The days are a bit of a blur since arriving in my new temporary home. I was only in Delhi about 12 hours but I did notice a few things. Aside from the driving, which seems to be without order especially with the cab driver, I would say it is much like many big cities where workers are more aggressive in getting your business and your tip and of course, overcharging. My first appreciation for kindness was the hotel owner the morning of my check-out who sympathized with how much I was overcharged for my harrowing taxi ride (500 Rs after I refused to pay 1200 Rs) and made certain I received an appropriate rate for my return to the airport (200 Rs).
FYI - approx. 35 - 39 Rupees to the US dollar.
My volunteer contact greeted me at the airport in Jaipur and again I was shocked by the driving. Let me first say that I haven't seen any accidents only one area of probable windshield evidence. The drivers are cars, buses, motorcycles, scooters, bikes, bike pulled rickshaws and auto pulled rickshaws and the occasional wagon pulled by animal (mostly oxen some donkeys and one camel so far). And the horns are non-stop and weaving is the norm. Oh and the lanes as we know them are non-existent.
Disorienting and surreal describes how I felt the first few days, exacerbated by jet lag. But yesterday, I fell in love with this city and last night sealed the deal as I rode on the back of a motorcycle through the old "Pink City" . Enchanting, magical...indescribable.
Thursday: Acclimating and Errands. Walking from my westernized hotel Royal Orchid, to the cyber cafe; the bank with quite a focus on security to exchange US money requiring my passport info and local and permanent addresses; 2d trip to cell phone shop to bring copy of passport; optician shop to converse regarding my stay in India and NGOs (he translated at the phone shop); bike rickshaw to the University of Rajasthan where I met some wonderful psychology students and then 2 of them accompanied me to the nearby beautiful Bilra temple and then back to "my" cyber cafe where I helped them set up a yahoo account and showed them a local university. They dream of studying in America; dinner with my guide.
And then my motorcycle guide for the evening invited me to his home to meet his wife, mother and brothers and their children. Another gratifying experience. An extended muslim family sharing a very modest 3 room home. I think they don't often have caucasian english speaking americans in their home as the children could not take their eyes from me. It was mutual adoration as smiles and giggles and hugs and laps are universal and words are immaterial.
And then I followed my rider to his honda motorcycle where on this Friday night I felt that I'd been transferred to a different time as we rode through the Pink City. Magical is the only word and soon I hope to post pictures .
More soon,
Tracy
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Monday, September 17, 2007
Why India - Why Now?
Many people have asked me why I'm going to India and why now. The short answer is because I finally realized that if not now , then when? The paradox is that there is never going to be a perfect time and that now is the absolute perfect time. Once I "discovered" this, I began making plans to go abroad to be a working volunteer in a developing country.
I've had an interest in missionary type work since I was a young girl when more than 30 years ago in parochial school visiting missionaries spoke about their experiences in Africa. From that moment on, I knew I wanted a life that included adventure, travel and living abroad. I had the chance to live abroad in the 80s in what was then known as West Germany for 3 1/2 years; but this only heightened my desire to live and work in a developing country. In 2004, the beast within was once again satiated when I had the opportunity to visit Belize and Guatemala and met Mayan families who lived in huts with dirt floors and men who labored in the jungle cutting trees with machetes. I have thought of these people frequently and for those of you who feel that we are all connected and have desires to meet others in our human family, then you understand that I felt that I was meeting distant cousins and there are so many others to connect with.
Because of the missionaries sharing of their trip to Africa and my young age, the idea of Africa left quite an impression. For years, I explored opportunities to go to Africa but for various and sundry reasons, it just never worked out. Instead, I had the next best thing: I met and befriended many people from various African countries. It was a way to experience Africa second hand. I will go to Africa someday but now India.
India has appeared on the scene of my consciousness quite slowly, almost languidly. If you had told me a few years ago that I would be going to India for a 6-month volunteer stint, I would not have believed you.
India intrigues me for several reasons. I must admit that I am smitten with the idea of being so close to the Himalayas - so close to convergent plate tectonics and activity that still occurs and creates mountain growth (2.4in/6.1 cm per year) when many other mountains are shrinking in part because of human activity (and sometimes lack of) - sends shivers down this Midwestern girl's spine. To have an opportunity to meet with distant relatives and understand their view of this beauty is intriguing to me. Do they appreciate this natural wonder? Or is it so familiar that they take it for granted?
I worked with some high school kids earlier this year and we read articles on how the treatment of girls in India (from fetus through childhood) was impacting their culture today. Some suggestion that because of the preference for male children and the practice of female infanticide, there are now not enough available women for men to marry and this is creating unforeseen social problems. I wonder how this is impacting the rural community that I will be living in? Or is it? I hope as an outsider locals will be willing to share their views with me. I think I go with an open mind but we'll see.
It seems that many IT jobs are being outsourced and India is one of the countries that are responding to Americans needs via 800-help desks. Is it just because of labor shortage here in the US? Is it because children in India are being better educated? I'm looking forward to learning from the young people I'll be working with and on behalf of. They are children that have been liberated from child labor and are now being rehabilitated.
This is not a topic most of us think about easily. We are in a consumer culture and how much of what we purchase is made by little hands. I didn't plan to work in an orphanage. If you read the attached link (Volunteering in India - Volunteering in India from around the world), you'll see why I first thought I would be working with an environmental organization and people. I think the environment is in need but I think we have to find ways for people to live so that both are cared for and neither comprised. Oh I do sound rather naive don't I?
I'm going to Jaipur, Rajasthan and from there to Virat Nagar to work at Bal Ashram. I found an amazing photo that you can check out at http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://kunwar.netfirms.com/images/bal-small.jpg&imgrefurl=http://kunwar.netfirms.com/photo.html&h=69&w=90&sz=3&hl=en&start=12&sig2=sbx1ehMtCuKe1kBlcpiO6g&tbnid=ggHKBU4aAPYH6M:&tbnh=60&tbnw=78&ei=tirvRsGMNpWujAHlo4C2Cg&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dvirat%2Bnagar%26gbv%3D2%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX
I'll be departing on September 24 instead of the originally planned September 6. Delays as a result of anxiety that I wasn't going to receive my visa in time due staff turnover at the Consulate's office. I'll write again after I've begun to settle in.
'Til then, I'll be wondering what you've been dreaming of and why you haven't made time for it. Or, what dream did you have and act on.
Namaste,
Tracy
I've had an interest in missionary type work since I was a young girl when more than 30 years ago in parochial school visiting missionaries spoke about their experiences in Africa. From that moment on, I knew I wanted a life that included adventure, travel and living abroad. I had the chance to live abroad in the 80s in what was then known as West Germany for 3 1/2 years; but this only heightened my desire to live and work in a developing country. In 2004, the beast within was once again satiated when I had the opportunity to visit Belize and Guatemala and met Mayan families who lived in huts with dirt floors and men who labored in the jungle cutting trees with machetes. I have thought of these people frequently and for those of you who feel that we are all connected and have desires to meet others in our human family, then you understand that I felt that I was meeting distant cousins and there are so many others to connect with.
Because of the missionaries sharing of their trip to Africa and my young age, the idea of Africa left quite an impression. For years, I explored opportunities to go to Africa but for various and sundry reasons, it just never worked out. Instead, I had the next best thing: I met and befriended many people from various African countries. It was a way to experience Africa second hand. I will go to Africa someday but now India.
India has appeared on the scene of my consciousness quite slowly, almost languidly. If you had told me a few years ago that I would be going to India for a 6-month volunteer stint, I would not have believed you.
India intrigues me for several reasons. I must admit that I am smitten with the idea of being so close to the Himalayas - so close to convergent plate tectonics and activity that still occurs and creates mountain growth (2.4in/6.1 cm per year) when many other mountains are shrinking in part because of human activity (and sometimes lack of) - sends shivers down this Midwestern girl's spine. To have an opportunity to meet with distant relatives and understand their view of this beauty is intriguing to me. Do they appreciate this natural wonder? Or is it so familiar that they take it for granted?
I worked with some high school kids earlier this year and we read articles on how the treatment of girls in India (from fetus through childhood) was impacting their culture today. Some suggestion that because of the preference for male children and the practice of female infanticide, there are now not enough available women for men to marry and this is creating unforeseen social problems. I wonder how this is impacting the rural community that I will be living in? Or is it? I hope as an outsider locals will be willing to share their views with me. I think I go with an open mind but we'll see.
It seems that many IT jobs are being outsourced and India is one of the countries that are responding to Americans needs via 800-help desks. Is it just because of labor shortage here in the US? Is it because children in India are being better educated? I'm looking forward to learning from the young people I'll be working with and on behalf of. They are children that have been liberated from child labor and are now being rehabilitated.
This is not a topic most of us think about easily. We are in a consumer culture and how much of what we purchase is made by little hands. I didn't plan to work in an orphanage. If you read the attached link (Volunteering in India - Volunteering in India from around the world), you'll see why I first thought I would be working with an environmental organization and people. I think the environment is in need but I think we have to find ways for people to live so that both are cared for and neither comprised. Oh I do sound rather naive don't I?
I'm going to Jaipur, Rajasthan and from there to Virat Nagar to work at Bal Ashram. I found an amazing photo that you can check out at http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://kunwar.netfirms.com/images/bal-small.jpg&imgrefurl=http://kunwar.netfirms.com/photo.html&h=69&w=90&sz=3&hl=en&start=12&sig2=sbx1ehMtCuKe1kBlcpiO6g&tbnid=ggHKBU4aAPYH6M:&tbnh=60&tbnw=78&ei=tirvRsGMNpWujAHlo4C2Cg&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dvirat%2Bnagar%26gbv%3D2%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX
I'll be departing on September 24 instead of the originally planned September 6. Delays as a result of anxiety that I wasn't going to receive my visa in time due staff turnover at the Consulate's office. I'll write again after I've begun to settle in.
'Til then, I'll be wondering what you've been dreaming of and why you haven't made time for it. Or, what dream did you have and act on.
Namaste,
Tracy
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