photos galore

I know its fun to see my pictures embedded in my posts, but the internet here takes way too long to upload them.

so here is a link to my photos thus far -

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2021807&id=1089270037&l=51da7fea44

(hope it works!)

caves, camels, and cliffs

This past Saturday 12 of us went on a day trip to the Karla and Bhaja caves. We had to be up early and ready at the program center by 7:30am. However, as we’ve learned to expect, time is irrelevant and waiting idly should be expected. By 8:30, with the help of good old Prashant, we had all piled into the bus accompanied by an Indian student escort, snazzy sunglass clad tour guide, the bus driver and his ‘apprentice’ son. I ended up sitting next to the Indian student (I regret to say I am currently at a loss for her name, probably because I never exactly got it and just bobbled my head and smiled at her in my tired morning daze when she told me….I’m pretty sure it started with a P) We chatted for a bit about what we are studying at school, the few Bollywood films I’ve seen and some she recommended, and some famous Indian singers. She is an environmental studies major in her third and last year at Fergusson College. Last spring she participated in the Alliance for Global Education program by enrolling in the courses. She therefore knows a lot about our program and told me about the girls with whom she is still in contact with from the U.S. After a while I, along with most everyone else, succumbed to the tortures of our early morning rise (I know it wasn’t that early, but I was tired) and pulled out our iPods and tried to relax for the remainder of the two-hour ride.

We first arrived at the Karla caves via an upward winding cliff side road. We climbed up some steps that were very reminiscent of my calf-burning walks up mountains in China. This is when I began to regret wearing flip-flops…but the walk up wasn’t too long and we reached the caves within 10-15 minutes. However, we did lose the Indian student on the way up, apparently it was too hot and she wasn’t feeling well so she went and sat in the hot, stuffy bus? Anyway, the caves were amazing! They are not just holes in the cliff walls, as one would expect caves to be. They were carved out the existing stone during the 3rd and 2nd century B.C. and are adorned with intricate carvings of elephants and religious figures. There was also a temple at the top that was emitting spiritual Indian music and crowds of chapattle-less (shoeless) people waiting to pray (Saturday was the start of a 9-day long Hindi festival called Dasara). Many pictures later, including one of me with an over enthused Indian hottie, we descended down the steps, past the colorful trinket filled stalls, bare-foot beggars, and flower/incense stands to the bus.

We then drove only about 20 minutes to the Bhaja caves. At the bottom of the steep stairway was a large cliffside waterfall where many women were scattered washing and hanging out brightly colored saris and printed cloth. On our way up about 15 goats with blue painted horns lazily flooded onto the stone path. Color is everywhere in India! The caves at the top were significantly different from the Karla caves. There were stairs up to carved out rooms and ‘balconies’. The view from inside the caves was absolutely breath taking. Despite the burning sun and our subsequent ceaseless sweat, I couldn’t help but to quietly sit in a secret nook of the caves and just soak it all in. But of course, fervent shouting from the other side of the caves soon distracted me. A relatively large group of Indian guys had come over the crest of the climb and were posing and hooting for the camera of their buddy from below. I have to admit, it was a really good photo, and yes, I did take one on my camera. After a while of exploring all the little rooms a few of us headed further down the path and came upon another smaller cave with large carved dome-like structures. We then came upon some more caves and a beautiful waterfall to which I reluctantly refrained from climbing down to due to the fact that I was wearing my flimsy American Eagle flip-flops.

Once we had our fill we trekked back down the stone steps and piled into sauna of a bus. A few minutes into the ride we had to stop at train tracks, the heat was miserable in that small cramped bus, but we made the most of it and tried to review for our upcoming Marathi quiz by singing the short nursery song we had learned the previous week about bringing rain. (Ye re ye re pausa, Tula deto paisa, Paisa zala kota, Pausa ala motha). However I think that only made the bus and the heat more miserable. And to our great surprise, India made us wait again and there wasn’t any train and the delay was unnecessary. After lunch in an air-conditioned restaurant we were driven up a precariously steep traverse to see a cliff.

Upon arriving we were greeted by young girls with flowers, shanty shacks selling sodas and snacks, a camel on a leash, and most importantly, a remarkable view! We walked to the edge of the cliff and were all amazed by the expansive scenery of luscious greenness. The outskirts of a housing development could be seen in the distance, small slum dwellings were scattered throughout the fields, but it was mostly overwhelmed with rice fields surrounded by lush green hills/mountains. Although we were standing among yellow, white, and purple wild flowers, both the dust and the trash were definitely still present. Three small girls came up to us trying to sell sodas, but I think they actually just wanted to see and speak to us. They picked a small bouquet of flowers for us, spoke the English they knew, told us their names (Lalita, Parvati, and Sonyali) and willingly posed for a few pictures.

After that we headed back to the lovely pollution and traffic of Pune. We were all sweaty and tired, but sat in Café Coffee Day for an hour or so and made plans to go out to Thai food for dinner. On our walk to the Thai restaurant there was a group of young boys banging on drums and clapping, presumably for the start of the festival, I was excited and took their picture and smiled/said Namaste to them while I attempted a few dance moves. After giving me strange looks, they smiled and I took their picture.

Sunday was Ajay’s mother’s birthday celebration. In the morning I drove around with Ajay and his father (driven by their driver) to do a few errands. On or way they showed me an old Fort built by Shivaji (a historically idolized Hindu war hero and leader) but repossessed by the British. Upon Ajay’s request we stopped at St. Mary’s church. Seeing as it was Sunday we were able to go inside during the service ands listen for a bit. Although I don’t go to church at home, it was an interesting experience. Also, St Mary’s school (affiliated with the church) is where my host mother and most of her sisters went to school from kindergarten through 10^th standard. We then picked up a yummy chocolate cake at a local bakery, did some shopping at Dorabje, the large grocery store in the Camp area of Pune (at which Ajay of course slipped a bunch of sugar candies and gooey treats into his dad’s cart), and finally stopped at a favorite local Indian restaurants to pick up some specials for lunch before returning home.

The lunch celebration was a nice get together. A few other family members came over and we ate a lot of food, a lot of good food, a lot of spicy food, and a lot of chocolate cake with ice cream. I got to speak with some of the other family members about what they do and what I am studying while here in India. It was all very interesting and fun to socialize with the family. However, the dynamic of the party was very relaxed in that Spiderman was playing in the background on the TV, we sat around the living room eating with our plates in our laps, people were in and out of conversation, and of course, Crona, the dog, was barking with jealousy through the slatted window.

I spent the rest of the day finishing up some homework for Monday and reviewing for my first Marathi quiz, Ajay was somewhat enthusiastic about helping me memorize the song.

artsy film majors; easily breaking cultural divides

This past week there was a film festival at the Film and Television Institute of India, located about 5 minutes from my house. We were given the opportunity to attend some of the screenings as we liked. Seeing as I didn't have afternoon class on either Wednesday or Thursday I figured I'd take advantage of it! We easily walked from Fergusson College and made it to the main theatre on campus. I went after lunch with two other girls, and we ended up being a little late for the start of one film. When going into the theatre it was definitely hand disappearing in front of your face dark as we attempted to walk up the disorienting ramp into the theatre. Once we got our bearings we plopped down in the closest empty seats we could find. The first documentary was about the first female Bollywood film star. It was really interesting in that the famous star, now an old woman, was very witty and sharp. She was snapping at the camera and quite entertaining to watch, wrinkles and chapatti making and all. When the lights came on a young man, presumably a Film student, introduced the next film. We immediately commented on his long, somewhat unruly hair, coupled with his similarly long beard and his 'cool' way of talking. We then noticed the some of the students in the auditorium and their somewhat noticeable alternative style. I noticed one guy with hair like yours mom (well, probably more unruly, but close enough). Obviously the connotations of being a Film student translate across cultural borders. Yes, they were artsy, yes they were a real cool kind of cool, and yes, they filled the theatre. The second film started up, but, less than two minutes in the power went out. I've learned that in India, nothing is ever completely dependable. However, they got it started back up within a few minutes time, without subtitles. So, we left.

The three of us sat in Cafe Coffee Day (slowest service ever) for a few hours talking.

We went back to see some more films on Thursday, all of which I found really interesting. The first was about a small village hidden within the forests of India that built a 10,000 ft (i think) suspension bridge out of bamboo and sticks. The second happened to be very pertinent to my potential research/internship while here in India and gave me some specific ideas to pursue. It was a documentary that highlighted many cases throughout India in which mining companies, both Indian and International, essentially stole or are attempting to diminish and ultimately destroy the livelihood of ancient village people. These villages are completely dependent on their land for their daily sustenance which is being challenged by the encroaching mining projects. The last film was about an orphanage turned school in Nepal created years ago by the Scottish. It was filmed by students returning 20 years later for a reunion and revealed the importance of this establishment to the lives and success of the children. Although the topics of all three documentaries definitely sparked my interest, the composition and actual execution of the films wasn't all too impressive; at times each film seemed to drag on without directional purpose. However each film left me with distinct impressions regarding diverse aspects of Indian culture and society today.


Here is the website for the Film and Television Institute of India, The festival was called 'Persistence Resistance Film Festival'

http://www.ftiindia.com/newftii/index.html

Yesterday (monday) we had our second 'research methods' class in which we were expected to narrow down our proposed topics for our desired reasearch/internship. Seeing as we hadn't yet seen any NGO presentations (they were canceled this past weekend due to scheduling issues) and haven't had much guidance as to what is available or feasable, trying to narrow down my ideas proved to be very difficult. We were asked to come into class with a What, How and Why short proposal regarding the specifics of our internship/research intentions. I ended up deciding on two possible ideas. My first idea would be a combination of research and field experience. I would like to research involuntary resettlement that results from development projects such as dams, power plants, highways, and large-scale industrial construction. I want to look into the role of the governement vs. NGOs in regulating and succesfulling implementing resettlement plans that inclue compensation, relocation, and restoration of income and social infrastructure to the displaced peoples. Hopefully I will be able to work with an NGO that designs such plans, and through them visit a site where people are to be displaced, or a location where people have been resettled to and conduct interviews with them regarding their experiences. The reason this idea came to mind is because I know it occurrs in China as well as in India, and thought it would be interesting to look at case studies here in India and then possible pursue the topic as a comparitve study between the two countries (don't really know yet??) My second idea was focused around microfinance schemes that target women in urban slums. I wanted to look into what types of economic activity the microfinance initiatives most commonly trigger in the female recipients and how successful they have been in India as an effort to curb poverty from the bottom up. Both topics greatly interest me, but I ended up presenting the first one in class on monday and I'll see where it takes me.

Yesterday afternoon, after classes, two NGOs came and presented for us. The purpose was to provide some information for prospective internship placements. The first one, Akansha, works towards providing education for underprivledged children (in slums). Although this isn't something I want to pursue for my internship, they offer volunteer opportunities which I am really looking forward to taking advantage of. The minimum requirement is 2.5hrs per week, which I will definitely be ready to commit to. I would be volunteering in the classroom as an educators assistant and mentor to the children. I love children!! I can't wait!! On the weekends they have arts and sports programs for the children during which we are also invited to volunteer and help out. The secod presentation was from the NGO 'Children's Future India'. Their program functions on a sponsorship basis with the satellite org. 'Children's Future Norway'. The presentation was tailored towards students who might want to intern with the NGO, gaining research and field work experience with them.

After the NGO presentations I walked home with my friend Julie, who I walk to school with every day, and we walked on the road for the first time! (not the path) we finally decided we were confidant enough in which turns to take, so we hit the now muddy streets. It monsooned in the afternoon, so of course I came home with muddy toes. It was actually a fun walk home, not only do we walk down a busy street but the side street from which our lanes branch off is packed with little shacks that each hold their own little specialty snack or street food (or cigarettes). But its fun walking by the vendors and peering to see whats cookin'. Well I guess we could just look at what the little crowds students, stopped two-wheelers, and old men outside are snacking on. It ranges from Vada Pav (sortof a fried sandwhich) and masal dosas to smoked corn and fresh vegetable stands.

I have a funny, well sortof awkward, story from yesterday's dinner with my family. For the past two days Satyajeet, Ajay's 16/17 year old brother, has been here, and after dinner I was sitting at the table with him, my host mother and grandmother and he said something to the grandmother in Marathi. He then asked me if I wanted Liquor...at first didn't understand what he was saying, then when I did I of course shook my head and said no, its ok, i'm fine. He then said something in Marathi to his grandmother again, and both her and my host mom responded with no, Satyajeet, you have to study tonight, but apparantly he was done studying. So he got out 4 shot glasses and some liquor that the grandmother had brought back from Norway (it was made from Cloudberries ??) and my host mom poured 4 shots. She passed them around and we were all awkwardly holding them, then the grandmother quietly said cheers and I proceeded to drink mine as any western college student would - like a shot, pretty much in one gulp. Then I looked around the table and noticed they were sipping at their shot glasses, I looked at my shot glass and noticed a few drops left, so I decided to sip at my few drops as they finished theirs. It was a little awkward...But the liquor was really tasty and sweet, and fruity, I guess it must've been the cloudberries. They offered me more, but I of course turned it down. And then we went and sat in the living room and Satyajeet watched some sports and I read the newspaper (India Times) as did my host mom. It was nice. very nice.

Well, that was yesterday, there are definitely more updates to come, but I'm tired and should get to bed soon. Tomorrow there is a film festival going on at the Film Institute nearby and I think a bunch of us are going to go. It sounds exciting, and apparantly some of the directors will be there holding seminars and available to answer questions!

goodnight.

Yesterday, Today; my weekend.

Yesterday and today, saturday and sunday, was our first free weekend in Pune. Yesterday morning we all met at the program center for an informative session about yoga. I went into it a bit dissapointed that we wouldn't actually be doing yoga, and woudl instead have to listen to some guy talk to us for who knows how long. It turned out to be a great experience. The man who talked to us, Dr. Anand Joshi, was 72 years old and still as nimble as a young child. He was on and off the table top demonstrating basic yoga postures and the benefits to your body. I loved listening to him speak. His voice was very calming and almost lyrical, he tended to draw out every fourth or fifth word, then, as if someone hit fast-forward, he would speed up to make his point. He had been studying, and still is studying, yoga for 66 years and runs his own yoga and health care center.

After almost two hours we were set free to explore and wander the city of Pune. A few of us went to lunch at a nearby hotel (that's what they call restaurants) and then split up for a shopping expedition. Me and another girl on the program, Anna, decided to go to Laxmi Rd. to get some Indian clothes. I finally road in a motor rickshaw!! all of the other students have been doing it for a week or so, but because I can walk to and from school everyday I hadn't yet had the pleasure of riding in one. We were successful and I definitely enjoyed weaving in and out of traffic in the back of a tiny motor car, all the while smells of saphron and curry street food, bus pollution, trash, among others breezing by the open sides of the rickshaw. it was great. Once on Laxmi Rd. we wandered for a bit, and Anna showed me the store her host mom had taken them to buy clothes. We both got a few things and left them to be tailored (for free). I spent about 700Ruppees on two long kurtas, a short mirrored one, and leggings - that equals out to be about $14. After clothes shopping we just wandered the crowded streets, avoiding barefoot begging children with tin bowls, and gnarly old men squatting along the sidewalk. After shopping we headed back to Fergusson college via rickshaw and walked around the campus for a bit, then started for home. I had dinner with just my host grandmother (my Aaji) and we again had time for wonderful conversation.
This morning I woke up relatively early, 8ish, and went for a run on the path behind the house. There were many people on the path and I ran it a few times. However, I'm not sure if it was the heat (it hasn't been too hot though) or the pollution, but I could definitly feel it in my lungs. I had breakfast with my Aaji and then read downstairs near her. I met up with a few girls at the college around noon and we headed to the Saras Bagh gardens. We walked around the park for a bit, met an eager Indian student who seemed to want to chat with us forever, and found a Temple to Ganesh at the top at which people were ritually circling (11 times I think) and ringing a large bell upon entering. We then walked aimlessly on the streets, which was actually really nice. Wandering down the streets, snapping pictures, watching people, pearing in at the endless rows of street vendors, and just trying to soak it all up without a time limit or objective was a great feeling. We found a small corner restaurant to eat lunch and I had a tomato Uthappa (sortof like a flat bread with onions and tomatoes on it, served with spicy green chutney and some unknown red spicy sauce). We continued to walk down the streets in the direction of Laxmi Rd. in pursuit of bangles, and the store from yesterday so I could pick up my newly tailored clothes. As we were walking I was constantly aware of the contrasting architecture surrounding us. There were buildings that lookes ancient, brightly painted but obviously worn and torn through many monson seasons, next to taller, more modern cement business buildings. We stopped to explore a presumably air-conditioned sweet shop. All of the Indian desserts are usually really sweet (spicy food, sweet desserts), it was fun walking through the shop and looking at, and smelling, all of the unidentifiable little treats. We finally reached Laxmi road and found, deep in the crowds of the carless marketplace, a stand with endless sparkly bangles. We all spent some time admiring and trying some on before buying a bunch. Don't I'm bringing lots back home! I was able to orient myself and find the store to pick up my new clothes. On the the side of the street we saw two men doing beautiful Mendhi on young girls hands and arms and we wanted to stop to get it done (only 50 ruppees), but just as we were about to get it done it started to rain, big fat raindrops. I guess I have four months to get Mendhi done. We took a rickshaw back, and what do you know, only scattered rain, the sun came out within 5 minutes. Should've gotten Mendhi on the street in the rain!
I'm back home now, awaiting Ajay (my host nephew, I was saying his name wrong before) and my hostmom's return from Falton. I guess I should do some of my schoolwork now, or laundry?

Also, recently the two servant girls in the house have started calling me Bebi. My Aaji told me that is what they call young girls when they come into the house (the used to call my host mom's niece Bebi when she was in the house, and they call Ajay and his brother baba). The two girls are really sweet and I smile and head bobble at them whenever they help me out or when I leave for school. Today I didn't eat lunch at home, and when I came home my Aaji told me that one of the girls was worried I hadn't eaten before I left. Hopefully as time goes on, and as I try to learn some more Marathi I'll be able to communicate better with them.

Running off all that curry....

before I continue updating you on my first week in Pune...

I'll just say, right off the bat, today was a good day (minus the two and a half hours I spent in the police station). This morning I had my Public Health class which is very interesting, and I really like the professor (I'll fill you in on the details of my classes later). After class a five of us had to go get our passports registered because for some reason everyone who got their visas from the New York Consulate had to register their visas within 14 days of being in the country. As many things have been thus far on the trip, this quickly turned into an ordeal. Upon arriving we crammed into a stuffy hallway and waited in line outside the appropriate office. However, the first student was turned away almost immediately because we seemed to be missing some 'necesarry' documents (even though students went yesterday and registered successfully without any problems). We all got out of line and waited awkwardly in the hallway, obviously in the way. We ended up having to wait for Prashant, one of our program directors, to come meet us with the form. His jolly little face coming through the metal detector definitely put a smile on all of our faces, but his jolly little face emerging from the room without success wiped them off just as quickly. We took turns holding a spot in line will Prashant tried to figure out what to do next - apparantly we needed more forms that officially certified our enrollment with the study abroad program, or something like that. We spent the next 2 hours waiting around in the heat with no idea what progress had been made. In the end, we finally left the police station. unregistered. Prashant, being the well-connected, personable man he is ended up having to use his 'connections' to get things passed through and he would have to return later with all of our passports and documents. Thankyou Prashant.

After having a quick lunch of Palak Paneer I had my development economics class. Going into class I wasn't too enthusiastic, because the previous introductory lecture wasn't that exciting and the professor was often hard to follow (definitely attributed to his strong Indian accent that in fact caused us to confuse the word cement for semon, for a brief moment I think the majority of the class was surprised at the fact that semon was manufactured as an intermediary good) Today the class was taught by the other professor (it is a team taught class) who we all really liked. Although it was an introductory lecture so the topic wasn't initially compelling, he was able to direct open discussion, insert bits of humor, and get us thinking about conceptualizing development economics and how we will approach the topic throughout the semester. 2 hours later, I think we all left the class feeling really excited and eager to grasp both the methodology of developement economics and the perception of development within India.
After class we returned to the program center and hung out for a bit. A few of the other girls had gone for runs around Fergusson college on previous days, so I brought my stuff today. I was a little hesitant to go at first because I hadn't yet gone on the hike up the mountain or walked through some of the surrounding trails, so I was unsure of my surroundings and of how crowded the area would be. But I had to go, the weather was perfect and a run would definintely help clear my mind and settle my spice filled stomach as well. When I left it was drizzling a little and the air was somewhat cool, or at least cooler than usual. I ran through Fergusson College campus up to the sports fields at the back end where students play endless games of cricket and huddle in groups chatting. At first I wasn't sure where the path up the mountain was so I ended up running in circles for a while behind the fields. Finally I found a path that seemed to lead up and around the mountain. I had no idea what to expect, but as I continued the path got rougher and I came to the end and looped up the mountain. At this point it was more like jogging up cliff like rocks, lucky I didn't twist my ankle. As I continued up the somewhat treacherous terrain the entire city of Pune started to become visible. I continued upward, passing a few water tanks (i think), heading towards the sound of a male voice possible calling out religious prayers. At the top there was a small yellow shrine with a red statue of Ganesh inside. There was a group of men sitting on the path around the corner and another tall religious structure visible in the distance. More impressive was the view of Pune. I stould at the top for a while taking it all in - the expanse of industry, movement, color, dust, and of course, the somewhat audible honking of the traffic below. Taking care not to fall flat on my face, I continued down a path on the other side for a bit and then decided to turn around before it got to late. On my way back running over the rocks I encountered numerous stray dogs, a few uniformed school children presumably on their way over the mountain, and a scattered dewey raindrops. Honestly, for a while I didn't really feel like I was on a run, but a goat up in the mountains with skinny stray dogs scampering carefully down the rough stone. Once I reached the path back down towards Fergusson college I was feeling really good and extended my run for a little bit, passing a few stray cows and a massive pile of trash on the way. I finally made it back to the program center, washed my face, filled my water bottle, and headed back on the road for my walk home. My run made me feel really good about being in India and I'm glad I was able to have that time to myself and explore the paths and the view on my own. I had been feeling a little down the night before, I think maybe just somewhat overwhelmed or lonely in my homestay, but that run was exactly what I needed. I came home to Aju waving at me through the metal bars on their porch and the dog, Crona, disobediently charging out of the house to meet me.

Although my host mom and Aju are going to Falton, Aju's hometown, for part of the weekend I had a really nice dinner with just the grandmother. She told me about her family, their town of Falton, and some of her travels. I learned that her father in law was the first 'ruler'/governor of Falton after India gained independence and that her family has been involved in the government service in Falton ever since. She told me that recently there was an English Medium school named after her husband. I learned about the women who work for them in the house here in Pune. They are all from Falton and have either left, or been left by their husbands. One of the young girl's husband had a drinking problem and he used to beat her constantly. There were people in her village who obvioulsy knew about the situation so they gave her the money to leave and live with her mother in the village. She now works her in Pune for the family and sends money to her mother with whom her 7 year old daughter lives. The women who work for them are provided with food, living quarters, pocket money, clothes twice a year, and medical expense necesitites. Although these women are essentially servants in that they do laundry, all of the cooking, clean the house, satisfy every need from getting me a glass of water to giving Aju his favorite kind of tea to running quick errands to the store. They don't speak english becuase the governement run schools in the small villages don't have the resources to have an english teacher - they only learn their mother tounge, Marathi (the local language). The women are very sweet to me and I try to thank them and smile at them. The other day I was at the desk upstairs using the internet and the younger one walked by, she actually came over interested in what I was looking at. Despite the language divide I was able to show her a few pictures on facebook of my family and friends. She smiled and then walked away to finish whatever chore she was set to accomplish.

Enough rambling for now, I'll try and fill in the gaps on this past week eventually...
Yoga and shopping tomorrow!

A lot of catching up to do

I am definitely not a journal person, and obviously not a blog person, but I’m going to work at it, so obviously, I have a lot of catching up to do. I’ve been in Pune now since last Saturday, Sept. 5. Finally leaving the orientation site and getting into the city was exactly what I needed. Being cooped up in the rain for five days was making me really antsy with anticipation and yes, nerves.

Before I start relaying my time in Pune so far, there are a few very important things I forgot to write about Durshet. While there we were introduced to the ”Resident Guru Ram Bapate”. As part of the orientation he spoke to us for a two hour session about everything from the political system in India to India’s economic development, and the reception of Obama in India. He is a 73-year-old man with an unbelievable wealth of knowledge and experience, and just to hear him speak and see him bobble his head yes and no was amazing. The following morning we all went on a short ‘trek’ through a nearby village accompanied by the nimble Guru. It rained for the entire hike, but Uttara, the program director, ensured that we kept our raincoat hoods up so as not to catch a cold. Anyway, being able to walk through these rural villages was unlike anything I have every done/seen before. We saw small schools to which it is ensured that children attend daily and receive meals free of charge. We saw the well where they get water and avoided the stray cows. The best part of the hike was when we were wandering through the village and a woman invited us into her home. In the company of Ram Bapat, all twenty of us took off our cowpoop covered shoes and squeezed into this woman’s small home. She served us hot Chai and we sat around the house’s one room as Ram Bapat explained to us their simple lifestyle and demonstrated how the women crush cereals and grains. He then quickly pointed out that they had a satellite on the roof and had T.V. and electricity. It was extremely humbling to be welcomed into this woman’s home and have her serve us tea. We met her six year-old son who couldn’t be pealed from his mother’s leg, and the other young girls who lived in the house with her. Being able to interact with these village people got me really excited for possible having a hands-on internship and working with those in need and learning and knowing their lifestyles, hardships, and experiences.

Okay, I thought that was important to recall, back to Pune. This first week as been about getting settled in and familiar with our surroundings. I am now settled in with my host family. Before coming I was told my family has royal lineage, I wasn't so sure what that meant, but now that I'm here I can definitely tell that they are very priveledged and wealthy. I live with Uttaradevi Naik - Nimbalkar, her mother, and 10 year old son Aju (I don't exactly remember his full name, they just call him Aju so i follow suit). Aju lives with his aunt and grandmother because he goes to a special school in the area. On the weekends his parents and older brother, Satyajeet who is 16, come to stay here. I essentially have the entire second floor to myself (except for the weekends). I have a good sized bedroom and my own bathroom. As expected, my bed is rock hard and the pillow is less than comfortable, but I quickly found a spare quilt and pillow in the closet and use it as extra cushioning. So, more about my family. My host mother is a Math and Statistics professor at the University of Pune. Although she is not very motherly, I don't think she was ever married, we seem to become more comfortable chatting with eachother every day. I am constantly entertained by Aju. He is soft spoken, but not afraid to say ridiculous things. The second day I was here I think I spent most of the day sitting by him reading. He told me how he wants to read Shakespeare and Charles Dickens, and to my surprise, he pulled out an old copy of the Tale of Two Cities and flipped through the pages. He has told me how he wants to go to journalism school in France, and visit Los Angeles, and become a diplomat. I think every night at dinner he has decided on new country to travel to. One afternoon I was sitting with him and his grandmother and he said "I want to go to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Iran. I want to stop international terrorism." It is statements like these that make me smile, he is always speaking of his dreams and aspirations. It is obvious that he receives a good education, despite the fact that he complains about not liking school because the milk smells, the food is bad, he has to do needlework homework, he doesn't like the other students...and on, and on, however, he does like that there is a good bakery next door and they can smell the fresh baked sweets through the windows during school. I also enjoy the company of the grandmother very much. She is well educated and very aware about current issues across the globe. She has traveled throughout Europe and briefly in the U.S. I enjoy simply sitting and listening to her speak and tell me about her perspective on things, both within and outside of India. We once discussed the politics of terrorism, she explained to me the tensions between the diverse states of India, she shared with me her experiences in Europe, her view on Swine Flu...I respect her a lot, and although she speaks very quietly it is nice to sit next to her and ask questions and share my understanding of different issues with her. She also told me she would take me to a shop near by to get a Sari and Salwar Kamiz (the typical Punjabi clothing for women) made. Although I appreciate my comfortable living situation, some of the other girls have been taken out by their host families to go shopping and see more of the city. They were able to purchase some Indian clothing and bangles. It seems as though, due to my family's wealth, they don't like to go to crowded shopping areas (specifically Lakshme Road where all of the young girls buy pretty bangles and inexpensive clothes) and generally stay in the house. I guess I'll just go on my own with some friends.

Thats it for now...I'm going to go hang out with Anju.
I'll be back later with a second attempt to fill in the gaps.

Durshet orientation

The first morning all 20 of us piled into 4 vans and drove for 2 hours to the orientation site. Driving through Mumbai was an adventure in itself. The traffic there is unbelievable; crowded with motor rickshaws, two wheelers, motorbikes, buses, good transport trucks, and stray pedestrians. I couldn’t peel my eyes away from the window without the fear of missing something. We drove through a major slum that strongly echoed those depicted in Slumdog Millionaire. The large expanse of the slum is unbelievable. The occasionally tin-roofed and blue tarp makeshift shelters seemed to continue for miles out into the green fields, alleyways, and side streets. Our drive continued out of the city and through the countryside. I was surprised to be reminded of Costa Rica. Everything is so green and lush, I guess before coming I never really thought of India in this way and only pictured crowded dusty cities. The drive through the countryside also brought some bursts of rain, cows obviously undisturbed by speeding traffic as they hung out in the road, and the constant cacophony of traffic horns.
We arrived at our destination; Forest Resort at Durshet and were welcomed with a yummy, curry filled lunch. Over the next 5 days we came to really love and appreciate all of the precious amenities Durshet had to offer. The wonderful septic system, the constant dampness, the endless supply of bottled water, the encroaching stench of mold, the filling meals, the predictability of chai with biscuits, and the monotony of sitting in the same room for 8 hours of orientation and grand entertainment.


O how I miss Durshet (durshit??)

14 hours later...

I haven't had internet access until now, but I've been trying to write a few entries here and there. My computer wasn't working for a while, I think it was the moisture where we were staying, but its back up and running!!! so I'll try to start updating you all regularly now.

I’m here. In India. I’m really here, in India.

That’s what I keep telling myself, over and over again, but it still seems so surreal.

Although I landed in Mumbai yesterday evening, my experience definitely started the previous evening around 7:00pm EST when I left my mom at airport security. As I approached my gate I kept sub-consciously scanning for other westerners who might’ve been on my flight. There were a few hopefuls, but no, they were heading to Eastern Europe and waiting in the wrong gate. So yes, I was the only non-Indian passenger on flight AI140 from JFK international airport. Among all of the brightly colored saris, bubbly Indian accents, and tightly nit families was little me in my supposed Indian appropriate clothing (lose GAP peasant skirt with corresponding lose linen top). Of course I stuck out like a soar thumb, or at least it felt that way. I was served some not so delicious Indian airplane food and attempted to sleep for most of the thirteen and a half hours. My flight went smoothly, but when the time came to land and I had to put my seat in ‘the upright position’ my heart started to race and I had a whole swarm (?) of butterflies in my stomach. Yes, finally my nerves had really kicked in. They intensified more when I, again the only non Indian, got on a little bus from the plane to take to the actual airport arrival and baggage claim. I cant even begin to explain how antsy or nervous I was going through the swine flu check (all the officials were wearing masks, they must’ve known SFH, the American contaminator, was coming), then customs, and finally baggage claim where I had almost convinced myself my luggage was lost because I had forgotten to put my cute little personal info tag on it.
I made it out safely, withdrew a random amount of rupees from the ATM, was met by the Alliance for Global Education contact and quickly escorted to a van where three other students were waiting. This is when I was really exposed to India for the first time, and it was amazing!
We loaded our bags into the back of the van and piled in. To our pleasant surprise, in concert with the start of the rumbling engine came the sound of traditional Indian music. We were then driven about 20 minutes through Mumbai to our hotel. I would never drive in India! The driving is insane! All the cars, trucks, buses, vans, and motor rickshaws weave in and out of the lanes all the while honking their horns and maintaining a maximum of 6 inches distance from the vehicles around them. It was quite an experience unseatbelted from the back of a van.
When we got to the hotel around 11:00pm Indian time they had hot, yummy, Indian dinner ready to order from the hotel. Fighting off our evident exhaustion, the 20 students sat around the table and talked for a bit, then headed up to our rooms to try sleep…didn’t work to well the first night…