Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Oh yeh..about that watch!
I actually have a very nice watch thank you very much so Im really not interested in buying another unless you're giving them away free?
Back to Blighty
Doesn't time fly. Here I am back where I started, sitting in my flat in Croydon at my Mac.
My last 2 weeks in India flew by. From the Vipassina retreat to the streets of Jaipur for a whistle-stop tour of the pink city, then back to Delhi for outreach, Mansha's wedding and home! Unfortunately I came down with a nasty cold and bug during my last week, probably as I was trying to keep up the one meal a day regime inherited from the Vipassina course. My body's not used to not being fed at least once an hour!
It was almost touch and go whether I would be able to attend Mansha's wedding and I considered delaying my flight home when I developed an ear infection. Thankfully I made it to the wedding - what an experience. It all started in the beauty salon where we went to be tarted up Indian style and have our Sari's put on. My Sari was bright pink, and my eye-lids were made to match my outfit. I must say we felt er, slightly overdone....thats a bit of an understatement! I felt like a Bangle's reject from the 80's and I think Vix felt pretty similar!
The wedding itself was amazing. Strangely for the second time since arriving in Delhi, the heavens opened and the rains fell. We were taken to the wedding by bus. The wedding reception was huge, with a capacity for about 1000 people, although unfortunately no ceiling so we got quite wet! Trees were covered in fairy lights, music blared out from the speakers, women dressed in beautiful Sari's and copious amounts of food was served. There was a fruit salad bar, food hawkers offering all things Indian, loads of fried nibbles and all that followed by a full-on sit-down Indian meal - Grrrrrrrrrreat!!
The wedding was very different to what I have been acustamed to. The Groom arrived on a white horse being led in by his family who were dancing wildley in front. Mansha arrived 10 mins later in full regalia and looked like she was straining to walk under the weight of her outfit. Within minutes she greeted her finace on a podeum with both of their families, there were lots of singing and shouting, a firework of coloured paper went off and that was it. The weird thing was that the rest of the wedding guests were more interested in the food than in the wedding. But, it was good food I suppose!!
Saying goodbye to the kids at outreach was sad. At Ashok Nigar some of the children spontaneously broke into song and dance and our very own variety performance unfolded . It was so special and Im glad I had my camera with me.
It was so sad saying goodbye to the Indian Volunteers who have been assisting us with translation at the outreaches, especially Vikram who's a star. Im really going to miss him. He's one of those people who brighten up a room the minute he steps into it. Always a smile on his face and a nack of making you laugh. If I could have put him in my pocket and taken him home I would have.
So, my adventure has come to an end. Im sad but happy to be home to see my partner and friends. It was soooooo nice having a hot shower, a glass of red wine and a goats cheese, sun-dried tom and basil baguette - heaven!
India will always be a part of my life now and I'll never forget the wonderful experience. The mangey dogs in the streets, the Buffalows pulling heavy loads, bumpy rickshaw rides, crazy auto rides on the other side of the motorway, the children at the outreaches, beautiful sari's, vibrant markets, wandering cows, numerous weird and wonderful Gods and temples, wild noisey wedding processions, Superstitions, funny Hinglish saying's and names like 'On Government Duty.... Supersucker cum jetter', being called 'Mam' all the time, cold bucket baths, crazy shopping trips, Bollywood films, and of course Vicki Mam.
One of the hardest things about leaving India was leaving my mate Vicki behind. Having spent 5 months in each other's pockets we've slept together in a range of hotels, mud huts, and rooms, taught together, eaten together, showered together, been sick together and even poo'ed together! When you spend so much time with someone and then suddenly they're not there anymore its like loosing your right arm. It feels really weird without her, but I can't wait to catch up when she gets back to the UK in April. Vicki Mam- come home soon! xx
In the meantime, Vicki is leaving for Rajisthan tomorrow to do some travelling before coming home and Bob has taken over. Another lady called Judy is due to arrive and so the project goes on. Sudanna one of the Chakma Monks has had some great news that his visa application for the UK has been accepted. I look forward to seeing him in Narborough.
I hope you've enjoyed reading my Blog, Ive certainly enjoyed writing it and sharing my wonderful experiences with you. I hope it provides a taste of what its like volunteering in Delhi, but if you would like more info, please contact Sister Modgala at The Buddhist House in Narborough or check out the Amida Trust website - www.amidatrust.com. The Buddhist House, 12 Coventry Rd, Narborough, Leicestershire, LE19 2GR. +44 0116 2867476.
Namo Amida Bu xx
My last 2 weeks in India flew by. From the Vipassina retreat to the streets of Jaipur for a whistle-stop tour of the pink city, then back to Delhi for outreach, Mansha's wedding and home! Unfortunately I came down with a nasty cold and bug during my last week, probably as I was trying to keep up the one meal a day regime inherited from the Vipassina course. My body's not used to not being fed at least once an hour!
It was almost touch and go whether I would be able to attend Mansha's wedding and I considered delaying my flight home when I developed an ear infection. Thankfully I made it to the wedding - what an experience. It all started in the beauty salon where we went to be tarted up Indian style and have our Sari's put on. My Sari was bright pink, and my eye-lids were made to match my outfit. I must say we felt er, slightly overdone....thats a bit of an understatement! I felt like a Bangle's reject from the 80's and I think Vix felt pretty similar!
The wedding itself was amazing. Strangely for the second time since arriving in Delhi, the heavens opened and the rains fell. We were taken to the wedding by bus. The wedding reception was huge, with a capacity for about 1000 people, although unfortunately no ceiling so we got quite wet! Trees were covered in fairy lights, music blared out from the speakers, women dressed in beautiful Sari's and copious amounts of food was served. There was a fruit salad bar, food hawkers offering all things Indian, loads of fried nibbles and all that followed by a full-on sit-down Indian meal - Grrrrrrrrrreat!!
The wedding was very different to what I have been acustamed to. The Groom arrived on a white horse being led in by his family who were dancing wildley in front. Mansha arrived 10 mins later in full regalia and looked like she was straining to walk under the weight of her outfit. Within minutes she greeted her finace on a podeum with both of their families, there were lots of singing and shouting, a firework of coloured paper went off and that was it. The weird thing was that the rest of the wedding guests were more interested in the food than in the wedding. But, it was good food I suppose!!
Saying goodbye to the kids at outreach was sad. At Ashok Nigar some of the children spontaneously broke into song and dance and our very own variety performance unfolded . It was so special and Im glad I had my camera with me.
It was so sad saying goodbye to the Indian Volunteers who have been assisting us with translation at the outreaches, especially Vikram who's a star. Im really going to miss him. He's one of those people who brighten up a room the minute he steps into it. Always a smile on his face and a nack of making you laugh. If I could have put him in my pocket and taken him home I would have.
So, my adventure has come to an end. Im sad but happy to be home to see my partner and friends. It was soooooo nice having a hot shower, a glass of red wine and a goats cheese, sun-dried tom and basil baguette - heaven!
India will always be a part of my life now and I'll never forget the wonderful experience. The mangey dogs in the streets, the Buffalows pulling heavy loads, bumpy rickshaw rides, crazy auto rides on the other side of the motorway, the children at the outreaches, beautiful sari's, vibrant markets, wandering cows, numerous weird and wonderful Gods and temples, wild noisey wedding processions, Superstitions, funny Hinglish saying's and names like 'On Government Duty.... Supersucker cum jetter', being called 'Mam' all the time, cold bucket baths, crazy shopping trips, Bollywood films, and of course Vicki Mam.
One of the hardest things about leaving India was leaving my mate Vicki behind. Having spent 5 months in each other's pockets we've slept together in a range of hotels, mud huts, and rooms, taught together, eaten together, showered together, been sick together and even poo'ed together! When you spend so much time with someone and then suddenly they're not there anymore its like loosing your right arm. It feels really weird without her, but I can't wait to catch up when she gets back to the UK in April. Vicki Mam- come home soon! xx
In the meantime, Vicki is leaving for Rajisthan tomorrow to do some travelling before coming home and Bob has taken over. Another lady called Judy is due to arrive and so the project goes on. Sudanna one of the Chakma Monks has had some great news that his visa application for the UK has been accepted. I look forward to seeing him in Narborough.
I hope you've enjoyed reading my Blog, Ive certainly enjoyed writing it and sharing my wonderful experiences with you. I hope it provides a taste of what its like volunteering in Delhi, but if you would like more info, please contact Sister Modgala at The Buddhist House in Narborough or check out the Amida Trust website - www.amidatrust.com. The Buddhist House, 12 Coventry Rd, Narborough, Leicestershire, LE19 2GR. +44 0116 2867476.
Namo Amida Bu xx
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Vipassina
Hey People of the world....Peace and Goodwill to each and everyone of you man!
I arrived back to Delhi last night from Jaipur having finished the Vipassina course 2 days ago so Im feeling a bit blissed out. Vipassina was uncomfortable, painful, hard-work, mentally disturbing at times and boring at times too. It was also insightful, inspirational, challenging, interesting and very worthwhile.
Vipassina is the meditation technique taught by Buddha and the translation means 'seeing things as they really are'. Its a personal journey into understanding the nature of reality; that things are in a constant state of flux and change and that we fill our lives with an endless cycle of Craving and Aversion. Life is full of suffering. We crave for things we cannot always have which leads to suffering (I want a higher salary/a better car/an exotic holiday/more friends); when we get the things we crave for, we either want more and/or are anxious not to loose them which leads to more suffering and we put a lot of effort and worry into avoiding things we do not like.
The process of Vipassina teaches us to observe things as they are and not to attach likes and dislikes to them, therefore trying to irradicate craving and aversion which lead to suffering. The process invloves 10 days of meditaion focussing on sensations cropping up natrually within the body and really being aware of the body. When sensations such as itching, tingling, pain, numbness etc do crop up, it teaches us to simply observe the phenomina with an equanimous mind, not liking some sensations and disliking others. With practice and a calm mind, the aim is to be able to sit in one position without moving for up to 2 hours maintining an alert and attentive mind observing these sensations with an objective eye. It really surprised me how much one can control the mind and ones reaction towards pain. As time went on, I began to witness for myself how much my mind exagerates responses to stimuli, automatically judging stimuli and adopting preferences and aversions. After about 5 days I was actually able to sit cross legged in a meditation position for 1.5 hours without moving a muscle despite experiencing intense pain, cramping, itching and dead legs by just observing the sensations. Amazing. Im not for one minute pretending it was easy. On the 5th night I cried myself to sleep because I didnt think I was strong enough to deal with the pain. I couldn't sleep due to the intense acheing of my knees and I began to worry about any permanent damage I may be causing my body. But the pain and long hours - 10.5 hours a day of mediating starting at 4.30am was forgotten when I experienced periods of true awareness and concentration during meditaion.
On the 10th day, you are allwed to speak with others on the course, although males and females are always segregated. It was great to talk to others about their experiences and compare notes after 9 days of silence.
I think the experience has made me realise how much anger I have inside, and how often I can react to situations from a position of anger rather than compassion. I want to make a commitment to myself to try to deal with this anger and intend to use the Vipassina technique in my mediation practice. Since leaving the center, I have been able to maintain a level of awareness over my reactions and feel better able to choose how to react to stimuli. This feels good and I really want to maintain this state.
If anybody is intersted in Vipassina, there are centers all over the world. To find out about one nearest to you, visit www.dhamma.org. As long as you are willing to put a lot of time and effort in and have an understanding of what it invloves, I would definately reccommend it.
I arrived back to Delhi last night from Jaipur having finished the Vipassina course 2 days ago so Im feeling a bit blissed out. Vipassina was uncomfortable, painful, hard-work, mentally disturbing at times and boring at times too. It was also insightful, inspirational, challenging, interesting and very worthwhile.
Vipassina is the meditation technique taught by Buddha and the translation means 'seeing things as they really are'. Its a personal journey into understanding the nature of reality; that things are in a constant state of flux and change and that we fill our lives with an endless cycle of Craving and Aversion. Life is full of suffering. We crave for things we cannot always have which leads to suffering (I want a higher salary/a better car/an exotic holiday/more friends); when we get the things we crave for, we either want more and/or are anxious not to loose them which leads to more suffering and we put a lot of effort and worry into avoiding things we do not like.
The process of Vipassina teaches us to observe things as they are and not to attach likes and dislikes to them, therefore trying to irradicate craving and aversion which lead to suffering. The process invloves 10 days of meditaion focussing on sensations cropping up natrually within the body and really being aware of the body. When sensations such as itching, tingling, pain, numbness etc do crop up, it teaches us to simply observe the phenomina with an equanimous mind, not liking some sensations and disliking others. With practice and a calm mind, the aim is to be able to sit in one position without moving for up to 2 hours maintining an alert and attentive mind observing these sensations with an objective eye. It really surprised me how much one can control the mind and ones reaction towards pain. As time went on, I began to witness for myself how much my mind exagerates responses to stimuli, automatically judging stimuli and adopting preferences and aversions. After about 5 days I was actually able to sit cross legged in a meditation position for 1.5 hours without moving a muscle despite experiencing intense pain, cramping, itching and dead legs by just observing the sensations. Amazing. Im not for one minute pretending it was easy. On the 5th night I cried myself to sleep because I didnt think I was strong enough to deal with the pain. I couldn't sleep due to the intense acheing of my knees and I began to worry about any permanent damage I may be causing my body. But the pain and long hours - 10.5 hours a day of mediating starting at 4.30am was forgotten when I experienced periods of true awareness and concentration during meditaion.
On the 10th day, you are allwed to speak with others on the course, although males and females are always segregated. It was great to talk to others about their experiences and compare notes after 9 days of silence.
I think the experience has made me realise how much anger I have inside, and how often I can react to situations from a position of anger rather than compassion. I want to make a commitment to myself to try to deal with this anger and intend to use the Vipassina technique in my mediation practice. Since leaving the center, I have been able to maintain a level of awareness over my reactions and feel better able to choose how to react to stimuli. This feels good and I really want to maintain this state.
If anybody is intersted in Vipassina, there are centers all over the world. To find out about one nearest to you, visit www.dhamma.org. As long as you are willing to put a lot of time and effort in and have an understanding of what it invloves, I would definately reccommend it.
Friday, January 05, 2007
Happy New Year!
A Happy New Year to each and every one of you!
We arrived in Delhi from a 2 week break in Southern India last night. We spent 3 days travelling by train, bus, taxi and boat to Gokarna in Karnataka from Delhi on the 20th Dec. There we spent Christmas on a beach soaking up the sun and meeting lots of Western travellers who had the same idea. My partner had planned on coming out to meet us, but he couldnt get any cheap deals so it was just me and Vicki. Although I was gutted not to see him, we made the most of it and got into the spirit.
After spending Christmas on a beach, we headed for Mumbai which in my opinion is a horrible, stinking cest pit full of rich middle class, loutish perverts and I never want to step foot there again! Our experience here was a stark contrast to Delhi and we culdnt wait to get out of it. The men are vile, constantly making comments and staring. I duely publically humiliated one who pinched Vicki's bum, by screaming 'Eve Teaser' while skipping round him and pointing at him and making sure everyone on the busy highstreet knew exactly what we thought of him and that it certainly was NOT ok to act in such a manner. I think thats what I hated the most about being there, I didnt feel good about myself. I felt continuously aggressive and defensive most of the time, ready to pounce on the next creepy sorry excuse for a man and actaully felt like physically assaulting some of them. Its far from being the helpful Buddhist English Teaching Volunteer persona that Ive enjoyed for the last 3 months; rather a Psychopathic, Feminist Warrior ready to take on any unsuspecting male who even bats an eyelid in my direction! It put it all into perspective when we read that a Western foreigner was mobbed by a gang of Indian drunken youths on New Years Eve in the heart of the city and had her skirt ripped off. The police were not able to do anything at the time but are now appealing for help with the matter. Disgusting. If Mumbai is a sign of things to come in India I am truely very, very sorry.
Anyway, tomorrow I embark on a train journey to Jaipur to start a 10 day Vipassina retreat. Boy do I need it! Im crapping my pants a bit as the thought of getting up at 4am every morning, not eating after midday and doing 10 hours of meditation a day doeant sound like fun, and not being able to talk for 10days might just kill me. But Im told its a worth while experience and truthfully, Im looking forward to it.
We arrived in Delhi from a 2 week break in Southern India last night. We spent 3 days travelling by train, bus, taxi and boat to Gokarna in Karnataka from Delhi on the 20th Dec. There we spent Christmas on a beach soaking up the sun and meeting lots of Western travellers who had the same idea. My partner had planned on coming out to meet us, but he couldnt get any cheap deals so it was just me and Vicki. Although I was gutted not to see him, we made the most of it and got into the spirit.
After spending Christmas on a beach, we headed for Mumbai which in my opinion is a horrible, stinking cest pit full of rich middle class, loutish perverts and I never want to step foot there again! Our experience here was a stark contrast to Delhi and we culdnt wait to get out of it. The men are vile, constantly making comments and staring. I duely publically humiliated one who pinched Vicki's bum, by screaming 'Eve Teaser' while skipping round him and pointing at him and making sure everyone on the busy highstreet knew exactly what we thought of him and that it certainly was NOT ok to act in such a manner. I think thats what I hated the most about being there, I didnt feel good about myself. I felt continuously aggressive and defensive most of the time, ready to pounce on the next creepy sorry excuse for a man and actaully felt like physically assaulting some of them. Its far from being the helpful Buddhist English Teaching Volunteer persona that Ive enjoyed for the last 3 months; rather a Psychopathic, Feminist Warrior ready to take on any unsuspecting male who even bats an eyelid in my direction! It put it all into perspective when we read that a Western foreigner was mobbed by a gang of Indian drunken youths on New Years Eve in the heart of the city and had her skirt ripped off. The police were not able to do anything at the time but are now appealing for help with the matter. Disgusting. If Mumbai is a sign of things to come in India I am truely very, very sorry.
Anyway, tomorrow I embark on a train journey to Jaipur to start a 10 day Vipassina retreat. Boy do I need it! Im crapping my pants a bit as the thought of getting up at 4am every morning, not eating after midday and doing 10 hours of meditation a day doeant sound like fun, and not being able to talk for 10days might just kill me. But Im told its a worth while experience and truthfully, Im looking forward to it.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Shopping, teaching, eating, shopping, teaching............
The last month has been a blur of teaching, shopping, eating and sleeping! Classes are going well and its strange to think that for me, my teaching career in india is almost over. The time spent so far has enabled me to build up good relationships with my students and I will genuinely miss them on my return to the UK. Its been great to see the change in their English speaking and they have so much more confidence compared to when we first met them.
In the lead up to Christmas, we've been on a Christmas shopping mission and have probably single handedly kept India's economy afloat! Going Sari shopping in Delhi's Old Quarter, Chandni Chowk was a fab experience. The streets are so crammed with merchants, beggars, hawkers, cows, rickshaws and people throwing buckets of water out of their houses. It can be a bit of an artform dodging the frequent showers of dirty water thats cleaned floors, motorbikes and bodies! Yuk! Choosing a Sari is a delightful experience, one for the ladies. You sit on a white blanket on the floor while being presented with an array of beautiful and not so beautiful and then downright gaudy Saris while sipping on freshly brewed Chai. It was hard to leave the shop without buying up the whole place and I wish we in the Uk wore them more often. In the end we left with 2 each! One for Mansha's wedding in January and one for my cousin Alison's wedding in July.
Yesterday we had a school excursion taking some students to Delhi's attractions in a mini-van we hired. It was a lot of fun and it was nice that some of them don't always have the opportunity to see some of these sites. When nwe got home, a huge wedding procession was going on with 2 massive elephants leading it. We ran ahead to the market to buy some fruit for them and were invited to sit on them. Who would have thought our day would have ended with us on top of 2 huge elephants leading a wedding procession through the streets of Yamuna Vihar - crazy!
Our outreaches have been going well. The children have mastered numbers, colours, verbs and nouns and we have been introducing pronouns. As Vicki mentioned, the numbers have been increasing more and more each week, and 2 weeks ago we hit the 120 mark! Since then we have had to manage the numners more carefully as it can be a bit difficult to manage with the 3 of us and one Indian volunteer! Its all good though and the children are loving it!
In the lead up to Christmas, we've been on a Christmas shopping mission and have probably single handedly kept India's economy afloat! Going Sari shopping in Delhi's Old Quarter, Chandni Chowk was a fab experience. The streets are so crammed with merchants, beggars, hawkers, cows, rickshaws and people throwing buckets of water out of their houses. It can be a bit of an artform dodging the frequent showers of dirty water thats cleaned floors, motorbikes and bodies! Yuk! Choosing a Sari is a delightful experience, one for the ladies. You sit on a white blanket on the floor while being presented with an array of beautiful and not so beautiful and then downright gaudy Saris while sipping on freshly brewed Chai. It was hard to leave the shop without buying up the whole place and I wish we in the Uk wore them more often. In the end we left with 2 each! One for Mansha's wedding in January and one for my cousin Alison's wedding in July.
Yesterday we had a school excursion taking some students to Delhi's attractions in a mini-van we hired. It was a lot of fun and it was nice that some of them don't always have the opportunity to see some of these sites. When nwe got home, a huge wedding procession was going on with 2 massive elephants leading it. We ran ahead to the market to buy some fruit for them and were invited to sit on them. Who would have thought our day would have ended with us on top of 2 huge elephants leading a wedding procession through the streets of Yamuna Vihar - crazy!
Our outreaches have been going well. The children have mastered numbers, colours, verbs and nouns and we have been introducing pronouns. As Vicki mentioned, the numbers have been increasing more and more each week, and 2 weeks ago we hit the 120 mark! Since then we have had to manage the numners more carefully as it can be a bit difficult to manage with the 3 of us and one Indian volunteer! Its all good though and the children are loving it!
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
28th November 2006
Well finally i have got around to adding to the blog site. For any of you that know me well you will know that keeping in touch is not particularly one of my strong points, apart from the odd e mail here and there...but here i am!
Well where to start! Charlotte has done a fantastic job in her regular up dates of our adventures so far and the enthusiasm and passion that shines through in Charlottes writing represnts both of our love for being in India, it's great!
Living with the Chakmas has been fantastic, from the start we have been made to feel very welcome and as time goes on we can see, by the occasional verse of chakma song, that some are not as shy as they originally seemed. We were lucky enough to have some time at the start of the projct to visit the temples that we would be teaching in and meet other members of the Chakma community, and we were met with such genuine kindness and hospitality that we have been very thankful of.
We are now well into our classes and they are going really well (although at times i might not say that, when my advanced grammar classes are firing extremely difficult questions at me, followed up with the dreaded question within the grammar classroom...why?!). It seems that quite quickly the rapport and trust has formed enabling us all to share experiences, knowledge and jokes and as the weeks go on the relatiosnships continue to grow. Its such a priviledge to be in a position where we can discuss 'real life' issues with Indian people and create an environment of continuous learning from each other. An experience that will have an ever lasting impact on me.
The outreaches are amazing. When it was said during our volunteer training that in the past there have been groups of 100 children being taught, I could not even imagine us doing such a thing....well last Sunday at Ashok Negar Joy, Charlotte and I did just that. The numbers have been rising over the weeks and this week Joys head count revealed that they had reached the 100 mark! Doing the outreaches is so uch fun and if the children enjoy them as much as we do then it can only be a good thing! Last Saturday Charlotte and I accompanied by Vikram one of the Indian volunteers did the outreach in Seelampur, this allowed Joy some time as she has been doing 2 outreaches in a day. It is our smallest outreach which is actually quite nice as it can be more personal allowing you to get to know the children and do some the activities which are more of a challenge to control with larger numbers. So we are keen to take on this outreach allowing Joy to focus on the afternoon one in Shanti Negar where we have been unable to attend due to an outbreak in Dengue fever.
On top of all the teaching we have found plenty of time the cram in many shopping trips, trips away (which Charlotte has mentioned)relaxation time and even time to do our new found hobby...sudoku (thanks mum for introducing that!) it has resulted in many an hour of entertainment, with the only words muttered between me and Charlotte... "can you pass the rubber please".
Well i have to return to class now lesson number 3 of the day is due to start.
Bye for now!
...and if i have made any grammatical mistakes, keep them to yourself, i dont want to know!!!
Well where to start! Charlotte has done a fantastic job in her regular up dates of our adventures so far and the enthusiasm and passion that shines through in Charlottes writing represnts both of our love for being in India, it's great!
Living with the Chakmas has been fantastic, from the start we have been made to feel very welcome and as time goes on we can see, by the occasional verse of chakma song, that some are not as shy as they originally seemed. We were lucky enough to have some time at the start of the projct to visit the temples that we would be teaching in and meet other members of the Chakma community, and we were met with such genuine kindness and hospitality that we have been very thankful of.
We are now well into our classes and they are going really well (although at times i might not say that, when my advanced grammar classes are firing extremely difficult questions at me, followed up with the dreaded question within the grammar classroom...why?!). It seems that quite quickly the rapport and trust has formed enabling us all to share experiences, knowledge and jokes and as the weeks go on the relatiosnships continue to grow. Its such a priviledge to be in a position where we can discuss 'real life' issues with Indian people and create an environment of continuous learning from each other. An experience that will have an ever lasting impact on me.
The outreaches are amazing. When it was said during our volunteer training that in the past there have been groups of 100 children being taught, I could not even imagine us doing such a thing....well last Sunday at Ashok Negar Joy, Charlotte and I did just that. The numbers have been rising over the weeks and this week Joys head count revealed that they had reached the 100 mark! Doing the outreaches is so uch fun and if the children enjoy them as much as we do then it can only be a good thing! Last Saturday Charlotte and I accompanied by Vikram one of the Indian volunteers did the outreach in Seelampur, this allowed Joy some time as she has been doing 2 outreaches in a day. It is our smallest outreach which is actually quite nice as it can be more personal allowing you to get to know the children and do some the activities which are more of a challenge to control with larger numbers. So we are keen to take on this outreach allowing Joy to focus on the afternoon one in Shanti Negar where we have been unable to attend due to an outbreak in Dengue fever.
On top of all the teaching we have found plenty of time the cram in many shopping trips, trips away (which Charlotte has mentioned)relaxation time and even time to do our new found hobby...sudoku (thanks mum for introducing that!) it has resulted in many an hour of entertainment, with the only words muttered between me and Charlotte... "can you pass the rubber please".
Well i have to return to class now lesson number 3 of the day is due to start.
Bye for now!
...and if i have made any grammatical mistakes, keep them to yourself, i dont want to know!!!
Saturday, November 25, 2006
A wonder of the world......
Its been a while since I wrote last. This has not been for a lack of trying as last week I spent 40mins writing a post only to have the connestion interuupted and my work lost - eeeeek!
I have had my great mate Eirk over from Norway. He left this morning and we miss him already. Despite being here for only 2 weeks, he felt like a part of the team contributing to the discussions and grammar classes. He has been impressed by the friendliness and openness of Indians, but like us has noticed how conctrete their thinking can be at times. They seem to struggle with abstract ideas and view the world in black and white. We had an intersting discussion about sterotypes and I was highly amused to find out Indians seem to think people from the West are all beautiful, confident, intelligent, free-minded, happy and apparently we all look the same! They also think we are socially immoral and selfish.
Inevitably the conversations turned to Marriage and Divorce. I was horrified to find out that the students reckon up to 90%of people commit adultery in Delhi! I have also been disgusted to find out that domestic abuse is tolerated and accepted although not condoned. When I told one highly educated middle class male that I would leave my partner if he ever hit me, his response was shock and....'what, even if it was once'! We also discussed the problems with the Dowry system. When women are 'married off' their parents are expected to provide a Dowry. Unfortunately many women are tortured by their husband so that the parents will provide a higher dowry and many women are killed or commit suicide. Someone quoted a figure of 5% of women in India comitting suicide every year, a staggering amount of women considering the population of India is over a billion.
I have taken a real shining to one of our female volunteers called Mansha. Mansha is a 25 year old woman who lives across the road from us. She has great confidence and a real individual streak, a strong woman with a good sense of humour. She will be getting married to an Indian man who lives in Hounslow, London. She has met him once and likes him but once they are married in January she will be expected to move to London to live with him forever. She has no friends or family over there and bearly knows her fiance yet she is optomistic about the future and as a woman has been brought up to expect to make great sacrifices in her life. I wish I could share her optimism but I cant help but worry for her. Im glad that at least I can be a friend to her in London and I cant wait to go to her wedding in January. She is taking myself and Viki Sari shopping next week - I CAN'T WAIT!
I turned 28 last Monday. I had a fantastic day and everyone made a fuss and made me feel really special. Cards arrived on the doorstep and I even had a birthday cake! The highlight of the day however had to be seeing the Indian volunteers show off their Bollywood dance moves - I cant remember when I laughed so hard.
Two days ago we went to Agra to see one of the wonders of the world...yes...THE TAJ MAHAL! WOW! All I can say is that its amazing to see in the flesh. Sometimes you see these sights on postcards and on tellie and then when you see them for yourself they dissapoint. Not this one! Its spectacular and eveyone must see it! Check out Jet Airays or Air India and book your flights now!
EIRK WE MISS YOU XX
I have had my great mate Eirk over from Norway. He left this morning and we miss him already. Despite being here for only 2 weeks, he felt like a part of the team contributing to the discussions and grammar classes. He has been impressed by the friendliness and openness of Indians, but like us has noticed how conctrete their thinking can be at times. They seem to struggle with abstract ideas and view the world in black and white. We had an intersting discussion about sterotypes and I was highly amused to find out Indians seem to think people from the West are all beautiful, confident, intelligent, free-minded, happy and apparently we all look the same! They also think we are socially immoral and selfish.
Inevitably the conversations turned to Marriage and Divorce. I was horrified to find out that the students reckon up to 90%of people commit adultery in Delhi! I have also been disgusted to find out that domestic abuse is tolerated and accepted although not condoned. When I told one highly educated middle class male that I would leave my partner if he ever hit me, his response was shock and....'what, even if it was once'! We also discussed the problems with the Dowry system. When women are 'married off' their parents are expected to provide a Dowry. Unfortunately many women are tortured by their husband so that the parents will provide a higher dowry and many women are killed or commit suicide. Someone quoted a figure of 5% of women in India comitting suicide every year, a staggering amount of women considering the population of India is over a billion.
I have taken a real shining to one of our female volunteers called Mansha. Mansha is a 25 year old woman who lives across the road from us. She has great confidence and a real individual streak, a strong woman with a good sense of humour. She will be getting married to an Indian man who lives in Hounslow, London. She has met him once and likes him but once they are married in January she will be expected to move to London to live with him forever. She has no friends or family over there and bearly knows her fiance yet she is optomistic about the future and as a woman has been brought up to expect to make great sacrifices in her life. I wish I could share her optimism but I cant help but worry for her. Im glad that at least I can be a friend to her in London and I cant wait to go to her wedding in January. She is taking myself and Viki Sari shopping next week - I CAN'T WAIT!
I turned 28 last Monday. I had a fantastic day and everyone made a fuss and made me feel really special. Cards arrived on the doorstep and I even had a birthday cake! The highlight of the day however had to be seeing the Indian volunteers show off their Bollywood dance moves - I cant remember when I laughed so hard.
Two days ago we went to Agra to see one of the wonders of the world...yes...THE TAJ MAHAL! WOW! All I can say is that its amazing to see in the flesh. Sometimes you see these sights on postcards and on tellie and then when you see them for yourself they dissapoint. Not this one! Its spectacular and eveyone must see it! Check out Jet Airays or Air India and book your flights now!
EIRK WE MISS YOU XX
Thursday, November 09, 2006
One month on...
I cant believe we have been here for a month already. Time is flying by and Im starting to get anxious about the amount of time I have left.
We are now in full swing and the classes are going well. Our students are generally a really lovely lot and I've been surprised at the discussions we have had already. Before coming, topics like 'Arranged versus Love marriages', 'Relationships' and Religion' were things that seemed a long way off, but on the 4th session, my evening discussion group launched us straight into them!
Most of the people who attend the classes are the better off, modern Indians who aspire to work in Indian call centers, for the Government or private companies in management. They range from 15-25 years old. These people have access to the programme in order to help them pass demanding exams. India is known for its high rate of suicide in teenagers due to the pressures of exams and the numbers are rising. Employment is high here and the competition for jobs is immense. By interacting with people who are the future of India, it allows us to bridge some of the gaps between the East and the West. A lot of the advertsing here showing white people usually involve a man and a woman scantily dressed carressing an ice cream in a rather suggestive manner. This kind of advertsing gives Indians the impression we are all sex mad (this may of course be somewhat true) and they think we get divorced every other day. The quote they seem to love the most is "India has such a high rate of successful marriages and in the West 1/3 of marriages end in divorce". Can anyone tell me - is this true? Shocking really, but then I question the quality of the marriages over here, and typically its the Women who seem to loose out the most. Husbands over here are supposed to be treated like Gods according to tradition, but its a relief to hear the younger men saying that they look for a more equal partnership based on mutual respect.
On speaking on topics like these it feels like a huge responsibility representing my country, in fact representing 3 continents ('The West')as I worry sometimes that my opinions will be taken as gospel. I have tried to make clear that I am one person who can only offer my experience and opinions of the world and explain what I find important in life. Through our discussions I think we are realising that we are not all that different after all, and in fact all we want is to be happy and wish happiness for our fellow human beings.
India is changing and changing fast. The divide between the rich and poor increases, fashion is slowly changing in the wealthier circles, coffee shops are springing up and the Government is trying to encourage people to shop in big malls. But every now and then we see things that remind us that we are in India. Today we saw a dog walk by with his tail hanging off having been savaged by another dog and on street a ting puppy lays dead on the road having been run over. Buffalows struggle past us on the congested roads with heavy loads and rope pierced through their snout and we see goats being led off for sacrificial slaughter. These are the things that leave a bitter taste in the mouth.
But it's all made worth while by the children that we meet. Their eagerness to learn, a new word learned, a smile.
Namo Amida Bu
We are now in full swing and the classes are going well. Our students are generally a really lovely lot and I've been surprised at the discussions we have had already. Before coming, topics like 'Arranged versus Love marriages', 'Relationships' and Religion' were things that seemed a long way off, but on the 4th session, my evening discussion group launched us straight into them!
Most of the people who attend the classes are the better off, modern Indians who aspire to work in Indian call centers, for the Government or private companies in management. They range from 15-25 years old. These people have access to the programme in order to help them pass demanding exams. India is known for its high rate of suicide in teenagers due to the pressures of exams and the numbers are rising. Employment is high here and the competition for jobs is immense. By interacting with people who are the future of India, it allows us to bridge some of the gaps between the East and the West. A lot of the advertsing here showing white people usually involve a man and a woman scantily dressed carressing an ice cream in a rather suggestive manner. This kind of advertsing gives Indians the impression we are all sex mad (this may of course be somewhat true) and they think we get divorced every other day. The quote they seem to love the most is "India has such a high rate of successful marriages and in the West 1/3 of marriages end in divorce". Can anyone tell me - is this true? Shocking really, but then I question the quality of the marriages over here, and typically its the Women who seem to loose out the most. Husbands over here are supposed to be treated like Gods according to tradition, but its a relief to hear the younger men saying that they look for a more equal partnership based on mutual respect.
On speaking on topics like these it feels like a huge responsibility representing my country, in fact representing 3 continents ('The West')as I worry sometimes that my opinions will be taken as gospel. I have tried to make clear that I am one person who can only offer my experience and opinions of the world and explain what I find important in life. Through our discussions I think we are realising that we are not all that different after all, and in fact all we want is to be happy and wish happiness for our fellow human beings.
India is changing and changing fast. The divide between the rich and poor increases, fashion is slowly changing in the wealthier circles, coffee shops are springing up and the Government is trying to encourage people to shop in big malls. But every now and then we see things that remind us that we are in India. Today we saw a dog walk by with his tail hanging off having been savaged by another dog and on street a ting puppy lays dead on the road having been run over. Buffalows struggle past us on the congested roads with heavy loads and rope pierced through their snout and we see goats being led off for sacrificial slaughter. These are the things that leave a bitter taste in the mouth.
But it's all made worth while by the children that we meet. Their eagerness to learn, a new word learned, a smile.
Namo Amida Bu
