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India - March 11 - March 15
March 11, 2008
Welcome to India!!After many days of preparing for India, we finally arrived.When I mean preparing, I mean learning how to use the toilets, as the toilets here are just holes in the floor with no toilet paper.Other things I learned was not to use my left hand for anything or not to touch anyone's left hand, as the left hand is the bad and dirty hand.India is very strict on their immigration rules and customs as well, hence why we all had to get VISA's to enter the country. India is a very powerful country and does what they want to do, and we learned quickly to be flexible with the country as India always wins the battle, no matter to the final payment you give to a taxi driver or to the new rules they make up every day.
We got off to a bit of a late start for our arrival this morning.Yes, we pulled into port on time, but customs and immigrations decided to change some things up on us.We originally thought we needed all of our passports while in the country, but immigration said, nay, you don't need them, just have your boarding and landing card and your customs paperwork.So after preparing all of the passports for our arrival, we had to go through 800 passports and remove all of the paperwork that was already stapled into the passports for everyone.Flexibility is the key, and we got the job done and had the new paperwork for the students real fast.So yes, India won this battle early on.
After about 2 hours of giving out the student's paperwork, they were able to leave the ship as well as myself too.Welcome to India… and what a welcome it was.India is just an amazing place… very strong pollution in the air and everyone staring at us, especially our females.With the city holding about 7 million people who all like alike and then to see us WHITE people walk around makes us famous.The staring is a bit scary, but the people are not harmful, they are just curious and caring.Yeah, they want to make some money from us, but if they are going to make money from us, what the hell, they need as much as they can get.
The exchange rate in India was $1 to 40Ruppees.A bottle of water is like 20 Rupees, which is about fifty cents for us… and other things are very cheap as well.A family can basically live on to feed their family with about 1000 Rupees for a week.I learned quickly that it doesn't matter what their outside of their house or neighborhood looks like, they take good care of themselves, the families that can!!Yes, poverty exists, yes, the poor are out there, but isn't it in the USA as well?
As we were getting ready to leave the port, the first thing we saw was customs, again.Yes, they were waiting at the entrance and exit of the port checking all of our paperwork.The scene was just so surreal, like a 20's movie.Here is this little run down, dirty brown hut with bars on the windows, with a sign written in an old blank paint that says "stop here, customs."Around this little house were many customs agents with large guns checking everyone coming and going from the port.It was a bit scary as they were very forceful for some and not others.Right as we exited, here was the new part of the world, downtown Chennai, India!!WOW!!
I don't know even where to start to describe what I was seeing and being surrounded by.First order of business was to get transportation out to the markets.We needed a driver and there were many there.In India, they mostly drive these autorikshaws, which are like these small motor cycle things that fit two people in the back.They have an engine from a lawnmower and get around great on the streets of India.But the deal had to be made with them on how much for our roundtrip!!5 or 6 drivers harassed the group and me pushing us to get in and to go with them.After finally getting the deal made for 150 rupees for each of us, we were on our way.
The roads and driving in India is amazing and amazingly scary!!They drive like crazy maniacs, but it was fun.They don't drive in lanes, they tailgate, they don't look and on the road are thousands of motorcycles, these small autorikhsaws, very, very little cars and tons of busses and trucks.On top of all of that, they honk like crazy.100 times more honking than what you would hear on the streets in NY. If you did not honk you would basically die in an accident.The other thing with driving is that there is a hierarchy of vehicles and trucks and buses have the right of way.They will run you down, the person or the car, if you are in the way… they will honk at least, but will not stop for anything.You must get out of their way.The buses are amazing…. No windows, huge doors for the locals to basically jump in and out of as the bus slows down for them to exit.The buses are so tightly packed that you cannot even breathe or see your hand.They are so overly packed that they tilt due to how many people are on them.But that is how they transport themselves.It works for them, so why question or mock it?
The roads and the local area are pretty poor.We saw so many people living on the street, begging for money, having no clothes, bathing in the river with the cows.The scene is something that I can't explain to you all, something I will never forget.As we kept on driving, more and more traffic, and more and more people all around us.It was just a site you will not forget as we finally reached the market and began immersing ourselves in the culture and the streets of India.
First order of business, how do you cross the streets?It is difficult that is for sure.We figured we would go when the locals crossed, and that worked.We made it across the street alive!!We went right to lunch at an Indian restaurant, which was great.New things learned… you eat with our hands, but even better only your right hand!!At the end, they bring you a nice hot bowl with a lemon in it to wash your hands which was fun.Since we were at a restaurant, it was known that we were Americans, so they gave us forks and knives to eat, which was nice.But watching the locals eat with their hands was a new experience to see and be surrounded by.
After lunch, back to shopping at the stores and in the market.Bargains, and haggling, that is what you need to do.I am not good at it, but tried it a bit and it worked to lower the price down from what they wanted.Either way, they are not overly priced as it is, but for them any money is money and they need it and what they are selling is pretty good things.We got some nice materials, Indian clothing and other odds and ends that everyone in the group was able to buy.
We got back to the ship, after being drenched in our own sweat and had time to shower and head out to a semester at sea program, the Indian Welcome Reception.About 100 students and I, as the bus leader, went out to a local area to socialize with the Indian students.They had a nice Indian dance performed for us, taught us how to tie our soirees, got henna tattoos and ate some great Indian food!!I learned a lot tonight from the food, the culture and the history of the dance which was great.The students love socializing with each other and learning about the new things they are experiencing.A bunch of the Indian students are applying for grad school in the states so they had so many questions for us.They are such a warm and friendly culture!!
Day one survived and it was great to be in India.
I have worked at ISU with so many great students from India and I understand.I understand how they were raised, what the culture looks like, how to live in the culture and got to taste, see, smell and walk in their shoes today and it makes me value and respect them so much more!!They are great students and professionals and learning and being at their homes was an experience that has really opened my eyes on a lot of aspects of diversity and cultural awareness.
March 12, 2008
After having some time to sleep in a bit and rest for the morning, I had the privilege to go on an amazing trip today that I will not forget for many years.Today I went to visit one of Mother Teresa's orphanages in the town.After being in India for the first day, it makes total sense on how and why she started what she did.So much poverty and so many others not caring for the incurable left to basically die, but she wanted to take care of everyone who did not have someone to take care of them and wow.
About 20 of us went to the orphanage today and were able to visit the children and help the nuns and the staff out for the afternoon.I cannot even begin to describe to you what I did today or what I saw!!
As we entered the orphanage, there she was… not her in real life but a unbelievable statue of Mother Teresa staring right at us, overlooking what she was sent on earth to do.. help and care for others.The orphanage was not what you would think of seeing in the states.It was just you basic two floor house, with open rooms filled with cribs and a play area.We had to take off our shoes to enter and here we go!!
The first group of students we saw on the tour was the handicap kids who were in their cribs.They really couldn't walk so they laid in their cribs helpless, screaming at us, but in a good way, trying to get our attention as we held their hands and were able to comfort them.The second room was the big room that really got all of us…
The second room was a room that had 5 very young children lying on the floor, on a cot, who all were suffering from mental and physical illnesses.It was very hard to see this and to be there.But as we had time, we got comfortable working with the children.I had about an hour with one child, 3 years old, who was born without her left arm and left leg and then continued to have a skin rash form on her chest.There she was, holding onto me and just smiling and enjoying me walking her around the orphanage to see the other kids and happy just to be off the floor and seeing what is around here.I could not believe my eyes and the fact that I was holding onto this little girl and not knowing how she was feeling and what was going through her mind and why I was holding her or anything.It was just really a scene I will never forget!!We were not allowed to take pictures of the children or the facility, so you will never get the picture of what I saw, it is just way too hard, emotionally, to share with you.Other semester at sea students were able to hold the other kids suffering for other illnesses and theyjust were amazed to have someone play with them, to have someone be with them and to give the staff their a small break.These kids did nothing wrong in life, but when they were born, they were left at the orphanage house steps or picked up by the orphanage from being on the streets.The great thing is that the nuns and the staff are taking awesome care of all of these kids, no matter how much their illness is taking over their life.They are treated like normal kids and being raised among the nicest staff you can imagine.
Yes, do they need our help… very much so.We brought them 4,000 rupees today to donate, which is the money we paid to go on the trip!!Locals bring them eggs, and milk and other food items everyday, which is very nice of them as well.
The most powerful part of this visit, as much as the entire experience was powerful, was the fact that one of the semester at sea students who came with us was actually adopted from an orphanage in India, a few miles away, to a family in Seattle.This was her first time in India and for her to experience the orphanage and see how well the nuns took care of her like they do with the children now really put a lot of things into perspective for her.It was a very emotional moment for her to be there and experience this 20 years later.This was a time in her life she will not forget for as long as she lives!!We all helped her get through the shock, the tears and to be alone and to be with everyone to share her life story with us and to see how she was originally raised.What an unbelievable day.
From helping out those in need, taking a break from the entire world, really… being with the children really makes you forget about every problem that exist with you, the world and others.The children wanted to play, their eyes light up when we were playing with them and they had the time of their lives.How much better does your day get than to do this and to be a part of history and experience the work of Mother Teresa!!
At the end of our visit the nuns and sisters gave each of us a medallion of Mother Teresa and a picture of her!What a great way to end our visit to have these two pieces of memory that will be with us forever!!
If you want to donate money to the orphanage, please do so.
Missions of Charity
Nirmala Shishu Bhavan
79 Main Road, Roya Puram
Madras, India 600 013
Do what you can if you can!!They really need any of our help as we can give them!!!
March 13, 2008
Nothing more happened today than the words SHOPPING and spending money.I did that for the entire day.Had a chance to immerse myself more in the culture, the local markets, be around the people of India and do the things they do and to know what it like to live here.I went shopping with some students today and youget a whole new experience on things when you are out with them.They were great and had a blast shopping, bargaining, learning about the clothing, the culture and the city life of India.Yeah, we were asked for money from the poor children, the needy adults, followed by the market vendors trying to get us to purchase their item, but in all hand in hand, no one really bothered us.They are nice people, and just need some money, so spending it on the street to buy some random scarf's, clothing or whatever really just helps them out to feed their families.
March 14, 2008
Today, another day that will stay with me for a very long time. My day consisted of leading a trip for about 7 students to visit a local university and to hang out with some of the local Indian students and then to head to a local family house to visit their house and learn more about their living conditions.So, just thinking about this, you would be like, oh, okay… hanging out with some students and learning about them… great.But no way!!This experience was more than what I could have asked for!!It was just amazing.. I meet the most kindest students I could have every imaged and had a blast today.
So after about an hour drive to the university in the streets of India, which is just amazing, we made it.Passing all of the cars, the COWS, the poor, the villages, and so on, the university appeared and the students were waiting our arrival.First order of business, become Indian!!Each of us were greeted and then had our foreheads touched with red and yellow, to symbolize the Indian culture.I am not exactly sure of the meaning of it all and what they used, but it was nice of them to make us part of their culture for the day.
After the greeting, we meet with some of the professors and learned about their institution, their programs and how their higher education system worked at their school.We had a chance to have tour of their classrooms and labs, as we were at an engineering school.As they had the same components of a general college, things were just not as advanced with technology or amenities, but they are getting a great education.Many of the students would like to come to America to pursue their engineering or science masters once they graduate, which would be great.
For most of the day, I was able to hang out with five of the students who I got to know very well, Jayanand, Shivaram, Shaid, Tejas and Vidyuth.We exchanged emails and it would be great to stay in contact with them to see how their progress through their college experience and maybe one day come to America to get their masters degree!!
After a nice cultural demonstration on the Indian dance, music and singing, we had a chance to get ready for lunch.Lunch was an experience I would never forget either.Here we go..let me try to explain this one.
The set up was, the American in the middle of a table of three, with two other Indian students sitting next to us.The reason, which was great, was for them to show us how to eat the meal and to explain the meal as it was being served.Here we go.
Our meal was served on a banana leaf, which is very common, for the plate.That was fun right from the beginning.Then the next rule, you eat with your hands, but more importantly, only the RIGHT hand… so what the hell, time to give this a try.As the staff started to serve our banana leaves, I knew I was in for an interesting cultural treat!!They did leave me a spoon, but I removed it from my visual sight and told Shaid and Jayanand that I would eat with my hands and be a part of their culture.Mind you, eating with your hands… it is tough, and it feels different, as we are not used to this.Question, how do you pick up rice and other items on your leaf that are not solids??Yeah, I learned this.Mix the rice in all of the side items (which were more liquid format) to make the rice into a sticky paste and roll it in a ball and grab that to get to your mouth.It worked… it takes time and practice to get the correct consistency of the rice mixture, but I was able to do it.The entire meal was great, I cannot recall to you what I ate, but I have a picture of the meal.. take a look.It was all very good!!I do have to say, the one item of Indian food that I love is nann, if I am spelling that correctly!!I had like 4 of them, and it is great to rip it apart and grab the other items on your leaf to get to your mouth!!I did it, I ate my meal and had a great time with my hands.It did feel strange, but with everyone else doing it, it felt common and I felt part of the group.
As I said earlier, India has squat toilets, which is interesting.No toilet bowls, just a hole on the floor and there you go.For me, it was pretty easy, I just had the number 1 to pass through, but I could not image how our female students felt or others with other mother nature items passing through.To flush the toilet, you fill up the bucket that is in the room and dump it down the hole.It works for them, so why not.I need to adapt to the culture, not the culture to adapt to me!!Remember, about change… we all need to adapt to it, and if we don't, we will become extinct, especially not adapted to new environments as the world keeps on changing more and more.
As the press continued to take many pictures of our experience with the students, it was time to get going.We took some group pictures of the students and said our goodbyes with hope that we will keep in touch with each other.
It was now time to head to a house for a family visit.Here we go.As we arrived, we went to visit this lovely family who had an amazing house.I tell you, the poor of the poor to the rich to the rich.Her house was amazing and had some very nice furtunriture, and she was living very comfortable.She showed us pictures of her daughters wedding, as the wedding is such a huge ordeal in India.What fasincating stories.The woman had nice snacks ready for us and we had a blast being with her in her house and seeing what is like to actually live in India.Chennai is hoping that by 2020 they will have a whole new city set up and ready!!I hope they can accomplish this goal!!
As we heading back to our ship, we took a pit stop to temple and another market area.Now mind you, not too many tourists come to this area and let me tell you, everyone knew we were here and ready to shop and had money.Many of us were followed by the poorest children begging for money, the adults following us to the bus for money or food.It was an experience.It is so sad to see this, especially with the children talking to you and asking for money and food.You have to say no and ignore it, or once you give to someone, you must give to you all and then they really take advantage of you.If you ignore them and say no, they usually leave you alone.But today, we really saw so much poverty and a new way of living that just hurt so many of us.This was the first time that our bus was surrounded by the merchants, the kids and the other homeless begging, banging on the bus for money.It got to the point that the bus driver had to close the bus door on the feet of a homeless man, but it had to be done as he would not leave the entrance of the bus.He did not want to harm us, just wanted some money… it was so sad to see.
Overall , India has impressed me.India is like a book, you cannot judge it by what you see on the outside, the inside has so much to offer!!The warmth, the care, the hospitality, the curiousness, the love, the colors, the vibrant of business and chaos all makes sense.The Indian culture is so warm, so rich and caring that once you break out of the poor, the dirt, the hotness, you see more of their great personalities, their love and people who just want to do what they are doing, living life, trying to make it on their own money and taking care of themselves.Yeah, some can't take care of themselves, but others help them, and everyone is there.The city areas may be over populated, polluted, busy, but it works for them… who are we to criticize how others live.So they may not be as well developed as the USA, but we have our problems, we do stupid things, we have the poor… we are the same, just dealing with different problems in our own way that works for us.Yeah, you see India on TV about things, yeah, you hear about it, but don't judge it until you visit it, see it, taste it, smell it, and become embraced in it.This is the only way to understand the culture and to understand what challenges and strengths they are facing.
India has made me really realize how much I don't need, yet even more how much I need to take care of myself, and others, my friends and family.Who cares if certain things don't go a certain way, be flexible, donate to others and care for others goes along way.The service visits, the visits with the students, seeing India was just a place of helping me discover more about myself and things I need to continue changing about me, and some others that are close to me.Yeah, I want to come back and see the Taj Mahal and see and experience northern India one day, and I am sure that day will come!!
Please, visit India… experience this wonderful country and see it for yourself, because my pictures, my thoughts, my experience do not even compare to what I have seen, and been challenged with this week.The pictures and some of the movies, if they are uploaded or not on the site, will only give you a piece of this experience…. When you are ready to come to India, let me know and I will be there with you, and hopefully my new 5 friends from the university!!
Take care and keep in touch…. It is sad to see how many of you haven't kept in touch, but overall, no worries, it explains a lot about life and the people we are with each other.
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