Lessons Learned

Working at KVK

The office where I work is very beautiful (see above). It is a ten minute walk from my house, which means I can go home for lunch everyday, which is wonderful. I usually leave the house at 10am, arrive by 10:15, leave for lunch at 1, return at 2, and leave the office at 5 in the afternoon. It's a very laid-back atmosphere and things don't seem to get rolling until 10:30am.

The office is surrounded by beautiful farmland, which includes rows of various crops, orchards of various fruit trees, a dairy and goat unit, a tree nursery, and a plant garden. The office building itself is U-shaped around a small courtyard. All offices open into the courtyard, so it feels like I am working outside. Doors are never closed - curtains are pulled to block the sun, at most.

During my first week I have been doing an assortment of different activities. I have toured most of the farmland that belongs to KVK, I have read a lot of books and reports about the organization, and I have sat in on several training sessions. Yesterday my supervisor told me there was a film screening on corneal disease that she thought I should watch - Holy Random.

On Tuesday I went on my first KVK field visit (in a jeep the KVK annual report described as "condemned status"). We went to several villages to monitor the construction of bio-gas plants, which will save time and energy and trees when the women no longer have to cook over fires. Here is a picture of one bio-gas plant under construction:

Here is another picture of me chatting it up with a woman in one of the houses that was going to use the bio-gas plant. Our makeshift conversation in Hindi went something like this:

Me: What is your name?
Her: Karla (I think...)
Me: How old are you?
Her: Twenty-four
Me: Me, twenty-four.
Pause.
Me: Where do you sleep?
Her: There.
Me: Pretty sari.
Giggles.

Learning from Udaipur

After living in Udaipur for two weeks now, these are some things I have learned:

- Udaipur is a tranquil, sometimes sleepy city. Businesses open at 10am and there is nothing much to do after 10pm. Dinner and a beer are a nice way to relax, but they can only last so long into the night.

- There are animals everywhere! Rajasthan is a very rural state and agriculture is very important, but still it seems odd to me to see so many women herding their goats and donkeys all through the city. Cows, camels, pigs, and elephants frequently meander through even the busiest streets.

- People are so friendly and extremely helpful. If there is any city to get lost in, I've been told that Udaipur is one of the safest and friendliest.

- There is lots of English spoken here, but the little Hindi I know comes in handy, and I can't wait to become more conversational.

- Indian people don't use toilet paper. Riddle me that. Luckily I was accustomed to carrying TP with me from my travels in Latin America, but it took me about a week to figure out that I need to buy my own supplies to keep at home as well.

- Kinus are yummy fruits - a hybrid orange and lime!

- My feet will never be clean. There is just too much dust and it is too hot for sneakers.

Here are some pictures of the streets in Udaipur - the first one I took on my walk to work yesterday. Notice the camel just chillin. The second one is just outside this internet cafe as I was walking in. Notice the elephant in the background.

Settling in

At the end of our orientation week, Siddhartha (the Program Director) and Lauren (Program Coordinator) went over FSD policies before we went to our host families. One "touchy" topic was that of motorcycles. The FSD official policy is that we should not ride on motorcycles. However, they understand that often when we are in the field traveling from village to village, there is no other option available. In that case, they require that we wear a helmet, which FSD can lend out from their office.

For my first day of work, Lauren picked me up at my house to walk me to my new office. However, there was a change of plans and Siddhartha was going to take me on his motorcycle instead. Siddhartha came out with his helmet, and I was waiting for them to bring me the extra one, but it never came. He hopped on the bike, and I cautiously climbed on and tightly grabbed his waist. He started the engine and yelled, "I hope this is not your first motorcycle ride!" I replied, "No. It's my second." And we sped off down the dusty roads.

For my parents' peace of mind I should mention that the office was very close - a 3 minute ride - and Siddhartha drove very slowly and safely. My only previous motorcycle ride was just down the block and back in an Atlanta suburb, which somehow seemed much scarier.

My workplace is beautiful, because it is surrounded by demonstration farms and orchards and gardens. I have a little desk in a shared office, and I have been spending my time reading and talking to staff members and touring the premises. Tomorrow I am accompanying one staff member to the field where they have several projects underway in various villages. I am incredibly excited. I had one field visit already during orientation and it was by far the best part of my trip so far. The countryside is stunningly beautiful and the people were so kind.

I have moved into my new home where I live with my host mother, whom I call "Auntie." She is fabulous, and later on I will dedicate an entire post to her. Yesterday she took me with her to a Muslim prayer service which she leads. She and an older woman read (but more like sang and chanted) Urdu texts that were remembering the death of Mohammed's grandson Hussein. It was very beautiful, and must have been incredibly sad because all the women were in tears the whole time. The group was entirely composed of women ranging from ages 40 to 100.

I am posting a link to another blog that Dan and Ali write together - they are also interns on my program. It may have more fun stories and pictures of Udaipur!
www.namasteofmind.wordpress.com

Wedding Season

The official wedding season in Rajasthan ends on February 15. Every day we have seen colorful wedding parades making their way down the streets of Udaipur, and every night we have gone to sleep to endless Indian music blasting just near our hotel.

Yesterday, we (the group of new interns) came back to our hotel at 10pm, all exhausted after a long day of riding around the city and a concert of Indian traditional music. From our rooms, we heard the same loud Indian music coming from somewhere directly behind our hotel, so we decided to check it and see what an Indian wedding looked like.

We walked just a few yards down the street to the entrance to the big green lawn where a wedding reception was being held. We tried to peek in, but we couldn't see much, and felt very intrusive and awkward so we decided to turn back. As we were standing around talking about how weird this felt peeking in on someone's wedding, Mariel turned and just walked in. When she didn't come back, Dan walked in too to see what she was doing. Dan didn't return either. Then Tim wandered in. Ali, Maddie, and I stayed back still. Eventually Maddie decided to run in and get them. She didn't come back.

Ali and I stood on the street at the entrance to the party and watched groups of people dressed in extravagant saris and suits leaving. We edged further towards the entrance. We smiled awkwardly at the weddings guests and they smiled back. Some said, "Come, come! Come in! You are welcome!" We smiled and said thank you, but only edged a little closer, peeking in a bit further.

The invitations continued. One very small old man with no teeth and a big white turban came right up to my face and put his fingers to his mouth, making an eating motion. At first I thought he was asking me for food, but then he pointed to the party, and everyone around us ushered us in and said, "Come! Come!" So we went in.

The party was small, it seemed it was just ending, but we could tell it had been beautiful. It was a kind of reception or banquet on a big green lawn enclosed with hedge bushes and palm trees and colored tube lights. There was a glittery, brightly lit stage where the bride and groom were seated, and I must say they were looking very bored. At first we oohed and aahed over the dazzling saris, but soon we were pushed up to the stage where we took our places behind the bride and groom for a series of pictures. Standing there in my jeans, hiking boots, and filthy white fleece among such beautiful wedding guests was the equivalent of walking down the street naked. But then we ate the most delicious food ever and it was okay.


Elephant Land

I didn't believe it at first - but there are elephants in Udaipur! I was dying to see one all week, and finally I saw one yesterday for the first time.

Unfortunately my first elephant encounter was not as magical as I had expected it to be. I had imagined this beautiful creature would slowly turn the corner, gracefully approach me, reach out his trunk to touch my cheek, and smile back at me. Sadly, I met the elephant when he was tied to a rod iron fence next to a park, reaching as far as he could to a tree on the other side to eat some food. He looked hungry and sad. I didn't touch him.

People in Rajasthan have elephants as pets and take them walking around the city both for tourists and locals. Tourists pet them and ride them; locals give them treats and money as an offering to the very celebrated Lord Ganesha. To me, an avid animal lover, it makes the city extra exciting.

Hello, India

India is wonderful! I am already enchanted and in love with this country.

That being said, I should clarify that I think Rajasthan is wonderful. Delhi was a godforsaken city and I was glad to get out quickly. In sum, it embodies every reason my mother has no interest in coming to India. It was dirty, too crowded, smelly, and made me feel sad in general. Luckily, my aunt Valle's friend Karma picked me up at the airport and that saved me: I was able to hide out in the Tibetan colony for a night and see all the decorations and fireworks celebrating the Tibetan New Year.

But when our plane landed in Rajasthan, it was sunny and the air was clean and refreshing, though I couldn't quite put my finger on what I was smelling. Maybe spices or fruit or desert dust or just the scent of India. Since I have been here, I have been at a cozy hotel in the middle of Udaipur, complete with a courtyard and occasional monkeys.

In general, India is very... Indian. As I expected, there are lots of people, lots of colors, trash in the streets, crazy drivers on rickshaws and autorickshaws and bikes and motorcycles. There are all sorts of music everywhere, and so many smells of spices and incense and sometimes sewage. People are very friendly and Udaipur is a welcoming, nonthreatening place to be.

Usually my day begins at 5am when I wake up from jetlag or screaming monkeys. During our orientation we have discussions about the FSD program, sustainable development and the Indian political system. All of the other interns are fascinating people from all walks of life, with many interesting experiences and stories to tell. I am also beginning to learn some Hindi! If I can manage to rememer the words, I am able to go shopping, catch a rickshaw ride, and count to one thousand. I'm quite impressed with myself, I must say.

This evening I went to the Jagdish Temple -- a beautiful, elaborate Hindu temple dedicated to the Lord Vishnu. We took off our shoes, covered our heads, and stood in the back of a small crowd around the shrine. There were bells and incense and singing and the moon was very bright. All-in-all it was a good first, albeit brief, experience of Hinduism.

Now I am off to indulge in more fabulous Indian cuisine, polish off a Bollywood movie, and get to bed early. Some of us are going to head to the ghats at the City Palace tomorrow morning when the sun rises (we're all awake anyway) to watch the women wash their clothes on the banks of the lake. Life is good.

Goodbye, USA

I have decided to start a blog because I cannot imagine sending mass emails for the next year, and it is always awkward for me to come up with a list of email addresses when I am never sure who actually wants to read about me. So here it is! I hope I update this regularly, but no promises. Many of my blogger friends abroad have abandoned their readers – it’s hard to find the time, patience, and creativity. I have named it “Something Sustainable” because I couldn’t come up with anything better, and sustainability is supposed to be the theme of my internship in Udaipur.

The above photograph is of the lake in the city center of Udaipur. You can see the white Lake Palace in the center. Udaipur is supposed to be a beautiful, romantic, colorful city in the desert state of Rajasthan, which is located in the northwest of India near the Pakistani border. Udaipur’s population is around 400,000.

I leave tomorrow morning (Thursday, February 7), arrive in Delhi on Friday evening, and fly to Udaipur the next day on February 9. By Saturday afternoon I will be having afternoon tea in a hotel in Udaipur.

Send me your address and I can promise one postcard before Christmas!


Unknowns

I’m not sure why I get nervous just before I leave on a big trip abroad, but it happens every time. Right when I start packing and in the last few days before my scheduled flight, I get a knot in my stomach and a tightness in my chest, no matter how excited I may be for the upcoming trip. My friend Erin says it’s a sign I’m a normal human being. This is true.

Luckily I have traveled before, and I know I can deal with the two days of flying to get there, health issues, and figuring out the bus/train system between cities. I think mostly what makes my stomach flutter is the long list of unknowns I will face in my year in India.

These are some examples of the looming questions I have been contemplating over the last few weeks:

What will it be like to go to the bathroom in India? (Will there be a squat toilet at my home? At work? On the road?)
What will I wear everyday for the next six months?
Who will my friends be? (Locals? Coworkers? Other FSD interns?)
When will I come back?
What will it be like to shower in India?
After my internship, will I travel and come home, or will I find a job and stay in India for another year?
What language(s) will I be speaking?
What does Udaipur sound like?
What does Udaipur smell like?
Will I get along with my host family?

In the meantime, I’ve been trying to treasure my time with the following habits and luxuries that I know I will miss:

My cell phone. My friends and family are but a speed-dial away.
Drinking water from the tap. And clean water fountains everywhere! Fabulous.
Toilets.
Carpeting.
My favorite jeans and Duke hoodie, which will not be making the trip with me.
Being surrounded by photographs of friends and family and everyone I love.
Project Runway on Bravo TV.
Wine and cheese before dinner. California has spoiled me.
Singing out loud in the car.


A Note on Bravery

After telling so many people about my plans to move to India for 2008, I’ve become accustomed to the expected gasp of shock and worried words of caution (“Alone, as a woman?! Oh but that’s so dangerous, you’ll travel with someone else, won’t you?” or “There are so many diseases there! Have you been vaccinated?”). Some people even add, “Oh you’re so brave,” to which I am never sure how to respond. I usually just giggle and say “or I’m just confused.”

But in fact, I do have a lot of worries about going so far for so long. I worry that I will become homesick, that I will miss out on family gatherings and not be a part of my brothers’ lives as they are growing up, or that I will drift away from the friendships I value so much. I also worry that despite all precautions and safety lectures, I will simply be in the wrong place at the wrong time and find myself in an undesirable situation.

However, the more I travel and live in different places, the more I am convinced that it is my parents’ bravery, and not my own, which has led me to have so many enriching experiences. I think it takes as much (if not more) courage for them to stay at home and allow their daughter to go to such remote and bazaar places as it does for me to get on the plane. Often in the past, I have been out of contact for weeks at a time, far from the reach of telephone, internet, snail mail, or even roads. But not only do my parents allow me to go, they actively encourage it and support my endeavors, which no doubt contributes to my own confidence as I leave home. So many people ask me what my parents think of “all this,” and though I know they are worried and scared for me, but they would never let me know it, lest it discourage me from pursuing something I want so badly.

Coming from Kentucky, I see so many protective parents keeping their children suffocatingly close to home -- by encouraging them to attend in-state universities or discouraging them from taking jobs in big cities because the cost of living is more expensive. Sometimes other adults ask my Mom and Dad, “Aren’t you worried about your children being so far away?” as if to imply they should keep their children safe at home in Kentucky, or that they just don’t care enough about us. But thankfully, my parents are brave enough to care about my happiness more than anyone. That is why they sent me to a public middle school in the Louisville ghetto – because it was where I would get the best education, even if the playground was dangerous. That is why they let one of my brothers go to college in Portland, Oregon, and my other brother study abroad in Cairo, Egypt. And that is why they grit their teeth and smile when I announce I am buying a one-way ticket to India, and let me go on whatever self-indulgent adventures I come up with. I owe it to their bravery, not mine, that I am able to do it.