The puppies are almost a month old and changing every day. They just started getting teeth so they like to bite and chew on my fingers and toes. They also started to stand/walk about a week ago. I've been watching them wobble and sway around, and play with each other since then. Mama Soni, however, isn't doing very well. I think she's sick of the puppies, and is dying to get out more. Once they start eating solid food I think she'll feel a bit better. Let's hope that's sooner rather than later :)
29.12.08
27.12.08
My First Marathi Lesson
Today I learned that I am really bad at Marathi. Although I'm not learning how to write Marathi, I thought it would be nice if I learned the alphabet. For an example of my horribleness, see my attempt at the script (about 1/2 the alphabet) below!
My handwriting looks like that of a 3 year old. Oh well. At least my teacher's kids and Joost (the "supportive boyfriend") got a kick out of it.
24.12.08
Christmas in India?
I really can’t believe it.
Where are all of the Christmas carols? The lights? The fragrant pine trees? The snow? The cookies? The decorations? The crazed consumerism? The peaceful feeling? The cold dry air? The stockings hung over the chimney? My family?
When I was driving to Mumbai last weekend to pick up Joost (my boyfriend) from the airport, it suddenly dawned on me that Christmas is coming! What sparked this realization?
1. The Santa hats being sold in the streets of Pune. For those of you who have never been to India, “in the streets” literally means that people walk through traffic and knock on your window to sell you stuff. Much to my horror, I looked over and saw someone wearing a terrifying plastic Santa mask (much more appropriate for Halloween) with his face plastered against my window. He scared the crap out of me!
2. The two Christmas stores I saw near the airport in Mumbai! Two! I was shocked. Although I didn’t get to go in, I saw the usual Christmas lights, garland, and fake Christmas trees made out of green garland.
3. The crucified Jesus sold as a decoration at one of the Christmas stores. Although more accurate than the crucified Santa that one of my friends saw in Japan, I thought to myself, “not quite the right holiday.” Still, I do appreciate the effort, perhaps because I’m not Christian and don’t expect people here to know the difference between Christmas and Easter.
Sadly, there are no signs of Christmas in Mhaswad. Muslims, Hindus, and Jains celebrate each other’s holidays (that’s not to say that there isn’t tension too), and I’d like to add a little Christmas to the festive mix this year. Unfortunately, however, I’m a little late in my intentions and will have to plan a bit better for next time :) Until then...
xoxo
Where are all of the Christmas carols? The lights? The fragrant pine trees? The snow? The cookies? The decorations? The crazed consumerism? The peaceful feeling? The cold dry air? The stockings hung over the chimney? My family?
When I was driving to Mumbai last weekend to pick up Joost (my boyfriend) from the airport, it suddenly dawned on me that Christmas is coming! What sparked this realization?
1. The Santa hats being sold in the streets of Pune. For those of you who have never been to India, “in the streets” literally means that people walk through traffic and knock on your window to sell you stuff. Much to my horror, I looked over and saw someone wearing a terrifying plastic Santa mask (much more appropriate for Halloween) with his face plastered against my window. He scared the crap out of me!
2. The two Christmas stores I saw near the airport in Mumbai! Two! I was shocked. Although I didn’t get to go in, I saw the usual Christmas lights, garland, and fake Christmas trees made out of green garland.
3. The crucified Jesus sold as a decoration at one of the Christmas stores. Although more accurate than the crucified Santa that one of my friends saw in Japan, I thought to myself, “not quite the right holiday.” Still, I do appreciate the effort, perhaps because I’m not Christian and don’t expect people here to know the difference between Christmas and Easter.
Sadly, there are no signs of Christmas in Mhaswad. Muslims, Hindus, and Jains celebrate each other’s holidays (that’s not to say that there isn’t tension too), and I’d like to add a little Christmas to the festive mix this year. Unfortunately, however, I’m a little late in my intentions and will have to plan a bit better for next time :) Until then...
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
xoxo
Suzanne
How I spend my nights in Mhaswad...
Joost (my boyfriend) and I spent an hour last night watching a spider wrap a live ant in its web and then begin to eat it. Interesting that, although ants and spiders are pretty much all over the world, neither of us has witnessed the below. Pretty cool!
18.12.08
Goodbye
For the past month we've had three volunteers from Deutsche Bank at Mann Deshi. Today is their last day at work so earlier this afternoon we had a little farewell gathering complete with speeches, small gifts, and some snacks. It was strange for me to not be the person leaving, but to be sending them off. Even the way we were standing around the room emphasized this- Deutsche Bank volunteers on one side and me standing with Mann Deshi on the other. The whole experience made me realize how connected I feel to Mhaswad, Mann Deshi, and Mann Deshi's staff (my friends).
During everyone's speeches I couldn't help but think of my own departure from Mhaswad (as far away as it may be). The thought of leaving made me very sad. Mhaswad has become a very special place to me. I feel content, comfortable, and relaxed without at all feeling restless or bored. Work may at times be frustrating, but it keeps me on my toes; home life may be difficult for me to understand, but it can be equally reassuring; I may not be able to speak the language, but I can communicate.
I'm so far away from home, and in a place that is so different from everything I'm used to. Yet somehow I've managed to create a fulfilling, challenging, and comfortable life here. And because of that, I feel happy.
During everyone's speeches I couldn't help but think of my own departure from Mhaswad (as far away as it may be). The thought of leaving made me very sad. Mhaswad has become a very special place to me. I feel content, comfortable, and relaxed without at all feeling restless or bored. Work may at times be frustrating, but it keeps me on my toes; home life may be difficult for me to understand, but it can be equally reassuring; I may not be able to speak the language, but I can communicate.
I'm so far away from home, and in a place that is so different from everything I'm used to. Yet somehow I've managed to create a fulfilling, challenging, and comfortable life here. And because of that, I feel happy.
11.12.08
Intense Frustration
…that’s putting it lightly.
Everyone in Mhaswad has been amazingly welcoming to me. For that, I’m incredibly grateful to my coworkers, friends, and Indian family. However, as I’m sure many of you can imagine, working and living in a foreign country comes with its fair share of frustrations. Since I am particularly frustrated by work today, I thought I would dedicate a series of blog posts to the workplace practices that I am having a difficult time adjusting to.
Topic #1: Bureaucracy
India is infamous for its miles and miles of red tape, and while dealing with government officials on several different occasions I’ve certainly been exposed to it (and to small-scale corruption). Throughout my time working in Mhaswad, however, I’ve found some of that infamous Indian bureaucracy in the place I least expected it: Mann Vikas Samajik Sanstha. Every single tiny thing that I do, no matter how insignificant, has to pass through the scrutiny of what I have (both with affection and irritation) come to call “the review board.” Because everyone else also must pass their work through the review board and because the review board is frequently traveling, I must wait days or even weeks for my turn. Not only does this severely limit my productivity, but sometimes I find it very infantilizing and on occasion even insulting. It’s the way it works, though, and for now I have to just suck it up and deal with it.
Everyone in Mhaswad has been amazingly welcoming to me. For that, I’m incredibly grateful to my coworkers, friends, and Indian family. However, as I’m sure many of you can imagine, working and living in a foreign country comes with its fair share of frustrations. Since I am particularly frustrated by work today, I thought I would dedicate a series of blog posts to the workplace practices that I am having a difficult time adjusting to.
Topic #1: Bureaucracy
India is infamous for its miles and miles of red tape, and while dealing with government officials on several different occasions I’ve certainly been exposed to it (and to small-scale corruption). Throughout my time working in Mhaswad, however, I’ve found some of that infamous Indian bureaucracy in the place I least expected it: Mann Vikas Samajik Sanstha. Every single tiny thing that I do, no matter how insignificant, has to pass through the scrutiny of what I have (both with affection and irritation) come to call “the review board.” Because everyone else also must pass their work through the review board and because the review board is frequently traveling, I must wait days or even weeks for my turn. Not only does this severely limit my productivity, but sometimes I find it very infantilizing and on occasion even insulting. It’s the way it works, though, and for now I have to just suck it up and deal with it.
2.12.08
Eeeee!!!!
Soni had FIVE puppies last night, and they could not be more adorable… they haven’t opened their eyes and they can’t stand up! I’m so excited for five cute little soft snuggle-able puppies for me to play with :)
This is like the happiest day ever!!!
This is like the happiest day ever!!!
30.11.08
Strength in Numbers
At the end of my most bizarre week in India, I’m finding it difficult to express my jumbled emotions. The week has been nothing but constant contradictions, the most significant of those being my village’s most festive yearly celebration set against the tragic, solemn backdrop of the recent attacks in Mumbai. As I witnessed nearly a million people flood my rural town (pop. 15,000), I was simultaneously giddily happy, confused, and anxiously anticipating the festival’s events.
Watching thousands of people passionately dancing amidst a rainbow array of powders and waiting in line at the temple, I found myself surprised at how exciting and wildly colorful the festival could be in light of the recent news. I wondered if the exaggerated (yet normal) festival chaos was a way to cope, a symbol of defeated desensitization, or a courageous display of extraordinary resilience… or perhaps a mix of all three.
Watching thousands of people passionately dancing amidst a rainbow array of powders and waiting in line at the temple, I found myself surprised at how exciting and wildly colorful the festival could be in light of the recent news. I wondered if the exaggerated (yet normal) festival chaos was a way to cope, a symbol of defeated desensitization, or a courageous display of extraordinary resilience… or perhaps a mix of all three.
The chariot carrying the local deity through Mhaswad
If I’ve learned nothing else from working at an Indian NGO, living with a family in the middle-of-nowhere Maharashtra, and being the only foreigner wandering around Mhaswad, the one thing I have learned is how to really adapt and integrate. From finding the connection between human rights and microfinance to eating with my hands to understanding people who speak only Marathi, I feel I’ve made a comfortable work, home, and social life for myself.
It was in this spirit that I wholeheartedly flung myself into the festival. Wrapped in a brand new cream colored sari, I lost myself in song and dance, and from a distance threw pink powder-filled coconuts to a chariot as an offering to the local deity. I emerged from the throngs of people with a renewed sense of exhilaration, and my sari, hair, and skin stained pink.
It was in this spirit that I wholeheartedly flung myself into the festival. Wrapped in a brand new cream colored sari, I lost myself in song and dance, and from a distance threw pink powder-filled coconuts to a chariot as an offering to the local deity. I emerged from the throngs of people with a renewed sense of exhilaration, and my sari, hair, and skin stained pink.
pre-pink-powder-coconut-throwing
post-pink-powder-coconut-throwingIt was then that it dawned on me that the festival’s spiritually energetic atmosphere was not a contradiction to the somber news. In fact, after talking to numerous people, it became apparent to me that the overall attitude, music, chanting, clouds of pink powder, and sense of unity gave people the strength, hope, and courage to cope and eventually move on. As I immersed myself in Mumbai’s updates later that day, I found that the festival had the same effect on me too.
19.11.08
"Wildlife" in Mhaswad
I love animals. Ants, spiders, sheep, birds, whales, horses, bees, lizards, bears, leopards, penguins, seals, ladybugs, jellyfish… the list could go on and on. There are only two animals that I really dislike: mosquitoes (which can actually cause me harm in India) and cockroaches (which I feel bad disliking); yet despite disliking them, they still fascinate me. In the spirit of my love for animals, I thought I would dedicate at least one blog entry to my frequent encounters with some of the local animals. Most of you will find this post incredibly boring, and for that I apologize. Some of you, however, have been waiting for a ridiculous post like this :-)
Goats: Goats are among the animals that, for no reason, I feel particularly passionate about. Whenever I take the long road to work I encounter dozens of goats at the local farms. They are either being herded, in their pens, or tied to a stake where they can graze. There is also a woman I pass by who always offers me food, and after I refuse she sometimes picks up a baby goat for me to pet. The goats always make their lovely “mehhh”ing noise, which I have on occasion confused with a human infant. There seem to always be at least a few baby goats who make me giggle; their legs are too long for their bodies, they aren’t used to walking, and they trip all over themselves. A few times a week people walk through the village carrying goats, and once I even saw four goats helplessly piled on a motorcycle!
Gulls: I’ve been told that the birds perched on the office ledge outside are gulls. They show up during lunch every day to pick at our food waste and occasionally fly right up to our tiffins (food container), snag something, and take off… swift and brave! One day, a bird ate my curd.
Oxen: There are ox-pulled wooden carts (with wooden wheels) to transport goods throughout Mhaswad. They are faster than you would expect. I was once even offered a ride in an ox-cart that passed me by on my way home!
Snakes: To reiterate sentiments expressed in my Kerala post, I LOVE snakes. I don’t think any other animal fascinates me quite as much. Chetna’s farm gets a few cobras and vipers each month, but unfortunately I’ve only seen the head of some kind of snake poking out of a pipe. Still, I’m hopeful that the number of snakes will increase, without injuring anyone of course (the nearest anti-venom is several hours away).
Frogs: There are tons of frogs at Chetna’s house which is great for two reasons: 1) They are cute, and 2) They attract snakes. Each night one particular frog (or maybe different frogs each night) wanders into my room to sleep; I have affectionately named the frog Herbert. I also spend a fair amount of time each evening rescuing the frogs from the mouths of the 3 dogs that live at the house.
Dogs: The Sinha’s have three dogs—two adult mutts (Soni and Raja, Soni’s son) and one purebred Rottweiler (Dyna, a 2 month old puppy). They are all very sweet, loyal puppies with unique personalities. They keep me lighthearted, laughing, and sane, and take up a great deal of my free time which greatly adds to my happiness.
Soni looks cute and innocent but is an incredibly intelligent, jealous, and protective dog. She killed the Sinha’s cat, 16 of their chickens, and numerous other small animals that wander around the farm. If she spots a snake, she forces it to stay in its place (for hours if needed) until someone comes to remove it. She is having major problems with Dyna; the Sinha’s fear that if they allow Soni near Dyna that she will kill her. She is also pregnant (for the fourth or fifth time), so I’m anxiously anticipating the arrival of new puppies and wondering if she’ll let me come anywhere near them!
Raja is large and muscular and looks incredibly intimidating, but is a big dumb baby. He will come up to me and whine until I pet him, and once I start petting him he can sit there for hours. When I sleep outside, sometimes he joins me at the foot of the bed, and when I leave the house he’ll see that I safely reach my destination. However, if he’s with me and any strangers come within 50 meters, he can get unbelievably vicious, and although the Sinhas get many visitors during the day, people refuse to come at night because they are afraid of Raja. Still, he’s one of the sweetest dogs I’ve ever encountered.
Dyna is a beautiful hyperactive mischievous puppy. She’s learning to play fetch, likes to chew on people’s bodies, and recently has demonstrated a preference for shoes. She tends to follow me around, and for a while I had to feed her from my hands (she couldn’t be bothered with a bowl). Since I spend more time with her than anyone else, she listens to me the most. This is something I would like to discourage since I will be leaving in June and multiple words for the same command (it’s a multilingual household) are confusing for her. Vijay wants to send her to obedience school (Dad and Julia, care to join?). I don’t think that’s necessary, but she does need some clear cut consistent boundaries and simple one word commands to keep her out of trouble.
Rats: Many of you read about my rat experiences. I’ve been sleeping outside most nights in Mhaswad, because although I haven’t seen any more rats, I know they’re still there. They go through the trash and drag it all throughout my bedroom. I can also hear them scampering about. They’re cute from afar, but not while crawling on me.
Bats: Sleeping outside replaces rats with bats, another rabid animal. They fly very close to my head and make annoying chirping noises, but because they don’t crawl on me, I much prefer them to rats.
Water buffaloes: The Sinhas have 6 water buffaloes that provide them, the bank, and some local restaurants with fresh milk. The milk by itself isn’t amazing, but it makes the freshest, most delicious curd (yogurt) I’ve ever had. Seriously… it’s amazing! Buffalo milk also makes fantastic sweets and can even be enjoyed with just a little sugar to mask the smokiness. I have asked one of the workers to teach me how to milk the water buffaloes; more on that to come later!
Hogs: There are lots of hogs (pigs?) wandering around Mhaswad. Aside from the little babies, they’re pretty ugly and dirty since they spend a fair amount of time in waste and sewage on the sides of the road. Still, they’re cute and it’s fun to watch them waddling around.
Lizards: There are lizards all over the Sinha’s house. They are the smoothest, creamiest lizards I have ever seen. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to catch one to see they are actually as smooth as they look, but I’ll keep trying and report back.
Goats: Goats are among the animals that, for no reason, I feel particularly passionate about. Whenever I take the long road to work I encounter dozens of goats at the local farms. They are either being herded, in their pens, or tied to a stake where they can graze. There is also a woman I pass by who always offers me food, and after I refuse she sometimes picks up a baby goat for me to pet. The goats always make their lovely “mehhh”ing noise, which I have on occasion confused with a human infant. There seem to always be at least a few baby goats who make me giggle; their legs are too long for their bodies, they aren’t used to walking, and they trip all over themselves. A few times a week people walk through the village carrying goats, and once I even saw four goats helplessly piled on a motorcycle!
Gulls: I’ve been told that the birds perched on the office ledge outside are gulls. They show up during lunch every day to pick at our food waste and occasionally fly right up to our tiffins (food container), snag something, and take off… swift and brave! One day, a bird ate my curd.
Oxen: There are ox-pulled wooden carts (with wooden wheels) to transport goods throughout Mhaswad. They are faster than you would expect. I was once even offered a ride in an ox-cart that passed me by on my way home!
Snakes: To reiterate sentiments expressed in my Kerala post, I LOVE snakes. I don’t think any other animal fascinates me quite as much. Chetna’s farm gets a few cobras and vipers each month, but unfortunately I’ve only seen the head of some kind of snake poking out of a pipe. Still, I’m hopeful that the number of snakes will increase, without injuring anyone of course (the nearest anti-venom is several hours away).
Frogs: There are tons of frogs at Chetna’s house which is great for two reasons: 1) They are cute, and 2) They attract snakes. Each night one particular frog (or maybe different frogs each night) wanders into my room to sleep; I have affectionately named the frog Herbert. I also spend a fair amount of time each evening rescuing the frogs from the mouths of the 3 dogs that live at the house.
Dogs: The Sinha’s have three dogs—two adult mutts (Soni and Raja, Soni’s son) and one purebred Rottweiler (Dyna, a 2 month old puppy). They are all very sweet, loyal puppies with unique personalities. They keep me lighthearted, laughing, and sane, and take up a great deal of my free time which greatly adds to my happiness.
Soni looks cute and innocent but is an incredibly intelligent, jealous, and protective dog. She killed the Sinha’s cat, 16 of their chickens, and numerous other small animals that wander around the farm. If she spots a snake, she forces it to stay in its place (for hours if needed) until someone comes to remove it. She is having major problems with Dyna; the Sinha’s fear that if they allow Soni near Dyna that she will kill her. She is also pregnant (for the fourth or fifth time), so I’m anxiously anticipating the arrival of new puppies and wondering if she’ll let me come anywhere near them!
Raja is large and muscular and looks incredibly intimidating, but is a big dumb baby. He will come up to me and whine until I pet him, and once I start petting him he can sit there for hours. When I sleep outside, sometimes he joins me at the foot of the bed, and when I leave the house he’ll see that I safely reach my destination. However, if he’s with me and any strangers come within 50 meters, he can get unbelievably vicious, and although the Sinhas get many visitors during the day, people refuse to come at night because they are afraid of Raja. Still, he’s one of the sweetest dogs I’ve ever encountered.
Dyna is a beautiful hyperactive mischievous puppy. She’s learning to play fetch, likes to chew on people’s bodies, and recently has demonstrated a preference for shoes. She tends to follow me around, and for a while I had to feed her from my hands (she couldn’t be bothered with a bowl). Since I spend more time with her than anyone else, she listens to me the most. This is something I would like to discourage since I will be leaving in June and multiple words for the same command (it’s a multilingual household) are confusing for her. Vijay wants to send her to obedience school (Dad and Julia, care to join?). I don’t think that’s necessary, but she does need some clear cut consistent boundaries and simple one word commands to keep her out of trouble.
Rats: Many of you read about my rat experiences. I’ve been sleeping outside most nights in Mhaswad, because although I haven’t seen any more rats, I know they’re still there. They go through the trash and drag it all throughout my bedroom. I can also hear them scampering about. They’re cute from afar, but not while crawling on me.
Bats: Sleeping outside replaces rats with bats, another rabid animal. They fly very close to my head and make annoying chirping noises, but because they don’t crawl on me, I much prefer them to rats.
Water buffaloes: The Sinhas have 6 water buffaloes that provide them, the bank, and some local restaurants with fresh milk. The milk by itself isn’t amazing, but it makes the freshest, most delicious curd (yogurt) I’ve ever had. Seriously… it’s amazing! Buffalo milk also makes fantastic sweets and can even be enjoyed with just a little sugar to mask the smokiness. I have asked one of the workers to teach me how to milk the water buffaloes; more on that to come later!
Hogs: There are lots of hogs (pigs?) wandering around Mhaswad. Aside from the little babies, they’re pretty ugly and dirty since they spend a fair amount of time in waste and sewage on the sides of the road. Still, they’re cute and it’s fun to watch them waddling around.
Lizards: There are lizards all over the Sinha’s house. They are the smoothest, creamiest lizards I have ever seen. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to catch one to see they are actually as smooth as they look, but I’ll keep trying and report back.
13.11.08
Local Village Computer Launch
Although being the only foreigner in Mhaswad has its fair share of pitfalls, it has been a predominantly positive experience with an overwhelming amount of privileges. Yesterday night I was invited to a small local village to launch a computer that Mann Deshi donated to its library. When I arrived, I was greeted with many curious stares and invited into their one room library. I was very surprised with the turnout for the inauguration—about 150-200 people, young and old, men and women, predominantly hardworking farmers, everyone extremely excited and celebratory. It was wonderful and inspiring for me to see so many people passionate about and organizing around reading, learning, and education.
As one of the guests of honor I had the privilege of blessing the computer (I’m finally starting to get the hang of blessing things) and was then presented with a coconut and flower necklace. Everyone here seems to love to have meetings and listen to speeches so Chetna graced everyone with some eloquent words. Even in a foreign language it’s easy to tell that she’s a fantastic speaker.
After Chetna finished speaking, and much to my dismay, they invited me to offer some thoughts. As I walked to the microphone, unbelievably nervous, someone in the audience started yelling, “Yes, you can!” which I found incredibly amusing. I hate public speaking and I’m terrible at it, especially when I’m unprepared. Somehow I stumbled my way through a poorly organized and fairly incoherent speech, finding comfort in the fact that most people were listening to Chetna’s articulate translation rather than my unintelligible ramblings.
After the ceremony we were invited into the village leader’s house where we were served dinner. It’s still a little strange for me to attend dinner outside of Chetna’s home. For less formal occasions, men sit and eat while women serve them and eat afterwards. I’m usually treated as something in between, served after the men and with less attention, but still eating kind of before the women. For more formal occasions like last night, all of the guests sit to eat while the women cook for and serve them.
I find it very odd (and hard to admit) that, despite the other eating adjustments I’ve made—different foods, missing some foods from home, vastly different meal times, eating with my hands—it’s the actual way that mealtime is organized and “hierarchized”(?) around groups of people that still makes me uncomfortable. As an aside, it’s really interesting for me to really think about what makes me uncomfortable, and why those things are hard for me to adjust to.
Regardless, dinner was absolutely delicious, and the company (older village women who are also Mann Deshi clients) was wonderful- friendly, lively, and full of stories and questions! Experiences such as last night’s are some of my favorite moments in Mhaswad. I really love participating in celebrations, learning about what makes people tick, understanding which issues seem to be important, and getting to know the locals. I feel very lucky to be invited not only to watch, but also to participate in such events :-)
As one of the guests of honor I had the privilege of blessing the computer (I’m finally starting to get the hang of blessing things) and was then presented with a coconut and flower necklace. Everyone here seems to love to have meetings and listen to speeches so Chetna graced everyone with some eloquent words. Even in a foreign language it’s easy to tell that she’s a fantastic speaker.
After Chetna finished speaking, and much to my dismay, they invited me to offer some thoughts. As I walked to the microphone, unbelievably nervous, someone in the audience started yelling, “Yes, you can!” which I found incredibly amusing. I hate public speaking and I’m terrible at it, especially when I’m unprepared. Somehow I stumbled my way through a poorly organized and fairly incoherent speech, finding comfort in the fact that most people were listening to Chetna’s articulate translation rather than my unintelligible ramblings.
After the ceremony we were invited into the village leader’s house where we were served dinner. It’s still a little strange for me to attend dinner outside of Chetna’s home. For less formal occasions, men sit and eat while women serve them and eat afterwards. I’m usually treated as something in between, served after the men and with less attention, but still eating kind of before the women. For more formal occasions like last night, all of the guests sit to eat while the women cook for and serve them.
I find it very odd (and hard to admit) that, despite the other eating adjustments I’ve made—different foods, missing some foods from home, vastly different meal times, eating with my hands—it’s the actual way that mealtime is organized and “hierarchized”(?) around groups of people that still makes me uncomfortable. As an aside, it’s really interesting for me to really think about what makes me uncomfortable, and why those things are hard for me to adjust to.
Regardless, dinner was absolutely delicious, and the company (older village women who are also Mann Deshi clients) was wonderful- friendly, lively, and full of stories and questions! Experiences such as last night’s are some of my favorite moments in Mhaswad. I really love participating in celebrations, learning about what makes people tick, understanding which issues seem to be important, and getting to know the locals. I feel very lucky to be invited not only to watch, but also to participate in such events :-)
10.11.08
Kerala
I just returned from a rejuvenating trip to beautiful Kerala! Kerala is a state on the southwestern coast of India. It is well known for its beautiful hill stations, serene backwaters, fragrant spice gardens, and numerous tea plantations. It was colonized by the Portuguese, Dutch, and British, and therefore has one of the largest Christian populations in India. Interestingly, Kerala has the first freely elected communist government in the world (1957), and consequently has the highest literacy rate and best health statistics in India.
Upon arriving in Kerala, we (Chetna, her sister, Vijay, and the boys) all packed into a car with our driver and set off on the potholed road to the hill station Munnar. I never knew tea could be so beautiful! Up and down mountains and along roads, rivers, and waterfalls were lush evergreen tea plants. I’m constantly amazed that so many different kinds of tea can come from just one plant.
For my first full day in Munnar I desperately wanted to go trekking. The family went on a tour of Munnar so I hired a (much needed) guide (named Joy George) and set out for a glorious 15 km. hike. The mountains certainly weren’t the highest I’ve hiked, but the trek was outstanding.
We started winding our way through deliciously fragrant herb and spice fields, and stopped at a small house where a generous and kind elderly couple showed me how they process cardamom. A ways up the (nonexistent) trail I was engrossed in my conversation with the guide when he abruptly stopped me…
I look down and, shocked, immediately blurt out, “HOLY JESUS!!!” (in front of Joy, the devout Catholic).
On the side of the trail, about a foot away from my feet, was a lovely cobra basking in the hot morning sun. After getting over the initial shock, I was giddily happy. I LOVE snakes. For the past fifteen years I’ve been dying to see a deadly poisonous snake in the wild, so for me this was a highlight of all of my wilderness experiences and my stay in India.We slowly backed away from the snake, took photos, and watched it for a good 15-20 minutes. It was angry enough to constantly make a low humming (almost machine-like) noise but not angry enough to rise up and extend its hood. I’m not going to lie; I contemplated pulling an “Uncle Bo” (reference for the Rizzo family) just to see its hood, immediately decided that was a stupid idea (duh!), and instead wished that Uncle Bo was there to be stupid for me :-)
Eventually we had to move on since there were three more mountains to climb. And when I say climb, I’m not joking… instead of hiking up and around the mountains, or on switchbacks, we literally hiked straight up trail-less mountains, which made for a tiring yet exhilarating experience. At one point the ground was so wet and the greenery so thick that we had to run up the mountain to avoid leeches latching onto us. I escaped unharmed, but unfortunately cannot say the same for Joy.
Other highlights of the day included hiking into Tamil Nadu, walking through beautiful tea plantations, talking to the workers, and getting a full tour of a real working tea factory! Although I forgot my hiking boots in Mhaswad (creating a somewhat painful experience), the trek was absolutely stunning... exactly what the doctor ordered.
The following day we piled back into the car to go to the backwaters. It was Election Day in the US, and for the first time in as long as I can remember, I wanted to be around Americans for the sake of our shared national identity and supposedly common interest in the elections. When we stopped at a small stand on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere, however, I got a nice slap back into reality.
When the stall owner learned that I was from the US, he got very excited as he knew the elections were taking place. Through the little English he knew (a few dozen words maximum) and with tears in his eyes, he conveyed to me his disdain for George Bush and how much he had been praying for Obama to win. He reminded me just how much everyday people around the world care about and depend on the political situation in America when America so easily forgets about them. This conversation made watching an already emotional election even more intense; I was happy that the following morning, in the backwaters of Kerala, I could celebrate not only for my own sake but also for his.
Chetna and her family were also excited about the election results. We celebrated at our hotel in Kumarokam, and then on our houseboat in the beautiful backwaters. Our trip ended two days after the elections with some sightseeing in Kochi. I got to experience some of the city’s religious diversity… beautiful churches (Christianity in Kerala is really interesting, and it was nice for me to talk to Joy about his practices in Munnar), a unique synagogue (for the three Jewish families left in Kochi), and a very strict Hindu temple.
The entire trip was a much needed getaway, providing me with the opportunity to get to know my family better, learn about a different area in India, and refresh my body and mind. Plus I saw a cobra!!!
Upon arriving in Kerala, we (Chetna, her sister, Vijay, and the boys) all packed into a car with our driver and set off on the potholed road to the hill station Munnar. I never knew tea could be so beautiful! Up and down mountains and along roads, rivers, and waterfalls were lush evergreen tea plants. I’m constantly amazed that so many different kinds of tea can come from just one plant.
For my first full day in Munnar I desperately wanted to go trekking. The family went on a tour of Munnar so I hired a (much needed) guide (named Joy George) and set out for a glorious 15 km. hike. The mountains certainly weren’t the highest I’ve hiked, but the trek was outstanding.
We started winding our way through deliciously fragrant herb and spice fields, and stopped at a small house where a generous and kind elderly couple showed me how they process cardamom. A ways up the (nonexistent) trail I was engrossed in my conversation with the guide when he abruptly stopped me…
I look down and, shocked, immediately blurt out, “HOLY JESUS!!!” (in front of Joy, the devout Catholic).
On the side of the trail, about a foot away from my feet, was a lovely cobra basking in the hot morning sun. After getting over the initial shock, I was giddily happy. I LOVE snakes. For the past fifteen years I’ve been dying to see a deadly poisonous snake in the wild, so for me this was a highlight of all of my wilderness experiences and my stay in India.We slowly backed away from the snake, took photos, and watched it for a good 15-20 minutes. It was angry enough to constantly make a low humming (almost machine-like) noise but not angry enough to rise up and extend its hood. I’m not going to lie; I contemplated pulling an “Uncle Bo” (reference for the Rizzo family) just to see its hood, immediately decided that was a stupid idea (duh!), and instead wished that Uncle Bo was there to be stupid for me :-)
Eventually we had to move on since there were three more mountains to climb. And when I say climb, I’m not joking… instead of hiking up and around the mountains, or on switchbacks, we literally hiked straight up trail-less mountains, which made for a tiring yet exhilarating experience. At one point the ground was so wet and the greenery so thick that we had to run up the mountain to avoid leeches latching onto us. I escaped unharmed, but unfortunately cannot say the same for Joy.
Other highlights of the day included hiking into Tamil Nadu, walking through beautiful tea plantations, talking to the workers, and getting a full tour of a real working tea factory! Although I forgot my hiking boots in Mhaswad (creating a somewhat painful experience), the trek was absolutely stunning... exactly what the doctor ordered.
The following day we piled back into the car to go to the backwaters. It was Election Day in the US, and for the first time in as long as I can remember, I wanted to be around Americans for the sake of our shared national identity and supposedly common interest in the elections. When we stopped at a small stand on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere, however, I got a nice slap back into reality.
When the stall owner learned that I was from the US, he got very excited as he knew the elections were taking place. Through the little English he knew (a few dozen words maximum) and with tears in his eyes, he conveyed to me his disdain for George Bush and how much he had been praying for Obama to win. He reminded me just how much everyday people around the world care about and depend on the political situation in America when America so easily forgets about them. This conversation made watching an already emotional election even more intense; I was happy that the following morning, in the backwaters of Kerala, I could celebrate not only for my own sake but also for his.
Chetna and her family were also excited about the election results. We celebrated at our hotel in Kumarokam, and then on our houseboat in the beautiful backwaters. Our trip ended two days after the elections with some sightseeing in Kochi. I got to experience some of the city’s religious diversity… beautiful churches (Christianity in Kerala is really interesting, and it was nice for me to talk to Joy about his practices in Munnar), a unique synagogue (for the three Jewish families left in Kochi), and a very strict Hindu temple.
The entire trip was a much needed getaway, providing me with the opportunity to get to know my family better, learn about a different area in India, and refresh my body and mind. Plus I saw a cobra!!!
31.10.08
Something Happy
I love Diwali!
I’ve had such an amazing time this past week celebrating the holiday.
The streets were more chaotic than usual, women sported beautiful new salwar kameezes and saris, various sand colors were smeared all over the roads, little lamps adorned houses, and fireworks went off at random during the day and throughout the night.
It was fun, it was festive, and it was really really happy.
Aside from dragging myself out of bed before sunrise (sleep has taken on a newfound importance in my life), I enjoyed all of the celebrations…
Breakfasting on homemade Gujarati snacks and sweets
Visiting friends and eating their super unhealthy snacks and sweets
Receiving (lengthy) prayers on the street from people I do not know
Setting off fireworks and firecrackers late at night
Being invited into people’s homes to do all of the above with their families
Figuring out how to wear my new sari (and avoiding people taking photos of me)
Blessing Mann Deshi Bank
Wednesday marked the New Year for the bank. Oddly, it was my privilege to bless the bank among an audience and fellow “blessers”. Blessing the bank involved spreading various colored powders, flowers, and sugar on the vault, safe, and the bank’s founding photograph, and then cracking a coconut on the ground. This was followed by eating the coconut and enjoying sweets with my coworkers.
Unfortunately my first Diwali has ended, but tomorrow I’m off to Kerala with Chetna and her family for a few days of trekking, consuming delicious food, and lazing about the backwaters!
I’ve had such an amazing time this past week celebrating the holiday.
The streets were more chaotic than usual, women sported beautiful new salwar kameezes and saris, various sand colors were smeared all over the roads, little lamps adorned houses, and fireworks went off at random during the day and throughout the night.
It was fun, it was festive, and it was really really happy.
Aside from dragging myself out of bed before sunrise (sleep has taken on a newfound importance in my life), I enjoyed all of the celebrations…
Breakfasting on homemade Gujarati snacks and sweets
Visiting friends and eating their super unhealthy snacks and sweets
Receiving (lengthy) prayers on the street from people I do not know
Setting off fireworks and firecrackers late at night
Being invited into people’s homes to do all of the above with their families
Figuring out how to wear my new sari (and avoiding people taking photos of me)
Blessing Mann Deshi Bank
Wednesday marked the New Year for the bank. Oddly, it was my privilege to bless the bank among an audience and fellow “blessers”. Blessing the bank involved spreading various colored powders, flowers, and sugar on the vault, safe, and the bank’s founding photograph, and then cracking a coconut on the ground. This was followed by eating the coconut and enjoying sweets with my coworkers.
Unfortunately my first Diwali has ended, but tomorrow I’m off to Kerala with Chetna and her family for a few days of trekking, consuming delicious food, and lazing about the backwaters!
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!
Something(s) Not Happy
Voting
Massachusetts allows you to register for an absentee ballot and vote via absentee ballot through 3 November. I registered for an absentee ballot back in September and my ballot has yet to arrive. This is possibly the most important election of my lifetime (I know, I’m young…), and unless I receive my ballot by tomorrow (I’ll be away through the elections) I won’t be able to vote. It’s not like my chosen candidate would actually win, but still… NOT COOL!
Vermin
A few weeks after I arrived in Mhaswad I noticed that something was crawling on me during the night. I assumed that it was one of the numerous lizards that crawl around all over the house. Lizards are cute. I’m totally fine with lizards. They woke me up, but I easily drifted back to sleep.
A few weeks ago, however, I actually SAW what was crawling on me, and it was NOT a lizard. It was a rat. For a month I had rats crawling on me (several times each night) during my sleep. I don’t mind seeing rats, but having rats run over my body while I’m sleeping is not only unpleasant, but also dangerous!
The solution was for me to switch rooms while my room was being sprayed. The room that I switched to also had a rat running around so then I switched to a third room without incident... until last night.
I was almost asleep in the third room when I felt something moving, opened my eyes, and saw a rat right next to my head staring directly at me. I had a mini flip-out session and then moved to the second room where I saw a plate of old food that one of the boys left on the desk (I was furious). About half an hour later I woke up to a rat running all over me. So I switched to a different bed in the third room (since my first room was still getting the most rats) and slept with the lights on, waking up every fifteen minutes at the slightest sound or the smallest hint of movement.
Tonight I will sleep outside.
Massachusetts allows you to register for an absentee ballot and vote via absentee ballot through 3 November. I registered for an absentee ballot back in September and my ballot has yet to arrive. This is possibly the most important election of my lifetime (I know, I’m young…), and unless I receive my ballot by tomorrow (I’ll be away through the elections) I won’t be able to vote. It’s not like my chosen candidate would actually win, but still… NOT COOL!
Vermin
A few weeks after I arrived in Mhaswad I noticed that something was crawling on me during the night. I assumed that it was one of the numerous lizards that crawl around all over the house. Lizards are cute. I’m totally fine with lizards. They woke me up, but I easily drifted back to sleep.
A few weeks ago, however, I actually SAW what was crawling on me, and it was NOT a lizard. It was a rat. For a month I had rats crawling on me (several times each night) during my sleep. I don’t mind seeing rats, but having rats run over my body while I’m sleeping is not only unpleasant, but also dangerous!
The solution was for me to switch rooms while my room was being sprayed. The room that I switched to also had a rat running around so then I switched to a third room without incident... until last night.
I was almost asleep in the third room when I felt something moving, opened my eyes, and saw a rat right next to my head staring directly at me. I had a mini flip-out session and then moved to the second room where I saw a plate of old food that one of the boys left on the desk (I was furious). About half an hour later I woke up to a rat running all over me. So I switched to a different bed in the third room (since my first room was still getting the most rats) and slept with the lights on, waking up every fifteen minutes at the slightest sound or the smallest hint of movement.
Tonight I will sleep outside.
27.10.08
HAPPY DIWALI!!!
Yesterday was the first day of Diwali, the Festival of Lights. It's the biggest festival in India, and is celebrated by Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs. Everyone is wearing new clothes, setting off fireworks, creating rangoli (sandpainting on the ground) and consuming overwhelming amounts of delicious homemade (and super unhealthy) snacks and sweets... India at its best (and most chaotic)!
Wishing you all a very happy Diwali :)
22.10.08
Mann Deshi
Since I’m in India to work, I thought I should tell you a bit about the organization I’m working for and a bit about the projects I will be working on.
The Mann Deshi Mahila Group
The Mann Deshi Mahila Group includes three organizations. They are Mann Deshi Mahila Sahakari Bank Ltd., Mann Vikas Samajik Sanstha, and Mann Deshi Mahila Bachat Gat Federation.
Mann Deshi Mahila Sahakari Bank Ltd. (Mann Deshi Bank)
Mann Deshi Bank is a microfinance bank that provides various savings and loan services as well as pension and insurance schemes to poor rural women in certain areas of Maharashtra. All of the bank’s business is conducted through field agents since women have neither the time nor the money to travel to a bank to save money or repay loans. These field agents travel to client doorsteps usually daily, but also weekly or monthly (depending on the savings or loan service), to collect/disperse funds. Daily collection is preferred for most women since they get paid at the end of the work day and cannot trust their families with their money. Mann Deshi currently has five branches in Maharashtra, and four additional loan offices through Mann Vikas.
Mann Vikas Samajik Sanstha (MVSS)
MVSS is a non-profit organization delivering non-financial services to poor rural women in Maharashtra. Initially MVSS focused on a variety of areas, ranging from health to property rights to education. In the past few years, however, it has decided to limit its scope to programs that will directly promote financial self-sufficiency and support women in utilizing the bank’s services. Some current programs include providing umbrellas as interest-free loans to protect the health of street vendors, providing bicycles to girls as interest-free loans so that they can go to school, and Mann Deshi Udyogini.
Mann Deshi Udyogini is a business school for poor rural women with the goal of turning daily wage laborers into successful businesswomen. Classes range from tailoring to technological and financial literacy to veterinary camps. Mann Deshi covers the cost of the financial literacy course since it is compulsory for all loan clients; the other courses are offered for minimal fees since the school is funded by several corporate banks. Since many women cannot travel to the business schools (there are three currently) due to financial, time, and cultural constraints, Mann Deshi has started operating a mobile business school on wheels which travels to remote locations.
Mann Deshi Mahila Bachat Gat Federation
This NGO is Mann Deshi’s Self-help group (SHG) federation. Initially women met to discuss the various issues they and their families faced, but with the implementation of the bank the focus has shifted to financial concerns and supporting female entrepreneurs. Under Mann Deshi there are about 2,500 SHGs.
My Projects (technically I work for MVSS)
NBFC
The Mann Deshi Group is looking to rapidly expand its operations. This is fairly simple for the two non-profits, yet due to RBI (Reserve Bank of India) regulations impossible for the bank. Mann Deshi Bank can only open two new branches each year. To bypass this regulation, Mann Deshi is opening a non-banking finance company (NBFC) which will allow the services of the bank to rapidly expand in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Gujarat, and then throughout India. I am working closely with other staff members to make this happen. We’ve been working with international investors, lawyers, and a non-profit based in Mumbai to get all the legal details taken care of. My role will be to write a business plan, design a MIS system, develop a roll-out plan, and then implement and monitor everything. Mann Deshi is hoping to have the first four NBFCs launched by March/April (great for me since I’ll get to see them open). This is something I thought I would NEVER EVER in a million years be doing.
Mobile Business School
Mann Deshi currently has a mobile business school up and running in northern Karnataka (a neighboring state). Mann Deshi would like to open its first mobile business school in Maharashtra. We have recently procured the funds for a bus. Now we need to buy the bus, renovate it, purchase equipment, pick locations and courses, select teachers, and advertise it. I will also be working on this over the next few months as Mann Deshi plans to have the school launched in April.
I’ll admit that a lot of the time I’d like to be doing work that relates to my background as my passions can truly be found there (gender, sexuality, health, human rights, migration). I also find myself torn over what the organization does. But my work and my wonderful colleagues are keeping me busy, thinking, and focused, and I very much look forward to going to work every day :)
So there’s a brief summary of what Mann Deshi is and what I will be doing. It took me a little while to understand the basics so feel free to ask questions!
Much Love <3
The Mann Deshi Mahila Group
The Mann Deshi Mahila Group includes three organizations. They are Mann Deshi Mahila Sahakari Bank Ltd., Mann Vikas Samajik Sanstha, and Mann Deshi Mahila Bachat Gat Federation.
Mann Deshi Mahila Sahakari Bank Ltd. (Mann Deshi Bank)
Mann Deshi Bank is a microfinance bank that provides various savings and loan services as well as pension and insurance schemes to poor rural women in certain areas of Maharashtra. All of the bank’s business is conducted through field agents since women have neither the time nor the money to travel to a bank to save money or repay loans. These field agents travel to client doorsteps usually daily, but also weekly or monthly (depending on the savings or loan service), to collect/disperse funds. Daily collection is preferred for most women since they get paid at the end of the work day and cannot trust their families with their money. Mann Deshi currently has five branches in Maharashtra, and four additional loan offices through Mann Vikas.
Mann Vikas Samajik Sanstha (MVSS)
MVSS is a non-profit organization delivering non-financial services to poor rural women in Maharashtra. Initially MVSS focused on a variety of areas, ranging from health to property rights to education. In the past few years, however, it has decided to limit its scope to programs that will directly promote financial self-sufficiency and support women in utilizing the bank’s services. Some current programs include providing umbrellas as interest-free loans to protect the health of street vendors, providing bicycles to girls as interest-free loans so that they can go to school, and Mann Deshi Udyogini.
Mann Deshi Udyogini is a business school for poor rural women with the goal of turning daily wage laborers into successful businesswomen. Classes range from tailoring to technological and financial literacy to veterinary camps. Mann Deshi covers the cost of the financial literacy course since it is compulsory for all loan clients; the other courses are offered for minimal fees since the school is funded by several corporate banks. Since many women cannot travel to the business schools (there are three currently) due to financial, time, and cultural constraints, Mann Deshi has started operating a mobile business school on wheels which travels to remote locations.
Mann Deshi Mahila Bachat Gat Federation
This NGO is Mann Deshi’s Self-help group (SHG) federation. Initially women met to discuss the various issues they and their families faced, but with the implementation of the bank the focus has shifted to financial concerns and supporting female entrepreneurs. Under Mann Deshi there are about 2,500 SHGs.
My Projects (technically I work for MVSS)
NBFC
The Mann Deshi Group is looking to rapidly expand its operations. This is fairly simple for the two non-profits, yet due to RBI (Reserve Bank of India) regulations impossible for the bank. Mann Deshi Bank can only open two new branches each year. To bypass this regulation, Mann Deshi is opening a non-banking finance company (NBFC) which will allow the services of the bank to rapidly expand in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Gujarat, and then throughout India. I am working closely with other staff members to make this happen. We’ve been working with international investors, lawyers, and a non-profit based in Mumbai to get all the legal details taken care of. My role will be to write a business plan, design a MIS system, develop a roll-out plan, and then implement and monitor everything. Mann Deshi is hoping to have the first four NBFCs launched by March/April (great for me since I’ll get to see them open). This is something I thought I would NEVER EVER in a million years be doing.
Mobile Business School
Mann Deshi currently has a mobile business school up and running in northern Karnataka (a neighboring state). Mann Deshi would like to open its first mobile business school in Maharashtra. We have recently procured the funds for a bus. Now we need to buy the bus, renovate it, purchase equipment, pick locations and courses, select teachers, and advertise it. I will also be working on this over the next few months as Mann Deshi plans to have the school launched in April.
I’ll admit that a lot of the time I’d like to be doing work that relates to my background as my passions can truly be found there (gender, sexuality, health, human rights, migration). I also find myself torn over what the organization does. But my work and my wonderful colleagues are keeping me busy, thinking, and focused, and I very much look forward to going to work every day :)
So there’s a brief summary of what Mann Deshi is and what I will be doing. It took me a little while to understand the basics so feel free to ask questions!
Much Love <3
18.10.08
'tis a sad, sad day in mhaswad
Mhaswad has no power for 14 hours each day. Both the house and my office are hooked up to generators, but these generators are not entirely reliable. Each day the power and the backup generators repeatedly shut off, and since a working battery for my laptop is currently in the mail, my computer also randomly shuts off.
Today, Mhaswad’s power fluctuations have finally (and tragically) caught up with me.
My laptop wasn’t working this morning.
The computer guy took one look at it, determined what was wrong, and fixed it :)
But... my hard drive- GONE!
This is a farewell to the college work, photos, and music that I had not yet backed up... it will be sorely missed :(
Today, Mhaswad’s power fluctuations have finally (and tragically) caught up with me.
My laptop wasn’t working this morning.
The computer guy took one look at it, determined what was wrong, and fixed it :)
But... my hard drive- GONE!
This is a farewell to the college work, photos, and music that I had not yet backed up... it will be sorely missed :(
15.10.08
Gun Shopping in Bombay
My first experience in Mumbai was last summer when I landed late at night in the chaotic international airport. I was a lone white young female traveler coming from South Africa and trying to connect to my Delhi flight. I collected my baggage, made it through customs, and ventured outside. Not only was I greeted by sweaty heat, but also by hundreds of people who went dead silent when they saw me. The silence lasted about 5 or 10 seconds before men started bombarding me with their offers of help (for a ridiculous fee of course). I finally decided to pay someone to help me find the airport’s tiny secret elevator and get through the very involved flight check-in process. It was an overwhelming experience, yet a bizarrely appropriate introduction to India…
I would characterize my recent trip to Mumbai the same way: bizarrely appropriate.
Most of it was normal run of the mill off-kilter India: meetings, the worst traffic and horn situation I’ve ever experienced (15 hours total to travel several km. to our meetings within Mumbai + 12 hours to get to/from Mumbai), playing people-frogger to get across the street alive, haggling, staring, and blatantly obvious disparities- street food (or no food) & five star restaurants, beggars and corporate banks, new high rises and slums, etc.
My adventure on Monday afternoon, however, was probably my most memorable experience. Our day started off fairly normally (aside from the 2 hour drive to our first meeting). We had some tasty street chai and were treated to breakfast at a 5-star hotel by American businessmen. This was followed by salwar kameeze shopping.
When I asked Chetna how we would be spending our afternoon she replied (very frankly), “We need to buy a gun.”
Under normal circumstances the prospect of shopping for a gun would terrify me. I hate guns. I hate looking at them. I hate the sound they make. I especially hate that police officers carry them, and in India, police officers don’t just carry handguns; they carry rifles (which may not be as fast or easy to use, but they are big and therefore look much more intimidating).
… But I’m in India and in order to stay mentally healthy here I have to have a very lax, go with the flow kind of attitude. So my only response to the suggestion of gun shopping was to laugh.
And laugh I did.
We went in and out of several arms shops. It’s pretty rare for a woman to shop for a gun, and completely unheard of for a white woman to shop for a gun so we attracted quite a crowd of curious bystanders. Finally one of Chetna’s friends (a police officer I believe) joined us to assist in the search. Over chai, everyone debated which gun to purchase and haggled over how much it should cost, but not before testing the gun by shooting blanks right outside the shop (scary!).
When everyone was satisfied we finalized the purchase and Mann Deshi’s security guard (the arm-bearer) picked up the gun, and a permit to transport the gun, the following day.
And so we journeyed home with our new gun and its cleaning kit on top of the clothes that Chetna madam and Rekha madam bought for Mann Deshi employees, on top of our luggage, and in plain view of every single car, every single toll worker, and every single police officer on the road.
An unexpected experience- yes. But the previous weekend I unknowingly spent an afternoon in Mhaswad sitting with a sharpshooter for a gang in Bombay, so I can’t say I was entirely unprepared…
I can say, however, that I have given up on even the simplest expectations.
I would characterize my recent trip to Mumbai the same way: bizarrely appropriate.
Most of it was normal run of the mill off-kilter India: meetings, the worst traffic and horn situation I’ve ever experienced (15 hours total to travel several km. to our meetings within Mumbai + 12 hours to get to/from Mumbai), playing people-frogger to get across the street alive, haggling, staring, and blatantly obvious disparities- street food (or no food) & five star restaurants, beggars and corporate banks, new high rises and slums, etc.
My adventure on Monday afternoon, however, was probably my most memorable experience. Our day started off fairly normally (aside from the 2 hour drive to our first meeting). We had some tasty street chai and were treated to breakfast at a 5-star hotel by American businessmen. This was followed by salwar kameeze shopping.
When I asked Chetna how we would be spending our afternoon she replied (very frankly), “We need to buy a gun.”
Under normal circumstances the prospect of shopping for a gun would terrify me. I hate guns. I hate looking at them. I hate the sound they make. I especially hate that police officers carry them, and in India, police officers don’t just carry handguns; they carry rifles (which may not be as fast or easy to use, but they are big and therefore look much more intimidating).
… But I’m in India and in order to stay mentally healthy here I have to have a very lax, go with the flow kind of attitude. So my only response to the suggestion of gun shopping was to laugh.
And laugh I did.
We went in and out of several arms shops. It’s pretty rare for a woman to shop for a gun, and completely unheard of for a white woman to shop for a gun so we attracted quite a crowd of curious bystanders. Finally one of Chetna’s friends (a police officer I believe) joined us to assist in the search. Over chai, everyone debated which gun to purchase and haggled over how much it should cost, but not before testing the gun by shooting blanks right outside the shop (scary!).
When everyone was satisfied we finalized the purchase and Mann Deshi’s security guard (the arm-bearer) picked up the gun, and a permit to transport the gun, the following day.
And so we journeyed home with our new gun and its cleaning kit on top of the clothes that Chetna madam and Rekha madam bought for Mann Deshi employees, on top of our luggage, and in plain view of every single car, every single toll worker, and every single police officer on the road.
An unexpected experience- yes. But the previous weekend I unknowingly spent an afternoon in Mhaswad sitting with a sharpshooter for a gang in Bombay, so I can’t say I was entirely unprepared…
I can say, however, that I have given up on even the simplest expectations.
11.10.08
my perfect walk home
my walk home last night was truly amazing.
while i was at work an incredible storm rolled over mhaswad… booming thunder, crazy lightning, heavy winds and rain. i waited for it to settle down and then set out on my walk home.
nothing makes me feel more peaceful than walking in the rain.
it was somewhere between a drizzle and steady rain- hard enough for people to rush home wearing raincoats or using umbrellas, yet light enough for me to walk without scrunching my head and shoulders like a turtle. because everyone was ducking for cover i didn’t have to awkwardly refuse anyone’s generous offer to drive me home.
the temperature was just comfortable enough and the wind was just powerful enough to slightly cool me off. i could lift my head towards the sky and let the rain wash away the dirt and dust that inevitably sticks to you during the sweaty sunny heat of the day.
and just as i turned onto the dirt road and began walking through the fields, a very subtle rainbow appeared. the rain reduced to a drizzle and in the distance beyond the rainbow i could see fierce purplish blue horizontal bolts of lightning electrified by shimmering gold clouds. it was the most beautiful sky i’ve ever seen.
the pointing and laughing made it obvious to me that the locals thought i was crazy, but i was beyond the threshold of caring.
the only thing i felt was pure… simple… bliss
while i was at work an incredible storm rolled over mhaswad… booming thunder, crazy lightning, heavy winds and rain. i waited for it to settle down and then set out on my walk home.
nothing makes me feel more peaceful than walking in the rain.
it was somewhere between a drizzle and steady rain- hard enough for people to rush home wearing raincoats or using umbrellas, yet light enough for me to walk without scrunching my head and shoulders like a turtle. because everyone was ducking for cover i didn’t have to awkwardly refuse anyone’s generous offer to drive me home.
the temperature was just comfortable enough and the wind was just powerful enough to slightly cool me off. i could lift my head towards the sky and let the rain wash away the dirt and dust that inevitably sticks to you during the sweaty sunny heat of the day.
and just as i turned onto the dirt road and began walking through the fields, a very subtle rainbow appeared. the rain reduced to a drizzle and in the distance beyond the rainbow i could see fierce purplish blue horizontal bolts of lightning electrified by shimmering gold clouds. it was the most beautiful sky i’ve ever seen.
the pointing and laughing made it obvious to me that the locals thought i was crazy, but i was beyond the threshold of caring.
the only thing i felt was pure… simple… bliss
8.10.08
settling down, gearing up
I’ve been in India a little over a month and in Mhaswad just over 3 weeks. I’m starting to settle down a bit and am finding my own rhythm and routine.
Things are certainly a bit slower and more relaxed here, a nice break from my high stress personality and lifestyle, yet also difficult to adjust to. Walking to the town from the farm, however, does provide me with a much needed mini-jolt of Indian chaos.
I’m finding that I enjoy long sunset walks to the middle of nowhere (the middle of nowhere isn’t very far) and staring up at the gajillions of stars that fill the super dark (fairly) pollution-free midnight sky.
I’m also turning into quite the sleeper! I’ve never slept this much in my entire life, but I think it’s a lovely remedy after years of sleep deprivation. To facilitate the sleeping process, I’m catching up on eight years of leisure reading that I missed out on due to high school and college. Those of you who have been to India will appreciate my current read, the tome Shantaram by Gregory Roberts. It certainly isn’t a great literary work, but it’s quite captivating and his portrayal of Prabakar will hilariously resonate with many of you.
Aside from sleeping and reading I’ve been spending a lot of time getting to know my family. They’ve been very open and welcoming without at all invading my personal space. The twin 13 year old boys are very sweet, offering advice on Bollywood music and films, translating the stories that their dad tells me, and sharing bits and pieces of their daily lives. But living with a family has its downsides too… the other night I witnessed my first family feud (awkward!).
And of course there’s the whole reason that I’m here: WORK. Some days are quite busy and others are tediously slow. We’re developing the projects I’ll be working on throughout the year- more on that to come later. So far I’ve written an application for an international competition, submitted a business proposal to a potential Swiss investor, and been coordinating the visits of four Deutsche Bank volunteers with a lot of additional smaller tasks mixed in. I’ve kind of been thrown into the mix and I think it’s helped me get to know the organization. Still, it seems as if there are an infinite number of questions I would like to ask, and an endless abyss of information for me to understand…
:( No pics... I'm still hoping for an internet card!
On Road India
4. I saw a dog get hit by a car yesterday. This is not at all an unusual occurrence in India, and although I’ve seen it happen numerous times to different animals, I find it equally traumatizing each time. I also grow incredibly angry that drivers only slow down enough for a person or an animal or a car to get out of their way. There are a lot of assumptions and expectations in driving here; cars rarely slow down with the intention of stopping.
5. I fell off a motorcycle. Because I was wearing a skirt I was riding on the back of it the “ladylike” way, with both legs on the same side (I wouldn’t mind riding with one leg on either side in a skirt, but I discovered how taboo it was at the Marathi film shooting when they wanted me to ride a bicycle. When they realized I was wearing an ankle length skirt, which would have fully covered me, it was adamantly out of the question). Anyways, the driver slammed on the brakes, rounded a sharp corner, and off I went! I wasn’t hurt… just surprised and amused.
Things are certainly a bit slower and more relaxed here, a nice break from my high stress personality and lifestyle, yet also difficult to adjust to. Walking to the town from the farm, however, does provide me with a much needed mini-jolt of Indian chaos.
I’m finding that I enjoy long sunset walks to the middle of nowhere (the middle of nowhere isn’t very far) and staring up at the gajillions of stars that fill the super dark (fairly) pollution-free midnight sky.
I’m also turning into quite the sleeper! I’ve never slept this much in my entire life, but I think it’s a lovely remedy after years of sleep deprivation. To facilitate the sleeping process, I’m catching up on eight years of leisure reading that I missed out on due to high school and college. Those of you who have been to India will appreciate my current read, the tome Shantaram by Gregory Roberts. It certainly isn’t a great literary work, but it’s quite captivating and his portrayal of Prabakar will hilariously resonate with many of you.
Aside from sleeping and reading I’ve been spending a lot of time getting to know my family. They’ve been very open and welcoming without at all invading my personal space. The twin 13 year old boys are very sweet, offering advice on Bollywood music and films, translating the stories that their dad tells me, and sharing bits and pieces of their daily lives. But living with a family has its downsides too… the other night I witnessed my first family feud (awkward!).
And of course there’s the whole reason that I’m here: WORK. Some days are quite busy and others are tediously slow. We’re developing the projects I’ll be working on throughout the year- more on that to come later. So far I’ve written an application for an international competition, submitted a business proposal to a potential Swiss investor, and been coordinating the visits of four Deutsche Bank volunteers with a lot of additional smaller tasks mixed in. I’ve kind of been thrown into the mix and I think it’s helped me get to know the organization. Still, it seems as if there are an infinite number of questions I would like to ask, and an endless abyss of information for me to understand…
:( No pics... I'm still hoping for an internet card!
On Road India
4. I saw a dog get hit by a car yesterday. This is not at all an unusual occurrence in India, and although I’ve seen it happen numerous times to different animals, I find it equally traumatizing each time. I also grow incredibly angry that drivers only slow down enough for a person or an animal or a car to get out of their way. There are a lot of assumptions and expectations in driving here; cars rarely slow down with the intention of stopping.
5. I fell off a motorcycle. Because I was wearing a skirt I was riding on the back of it the “ladylike” way, with both legs on the same side (I wouldn’t mind riding with one leg on either side in a skirt, but I discovered how taboo it was at the Marathi film shooting when they wanted me to ride a bicycle. When they realized I was wearing an ankle length skirt, which would have fully covered me, it was adamantly out of the question). Anyways, the driver slammed on the brakes, rounded a sharp corner, and off I went! I wasn’t hurt… just surprised and amused.
22.9.08
I am a Marathi Film Star
I have absolutely no idea what happened on Sunday. No clue. I had initially planned to take a long walk, photograph my beautiful surroundings, do some laundry, and read. That all changed when Vijay (my “Indian father”) invited me to a Marathi film with his sons and their friends.
When they asked if I wanted to see a Marathi film I thought we would be going to a theater to actually see a full length production. I was quite surprised when we stopped in the middle of a field and realized that we were on a set watching the shooting of a low budget Marathi movie.
As soon as I stepped out of the car I was subject [object?] to the gaze of dozens of Indian men. It’s amazing how powerful a look can be, especially when the same one is replicated on so many different faces. They immediately offered me a chair in the shade and a photographer hurried over, shoved a camera in my face, and took literally hundreds of photos of me. Everyone else whipped out their camera phones.
The director, using Vijay’s sons as translators, asked me to be in the film. I firmly resisted but apparently have no backbone because, after 5 minutes of coaxing, telling me it would only take an hour, and assuring me I would only have to walk in front of the camera, I reluctantly agreed. Then everyone wanted the photographer to take pictures of me with them. Interestingly, Vijay started yelling at one of the men when he tried to put his arm around me in the photo (apparently the rest of it didn’t seem to bother him).
I was fairly mortified and uncomfortable the entire day.
As it turns out, I was the “other woman” in a music video (most Indian films randomly break into song and dance; if you haven’t seen any Bollywood, you really should). Although I haven’t seen any Marathi films before, I have gathered that white women generally aren’t portrayed favorably from the few Bollywood movies and Hindi music videos I actually have seen.
I walked in front of the camera. I also had to do some dancing and “acting.” Luckily two other girls showed up and we did almost everything together. I was so unbelievably happy that they were there. However, a man carried around a chair for me to sit in all day and everyone kept telling me how beautiful I am. They even went as far as to tell me that I look like Ashwarya Rai (if you don’t know who she is, you should google her and then laugh at the comparison). And on top of that, a man followed me around all day holding an umbrella above my head to protect me from the sun (a lot of good that did because I have a terribly painful burn on my back, shoulders, and upper chest).
Then something happened and everyone rushed away from the set. I, of course, followed. Vijay rushed me and his sons into his minivan and we drove away. A little ways up the road he stopped, got out of the car, and loudly exchanged some unpleasant words with one of the crewmembers. It got a little physical with some shoving but the director prevented it from going further. Vijay came back to the van with two other men, dropped me and his sons off a little up the road from their house, and sped off after the car that the crewmember was in. When he returned later the only thing he said to me was “personal problems.” I still have no clue what happened.
I assumed that we were done shooting for the day so I went on a walk into town and called Joost (my boyfriend) to tell him how horrible (yet also amusing) my day had been. Throughout my walk lots of people took pictures of me with their phones, and the big group of boys/men that I always have to walk through were especially awful with their harassment (just because I don’t understand Marathi doesn’t mean I can’t understand the gist of what they’re saying). As I was walking back to the house one of my family’s “helpers” was out looking for me. He scooped me up onto his motorbike and drove me back to the shoot.
We still had to finish the rest of the song. Ugh! By this time the crowd of people watching had grown into the hundreds (as if I wasn’t embarrassed enough). We had to dance more, and when the director realized that I could actually dance he offered to send everyone away so I would actually dance in front of the camera (I am not a performer so I told him not to bother). The director had us do a bunch of random stupid stuff and we ended the video with all of us “free styling” (if you can call it that). I was all set to leave when the producer (also the star) wanted to do a scene holding my hand, singing to me, with me laughing at him.
We finished filming at 7.30 pm. It was a long day of doing something I wasn’t too thrilled with. The only positive aspect of the day was getting to know the two other girls and the makeup artist (even though he didn’t put any makeup on me because I “have a natural beauty”). Flattery really doesn’t work on me.
The director asked me if I would be in his films in the future.
The next time I spend the entire day being humiliated I plan on getting paid big money for it :)
When they asked if I wanted to see a Marathi film I thought we would be going to a theater to actually see a full length production. I was quite surprised when we stopped in the middle of a field and realized that we were on a set watching the shooting of a low budget Marathi movie.
As soon as I stepped out of the car I was subject [object?] to the gaze of dozens of Indian men. It’s amazing how powerful a look can be, especially when the same one is replicated on so many different faces. They immediately offered me a chair in the shade and a photographer hurried over, shoved a camera in my face, and took literally hundreds of photos of me. Everyone else whipped out their camera phones.
The director, using Vijay’s sons as translators, asked me to be in the film. I firmly resisted but apparently have no backbone because, after 5 minutes of coaxing, telling me it would only take an hour, and assuring me I would only have to walk in front of the camera, I reluctantly agreed. Then everyone wanted the photographer to take pictures of me with them. Interestingly, Vijay started yelling at one of the men when he tried to put his arm around me in the photo (apparently the rest of it didn’t seem to bother him).
I was fairly mortified and uncomfortable the entire day.
As it turns out, I was the “other woman” in a music video (most Indian films randomly break into song and dance; if you haven’t seen any Bollywood, you really should). Although I haven’t seen any Marathi films before, I have gathered that white women generally aren’t portrayed favorably from the few Bollywood movies and Hindi music videos I actually have seen.
I walked in front of the camera. I also had to do some dancing and “acting.” Luckily two other girls showed up and we did almost everything together. I was so unbelievably happy that they were there. However, a man carried around a chair for me to sit in all day and everyone kept telling me how beautiful I am. They even went as far as to tell me that I look like Ashwarya Rai (if you don’t know who she is, you should google her and then laugh at the comparison). And on top of that, a man followed me around all day holding an umbrella above my head to protect me from the sun (a lot of good that did because I have a terribly painful burn on my back, shoulders, and upper chest).
Then something happened and everyone rushed away from the set. I, of course, followed. Vijay rushed me and his sons into his minivan and we drove away. A little ways up the road he stopped, got out of the car, and loudly exchanged some unpleasant words with one of the crewmembers. It got a little physical with some shoving but the director prevented it from going further. Vijay came back to the van with two other men, dropped me and his sons off a little up the road from their house, and sped off after the car that the crewmember was in. When he returned later the only thing he said to me was “personal problems.” I still have no clue what happened.
I assumed that we were done shooting for the day so I went on a walk into town and called Joost (my boyfriend) to tell him how horrible (yet also amusing) my day had been. Throughout my walk lots of people took pictures of me with their phones, and the big group of boys/men that I always have to walk through were especially awful with their harassment (just because I don’t understand Marathi doesn’t mean I can’t understand the gist of what they’re saying). As I was walking back to the house one of my family’s “helpers” was out looking for me. He scooped me up onto his motorbike and drove me back to the shoot.
We still had to finish the rest of the song. Ugh! By this time the crowd of people watching had grown into the hundreds (as if I wasn’t embarrassed enough). We had to dance more, and when the director realized that I could actually dance he offered to send everyone away so I would actually dance in front of the camera (I am not a performer so I told him not to bother). The director had us do a bunch of random stupid stuff and we ended the video with all of us “free styling” (if you can call it that). I was all set to leave when the producer (also the star) wanted to do a scene holding my hand, singing to me, with me laughing at him.
We finished filming at 7.30 pm. It was a long day of doing something I wasn’t too thrilled with. The only positive aspect of the day was getting to know the two other girls and the makeup artist (even though he didn’t put any makeup on me because I “have a natural beauty”). Flattery really doesn’t work on me.
The director asked me if I would be in his films in the future.
The next time I spend the entire day being humiliated I plan on getting paid big money for it :)
16.9.08
I ATE RAW FISH IN DELHI
No, I’m not joking.
Orientation was quite the broad mix of events. It included attending extravagant dinners hosted by AIF’s wealthy board members, meeting famous politicians, and touring India’s most famous art museum with the director after hours.
I also went on tours of Delhi led by street children, learned about the plight of waste-pickers in Delhi, and was bombarded by beggars on the street.
AIF arranged for us to learn about issues in India from activists working to change them. My favorites included Ashok Row Kavi, the first out gay man in India; a feminist activist, and a woman working to improve the lives of waste-pickers in Delhi. They were all quite inspiring.
On my free day I journeyed to Agra with five friends (my husbands for the day). Agra Fort and especially the Taj Mahal far surpassed my expectations. Both were stunningly beautiful. Unfortunately we only had an hour at the Taj and a portion of my time was spent avoiding people taking pictures of me. I could’ve spent all day sitting there staring at it.
Although I had some problems with orientation, I learned a lot. Interestingly, the sessions on microfinance and livelihoods added to my previous reservations about microfinance as a tool to end poverty. (As an aside, I was also reading Mohammed Yunus’ Banker to the Poor which really made me critique microfinance). I’m trying to withhold judgment until I dig into my work and get a very thorough perspective of the way it plays out on the ground.
And now I’m in Mhaswad.
To get here I flew from Delhi to Pune and then drove 3 ½ gorgeous hours out to the middle of nowhere. I was immediately dropped off at work and began reading a bunch of Mann Deshi’s literature. Everyone at work has been very kind and helpful.
I’m living with my mentor, Chetna Sinha. She’s the founder of the organization and has a really nice house. There are separate accommodations for guests which is great since I get my own space but also spend time with her family. To top it off, she lives on a beautiful farm and they get cobras and vipers a few times a month!! How awesome is that?? There are lots of animals and people wandering around, and we get fresh fruits (papaya and pomegranate right now) and vegetables from their farm.
Life is lovely :)
On Road India
Traffic here is a mystery to me. The road can be absolutely terrifying. Here (and throughout my stay) I will post scary things that I experience/witness on the road.
1. On the way back from Agra we had to hire a driver because all of the trains were booked. Halfway through the drive home we noticed that our driver was falling asleep. Turns out he hadn’t slept in three days. For the last half-hour of the trip he had to frequently stop to splash his face with cold water.
2. On our way back from an NGO visit in rural Rajasthan our bus driver decided that our side of the highway (2-3 lanes) had too much traffic. Solution? Drive over the median onto the other side of the road. We were driving on the wrong side of the road on a highway with trucks and cars coming directly at us!
3. Vehicles do not slow down for children. This morning I saw a little girl get hit by a motorcycle. She was completely fine (she didn’t even cry), but the driver’s response was to stop and yell at her.
No photos until I get a better internet connection :(
Orientation was quite the broad mix of events. It included attending extravagant dinners hosted by AIF’s wealthy board members, meeting famous politicians, and touring India’s most famous art museum with the director after hours.
I also went on tours of Delhi led by street children, learned about the plight of waste-pickers in Delhi, and was bombarded by beggars on the street.
AIF arranged for us to learn about issues in India from activists working to change them. My favorites included Ashok Row Kavi, the first out gay man in India; a feminist activist, and a woman working to improve the lives of waste-pickers in Delhi. They were all quite inspiring.
On my free day I journeyed to Agra with five friends (my husbands for the day). Agra Fort and especially the Taj Mahal far surpassed my expectations. Both were stunningly beautiful. Unfortunately we only had an hour at the Taj and a portion of my time was spent avoiding people taking pictures of me. I could’ve spent all day sitting there staring at it.
Although I had some problems with orientation, I learned a lot. Interestingly, the sessions on microfinance and livelihoods added to my previous reservations about microfinance as a tool to end poverty. (As an aside, I was also reading Mohammed Yunus’ Banker to the Poor which really made me critique microfinance). I’m trying to withhold judgment until I dig into my work and get a very thorough perspective of the way it plays out on the ground.
And now I’m in Mhaswad.
To get here I flew from Delhi to Pune and then drove 3 ½ gorgeous hours out to the middle of nowhere. I was immediately dropped off at work and began reading a bunch of Mann Deshi’s literature. Everyone at work has been very kind and helpful.
I’m living with my mentor, Chetna Sinha. She’s the founder of the organization and has a really nice house. There are separate accommodations for guests which is great since I get my own space but also spend time with her family. To top it off, she lives on a beautiful farm and they get cobras and vipers a few times a month!! How awesome is that?? There are lots of animals and people wandering around, and we get fresh fruits (papaya and pomegranate right now) and vegetables from their farm.
Life is lovely :)
On Road India
Traffic here is a mystery to me. The road can be absolutely terrifying. Here (and throughout my stay) I will post scary things that I experience/witness on the road.
1. On the way back from Agra we had to hire a driver because all of the trains were booked. Halfway through the drive home we noticed that our driver was falling asleep. Turns out he hadn’t slept in three days. For the last half-hour of the trip he had to frequently stop to splash his face with cold water.
2. On our way back from an NGO visit in rural Rajasthan our bus driver decided that our side of the highway (2-3 lanes) had too much traffic. Solution? Drive over the median onto the other side of the road. We were driving on the wrong side of the road on a highway with trucks and cars coming directly at us!
3. Vehicles do not slow down for children. This morning I saw a little girl get hit by a motorcycle. She was completely fine (she didn’t even cry), but the driver’s response was to stop and yell at her.
No photos until I get a better internet connection :(
3.9.08
Nostalgia
India has its own unique scent. It certainly isn't bad, and although I wouldn't call it pleasant either I somehow find myself drawn to it.
People say that smell is the sense most strongly tied to memory. The fact that I was going to be living in India for 10 months didn't really set in until I stepped out of the airport, took a deep breath of the Delhi air, and was flooded with wonderful memories from last summer. To most people the thought of Delhi air probably sounds repulsive but to me it's strangely comforting.
I'm here, I'm safe, and I feel invigorated!
Much love <3
People say that smell is the sense most strongly tied to memory. The fact that I was going to be living in India for 10 months didn't really set in until I stepped out of the airport, took a deep breath of the Delhi air, and was flooded with wonderful memories from last summer. To most people the thought of Delhi air probably sounds repulsive but to me it's strangely comforting.
I'm here, I'm safe, and I feel invigorated!
Much love <3
18.8.08
My Very First Post :)
Hi Friends and Family!I have decided to replace my long email updates with this blog. It looks prettier and I can post pictures with my text. Plus it's nice to have a single place I can go to find a kind of journal-ish summary of my travels (rather than digging through my email). You can also post comments to my blog and see what others have said (or you can always email me personally). Some of you will receive an automatic email from the blog whenever I update; all of you will receive an email from me personally.
Now, to give you an idea of what's going on with me and India...
I leave the US on Saturday, 30 August, and arrive in Delhi the following evening. I'll be attending jam-packed training sessions in Delhi for the first two weeks before heading to the rural village, Mhaswad, located in Maharashtra. What's in Mhaswad? What's the point of me going to India?
Mannvikas Samajik Sanstha (MVSS) is located there. MVSS is the non-profit sector of Mann Deshi, a microfinance bank that works to improve the lives of rural women in India. My duties will include setting up entire programs and designing entire studies. Do I have a Ph.D., or even a Master's? Do I know anything about microfinance? Am I qualified for that kind of work?
NO! However, I feel blessed to have an opportunity like this and am beyond excited to give it all a try :)
Welcome to my blog!
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