great news, my friends. i got an email back from the NGO that i want to work with during my independent study and they 100% invited me to come and intern with them for the month. so, so exciting.
for those of you who don't know, the independent study porject (ISP) is the main component of the academic curriculum with SIT. it's a study that students individually design entirely on their own, tweaking the focus of the project to exactly what each student is interested in actively researching while in india. it's so cool to see that each person comes up with seperately, and even cooler that SIT lets us do this in the first place.
while my academic campus is stationed in jaipur for the first two months of my stay here, the ISP you design can take you anywhere in india. each person chooses the location that is the most beneficial to his/her study, aka i'll spend my time in a place where there are a significant amount of resources at my disposal, such as NGOs, public figures, organization officials, etc. once one decides on a location, he/she will stay there, all-by-self, for the next four weeks. usually, students live in a guesthouse or an apartment, and while each person will be keeping in contact with azimji and others at the SIT office in jaipur, students will live independently until the 4 weeks are up. exciting? yes. terrifying? definitely. can't wait.
i've chosen to focus my month-long study on the hijras of bangalore. hijras are male-to-female transgenders who hold a role in society that is entirely unique and overwhemlingly complex. hijras believe that they are too effiminate for the physique of a man, and in an effort to parellel their bodies with their personalities, the hijras alter their physical appearance by fully castrating themselves. because the majority of indian society sees "man" and "woman" as the only two natural options of life forms, hijras face severe abuse, harrassment, and isloation as a result of the lifestyles they embrace. they're victims of constant police brutality, ostracized to the outskirts (mostly slums) of towns, and denied basic human rights.
however, while the hijras are seen as a stain to society in one instance, they also have great power and authority in certain circumstances.
castration is also seen as an act of devotion to certain gods and goddesses, and because of this, hijras hold an auspicious role in society as those who have the power to bestow fertility to newlyweds and health to newborns. their presence is requested (and socially required) at marriages and births, and they are capable of cursing those who don't invite them to oversee these events. yet, at the same time, hijras are controlled and abused by the very people they bless and curse.
police brutality has become a serious issue for hijras, especially in bangalore. a high-tech tourist city that's seen a lot of progressive change, bangalore is an area with a large concentration of hijras. this southern indian city is home to plenty of NGOs that are fighting for human rights for all. one such organization that is working hard to improve the lives of hijras and other sexual minorities is Sangama. this NGO offers everything from a 24 hour helpline to HIV/AIDS information to bail for victims of false charges and police violence. Sangama has provided aid to countless individuals and is an organzation that is slowly creating social change by fighting for equal rights in a climate that is severely hostile to sexual minorities.
this is the NGO that i've been wanting to work with and just got their approval to do so. LITTLE STORY-- so, i've been in contact with Sangama representatives via email-- exchanging information about myself/my ISP intentions/the start date of my internship. WELL, last week, i was in the bazaar with my friend chelsea and i was trying to get a blouse stitched for a saree. i know i don't need to tell you that living here is like living on the sun, so, needless to say, i was sweating a lot which is the WORST when some older man is measuring every which way around the top half of your body. not to mention that after chelsea and i chose to shop in this certain store, about 300000 more people came in and everyone was yelling and bargaining and being fiesty. the climate was hot and stressful and i was a wee bit flustered.
so, during all of this, i somehow manage to hear my "om shanti om" ringtone. an unknown number was calling me and i assumed that it was the cell phone service that calls me LITERALLY 5 TIMES A DAY yelling at me in hindi. thinking this, i answer the phone stressed and annoyed. the voice on the other line had such a thick indian accent and that, coupled with the noise level in the small shop, made it just about impossible to understand the person talking to me. sooooo, because i could not hear a thing, i basically repeated these words (in a high-pitched, hesitant voice) over and over again for the first 45 seconds of the conversation: "oooohh...riiiightt...yep...okkkkk". i definitely would have kept this front up had i not miraculously caught the word "Sangama" about a minute into the call. AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME. it was my NGO calling and i had spent the first half of our phone call sounding like a newborn baby who had no tongue and couldn't speak english. SOLID first impression. i had totally forgotten that i had given them my cell phone number in my first email and was NOT expecting a call. i'm sure they're second guessing their decision to host me for a month.
not much else has been going down in j-town. it's still as hot as hades. have i ever mentioned that i don't have air conditioning? my floor MIGHT break through due to water damage from my long nights of endless sweat.
mmm. roll that image over in your head. i'm so attractive, it hurts.
love, love, love,
ccf
Monday, October 19, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
Thursday, October 8, 2009
just a lil list.
THINGS I ALREADY KNOW I WILL MISS WHEN I LEAVE INDIA:
1. wearing leggings everyday.
not only is this fashion culturally acceptable, but it's the proper attire. every morning i wake up and have the easiest time getting ready. leggings are paired with a long, loose shirt and pashemina. can't go wrong. and, if by chance i don't feel like wearing leggings, the other appropriate option is a pair of baggy, breezy pants that would, i'm sure, double as a parachute. they're huge and awesome and very stylin'.
2. the vegetable man that comes down my street.
this might be my favorite part of my neighborhood. every morning, while i'm drinking my chai at the kitchen table, i hear a voice yelling "subjhii, subjhii!". this has been a constant occurrence ever since i arrived in my homestay abode and i went out to investigate for the first time the other morning. i discovered an elderly man pushing a vegetable cart up and down my street. every AM he comes, always around 7:45, to cater to the neighborhood's vegetable needs. i have no idea how long he's been doing this as opposed to selling amongst all other vendors in the open air market, but i really love how personable buying produce is in this city.
3. BOLLYWOOD.
i know. i never thought that i'd say it either, but i am obsessed with indian movies. the plots are absolutely outrageous, the interaction between the characters is super unrealistic, it's in hindi with no subtitles so i can't understand a damn thing and, worst of all, there's choreographed song and dance. you all know how i feel about musicals (vomit). but there's something about bollywood that i just can't get enough of. the colors in the scenery and clothes are pretty unbelievable and the music is bangin', but i think what i love most about the indian movie scene is the following that the films gather. each screening of every movie is always packed. you would think that david beckham was performing a live striptease for free from the overwhelming attendance. and, the audience actively responds to the movie. people are always shouting out during really intense scenes, advising the characters on what to do. AND PEOPLE DANCE IN THE AISLES DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE MOVIE. it's incredible. the music is that good that people just get up and break it down at anytime during the film. the other week, i saw this movie called "dil bole hadippa", translating to "the heart says hooray". it's basically the indian version of "she's the man", except instead of playing soccer, they're playing cricket. words can't express how good it was. berkeley-- it's better than "practical magic". guppy-- it's better than "ironman".
4. my host family.
yeah. how cute am i for saying this? but really. me and my peeps are getting really tight. the other week, we went out to dinner and my host mom held my hand ALL THE WAY until we got to the table. ALSO-- after dinner, we got all of these sweets and my host sister-in-law fed me with her hands (!!!). this may sound a lil unclean (like everything in this country), but it's actually a bigtime compliment and MAJOR bonding agent. feeding someone with your hands is a symbol of friendship and love-- that person physically wants to give you nourishment because they value you. i almost choked on my sweet i was so excited. more good news-- i bought my family this cheese spread because i finished off the container that we had at the house (not surprising...) and my host mom just about passed out she was so excited/flattered that i had brought it upon myself to buy more. BIG STRIDES IN FRIENDSHIP, BIG STRIDES.
5. the SIT staff.
ok. i know this post is getting really gushy and sentimental, but before you call me a suck-up, let me describe my relationship with these fine, fine people. these are the peeps who received me straight off the airplane in delhi and sheltered me during my first week in india that can be described only as one, big panic attack. these are the people who i turn to when i have any problem-- stomach ache, cell phone issues, need for stapler, hindi extra help, shopping advice, etc. these are the people who laugh with me (and sometimes at me) because they understand and realize that my life is one huge series of ridiculous situations stitched together. these are the people who have started calling my "bhahut komal". as i previously mentioned, my hindi name "komal" means "soft" and "bhahut" means "extra" or "very". aka, they're calling my "extra soft". i'm going to assume that it's because there's a popular advertisement for soap on TV that now coins the phrase "bhahut komal" and not because i'm gaining weight like a bear ready for hibernation. they are all temporary moms and dads but we all love them like they've been in our family since day one of our lives.
basically, india suits me really well.
lots of love to ya,
ccf
1. wearing leggings everyday.
not only is this fashion culturally acceptable, but it's the proper attire. every morning i wake up and have the easiest time getting ready. leggings are paired with a long, loose shirt and pashemina. can't go wrong. and, if by chance i don't feel like wearing leggings, the other appropriate option is a pair of baggy, breezy pants that would, i'm sure, double as a parachute. they're huge and awesome and very stylin'.
2. the vegetable man that comes down my street.
this might be my favorite part of my neighborhood. every morning, while i'm drinking my chai at the kitchen table, i hear a voice yelling "subjhii, subjhii!". this has been a constant occurrence ever since i arrived in my homestay abode and i went out to investigate for the first time the other morning. i discovered an elderly man pushing a vegetable cart up and down my street. every AM he comes, always around 7:45, to cater to the neighborhood's vegetable needs. i have no idea how long he's been doing this as opposed to selling amongst all other vendors in the open air market, but i really love how personable buying produce is in this city.
3. BOLLYWOOD.
i know. i never thought that i'd say it either, but i am obsessed with indian movies. the plots are absolutely outrageous, the interaction between the characters is super unrealistic, it's in hindi with no subtitles so i can't understand a damn thing and, worst of all, there's choreographed song and dance. you all know how i feel about musicals (vomit). but there's something about bollywood that i just can't get enough of. the colors in the scenery and clothes are pretty unbelievable and the music is bangin', but i think what i love most about the indian movie scene is the following that the films gather. each screening of every movie is always packed. you would think that david beckham was performing a live striptease for free from the overwhelming attendance. and, the audience actively responds to the movie. people are always shouting out during really intense scenes, advising the characters on what to do. AND PEOPLE DANCE IN THE AISLES DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE MOVIE. it's incredible. the music is that good that people just get up and break it down at anytime during the film. the other week, i saw this movie called "dil bole hadippa", translating to "the heart says hooray". it's basically the indian version of "she's the man", except instead of playing soccer, they're playing cricket. words can't express how good it was. berkeley-- it's better than "practical magic". guppy-- it's better than "ironman".
4. my host family.
yeah. how cute am i for saying this? but really. me and my peeps are getting really tight. the other week, we went out to dinner and my host mom held my hand ALL THE WAY until we got to the table. ALSO-- after dinner, we got all of these sweets and my host sister-in-law fed me with her hands (!!!). this may sound a lil unclean (like everything in this country), but it's actually a bigtime compliment and MAJOR bonding agent. feeding someone with your hands is a symbol of friendship and love-- that person physically wants to give you nourishment because they value you. i almost choked on my sweet i was so excited. more good news-- i bought my family this cheese spread because i finished off the container that we had at the house (not surprising...) and my host mom just about passed out she was so excited/flattered that i had brought it upon myself to buy more. BIG STRIDES IN FRIENDSHIP, BIG STRIDES.
5. the SIT staff.
ok. i know this post is getting really gushy and sentimental, but before you call me a suck-up, let me describe my relationship with these fine, fine people. these are the peeps who received me straight off the airplane in delhi and sheltered me during my first week in india that can be described only as one, big panic attack. these are the people who i turn to when i have any problem-- stomach ache, cell phone issues, need for stapler, hindi extra help, shopping advice, etc. these are the people who laugh with me (and sometimes at me) because they understand and realize that my life is one huge series of ridiculous situations stitched together. these are the people who have started calling my "bhahut komal". as i previously mentioned, my hindi name "komal" means "soft" and "bhahut" means "extra" or "very". aka, they're calling my "extra soft". i'm going to assume that it's because there's a popular advertisement for soap on TV that now coins the phrase "bhahut komal" and not because i'm gaining weight like a bear ready for hibernation. they are all temporary moms and dads but we all love them like they've been in our family since day one of our lives.
basically, india suits me really well.
lots of love to ya,
ccf
Friday, October 2, 2009
here, there, everywhere.
OK FOLKS. little komal is back from a big trip west of jaipur. SIT took us on a week-long excursion to jodhpur, jaisalmer, and bikaner to visit NGOs and spark ideas for our month-long indepenent study that will take place from November to December. the trip was over 2,000 kilometers in total and we caravaned in 4 small cars, aka if anyone on our program wasn't close before, they are now.
jodhpur was our first stop. it's a really beautiful city that reminds me a lot of jaipur. lots of history, lots of big markets, lots of activity all the time. on the night we arrived, we had a candle-lit dinner on the roof of this massive fort. SIT rented out the entire rooftop and we had an exclusive view of the city-- we were basically looking down on all of jodhpur. i hate to be so dumb and touristy, but this was one night that i really never will forget. you can't even make up in your head what the view from our dinner tables was like. we could see all of jodhpur below--buildings and neighborhoods were sprawling and stretching all the way up to the edge of the night's dark blue horizon line. everything was lit up and alive and twinkling. moreover, there was a religious festival going on, so fireworks were everywhere in the sky. i feel safe saying that it was the most beautiful thing/view/setting that i've ever seen.
jodhpur also offers several well-established NGOs that are doing wonderful work. in association with the GRAVIS organization, we visited a slum filled with indians who had lost all of their rights when the border between pakistan and india was created. essentially, these people commuted or lived in pakistan for work but held indian citizenship. when the border was set up without any warning or notice, these people were labeled as pakistanis, denied their rights as indian citizens, and ostracized to the outskirts of town. their story is heartbreaking and frustrating and illustrates the vast amount of human rights work that needs to be done here.
the next stop on our trip was jaisalmer. this small town is straight up in the desert, and what were we to do but RIDE CAMELS. that's right. camel safari through the desert in your face. our group saddled up on a herd of these large, lumpy animals and headed into the sand dunes of the thar desert. i felt like indiana jones minus fighting robbers of ancient archeological artifacts. yes, after the ride, i did smell like i had been living in the butt of a camel for a few months, but that lingering aroma was well worth the desert sunset that i witnessed.
our final destination was bikaner, and while, in my opinion, this was the least attractive of all the cities, the NGO experience i had here was the most affecting. the URMUL organization started as a dairy cooperative that expanded into a group of smaller, local community run buisnesses that work to acheive self-sustainability, empowerment of local people, and empowerment of women. URMUL had so much to offer-- from textile manufacturing to an impressive eye clinic-- but the aspect of this NGO that i was most moved by was the girl's "camp" it had established.
basically, the URMUL trust provided the financial backing to set up a school in a village near bikaner. attended by only females, this school provides an education for girls who would never have the opportunity to receive schooling because of their rural, remote location, the financial burden of getting an education, or because their parents didn't want them to go to school. believe it or not, it is such a fight to get girls in the classroom. india is a male dominated society where women are constantly undervalued and unappreciated, especially in villages and rural areas. many village families see no need to send their female children to school because a) they don't value them enough to do so, and, b) they need them to stay home and help the family make some monetary profit by doing manual labor. URMUL staff and recruiters basically go into villages, inform families of the camp and all of it's benefits, and convince mothers and fathers that it's worth it to send their daughters away. at the camp, the girls stay and board there for 7 months and their families only have to pay 300 rupees (about $6) for housing, food, and education. it's just a liiiiittle less that sewanee.
when we arrived at the school's small complex, we immediately sat down on the floor of a large classroom that was filled with the entire student body. there were 16 of us facing 150+ of them. they were all so young and happy and excited. their faces were about to break they were smiling so hard. we had a quick question and answer session during which the girls told us how fortunate they felt to be there and how much confidence they've gained from being in school. one girl stood up and talked about how at first, she missed her village and was homesick for her family. but now, this was her family-- these girls were her family. and while she cried in the beginning because she had to stay, she would now cry at the end of 7 months because she has to leave.
as if this wasn't touching enough, the girls then sang us a song. 6 individuals came up to the front of the room and started the group off-- it was kind of a "repeat after me" song where the 6 girls in front facing the crowd would lead off with a verse and then the crowd would answer that verse with another verse. 150+ voices in one closed room is an incredible sound. the crowd was in unison with their responses and they would pump their fist together in the air as they sang. it was beyond moving-- all of these underprivledged girls coming together as one loud voice, singing at us, speaking to us, with white-toothed smiles and bright eyes.
even before our teachers could translate the song, all of us here crying hard, happy tears. literally, streaming down my face. it was worse than when i saw "free willy" for the first time. our teachers then told us that the song was about women's empowerment and how no matter what obstacles the girls face, no matter what setbacks they encounter, no matter how many times they are told they're inferior, they will succeed, they will keep learning, they will be somebody.
YEAH. CRYFEST 2009.
the entire thing seemed from a movie. it's so amazing that a school like this can exist because some people decided to defer a portion of their dairy profits to the greater good of the community. what an idea.
also, visiting the girl's school reminded me a lot of rockbrook. in setting like this, you realize how important it is for girls to experience being in a safe place surrounded exclusively by other females. they became a system of support, a source of information, and a reliable group of friends for each other. just like at the school, girls who go to rockbrook find themselves away from their homes, families, and circles of comfort. initially, the transition might be difficult, but when it comes time to leave and go back home, girls find themselves wondering where the time has gone and can't imagine their lives without this experience. the impact that a setting like this has on young women is so, so positive-- building confidence and promoting great personal growth.
so, i guess you could say it was a good week. i guess.
i won't be posting again until at least thursday. we're going on another excursion with SIT to ranthambore. hope all is so, so well with you.
miss you, love you, mean it,
ccf
jodhpur was our first stop. it's a really beautiful city that reminds me a lot of jaipur. lots of history, lots of big markets, lots of activity all the time. on the night we arrived, we had a candle-lit dinner on the roof of this massive fort. SIT rented out the entire rooftop and we had an exclusive view of the city-- we were basically looking down on all of jodhpur. i hate to be so dumb and touristy, but this was one night that i really never will forget. you can't even make up in your head what the view from our dinner tables was like. we could see all of jodhpur below--buildings and neighborhoods were sprawling and stretching all the way up to the edge of the night's dark blue horizon line. everything was lit up and alive and twinkling. moreover, there was a religious festival going on, so fireworks were everywhere in the sky. i feel safe saying that it was the most beautiful thing/view/setting that i've ever seen.
jodhpur also offers several well-established NGOs that are doing wonderful work. in association with the GRAVIS organization, we visited a slum filled with indians who had lost all of their rights when the border between pakistan and india was created. essentially, these people commuted or lived in pakistan for work but held indian citizenship. when the border was set up without any warning or notice, these people were labeled as pakistanis, denied their rights as indian citizens, and ostracized to the outskirts of town. their story is heartbreaking and frustrating and illustrates the vast amount of human rights work that needs to be done here.
the next stop on our trip was jaisalmer. this small town is straight up in the desert, and what were we to do but RIDE CAMELS. that's right. camel safari through the desert in your face. our group saddled up on a herd of these large, lumpy animals and headed into the sand dunes of the thar desert. i felt like indiana jones minus fighting robbers of ancient archeological artifacts. yes, after the ride, i did smell like i had been living in the butt of a camel for a few months, but that lingering aroma was well worth the desert sunset that i witnessed.
our final destination was bikaner, and while, in my opinion, this was the least attractive of all the cities, the NGO experience i had here was the most affecting. the URMUL organization started as a dairy cooperative that expanded into a group of smaller, local community run buisnesses that work to acheive self-sustainability, empowerment of local people, and empowerment of women. URMUL had so much to offer-- from textile manufacturing to an impressive eye clinic-- but the aspect of this NGO that i was most moved by was the girl's "camp" it had established.
basically, the URMUL trust provided the financial backing to set up a school in a village near bikaner. attended by only females, this school provides an education for girls who would never have the opportunity to receive schooling because of their rural, remote location, the financial burden of getting an education, or because their parents didn't want them to go to school. believe it or not, it is such a fight to get girls in the classroom. india is a male dominated society where women are constantly undervalued and unappreciated, especially in villages and rural areas. many village families see no need to send their female children to school because a) they don't value them enough to do so, and, b) they need them to stay home and help the family make some monetary profit by doing manual labor. URMUL staff and recruiters basically go into villages, inform families of the camp and all of it's benefits, and convince mothers and fathers that it's worth it to send their daughters away. at the camp, the girls stay and board there for 7 months and their families only have to pay 300 rupees (about $6) for housing, food, and education. it's just a liiiiittle less that sewanee.
when we arrived at the school's small complex, we immediately sat down on the floor of a large classroom that was filled with the entire student body. there were 16 of us facing 150+ of them. they were all so young and happy and excited. their faces were about to break they were smiling so hard. we had a quick question and answer session during which the girls told us how fortunate they felt to be there and how much confidence they've gained from being in school. one girl stood up and talked about how at first, she missed her village and was homesick for her family. but now, this was her family-- these girls were her family. and while she cried in the beginning because she had to stay, she would now cry at the end of 7 months because she has to leave.
as if this wasn't touching enough, the girls then sang us a song. 6 individuals came up to the front of the room and started the group off-- it was kind of a "repeat after me" song where the 6 girls in front facing the crowd would lead off with a verse and then the crowd would answer that verse with another verse. 150+ voices in one closed room is an incredible sound. the crowd was in unison with their responses and they would pump their fist together in the air as they sang. it was beyond moving-- all of these underprivledged girls coming together as one loud voice, singing at us, speaking to us, with white-toothed smiles and bright eyes.
even before our teachers could translate the song, all of us here crying hard, happy tears. literally, streaming down my face. it was worse than when i saw "free willy" for the first time. our teachers then told us that the song was about women's empowerment and how no matter what obstacles the girls face, no matter what setbacks they encounter, no matter how many times they are told they're inferior, they will succeed, they will keep learning, they will be somebody.
YEAH. CRYFEST 2009.
the entire thing seemed from a movie. it's so amazing that a school like this can exist because some people decided to defer a portion of their dairy profits to the greater good of the community. what an idea.
also, visiting the girl's school reminded me a lot of rockbrook. in setting like this, you realize how important it is for girls to experience being in a safe place surrounded exclusively by other females. they became a system of support, a source of information, and a reliable group of friends for each other. just like at the school, girls who go to rockbrook find themselves away from their homes, families, and circles of comfort. initially, the transition might be difficult, but when it comes time to leave and go back home, girls find themselves wondering where the time has gone and can't imagine their lives without this experience. the impact that a setting like this has on young women is so, so positive-- building confidence and promoting great personal growth.
so, i guess you could say it was a good week. i guess.
i won't be posting again until at least thursday. we're going on another excursion with SIT to ranthambore. hope all is so, so well with you.
miss you, love you, mean it,
ccf
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