Today began with a conversation with Mom and Dad, my favorite way to start the day. Then breakfast and some newspaper reading. I have never particularly enjoyed Sudoku, because I am awful at it, but I have been trying recently, and I may be getting better, or I may be getting worse, either way I enjoy them. Then I left for the orphanage run by the Missionaries of Charity. I went by rickshaw with the gate keeper from SWI, and I came home alone! My first experience in India alone, and I did very well, if I do say so myself.
At the orphanage there are orphans and children who are sick and need special medical attention. It is also a place where pregnant women can come, deliver their babies and then leave the baby if they are not able to care of it. There are 40+ (a rough estimate) children ranging from newborn to 15+. When I arrived I was taken to a room towards the back with the older children, ages 7-12. They were in the middle of some sort of school lesson being taught by one of the older orphans. They were all sitting in neat rows of plastic red chairs. When we entered (the Sr. and myself) they said good morning in unison and then came and touched our toes! After this the Sr. left and the children began to speak Bengali at me. I of course, did not understand, until one boy shouted sing!! I laughed at this request, slightly embarrassed and try to communicate that I wanted them to sing to me. After a few minutes they began to understand and sang me a few songs. They were standing, smiling and singing what I think were probably hymnals. It was really quite adorable. Then I sang a short version of “I am a Little Teapot” which brought more laughs then anticipated; but all in good fun. The children sang “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”, after which I taught them all the body parts I could think of in English. They taught me a few in Bengali, unfortunately, none of which I can remember. Then it was time for breakfast. While they ate, I helped one of the women (whom I assumed is employed by the orphanage) to feed some of the babies out front. There were 4 cribs on the patio in front and there were 3-4 babies in each crib. Some of the babies were sleeping and there were flies crawling all over them. Later in the day I saw cribs with sleeping babies with fly nets atop them, which I thought was an ingenious invention. After breakfast the older children turned on music and told me to dance!! I started stepping side to side, and they followed exactly what I did. Then I stepped side-to-side, and front to back. They caught on very quickly and before I knew it the whole room was dancing, clapping and laughing. Then I taught a few of them how to play (oh gosh, I don’t know what to call it, I will describe it: when two people stand facing each other and clap their hands together to a song, little girls play this all of the time, well anywho) a clap hands game. They enjoyed this and I played with each of them as fast as they could. Then we sat in a circle and played “Down by the Bay”, a hand clapping game, then I found a clean rag, and we played musical rag. You passed the rag around the circle while the music was on, and if the music turned off while you were holding the rag you were out. I am still amazed that anyone understood any of my explanations for any of the games. As the day went on there was lunch, more games, the hokey pokey, and English words. It was great to play with the kids, even though the language barrier was difficult at times, and their circumstances were heartbreaking. Children always remind me of humanity’s resilience and ability to endure.
Then in the afternoon, after my solo auto ride home (which I am very proud of!) I dinked around SWI and poked my head in on the meetings that were taking place. There was an HIV/AIDS training for SWI staff happening in Bengali and a training for NGO’s involved in a platform for girls education on data collection/analysis also in Bengali. Lunch was ordered out, which was my first Indian take out experience. The lunch was in a box, which was about the size of a personal pizza. There was a plate of rice and lots of other food in bags tied at the top with rubber bands. There was mutton, vegetables in spices, dal, a sweet sauce and a sweet doughnut hole shaped dessert. It was very good, I split my rice with Fr. Herman though because it was more rice then I could eat.
Then I spent some time reading in the sun sitting on the steps before Susmita, Barnali and I went to the book fair. There is a book fair visiting Raiganj for the weekend. They bring in books from all over India and sell them at booths in a field just down the road. Street vendors set up all around and it is generally a good time. I, as many of you know, am addicted to books, so it was an especially exciting event for me. Many of the stands didn’t have English books, but the ones that did were sure to dig them out and show me. I bought two books, one by Amitav Ghosh and another about Indian family dynamics-both fiction. Father joined us about half way through. After browsing the books for a while, we had some food from the street vendors. We had pooch-ka which is these crunchy shell things, filled with something that did not contain meet, but did contain spices and then dipped in lemon water. They were surprisingly good. I also had grilled corn, which is corn husked and put directly onto a grill. It tastes much different then corn on the cob, but is very good. On the walk home (Father had left early) we went to Barnali’s house and had tea. She lived in a very nice apartment close to SWI. We had tea, biscuits and watched Spiderman in Hindi. It was a lot of fun. Then I back to SWI, had dinner, and fell asleep very early.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
1/16
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.
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.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
1/14 and 1/15
My classes have begun and it is so nice to have something consistent to do everyday. Even though the classes are only 2 hours a day, it is really good to be able to count on 2 hours of business a day. I am also really enjoying my students. They are the first people I have met around my age, and they talk to me (even though they are forced to) in English, which is nice.
Wednesday was a pretty empty day. Not a lot to do. It is Sister Novenas last day here, and it will be sad to see her leave, even though I have only known her for a few days, she is very nice. She is being transferred to Calcutta. Yesterday her and I worked on a report together and we spoke about the joys and sorrows of leaving old places and going to new places. It was very good to talk to her about it, she is so strong, and helped me to see that I can be strong too. In the afternoon she took me with another Sr. down the street to the market, we purchased fruit and ran a few errands. The sisters bought me some mandarin oranges and a coconut! Then in the evening I went to the Missionaries of Charity home for dinner. I prayed with them, which was very nice. It comforts me in a way that nothing else does. And with all the adjustment I need as much comfort as possible! But I wasn't able/allowed to eat dinner with them, so I ate alone in a front room. They run an orphanage at the house, and the kids came into pray after we were done praying. I hope to be able to play with them soon. I rode in an auto and a rickshaw yesterday, two new experiences!
Today (1/15) I had class in the morning (8-10) which was very good. Yesterday I only had 3 students and they showed up very late. But today I had 8 students and they all mostly showed up on time. We did sentence correction, grammar, speaking, and games. So far it has been my favorite thing to do here, teach! I guess it has really been one of the only things I have been allowed to do, but all the same I enjoyed it. Int he classroom though (Mom I know this will make you scream) there were mice running around! The classroom is at SWI, which is the compound area that I am staying at. So I do not have to walk to work, and it is the first time I have seen a mouse here.
I would like to thank everyone for their emails and comments, and let you know how much I appreciate them. I know that as time goes on and I have more to do, I will not feel as out of place and lonely and I do feel like I adjust more a little everyday. But nevertheless the comments are very helpful and I especially enjoy hearing about like back in the states. And know that I love you all and miss you tons!
The wireless here is still not working, so I am not able to skype anyone, but Fr gave me a USB drive so I can transfer my blog posts from my computer to my the office computer. I am hoping the wireless will be fixed soon and I can skype everyone.
More than anything I have been praying for companionship through my journey and peace in my heart. It is easy to be nervous and anxious here when I have very little control over my life, especially since I am a control freak!! It gets lonely sometimes, so I am very glad that I brought my books and am discovering the good friend that I can be for myself. I am also praying that as time progresses I am able to see and experience lots of new things. But I also hope for productivity. It is getting difficult having so much time on my hands.
Today is the first day I am wearing my Indian dress. I have gotten quite a few compliments from staff! The legs on the pants are a little short, but that makes sense since everyone here is a good foot shorter than I am!
I think that I all for now, sorry that the posts came all at once, but hopefully they will help to convey the pieces of my experience so far. Sending all of my love.
Wednesday was a pretty empty day. Not a lot to do. It is Sister Novenas last day here, and it will be sad to see her leave, even though I have only known her for a few days, she is very nice. She is being transferred to Calcutta. Yesterday her and I worked on a report together and we spoke about the joys and sorrows of leaving old places and going to new places. It was very good to talk to her about it, she is so strong, and helped me to see that I can be strong too. In the afternoon she took me with another Sr. down the street to the market, we purchased fruit and ran a few errands. The sisters bought me some mandarin oranges and a coconut! Then in the evening I went to the Missionaries of Charity home for dinner. I prayed with them, which was very nice. It comforts me in a way that nothing else does. And with all the adjustment I need as much comfort as possible! But I wasn't able/allowed to eat dinner with them, so I ate alone in a front room. They run an orphanage at the house, and the kids came into pray after we were done praying. I hope to be able to play with them soon. I rode in an auto and a rickshaw yesterday, two new experiences!
Today (1/15) I had class in the morning (8-10) which was very good. Yesterday I only had 3 students and they showed up very late. But today I had 8 students and they all mostly showed up on time. We did sentence correction, grammar, speaking, and games. So far it has been my favorite thing to do here, teach! I guess it has really been one of the only things I have been allowed to do, but all the same I enjoyed it. Int he classroom though (Mom I know this will make you scream) there were mice running around! The classroom is at SWI, which is the compound area that I am staying at. So I do not have to walk to work, and it is the first time I have seen a mouse here.
I would like to thank everyone for their emails and comments, and let you know how much I appreciate them. I know that as time goes on and I have more to do, I will not feel as out of place and lonely and I do feel like I adjust more a little everyday. But nevertheless the comments are very helpful and I especially enjoy hearing about like back in the states. And know that I love you all and miss you tons!
The wireless here is still not working, so I am not able to skype anyone, but Fr gave me a USB drive so I can transfer my blog posts from my computer to my the office computer. I am hoping the wireless will be fixed soon and I can skype everyone.
More than anything I have been praying for companionship through my journey and peace in my heart. It is easy to be nervous and anxious here when I have very little control over my life, especially since I am a control freak!! It gets lonely sometimes, so I am very glad that I brought my books and am discovering the good friend that I can be for myself. I am also praying that as time progresses I am able to see and experience lots of new things. But I also hope for productivity. It is getting difficult having so much time on my hands.
Today is the first day I am wearing my Indian dress. I have gotten quite a few compliments from staff! The legs on the pants are a little short, but that makes sense since everyone here is a good foot shorter than I am!
I think that I all for now, sorry that the posts came all at once, but hopefully they will help to convey the pieces of my experience so far. Sending all of my love.
1/13
Today I spoke with Mom and Dad over instant messenger. It was so great to hear from them! They are very hopeful about my adjustment and they help make everything look brighter. I miss them very much!! I started my morning of with that, 8am my time, 7:30pm theirs. We talked for a very long time, and although I felt that I was in the way at the office computer, I was too happy to be speaking with them to mind all the much. I also did not take breakfast today because of my stomachache from last night. After someone asked to use the computer, I said goodbye (with very few tears!) and went to the dining room to read the newspaper and have some water. I think that is why I had a headache yesterday, because I didn’t drink enough water. After reading for about an hour, I am here typing this. I know that many of you will be wondering why I haven’t posted on my blog for so long, and why so many posts came at once, but it is because the wireless Internet does not work yet. So I type on my computer in my room, and once the wireless works, I will post them all at once. I miss everyone at home though and know that you are all in my thoughts.
It is particularly cold today. It is foggy again, which I am getting sick of. When it is foggy the air is very wet which makes everything feel colder. I hope that the fog clears today and that the weather improves soon. Although I have been told that once the weather gets warmer it will be very warm usually 90 degrees and I will be very hot. So I am trying to stop complaining and enjoy the weather we have (besides the fog, I don’t like the fog). The fog also makes driving even more crazy, because you can’t see anyone.
I just got my phone card! This means that I can call anyone in the US for 6 rupees. From what I can tell, around 50 rupees make 1 dollar. It is a prepaid system, so you buy a phone card of sorts worth so many rupees and then charge your phone that many rupees. Right now I have 550 rupee on my phone, so I can talk for 90 minutes before I have to go to the store for more. But I have no one’s phone number in my phone, so I will call Mom and Dad and try to skype everyone else. Also, Father said the wireless Internet man is supposed to come today. I think that means we will have wireless within the week.
Getting my phone card was my first Indian experience alone. First of all getting a phone card (SIM card) is difficult because there have been terrorists who use them. So phone companies want to make sure they aren’t giving phone service to terrorists. This means that I had to give them a copy of my passport and visa, a copy of Fathers passport, a picture of me, and a letter from Father saying that I am in fact staying here. Once we got all of those documents together father walked me down the street to the phone shop. He spoke with the man and told me how much money it would be. Then he left; he said he wanted me to learn how to speak with Indians on my own. The man spoke some English and I was only 40 feet away from SWI, but I was alone. The first problem was that my old SIM card would not come out of my phone. Then after 15 minutes the man was able to pry it out. The next problem was that I didn’t have Father’s cell phone number, which I needed. So I walked back to SWI (crossing the street alone for the first time) and looked for Father. He was no where to be found, but I found the man we had dinner with last night and asked him for Father’s cell phone number. I was in luck! He had Father’s cell phone, and that was the last mishap of the experience. Back at the phone shop the man called a few people, had me sign in 3 different places and called some more people. Finally he showed me how to check how many rupees I have left on my phone and I paid. All in all, a success!
This afternoon we went to the village again to finish the program. Father took me for a walk through the village and we went inside one of the village family’s homes. There was one room/building for the kitchen (a stove) and in a separate room/building there was a bed and some shelves. He said that this was a wealthier village family, because they had a bed and thick blankets. Then after the last speaker the whole group went on a march through the village with a sign that said “Health is our Right.” A few of the group members were chanting things. Once we were back at the program room the program participants read the demands they had for health in their village. I didn’t understand them, and I was still impressed. On the drive home we took a taxi jeep. These are the vehicles that I have previously mentioned carrying 40 people. When we got in, there was only 1 other man in the jeep. But after 20 minutes there were 6 people in the front seat, 4 in the back seat, upwards of 15 in the far back (like the bed of a truck with a top piece), and 5 or 6 on top. There was a man who was taking money and he swung his head in the side window, while we were going down the street, asking everyone to pay. It was quite the experience! Then when we got off my cell phone was not in my pocket. I yelled at Father and he looked in the back where I had been sitting, luckily it was there!!
It is particularly cold today. It is foggy again, which I am getting sick of. When it is foggy the air is very wet which makes everything feel colder. I hope that the fog clears today and that the weather improves soon. Although I have been told that once the weather gets warmer it will be very warm usually 90 degrees and I will be very hot. So I am trying to stop complaining and enjoy the weather we have (besides the fog, I don’t like the fog). The fog also makes driving even more crazy, because you can’t see anyone.
I just got my phone card! This means that I can call anyone in the US for 6 rupees. From what I can tell, around 50 rupees make 1 dollar. It is a prepaid system, so you buy a phone card of sorts worth so many rupees and then charge your phone that many rupees. Right now I have 550 rupee on my phone, so I can talk for 90 minutes before I have to go to the store for more. But I have no one’s phone number in my phone, so I will call Mom and Dad and try to skype everyone else. Also, Father said the wireless Internet man is supposed to come today. I think that means we will have wireless within the week.
Getting my phone card was my first Indian experience alone. First of all getting a phone card (SIM card) is difficult because there have been terrorists who use them. So phone companies want to make sure they aren’t giving phone service to terrorists. This means that I had to give them a copy of my passport and visa, a copy of Fathers passport, a picture of me, and a letter from Father saying that I am in fact staying here. Once we got all of those documents together father walked me down the street to the phone shop. He spoke with the man and told me how much money it would be. Then he left; he said he wanted me to learn how to speak with Indians on my own. The man spoke some English and I was only 40 feet away from SWI, but I was alone. The first problem was that my old SIM card would not come out of my phone. Then after 15 minutes the man was able to pry it out. The next problem was that I didn’t have Father’s cell phone number, which I needed. So I walked back to SWI (crossing the street alone for the first time) and looked for Father. He was no where to be found, but I found the man we had dinner with last night and asked him for Father’s cell phone number. I was in luck! He had Father’s cell phone, and that was the last mishap of the experience. Back at the phone shop the man called a few people, had me sign in 3 different places and called some more people. Finally he showed me how to check how many rupees I have left on my phone and I paid. All in all, a success!
This afternoon we went to the village again to finish the program. Father took me for a walk through the village and we went inside one of the village family’s homes. There was one room/building for the kitchen (a stove) and in a separate room/building there was a bed and some shelves. He said that this was a wealthier village family, because they had a bed and thick blankets. Then after the last speaker the whole group went on a march through the village with a sign that said “Health is our Right.” A few of the group members were chanting things. Once we were back at the program room the program participants read the demands they had for health in their village. I didn’t understand them, and I was still impressed. On the drive home we took a taxi jeep. These are the vehicles that I have previously mentioned carrying 40 people. When we got in, there was only 1 other man in the jeep. But after 20 minutes there were 6 people in the front seat, 4 in the back seat, upwards of 15 in the far back (like the bed of a truck with a top piece), and 5 or 6 on top. There was a man who was taking money and he swung his head in the side window, while we were going down the street, asking everyone to pay. It was quite the experience! Then when we got off my cell phone was not in my pocket. I yelled at Father and he looked in the back where I had been sitting, luckily it was there!!
1/12
Today was a good ay. I went to a village for a program with Sister Novena, Monasee, and another Sister. The program was about health and there were various speakers who presented on different issues. About 40 people came from the villages. The entire program was in Bengali, so I understood none of it. We left at 8:30 to drive to the village. The roads to the villages are only one lane wide and to both sides there is farmland. There is wheat, mustard, and rice paddy. The drive took about an hour, but we drove through many villages on the way. It was so interesting to see all of the materials the houses were built out of and there were farm animals everywhere. When we arrived at the village, we had to have the gate to the government building the program was being held at opened. Apparently when it is foggy people usually stay home until 11am, when the fog usually clears. Once the gate was opened, we unloaded the van and then all there was left to do was wait. We waited for people to come, there were 50 people registered and only 3 or 4 were there. Then there was a loud crash and a bark in the street. A man on a motorbike had crashed because of a dog running in the road. The man was very badly injured; he had hit his head, and had very bad road burn on his body. Within 30 seconds there was a crowd of 60 people surrounding him, everyone yelling something in Bengali. Someone called the ambulance and it took about 30-45 minutes to arrive. I asked one of the Sisters why we could not take him in our car to the hospital and she said that the police needed to make some sort of report. We continued waiting after that, and a few more people began to show up. Fr. Puthumai arrived, and shortly after we began the program. He brought with him chairs, because the village people were sitting on the floor and the SWI staff and program people were all sitting in chairs. He said that it is important to always think first about promoting the human dignity of the poor. That is a reason why the chairs were important, because that way everyone was equal. That statement was my first very large lesson of today. I think (remember this all happened in Bengali, so I’m not 100% sure my retelling is in any way accurate) that we began with a prayer and then the lighting of this metal tower that had a cross on top and was draped in marigold leis. The first woman who spoke was telling the village people what medical services were available and what medical services they needed if they were pregnant or if they had young children. This woman spoke for a very long time. Sister Novena would tell me every 15 minutes or so what was going on. Then Sister Novena took me with her; we walked down the road to one of the village family’s homes. The NGO’s that were putting on the program were providing lunch for everyone, and the village homes we walked to was where the food was being prepared. She introduced me to the villagers that were there, and they were very nice, smiling at me, and offering me tea and biscuits. Sister also taught me how to say hello and thank you in Bengali- hello is na-ma-scar and thank you is dough-no-ba (that is my phonetic spelling). Then we went back to listen to a man speak to the village people about local governing. Around that time a 10 year old girl arrived with her father and was instructed to sit next to me. She attends St. Xavier’s school and spoke perfect English! She was very talkative and helped to explain what was happening. She was the best translator I had the entire time. Then the other Sister and I went to have lunch. It was 3:30 by then and way past lunch time. One things about SWI is that meals are very structured. You eat breakfast at 7:30, lunch at 12:00, coffee at 4:00 and dinner at 8:00. So it was very late for us to be eating lunch. We sat on a bench and put our plates on a bench in front of us. The families that had prepared the food lived in houses that were made of sticks, brush and mud. It was so cool! The plates that we ate on were made out of leaves! The leaves were stitched together, and I kid you not, they looked exactly like paper plates, expect for the being made out of leaves part. The lunch was rice, dal, and spicy vegetables. There was also fish, but I still haven’t gotten up the nerve to eat any of the fish and I decided today was not going to be the day. Sister asked the family to make me an egg after I refused the fish. I was a little embarrassed, but eggs seem to be very common here, so I felt okay. The egg was by far the best thing I have eaten since I have been here. It was a fried egg, and they had cooked it until there was nothing runny. That is exactly how I like my eggs at home, I couldn’t have been happier. I didn’t eat my spicy vegetables, because they were too pungent, but sister didn’t eat hers either, so I felt okay about that. Then we washed up, said thank you and left. Back at the program there was a new person speaking. I sat down next to Pee-a(the short a)-lee, the 10 year old girl with the wonderful English. The new people speaking were three government officials/administrators. They were from the block level, which I think is like a region or district. They were very fervent. They were talking about sanitation. The village has little to no sanitation and they were encouraging people to put sanitation in their houses. I think by this they were referring to toilets. At one point in time Pee-a-lee laughed and looked at me, she said that the man was talking about me. He said, that the women in the first row (a Hindu village woman) was the same as me, we both had two eyes and a mouth, and we both deserved sanitation. She seemed to laugh at this, but I found it very insightful and comforting. It was the first time someone pointed out how similar I am to people here, instead of how different. After he was done speaking, it was time to go. The drive back was very foggy and the headlights gave me a headache. At SWI I took a nap, because my head hurt, and then Father came and got me for dinner. We went to a hotel next door to meet a friend of his who used to work for CRS and now works for an insurance agency. We had dinner in his hotel room, we had French fries, beens/peas, and tomato flavored lays chips for appetizers and then fry bread, dal and tiki (unsure on the spelling) chicken. The chicken was very spicy and later in the night I had a stomachache. We talked about my time here, what I wanted to accomplish, what I expected, and the differences between the US and India. It was very good conversation. The power went out while we were ordering, which is apparently quite normal in India. Father said it was surprising that the power had not gone out since I had been here. The first time the power was only gone for a few minutes and the second time only a few seconds. Later back at SWI I went for quickly to bed. My headache was very bad by then and my stomach had starting hurting. I was able to fall asleep (thank God!) and slept well.
1/11
Life so far moves at a very different pace here. Everywhere you go people serve you coffee, which ends up taking quite a bit of time. The coffee is instant and usually contains a large spoonful of brown sugar. You stay until you have consumed the entire cup of coffee. This practice makes life seem slower, and more focused around people. In contrast, when you are in a car, taxi, rickshaw, auto, bus, bicycle or motorbike, time is of the essence. It seems to be important to go fast, weave around others, and make as much noise with you horn as possible. Driving is an act of faith in India, and an example of life moving very quickly. There is also a lot of downtime for me. Father is very busy, and so today for instance; I had time to myself from 1-4, 6-8 and 9 until bedtime. I spent most of the time from 1-4 writing lesson plans and typing this, but I also read. In the evenings I write in my journal, shower, and read. I think I will start a stretching routine for the evenings. I hope that as time progresses Father will let me help on projects for SWI, so that I can be helpful. But he has also told me that my first lesson in India is to relax, and slow down.
I went to mass this morning. I work up at 6:45 and mass was at 7am. I was amazed that I woke up on my own at that time, but I guess that is what happens when you go to bed at 10pm. The mass is in a room about the size of a dorm room, with a table up front acting as an alter. Everyone sits on the floor, women on the left side of the room and men on the right (which I admittedly messed up the first time I walked into the room, when I sat on the men’s side, then I noticed it, left the room, asked someone outside who didn’t understand me, and then went and sat next to one of the woman). You take your shoes off outside. The priests do the talking, but two nuns from the back of the room began all of the songs. The singing was beautiful, and I hummed along. There is standing, kneeling and sitting. People keep their heads bowed during most of the service. I don’t understand Bengali, so I can’t be completely sure as to what was happening, but I seemed to recognize a few elements of the mass: the peace, the Nicene creed, the homily, and the communion. I understood two words in Bengali, first was Christo, which I assume means Christ, and second John, which I think was talking about John the Baptist. For the peace you hold you palms together over your heart and bow at people, for communion the women walk up first and then the men. After mass I talked with a man who was very nice, and then with a younger man who told me a lot about how schools work in India. It is neat being able to meet new people and I feel I have been decently outgoing.
I went to DDC today, which is also known as the training center. I don’t know who lives there (besides the nuns), but it is a large compound with dogs, chickens, pigs, cows, and lots of vegetables and other crops growing. At one point in time the sister who was showing us around mentioned a snake being there last week, and I have to admit I was officially freaked out from that point on. I also visited the Missionaries of Charity; they work with children who are sick and/or orphaned. Fr. Puthumai was taking a dog from DDC to the MC’s so they could breed the dog with one of theirs. We stayed there for coffee and to see that the dogs were introduced to each other. We also stopped by St. Xavier School, which is a school for wealthy children. I was introduced to quite a few men, who I assume were priests. The school was very large, and the priests were nice.
My favorite meal so far is breakfast. For breakfast we get to use silverware and there are noodles, which I very much so enjoy. There is also toast and hard-boiled eggs. At breakfast today I tried a potato like vegetable, tapioca. It was very starchy, but tasted fine. Lunch today was rice, dal, what looked like peas cooked in something spicy, potatoes that were very good, small Indian bananas, mandarins with lots of seeds and fried fish. I ate the rice with my hand, and let me tell you that is harder than it looks. You use your four fingers as a spoon and then your thumb to scoop/push the food into your mouth. The Fathers made fun of me, because I was not very good at it. I have not been eating very much, but I am not very hungry. The Fathers comment at every meal about the things that I don’t eat or the amounts of the things that I do eat. It is a little strange being served, and none of the servers seem to speak English, so I can’t communicate with them. It is also different eating with 3 Fathers, although conversation seems to flow relatively smoothly. At dinner we watch the news while we eat. We take a coffee break at 4pm, and today Father had one of the servants go buy somosas from a street vendor. Everyone was laughing, speaking Bengali and looking at me. I asked Father what was in them before I ate one. It was wheat and pulses in the shell and potatoes and spices on the inside. They were spicy, but very good.
This evening we went shopping. Father and a woman who used to work for the SWI walked me down the street to buy two Indian outfits and shoes for the shower. One of the outfits is blue and the other is salmon. The blue one is cotton and premade, it has black stitching patterned into the fabric to look like flowers. The salmon one is chiffon and we took it to a tailor to be made, it also had gold sparkles on it. The woman who used to work at the SWI (and whose name started with an m) was very nice, she took me to the tailor and on the walk home we stopped and had tea and a hard-boiled egg from a street vendor.
The weather here has surprised me. When I stepped out of the airplane I began sweating almost immediately. The first night in Kolkata I thought I was going to sweat through my clothes. On the train up I was still warm. But in Raiganj it is cold. The temperature itself is pretty warm, but there is so much moisture in the air, that it makes your bones feel cold; especially at night and in the mornings. It was foggy this morning, and a few people from mass said that is normal.
I went to mass this morning. I work up at 6:45 and mass was at 7am. I was amazed that I woke up on my own at that time, but I guess that is what happens when you go to bed at 10pm. The mass is in a room about the size of a dorm room, with a table up front acting as an alter. Everyone sits on the floor, women on the left side of the room and men on the right (which I admittedly messed up the first time I walked into the room, when I sat on the men’s side, then I noticed it, left the room, asked someone outside who didn’t understand me, and then went and sat next to one of the woman). You take your shoes off outside. The priests do the talking, but two nuns from the back of the room began all of the songs. The singing was beautiful, and I hummed along. There is standing, kneeling and sitting. People keep their heads bowed during most of the service. I don’t understand Bengali, so I can’t be completely sure as to what was happening, but I seemed to recognize a few elements of the mass: the peace, the Nicene creed, the homily, and the communion. I understood two words in Bengali, first was Christo, which I assume means Christ, and second John, which I think was talking about John the Baptist. For the peace you hold you palms together over your heart and bow at people, for communion the women walk up first and then the men. After mass I talked with a man who was very nice, and then with a younger man who told me a lot about how schools work in India. It is neat being able to meet new people and I feel I have been decently outgoing.
I went to DDC today, which is also known as the training center. I don’t know who lives there (besides the nuns), but it is a large compound with dogs, chickens, pigs, cows, and lots of vegetables and other crops growing. At one point in time the sister who was showing us around mentioned a snake being there last week, and I have to admit I was officially freaked out from that point on. I also visited the Missionaries of Charity; they work with children who are sick and/or orphaned. Fr. Puthumai was taking a dog from DDC to the MC’s so they could breed the dog with one of theirs. We stayed there for coffee and to see that the dogs were introduced to each other. We also stopped by St. Xavier School, which is a school for wealthy children. I was introduced to quite a few men, who I assume were priests. The school was very large, and the priests were nice.
My favorite meal so far is breakfast. For breakfast we get to use silverware and there are noodles, which I very much so enjoy. There is also toast and hard-boiled eggs. At breakfast today I tried a potato like vegetable, tapioca. It was very starchy, but tasted fine. Lunch today was rice, dal, what looked like peas cooked in something spicy, potatoes that were very good, small Indian bananas, mandarins with lots of seeds and fried fish. I ate the rice with my hand, and let me tell you that is harder than it looks. You use your four fingers as a spoon and then your thumb to scoop/push the food into your mouth. The Fathers made fun of me, because I was not very good at it. I have not been eating very much, but I am not very hungry. The Fathers comment at every meal about the things that I don’t eat or the amounts of the things that I do eat. It is a little strange being served, and none of the servers seem to speak English, so I can’t communicate with them. It is also different eating with 3 Fathers, although conversation seems to flow relatively smoothly. At dinner we watch the news while we eat. We take a coffee break at 4pm, and today Father had one of the servants go buy somosas from a street vendor. Everyone was laughing, speaking Bengali and looking at me. I asked Father what was in them before I ate one. It was wheat and pulses in the shell and potatoes and spices on the inside. They were spicy, but very good.
This evening we went shopping. Father and a woman who used to work for the SWI walked me down the street to buy two Indian outfits and shoes for the shower. One of the outfits is blue and the other is salmon. The blue one is cotton and premade, it has black stitching patterned into the fabric to look like flowers. The salmon one is chiffon and we took it to a tailor to be made, it also had gold sparkles on it. The woman who used to work at the SWI (and whose name started with an m) was very nice, she took me to the tailor and on the walk home we stopped and had tea and a hard-boiled egg from a street vendor.
The weather here has surprised me. When I stepped out of the airplane I began sweating almost immediately. The first night in Kolkata I thought I was going to sweat through my clothes. On the train up I was still warm. But in Raiganj it is cold. The temperature itself is pretty warm, but there is so much moisture in the air, that it makes your bones feel cold; especially at night and in the mornings. It was foggy this morning, and a few people from mass said that is normal.
1/10
My journey to India began at 7am at the Boise Airport. First I took a 3-hour flight to Chicago, and then had a 4-hour layover. The flight out of Chicago was delayed an hour. The flight from Chicago to Frankfurt was 9 hours, and I had an aisle seat. The plane had TV’s for each chair. I watched Nights in Rodante, Desperate Housewives and took a nap. I was not able to sleep much and somewhere over the Atlantic my stomachache began. I arrived in Frankfurt at 7am and took a nap at my gate. Frankfurt was a strange airport, there were these signs all over that had a stick figure running to a square – I later determined that they were Exit signs, but nevertheless it bothered me for a good 3 hours. Part of the airport is a high-class mall and the other part reminded me distinctly of Ikea. I napped at my gate until an hour before boarding. Then I checked the monitor only to realize that my gate was changed. My new gate was 4.78 miles away from my old gate, and so I had no time to eat. Which is okay, because I wasn’t sure if they would speak English or if they would take my dollar bills. The flight from Frankfurt to Kolkata was my favorite. I had a window seat and the seat next to me was vacant. I was able to stretch out and I napped 6 out of the 9 hours. I was served two meals on that flight, so don’t worry, I wasn’t starving, and my stomach was still iffy. The flight arrived at Kolkata at 1am, and the airport was balmy. I was sweating after minutes of walking down the hallway. The airport seemed dusty, I can’t think of a better word to describe it. I stood in a line for immigration, in that line I made a friend, I don’t remember her name but she was from Italy and was going to be in Kolkata for two months, she was also traveling alone- we bonded over that. After passing through immigration (and receiving the first stamp in my passport) I got my bags and went through customs. Customs consisted of this little tag that I had to fill out with my name, flight number, and number of checked bags. There was a man standing by the exit saying ‘givme’. Then I met Fr. Puthumai who had me reserve a taxi for us. The taxi counter was on my side of the gate, so I had to memorize the name of where we were going and then tell the taxi man. That went well, and after a very fast taxi ride we made it to a compound like area that was under construction. Father said it was like the SWI of Kolkata. We slept from 3-6am and then took an auto rickshaw – a three-wheeled contraption with no doors that weaves in and out of traffic as though it’s was a snake. At the train station we waited for a while. I got a lot of looks, and quite a few people who were begging approached us. It is strange not knowing what people are saying, unnerving in a fundamental sort of way. We boarded the sleeping train at 7am. Fr. gave me the top bunk and I read my book for the majority of the trip. Father’s friend Pamela, met us at one of the stops and brought us food around 10am. Just before we arrived I got to see the river Ganges. The river is huge and the train tracks are actually above the river. We stood with the door open and the train going full speed looking out at the river. Once we got off of the train around 2pm, we got a taxi that took us to Raiganj. The drive was 2 hours long, and for the entire two hours I was mesmerized with our drivers ability to not kill us. The driver drove in the middle of the road, often passing large busses on what was wide enough to be a two lane street and then swerving at the last minute so as not to hit another oncoming bus. There were people sitting on top of cars, I swear there must have been 40 people on a car no larger than a jeep. People were bicycling on the road, there were rickshaws being pulled by people, there were women walking with bags balanced on their head and men leading large cows down the road. There were goats everywhere. We also saw a camel. I saw my first rice paddy and I was comforted by the green-ness of the surrounding area. After a short lunch (my stomach still not feeling so well) we arrived at SWI (social welfare institute) at 4pm. We had some coffee and then I took a nap. Dinner was a 8pm (still my stomach is not quite right), we had rice, tortillas that are not called tortillas, yellow liquid- which starts with a d, green vegetables, and fish. The fish was whole, fins, head, tail, the whole shebang. I didn’t take a fish, instead opting for the same food as my lunch, tortillas with yellow liquid. Father said my stomach has the immune system of a 4 year olds, so I should ease my way into eating. I also had some vegetables. The vegetables were green and looked like string beans, but they did not taste like them. In India (as in many places in the world) the left hand is considered to be unclean, so you eat with the right hand. There is no silverware. The left hand is used for personal hygiene. On a much nicer note, my room is very nice, with a large bed, dresser, and bathroom. I have a flush toilet, and shower and a sink. Father gave me a roll of toilet paper, which I am very excited about. The shower is just a spout on the wall, and you stand in the middle of the bathroom while the dirty water drains down a hole in the wall. My room is painted a pastel green.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
i am here and i am safe
i arrived safely in Raiganj on the 11th. i am adjusting. it is more difficult that previously expected :-) but i am adjusting and learning how to enjoy my time here. please send me emails telling me how you are, i would love to hear. once the wireless is working i will post many blog posts that i have written on my laptop. sending all of my love!
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