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.