apparently I'm not the first American here.
Friday, October 21, 2011
improvement to my quality of life & a riddle
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
1 little 2 little 3 little...
Internet, Finally! Apparently 'foreigners' are not allowed to have a wifi usb thing in order to fight terrorism here-- this is what I have been told by numerous Indians as well as my fellow foreigners. All the volunteers here have simple cell phones that are passed around & used for practical logistical purposes (the ashram is pretty big & every1 has a continually fluctuating schedule) but the microphone on mine was out. I went to a Vodophone shop to get a new one & see if I could figure out a cheaper way to call the US-- after getting 2 passport photos from a picture shop around the corner-- & it was closed due to elections. That happens a lot here. Also, alcohol is not legally served during elections, but I have been on a certain outing where numerous refilled teapots came to the table & the waiter was tipped well.
I found myself in the accidental company of two young men & immediately we were linked by our common gaze at the "Closed Holiday" sign written in thin orange marker. Now, I used to be apprehensive on asking for help or directions, but traveling alone helps one outgrow such insecurities. I asked where I could find internet, they had a discussion between themselves & before I knew it I was on the back of a motorcycle zipping through rickshaws, tvs-es, cars & cows. His English had been broken, so I wasn't sure how far we were going, but after a few minutes of worrying I let go of my fear & enjoyed the ride.
We wound up pretty far actually-- & off of the few tourist streets I'm acquainted with. I text my boss who was going to meet me in town for lunch where I was & she said she was on her way. I managed to get an internet connection & convinced the young guy to put it under his name-- I mean, it's prepaid-- there's not much damage I could do. After I paid & had the device securely in my backpack the guy started having second thoughts & wanted to know exactly where I was staying, my social & other personal information. My boss arrived shortly after, I hoped on the back of her motorcycle & the young man's angry yell was soon drowned out by the sounds of the city. Anyway, I should have this set up for 3 months, God willing.
After that we proceeded to a great French restaurant. One great thing about India is that you can find 5 Star food (though usually not service) for about 1/2- 2/3 of what you would pay in the states.
Life is getting a bit more routine. It's hard to learn all the kids names at first because they're all just sounds. They can be a lot to handle at times, but there's always a little hand in mine when I walk outside my room. There's one boy B who goes to a special school & is a little slow somehow, but in other ways is really bright. At night he brings me this big Encyclopedia of Animals for Kids & wants me to read it all. I usually cut it down to a handful of animals & a story, but he does not forget any of those dang animals- it's really something. He asks me about the horses & cowboys in Texas & wants to see pictures. I flip thru my phone & show him the same few photos (that don't have too many beer cans & us cuttin up) of some horses & my favorite cowboy ;) & feel a little pang in my heart for Texas. I think of me & my gal Michelle gettin out to the stables after work, changing out of our heels & skirts to our dirty old jeans, riding til sunset & drinking & lying to each other with the guys around the fire at dark. I think of the boy I'm missing & wonder if we'll ever have a couple acres, couple horses, couple kids. I told him about B, he said he'd send an old cowboy hat for him, I said I bet he'd like that.
The other volunteers are great. There's an Irish guy who's just decided to be a priest (God help the Church), a buncha French folks, coupla Germans & two other Americans. I spend most my free time with one of the French girls A; she's really great. We've got philosophy classes together, bible study, weekly outing & some other things we all do together. Going into town is a mess on that bus, but in a group it's not so bad.
I've got to get better about taking pictures-- I've got a couple now & will post more later. Until then, keep the children in your prayers.
We wound up pretty far actually-- & off of the few tourist streets I'm acquainted with. I text my boss who was going to meet me in town for lunch where I was & she said she was on her way. I managed to get an internet connection & convinced the young guy to put it under his name-- I mean, it's prepaid-- there's not much damage I could do. After I paid & had the device securely in my backpack the guy started having second thoughts & wanted to know exactly where I was staying, my social & other personal information. My boss arrived shortly after, I hoped on the back of her motorcycle & the young man's angry yell was soon drowned out by the sounds of the city. Anyway, I should have this set up for 3 months, God willing.
After that we proceeded to a great French restaurant. One great thing about India is that you can find 5 Star food (though usually not service) for about 1/2- 2/3 of what you would pay in the states.
Life is getting a bit more routine. It's hard to learn all the kids names at first because they're all just sounds. They can be a lot to handle at times, but there's always a little hand in mine when I walk outside my room. There's one boy B who goes to a special school & is a little slow somehow, but in other ways is really bright. At night he brings me this big Encyclopedia of Animals for Kids & wants me to read it all. I usually cut it down to a handful of animals & a story, but he does not forget any of those dang animals- it's really something. He asks me about the horses & cowboys in Texas & wants to see pictures. I flip thru my phone & show him the same few photos (that don't have too many beer cans & us cuttin up) of some horses & my favorite cowboy ;) & feel a little pang in my heart for Texas. I think of me & my gal Michelle gettin out to the stables after work, changing out of our heels & skirts to our dirty old jeans, riding til sunset & drinking & lying to each other with the guys around the fire at dark. I think of the boy I'm missing & wonder if we'll ever have a couple acres, couple horses, couple kids. I told him about B, he said he'd send an old cowboy hat for him, I said I bet he'd like that.
The other volunteers are great. There's an Irish guy who's just decided to be a priest (God help the Church), a buncha French folks, coupla Germans & two other Americans. I spend most my free time with one of the French girls A; she's really great. We've got philosophy classes together, bible study, weekly outing & some other things we all do together. Going into town is a mess on that bus, but in a group it's not so bad.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Monsoon, JPII, Chinna Kalapet, & beef jerky
Well hello! I've been in India for almost ten days now & it's hard to gather my thoughts on the matter.. I'll start with a quick overview then jump to some HI's & LOW's :)
Met some neat people on my flights, one guy bout 6 foot 5 who was having a miserable time trying to fit into his assigned seat next to me. About an hour before landing he started having an anxiety attack from being in the plane so long, but he pulled thru. He was from upstate New York, moved to DFW area for his job & was going to Germany with a tour group he'd found on the internet to attend some hockey games.. *shrug*
Next Frankfort to the Kingdom of Bahrain I sat by a young lady from Germany who was working in Kuwait as a "horse doctor" on Arabian horses. Flying over the Mediterranean we could see flames from oil wells burning through the dusty haze. Bahrain is apparently an island & one of the few areas that allows alcohol, so a bit of a big SPI if you will. At this airport I saw the most Muslim people I had ever seen, in their traditional clothing. There were also young men that looked to be from Saudi wearing long tan robes, red & white checkered turban looking things, & carrying luggage that costs more than my car.
Arrival in India was okay. I was exhausted & I'm always afraid that the airline will loose my luggage.. They didn't. The outside of the airport was filthy & full of people. There was a driver waiting for me with a sign that had my name on it. People followed all the way to the car aggressively begging. Then there was the driving...
I had been previously warned & was expecting the worst. Lanes are a total suggestion, the right of way on the road belongs to the larger vehicle, passing is allowed everywhere, honking is encouraged to the point of "Sound horn" being printed on the back of vehicles to let them know someone is coming. People, bicycles, mopeds, motor bikes, rickshaws, cars, then buses is about the food chain. Cows & the worlds ugliest dogs are all over the place. An 80 year old woman will get honked at, but a cow or dog will be yielded to.
A quick interjection on the manner of the people here. There is no what we would call back in the states tact. Staring is not considered rude-- I'm actually not sure there is a word for rude. Personal space is a myth, & hygiene is not a priority. There is a university nearby that me & a French volunteer frequent (I am actually writing from here now at an internet cafe) & it is almost impossible to leave here without seeing at least one male student urinating in public. There are some beautifully manicured lawns, then some places which are littered with garbage. They also have no problem asking personal or sensitive questions.
After about 3 hours I reached the Ashram where I am currently staying. It must be on about 7 acres & it is beautiful. Within those walls is like what I imagine the garden of Eden looked like (minus all the mosquitoes). The children are pure & perfect as well. It's easy to say that we are willing to give to the least among us, but when confronted with the ugly realities which plague their lives, it becomes much more difficult. It's difficult to properly organize thoughts now with so much noise going on, but it's something I've thought on much. Hopefully I'll have an internet connection on my lap top soon, & can write in silence.
My first experience with the thunder & lightening of the monsoon definitely reminded me how big God is & how small I am. I'm currently reading John Paul II's Love & Responsibility; difficult read, but very good book so far. Kallapet is the name of the village I am in, & I can't stand this food-- it's nothing like the chicken Tika my friend Angie makes, so I'm living off the beef jerky I brought with me.
I need to look up some ESL materials now for some of the Indians who want to learn English. Until next time, keep me in your prayers.
Met some neat people on my flights, one guy bout 6 foot 5 who was having a miserable time trying to fit into his assigned seat next to me. About an hour before landing he started having an anxiety attack from being in the plane so long, but he pulled thru. He was from upstate New York, moved to DFW area for his job & was going to Germany with a tour group he'd found on the internet to attend some hockey games.. *shrug*
Next Frankfort to the Kingdom of Bahrain I sat by a young lady from Germany who was working in Kuwait as a "horse doctor" on Arabian horses. Flying over the Mediterranean we could see flames from oil wells burning through the dusty haze. Bahrain is apparently an island & one of the few areas that allows alcohol, so a bit of a big SPI if you will. At this airport I saw the most Muslim people I had ever seen, in their traditional clothing. There were also young men that looked to be from Saudi wearing long tan robes, red & white checkered turban looking things, & carrying luggage that costs more than my car.
Arrival in India was okay. I was exhausted & I'm always afraid that the airline will loose my luggage.. They didn't. The outside of the airport was filthy & full of people. There was a driver waiting for me with a sign that had my name on it. People followed all the way to the car aggressively begging. Then there was the driving...
I had been previously warned & was expecting the worst. Lanes are a total suggestion, the right of way on the road belongs to the larger vehicle, passing is allowed everywhere, honking is encouraged to the point of "Sound horn" being printed on the back of vehicles to let them know someone is coming. People, bicycles, mopeds, motor bikes, rickshaws, cars, then buses is about the food chain. Cows & the worlds ugliest dogs are all over the place. An 80 year old woman will get honked at, but a cow or dog will be yielded to.
A quick interjection on the manner of the people here. There is no what we would call back in the states tact. Staring is not considered rude-- I'm actually not sure there is a word for rude. Personal space is a myth, & hygiene is not a priority. There is a university nearby that me & a French volunteer frequent (I am actually writing from here now at an internet cafe) & it is almost impossible to leave here without seeing at least one male student urinating in public. There are some beautifully manicured lawns, then some places which are littered with garbage. They also have no problem asking personal or sensitive questions.
After about 3 hours I reached the Ashram where I am currently staying. It must be on about 7 acres & it is beautiful. Within those walls is like what I imagine the garden of Eden looked like (minus all the mosquitoes). The children are pure & perfect as well. It's easy to say that we are willing to give to the least among us, but when confronted with the ugly realities which plague their lives, it becomes much more difficult. It's difficult to properly organize thoughts now with so much noise going on, but it's something I've thought on much. Hopefully I'll have an internet connection on my lap top soon, & can write in silence.
My first experience with the thunder & lightening of the monsoon definitely reminded me how big God is & how small I am. I'm currently reading John Paul II's Love & Responsibility; difficult read, but very good book so far. Kallapet is the name of the village I am in, & I can't stand this food-- it's nothing like the chicken Tika my friend Angie makes, so I'm living off the beef jerky I brought with me.
I need to look up some ESL materials now for some of the Indians who want to learn English. Until next time, keep me in your prayers.
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