreamed about visiting other wonders of the world and sharing them with those I love. I watched all the other tourists and visitors as they came to admire, take pictures, and experience the Taj in person.
If anyone gets the chance, I highly recommend it. The next time I go, I definitely want to see it in during sunrise or sunset … or under a full moon.
Small memories that will stay with me …
Men carrying loads of bricks on their heads, on their way to the construction sites, also carrying baskets filled with rocks or sand or other building materials.
Skinny cows and lots of stray dogs. In Murshidabad, as we would drive away from the city we were staying in and towards the villages, the cows would get skinnier and there would be less dogs around.
Cows standing in the middle of busy intersections, not moving and not caring they were blocking all sorts of traffic.
Knowing we were getting totally ripped off by cab drivers when the ride would take significantly longer one way or the other, but not knowing the streets or city enough to be able to know how they should go or to even know we were getting ripped off till the end of the ride.
A two hour traffic jam, a single line of cars that was endless, probably went less than a mile. Never seen traffic so bad. Was almost fun because it was so ridiculous. At least I wasn’t by myself.
Cows eating trash because there is so much of it around, and so much of the grass here (in the north) is dry.
Drinking fresh coconut milk on a boat ride on the river ganger. Sitting on the edge of the boat and hanging our feet in the water as we were going.
The greenery of West Bengal. How dry the north is. They are still waiting for the rains to come. Driving around you can see that all of the fields are brown.
Crossing the street – always an adventure, no matter where you are. I remember when I first got here and saw people crossing the street I thought that would be something I would never be able to do. Now I do it no problems. But with the crazy driving and people just doing what they want, it is still something you have to be very careful about.
Women biking in their saris. It seems hard enough to wear one (to me) much less bike in them – so impressed!
Rickshaw drivers at night, lined up along the side of the street. Sleeping on or under their rickshaws. Their means of livelihood also being their shelter.
The hawkers trying to sell you everything from jewelry and postcards to batteries and zip drives.
Watching Bollywood movies in Hindi. Loving each one.
The children in the villages, so curious, so brave, all wanting to get a look at me, all wanting to see the pictures I was taking. The little boys and girls looked exactly the same, usually only wearing small shorts because it was so hot, and for the same reason all had a very short hair cut close to their heads. You could the girls because most had their ears pierced and some their noses or wore necklaces.
An old man taking a bath in the public well. A toddler girl going to the bathroom in the street. Neither being an isolated incident.
The first coop of chickens I saw on the side of the road, knowing they were to be sold as food. And then looking to the left of them and seeing a dirty chopping block, a bucket, a machete, and a pile of dirty feathers.
Skinny cows and lots of stray dogs. In Murshidabad, as we would drive away from the city we were staying in and towards the villages, the cows would get skinnier and there would be less dogs around.
Cows standing in the middle of busy intersections, not moving and not caring they were blocking all sorts of traffic.
Knowing we were getting totally ripped off by cab drivers when the ride would take significantly longer one way or the other, but not knowing the streets or city enough to be able to know how they should go or to even know we were getting ripped off till the end of the ride.
A two hour traffic jam, a single line of cars that was endless, probably went less than a mile. Never seen traffic so bad. Was almost fun because it was so ridiculous. At least I wasn’t by myself.
Cows eating trash because there is so much of it around, and so much of the grass here (in the north) is dry.
Drinking fresh coconut milk on a boat ride on the river ganger. Sitting on the edge of the boat and hanging our feet in the water as we were going.
The greenery of West Bengal. How dry the north is. They are still waiting for the rains to come. Driving around you can see that all of the fields are brown.
Crossing the street – always an adventure, no matter where you are. I remember when I first got here and saw people crossing the street I thought that would be something I would never be able to do. Now I do it no problems. But with the crazy driving and people just doing what they want, it is still something you have to be very careful about.
Women biking in their saris. It seems hard enough to wear one (to me) much less bike in them – so impressed!
Rickshaw drivers at night, lined up along the side of the street. Sleeping on or under their rickshaws. Their means of livelihood also being their shelter.
The hawkers trying to sell you everything from jewelry and postcards to batteries and zip drives.
Watching Bollywood movies in Hindi. Loving each one.
The children in the villages, so curious, so brave, all wanting to get a look at me, all wanting to see the pictures I was taking. The little boys and girls looked exactly the same, usually only wearing small shorts because it was so hot, and for the same reason all had a very short hair cut close to their heads. You could the girls because most had their ears pierced and some their noses or wore necklaces.
An old man taking a bath in the public well. A toddler girl going to the bathroom in the street. Neither being an isolated incident.
The first coop of chickens I saw on the side of the road, knowing they were to be sold as food. And then looking to the left of them and seeing a dirty chopping block, a bucket, a machete, and a pile of dirty feathers.
Accidents Waiting to Happen
While riding on the rickshaw one night heading back to JU, the rickshaw in front of us stopped short. We bumped into it. The rickshaw behind us bumped into ours. Other than the small jolts, I thought nothing of it, until I looked behind me and saw a girl flying through the air. On the rickshaw behind us a girl of probably about 7 had been sitting on the laps of her mother and another woman. The jolt caused her to be thrown from the rickshaw into the street. We were on a small side street with very little traffic, thank goodness. She started crying. A man from the store we were in front of came out and helped her up and onto a bench. She seemed to be fine, just shaken up. But I don’t really know because during this the rickshaw in front of us started moving and we were back on our way.
It was a jolting reality check of how dangerous things are. The rickshaws are the environmentally friendly option when it comes to local transportation. And with traffic and all the people they are sometimes the only choice. But they are flimsy structures that provide no protection in case of an accident. And forget about seat belts, most of the cars I was in did not even have seat belts in the back seat. Everyone also bikes, but no one wear’s helmets. There are motorcycles everywhere, and only some people wearing helmets. I can’t help but think about how dangerous that is for the riders. The small accident I witnessed was a shocking reality that it does not take much force to have a real impact and for the potential for real harm to occur. But don't worry, mom, I'm fine.
It was a jolting reality check of how dangerous things are. The rickshaws are the environmentally friendly option when it comes to local transportation. And with traffic and all the people they are sometimes the only choice. But they are flimsy structures that provide no protection in case of an accident. And forget about seat belts, most of the cars I was in did not even have seat belts in the back seat. Everyone also bikes, but no one wear’s helmets. There are motorcycles everywhere, and only some people wearing helmets. I can’t help but think about how dangerous that is for the riders. The small accident I witnessed was a shocking reality that it does not take much force to have a real impact and for the potential for real harm to occur. But don't worry, mom, I'm fine.
Temple
This next post is hard to write because the experience that I had was just indescribable, but I want to try and I want to share it. I visited the grounds of the temple for Sri Ramakrishna along the bank of the Ganges River. The grounds are simply beautiful, the gardens were amazing and the view along the Ganges was breath taking. It was an incredibly peaceful and serene spot. (Unfortunately no photography was allowed anywhere so I will not have pictures of this to share. There were also signs forbidden clothes washing at that point in the river.)
But the highlight was the prayer. Every evening they ring the bells and everyone is asked to leave the grounds. At that point you can either exit or go into the main temple where they have a prayer service. We went in and sat in the back. I watched as people prayed. There was music and singing. Chanting and praying. There were bells and drums. The room was filled with people. Everyone was sitting cross legged and sitting up straight. The priests and students were towards the front and singing. I cannot even begin to tell you how beautiful it was. I was expecting to go and witness a cultural event, something I would watch but feel disconnected from, even if I found it beautiful. Instead I experienced an incredibly moving, personal, and spiritual event. It was very meditative to sit there and listen to the songs, and I soon found myself lost in my own prayer. I was very moved and surprisingly very emotional. I realized soon that part of it was because how much at that moment I felt the presence of my daddy. I felt him there with me and it was an incredibly peaceful and sad and special moment. It was so nice to feel him there and sad because I miss him so much.
The evening was incredibly moving. One that I will not forget. Everything about it was so special. The temple, the river, the gardens, my friend bringing me there, the music and songs, all of it. I know there are a lot of religions in India and that a lot of people come here for spiritual reasons. But I was not expecting that to be any part of my trip here because I knew I would be so busy with work. So it was completely unexpected and the evening really connected me to everything around me, to this country and land, and to myself.
But the highlight was the prayer. Every evening they ring the bells and everyone is asked to leave the grounds. At that point you can either exit or go into the main temple where they have a prayer service. We went in and sat in the back. I watched as people prayed. There was music and singing. Chanting and praying. There were bells and drums. The room was filled with people. Everyone was sitting cross legged and sitting up straight. The priests and students were towards the front and singing. I cannot even begin to tell you how beautiful it was. I was expecting to go and witness a cultural event, something I would watch but feel disconnected from, even if I found it beautiful. Instead I experienced an incredibly moving, personal, and spiritual event. It was very meditative to sit there and listen to the songs, and I soon found myself lost in my own prayer. I was very moved and surprisingly very emotional. I realized soon that part of it was because how much at that moment I felt the presence of my daddy. I felt him there with me and it was an incredibly peaceful and sad and special moment. It was so nice to feel him there and sad because I miss him so much.
The evening was incredibly moving. One that I will not forget. Everything about it was so special. The temple, the river, the gardens, my friend bringing me there, the music and songs, all of it. I know there are a lot of religions in India and that a lot of people come here for spiritual reasons. But I was not expecting that to be any part of my trip here because I knew I would be so busy with work. So it was completely unexpected and the evening really connected me to everything around me, to this country and land, and to myself.
Happy Friendship Day!
There is a holiday on India, on the first Sunday of every August called Friendship Day. Similar to Mother’s and Father’s Day, this day is set aside simply to celebrate your friends. Let them know how special they are and thank them for being your friend. People exchange friendship bracelets with each other. It is really nice and on friendship day, everyone you meets greets you with “happy friendship day!” I think this is a holiday that should catch on (and I’m kinda surprised it hasn’t given the potential revenue for the greeting card industry). I think it is really nice to have a special day just for your friends.
So in the spirit of friendship day: to all of my friends out there – I love you all! I would not be on this trip without the support you have given me over the past couple of decades. From my friend who I knew since before we were first born to those that I have made on this trip, from Harbor, to AU, to Advocates, to Cal: you all mean something incredibly special to me. Thank you for being my friend!
So in the spirit of friendship day: to all of my friends out there – I love you all! I would not be on this trip without the support you have given me over the past couple of decades. From my friend who I knew since before we were first born to those that I have made on this trip, from Harbor, to AU, to Advocates, to Cal: you all mean something incredibly special to me. Thank you for being my friend!
Hospitality
One of the many aspects of this country that has impressed me so much is the generous hospitality of everyone I have met. I have been invited into homes, served tea and biscuits, served more food then I could possibly eat, given rest from the sun or the rain in a cool or dry spot, and always made to feel incredibly welcome. I have eaten several meals with families here of other researchers and students, and each time is another memorable experience. The home cooked food is always delicious and they have by far been the best meals I have had. And the food continues to come. Once we stopped by a student’s aunts house to meet her and say hello. She first served us plates of fruit and chips, then brought tea and biscuits and samosas and sweets. It was all so delicious. And just when we finished and were full and I thought we were about to leave, she brings out the plates of rice for everyone. And then following it comes serving after serving of vegetables and chicken and then of course more sweets. Everybody’s family is warm and inviting. I am continually impressed by how nice everyone here is.
Tourist spots
The first afternoon I spent in Delhi, I saw more other foreigners than I had in my entire six weeks combined. Not totally sure how I felt about that; I know I wasn’t thrilled. I have been going to typical tourist spots, which was why. It was interesting though because I have been learning a whole lot about Indian history and the history of different cities and places. It is fascinating information; such a rich and colorful history. But I’m not getting to know any of the cities as I would like. I am not experiencing anything beyond surface level or history class type information. Which is important, but it’s not how you get to know a place. I want to come back. I want to see them again, this time from a different view. Lunch time spots are filled with people from all over. It’s actually really interesting to hear all of the different languages and see all of the different people on their own tours, including Indians from other countries or other parts of the country. There has been a large group from France who started smoking right away, a group of students and a few teachers from England, several families, lots of young couples, and small groups of friends. Very few other people are by themselves. But I would still prefer to eat in places that are not absurdly priced. At some of the monuments I like to sit near the guides and hear them speak in Hindi to each other. I think it would be better to get a mix rather than what I am getting now. The tourist and the historical perspective are important and fun to get, but you miss so much of the culture, of the places, of the people. I want to come back and experience more.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Quick update from Kolkata
I am back in Kolkata. My friend left on Monday and I was sad to see her go. It is a busy week though and I can't believe it is already almost over. My days are packed full of meetings and this evening I am going to get to see more of the city, which will be fun because I've been so busy since I got here that I haven't seen too much yet. Some of the students and former students here at JU have been going to my meetings with me and will be taking me around. It's been really fun getting to meet new people.
I will post more updates soon about the end of my trip. I leave for Delhi Friday morning and have booked a tour to take me to the Taj Mahal and several other places that weekend. I will be home one week from today - so crazy that this trip is almost over! How did it go by so fast?
I will post more updates soon about the end of my trip. I leave for Delhi Friday morning and have booked a tour to take me to the Taj Mahal and several other places that weekend. I will be home one week from today - so crazy that this trip is almost over! How did it go by so fast?
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Excuse me miss, are you Indian?
So that wasn’t exactly how they asked me. They asked the people I walked into the restaurant with. We had just sat down at our table when a man came up and asked something to the guys we have been working with. They gave him a funny look. He asked them something else and they said “america.” He then said “excuse me” and told me his name and shook my hand and told me it was nice to meet me. He then whispered something else to the guys and left. They laughed and told me and my friend that he came over and asked them if I was from India or a foreigner. Now, I would almost be impressed that something about the way I can blend into a culture that people would want to know, except with my blond hair, blue eyes, and bright white skin, it was pretty clear that it was not my ability to blend in. Rather it was a group of men who had too much to drink and were surprised to see a white girl like me in this part of India in this hotel restaurant. Two other men both came over to shake my hand during the evening, separately, so that they all could say they met me. They did not try to stay and chat, just wanted to meet.
Earlier today we were at a school. A bunch of the girls (after being prepped and encouraged by their teacher) came up to ask me questions like “What is your name?” and “How are you?” and “Where are you from?” I was happy to answer and try to talk to them a little. Most were pretty shy. But after they talked to me, every single one of them lined up to shake my hand and say hello and thank you. I told them all how great it was to meet them.
When a bunch of 12 year old girls who can barely look you in the eye and are giggling with excitement line up to shake your hand, it is really cute. When several older men who have obviously had too much to drink do it, it is less cute. It was pretty funny though.
Earlier today we were at a school. A bunch of the girls (after being prepped and encouraged by their teacher) came up to ask me questions like “What is your name?” and “How are you?” and “Where are you from?” I was happy to answer and try to talk to them a little. Most were pretty shy. But after they talked to me, every single one of them lined up to shake my hand and say hello and thank you. I told them all how great it was to meet them.
When a bunch of 12 year old girls who can barely look you in the eye and are giggling with excitement line up to shake your hand, it is really cute. When several older men who have obviously had too much to drink do it, it is less cute. It was pretty funny though.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Random Updates 7.28.09
Two weeks from tonight I will be flying home. And so much to do between now and then. We have two days left in Murshidabad. Tomorrow we are going to have a meeting with parents at a school in one of the villages we’ve done some work in to share what we’ve learned so far and get their feedback. Thursday is our last full day here and we’ll do some final field work and any last minute meetings. Friday we head back to Kolkata. We have a lot of work and transcribing and analyzing to do then. Also lots of shopping this weekend which I’m really looking forward to.
Next week is another busy week full of meetings and trying to wrap up this past month. Lots to think about. Lots to write about. I’ve learned so much through this whole experience. I’ve been trying to keep detailed notes throughout the trip so I wouldn’t forget anything, but it is still going to be hard to try and capture in summaries and reports.
I am excited to share my pictures with everyone. We’ve gotten some pretty great ones.
In unrelated news – I have a new places to live when I move back to the bay! Yay for awesome roommate Lindsey for finding the place. I will be a new Oakland resident starting in August.
We’ve been watching a lot of Indian movies at night. I’ve gotten really into them. It’s kind of fun to watch movies where you can’t understand what the words are but still follow the story and are totally invested in the outcome. Plus, you gotta love the dancing and music and songs throughout all of them.
Next week is another busy week full of meetings and trying to wrap up this past month. Lots to think about. Lots to write about. I’ve learned so much through this whole experience. I’ve been trying to keep detailed notes throughout the trip so I wouldn’t forget anything, but it is still going to be hard to try and capture in summaries and reports.
I am excited to share my pictures with everyone. We’ve gotten some pretty great ones.
In unrelated news – I have a new places to live when I move back to the bay! Yay for awesome roommate Lindsey for finding the place. I will be a new Oakland resident starting in August.
We’ve been watching a lot of Indian movies at night. I’ve gotten really into them. It’s kind of fun to watch movies where you can’t understand what the words are but still follow the story and are totally invested in the outcome. Plus, you gotta love the dancing and music and songs throughout all of them.
It’s always something at the Samrat …
The hotel we have been staying at in Murshidabad is Hotel Samrat. Our first experience here was not a great one. Pretty much every person who worked here was incredibly rude to us. And not just me and my friend, but my friend’s mom and sister who were also staying here for a couple of days. It just seemed that every encounter was a negative one. We were happy to try a different guest house that was closer to some of the work we would be doing that week. But after an invasion of cockroaches in our room, combined with already held the concerns about general safety as well as the quality of the food, we quickly came back to the city. But first we tried another hotel – The White House. Nice name, huh. Anyway, there was a reason we were put in Samrat in the first place, it definitely is the best quality hotel in the area. So when we came back to Murshidabad for this two week trip, we are back at the Samrat. The service is much better, but I swear there is always something.
If it’s not the AC that isn’t working (again), it’s the fluorescent light flashing that needs to be replaced. And of course, they don’t believe us when we call. So they have to send multiple people to come and see that it won’t stop flickering before they actually just replace the thing. Currently our bathroom looks like a forest with all the bugs and moths and crickets that have made it their new home, along with a couple of lizards who are not doing their jobs and eating the darn bugs.
Every day is a new adventure here in India, whether one of our meetings or errands we have to run or some new experience. But it also seems that every day there is something new at the Samrat. All part of the experience though. You just have to shrug it off, be happy with the experience you are having and everything you are learning, and move on to the next adventure.
If it’s not the AC that isn’t working (again), it’s the fluorescent light flashing that needs to be replaced. And of course, they don’t believe us when we call. So they have to send multiple people to come and see that it won’t stop flickering before they actually just replace the thing. Currently our bathroom looks like a forest with all the bugs and moths and crickets that have made it their new home, along with a couple of lizards who are not doing their jobs and eating the darn bugs.
Every day is a new adventure here in India, whether one of our meetings or errands we have to run or some new experience. But it also seems that every day there is something new at the Samrat. All part of the experience though. You just have to shrug it off, be happy with the experience you are having and everything you are learning, and move on to the next adventure.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Quick Lesson
No, those long, skinny, green vegetables in the middle of the veggie platter are NOT green beans.
Monday, July 20, 2009
General Update 7.19.09
The trip is going very well. Another week flew by here in Kolkata. We were very busy between meetings and planning for the next phase. Tonight we travel back to the Murshidabad district where we will be for the next two weeks. During this phase of the trip we will continue to meet with different local government officials, a couple of local NGOs, as well as continue to assist on a research project. We will spend some time in the villages talking to families and we will spend some time in the larger city. Our project is centered on the problem of arsenic in the ground water which is most people's main source of drinking water. It’s a pretty intense experience to see the health effects first hand and to talk to people about what is going on.
While we are here this trip, we are also going to see some of the historical sites of the area which should be pretty interesting. We will also be meeting up with more students from a local college who are also going to be working on the research project; I’m excited to meet more of the students and hang out with them.
My friend leaves two weeks from Monday and I will be so sad to see her go. There is another student staying in our guest house in Kolkata who is doing work through the same professor who will still be here when we get back from Murshidabad. She just arrived this weekend, but we might have the chance to get to know her some when we get back. I think these next two weeks are going to fly by. And then it will be just a little over a week until I head home myself. I’m looking into possibly doing a sort of packaged tour my last weekend in Delhi, including a trip to the Taj Mahal. Has anyone been on one or knows someone who has? I’m looking for recommendations of reliable tour companies.
I am having an incredible time and it really is an amazing experience and I know it will continue to be so. That being said, I am also a little homesick. I wish I got to be home when mom gets home from her big trip so I could hear all about it. And go to the wedding in August. And help figure out where I’m going to live next year. And be back up in the Bay. BUT in no means am I regretting being here or this experience. Just missing home is all. But with just a little over three weeks to go and so much to do between then and now, I think it will go by really fast. Who knows, I might not even ready to leave when that time gets here … although I’ll probably just be pretty excited.
While we are here this trip, we are also going to see some of the historical sites of the area which should be pretty interesting. We will also be meeting up with more students from a local college who are also going to be working on the research project; I’m excited to meet more of the students and hang out with them.
My friend leaves two weeks from Monday and I will be so sad to see her go. There is another student staying in our guest house in Kolkata who is doing work through the same professor who will still be here when we get back from Murshidabad. She just arrived this weekend, but we might have the chance to get to know her some when we get back. I think these next two weeks are going to fly by. And then it will be just a little over a week until I head home myself. I’m looking into possibly doing a sort of packaged tour my last weekend in Delhi, including a trip to the Taj Mahal. Has anyone been on one or knows someone who has? I’m looking for recommendations of reliable tour companies.
I am having an incredible time and it really is an amazing experience and I know it will continue to be so. That being said, I am also a little homesick. I wish I got to be home when mom gets home from her big trip so I could hear all about it. And go to the wedding in August. And help figure out where I’m going to live next year. And be back up in the Bay. BUT in no means am I regretting being here or this experience. Just missing home is all. But with just a little over three weeks to go and so much to do between then and now, I think it will go by really fast. Who knows, I might not even ready to leave when that time gets here … although I’ll probably just be pretty excited.
Trains
We have been taking the train back and forth from Kolkata to Murshidabad. The train station is a very different experience from the airport. Even in the domestic terminals at the airport there were usually a few other foreigners, but I have not yet seen any in the train stations. They are crowded, as are most places here, and hot. I get lots and lots of stares. There are a lot of people begging and I get singled out by many of them. There are kids wearing nothing but rags sleeping on the concrete next to gates. Stray dogs amble through the crowds and find incredibly inconvenient places to lie down and spend a lot of time chasing after flies that try to land on them. There are lots of flies everywhere. And the stench in the wrong wind or on the spot can be pretty bad. It’s not uncommon for some people to go to the bathroom on the tracks. It is a huge mix of people – families, business men, farmers, people of all ages and all classes wearing everything from very little to intricate and beautiful saris.
Crowds swarm the train as you are trying to get on. Makes me really glad we have been paying for reserved seats. Still have to fight through the crowds though, to get on the train and then to get to your seat, and then to put your luggage away. Once on the train, however, the view of the countryside is absolutely beautiful. It is simply green for as far as your eye can see. Amazing trees and plant life, lakes and ponds, and fields and fields of jute, banana tress, and other crops. And then you pass by small towns or little cities and see more of daily life. There is also trash everywhere in the cities, especially around the tracks. The colorful clothes blow in the breeze that are hung out outside to dry. Depending on the time of day, people are in the fields or on their porches or in the street.
Tons of vendors pass up and down in the aisles on the train, selling everything from books to umbrellas to flashlights to rubix cubes. The most common item is cha, or tea. There is also all sorts of food items being sold, I’ve seen toast spread with butter and dipped in sugar and or cinnamon, ghugni – a type of lentil dish, crackers, chips, candy, etc. Our favorite and what we now get every time on the train is the Muri Makha – translated means rice mixed with other stuff. It’s dried, puffed rice mixed with all sorts of spices and nuts and coconut and other goodness. It is really delicious.
Last night we made it from Kolkata to Murshidabad on the train all by ourselves. Our two previous train trips we had someone we knew on the train with us. Of course, someone dropped us off at the train station (even made sure we found our seats) and another person picked us up right outside the station gate on the other end (we have a lot of people worrying about and taking very good care of us), but we still made the trip by ourselves, and even figured out the correct stop we needed to get off at. Although we almost didn’t make it as the train started moving again before everyone was off … but it stopped again shortly after when they realized a bunch of us were still in line to disembark. So we made it! Now time to finish preparing for these next two weeks, as we are going to be kept very busy.
Crowds swarm the train as you are trying to get on. Makes me really glad we have been paying for reserved seats. Still have to fight through the crowds though, to get on the train and then to get to your seat, and then to put your luggage away. Once on the train, however, the view of the countryside is absolutely beautiful. It is simply green for as far as your eye can see. Amazing trees and plant life, lakes and ponds, and fields and fields of jute, banana tress, and other crops. And then you pass by small towns or little cities and see more of daily life. There is also trash everywhere in the cities, especially around the tracks. The colorful clothes blow in the breeze that are hung out outside to dry. Depending on the time of day, people are in the fields or on their porches or in the street.
Tons of vendors pass up and down in the aisles on the train, selling everything from books to umbrellas to flashlights to rubix cubes. The most common item is cha, or tea. There is also all sorts of food items being sold, I’ve seen toast spread with butter and dipped in sugar and or cinnamon, ghugni – a type of lentil dish, crackers, chips, candy, etc. Our favorite and what we now get every time on the train is the Muri Makha – translated means rice mixed with other stuff. It’s dried, puffed rice mixed with all sorts of spices and nuts and coconut and other goodness. It is really delicious.
Last night we made it from Kolkata to Murshidabad on the train all by ourselves. Our two previous train trips we had someone we knew on the train with us. Of course, someone dropped us off at the train station (even made sure we found our seats) and another person picked us up right outside the station gate on the other end (we have a lot of people worrying about and taking very good care of us), but we still made the trip by ourselves, and even figured out the correct stop we needed to get off at. Although we almost didn’t make it as the train started moving again before everyone was off … but it stopped again shortly after when they realized a bunch of us were still in line to disembark. So we made it! Now time to finish preparing for these next two weeks, as we are going to be kept very busy.
A little politics
I am posting this several days after this happened. After the strike, everything went back to normal. There were no more transportation disruptions, people went back to life as usual. We were fine and able to travel safely. I will still follow the politics though and update if there is more interesting news. Now, onto the post …
We are watching the news right now and seeing several buses on fire. In Kolkata. We’re in Kolkata right now. Apparently there are some major politics at play here at the moment. I’m still trying to find out all of the details, but so far, this is what I’ve gather:
-One of the local leaders - Falguni Mukherjee - of the currently leading political party, CPI-M (Community Party India-Marxist) was murdered last month, the CPI-M blamed their rival party Congress
-There has been political unrest since then, strikes and protests in the street, etc
-In retaliation to the murder, local CPI-M members attacked local Congress members in the district where the murder took place, this included burning some of their houses
-14 of the Congress legislators traveled there to give aid to those whose houses were burned
-While they were there (Wednesday of this week), they were attacked, 8 of them were injured
-Congress party claims it was the CPI-M party who attacked them
-The ruling CPI-M party denies that they led or had anything to do with the attack
-Congress and another party walked out of the legislative session on Thursday
-Congress also called for a strike in that district and surrounding areas on Thursday
-During the strike one of the Congress members was allegedly killed
-They called for a 12 hour strike on Friday for almost all of West Bengal (I heard something like 17 out of the 19 districts), including the city of Kolkata
Apparently everything will be shut down tomorrow and no one will be able to get anywhere. It’s mainly a transportation strike – meaning they will be blocking the streets and rails – so literally no one will be able to get anywhere.
We have been warned by the people at Jadavpur University that we’re working with as well as the people running the guest house we’re staying at to not venture outside tomorrow. That’s enough warning for us to listen to. Besides we have plenty of work to do.
Supposedly this will all be calmed down by this weekend. Hopefully that is the case because we will be traveling on Sunday evening by ourselves to Murshidabad. I am sure it will be fine, and if it’s not we’ll be told and taken care of.
It’s just kind of crazy. There is so much violence and it seems to be just a constant back and forth. And in between is everyone who needs to get to work or go the hospital or to the store. So far it sounds like a lot of blaming going around in a big circle. It has been hard to even piece together what I have been able to so far. But no matter what the exact facts are, people on both sides are getting hurt and that is just awful and sad, and everyone else is being caught up and affected by this as well. It’s kind of amazing to watch.
We are watching the news right now and seeing several buses on fire. In Kolkata. We’re in Kolkata right now. Apparently there are some major politics at play here at the moment. I’m still trying to find out all of the details, but so far, this is what I’ve gather:
-One of the local leaders - Falguni Mukherjee - of the currently leading political party, CPI-M (Community Party India-Marxist) was murdered last month, the CPI-M blamed their rival party Congress
-There has been political unrest since then, strikes and protests in the street, etc
-In retaliation to the murder, local CPI-M members attacked local Congress members in the district where the murder took place, this included burning some of their houses
-14 of the Congress legislators traveled there to give aid to those whose houses were burned
-While they were there (Wednesday of this week), they were attacked, 8 of them were injured
-Congress party claims it was the CPI-M party who attacked them
-The ruling CPI-M party denies that they led or had anything to do with the attack
-Congress and another party walked out of the legislative session on Thursday
-Congress also called for a strike in that district and surrounding areas on Thursday
-During the strike one of the Congress members was allegedly killed
-They called for a 12 hour strike on Friday for almost all of West Bengal (I heard something like 17 out of the 19 districts), including the city of Kolkata
Apparently everything will be shut down tomorrow and no one will be able to get anywhere. It’s mainly a transportation strike – meaning they will be blocking the streets and rails – so literally no one will be able to get anywhere.
We have been warned by the people at Jadavpur University that we’re working with as well as the people running the guest house we’re staying at to not venture outside tomorrow. That’s enough warning for us to listen to. Besides we have plenty of work to do.
Supposedly this will all be calmed down by this weekend. Hopefully that is the case because we will be traveling on Sunday evening by ourselves to Murshidabad. I am sure it will be fine, and if it’s not we’ll be told and taken care of.
It’s just kind of crazy. There is so much violence and it seems to be just a constant back and forth. And in between is everyone who needs to get to work or go the hospital or to the store. So far it sounds like a lot of blaming going around in a big circle. It has been hard to even piece together what I have been able to so far. But no matter what the exact facts are, people on both sides are getting hurt and that is just awful and sad, and everyone else is being caught up and affected by this as well. It’s kind of amazing to watch.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Dreams
So we have both been having kind of crazy and very vivid dreams since we got here. We're taking malaria medication, but we’re taking Malarone, not Lariam which is the one I've always heard gives you crazy dreams. The dreams haven't been making me feel like I'm going crazy or anything; it's just that I don't usually remember my dreams and now I'm waking up every morning and remembering several, and they are all really strange. And it's happening to both of us. Over breakfast we usually swap our crazy dreams stories. Has anyone else taken it and experienced this?
Monday, July 13, 2009
Monsoons
So it’s monsoon season. The season started pretty much right when I landed in India. It hasn’t gotten too bad yet, but it’s still very early in the season. It has rained every day, and it’s definitely raining more each day. It usually storms for a bit and then clears up quickly and the sun is back out and it’s super hot again. The storms though have been getting longer too. At the end of the season, I can imagine that it’s almost impossible to get to the places we’ve been going. The roads are already really muddy. On one of our trips we were in a different type of car than we’d been used to, and it got stuck in one of the mud holes. It took four people helping push to get it out. So many adventures. Hopefully with the better car we won’t have any such problems again. But we’ll also be visiting some of the villages till the end of the month, and I certainly hope that we don’t have any major problems because of the weather.
We were told that the big monsoon has not hit yet. It seems like it has been getting hotter and hotter. They said that the longer it waits and the hotter it is beforehand, the worse the monsoon is. They also expect it any day. Or it could still be a little while. But I think we’ll know when it hits.
We were told that the big monsoon has not hit yet. It seems like it has been getting hotter and hotter. They said that the longer it waits and the hotter it is beforehand, the worse the monsoon is. They also expect it any day. Or it could still be a little while. But I think we’ll know when it hits.
Electricity
It’s pretty typical for power to go out here a couple of times a day. Life generally doesn’t skip a beat when it happens. If we’re at a hotel or guest house then it takes a few minutes but they have generators so power comes back on soon. If we’re in meetings or something then everything basically just continues as is. It usually only means it gets hotter as the fans stop working until it comes back on. Part of our unpacking at each new place is the strategic placement of the flashlights so we know where they are if the power goes out when it’s dark out.
Food
The food here is really good. A lot of rice. Too much rice. And then meat and veggies cooked in all sorts of curries and sauces. Sometimes spicy but never too much (of course I also don’t add the extra peppers). Eating a lot of vegetables. Partially because they are safer then the meats, and partially because they are so good and there are so many different types. But eating so much spiced food is definitely a huge change in my diet. We were very excited when we found simple ‘boiled vegetables’ without any sauce or anything on the menu of the hotel we’re staying at. The first time we ordered it, our server reminded us that it was a dry dish. Exactly. That will now become a staple food for us.
The fruit is amazing and is another staple. Every couple of days we stop at a food stand and stock up on more mangoes and bananas. They are so sweet and so delicious.
The fruit is amazing and is another staple. Every couple of days we stop at a food stand and stock up on more mangoes and bananas. They are so sweet and so delicious.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
School 7.8.09
We visited a school yesterday. We had a meeting inside and outside the window there grew a crowd, all wanting to see the foreigners who had come to their school. They don’t see a lot of white people. We were then outside and after a few minutes literally the entire school poured out of their classrooms to get a look at us. They were lined up along all of the railings, teachers and students alike. It was a high school but there were also some younger kids there, they all crowded around us to get a better view. I would take their picture and then show it to them, which would create a surge in the crowd as everyone wanted to see the picture.
As someone who generally doesn’t like being the center of attention, I was kind of overwhelmed by the whole thing. I just kind of kept waving and bowing and saying hello and thank you in Bengali when I would take a picture. Everywhere we go here, I really do just get stared at and create a crowd. And not just kids either, really anywhere we go now that we are outside of a major city everybody wants to just get a look at me. I never feel unsafe, it’s not an intimidating or dangerous looks, its really just curiosity and they’re probably just wondering what I am doing here.
As someone who generally doesn’t like being the center of attention, I was kind of overwhelmed by the whole thing. I just kind of kept waving and bowing and saying hello and thank you in Bengali when I would take a picture. Everywhere we go here, I really do just get stared at and create a crowd. And not just kids either, really anywhere we go now that we are outside of a major city everybody wants to just get a look at me. I never feel unsafe, it’s not an intimidating or dangerous looks, its really just curiosity and they’re probably just wondering what I am doing here.
7.8.09
At one of our meetings today, a girl came in and sat in the back. The person we met were meeting with told us she was here because her life has been in danger. Her village did not accept her and people have tried to murder her. In English he said it was because she was too smart, when he was explaining it in Bengali (translated for me later) it was more that she was too modern, there was also speculation that there was some sort of disability that might have caused that reaction. It was hard to understand exactly what was going on, but for whatever reason, people in her village literally wanted her gone. She had to have police protection at her house to ensure her safety. She was young, in tenth grade, and very beautiful. Her salwar kameez was a bright pink which looked gorgeous with her dark skin. She was shy and also very curious about us and kept waving and smiling.
I can’t even imagine what her life must be like. To have some reason people in your village literally want to kill you, just for being who you are. And actually trying. To have to continue to live in that village, in her parents home, knowing her life is at risk. And to be so young. And to see her smile.
I can’t even imagine what her life must be like. To have some reason people in your village literally want to kill you, just for being who you are. And actually trying. To have to continue to live in that village, in her parents home, knowing her life is at risk. And to be so young. And to see her smile.
The Hangover … Vegas 7.4.09
We just saw The Hangover. Hilarious movie. Made me miss Vegas. My last trip to Vegas was pretty perfect as far as Vegas goes. Or at least what I really needed and wanted at that moment in my life. I am excited to go back again, so much more to do, so much more trouble to get into. Ha. But really what that trip most represented for me (other than AMSAP) was how amazing my friends are. I already knew that and have been through a lot where they have been there, but it was just so nice to be reminded once again of how great they are. Of course, when it involves a weekend in Vegas, who isn’t gonna step up?
But back to the present day, we saw the movie in a very nice mall in Kolkata, it could definitely rival most malls in the US, very modern and beautiful shops. The clothes were much more expensive than other places so we didn’t do any shopping (which we will do later this weekend) but it was fun to just walk around some. And such a stark and interesting contrast to the street vendors of food and clothes and everything else directly outside.
But back to the present day, we saw the movie in a very nice mall in Kolkata, it could definitely rival most malls in the US, very modern and beautiful shops. The clothes were much more expensive than other places so we didn’t do any shopping (which we will do later this weekend) but it was fun to just walk around some. And such a stark and interesting contrast to the street vendors of food and clothes and everything else directly outside.
Ride on the Rickshaw 7.4.09
Much better way to see the city than in the car or taxi. Walking is also good, but you get to see more on the rickshaw. Riding through the back streets, passing apartments and people’s houses, street vendors, shops, and people. You see, hear, and smell a lot more of the city; really get to feel it.
At the Airport 7.3.09
Written while I was waiting at the Delhi airport before I flew to Kolkata. Lots happened since then.
Was able to find a skim latte, that was pretty nice. I’m running low on money and need to find an ATM badly. I also need to refill my cell phone but haven’t figured out how. I saw a stand that I thought was what I was needed, but it wasn’t. And I had been all proud of myself for thinking I had it figured out. Fail, eh. Other than those two things, I think I’m doing pretty well. I got to the airport really early, purposely because this was not a flight I wanted to miss. Unlike flights from Oakland to Vegas, these don’t leave every hour. While I was waiting I got some good work done and it felt good to be working. Very productive. And it also made me excited for the upcoming month. I think I’m going to get to see some pretty amazing things and talk to some pretty amazing people.
Airports are always so familiar. Doesn’t really matter where you are, you’re gonna have the same basic set up. Their security was definitely higher than most other airports I’ve been to, and it was run very efficiently. I was impressed by it. And because so far pretty much all I’ve done is been in a hotel, in an airport, or in a taxi, I haven’t had any of the experiences I’ve been told about as far as being a white westerner here and getting stared at, etc. There were a few other foreigners at the airport, but because it was the domestic terminal, I was definitely just one of few.
It’s been kind of nice to be so completely on my own these last couple of days. It’s usually rare that I go so long without really talking to anyone. I’ve never really been a philosopher and it’s not that I have used this time to reflect on the meaning of life etc … it’s just kind of a cleansing feeling to just be with oneself and not anyone else. It’s been a self check that I can do this – travel around the world and get from place to place and be completely by myself. I had people help me tremendously to set everything up and I am so grateful to all of that help, but it’s been pretty reassuring to know that I’ve been able to get here and do this.
That being said, I’m really looking forward to seeing someone I know tomorrow.
Was able to find a skim latte, that was pretty nice. I’m running low on money and need to find an ATM badly. I also need to refill my cell phone but haven’t figured out how. I saw a stand that I thought was what I was needed, but it wasn’t. And I had been all proud of myself for thinking I had it figured out. Fail, eh. Other than those two things, I think I’m doing pretty well. I got to the airport really early, purposely because this was not a flight I wanted to miss. Unlike flights from Oakland to Vegas, these don’t leave every hour. While I was waiting I got some good work done and it felt good to be working. Very productive. And it also made me excited for the upcoming month. I think I’m going to get to see some pretty amazing things and talk to some pretty amazing people.
Airports are always so familiar. Doesn’t really matter where you are, you’re gonna have the same basic set up. Their security was definitely higher than most other airports I’ve been to, and it was run very efficiently. I was impressed by it. And because so far pretty much all I’ve done is been in a hotel, in an airport, or in a taxi, I haven’t had any of the experiences I’ve been told about as far as being a white westerner here and getting stared at, etc. There were a few other foreigners at the airport, but because it was the domestic terminal, I was definitely just one of few.
It’s been kind of nice to be so completely on my own these last couple of days. It’s usually rare that I go so long without really talking to anyone. I’ve never really been a philosopher and it’s not that I have used this time to reflect on the meaning of life etc … it’s just kind of a cleansing feeling to just be with oneself and not anyone else. It’s been a self check that I can do this – travel around the world and get from place to place and be completely by myself. I had people help me tremendously to set everything up and I am so grateful to all of that help, but it’s been pretty reassuring to know that I’ve been able to get here and do this.
That being said, I’m really looking forward to seeing someone I know tomorrow.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Quick Update 7.7
Murshidabad is beautiful. I am writing posts but can't update right now, it's getting dark so we need to get back to the hotel soon. This is going to be an incredibly intense and amazing experience.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
General Update 7.6.09
So my first weekend in Kolkata was a success. I met up with my friend and even spent some time with her mom and sister and cousin. They took me shopping and I now have several new outfits for the rest of my trip, which is always fun. The markets we went to ranged from high end malls (not the typical) to street vendors. It was quite the experience, I was just glad I wasn't by myself trying to buy things, because the art of haggling is much harder to do when you're white and don't speak the language and know that no matter what you're paying too much.
This evening we are traveling to Murshidabad, where we will be for about a week. I have no idea what internet access will be like - my guess is not very good. It hasn't been great most of the weekend, but we are on campus right now which is why I'm able to update this. I am going to continue to write (I have a couple of other posts still on my computer that I will transfer next time I am able) and post things once I have the chance. I will also put up pictures after this next week.
I am looking forward to this next part of the trip; we will be seeing more villages and getting out of the cities. I've enjoyed being in Kolkata, and it's fun that we'll be back here several times so we can get to know it even more. But it is also cool to be getting to leave the cities and experience other parts of the country.
So that's it for now. Know that I'm safe and having a good time. Will update again when I can. xo
This evening we are traveling to Murshidabad, where we will be for about a week. I have no idea what internet access will be like - my guess is not very good. It hasn't been great most of the weekend, but we are on campus right now which is why I'm able to update this. I am going to continue to write (I have a couple of other posts still on my computer that I will transfer next time I am able) and post things once I have the chance. I will also put up pictures after this next week.
I am looking forward to this next part of the trip; we will be seeing more villages and getting out of the cities. I've enjoyed being in Kolkata, and it's fun that we'll be back here several times so we can get to know it even more. But it is also cool to be getting to leave the cities and experience other parts of the country.
So that's it for now. Know that I'm safe and having a good time. Will update again when I can. xo
(Legally) Celebrate Being Gay in India 7.2.09
I can’t tell you how cool it was to read the paper my first morning here and the biggest story, covering the front page, and multiple pages inside, all covered the victory of the LGBT movement in India. The High Court just struck down a hundred year old law that criminalized homosexuality. The enthusiasm and excitement from the community could be felt through their quotes and pictures and just all of the stories in general. To finally be recognized by your own country as someone who is not a criminal simply for their sexuality, it’s huge. What depressed me was reading all of the statistics of all of the other countries that still condemn homosexuality as illegal, and the HUGE list of other countries that treat gays as second class citizens through a variety of different types of legislation, from not allowing marriage to banning adoption to all sorts of other ridiculous laws that are completely unjust, unfair, and wrong.
Seeing the pride parade last weekend in San Francisco and then being in a country that literally just struck down the criminalization of being gay, is a stark contrast and reminder of how far we have to go … not just on gay rights, but so many human rights and global justice issues. Watch out world, my activist spark has been reignited.
Seeing the pride parade last weekend in San Francisco and then being in a country that literally just struck down the criminalization of being gay, is a stark contrast and reminder of how far we have to go … not just on gay rights, but so many human rights and global justice issues. Watch out world, my activist spark has been reignited.
Riding in Cars 7.3.09
Driving in India seems to be a talent all by itself. If anyone is anxious or nervous I do not recommend it. But it you’re able to sit back and not worry about things too much, you might even enjoy it a little. The drivers are all incredibly skillful, and you have to be to not get killed on the road.
When I first left the Delhi airport I noticed a sign saying something along the lines of “Please Stay in Your Lanes.” Not realizing how big of a deal that was, I kind of shrugged it off, almost surprised that I had seen it, but not really. But after two days of being driven around, it’s so clear as to why that was there, and even more so how nobody pays any attention to such signs. The lanes are barely suggestions for the drivers, even the middle yellow line is more of a hint of what side you probably want to stay towards when there is lots of oncoming traffic more than legally which side of the road you need to drive on. It’s a game of lots of small cars that simply nudge and honk their way between each other, however they can fit, whenever they have the chance. Whether the other drivers see them or not is not completely an issue, especially because the horns are basically non-stop on the road, making sure they know you’re coming through, so they’d better get over half an inch cause that’s all you need, and then you take it and there are no surprises when you make it through unscathed.
However when I was reading the paper this morning, a couple of things caught my attention about the traffic. The first was an article about the huge daily increase of the number of cars on the road and the heavy traffic that the city deals with on a daily basis. The article centered on a major road that was currently six lanes, under construction to expand to eight, but with the current estimates in 2011 would need to be at 24 lanes to serve the number of cars that will be using it. 24 lanes! From six. Huge. The other article which was really sad, reported a hit and run that killed a woman. She was then repeatedly run over by other drivers on the road that failed to stop so by the time the police found her she was completely unrecognizable. It was fairly graphic talking about how they put her body parts into plastic bags to be sent to the lab to get identified. Pedestrians are constantly just crossing the freeways and highways, whenever they see an opening, whether it was a large one or not. People and bikes are along every single road I’ve been on. And they did not represent a green movement of people not using cars – one of the articles did mention the need for increased public transit – but lack of safety. Some of the signs I saw tonight in Kolkata included “No Worry, No Hurry” and “Take your time, Not your life” to emphasize to drivers to slow down. The signs didn’t seem to be doing much of anything.
So it’s interesting because given the signs I’ve seen, someone thinks there are problems to fix. But how efficiently are they being addressed? Is there real action or simply a few signs? And how much money would it cost to make real improvements on the roads and transportation, and is that money better spent on increasing the nutritional intake of the country’s children, or increasing access to education, or providing better access to medicine? I really don’t know the answers and I’m not going to pretend I do and say what I think the number one obvious answer is … because I don’t think there is just one. And I do know there are lots of people working on all of these issues. I’m here to do what I can in addressing the water situation in West Bengal. I know that a lot of these issues are related, connected by the cores of poverty and power and the legacy of imperialism. I am excited to learn from people here about what they do to improve their own lives around water access and what they think needs to be done to continue improving their country. Real change comes from people, not signs.
When I first left the Delhi airport I noticed a sign saying something along the lines of “Please Stay in Your Lanes.” Not realizing how big of a deal that was, I kind of shrugged it off, almost surprised that I had seen it, but not really. But after two days of being driven around, it’s so clear as to why that was there, and even more so how nobody pays any attention to such signs. The lanes are barely suggestions for the drivers, even the middle yellow line is more of a hint of what side you probably want to stay towards when there is lots of oncoming traffic more than legally which side of the road you need to drive on. It’s a game of lots of small cars that simply nudge and honk their way between each other, however they can fit, whenever they have the chance. Whether the other drivers see them or not is not completely an issue, especially because the horns are basically non-stop on the road, making sure they know you’re coming through, so they’d better get over half an inch cause that’s all you need, and then you take it and there are no surprises when you make it through unscathed.
However when I was reading the paper this morning, a couple of things caught my attention about the traffic. The first was an article about the huge daily increase of the number of cars on the road and the heavy traffic that the city deals with on a daily basis. The article centered on a major road that was currently six lanes, under construction to expand to eight, but with the current estimates in 2011 would need to be at 24 lanes to serve the number of cars that will be using it. 24 lanes! From six. Huge. The other article which was really sad, reported a hit and run that killed a woman. She was then repeatedly run over by other drivers on the road that failed to stop so by the time the police found her she was completely unrecognizable. It was fairly graphic talking about how they put her body parts into plastic bags to be sent to the lab to get identified. Pedestrians are constantly just crossing the freeways and highways, whenever they see an opening, whether it was a large one or not. People and bikes are along every single road I’ve been on. And they did not represent a green movement of people not using cars – one of the articles did mention the need for increased public transit – but lack of safety. Some of the signs I saw tonight in Kolkata included “No Worry, No Hurry” and “Take your time, Not your life” to emphasize to drivers to slow down. The signs didn’t seem to be doing much of anything.
So it’s interesting because given the signs I’ve seen, someone thinks there are problems to fix. But how efficiently are they being addressed? Is there real action or simply a few signs? And how much money would it cost to make real improvements on the roads and transportation, and is that money better spent on increasing the nutritional intake of the country’s children, or increasing access to education, or providing better access to medicine? I really don’t know the answers and I’m not going to pretend I do and say what I think the number one obvious answer is … because I don’t think there is just one. And I do know there are lots of people working on all of these issues. I’m here to do what I can in addressing the water situation in West Bengal. I know that a lot of these issues are related, connected by the cores of poverty and power and the legacy of imperialism. I am excited to learn from people here about what they do to improve their own lives around water access and what they think needs to be done to continue improving their country. Real change comes from people, not signs.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Arrival in Delhi
I am now successfully in Delhi. I met up with my taxi driver relatively easy. I had a little bit of a hard time finding him (my boss had used him before so we had set up for him to pick me up) but only because there were so many people; it just made me glad I had my cell phone already. And I got to where I’m staying pretty quickly, I’ll be excited to drive back to the airport tomorrow when it’s light out so I can actually see more of the city.
I’m really glad I’ll be meeting up with people I know this weekend and that my friend will speak the language. I feel like (ok I am) an awkward foreigner who can’t understand a word of their language. Just between checking in and getting dinner, I feel like I’m blundering around. But everyone is super nice and eventually everything gets worked out.
Now I’m going to try to get some sleep so I can try and adjust to this time change as quickly as possible. I head to Kolkata tomorrow evening. I’ll be staying at a University Guest House there. I am hoping that they too have internet and if that’s the case than I will keep this up, but if not, I’ll just keep writing and post whenever I do have access.
Miss home and the people there but am excited about this adventure!
I’m really glad I’ll be meeting up with people I know this weekend and that my friend will speak the language. I feel like (ok I am) an awkward foreigner who can’t understand a word of their language. Just between checking in and getting dinner, I feel like I’m blundering around. But everyone is super nice and eventually everything gets worked out.
Now I’m going to try to get some sleep so I can try and adjust to this time change as quickly as possible. I head to Kolkata tomorrow evening. I’ll be staying at a University Guest House there. I am hoping that they too have internet and if that’s the case than I will keep this up, but if not, I’ll just keep writing and post whenever I do have access.
Miss home and the people there but am excited about this adventure!
How to Survive a Really Long Plane Flight
1) Give up your comfortable aisle seat to the nice old woman who had the middle and asks you to switch. And then watch as she trades it to some punk kid who was sitting next to her husband. Resent him for the entire 14 hours.
2) Chose your ‘entertainment’ based on what you think you will get the most of out given the experience you are about to have, i.e. start “The Story of India” and/or Ghandi, but then get distracted by the people in front of you who are watching The Devil Wears Prada and Confessions of a Shopaholic. Compromise and turn on an old classis that is still directly related to what you are doing and watch “Arsenic and Old Lace.” Fall asleep half way through.
3) You might have heard that sitting for that long in one position is bad for you. Don’t believe it. Only get up when absolutely necessary. If you’re legs feel a little funny as you’re walking off the plane, consider it part of the experience.
4) Sit directly in front of a toddler, yes the one who is singing the Itsy Bitsy Spider and sounding adorable. As soon as the plane takes off, she will change from the cute little singing child to the monster crying child whose wails wake up all of the other babies on the plane.
5) It’s a good thing you brought all of that work with you on the this flight. All of those books you were going to read. Don’t touch any of them except for Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Of course you could have packed it in your checked luggage and not have to have carried it around with you all day, but really it just makes you stronger, so get over it.
6) Spend the entire time thinking about all of the things you haven’t done, or should have done, or could have done better. It’s super productive and great for your self esteem.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
At the airport
And so it begins.
Just a little 24 hours from now and I'll be in Delhi. Until then I'll be here in LA, in NY, and be spending a loooong time on a couple of airplanes. I'm not really sure how to deal with a 15 hour plane flight. I brought books, work to do, this little netbook, ipod, crappy magazine, and plan on sleeping for awhile. Because I am apparently slightly compulsive, I've planned out when I actually need to sleep to make the adjustment to the 12 hour time change as smoothly as possible (still not gonna be smooth...). But because I've planned it out, I'm sure there is no way I'm going to sleep when I've decided I need to. I'm going to try my hardest to not sleep on this first flight, but I'm tired and have a tendency to fall asleep like a baby as soon as the plane engines turn on.
Still kinda hard to believe I'm leaving for India. I looked at my calendar, I land back in LAX exactly six weeks from right now.
The plane ride will be the first adventure. Finding my taxi driver and hotel by myself in Delhi will be my second. I'll feel much better once I'm in Kolkata and actually meet up with people.
This is my first big trip on my own in a long time. It's kind of strange to be leaving my family for so long, especially after these past couple of years. But I think it's a good sign, and good for everyone.
I still can't believe I'm going to India!! I'm SO excited. :)
Just a little 24 hours from now and I'll be in Delhi. Until then I'll be here in LA, in NY, and be spending a loooong time on a couple of airplanes. I'm not really sure how to deal with a 15 hour plane flight. I brought books, work to do, this little netbook, ipod, crappy magazine, and plan on sleeping for awhile. Because I am apparently slightly compulsive, I've planned out when I actually need to sleep to make the adjustment to the 12 hour time change as smoothly as possible (still not gonna be smooth...). But because I've planned it out, I'm sure there is no way I'm going to sleep when I've decided I need to. I'm going to try my hardest to not sleep on this first flight, but I'm tired and have a tendency to fall asleep like a baby as soon as the plane engines turn on.
Still kinda hard to believe I'm leaving for India. I looked at my calendar, I land back in LAX exactly six weeks from right now.
The plane ride will be the first adventure. Finding my taxi driver and hotel by myself in Delhi will be my second. I'll feel much better once I'm in Kolkata and actually meet up with people.
This is my first big trip on my own in a long time. It's kind of strange to be leaving my family for so long, especially after these past couple of years. But I think it's a good sign, and good for everyone.
I still can't believe I'm going to India!! I'm SO excited. :)
Friday, June 26, 2009
Trip of Many Firsts
This will be my first trip to India.
This will be my first time blogging.
This is my first experience working on issues around access to and quality of water.
I leave in five days. I am nervous and excited and have no idea what to expect or how to prepare. So instead of freaking out (at the moment) I'm just going with the fact that no matter how prepared I will or won't feel on Wednesday morning, I will still be boarding that place. And it's a long plane ride ... so I can always do a lot of work then ... cause I'm sure that's a great plan.
But this summer and entire experience is about experience new things and having new adventures. And what is even better is the fact that I am so interested in all of it, and it all relates exactly to what I'm studying and potentially to my future. So whether I'm ready or not ... I'm about to set out on a real life adventure. I'll let you know how it goes.
This will be my first time blogging.
This is my first experience working on issues around access to and quality of water.
I leave in five days. I am nervous and excited and have no idea what to expect or how to prepare. So instead of freaking out (at the moment) I'm just going with the fact that no matter how prepared I will or won't feel on Wednesday morning, I will still be boarding that place. And it's a long plane ride ... so I can always do a lot of work then ... cause I'm sure that's a great plan.
But this summer and entire experience is about experience new things and having new adventures. And what is even better is the fact that I am so interested in all of it, and it all relates exactly to what I'm studying and potentially to my future. So whether I'm ready or not ... I'm about to set out on a real life adventure. I'll let you know how it goes.
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