Birthday, Another Travel Expedition, and an "Average" Weekend

Hello Everyone!

A lot has happened since I last wrote to you! First of all, I was able to celebrate my 21^st birthday here! That day we happened to have a site visit in a very remote village about two and a half hours outside of Jaipur. We spent the day at a school interviewing teachers and talking with the young students-they were very curious about our life in America! When we returned from the site to our program center, the staff that had stayed behind had hung up Christmas lights, were setting off fireworks, and had even rented disco lights and giant speakers, so there was also Hindi music blasting from our patio. When we got upstairs to the patio, there was pizza, fries and drinks waiting for us and they even came out with a birthday cake for me. It was more than I ever expected, and definitely a birthday to remember.

The following Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday we spent time in Ranthambhore to learn about issues surrounding the disappearance of the tiger and the people of the Mogiya Tribes who rely heavily on the resources of the tiger reserve there. Nongovernment organizations have set up camp in this area hoping to reduce the pressure on Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve and improve the quality of life for people living around it. In 2004-2005 there were an estimated 47 tigers; at this point it is estimated that only about 15 tigers remain in this huge reserve. Because of the poverty in the area, poaching is extremely popular among village men in order to gain monetary reward. There is also the issue of relocation; many officials want to relocate the villages on the periphery of the park, but those citizens will only move under the right conditions. One man said that “the land they [the government] show us is so barren that it is only good to break your head against it”. Another problem is using the natural resources of the park for things like cattle grazing and logging for energy purposes; this all strains the ecosystem of the park. We spent a lot of time with the Prakratik Society discussing what they were doing to improve the situation, and we learned that their work is based on the idea that to save the tigers, a change must be made in the people’s thinking and lifestyle, and they must be offered sustainable alternatives to using the park and tigers as resources. On this basis, they built a hospital in order to improve healthcare and to promote family planning (there were 6,000 babies being born every year in this small area). Diary development is another initiative of the organization. They have been trying to breed cattle that eat less and produce more milk, in hopes that families will need fewer cows and therefore will not have to enter the park to graze. A really innovative program they have started is the bio-gas program. If families install a simple structure they can have enough methane to cook two meals a day for 4-5 people as well as light a few lamps in their homes. The structure requires no electricity of its own and runs entirely on cow dung, which is readily available. Education also plays a huge role in preventing poaching, which is why they have set up a school for both boys and girls that educate them up to grade 9. This education includes free books, free transportation, and discounts for girls. As a bonus, we went out to dinner the last night and discovered that the restaurant owners had an elephant as a pet, so we got to feed her! Here is a picture; she is seventy years old.

Overall, it seems like the NGOs in that area are very creative and doing a great job at improving the lives of a lot of people. However, my class did get into a debate about the true nature of these organizations. Quite a few times, officials said “we are here for the tigers” or “we are helping the people so the tigers can survive”. Some of the girls questioned whether or not the people are really getting the most effective programs they could, or if they will be hurt in the long run because the survival of the tigers is the immediate goal. Another argument to support this view was “what happens if the tigers disappear, or become populated so it is no longer an issue? Will these people still get help?” Other girls think that as long as they are getting help, it doesn’t matter why, and they should use what they have to draw attention to themselves and get help. However, this brought up an entirely other issue for me: why does a community have to have some type of gimmick to get help? For this one community, how many others have no gimmick and therefore get no help? It’s a good question to think about, and as one of my classmates said “I’m only 21…I don’t have all the answers”.

The day after we returned, we had our Hindi midterm! I haven’t gotten the grade back yet, but our teachers reviewed with us while we were on our excursion and made the test simple for us so I think I did well! Then it was the weekend, and I just relaxed. I did some shopping in the jewelry bazaar, watched an old Hindi movie at my friend’s house on Saturday, and then spent yesterday cleaning my room, reading for class, and doing laundry-a much needed calm, average weekend! That’s all for now…I have one more week of classes, then I am heading to Varanasi (possibly the oldest continuously occupied city in the world) for a weeklong workshop/internship with an NGO there. After that its one more week of projects, presentations, and exams, then off to Delhi for my independent study project. The semester is going WAY to fast!

Travel Expedition: Bikaner

Friday we continued our journey toward Bikaner, and when we arrived we were able to have an informal get together with some local college students. I don’t think any of us realized how nice it would be to talk to people our own age-there was such a feeling of gratitude among us all just to be able to discuss movies and music and shopping. The girls’ favorite American movie was Titanic, and the boys liked Mission Impossible, so when they asked us to sing an English song, we belted out “My Heart Will Go On” from the Titanic soundtrack, and they loved it! It also gave us a great perspective on the opinions and values of the younger generation, since we had only really heard from older people about things like culture, government, gender, etc. Too soon, it was time to head back to our hotel for the night.

The following morning, we visited the office of URMUL, a diary trust that has created a network of NGOs focusing on everything from drought relief to girls’ education. URMUL basically helps communities start their own organizations to address local issues, and supports them financially, socially, and professionally. On this day, we drove about an hour and a half to a girls camp. These camps are all around the area, and consist of a seven month residential program for illiterate girls living in poverty. By the time the program ends, they have completed up to fifth grade academically, and they have also learned life skills like finance, hygiene and health, and embroidering and other crafts that will enable them to obtain a salary. The girls go through a lot to get there; their families don’t want them to go because they don’t understand the value of education and they are losing help at home, plus in some situations there could be a certain stigmatism attached to living away from home for a long period of time without family. When we arrived, they had drawn a welcome sign in the sand with beautiful colors for us, and they all jumped up and said “Namaste Didiya” (hello/ welcome sisters) in unison. We heard about what they were learning, their favorite subjects, their families, their feelings, hopes, dreams, and what they had been through to get to school. Then they sang a song about the right to and education, and how no obstacle (parents, work, men, poverty) could stop them. It was at this point that I found myself in tears. I was so proud of them, and so grateful for my own education that I was overcome by emotion. It was also a really powerful moment for me as a woman, because I felt so connected to them and so infuriated with the situation. How dare society prevent all this beautiful potential from coming to fruition? And because of a ridiculous social construct like gender? This was our last program before returning to Jaipur, and probably the most meaningful for me personally. It was definitely a moment I will remember for the rest of my life, especially whenever I start to forget how much I have and how much still needs to be changed in this world.

Travel Expedition: Jaisalmer

On Wednesday, we traveled to Jaisalmer, which was the “leisure” part of our trip. We arrived at our campsite in late afternoon, had a little while to relax, and then it was time for camel rides! While it was a “touristy” thing to do, you can pass up the chance to ride a camel through the Thar Desert at sunset! Each camel had two people on it, and we rode into the desert for about an hour. Right at sunset, we “pulled over’ and were able to listen to some traditional music for awhile. When we returned back to our site, there was an absolutely delicious meal waiting for us, and we ate outside under the stars. I wish you all could have seen the sky; it was so beautiful and completely unreal! The only way to describe it is to say that the sky looked exactly like it should, like the nighttime skies in posters and murals.

The next morning, we left for the actual city of Jaislamer, and it was the most relaxing day of the trip. We had the whole day free, so I and a few of the other girls got lunch at a local restaurant, and headed toward the fort. I know it must seem like I’ve visited a ton of forts, and I kind of have, but this one was special because about 30% of the population live in it-it's not just a historic monument for tourists. We wondered around the fort for hours, and took some pictures at the top (I’ve included one here), then walked back down to the city, stopping at little sweet shops and fabric stores along the way. After a brief nap in the hotel, we headed back out to a wonderful rooftop restaurant and spent quite a while there just talking and eating. All in all, the city was a needed “mental break” from all of the things we’d seen so far, and I really enjoyed the leisurely pace of this leg of the trip.

Travel Expedition: Jodhpur

Hey Everyone!

I’m back from my travel expedition, and once again we accomplished so much that it seemed much longer than a week! Because we did visit so many sites and there is so much to tell you about each one, I have broken up the trip into 3 posts: one for each city.

The first city we visited was Jodhpur. It took us all day Sunday to drive from Jaipur to Jodhpur, and we arrived at about 5pm. We had some time to wash up and rest, and then we headed off to a surprise location for dinner. The location turned out to be a restaurant situated on top of Jodhpur’s Fort, and we enjoyed a beautiful view of the city and a delicious candlelight dinner. It was really a perfect night; the view was indescribable, the food was wonderful, and the company was fantastic. I was sitting with 7 other girls from my group, and we had some really meaningful conversation that led to a better understanding and appreciation for each of them. The next day, we met with one of the leaders \of Pak Visthapit Sangh, an organization that works with refugees from Pakistan living in slums around Rajasthan and Jodhpur. This particular issue really frustrated me, because it is a completely unnecessary situation. These refugees are mostly lower class Hindu farmers, and they are political victims. The lived in isolated areas of Pakistan, and considered themselves Indian, and when Pakistan was created, they had no say in the matter; in fact, they really had no idea what was going on. Still, they adjusted. They lived in relative peace with the local Muslim communities in their area of Pakistan. However, since 1965, the overall security of Hindus in Pakistan has fallen. When there is violence against Muslims in India, there is often retaliation against Hindus in Pakistan. So, fearing for their safety and most living in acute poverty, these people made the decision to travel to India in hope of a better life. But that is not what they received. Even though they have family living in India, were citizens of the pre-divided India, and consider themselves Indian people, the Indian government will not grant them citizenship. Instead, the government grants them visas that restrict them to staying in one area or city. Due to their lack of citizenship, these people are not eligible for work permits, land rights, renting rights, education, or any type of public assistance (if they were citizens, most would qualify for a BPL (below poverty line) card that would give them access to food, health programs, etc.). As a result, these refugees are left to live in slum communities without running water, electricity, or any chance of a sustainable job. It is one of these communities that our program took us to. The community was expecting us, so we had the opportunity to sit under a very large tent and participate in a “town meeting” of sorts. The men sat on one side and the women and children on another, and when we first arrived our Director explained (in Hindi of course) who we were and why we were here. Then we each had the chance to introduce ourselves by saying our name, age, and major in Hindi. After our introductions, it was completely up to us; we asked a question, it was translated for them, and then one or a few people (usually men) would stand up and answer. These people were so desperate, yet so hopeful at the same time. Some clung to decades old paperwork that proved their grandparents and relatives had owned land here. Others told us about the tough odd jobs (like mining) that they looked for in order to support their family. One particular sentiment sticks out in my mind: one man said that in Pakistan they were regarded as Indians, and here they are labeled as Pakistani…they are landless people, and they belong nowhere. Yet, at the same time they were positive. They spoke about what will happen when, not if, they get their paperwork. The still greeted us with smiles and welcomes and still took pride in India even though it has rejected them. And to our surprise they served us bottled water, tea, and cookies. Eating and drinking these things in front of everyone made us all extremely uneasy since we were aware of how little they had for themselves, but it was obvious in the way they presented the snacks and the look on their faces that it would have broken their heart had we neglected to eat them. After our Q&A session, we had the chance to tour the community and meet all of the children. As you can see from the pictures, it was beautiful chaos; everywhere you turned, the kids were asking “sister, sister…one more photo please!” because they LOVE to see themselves on the screen! The refugees’ situation is frustrating to me because while making them citizens would not fix all of their problems, it is the first step in the road to a better quality of life, and out of all the problems India faces, this is one that at least starts with a simple solution; why can’t the government follow through? But, thankfully, some of those maddening feelings were negated (if only a little) by their generous spirits and smiling faces.

We got back from the community in the afternoon, so we grabbed lunch, took a little rest, and then headed out to see the city. We ended up in the center of the city at a wonderful market. At first, it was all tourist stalls, but the deeper you go into the maze of alleys, the more local things got. It was amazing to see huge bowls of fruits, vegetables, and spices, and it was everything you would expect from “the exotic east”. After we were done exploring, we headed to a classy restaurant and again ate by candlelight. As an added bonus, there was a little “disco” attached to the restaurant, so we ended up having a dance party. Since we were the only people dancing and it was more of a local restaurant than a tourist site, we attracted a bit of attention, but after a long and emotional day, it was great to just make fools of ourselves and let off some steam.

The next day, we learned all about GRAVIS, an organization that works for empowerment of the poor and is based on the Gandhian principle of self-reliance. They literally will tackle any issue that is affecting the lives of impoverished people in the Thar Desert area. These issues include water security, drought relief, agriculture, food security, health, HIV/AIDS, education, gender rights and women’s empowerment, aging, livestock development, and mineworkers’ rights. The great thing about this organization is that it is absolutely a partnership with the people they are benefiting. The people help decide what programs need to be established, the people form the committee that oversees different initiatives, and the people are the ones who become completely responsible for each entity, establishment, or program after the first two years. Of course, to understand the organization better, we were scheduled to visit three sites that were started or supported by GRAVIS. First we visited a co-ed grade school. Since government schools are often too far for rural children to attend, GRAVIS helps communities establish grade schools that function up to grade 5. After this point, the organization can help a child get vocational training or continue their education at another school. The school we visited had about 100 students and 1 teacher. The classes were split, so while one class was reciting or writing, she could teach the other class a lesson. The students sang songs for us and even recited the Hindi and English alphabet. We were also put on the spot for a moment; India has a custom of reciprocation, so the students asked us to sing a song to them! We ended up singing “Itsy Bitsy Spider” and “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” for them, and they seemed to enjoy it. After the school, we were able to quickly tour a hospital that GRAVIS supports. It was interesting to see how different their technology and policies are from U.S. standards, but it is definitely a great asset to the community. From the hospital, we drove to a training center for female community health representatives, which was an amazing experience. The women were there from remote villages in the surrounding areas to learn about everything from snake bites to prenatal care, and this was one of many regular training sessions. We arrived just after it had ended, so our director translated for us while we did a Q&A with them. We were able to hear about how their social status has changed with this title, how their confidence has improved, and how it benefits their communities. But what was also amazing is that they had questions for us. They wanted to know if we were married, when we had to get married, if we took care of our families, if we cooked, what we ate, etc. Besides having the experience to interact with them and practice our Hindi, it was really interesting to hear their ideas and perspectives about western culture.

Quick Update, Leaving for Excursion!

Hey everyone!!

As of tomorrow, I will be on excursion in the areas of Jodhpur , Jaisalmer, and Bikaner until September 27, but until then, click on each city to learn more about them, and expect a post a few days after my return!

Animals In India

As I was looking through my pictures today, I noticed that I have quite a few of the animals around town, and since I think they are pretty amusing I thought I would share them with you all!

1) Camels: Camels are used as a shuttle system for both people and supplies, so we see them pretty often, even in "urban" areas. In my favorite camel picture (the first one below) you actually have to look closely to see the camel because he is at the traffic light!



2) Cows: Even more common than camels are cows. Hindus consider cows sacred, because the cows' milk has sustained them, like mothers. Therefore, these animals can pretty much roam about and do whatever they please.



3) Goats/Pigs/Donkeys: These animals aren't as common, but you can see them around town and in rural areas.



4) Monkeys: These guys are my favorite-they are like little furry humans, and their mannerisms are so funny to watch! They are pretty common over here, but they are tricky little creatures so it is hard to get a good picture of them!



Hope you enjoy the pictures!

Agra and The Taj Mahal

As I mentioned in my previous post, I spent last weekend in Agra, visiting tourist sites and it was a once in a lifetime experience.

This trip was not planned by our program-it was something the 16 girls (including myself) had put together on our own, so it was the first time “leaving the nest” without our supervisors. We left Jaipur on Friday afternoon via the small bus we had rented and prepared for our 6 to 7 hour drive. But before we even arrived in Agra, something interesting happened! We had asked the bus driver to pull over when he saw an AirTel service site so we could put money on our prepaid Indian phones, and the first site he saw was about an hour and a half outside of Jaipur, nestled into a tiny town along the highway. So, we pulled over and the four of us who needed to charge our phones got out of our now quite conspicuous bus. When we began to reload our phones, there were about ten to twelve people standing around and they of course stared at us, which we are used to by now. After ten minutes, there were about 20 people standing around us. And when we left 25 minutes later, there were about 55 people crowded around us, just trying to get a look! Because it was just a tiny town, we were quite the novelty, and people were literally pulling over on the side of the road-its very possible that most of these people have never seen a white person before. So, while it can make me a little uncomfortable, I just have to remember that they mean no harm, and they are just curious; all I can do is have a sense of humor about it.

We arrived in Agra around 9pm on Friday, and decided as a group to get up at 5am the next morning so we could see the Taj Mahal at sunrise. While it was difficult to wake up that early, it was completely worth the experience. The Taj Mahal was BEAUTIFUL. It literally does not seem real until you are standing on it. We did get there in time for sunrise, so we were able to see the color of the marble change with the sunrise, and see the sun come up over the river. We spent a good amount of time touring the premises and seeing all of the stunning details, gardens, and guesthouses. While the structure itself is beautiful, the story behind it is also remarkable. It is actually a tomb for Mumtaz Mahal, the wife of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan . She died shortly after giving birth to their 14^th child, and Shah Jahan was devasted, so he spent twenty two years and the equivalent of 70 million U.S. dollars building the Taj Mahal for his beloved wife. There are a few rumors around the story, like that Shah’s hair turned grey overnight, or that he planned to construct a black Mahal for his own tomb, but was not able to because his son imprisoned him for the remainder of his life. It has been called “A teardrop on the face of humanity” by Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore, and is truly one of the saddest, most romantic things I have ever seen. As you can see, I took quite a few pictures =)

We also saw Agra Fort later in the day, which is another amazing sight simply because of the architecture. It is hard to believe that these massive creations were built with so much thought and detail, yet without the technology that we have today. Finally, on our way back to Jaipur on Sunday, we stopped at Fatehpur Sikri, which was the Mughal capital for only fourteen years, after which it was abandoned due to lack of water resources. Here are some pictures from The Fort (you can see my traditional outfit, and also notice the tiny view of the Taj in the picture with my sunglasses on)

And some pictures from the palace at the abandoned capital, including an actual snake charmer!

The amount of time, resources, energy, thought, and money spent on all of these designs made them extremely significant and meaningful during their eras, and they remain noteworthy for the same reasons. Because we no longer have to sacrifice so much in order to achieve a major piece of architecture, I wonder if it is even possible to build a meaningful, beautiful structure like these in today’s world. This concept makes me appreciate them not only for their aesthetics, but for their impact on culture and history.

Here is one more picture for you: the obligatory shot of myself in front of the Taj Mahal =)