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This morning began with an early rise. For those of you who know me well, you know that I often sleep in past 10, 11 or even noon. But in India I go to bed much earlier and I wake up early as well. Today I awoke at 6am, and was not able to fall back asleep. In my dreams, I am always in the US, so it is my time to go home and be with friends and family. But today that was cut short. So instead I went to the office and instant messaged with my parents, which is always a comfort. They were upbeat and encouraging as always (which I have come to depend on) and I left feeling a little brighter and ready to begin my day. Breakfast was quick, with toast and pineapple jam. Then class. I wish class was longer and more often because I enjoy it so much. I had 5 students today and we practiced sentences, speaking and played a few games. After class I read a few of the documents from one of the social workers. I am supposed to begin helping her next week and Father wanted me to have a full comprehension of the project. I think for the beginning my primary work will be documenting programs. Which is great, because I enjoy typing and going to programs.
Then I corrected some documentation from yesterday with Susmita. She is a student of mine who also works as a social worker at SWI. Her focus is on Anti-Human Trafficking and HIV Prevention. She is very nice, and we have become friends. Which is a Godsend, because I was in desperate need of a friend. During our work, there was a parade outside of the office, so we went and watched the parade. It was for a school that had been open 25 years. There were children in the back of trucks dressed as Hindu gods, and students and teachers walking down the street in their best dress. There was also singing. It was very exciting. After the parade was over and we finished the corrections, she invited me on a field visit to one of the villages that afternoon. I was very excited to go, and Fr. said I could as long as I ate an early lunch. He made me curry with fish. The fish was whole and I ate it! It tasted very good although the bones were very difficult to remove. Then it was time for the field visit.
We took a mix between and auto (an auto is a vehicle with no doors, seats and a top) and a jeep (car), called a trekker. It has a front seat and middle seat and in the back there are seats on the sides. Originally there were 6 people in front, 5 in the middle and 8 in the back. We squeezed in the back. As we continued to drive more people came on. At one point in time I counted around 28 people. There were also people hanging on the sides and sitting on the top of the vehicle. Being in India I have a new definition of personal space. And it makes me laugh to see people stare at me, when they are sitting so close to me! The drive was about an hour maybe more but that was okay because I enjoy seeing the village areas. Then we got off of the auto and got on a new vehicle. It was a bike in front and attached was what looked kind of like a door lying down. We sat on the door and a man drove the bike. We went down a dirt road to the coordinators house. She was very nice and we sat in her house and spoke for a minute or two. Then the three of us went to another village to speak to the leader of the Self Help Group (SHG). The way that SWI does development in the villages is through SHG’s, which are groups of 8-10 village people who live in the same area. They have monthly or bimonthly meetings and work on projects to improve their community and their lives. These vary from health, sanitation, microfinance, and various other awareness programs. As we drove to the village and while we were in the village everyone stared at me as though I had 8 heads and purple skin! I have decided that it is best to smile at anyone who stares at me, because a smile means the same thing in many languages. The SHG was very welcoming and showed me their latest project, supporting their income by making plates out of leaves. They showed me the sewing machine that they used to make the leaf plates. Mom you would have loved to see the machine! The thread was suspended from the roof above, the machine looked as though it was made in the 40’s! They were working so hard and were so welcoming. They also were making what I can only describe as pop rice. It looked and tasted like popcorn (minus the butter and the salt) but it was small, about the size of a rice kernel. They were making the plates and the pop rice and ways to supplement their agriculture income. Also so they could put 30 rupees away in the bank every month, as a part of a microfinance program. It was so cool seeing development at such a basic level. Then we took the bike/door vehicle back to the larger village and the trecker vehicle back to Raiganj.
Susmita and I had coffee, there was evening prayer, and then we went down the street to the bank to see if my ATM card works, which – drum roll- it does!! On the walk over we saw a parade for a political party. After the ATM Susmita invited me to her house where I met her parents. We had tea (which is what everyone calls instant coffee) and biscuits. The biscuits were very good, they reminded me of an Indian version of the cookies at the Bistro with the corn flakes in them (well minus the chocolate). Her parents were very nice and her house was lovely. On the walk home we stopped by her sister-in-law and brothers house and met them and her aunt and uncle. Tomorrow we are going to the book fair, and it feels so great to have made a friend! It gives me confidence that as my time her progresses I will find a place that I fit. It is also very fun speaking with her, because she is still learning how to speak and understand English, she speaks very well, but often has difficulty understanding me, or finding the right words to use. But together we have been able to communicate and teach each other new things. She teaches me about India, and I help her with her English.
Oh! And I have not updated about last night. Father Puthumai, Father Herman, Father Markus and I went to Assha’s house for dinner. The past two or three days have been a holiday for some, celebrating the rice harvest. Assha works at SWI giving immunizations. We drove a good 30 minutes and parked at a convent. Then walked the rest of the way because otherwise the car would have gotten stuck in the dirt. It was dark and it was very difficult to see down the dirt paths. When we arrived there were four chairs on the deck and a bench in front of them. We shook hands with the family and were served. The dinner was rice in different forms. Rice in a ball, rice in a patty, flat rice. It was very good. The flat rice was cooked in mustard oil, which I was excited to hear because I have seen mustard flowers blooming everywhere and was wondering what it was used for. I asked Fr. Puthumai if it is customary not to eat with guests. He said that in India, guests are treated as though they are God. Because of this you serve your guests and eat either before or after. I was very happy to learn this, because it explains a lot about Indian hospitality. I also learned why all of the homes are up about three feet off the ground; it is for protection from floods (which occur often during the rainy season). On the walk home, I was in shock at how clear the stars were. I have never ever seen that many stars. They were so beautiful I was breathless. I was tripping every three seconds because I was trying to look up and admire them. Back at the car we went inside and said hello to the sisters. They were very nice, and offered us food, but we were so full from dinner we only had water. Those sisters run a primary school, and a boys and girls hostel. It is customary here to have a hostel to house village children at because schools are so far away from villages. Then we drove home, and on the drive, I felt more at peace than I have this entire trip. It was a sign that I am making progress, and that with time, and strength I will fully adjust.