I held class today, even though it was Saturday, because Monday is a holiday. If I am going to hold 40 classes (which I am supposed to) by the time I leave, then it is important that I hold class as often as possible. And in India Saturday is only half of a weekend, usually people work half of the day on Saturday. We did tongue twisters in class today, to work on correct pronunciation. We had so much fun, laughing at the funny things that were said. After class, I spent a large part of my day reading or dinking around on the computer. I am learning how to take life slowly. I think a lot of that has to do with becoming comfortable. There is no way to relax when you are uncomfortable; the two things are complete opposites. But since I have begun to settle in, and become comfortable, I have also been able to relax. The goal of my time on the computer was to upload some photos, which ended up taking much longer than expected. But I had plenty of time, and after I uploaded mine, Sr. Anisha needed help uploading photos, so it was perfect timing that I had just learned how.
The Missionaries of Charity were at SWI today; they were passing out free medicine. From what Father Herman said the medicine was for common sicknesses and the people were poor and couldn’t afford such medicine at the store. There were lots of people around, and they all stared, and some smiled. The Sisters were very nice, and all acknowledged me and asked me how I was doing.
After tea/coffee time (one of my favorite times of day, because we always get sweets and it reminds me of Grandma Hewitt’s teatimes) I spent a couple hours working at the Sudoku (they are the most difficult in Saturdays paper) and watching some TV on the English channels. There are 4 or 5 English channels, and they play pretty good movies and some primetime TV shows. Today I watched High School Musical 2, and completed 95% of a Sudoku.
When the Fathers returned from their outing, we all went to dinner at a friends home. The family consisted of a mother, father, and two children, a younger boy and older girl. They attend St. Xavier School, and the family all spoke English. We had appetizers, and joked around for a bit. Then we had dinner. The food was delicious! The parents did not eat while we were there, which Father explained to me again, is the customary treatment of guests.
Father Markus noticed earlier that I was working on the Sudoku, and he asked what it was. I explained to him and he scoffed and said that is easy! He asked for the family’s paper and started to work on it. He spent a good hour and a half of our time there working on it and wasn’t able to make much progress. I was teasing him the entire time and we were all laughing!! Father Herman has taken to doing the Jumbles and he is quite good at them. Even Sha-na-watch has started contributing to the Sudokus. I think I have started a new craze--newspaper games
Monday is Republic Day in India, a celebration of all of the states agreeing to join in on the Indian constitution. There is no school or work. I am very excited to see what a Patriotic India looks like. The family we had dinner with invited me to tag along on Monday while they go and visit a village. I am very excited to go with them; they said there will be fishing involved!
On the walk home from dinner tonight, Father Herman asked if I am feeling more comfortable here. I said that I am feeling very comfortable here and am grateful for all of the people who have been so nice to me. He said that they are feeling at home with me as well, and appreciated my friendliness and willingness to joke around. I think that is one of the best compliments I have gotten so far. I have sure blossomed as an extrovert during my time here, and I think it has been for the best.
That is all for now. Loves.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
To meet the demands of my mother :-)
Follow this link to find me in India!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2053690&l=36165&id=32404648
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2053690&l=36165&id=32404648
Friday, January 23, 2009
1/23
Today I tagged along on a field visit. We left directly after class and went to Malda, which is a separate district around an hour away. I went with Sha-na-watch, and two other men. I think one of them in a Father, and the other is an employee at SWI. I don’t remember their names (I am still awful at remembering Indian names), but they were both very nice. The drive took quite a while, at least an hour and a half. I enjoyed every minute of it! Well, that may be a lie, I enjoyed every minute that I was visually exploring the new area, and was genuinely terrified any time I let my eyes slip to the road. Its not that the drivers have poor driving skills, if anything, they are some of the most talented drivers I have ever seen. Instead what terrifies me is the, shall we say, quirks of the vehicles and the tendency to play chicken with other cars. For example today the car had a small hole where the shifter connected to the ground, so you can see the road beneath you. Or in the other vehicle the speedometer fluctuates 10-15 km constantly, so you never know what speed you are going, instead you know a range. The cars are in proper working condition, and none of these small quirks affect the driving or the safety, but they still shake my nerves a little. Also in India the tendency is to drive in the middle of the road, this often makes sense since the sides of the road are filled with bicycles, pedestrians, and other various forms of non-motorized transportation. Even if you stay on the left (which is the correct side) you often need to pass large vehicles that are carrying goods, and to do this you have to veer into the other lane. But when two cars are coming from opposite directions and they are heading straight towards on another, and you happen to be sitting in one of the cars, it is unnerving. Even though each time it happens the cars swerve to the left at exactly the correct moments, it still teases with my nerves.
But back to the field visit. We arrived around 11:30 and I joined the Self Help Group Training for a few hours. The training was for skill development, the SHG’s were learning to make bicycle flowers. They are like giant pipe cleaners that you shape around the center of your bicycles wheels for decoration. The women showed me how they made the flowers and it was really cool. You took wire and laid dyed and cut raffia strands onto it. Then making sure that it was even you folded more wire on top and twisted. The man who was running the training explained that the women sell the bicycle flowers at market and are able to contribute to their household income with that money. The trainings are free for any members of the SHG’s, and although the supplies are provided for the trainings, there is the expectation that once you have the skill you are able to procure any materials on your own. Sha-na-watch told me a little more about Self Help Groups and the way the microfinance program works. The members (10-15) contribute a small amount of money every month to a communal bank account. The money builds up over time and the members are able to ask for loans to begin small business projects or in case of a family emergency. The system also ensures the groups’ meet regularly and that they are not too dependent on the organization. It was really cool to be able to learn this about the details of the groups, especially while I was there witnessing such a key element in the function of the groups. The training was held at a large Catholic campus, with a school, a hostel, a convent, some training rooms and the residence of the parish priest. So there were kids all over (since it was a holiday) and they kept poking their heads in the window trying to get a good look at me. We had lunch and coffee with the priest after closing the training with a few speeches and some congratulations.
Class was good today, I had 7 students and most everyone showed up on time (even though this morning was particularly foggy). I am really beginning to find a useful routine in class, and I am also tuning my ability for effective communication. The students are great, and they challenge my knowledge of English and enhance my knowledge of India everyday.
The best news of the day is that I successfully completed my first Sudoku, which is pretty impressive considering its Friday and they get progressively hard beginning on Monday and ending on Saturday. I was very proud, and cut it out to use as a bookmark. I also discovered also thoroughly enjoyed dinner. My favorite new dish is potato and egg mixed together with spices. It was wonderful! I also found some English movies on television after dinner; I was flipping between Pirates of the Caribbean and Shrek the Third. And I caught a half an hour of Friends today, which has become a renewed favorite of mine. The dogs were nice on my walk to bed; the just sniffed me. I appreciated their refrain from barking.
The sunsets here are beautiful, the sun is a perfect red circle as it sets on the horizon and when we go on field visits you can perfectly see the horizon 360 degrees around you. There are no buildings obstructing your view, just hazy sky. Another favorite of mine in India are the trees, there is a particular tree, which has a huge trunk that is composed of tons of little trunks intertwining. Sometimes when you are driving down the street, the trees on both sides form a tunnel. I love those drives the most, I feel like I am in the Sound of Music skipping down the road and merrily singing in German clothes made of curtains! The tree tunnels (as I have dubbed them in my mind) are another of my Indian favorites.
Skype didn’t work today, which is a bummer, but hopefully once my laptops gets set up with a more stable internet connection, skype can become a regular occurrence. I am still missing everyone at home (all of my various homes) but today I was able to reminisce without feeling sad, just a little incomplete. The best is when I think of things from home that make me laugh. Sending my love.
But back to the field visit. We arrived around 11:30 and I joined the Self Help Group Training for a few hours. The training was for skill development, the SHG’s were learning to make bicycle flowers. They are like giant pipe cleaners that you shape around the center of your bicycles wheels for decoration. The women showed me how they made the flowers and it was really cool. You took wire and laid dyed and cut raffia strands onto it. Then making sure that it was even you folded more wire on top and twisted. The man who was running the training explained that the women sell the bicycle flowers at market and are able to contribute to their household income with that money. The trainings are free for any members of the SHG’s, and although the supplies are provided for the trainings, there is the expectation that once you have the skill you are able to procure any materials on your own. Sha-na-watch told me a little more about Self Help Groups and the way the microfinance program works. The members (10-15) contribute a small amount of money every month to a communal bank account. The money builds up over time and the members are able to ask for loans to begin small business projects or in case of a family emergency. The system also ensures the groups’ meet regularly and that they are not too dependent on the organization. It was really cool to be able to learn this about the details of the groups, especially while I was there witnessing such a key element in the function of the groups. The training was held at a large Catholic campus, with a school, a hostel, a convent, some training rooms and the residence of the parish priest. So there were kids all over (since it was a holiday) and they kept poking their heads in the window trying to get a good look at me. We had lunch and coffee with the priest after closing the training with a few speeches and some congratulations.
Class was good today, I had 7 students and most everyone showed up on time (even though this morning was particularly foggy). I am really beginning to find a useful routine in class, and I am also tuning my ability for effective communication. The students are great, and they challenge my knowledge of English and enhance my knowledge of India everyday.
The best news of the day is that I successfully completed my first Sudoku, which is pretty impressive considering its Friday and they get progressively hard beginning on Monday and ending on Saturday. I was very proud, and cut it out to use as a bookmark. I also discovered also thoroughly enjoyed dinner. My favorite new dish is potato and egg mixed together with spices. It was wonderful! I also found some English movies on television after dinner; I was flipping between Pirates of the Caribbean and Shrek the Third. And I caught a half an hour of Friends today, which has become a renewed favorite of mine. The dogs were nice on my walk to bed; the just sniffed me. I appreciated their refrain from barking.
The sunsets here are beautiful, the sun is a perfect red circle as it sets on the horizon and when we go on field visits you can perfectly see the horizon 360 degrees around you. There are no buildings obstructing your view, just hazy sky. Another favorite of mine in India are the trees, there is a particular tree, which has a huge trunk that is composed of tons of little trunks intertwining. Sometimes when you are driving down the street, the trees on both sides form a tunnel. I love those drives the most, I feel like I am in the Sound of Music skipping down the road and merrily singing in German clothes made of curtains! The tree tunnels (as I have dubbed them in my mind) are another of my Indian favorites.
Skype didn’t work today, which is a bummer, but hopefully once my laptops gets set up with a more stable internet connection, skype can become a regular occurrence. I am still missing everyone at home (all of my various homes) but today I was able to reminisce without feeling sad, just a little incomplete. The best is when I think of things from home that make me laugh. Sending my love.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
1/22
Today was the day of mosquito bites. I have four on my right knee. I have had very few mosquito bites up until this point in time, because of the very effective repellent that I have been using. But today the mosquitoes were extra bloodthirsty and have savaged my right knee through my jeans! The itching is unfortunate, but manageable. The mosquito bites here seem to be different at home, they both itch and get red and puffy with a white bump in the middle, but the Indian mosquito bites seem to heal quicker, and be less likely to scab. The little white bump only itches for a few hours directly after biting. Then the itching stops and the bump goes down rather quickly. I am glad for this, because otherwise I would probably come home with mosquito bite scratches all over!
I learned more about the strike today. It doesn’t have to do so much with business as it does with politics. First Jonathan explained to me that in India you only vote every 5 years for a local representative. The person you elect is then in charge of voting for representatives at higher posts. The majority party at the higher posts elects the prime minister and the president. Because of the distance from the upper level leadership and the people’s votes, many times persons feel distanced from the political process. This is why there are so many street rallies for political parties. The strike was government workers who want to be paid more, and they are striking because it is their only outlet for political expression. In India government runs a few very important commodities in society, including gas and telephones. So if government employees don’t go to work, the town shuts down. There were very few cars on the street today, mostly only police jeeps, and a quite a few parked buses on the side of the road. The roads were full of people on bikes and a few rickshaws. All of the shops were closed, besides the chemists, which are like pharmacies. There was less street noise, although it was no wear near quiet, the birds just seemed louder.
This morning I was able to speak with Mom and Dad on skype for about an hour (Ajla I think the power outages was what kept interrupting our conversation). It was really great to see their faces and hear their voices. It is surprising how much comfort comes from the senses. Because of the strike I thought that my students would not come, but I had 6 students who all came by bike. The class performed skits again today and they are definitely loosening up and having more fun. I most appreciate class for two reasons: one, it is teaching me the value of good communication and two, it is the most effective way to learn about culture, history and tradition. I just assign the students to give 2-4 minute presentations on the topic I want to learn more about, and that way while they learn English I learn about Indian society. There were no mice in the classroom today, and the power stayed on for more than half of the class (although this afternoon the power was awful).
I spent some more time today researching for my project and developing a firm idea of what a revolving fund is, and the elements necessary to provide for its success. I found some interesting and valuable information on a few databases, but with the power outages, the computer kept shutting off and having to restart. After a while I gave up and went to Ruchi, Trisha and onathan’s house. It was a holiday for them, because of the strike. We played with Trisha on the terrace, and she now knows my name! She calls me Chelche (which is pretty darn close)! After lunch (rice, what looked similar to garbanzo beans in soup with vegetables and cooked spinach) we had some more wonderful Indian sweets. It was this flakey sugary square sweet that literally melted in your mouth. I think at home I will miss Indian sweets, they are very rich and very different from US standard desserts. Ruchi’s brother will be in town for the long weekend (tomorrow is a holiday that celebrates the birthday of a freedom-fighter and Monday is republic day). On Sunday we are going to have a brunch and I am going to make American pancakes. I am very excited to be able to cook, it will be a good way to show gratitude for their kindness. There are no ovens in India either, a fact that I surprising just became aware of today. There are countertop stovetops and microwaves, but no ovens. Ruchi said that usually for baked goods you go the baker, which makes sense
Trisha is so cute, she is very smart for a two year old and very stubborn. She has an endless stream of energy and is always going going going. Today she was playing with her next door neighbor who is around 9 years old and was home from school. They were running all over the place on little tricycles with little plastic toy instruments making quite the ruckus. It was only then that I realized how much I miss my kids from Childhaven and even having McKenna around. Kids are such an example of joy, I am glad I have been able to find that in India as well as at home. (See now I am finding similarities instead of differences.)
In the evening I taught Father Herman how to use a few different Microsoft programs. I showed him some tips and tricks for Powerpoint and Excel. He also wanted to know about Access, and since I am not as familiar with that one I found a free online tutorial for him. I felt as though I was knowledgeable, which is usually doesn’t happen too often in the states. Before dinner Father Herman and Sha-na-watch and I did the Sudukos together and the word jumbles. We had a lot of fun, trying to make up words and find the right numbers. Sha-na-watch invited me to tag along to the field tomorrow, which is very exciting, twice in one week! We will leave tomorrow directly after class.
Dinner good, a father from the rectory had come for dinner and the four of us (Father Herman, Father Markus, new Father, and myself) all enjoyed joking around about the news updates. We had soup tonight, which was new and very good. It was reminiscent of chicken noodle soup with no chicken or noodles. I am starting to recognize the vegetables, there is a dish with cabbage, one with carrots and potatoes, one with green beans that look like sugar snap pea pods, and one with potato and mashed up brinjol. Tonight it was the carrots/potatoes and the cabbage.
There are dogs that live at SWI. They stay locked up during the day, but at night they are the used as guard dogs. They usually bark and follow me to my room. They are actually rather frightening, Father Herman said that that is the point. But I have to say I sympathize with Ajla (she is scared of dogs), when they want to be threatening, dogs are scary.
Sweet dreams for now, and good night hugs.
I learned more about the strike today. It doesn’t have to do so much with business as it does with politics. First Jonathan explained to me that in India you only vote every 5 years for a local representative. The person you elect is then in charge of voting for representatives at higher posts. The majority party at the higher posts elects the prime minister and the president. Because of the distance from the upper level leadership and the people’s votes, many times persons feel distanced from the political process. This is why there are so many street rallies for political parties. The strike was government workers who want to be paid more, and they are striking because it is their only outlet for political expression. In India government runs a few very important commodities in society, including gas and telephones. So if government employees don’t go to work, the town shuts down. There were very few cars on the street today, mostly only police jeeps, and a quite a few parked buses on the side of the road. The roads were full of people on bikes and a few rickshaws. All of the shops were closed, besides the chemists, which are like pharmacies. There was less street noise, although it was no wear near quiet, the birds just seemed louder.
This morning I was able to speak with Mom and Dad on skype for about an hour (Ajla I think the power outages was what kept interrupting our conversation). It was really great to see their faces and hear their voices. It is surprising how much comfort comes from the senses. Because of the strike I thought that my students would not come, but I had 6 students who all came by bike. The class performed skits again today and they are definitely loosening up and having more fun. I most appreciate class for two reasons: one, it is teaching me the value of good communication and two, it is the most effective way to learn about culture, history and tradition. I just assign the students to give 2-4 minute presentations on the topic I want to learn more about, and that way while they learn English I learn about Indian society. There were no mice in the classroom today, and the power stayed on for more than half of the class (although this afternoon the power was awful).
I spent some more time today researching for my project and developing a firm idea of what a revolving fund is, and the elements necessary to provide for its success. I found some interesting and valuable information on a few databases, but with the power outages, the computer kept shutting off and having to restart. After a while I gave up and went to Ruchi, Trisha and onathan’s house. It was a holiday for them, because of the strike. We played with Trisha on the terrace, and she now knows my name! She calls me Chelche (which is pretty darn close)! After lunch (rice, what looked similar to garbanzo beans in soup with vegetables and cooked spinach) we had some more wonderful Indian sweets. It was this flakey sugary square sweet that literally melted in your mouth. I think at home I will miss Indian sweets, they are very rich and very different from US standard desserts. Ruchi’s brother will be in town for the long weekend (tomorrow is a holiday that celebrates the birthday of a freedom-fighter and Monday is republic day). On Sunday we are going to have a brunch and I am going to make American pancakes. I am very excited to be able to cook, it will be a good way to show gratitude for their kindness. There are no ovens in India either, a fact that I surprising just became aware of today. There are countertop stovetops and microwaves, but no ovens. Ruchi said that usually for baked goods you go the baker, which makes sense
Trisha is so cute, she is very smart for a two year old and very stubborn. She has an endless stream of energy and is always going going going. Today she was playing with her next door neighbor who is around 9 years old and was home from school. They were running all over the place on little tricycles with little plastic toy instruments making quite the ruckus. It was only then that I realized how much I miss my kids from Childhaven and even having McKenna around. Kids are such an example of joy, I am glad I have been able to find that in India as well as at home. (See now I am finding similarities instead of differences.)
In the evening I taught Father Herman how to use a few different Microsoft programs. I showed him some tips and tricks for Powerpoint and Excel. He also wanted to know about Access, and since I am not as familiar with that one I found a free online tutorial for him. I felt as though I was knowledgeable, which is usually doesn’t happen too often in the states. Before dinner Father Herman and Sha-na-watch and I did the Sudukos together and the word jumbles. We had a lot of fun, trying to make up words and find the right numbers. Sha-na-watch invited me to tag along to the field tomorrow, which is very exciting, twice in one week! We will leave tomorrow directly after class.
Dinner good, a father from the rectory had come for dinner and the four of us (Father Herman, Father Markus, new Father, and myself) all enjoyed joking around about the news updates. We had soup tonight, which was new and very good. It was reminiscent of chicken noodle soup with no chicken or noodles. I am starting to recognize the vegetables, there is a dish with cabbage, one with carrots and potatoes, one with green beans that look like sugar snap pea pods, and one with potato and mashed up brinjol. Tonight it was the carrots/potatoes and the cabbage.
There are dogs that live at SWI. They stay locked up during the day, but at night they are the used as guard dogs. They usually bark and follow me to my room. They are actually rather frightening, Father Herman said that that is the point. But I have to say I sympathize with Ajla (she is scared of dogs), when they want to be threatening, dogs are scary.
Sweet dreams for now, and good night hugs.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
1/21
Another day come and gone. This morning I slept until 7am, which is a first. It felt good, although I was late to speak with my parents. After saying a shortened but spirited good morning to home, I took a quick breakfast (yellow jam on toast and hot water) and began class. This morning class began with only 2 students. After the first half and hour another 2 showed up, totaling 4, which was pretty sad. But we had a great time anyway. Sometimes when class is smaller, the students are able to learn more. We learned and practiced words that can be used as nouns and verbs, then the students paired up and learned about their partner while speaking English. They presented to the class five similarities and five differences between themselves. We played a few of our games and laughed as always. Today we also planned our picnic, which will be on the 8th of February. We will leave at 1pm and have the picnic at the Bird Sanctuary (Raiganj Forest) down the road. I am still unclear as to who brings food, and what food we serve, but I know that we will take a rickshaw there, and we will speak English the entire time. The students were excited about the picnic, and so am I!
Each day I feel as though I have more of a place here. And I have come to discover that for me, having a place or fitting in, isn’t about clothes or even culture. It’s about people. Having steady conversation over meals, having people to visit around the office and say hello to, or just having people to pass the time with. That is how I fit in. I think that is how I find home too. So as each day passes, and I build friendships or acquaintance-ships, I know that I am one step closer to finding home in India. I remember in a homily before I left Seattle, the Father said that home is something that you carry with you. I took him very literally, and brought pictures of the people I love to India. That way I would bring my home to India. But I know now that those pictures represent the love of and from those people. And love is home is for me. I keep that love in my heart, which I do carry with me wherever I go.
After class I made the wonderful discovery that the wireless works! That is the good news, because it means my computer will be skype enabled. The bad news is that the wireless connection is spotty and goes in and out every 5 minutes. But the wireless works nevertheless, which is wonderful news. I attempted to speak to Ajla today via skype, but we didn’t get more than a few minutes of face time before everything froze up (repeatedly). I also showed Father Herman and Farther Markus skype, and they were both very interested to see how it works. I had some fun joking around with them while I was doing my work.
I was able to spend some time on my project, which is more difficult than expected, but I am up for it. I began doing some research and drafting my proposal letter. In total I will need a 3-4 page proposal letter, a budget (summary and specifics) and a logical framework analysis. Then I will begin searching for US funders. I also hope to interact more with the office staff as I continue my project, this will help me to engage more with the work and practices of SWI. I also helped a few of the Sisters out this afternoon with some more typing and computer work. Today was a bad day for power outages; I think I counted 15 outages. Hopefully tomorrow we will have more dependable lights!
SWI was very active today and while all of the above was happening there was a drawing contest in the courtyard area for local school children. They were all dressed in uniform and sitting on a large sheet drawing with crayons, watercolors or chalk. Some of them were very good. Susmita and I wandered around the competition for a few minutes and were very impressed with the kids’ abilities. Then we spent some time chatting, she told me about the caste system in India and the ways it effects marriage and societal relationships. It was really interesting and I was glad that I had a chance to speak with someone from India about it.
In the late afternoon I went to Ruchi and Trisha’s house. (Rubchicka is now Ruchi) We had tea and played with Trisha for a while and then went to the orphanage. Trisha was a lot of fun to play with; I enjoy her and Ruchi’s company more every time I visit them. We walked to the orphanage because it is near their house. But it was dark, and we though we had walked past it, so we turned around. Then on the walk back we realized that we had not walked past it and we had to turn around again! It was my first experience in India being lost, and we had a great time of it. When we finally arrived it was late and the Sisters were beginning their prayers and the children were eating. We spoke briefly with the Sisters and they told us a better time to come back tomorrow. W took a rickshaw home, and had some samosas with Jonathan while we all watched Friends in English! I never knew how comforting television could be, but hearing the Friends anthem and laughing at the familiar faces felt so much like being in the US.
Tomorrow there will be a strick in West Bengal, so no one will go to work because no transportation will not run and the shops will not open. I have no idea what the stike is about, or how everyone knows about it in advance, but it seems pretty legitimate and well organized. I am quite excited to see what empty streets in Raiganj look like, and for the peace and quiet!
I had dinner with Fr. Herman and we watched news coverage of the places worldwide where people watched the inauguration. It was surreal seeing that coverage and knowing that we were some of those people, watching the US president be inaugurated in Raiganj, India.
Good night for now, sweet dreams. Love you and miss you all! Sending my hugs and missing your hugs.
Each day I feel as though I have more of a place here. And I have come to discover that for me, having a place or fitting in, isn’t about clothes or even culture. It’s about people. Having steady conversation over meals, having people to visit around the office and say hello to, or just having people to pass the time with. That is how I fit in. I think that is how I find home too. So as each day passes, and I build friendships or acquaintance-ships, I know that I am one step closer to finding home in India. I remember in a homily before I left Seattle, the Father said that home is something that you carry with you. I took him very literally, and brought pictures of the people I love to India. That way I would bring my home to India. But I know now that those pictures represent the love of and from those people. And love is home is for me. I keep that love in my heart, which I do carry with me wherever I go.
After class I made the wonderful discovery that the wireless works! That is the good news, because it means my computer will be skype enabled. The bad news is that the wireless connection is spotty and goes in and out every 5 minutes. But the wireless works nevertheless, which is wonderful news. I attempted to speak to Ajla today via skype, but we didn’t get more than a few minutes of face time before everything froze up (repeatedly). I also showed Father Herman and Farther Markus skype, and they were both very interested to see how it works. I had some fun joking around with them while I was doing my work.
I was able to spend some time on my project, which is more difficult than expected, but I am up for it. I began doing some research and drafting my proposal letter. In total I will need a 3-4 page proposal letter, a budget (summary and specifics) and a logical framework analysis. Then I will begin searching for US funders. I also hope to interact more with the office staff as I continue my project, this will help me to engage more with the work and practices of SWI. I also helped a few of the Sisters out this afternoon with some more typing and computer work. Today was a bad day for power outages; I think I counted 15 outages. Hopefully tomorrow we will have more dependable lights!
SWI was very active today and while all of the above was happening there was a drawing contest in the courtyard area for local school children. They were all dressed in uniform and sitting on a large sheet drawing with crayons, watercolors or chalk. Some of them were very good. Susmita and I wandered around the competition for a few minutes and were very impressed with the kids’ abilities. Then we spent some time chatting, she told me about the caste system in India and the ways it effects marriage and societal relationships. It was really interesting and I was glad that I had a chance to speak with someone from India about it.
In the late afternoon I went to Ruchi and Trisha’s house. (Rubchicka is now Ruchi) We had tea and played with Trisha for a while and then went to the orphanage. Trisha was a lot of fun to play with; I enjoy her and Ruchi’s company more every time I visit them. We walked to the orphanage because it is near their house. But it was dark, and we though we had walked past it, so we turned around. Then on the walk back we realized that we had not walked past it and we had to turn around again! It was my first experience in India being lost, and we had a great time of it. When we finally arrived it was late and the Sisters were beginning their prayers and the children were eating. We spoke briefly with the Sisters and they told us a better time to come back tomorrow. W took a rickshaw home, and had some samosas with Jonathan while we all watched Friends in English! I never knew how comforting television could be, but hearing the Friends anthem and laughing at the familiar faces felt so much like being in the US.
Tomorrow there will be a strick in West Bengal, so no one will go to work because no transportation will not run and the shops will not open. I have no idea what the stike is about, or how everyone knows about it in advance, but it seems pretty legitimate and well organized. I am quite excited to see what empty streets in Raiganj look like, and for the peace and quiet!
I had dinner with Fr. Herman and we watched news coverage of the places worldwide where people watched the inauguration. It was surreal seeing that coverage and knowing that we were some of those people, watching the US president be inaugurated in Raiganj, India.
Good night for now, sweet dreams. Love you and miss you all! Sending my hugs and missing your hugs.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
1/20
The days just keep getting better! Today I slept until almost 7 o’clock, which was wonderful. Although I was startled awake at 5am but a horrible nightmare about a car accident. I think that there must have been a car driving outside that was honking, so the loud honking integrated into my dream. Once I was up and about I said good morning to mom and dad and had the usual breakfast. Class this morning went particularly well. We learned about prepositions and their correct use. Then the students stood in front of the class and shared a 3-4 minute presentation on a notable historical event from Indian history. We played the usual games and I got my fill of laughter for the day.
I was particularly excited for today because I was going out into the field for a skills development-training program. I was tagging along with two of the students from my class who are social workers at SWI. We left around 11 o’clock, after an early lunch. We took a taxi there (white 1950’s English looking car) and so the ride was spacious and decently quiet. I don’t know if I have every enjoyed car rides as much as I do here. I feel like I am wide eyed the entire time, looking at the different modes of transport and the varying numbers of people loosely balanced or stuffed in vehicles. Today I saw people riding on the top of a bus, and people standing in a goods carrying truck that was filled with goats! I also enjoy seeing the village life and the homes, markets, and families. Some homes are made of mud and others are made of hay and look like baby yurts. Families are usually out and about during the day hours, which could mean children playing a game or women picking crops from the fields. Usually there is always a market happening somewhere and today we passed a huge market. It reminded me of sighing yearbooks in high-school, when they would corral everyone out onto the field and let them linger for an hour or two. There were so many people crammed into this field, with animals, crops and homemade goods of every sort. The roads are paved, or at least at one point in time they were fully paved. But now the village roads are full of potholes and dips. I have never shook so much in a car before, or been so nervous that the driver would steer right off of the road (which is only 1 car wide, so it takes talent to swerve on). When we finally arrived at the village I was thankful and excited. We (Susmita, Sha-na-wactch and I) went into the village families home compound area and we were welcomed by a group of women already prepared for the training to begin. As Shanawatch filled out the registration, Susmita told me more about the training. The attendants were either unemployed, day laborers or servants and they were all young female dropouts. The training would teach them how to make disposable leaf plates. The training began with a candle lighting ceremony and an introduction from Susmita, Shanawatch, the village social worker and myself (I am a pretty big deal wherever we go, so usually I am asked to speak briefly or at least introduce myself while others translate). After the introductions the village women were taught how to use sewing machines that had been brought to the house. Then they will be taught how to sew the bundles of leaves together and use the dicing machine to finalize the plates. The entire training takes place over 10 day, and we were only there for day 1. Susmita brought the office camera to take pictures, so I felt comfortable getting mine out and taking some as well. The little kids loved my camera, so I made quite a few new friends! I will try and post pictures soon. I have pictures of the village people, the houses, and the training. (sidenote: I still need to take pictures of the modes of transport, so don’t worry that’s on my list) On the drive home we stopped at a local forest and we got out and walked around for a little bit. Susmita and Shanawatch were great hosts and by the end of the day we had all loosened up and were laughing and joking around. They complimented me and said that many of the students who come don’t mix with the Indian staff, but that hey felt really comfortable speaking with me. I was very glad to hear this! We also stopped at the book fair on the way home. Shanawatch purchased an English to Bengali dictionary and I bought another book. I couldn’t help myself, for only $4 I can buy new books. But I have to remember that whatever I buy has to fit in my suitcase to come home . We had tea, biscuits, and pooch-ka. I have a little bit better description of pooch-ka this time. It is a crispy thin round puff shell with a hole in the top, they fill it with what looks like mashed potatoes and chilies and spices. Then they dip it in lemon water with cilantro. It is really good, but all of the men say it is a female food. I can’t figure that out, what would make a food intended for one gender and not another. I guess in the US chocolate is a food that women like more than men, but its not a female food. Hmm, this will take more pondering and observation. At the book fair I was standing with Shanawatch while Susmita ran back to pick up another book. We were having a really great conversation about his profession and job path and my college degree when some book fair goers who wanted to know my name and where I was from approached us. This happened four or five times in the next 10-15 minutes! I swear by the end of the afternoon I had met 25 new people. It is really cool that people approach me for no reason (well I guess they approach me because I am foreign) and that because of that I get to chat with lots of Indians that I wouldn’t otherwise interact with. At one of the bookstands the District Magistrate was sitting and being offered tea. As soon as I walked up, the bookstand manager (who remembered my name from Saturday) said come, sit down and have tea. I didn’t want to be rude, but I politely declined, not quite sure why I was deserving of a chair and coffee more than my friends. But it would have been interesting to chat with the District Magistrate; that is if he spoke English.
Back at SWI Sr. Anisha and Sr. Elizabeth needed help typing a few documents. So I was their typist for the next few hours, until dinner. Dinner was uneventful, Fr. Herman was gone for the day and so it was only Fr. Markus, but the two Sisters joined us as well. Then after dinner more typing. Finally when the typing was done (about 10 o’clock) I turned on CNN for the inauguration. It was strange being in a foreign place and watching it, but I felt proud and glad to share that moment with the Fathers and the Sisters.
Thanks for reading and please keep commenting! I enjoy the comments so much!!! Sending my love.
I was particularly excited for today because I was going out into the field for a skills development-training program. I was tagging along with two of the students from my class who are social workers at SWI. We left around 11 o’clock, after an early lunch. We took a taxi there (white 1950’s English looking car) and so the ride was spacious and decently quiet. I don’t know if I have every enjoyed car rides as much as I do here. I feel like I am wide eyed the entire time, looking at the different modes of transport and the varying numbers of people loosely balanced or stuffed in vehicles. Today I saw people riding on the top of a bus, and people standing in a goods carrying truck that was filled with goats! I also enjoy seeing the village life and the homes, markets, and families. Some homes are made of mud and others are made of hay and look like baby yurts. Families are usually out and about during the day hours, which could mean children playing a game or women picking crops from the fields. Usually there is always a market happening somewhere and today we passed a huge market. It reminded me of sighing yearbooks in high-school, when they would corral everyone out onto the field and let them linger for an hour or two. There were so many people crammed into this field, with animals, crops and homemade goods of every sort. The roads are paved, or at least at one point in time they were fully paved. But now the village roads are full of potholes and dips. I have never shook so much in a car before, or been so nervous that the driver would steer right off of the road (which is only 1 car wide, so it takes talent to swerve on). When we finally arrived at the village I was thankful and excited. We (Susmita, Sha-na-wactch and I) went into the village families home compound area and we were welcomed by a group of women already prepared for the training to begin. As Shanawatch filled out the registration, Susmita told me more about the training. The attendants were either unemployed, day laborers or servants and they were all young female dropouts. The training would teach them how to make disposable leaf plates. The training began with a candle lighting ceremony and an introduction from Susmita, Shanawatch, the village social worker and myself (I am a pretty big deal wherever we go, so usually I am asked to speak briefly or at least introduce myself while others translate). After the introductions the village women were taught how to use sewing machines that had been brought to the house. Then they will be taught how to sew the bundles of leaves together and use the dicing machine to finalize the plates. The entire training takes place over 10 day, and we were only there for day 1. Susmita brought the office camera to take pictures, so I felt comfortable getting mine out and taking some as well. The little kids loved my camera, so I made quite a few new friends! I will try and post pictures soon. I have pictures of the village people, the houses, and the training. (sidenote: I still need to take pictures of the modes of transport, so don’t worry that’s on my list) On the drive home we stopped at a local forest and we got out and walked around for a little bit. Susmita and Shanawatch were great hosts and by the end of the day we had all loosened up and were laughing and joking around. They complimented me and said that many of the students who come don’t mix with the Indian staff, but that hey felt really comfortable speaking with me. I was very glad to hear this! We also stopped at the book fair on the way home. Shanawatch purchased an English to Bengali dictionary and I bought another book. I couldn’t help myself, for only $4 I can buy new books. But I have to remember that whatever I buy has to fit in my suitcase to come home . We had tea, biscuits, and pooch-ka. I have a little bit better description of pooch-ka this time. It is a crispy thin round puff shell with a hole in the top, they fill it with what looks like mashed potatoes and chilies and spices. Then they dip it in lemon water with cilantro. It is really good, but all of the men say it is a female food. I can’t figure that out, what would make a food intended for one gender and not another. I guess in the US chocolate is a food that women like more than men, but its not a female food. Hmm, this will take more pondering and observation. At the book fair I was standing with Shanawatch while Susmita ran back to pick up another book. We were having a really great conversation about his profession and job path and my college degree when some book fair goers who wanted to know my name and where I was from approached us. This happened four or five times in the next 10-15 minutes! I swear by the end of the afternoon I had met 25 new people. It is really cool that people approach me for no reason (well I guess they approach me because I am foreign) and that because of that I get to chat with lots of Indians that I wouldn’t otherwise interact with. At one of the bookstands the District Magistrate was sitting and being offered tea. As soon as I walked up, the bookstand manager (who remembered my name from Saturday) said come, sit down and have tea. I didn’t want to be rude, but I politely declined, not quite sure why I was deserving of a chair and coffee more than my friends. But it would have been interesting to chat with the District Magistrate; that is if he spoke English.
Back at SWI Sr. Anisha and Sr. Elizabeth needed help typing a few documents. So I was their typist for the next few hours, until dinner. Dinner was uneventful, Fr. Herman was gone for the day and so it was only Fr. Markus, but the two Sisters joined us as well. Then after dinner more typing. Finally when the typing was done (about 10 o’clock) I turned on CNN for the inauguration. It was strange being in a foreign place and watching it, but I felt proud and glad to share that moment with the Fathers and the Sisters.
Thanks for reading and please keep commenting! I enjoy the comments so much!!! Sending my love.
Monday, January 19, 2009
1/19
Today began early again, 6:15am. My body just wakes up. It’s strange having always been someone who sleeps in, to feel so awake and ready for the day at 6am. It has been good for my schedule, because I do start class at 8am and it is perfect to have 2 hours to eat breakfast and chat with home. But I have to hope that after I recover from jetlag in the US, I will go back to my normal pattern of sleeping past noon. It is almost a part of my identity, it feels strange to change so completely so quickly. But that is all beside the point.
This morning there was fog (again!). The fog here is so wet that water drips off the roof. It still amazes me. Then chatting with home and breakfast. I am starting to really enjoy and look forward to the pineapple jelly on toast. Class this morning went well. I have 8 students, 6 regulars and two newbie’s. Fr. advertised for the class on a local television station, so I think that is why we are still having new students sign up. We did skits today in class; I have to say it is really great being the teacher. I can tell a difference (in speaking confidence) even after three days of class and that is so rewarding. I am almost positive that everyone in my class is older than I am, but they are very respectful, and we have fun! They always ask before they enter the class- “Ma’am, may I enter” or “Ma’am, may I leave.” And they always call me ma’am and stand up when I speak to them. It is strange to be respected in this way by people who are older than I am. I have taught my class how to play a version of catchphrase and text twist, both which they love. My favorite part about class is the laughter. After the skits we talked about our favorite holidays, and they taught me about different Hindu and Muslim holidays. At more than one point during that conversation, the entire room was cracking up. With misunderstandings and jokes, the hours seem to fly by. I learned that on January 31st there is a festival for a Hindu god, and I have already been invited to attend the festivities. The best thing about holidays in India is that even though they are religious, they are also cultural, so everyone partakes.
After class I helped Fr. edit a few documents in English, and then we had lunch. After lunch Fr. told me to go and take a rest. So I spent a few hours reading and sitting in the sun. It feels wonderful to have the sun shining down on me in the middle of winter. Then I went around and visited everyone at their desks, I spoke with Sr. and Susmita. I stayed at Susmita’s desk for a while and she showed me pictures of her friends and family. Her English is improving more each day, and each day I continue to appreciate her friendship. It is so comforting to have someone around the office to chat with. Then I decided I should bother Fr. for work before he leaves town for the week. He gave me an assignment, and I am so excited about it. He told me to prepare a full program outline, proposal, budget and framework for a rotating fund for 100 self-help groups. I am supposed to write it all up, research a US funding agency and send it to them. I am excited about this assignment because it will give me a chance to learn about the work that SWI does by approaching staff to answer my questions. It will also give me a chance to (hopefully) impress Fr. Then Fr. left and I decided to head over to Jonathon and Rubchicka (pretty sure that’s her name, by the way I feel horrible that I am so bad with names) house. When I arrived they were both home, but Jonathon was heading out for work. Rubchicka and I took Trisha down the street to play with the neighbor kids. We chatted (and decided to go the Missionaries of Charity (MC’S) on Wednesday), on the way back we ran into her neighbor. She invited us for tea. We went to her house (she is a teacher at St. Xavier’s) and had tea and a dessert (that looked like sloppy joe) that was a wonderful dessert made of carrots and sugar. Then we went to the tailor with the neighbor. The fabric here is so beautiful. We chatted with the tailor, and she served us pooch-ka and homemade sweets. I ordered a long top, and so did Rubchicka. I am thinking of having a sari made or a salvar (Indian dress with pants) out of some really beautiful material. Either way I think I will buy fabric from there for the quilt Mom is going to make. Rubchicka told me that yesterday Trisha cried when I left, which is so sweet. She said, "Auntie, auntie, where is trisha auntie!" First of all in India anyone younger than me calls me sister or auntie, which is really cute. But the story is made even better by the fact that when Father came to pick me up yesterday, Trisha said "Man go, sister stay!" Hehehe :-)
Then I walked home and had dinner alone, because Fr. Herman and Fr. Markus were nowhere to be found. But while eating dinner I found two English channels that show movies, which is pretty exciting. I also figured out how to make the shower give me hot water, which is so spectacular I can’t express it in words.
Overall today was a good day, I am finding more and more of my place. I am learning to live slowly and gently. And I am discovering the peace in my heart.
This morning there was fog (again!). The fog here is so wet that water drips off the roof. It still amazes me. Then chatting with home and breakfast. I am starting to really enjoy and look forward to the pineapple jelly on toast. Class this morning went well. I have 8 students, 6 regulars and two newbie’s. Fr. advertised for the class on a local television station, so I think that is why we are still having new students sign up. We did skits today in class; I have to say it is really great being the teacher. I can tell a difference (in speaking confidence) even after three days of class and that is so rewarding. I am almost positive that everyone in my class is older than I am, but they are very respectful, and we have fun! They always ask before they enter the class- “Ma’am, may I enter” or “Ma’am, may I leave.” And they always call me ma’am and stand up when I speak to them. It is strange to be respected in this way by people who are older than I am. I have taught my class how to play a version of catchphrase and text twist, both which they love. My favorite part about class is the laughter. After the skits we talked about our favorite holidays, and they taught me about different Hindu and Muslim holidays. At more than one point during that conversation, the entire room was cracking up. With misunderstandings and jokes, the hours seem to fly by. I learned that on January 31st there is a festival for a Hindu god, and I have already been invited to attend the festivities. The best thing about holidays in India is that even though they are religious, they are also cultural, so everyone partakes.
After class I helped Fr. edit a few documents in English, and then we had lunch. After lunch Fr. told me to go and take a rest. So I spent a few hours reading and sitting in the sun. It feels wonderful to have the sun shining down on me in the middle of winter. Then I went around and visited everyone at their desks, I spoke with Sr. and Susmita. I stayed at Susmita’s desk for a while and she showed me pictures of her friends and family. Her English is improving more each day, and each day I continue to appreciate her friendship. It is so comforting to have someone around the office to chat with. Then I decided I should bother Fr. for work before he leaves town for the week. He gave me an assignment, and I am so excited about it. He told me to prepare a full program outline, proposal, budget and framework for a rotating fund for 100 self-help groups. I am supposed to write it all up, research a US funding agency and send it to them. I am excited about this assignment because it will give me a chance to learn about the work that SWI does by approaching staff to answer my questions. It will also give me a chance to (hopefully) impress Fr. Then Fr. left and I decided to head over to Jonathon and Rubchicka (pretty sure that’s her name, by the way I feel horrible that I am so bad with names) house. When I arrived they were both home, but Jonathon was heading out for work. Rubchicka and I took Trisha down the street to play with the neighbor kids. We chatted (and decided to go the Missionaries of Charity (MC’S) on Wednesday), on the way back we ran into her neighbor. She invited us for tea. We went to her house (she is a teacher at St. Xavier’s) and had tea and a dessert (that looked like sloppy joe) that was a wonderful dessert made of carrots and sugar. Then we went to the tailor with the neighbor. The fabric here is so beautiful. We chatted with the tailor, and she served us pooch-ka and homemade sweets. I ordered a long top, and so did Rubchicka. I am thinking of having a sari made or a salvar (Indian dress with pants) out of some really beautiful material. Either way I think I will buy fabric from there for the quilt Mom is going to make. Rubchicka told me that yesterday Trisha cried when I left, which is so sweet. She said, "Auntie, auntie, where is trisha auntie!" First of all in India anyone younger than me calls me sister or auntie, which is really cute. But the story is made even better by the fact that when Father came to pick me up yesterday, Trisha said "Man go, sister stay!" Hehehe :-)
Then I walked home and had dinner alone, because Fr. Herman and Fr. Markus were nowhere to be found. But while eating dinner I found two English channels that show movies, which is pretty exciting. I also figured out how to make the shower give me hot water, which is so spectacular I can’t express it in words.
Overall today was a good day, I am finding more and more of my place. I am learning to live slowly and gently. And I am discovering the peace in my heart.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
1/18
This morning I woke up at 6am again. It is getting annoying, but I guess there are worse things in the world then getting up early. I went to mass, which is in Bengali, and was a little homesick, because mass always reminds me of either St. Stephens or St. Ignatius, which reminds me of friends and family. For breakfast Fr. made Nepalese noodles, which were ramen noodles with spices. They were very good. Then we went with Fr. Herman to DDC, to check on the second day of the AIDS training. It was going well, and I listened for a while, to a women speak about the lifecycle of HIV. I could tell what she was speaking about because of the diagram on the board. Then we went to St. Xavier, a private Jesuit school in the area. We sat at the dining table with a couple of the Fathers and had coffee while the Fathers discussed a break in that happened a while ago. I like St. Xavier’s because the children are all taught in English, so everyone speaks very good English. I also like it because the Fathers there are very nice and always make me feel welcome.
On the drive home Fr. decided at the last minute to send me to his friend, the bank manager’s house for the day. At first I was surprised, he had not even called this family and here he was dumping me off on them during their holiday. I was horribly wrong. They were so welcoming and wonderful. They spoke perfect English and understood my English. I spoke with the husband, Jonathon, about politics and with the wife about adjusting to new places. They are originally from Kolkata and they have only been in Raiganj a year. They also have a two-year-old daughter, Trisha, who is a doll! I stayed with them from 11am-7pm. We chatted, played with Trisha, ate lunch, had coffee and just hung out. It was such a great time, I really enjoyed having someone to chat with, and they seemed to genuinely enjoy my company. They invited me over whenever I would like and I honestly think I will take them up on the offer. Especially since the wife, Rachicka, stays at home during the day and she said she would love some company (plus Trisha is so fun to play with!). They are a young couple and are more accustomed to metropolitan living than rural living. They were both so nice! I am glad that I have been able to continue making friends, it makes my journey seem less lonely and more authentic. Father came at 7pm and on the walk home we stopped and bought these really wonderful fried dough sugar sauce coated things. They were delicious!
Dinner was uneventful. Fr. is leaving Monday night for Dehli and he will be gone until the 27th. Which means I am left to fend for myself! He is leaving behind work for me to do, and I think I will go to the field for a few of the days. I will have class everyday, including Saturday, because Monday the 26th is a holiday and class is cancelled, so we will have class on Saturday to make up for it. That’s all for now, sending my love to all back home!
PS Ajla I couldn’t find the moon tonight, so instead I am wearing mismatched socks!
On the drive home Fr. decided at the last minute to send me to his friend, the bank manager’s house for the day. At first I was surprised, he had not even called this family and here he was dumping me off on them during their holiday. I was horribly wrong. They were so welcoming and wonderful. They spoke perfect English and understood my English. I spoke with the husband, Jonathon, about politics and with the wife about adjusting to new places. They are originally from Kolkata and they have only been in Raiganj a year. They also have a two-year-old daughter, Trisha, who is a doll! I stayed with them from 11am-7pm. We chatted, played with Trisha, ate lunch, had coffee and just hung out. It was such a great time, I really enjoyed having someone to chat with, and they seemed to genuinely enjoy my company. They invited me over whenever I would like and I honestly think I will take them up on the offer. Especially since the wife, Rachicka, stays at home during the day and she said she would love some company (plus Trisha is so fun to play with!). They are a young couple and are more accustomed to metropolitan living than rural living. They were both so nice! I am glad that I have been able to continue making friends, it makes my journey seem less lonely and more authentic. Father came at 7pm and on the walk home we stopped and bought these really wonderful fried dough sugar sauce coated things. They were delicious!
Dinner was uneventful. Fr. is leaving Monday night for Dehli and he will be gone until the 27th. Which means I am left to fend for myself! He is leaving behind work for me to do, and I think I will go to the field for a few of the days. I will have class everyday, including Saturday, because Monday the 26th is a holiday and class is cancelled, so we will have class on Saturday to make up for it. That’s all for now, sending my love to all back home!
PS Ajla I couldn’t find the moon tonight, so instead I am wearing mismatched socks!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
