tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48301931339286578232023-11-16T03:18:50.514-08:00Dirtbag Hopeful dirtbag (n,v) A person who is committed to a given (usually extreme) lifestyle to the point of abandoning employment and other societal norms in order to pursue said lifestyle. Dirtbags can be distinguished from hippies by the fact that dirtbags have a specific reason for their living communaly and generally non-hygenically; dirtbags are seeking to spend all of their moments pursuing their lifestyle.
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18212087588433329069noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830193133928657823.post-24164043322762226282016-06-02T04:12:00.001-07:002016-06-02T04:12:43.712-07:00'Dirtbaggin'<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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“ I am not the same having seen the moon shine on the other
side of the world” – Mary Radmacher<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’ve been backpacking around this crazy country for about
two months now, and I have more stories than I can or even want to put in one
blog post. After hearing travel stories from others and sharing my own, I realized
something. The best memories and stories aren’t when everything went well, the
train was on time, you got good picture and the food was tasty. The best stories
come out of the time when something goes terribly wrong, expectations aren’t
met, and the plan is abandoned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So in
this post I could tell you I saw the Taj Mahal at sunrise or the Golden Temple
reflected on the holy lake at night, tried Punjabi lassi, and had a generally wonderful
time dragging my backpack around the country. But you would be really bored and
just scroll to the pictures. So instead I’ll tell about a few experiences that
weren’t exactly enjoyable or perfect. These unplanned adventures make me look
back and realize why I really travel. Its taught me what I'm capable of. I feel if I can hitch rides through the jungle, navigate the winding alleys of Varanasi while vomiting, or climb a 16,000 pass, I can make a fine dirtbag someday. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Chicken Bridges <o:p></o:p></div>
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My first stop on the end of semester whirlwind was the
Northeastern state of Meghalaya. This place is famous for its “living root
bridges”, matriarchal society (as my host mom says proudly “land of women rule
and men work”), and most importantly it has the highest rainfall on the planet.
I was done living in a polluted 120 degree city that cooled down to a chilly
105 at night. The pounding rain on the tin roof of our hut was my favorite part
of the week there. For a few days, some friends and I stayed in a village
surrounded by steep hills and thick jungles, with winding trails that led to
waterfalls and the hundreds of root bridges hidden in the valleys. One day we
wandered down one such trail for almost an hour. Jokingly, we said we must be
walking all the way to Bangledesh. Climbing a tree, I saw two locals heading up
the trail. Asking them where the trail went, they responded “Bangladesh! 30
minutes”. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just part of the back of our jeep/truck</td></tr>
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After scrambling down a very steep steamy hill covered in
moss and vines, we crossed the border and walked a mile to a waterfall some
locals suggested. At this point we were all somewhat tired but I could hike all
day. We realized we’d have to hike, actually climb on all fours, back up the
slippery hill. I was up for the adventure, but I’m quite often an asshole and
forget not everyone considers climbing up a ridiculously steep hill full of
mosquitoes an adventure. Disappointed at everyone’s lack of adventuresome
spirit, I grudgingly agreed to find an alternate way home. Heading to the
border market, we found a truck going back to the village. Piling into the back
with about 15 other people and their children, baskets of stinking fish under
our feet and on our laps, and bundles of betel leaves, we headed out through
the winding hills. Some people even sat on the roof of the truck. India is
constantly teaching me not to have expectations, and this was yet another
example. It was also a good old lesson in teamwork. If I keep being my usual
stubborn self, I’ll miss out on crazy truck rides through the jungle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Partway through our week in Meghalya, we set out to another
village a few hills over. A friend of the family we stayed with recommended we
head there for even more remote waterfalls. I’ll always clearly remember
sitting on the phone, trying to understand his directions through the pounding
rain and his Nepalese accent I wasn’t used to. The others sat around me
watching what I scrawled down on a piece of paper. It looked something like “GO
TO CHERAPUNGI- find a jeep” “ask for MR CHARLIE” “Hike past the second root
bridge, cross two rivers” “DON’T GO TO THE DOUBLE DECKER” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“cross two chicken bridges”. I was just as
confused writing it as the others were reading it. The chicken bridges were the
most confusing part- it turns out this is a chicken bridge:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBrF-H3VX3HiOlqx9OSRxjPlf_9SV1yFlhkUDt713OuNFUPVVsUXuymlX5uyHlboGsJsWh6pYWR7dJb3MG-8zwC1fzYPDsTCElYNhOxo9s66zgBJNguhBOm0dI8AUX8g3997d0ZLUhFQjz/s1600/IMG_8129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBrF-H3VX3HiOlqx9OSRxjPlf_9SV1yFlhkUDt713OuNFUPVVsUXuymlX5uyHlboGsJsWh6pYWR7dJb3MG-8zwC1fzYPDsTCElYNhOxo9s66zgBJNguhBOm0dI8AUX8g3997d0ZLUhFQjz/s400/IMG_8129.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Later we discovered from a local they are “shaken
bridges”, not chicken, but I think the name suits because you can’t be a
chicken to cross these swaying wires almost 150 above a rushing monsoon swollen
river. I was tempted to sing Emperors’ New Groove songs the entire time.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These bridges are made entirely of tree roots trained across the river for hundreds of years and daily maintained by the villagers<br /></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8IGDo0UoFh9evgd31pMKVlQevZezHeRoKtNAmr46t-6v3EuZMIQfAjG_2_q7J6zdfb5h1VG24gqNcYGOCZ4Vwls163cN25I2lg6z45g5RdAQ25vQcVMtY5W9zawkjCouFryDNwTWwhn_B/s1600/IMG_8147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8IGDo0UoFh9evgd31pMKVlQevZezHeRoKtNAmr46t-6v3EuZMIQfAjG_2_q7J6zdfb5h1VG24gqNcYGOCZ4Vwls163cN25I2lg6z45g5RdAQ25vQcVMtY5W9zawkjCouFryDNwTWwhn_B/s400/IMG_8147.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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This hike occurred in the dark of the night with a monsoon
rain pounding down on us as we picked down the jungle mountainside with phone
flashlights. Lost along the way we came across a small group of houses. Banging
on their doors for directions soaked from the pounding rain we must have looked
hilarious. At first they simply looked at us and said “Nongriat too far. Go in
day.” Realizing we were quite stupid and determined, they gave us very nice directions.
I don’t know if any travelers have been so happy to see Mr. Charlie in his
village as we were. We piled in soaked to our underwear, exhausted from the
hike that is strenuous in the daylight, let alone in a rainstorm at night.. The
locals discouraged us from making the hike at night and the jeep drivers
usually refuse to make the drive past 3pm as it gets too misty and stormy on
the winding roads. However, we found a driver who was heading to his village
that agreed to take us. Getting left near a patch of jungle at night in the
pouring rain with nothing but a vague “Nongriat is down there” was a bit
daunting, but mostly thrilling. You never know what is going to happen in
India. <o:p></o:p><br />
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Weddings<o:p></o:p></div>
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After Meghalaya, I had a wedding to go to. Excited to see our
friends from Bundi and spend some time in their beautiful town, Rebecca and I
hoped on the government bus. To put it nicely, the next three days we spent in
Bundi gave me a new appreciation for anthropologists. I want to be completely
candid about my experience and feelings, but in no way am I trying to say
Indian weddings are “wrong “or a bad time. I hold deep respect for
Muslim/Rajahstani culture, but I don’t think I will be attending any more
weddings. It was another hilarious lesson in expectations for me. In my head there
was a grand picture of us dancing with the family, putting henna on our hands
and feet with the women, eating delicious food, having some national geographic-esq
time in their village. Those things happened, but travel shows make them look
fun. The second we arrived, we were ushered into a room already rather full of 20
aunties and cousins. Introductions seemed pretty normal for arriving guests. Then
you realize there’s that many people in every room of the house, and hundreds
more in the houses next door (which are the relatives houses of course). After
introductions went on 24/7 fro three days, I realized we were being paraded in
front of guests like they got a zebra to come to the wedding. It makes you feel
slightly sick inside because they are doing it because you are a couple white
girls and they tell you it’s so cool to have AMERICANS there, like we’re
increasing their status. I didn’t want to contribute to this inferiority
complex and help solidify this disgusting concept that the west is best. Yet
here we were, locked in a room paraded in front of relatives and neighbors as
the “special guests”. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It may have gotten to me more because I am an introvert, and
we were around at least 30 people at a time at ALL times. We slept on a dirty
floor in the house everyone else was trying to stay in. I thought I could sleep
anywhere, but I realized I have a limit after cramming into a stuffy hot room
with snoring grandmas and sketchy 20 something year old male cousins who have
certain ideas about Western women and you know there’s only one bathroom for
the 200 people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not that we slept much.
Dancing went on until about 3am each night. I also felt sick after eating so
much meat (they were quite offended by my vegetarianism and made sure I wasn’t
a Hindu). <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I didn't mind constantly having babies shoved into my arms</td></tr>
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On the third day, they announced it was time to go to Kota
for the wedding. At this point we were completely lost because we had watched
numerous rituals and festivals, thinking each one was “the wedding”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would have benefited me greatly to read up on
wedding traditions beforehand due to the language barrier. At this point going
to Kota in a bus with 200 drunk and insanely loud people sounded like hell. We
told them our train was that morning. In some burst of consideration, the
father promptly called an auto to take us to the train station, which we
realized was about an hour out of town. Obviously we had to keep up the act so
we cheerfully hoped in to catch our “morning train”… There is only one train
that leaves Bundi and it is at 5pm. To make matters worse, he even paid for our
ride. Woops. After hiding out in the train station for a while, we snuck back
into town with our faces covered, heading to the first “AC paying guest house”
we saw. I took a showered and layed on the bed naked for an unnecessarily long
time, reveling in my aloneness. I’m never going to stop immersing myself in new
cultures and experiences, but I now know what my introvert self can take, and
you can’t change the culture you were born in. No matter how much I value the
collectivist culture of India and appreciate the beauty of all the family time,
I can’t become comfortable and functional in those settings overnight. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCBEZzCboJswot1fyLicyq8wqropSS_Hs8BjIl0fBHq5zliojGGFcX04rx5r_4CTJPIW5t5L2GDsrbCbTcLLqPUkRhI0PiE6CGPvWqr_7N_WygBqT7TJXiZYBcZfQyNdHdpEAcRwGa13I/s1600/IMG_8491.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCBEZzCboJswot1fyLicyq8wqropSS_Hs8BjIl0fBHq5zliojGGFcX04rx5r_4CTJPIW5t5L2GDsrbCbTcLLqPUkRhI0PiE6CGPvWqr_7N_WygBqT7TJXiZYBcZfQyNdHdpEAcRwGa13I/s320/IMG_8491.jpg" width="240" /></a>If you’re sick of my complaining, don’t worry; I have more
saved for later. After the wedding from hell, I headed to Darjeeling to visit a
classmate. This visit was one lovely surprise after the other and restored my
faith in Indian friends and hours spent drinking tea with aunties and meeting
relatives. Darjeeling was originally in my plan because I was heading to the
Himalayas. A beautiful thing about India is that if you make friends there, you
will always have a place to stay. Just upon mentioning I might go to
Darjeeling, Anusha insisted I had to stay with her or at least visit for lunch.
House guests are joyfully welcomed and even desired, a stark contrast to the
US. Darjeeling is an old hill station, cultivated by the British when they
realized the region was perfect for growing their tea and a nice green place to
sit while they ruled over the hot plains. I hear from older Indians that it
used to be a charming place, but has since turned into a noisy tourist trap
where I guess white people come to admire what the British did to the hills??
Anusha picked us up on a bridge on the state “highway”(a road switchbacking
through the hills suffering from landsides and encroached upon by forest
vines). I thought we would be heading to Darjeeling, but was delighted to find
we came across a group of about 20 houses in the middle of the jungle and terraced
tea fields. In the distance the next morning we could glimpse the Himalayas. I
think being with someone I knew personally made all the difference. Meeting
relatives was delightful (the whole village was related!) because it was as a
friend, not as a showpiece. We wandered through the tea fields and ate apples
looking over the rolling hills, talking about everything from grade school to Eminem.
No intense adventures, but I wouldn’t have wanted to spend my time any other
way before the trek. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The Roof of the World </div>
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I don’t want to give a detailed itinerary of backpacking
Gochaela Pass, but an overview. It’s hard to put into words how hiking gets to
me. It’s the most addicting, exhilarating, love/hate thing I can find to do. I
find myself climbing hills, vowing I will never try this again. But then I tell
myself just to that next switchback that rock up there and it becomes an
intense competition against myself. Reaching the top I forget all the sweaty
curses and vow to never leave. The mountains give the most exciting peace. Something
feels so right and pure about untouched nature. Coming from Washington with the
Cascades and the Olympics, I thought I had seen mountains. There is nothing
that can compare to the Himalayas rising up infornt of the sky. It feels like
you’ve run into a wall. What I thought at fist was clouds high above was snowy
peaks. It really does make sense why they call it the roof of the world, or the
birthplace of the gods. They’re the closest thing to sacred I’ve ever seen. On
summit day we woke up at 1am to a full moon in a cloudless sky illuminating
mount Pandim and Kachendzonga in the distance, looking impossibly white and large.
When we reached the top the peaks glowed golden pink where the sunrise hit them.
We stayed until we could watch avalanches in the distance from where the
morning sun weakened snow patches. Even from so far away we could hear the massive
piles of snow and ice rumbling, heading down to fill the river we hiked up. You
can’t think or talk when you see things like this. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEzH92wdnC-q2wp_ZuFNrEC87VPEEpHDX1o8L0r10Ox7__atmAOgLihdbyeTrgzlIJI5QjRW4R2IZVc0ER38c2H5cgObBHMcyX8f6Ts2SDWDO599e1IfwPhLpkRzdCVCGh8sUOaBG4IRxA/s1600/IMG_9118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEzH92wdnC-q2wp_ZuFNrEC87VPEEpHDX1o8L0r10Ox7__atmAOgLihdbyeTrgzlIJI5QjRW4R2IZVc0ER38c2H5cgObBHMcyX8f6Ts2SDWDO599e1IfwPhLpkRzdCVCGh8sUOaBG4IRxA/s400/IMG_9118.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG5EqYVrqNiIfxwf5FkyZPb-BJ6-sLp74Am0tfdY2SWqC9Q6V0Y8tuCLQ0ebDtfl7rA83AfthOTYxfWd-Z5XPt8a8tJMOdaQtfzJk5d18fvNkvjkvAuDH8Yehh9Jqys08EsXExAVpqLRcI/s1600/IMG_8587.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG5EqYVrqNiIfxwf5FkyZPb-BJ6-sLp74Am0tfdY2SWqC9Q6V0Y8tuCLQ0ebDtfl7rA83AfthOTYxfWd-Z5XPt8a8tJMOdaQtfzJk5d18fvNkvjkvAuDH8Yehh9Jqys08EsXExAVpqLRcI/s640/IMG_8587.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt. Kachendzonga, the third highest mountain in the world </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The whole trek wasn’t some inspirational, transcendental
high of course. There were a lot of leeches when we started in the jungle and
our guides were a little scary. A few days into the hike, my stomach was less
than happy. The familiar Delhi belly feeling worried me this time because I
knew it couldn’t be the food. I asked our guide where they were getting the
water, as I had assumed they were purifying it. He responded “the stream! The
mountain water is pure!” “what about giardia??” “sorry what is that?” Thinking
maybe a language problem, I explained giardia was a water born parasites. He
had never even heard of the concept.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
wish I had the immune system to not even need to know what giardia is and drink
from any stream I come across. Not a single Indian on the trek fell ill, but
the two Americans did. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The guides amazed me almost as much as the snowy peaks. They
climbed up muddy, freezing, steep terrain in rainboots and beanies, or converse
and snapbacks for the younger ones, without ever breaking a sweat. I was bothered
about the fact that a whole crew of locals and yaks carried our food and tents
up the mountain. The yaks and intense amount of tourists taken on this trail were
quickly destroying the land with their shit and heavy traffic. It felt
definitely unethical and environmentally damaging. At one point I was hiking
alone by Samtit Lake, a sacred lake high up the pass, near the top. A guide
waited for the group, and called me over quietly. “Look at the duck!” A
beautiful male duck with colors I had never seen floated on the stream flowing
into the lake, flying away as we approached. The guide explained it was flying
to the hill, where mates keep their eggs in the rocks. We sat quietly, and he
pointed out a pair of white foxes running up a hill some distance away. Later,
as we walked, he pointed out a herd of wild sheep with babies that let us get
quite close. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSzydkpCoXdmsFSuXS3ry03IxuGKkLIRXytOS7xT0C9CS3nAL7KzNhBpKmjVWaUT8mVA_E5xhZIAhMY9MKsRxv9-uzP0HCIP9c_fb9sey55fpr1EP7saRHOVxb04mDTgvrbkYXDfHlxI__/s1600/IMG_9122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSzydkpCoXdmsFSuXS3ry03IxuGKkLIRXytOS7xT0C9CS3nAL7KzNhBpKmjVWaUT8mVA_E5xhZIAhMY9MKsRxv9-uzP0HCIP9c_fb9sey55fpr1EP7saRHOVxb04mDTgvrbkYXDfHlxI__/s400/IMG_9122.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Seeing the guide’s knowledge and excitement about his land
and the way they moved effortlessly through it made me second-guess my
frustrations with tourism. Talking with another Indian traveler, he also
expressed frustration at the effect of tourism on the land. He explained that
in India, without tourism the land would be deserted. The only other means of
income for most of these people is cheap labor in big cities, as farming has
moved to larger scale operations with less manpower. Taking people hiking gives
the locals a means of income and keeps them connected to their land and
ancestral homes. It also keeps them out of worse jobs in crowded living conditions.
After spending time in vastly different parts of India and catching just a
small glimpse of varying local traditions, it is easy for anyone to see the importance
of land to somebody’s culture and identity. I know there is a much more ethical
way for tourism in the Himalayas to continue, but I hope it does continue so
these people to stay connected with their land.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
I have no idea what it is like to be connected to a place
like most Indians do, but I am excited to go home. After spending a week in the
UK I’ll be done traveling, for now. I’m sad to leave India, but it doesn’t
really feel like goodbye. In India, there’s not much saying goodbye to family
and friends. It is a perpetual “see you later.” Even if they across the world
or in your village, or a 13 hour train ride away, you will make the effort to
see each other a few times a year, because that’s what people do. So when I
left, my family, India and the road didn’t say goodbye, but “we’ll see you when you come
back.”</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18212087588433329069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830193133928657823.post-47171444186701231082016-04-25T11:03:00.000-07:002016-04-25T22:31:59.645-07:00Went to the Desert to Cool Off <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_g9y_zblSkWWlxB8qltV3jPCkNkSp_b6fch1eww_aQ_Nxxj_m17ZNlU4ltJ3vCahbeb1oLze4nw7l831RAVRKpav22WNkxQ8x6EksMspY_IXBvhq_OEut6uu2-JDOxEY3eRcoGKz_qUUY/s1600/IMG_7671.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_g9y_zblSkWWlxB8qltV3jPCkNkSp_b6fch1eww_aQ_Nxxj_m17ZNlU4ltJ3vCahbeb1oLze4nw7l831RAVRKpav22WNkxQ8x6EksMspY_IXBvhq_OEut6uu2-JDOxEY3eRcoGKz_qUUY/s320/IMG_7671.jpg" width="240" /></a>Never. Leaving. I feel I was just writing about homesickness
and being halfway through my time in India. The homesickeness has been
completely replaced by an overwhelming desire to never leave. If it was
starting to feel like home halfway through, I am even closer to my family
now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It frustrates me to leave the
people and places I have grown so close to, but I am excited to come home with
beautiful, crazy, hilarious stories to tell. The fact that it is unbearably hot
here also makes leaving sound okay. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Speaking of heat, a few weeks ago I decided I should go to
Rajasthan (a state in North India bordering Pakistan boasting wonders such as
“the Pink City” “the Blue City”, camels, ruined palaces with ancient military
forts) before their summer starts. Emotionally preparing myself for the blazing
hot desert sun beating down on the sand, I headed to Jaipur. A group of three decided
to arrive there on Holi, because we heard they party hard for Holi. Our flight
arrived at 5:30am, and I wonder what the hostel owner thought when we rolled
up. Actually he reprimanded us in a disappointed tone when he realized our total lack of plan. I explained that we were only there for the day, and
were headed to another town that night. He stared at us, three white girls with
backpacks and absolutely no plan, holding back his laughter and a desire to
yell in our faces. He looked at us in our clueless state, laughed; then
said “lock your bags in this room, don’t go out on the streets alone, and don’t
ask for a towel. Come watch the sunrise. Don’t pay for the night” That is how
we met Lokendra. Within ten minutes we were watching the sunrise from his
rooftop and chatting about whether Twilight was really filmed in Washington.<br />
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<span id="goog_1471889196"></span><span id="goog_1471889197"></span>After the rest of the overcrowded hostel woke up, we played Holi on the
rooftop. It seemed like a cheesy idea to celebrate an Indian holiday in a
hostel with a bunch of fellow tourists wearing harem pants and shirts covered
in Om symbols or Buddha faces. However, it’s impossible not to enjoy yourself
when you’re smearing colors in strangers’ faces and you’re a little bit drunk
at 9:30am. Since Holi is celebrated in the morning and everything in the city
is shut down for the holiday, we actually had the rest of the day to relax. I
always enjoy meeting other travelers and hearing their stories. There’s a
certain “type” of person that travels India- skinny European or South American
with at least one dreadlock, carrying everything in a well worn backpack and
sporting baggy pants covered in elephants, lacking a bra, traipsing around with
no job to return to, and of course a fan of yoga and Buddhist philosophy. It’s
annoying to meet so many people on their dirtbag eatpraylove journey, but every
time I actually listen to someone’s story I’m inspired by their passion and
unique experiences. Meeting people backpacking southeast Asia for two years
with no plans of leaving (or any plans at all really) makes me think I could do
it as well (plus yoga and flowy pants are kinda fun). There are sustainable
ways to travel, and there’s something about American culture that tells us it’s
not sustainable or acceptable at all. We have to go to university, get a job,
get married, have 2.5 kids and a medium sized dog and die in an affordable
retirement home. You’ve heard this twenty-something rant before but its time
for me to have it. I’ll read this in twenty years to have a laugh when I’m sick
of buying juice boxes instead of wine coolers and my minivan breaks down. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THATS A PICTURE OF WES ANDERSON AND THE CAST FROM THE MOVIE </td></tr>
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No plan is the best plan: Along with meeting fellow
travelers that inspire me, there’s days sometimes that leave me awestruck and
feel like something from a dream. At the end of the week, we were waiting for
our flight in the hostel again in Jaipur. We had a taste of Rajahstan after
camel riding in the desert, sleeping under the stars, wandering markets in the
last inhabited fort in India, exploring Brahmin blue alleyways. I ate the best
dosa I’ve ever tasted at a place recommended to us by none other than the guy
who’s spice shop is in Darjeeling Limited (nerd second- one of the proudest
moments in my life is now meeting Wes Anderson’s spice and tea guy). Rebecca
and I were talking with Hank (who is just an ex professional skier who has hitchhiked
the united states and traveled half the world at the ripe old age of 20. While
he regaled us with tales of getting chased by a bear earlier that week (who are these people that camp in the hostels of India???) we grew increasingly uneager
to return to Hyderhell. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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The others left, and we simply never went to the airport and
told Loki we’d clean the bathroom if we could stay. A wise Hyderabadi man
suggested I travel to Bundi, a small town in Rajahstan relatively untouched by
the harem pants crowd. The next morning (after cleaning the bathrooms of
course) we headed to the government bus station and found a bus traveling to
Bundi. Government bus stations are my new favorite thing, next to the Indian
Railway. Instead of expensive tourist AC buses (which are still nice of course)
you show up day of, get a dirt cheap seat (or no seat, but if you have money
you can get on), and a chance to meet locals. We never know where we are on
trains and buses, so we are constantly asking and amazed at how people know exactly
how many more stops we have and how they will wake us up at zero dark thirty so
we don’t miss our stop. Answers are simple as well. Our bus stopped and we asked,
“Where are we? Is this Kota?” “Lunch.” Was our specific location. When asking
for directions on the street, it’s a two to thirteen step process, because all
you get is a “ahaah, that way” and a wide hand gesture in any direction. So I
walk until I think it should be near, then ask again, pointed along vaguely.
Why waste the effort to be specific in a place built for detours, beautiful
confusion, and enjoying your time? <o:p></o:p><br />
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town was shocking. At first we ignored people’s “where are you from??”’s. I’ve
learned to ignore “HELLO MADAM WHERE ARE YOU FROM COME LOOK IN MY SHOP” “Auto?!
AUTO?” “Looking is free!” “Special price for you only” cries from the side of
the road. It’s aggravating being a walking wallet but I know people make a
living off of it and my love for colorful pants only continues the cycle. After
a few minutes in Bundi, we realized there were no tourist shops, no “café’s”
selling “pizza burgers”, and people genuinely wanted to know who we were, what
our story was. We drank mango juice and learned about someone’s family, bought
a scarf and a brass pot with absolutely no pressure and insanely fair prices,
and found a lovely home to stay in. The guesthouse was a traditional Rajahstani
haveli, which means cement or mudbrick insulated cubes jumbled on top of each
other, connected by staircases with not one step the same size, leading to a
shady center courtyard. The womblike rooms are insulated and dark and you’d
never know the sun was cooking the earth, coming out to the flat rooftops to
enjoy watching it set. <o:p></o:p><br />
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We spent our morning exploring the abandoned fort and
palaces. I barely want to write about it because it felt like a secret all my
own. Unlike Jodhpur, the ruins at Bundi are ill preserved and absent of guided audio
tours and designated photo points. Crawling through a hole in the looming
spiked door in the stone walls, I felt like one of my favorite professors. He
regaled classes with tales of his days of tomb discovery in Egypt. There was a
haunting beauty wandering the crumbling corridors and looking out at the forest
encroaching upon the fort from the top of an ancient temple. It was a little
sad to see, knowing in a few years it will crumble away or be overrun by
tourists and then crumble, but it was beautiful to explore unhampered and have
the joy of discovering moments for ourselves. It’s not like we were the first
people to ever go there, but it was the first time for us and that’s what I
love about traveling. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYthyLq-28uWcqt8vCJyUcFNqNml3q4dVfZFdztmthSumF-udC7yaMi0APt1I8s4aOM1OclOBBHmUIIuGozI8XpvQaIKj0b933FfkHTsm5d7iaODFE5MgHlWjddRJyMeVQucRSSPXS3F3/s1600/IMG_7407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYthyLq-28uWcqt8vCJyUcFNqNml3q4dVfZFdztmthSumF-udC7yaMi0APt1I8s4aOM1OclOBBHmUIIuGozI8XpvQaIKj0b933FfkHTsm5d7iaODFE5MgHlWjddRJyMeVQucRSSPXS3F3/s320/IMG_7407.jpg" width="240" /></a>After the fort, we wandered the streets, eating the cheapest
samosas I’ve ever had, taking pictures and petting cows like idiots. We met
many smiles and made small talk, but after a while wished we could meet some
women. Men sat in chai shops and laughed in groups on the sidewalk, but groups
of women were nowhere to be found. As we chatted about this, some children greeted
us from their doorstep. We played with them for a little and they laughed at
our very bad Hindi. Their mother came out from her courtyard, peering from
behind her scarf. She beckoned us in, almost looking shocked that we were just
standing on the street. Within five minutes, we were surrounded by cousins,
daughters, sisters, asking where we were from, us wishing them a happy Holi. We
talked over tea and the kids proudly showed us around the house. We sat on the
rooftop and talked, realizing it was sunset. We learned the whole family was in
town at this Uncle’s house for Holi week. Complementing their festive mehendi,
we were promptly given the same beautiful swirling designs on our hands. If we
didn’t already feel like we had stumbled across long lost family in the middle
of India, they asked if we wanted dinner. Already full from other free snacks,
we politely declined. In half an hour, we were sat down on a mat near the
kitchen and served the most delicious dinner anyways. The naan kept coming as
we sat there talking and laughing. Before we left much later that night, the uncle
came in with a smile, saying “My son marriage May 6<sup>th</sup>, you are
coming? And when you come, our house is your house. We’ll see you soon. ” <o:p></o:p><br />
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On the bus ride to Bundi we met two brothers traveling to a
wedding in Kota and joked about crashing it, since we hadn’t seen an Indian
wedding yet. Here was a real invitation! I’m counting down the days to May 6<sup>th</sup>
when we go back for the wedding. Skipping that plane back to Hyderhell was one
of the best decisions I’ve ever made. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcpPNiKnFLGfprJbo4dph_pVn12bSIo9ZUS3FcByKNIhBjMwGGX8aMIyMf0L6Vk1lbfMjlpQPk04k6AAQLgOcDP0D5oMwnILBmDqw7diVF8vewLFv5ONyhcuuQUJP9e5mtktSDuZvRlu36/s1600/IMG_7739.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcpPNiKnFLGfprJbo4dph_pVn12bSIo9ZUS3FcByKNIhBjMwGGX8aMIyMf0L6Vk1lbfMjlpQPk04k6AAQLgOcDP0D5oMwnILBmDqw7diVF8vewLFv5ONyhcuuQUJP9e5mtktSDuZvRlu36/s320/IMG_7739.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18212087588433329069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830193133928657823.post-72360501267354918612016-03-03T00:37:00.003-08:002016-03-03T01:03:11.066-08:00Home(sick?) <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Last week, my classmates and I started to realize we are
halfway through our semester. While it feels like I just arrived, I have
also been here long enough for it to start to feel like home. I finally have
settled into a "routine" of classes, family dinners, tea, and weekend train rides
to explore far away towns and ancient temples. In that routine there has been
some extremely non- routine things as well, mainly the birth of a baby.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7qhx9-O10A5Iyk4vqyUXbz88wBP6Ju9bZg6HCs3aA5ajREFcZ_n1bUglil8mnmqMG3hozsng27gbLE3X-O058ogd8NJiRW6G5JfntQLrEM9H2Ez9WZaAM6kxrC18qoGllaGoWqZjOzebx/s1600/IMG_6548.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7qhx9-O10A5Iyk4vqyUXbz88wBP6Ju9bZg6HCs3aA5ajREFcZ_n1bUglil8mnmqMG3hozsng27gbLE3X-O058ogd8NJiRW6G5JfntQLrEM9H2Ez9WZaAM6kxrC18qoGllaGoWqZjOzebx/s320/IMG_6548.jpg" width="240" /></a>Kavya
gave birth to a healthy baby girl two weeks ago! Life was very busy here, with
even more family members coming to visit and everyone caring for baby and
mother. Kavya and I became very close in the time that she stayed here, and she
told me “Mike, you better be at the hospital the day my baby comes.” Being
there waiting anxiously with soon to be grandparents and Kavya’s pacing husband
was an intimate glimpse into their lives. It was not a situation I have even
been in at home, and I think it will always pop into my head when I meet new
babies. The look on everyone’s face when they pulled the curtain aside to give
a peek of the clean baby girl is impossible to explain. Listening to Kavya say
“Hey, hi!” to her baby through the window (she had to be in the ICU for a day
after she was born due to some complications) was the most amazing sound. I
never really understood parents when they talk about how it feels to see your
baby for the first time, or why the hell Brenna wanted to be a midwife, but
being in the hospital that day I got a little glimpse.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh59d2UqOUCrxoMP-sFRcc_2BXIxzzktYZs0mlH8UPfilOMVYeM4YFJvYlnra-dq6_RXC3RRQhmNzL9QWXFmU2mFeZZrlY6UVWHodD7ojimoxAN7PgqoCWVEsyzC95UopTjzgunkOGJg9JA/s1600/IMG_6635.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh59d2UqOUCrxoMP-sFRcc_2BXIxzzktYZs0mlH8UPfilOMVYeM4YFJvYlnra-dq6_RXC3RRQhmNzL9QWXFmU2mFeZZrlY6UVWHodD7ojimoxAN7PgqoCWVEsyzC95UopTjzgunkOGJg9JA/s320/IMG_6635.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The host dad! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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About a week before the baby was born, we had a special
religious ceremony to ensure a safe and painless delivery. I thought I would
just sit in the corner and watch, but my host dad pulled in me in. As my host
aunt put <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">portu</i> on my head, they
laughed and said “Mike, you are part of the family now!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being part of an Indian family who welcomed a
new member was an experience I’ll cherish. First of all, it was amazing to see
how my host parents welcomed Kavya and her mother in for almost two months
without batting an eye. The baby didn’t seem to even cause a disturbance. Rather
than baby proofing the house and stockpiling toys and clothes and god knows
what, life went on as they patiently waited. Bringing her home was an ordeal of
course, but at the same time, the baby was simply laid in the bed next to Kavya
with a blanket and everything continued, the same but so so different. After
the pregnancy, Kavya’s mother and mother in law, and whatever aunties were in
the house that day kept a constant vigil in the room with mom and baby. My host
mom cooked for 7-10 people every night without a worry, relatives came to stay
the night with a bag of flour, whiskey, or some oil to offset this cost (I assume).
I forgot how tiny babies were, and that stupid wonderful feeling you get when
you hold them. They were surprised I knew how to hold a baby “Even I don’t know
how to hold her Mike” Kavya whispered to me one day. She seemed to care for her
baby so naturally, I was glad to find out even she had moments of cluelessness.
Babies terrify me. I’d say I don’t like babies, but I’ve never had a
friend who had a baby until now. It was pretty exciting. We were very sad when
Kavya left last week, but happy for her because it meant they were both healthy
enough to go back to their hometown. <o:p></o:p></div>
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With the quiet house, I started to focus on how I missed a
full house and my own family (whether it be five sisters or the house full of
guys at PLU). For some reason, I fancied myself as a world traveler, and thought
I wouldn’t get homesick. I thought since people go off in the army for
years, they immigrate, they live as refugees, so
I shouldn’t get homesick. My host family’s daughter, Divya, got married in
December and moved to New Jersey. Every night they Skype her to say good
morning. Some nights I hear her crying, talking rapidly in Telugu about how she
misses them, misses India. My host parents tell me it makes them less lonely to
have me here. They make me feel like I have a home. The other weekend, my host
mom and some aunts spent two days preparing snacks to mail to her. I’m awaiting
my own package of American snacks (mainly peanut butter). Though my homesicknesses isn't permanent and I can't compare it to Divya's, I do miss Washington. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I find myself getting homesick for weird things like the
nasty salty smell when the tide goes out, a rainy walk to class, an oatmeal
packet for breakfast. I wish in the evenings I was watching Parks and Rec or
Office reruns with my sisters rather than the really awful Telugu series my
host family watches. At forst I thought I’d use it as language practice. By now
I have developed an unhealthy hatred for all the underdeveloped characters and
sad plot line to use this as a learning opportunity. , so I sit and make highly
offensive and inappropriate dialouges for what I wish they were saying and
incorportate the few Telugu words I can decipher. <o:p></o:p></div>
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My host family makes me feel at home and homesick at the
same time. There’s nothing like getting ill to make you miss your mother and
sisters. After a trip to Hampi (where I found the real dirtbags, more in next
blog post!) I had a little food poisoning, and my host parents ensured I was
well taken care of with a highly specific regimen of how to get better. </div>
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“Lay on
the couch so we can watch you Mike!!” “Now eat these because vomiting on an
empty stomach leads to dehydration" “Now sit for 10 minutes. Drink some water”
“Now sleep for two hours” “Ok now eat
some curd rice with salt” me: *vomits<b>*</b> “Ok now eat the rest of the curd
rice slowly” “Take this tablet” “Sit for 1 hour, then go to bed.” Curd rice
is what it sounds like; a delicious combination of curdled milk and rice, with
a little salt sprinkled on top. Try it next time you feel like vomiting.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidyqfncdOTF721YvPa6My2FqKRYXkerkCtzOR64HCsVNF5HLULs2OxBAjBAEOPolOR6Qc9ykpGri_CSE1fNMT_Pp1J1aXuT6BjmVsiNq4jB5vLQ492nqQD-CrJ-PqlZgMcvPcw7KBjbNID/s1600/IMG_6818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidyqfncdOTF721YvPa6My2FqKRYXkerkCtzOR64HCsVNF5HLULs2OxBAjBAEOPolOR6Qc9ykpGri_CSE1fNMT_Pp1J1aXuT6BjmVsiNq4jB5vLQ492nqQD-CrJ-PqlZgMcvPcw7KBjbNID/s320/IMG_6818.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hampi sneak peak </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeRl5dVjCc2pfBx-e-LhX0DvahHv4_MxodN0ClRhNlvkeWGUJB4c0Uv_spqVq5qTYwahHSseLtbQQ0qqsf9dlwA4iv5rFciQNd0eLvMKg4TUByjZDyfZUoftMqKXPf9c5XInWFeR3t60j1/s1600/IMG_6828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeRl5dVjCc2pfBx-e-LhX0DvahHv4_MxodN0ClRhNlvkeWGUJB4c0Uv_spqVq5qTYwahHSseLtbQQ0qqsf9dlwA4iv5rFciQNd0eLvMKg4TUByjZDyfZUoftMqKXPf9c5XInWFeR3t60j1/s320/IMG_6828.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm going to miss this food </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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It was different than how I would get better at home, but it
worked. When I<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>got back from Hampi, walking up to the doorway felt welcoming.
It was a relieving feeling, like I was actually home from a trip. While I’m
homesick for Washington, I also know in just a few months I will be homesick
for afternoon chai, samosas, my host parents, India Time, this bathroom I have
to myself, the neighbors’ 11pm music jams, hitching motorbike rides on campus,
even curd rice. I know I will miss the family I made here and the amazing friends I can hop on a train with, eat ice cream at all times with (Enrique), and take way too full rickshaws with to unsure addresses. So I will "full enjoy" every day with them as best I can.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18212087588433329069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830193133928657823.post-47256925302786827042016-02-06T10:16:00.001-08:002016-02-06T10:16:28.392-08:00Full Enjoy <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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If you ever travel in India, prepare to be confused, amazed,
spontaneous, and pleasantly surprised by the most unexpected events. Don’t get
me wrong, the sights are beautiful and worth seeing, but the whole process of
traveling and the people I’m meeting are what I’m enjoying more. Maybe that is
travel in general, but I’m not some travel guru (YET). After a month in India I
am learning how to fully enjoy every day. <o:p></o:p></div>
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A few days ago, some girls and I decided we would go to
Warangal, a small town a train ride from Hyderabad with temples from 11AD and a
really cool fort built by a queen (see photos). First of all, Indian trains are confusing. There’s
entire blogs devoted to figuring out this system for foreigners. Host family
members who let you use their IRCTC account and laugh as you scroll through
timetables of impossible to pronounce destinations are also very helpful (thx
Kavya). <o:p></o:p></div>
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The morning of our journey, we thought we showed up early
enough… After running circles around a train station so crowded we could barley
see the trains, we somehow found our car with two minutes to spare. Of course
trains don’t leave on time. We soon discovered that just because you have a
ticket, this does not mean you have a seat. The three of us shared one seat
with a family, taking turns standing. Young men hung out the doors, hopping off
at each station, running alongside to hop back on as the train picked up speed.
I felt like taking a cliché photo as the countryside sped by. Four or five
grandmas and a child waddling back and forth stretched their legs sitting in
the space opposite the doors, no bigger than a broom closet. Seeing it in real
life, I’m not really sure why media focuses so much on this scene. Yes, it’s a crowded
train.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyIakowACm21xRTwyy1dOzI14csIPwsyuOU36aBbRglDl14x2UTJXjGR-T42DcA424eYVFgdxuKx_Bxi4jxDcwMsLyc2_kO_pBSxjeloBJpTnQro1zAPfbiP-NWsol6EhHZJEy1EYYmfeZ/s1600/IMG_5915.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyIakowACm21xRTwyy1dOzI14csIPwsyuOU36aBbRglDl14x2UTJXjGR-T42DcA424eYVFgdxuKx_Bxi4jxDcwMsLyc2_kO_pBSxjeloBJpTnQro1zAPfbiP-NWsol6EhHZJEy1EYYmfeZ/s320/IMG_5915.jpg" width="240" /></a>Warangal was beautiful, and a peaceful break from the
business of Hyderabad. I don’t think I realized how huge “fifth largest city in
India” meant. Maybe Hyderabad is not that big area wise, but the sheer amount
of people, noise, buildings, wanna be buildings, and traffic make up for it.
Seeing cornfields and one-story buildings was a nice change of pace. </div>
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Exhausted but
happy after a day of exploring Warangal, we boarded the train in our sleeper
car. Unbeknownst to us, we were going to make a carful of new friends. A man
with a round smiling face greeted us, asking where we were from, introducing
himself as Suresh. A young woman in a green sari and her husband looked at us
with slightly puzzled and interested gazes. Suresh’s friend Venkatesh joined
in, explaining to us “You are free to talk to anyone on a train here. It will
be a long journey; this is how Indians pass the time! In your country people
keep to themselves, but here we have freedom! We will full enjoy.”</div>
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For the next five hours, we got to know the ten people
around us, plus people walking through the car, pausing in interest or to offer
a joke or opinion. We learned about everything from food to marriage traditions
to Hinduism, travel recommendations, and of course why “Indian culture is best”.
Suresh and his friends would like you to know that Indians actually invented
flight thousands of years before the Wright Brothers, and you should always
marry an Indian man because they are better at adjusting. Ladies, if you are
“chill” and not stubborn in your interests, you can get a nose ring to reflect
this. We corrected some misconceptions about our culture (we do not drink Coke
with every meal or eat burgers every day) and had our life saving’s calculated
in rupees. Our new friends even dubbed us with Indian nicknames, Sunny, Bubbly,
and Pinky, common pet names given to children. <o:p></o:p></div>
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At one point we accidentally started a fight about all the
major world religions. Suresh had just finished telling us about his favorite
god, and asked “ah so you guys are Jesus right? You worship the Jesus?” Rachel tried
to clarify Christianity (not everyone worships the Virgin Mary, and even if we
do we still call it monotheism), and Suresh asked for clarification on Jesus. “I
thought he was just a man no? Like a man with inspiration that became worshiped
like a god?” <o:p></o:p></div>
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“Excuse me,” a woman’s voice piped in from the corner “Jesus
was a god, not just a man. He was born a god.” The conversation lapsed into a
mix of Telugu and Hindi and maybe even some Urdu, everyone leaning forward in
their seat. I heard snippets of Hindu god’s names, “read the Bible!” even
“Allah.” Heads nodded in agreement while some scowled in frustration, bringing
up another point. In a few minutes, everyone relaxed back into their seats with
pleased smiles and the rapid exchange died down. Suresh turned to us with a
quick explanation “We figured it out. It’s all the same. Everyone has different
names for the gods, but it is all God.” Who knew one could find simple answers
to frustrations with religion on a train home from Warangal. <o:p></o:p></div>
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After this intense conversation, we switched to food. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were pleasantly surprised to learn we
like spicy food, and even more surprised when I explained my host mom is
teaching me how to cook. “What can you make?” <o:p></o:p></div>
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“Well I’m pretty good at chai so far,” I said like a five
year old that just learned to spell their name. The berth erupted in friendly
laughter “even Sunny could make chai!” they exclaimed, pointing to the smiling
baby with chubby dark legs lying on the bench next to us. “Well I can make chapattis
too…” <o:p></o:p></div>
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“You know how to make chapattis??” they asked incredulously.
For some reason toasted bread made from only wheat flour and water is more
impressive than chai. Of course they had to test my knowledge, so I gave a train
full of Indians a lesson on chapatti making. All the men in the car nodded as I
detailed each step, but looked to the young woman for true kitchen authority.
She seemed amused at their amazement with my chapatti skills. The car erupted in
applause as I finished with “then, you eat curry with them!” Venkatesh said he
would bring his friends over for the amazing chapattis made by a white girl.</div>
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It was hard to realize five hours had passed when we pulled
into the station. Suresh said “Nice time. See, you can make friends anywhere!
Full enjoy.” We said goodbye and quickly lost sight of everyone in the sea of
people, exhausted after a day of “full enjoy”. It sounds funny at first, but
“full enjoy” is a phrase I have heard many people here use. Whenever I come
home late and tell my host mom asks where I was, or I come back from a
nondescript day which I would describe at home as “just hanging out, talking
with friends”, she smiles and says “ahh, full enjoy!” Conversations and simply
spending time with people, drinking chai and laughing are so important here. We
head to family members houses across town for “full enjoy” or make a giant
“full enjoy” dinner for someone’s brother’s cousin who is passing through town.
Living in India is teaching me to “fully enjoy” the wonderful friends and new
family members I am getting, the not so mundane every events, and really
long train rides.<br />
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<o:p></o:p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ypXMZTMGT8YSHu9b-XzdzFu7KPv8nz-bRaKSLCs-TCchJtpnseUMNWIW3rV3MXG2tNj9lyM0U7sATJREK-98H8sKsGp-gkQUB3rmv1mn9IyBrAaJIjpuyT5c5jndJMtR24jibIO2GZ5T/s1600/IMG_5931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ypXMZTMGT8YSHu9b-XzdzFu7KPv8nz-bRaKSLCs-TCchJtpnseUMNWIW3rV3MXG2tNj9lyM0U7sATJREK-98H8sKsGp-gkQUB3rmv1mn9IyBrAaJIjpuyT5c5jndJMtR24jibIO2GZ5T/s320/IMG_5931.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18212087588433329069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830193133928657823.post-7436716723527669922016-01-24T03:23:00.001-08:002016-01-24T03:23:59.738-08:00Family and Gynecological Misadventures <div class="MsoNormal">
One way to get to know people is to let them scroll through
your camera roll when they commandeer your computer… Then really hope there’s
nothing weird there, you keep saying, “nononono let me explain,” “well yes I do
have a tattoo,” or “nono I do have friends… I just like my cat and dog.” You
lie awake that night wondering WHY you have so many pictures of your cat but
not so many of your family. I didn’t even have pictures of my extended family
to show them, and in the past three weeks I have meet more aunts, uncles and
cousins than I can remember. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Family is so important here. For New Year’s (my 3<sup>rd</sup>
day in India mind you), we drove across the city and partied with someone’s
brother in law and four or five other families. We ate food so spicy I cried,
played Rummy until 3am, and stuffed cake into everyone’s mouths at midnight. I
slept in their daughter’s room along with a grandma and three or four aunties
on the floor and sharing a bed. The way family welcomes each other is fascinating
to experience here. The house has been a revolving door of extended family
members since the first week after.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
I arrived, I wondered why the house had so many rooms for just a couple with
two recently married children, but it makes sense now. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
My host dad's sister and her
daughter Kavya came to stay with us about two weeks ago. Kavya is eight months
pregnant and having some complications, so she and her mother made the six hour
journey here to access better medical care. She is one of the sassiest humans I
have ever met and brutally honest. She’s teaching me how to survive in India
while minimally offending people, a little bit of Telugu, and how to laugh at
myself. I knew we could become friends when one evening, she turned to me and
whispered with a sly smile “Mike, today I did not bathe.” “Me either,
Kavya.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The other night, Kavya came home from the hospital with some
ultrasound reports, passing them around the living room for everyone to see.
There’s no hushed private conversation about a diagnosis or hiding of papers
from the doctors here. When I met a neighbor the first thing I learned about
him was his persistent toe infection. Looking at Kavya’s ultrasound, I mentioned
my sister was a midwife. “A what??” “A midwife.. like an alternative
gynecologist/OB” *some talking in Telugu* "Oh so your sister is a gynecologist?" “Not quite” “She is training to be one!” “Yeah….” In the moment, I decided it
was a technicality lost in translation. However, Kavya then asked if she could
send her reports to Brenna for a second opinion. Ooops. Since Brenna is a gynecologist
in training, I said we could try but she might not be able to help. However,
Brenna offered an expert opinion and put Kavya at ease! For the next week,
Brenna received doctors’ reports and gave gynecological advice to a stranger in
India, a “friend of Mike”. As one Indian student told me, “Ah yes of course!
This is India, anything can happen.” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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Funny mishaps like this are what I have come to love about
being here. Things get lost in translation, but people have been so genuine and
willing to develop relationships. The little things like joking around at the
breakfast table: “ Auntie likes weird things, the burnt poha [a breakfast dish
we were eating], fish heads, chicken heads, my head” (WHAT), evening lectures
from my host dad: “Enjoy India. You will get fat. And then nothing will happen,”
Kavya scrolling though my camera roll and saying “wow Mike, you are a crazy
American” (not sure how endless cat and hiking photos gave that impression)
make this trip amazing. <o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18212087588433329069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830193133928657823.post-74512936454473642752016-01-10T11:48:00.003-08:002016-01-10T11:56:40.393-08:00Interpretation <div class="MsoNormal">
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"Interpretation" has been a concept that has stood out to me since arriving here, in many senses of the word. We have spent the past two weeks in an orientation to India,
specifically Hyderabad, a very interesting city. One professor explained Hyderabad
as “a mini India, the northernmost part of South India and the southernmost
part of North India.” India is an amazingly diverse, interesting, confusing and
beautiful place. Like anywhere in the world, but I think it is all heightened
here. Deciding how to describe what I am discovering about India will be a
constant challenge, one I did not anticipate. For some reason I thought I came
in with an open mind, but there will always be stereotypes in our minds. Virali, one of the girls I am studying with, wrote a very insightful post that captures the struggles of
writing about this place better than I can. You can read here:<o:p></o:p> </div>
http://onemoresaturdayblog.blogspot.in/2016/01/what-i-learned-in-india-weeks-1-2.html<br />
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I am having an amazing time in India, but it is not amazing in a reductive, stereotypical way. It is diverse, confusing, beautiful, exciting, and stressful, which makes it impossible to describe with one word. Instead of confirming stereotypes and running into “the danger of a single story” I hope to present India in a way that enriches and deepens your view of it. I know I cannot do this perfectly. Hopefully in telling stories of my trip, India will not be reduced to a foreign land of dirty crowded streets where women have no rights and cool people go to meditate in temples. India has those things, but it is not just THAT. It’s a “more than the sum of all its parts” kind of situation, and the stereotypes we have are not all of the parts.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Hyderabad and the surrounding region has historically undergone different Muslim rule and migrations, creating an interesting interplay and cooperation between Muslims and Hindus. I am very excited to learn more about this during my stay. For example, we visited Charminar, the oldest mosque in the city. We also visited a beautiful Hindu temple built into the hillside made entirely of white marble. I felt unsure about entering such sacred sites, but Kavitha assured us we were welcome if we are respectful. We take our shoes off to enter most religious and historical sites. It is very humbling and makes me feel more reverent but also more welcome in a place. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charminar, in the center of the Old City of Hyderabad</td></tr>
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The day we visited Charminar, I had a very mind- opening conversation with Kavitha, the CIEE director for Hyderabad. We talked about how beautiful the mosque was, how different religious groups worship thereand she gave a brief explanation of Hindu- Muslim relations in the area, and she spoke to where misunderstandings come from. She said “Everything is in the interpretation, no religion teaches violence or hate or to repress their women. People interpret religion and make it ugly.” This is something I have given a lot of thought to lately (not that I’m an expert to give thought to anything, especially religion). Being a religious studies and biology major, I find myself asking why we need religion when so much pain comes from it, and why the human race can’t just have science. Then I see my host mom preform pooja every morning without fail, visit beautiful places like Bilar Mindar (the temple we visited) where hundreds of people worship every day, or I read about how religions shape entire histories, and I wonder how we could be without religion. Kavitha offered her explanation “Religion itself is good. Religion teaches love, sharing, respect, gives people a community and a sense of purpose. Interpretation, interpretation, interpretation, is what we have to think about.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside Bilar Midar, we could not take pictures inside as it is a sacred site</td></tr>
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Along with learning about the history and culture of Hyderabad, we have visited various NGOs in the community. One center we visited was called Shaheen. Here some courageous and amazing women told us their stories and explained the goals of the center. Many of the women had experienced child marriage, sexual abuse, rape, abuse, and difficulty in attaining an education, or even leaving the house. Shaheen seeks to empower these women by providing legal help, educational opportunities and vocational training. What was inspiring about Shaheen was not only the resilience of these women, but that it was created by women of that community to help bring each other up. India is confusing to me, and I am not sharing the stories of these women not to confirm the belief that India is backwards and women have no rights here. This is not a problem of India; it is a human rights problem all over the world. It is a problem anytime someone uses religion to justify abuse and violence. It is a problem that stories like this have to be told. They should only be scary stories, but for too many women it is a reality.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shaheen is a type of bird in India </td></tr>
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Here is an example of how interpretation changes everything: The same day we visited Shaheen, I had a conversation with my host dad about arranged marriage over dinner. He explained the reasoning behind it and the process. Coming into this conversation, I was full of anger and feeling very anti-arranged marriage, but was again reminded about the importance of interpretation. In a traditional arranged marriage, each party’s family is researched seven generations back to ensure they are fiscally responsible, there are not trends of divorce, and they treat their children and community members well. In a collectivist society where you do not separate yourself from your family and community, this makes sense. Even in an individualistic society, you cannot separate yourself from the people that raised you, and the people that raised them. So, if you want to increase your chances of a healthy marriage raising a family successfully, you have to look back to where you came from. If someone passes this background check and meets the other requirements and both sides agree, they proceed. My host parents have a lovely relationship from what I have seen so far, and according to my host dad’s highly scientific statistics, 90% of marriages here are arranged. As Kavya, their niece, explained to me “Its not about feelings or romance dear. It’s about creating a relationship that will be healthy, that will work. Of course I am very happy with my arranged marriage!” She is pregnant with her first child and very excited. The system makes sense when it is interpreted as a way to live happily in community with others.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Talking about ideas like arranged marriage needs to be done in relationships, or we make snap judgments and create stereotypes. If I did not ask my host family what they thought about arranged marriage, I would only have seen it as a tool for evil. So much in India is confusing and contradictory, and it is teaching me the world is not black and white. I am learning how to interpret this place and meeting wonderful people here that are helping me do that. How will you interpret my stories of India? </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A street in the shopping center near Charminar </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the Qubt Shahi tombs, built around 1550- 1650 AD when the region was under Muslim rule</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grocery shopping in Hyderabad</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Golconda Fort, used during the Qubt Shahi Dynasty </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Modes of transportation: On Campus </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Off Campus </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished textiles at the Safrani School of Weaving, where a local woman teaches widows her craft of weaving </td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18212087588433329069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830193133928657823.post-10544918755389636092015-12-30T19:08:00.001-08:002015-12-30T19:09:03.686-08:00Awkward arrivals and misconceptions <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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After a harrowing journey through Indian traffic (traffic
laws and speed limits: there are none), I arrived at the home of Mr.<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">G.
Rajender Reddy</span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
</span>and his wife. One of the oddest, experiences in the world (at least for
me) is showing up to someone’s home in the night, halfway across the world, not
really understanding what they are saying even though its supposed to be in
your language, and telling them what you want for dinner (they eat around 9 or
10 here). After a list of foods I didn’t recognize, I settled on bread. My host
mom made tea, and it was the best tea I had ever tasted. Something about
drinking tea bridges social gaps and calms people down. It was spicy and
creamy, much better than when I have ever made chai. In Hyderabad, tea means
chai. Chai is everywhere, for all occasions. We drink it three or four times a day. It’s the
best. My host family and I stared awkwardly at each other, me feeling like an
intruder on their life, them probably knowing me nodding my head that I
understand was a complete lie. The subsequent days have been less awkward, and
they are wonderful, kind people. We sit and talk in the evenings, and they say “this
is the first time since ’86 we have not had kids in the home.” Maybe this is
why they wanted to host a student.<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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This is not the India I had preconceived in my mind. It is
not the India I have seen portrayed in movies or National Geographic. Without
even realizing it, I had created a picture of what I thought my host family and
their house would be like. I think I pictured us in a tiny house on a busy
crowded dirty street, where children played with stray dogs, sharing walls with
the neighbors, sleeping on mats on the floor, eating criss cross on the floor,
with a bucket for a shower. That is an exaggeration, but I had created a really
awful picture collage of documentary shots of the crowded streets of Delhi,
starving children, comments from people “be careful, you know India is DIRTY”.
I had also been to a “developing country” before, so I thought I was prepared, someone
a country halfway across the world with completely different people would be
similar to it. Here is what my house actually looks like:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW2uSQMTeBfr61ItMiGucZW04vbZQLNJP7euplikqCHr3gPWknQdpGcr06GGzn49h-nVyLDmffOj1G9ZAnlc209ilffJxLfPc11dr_hqYWanYwSM0-SGspnOtM98QSAMMxsIln0k9rhIEg/s1600/IMG_5444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW2uSQMTeBfr61ItMiGucZW04vbZQLNJP7euplikqCHr3gPWknQdpGcr06GGzn49h-nVyLDmffOj1G9ZAnlc209ilffJxLfPc11dr_hqYWanYwSM0-SGspnOtM98QSAMMxsIln0k9rhIEg/s320/IMG_5444.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My room (four times the size of my room at PLU)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrA96-r4WtVS6xlz8WJtO8c5dyf2ovrLx0Ha34TB6yd9Y5dzsZDy9sQnKIBgR6QOXjwp6H4irCDnvcUMJHTIhvTqhSPDjBtoUjYfhCveA1BxkSlJoigqBG1HVO4GtmlQFLX6lytFxEE24d/s1600/IMG_5459.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrA96-r4WtVS6xlz8WJtO8c5dyf2ovrLx0Ha34TB6yd9Y5dzsZDy9sQnKIBgR6QOXjwp6H4irCDnvcUMJHTIhvTqhSPDjBtoUjYfhCveA1BxkSlJoigqBG1HVO4GtmlQFLX6lytFxEE24d/s320/IMG_5459.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The marble staircase</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87h-czvK4BdGawpyGrtgH5OMNV3WiimImJladGOAGo0c4aJCGQNzfFaN7sZkmIlDinkwARHv-n49Cj_uhPOD-0ZBDNtISq5Ht2hOklgiQX94SwieiJ9VSw0Y-LDYcfIGnrpqfwnH-f6Bq/s1600/IMG_5449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87h-czvK4BdGawpyGrtgH5OMNV3WiimImJladGOAGo0c4aJCGQNzfFaN7sZkmIlDinkwARHv-n49Cj_uhPOD-0ZBDNtISq5Ht2hOklgiQX94SwieiJ9VSw0Y-LDYcfIGnrpqfwnH-f6Bq/s320/IMG_5449.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Yes, my notions were awful, and I am realizing India is so
diverse. Some of the pictures in my head do exist, people are poor, but it is
an incredibly diverse country. Not everyone lives in shacks in a slum. The India
I had pictured in my head was exciting, but not diverse. I pictured a
homogenous mass of people, all speaking Hindi. India has its diverse religions,
diverse music, art, dance, food, everything, because the people themselves are
diverse. Our program director, Kavitha, was explaining to us a brief history of
India. “India is a union of states” is the first line of their constitution,
the longest constitution in the world. She explained to us this is because India
is so diverse, and the most important thing to them is to recognize that
diversity (union of states) and create a constitution that works for everyone.
She told us that diversity is like putting a little chili pepper in a curry- it
makes it full flavored, gives it personality, makes it different and
interesting. The people of India are from so many different backgrounds,
cultures, religions, languages, and that is one of the things that make India
so special. No person I have met looks alike, talks alike, or dresses alike.
Obviously I should have realized that humans are humans. Arriving here has been
a lesson in humility and a correction of my misconceptions, and an introduction to some amazing people. <o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18212087588433329069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830193133928657823.post-32152408119915431892015-12-27T02:18:00.001-08:002015-12-27T02:18:13.660-08:00<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s 2 am and I leave for Hyderabad, India in three hours, so
naturally I am awake. This must be what people feel like before they get
married, but better because I am committing to something fun. The night before a trip I always start out excited, then panic,
realizing everything that should have been taken care of and everything I could
bring with me (for example, this summer I realized I should print out my
boarding pass for Guatemala). I keep thinking to myself, I have to bring
everything with me to exist for SIX MONTHS. However, India is the most densely
populated country in the world. People obviously exist there just fine. All I
really need to exist is food, love, and God, right? Inspired by stories of
national park backpacking dirtbags, I’m only bringing one bag to India. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe India has something to say about what we
need to exist. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdRr3jesG3gaDhJx4hVx2o5d9VNZzin5ZyE9lQe78iVBIktoCckGjmmRZBs4B5vBgBIDc0CoAj_jnbStgXDN_gQBdqFnBd6x22WMg8PWLR2vJA4WBPqsDvwAkGizHm60C_H15mr8O2RCS/s1600/IMG_5408.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdRr3jesG3gaDhJx4hVx2o5d9VNZzin5ZyE9lQe78iVBIktoCckGjmmRZBs4B5vBgBIDc0CoAj_jnbStgXDN_gQBdqFnBd6x22WMg8PWLR2vJA4WBPqsDvwAkGizHm60C_H15mr8O2RCS/s200/IMG_5408.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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Instead of using Heidi’s neighbor’s high school friends’ pack as usual, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I headed to REI and
finally bought a pack. The green vest guy comes over to the bewildered college
student looking at the assortment of packs that just looks like a pile of
expensive nylon and buckles. SO MANY buckles. Why the hell would someone ever
need a backpack with this many buckles and pockets. Then I started thinking
about all the snacks I could put in said pockets…. The man pointed out a pack
that would be nice if I was “living out of my pack for 6 months.” I think I
gave the wrong impression when I said “hi I'm going to India for 6 months and only
bringing one pack ”… I'm not that badass. I’m
studying there, not wandering through the mountains as a yogi dirtbag. But hey,
just in case I guess it would be good to be able to live out of a pack. He
tells me I should probably get a size small in the pack I was looking at. GUYS.
THEY MAKE BACKPACKS IN SIZES. So this buckley nylon monster I was buying would
look a slightly less like an evil twin on my back. Seriously I could have
crawled inside some of these bags. And never escaped because of all the
buckles. And tunneled through the pockets like a wandering hamster, living out
of my pack., The employee probably felt really bad for how this girl is leaving
in 4 days and just bought her pack and gave me free two day shipping (Shoutout<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to John, you da bomb). After ordering said
pack, I of course went home and researched packs online, because I am the worst
planner ever. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For example, I headed to Costco to pick up my anti malarial…. On Christmas Eve. Malarone is very expensive. So expensive the pharmacy lady
lectures you for 1o minutes about how you suck at planning (I prefer free
spirited, thank you). In fact, so expensive that when you’re full of Christmas
cheer and excitement for your trip, you decide you don’t need them. High risk,
high reward!!! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMMxkbJ3qXwEa53RHgPlPb6wIO-JMi8KcpqGMhIMSw6T-TXMAqgllyf15NpXgwW9Yy0zhitph6pZKDh1nLrMaWKo23nGwXSrPJj_1uiqjWxIeXFDmn5TM8mPucQaT70yoIrnO-OMBKP668/s1600/IMG_5233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMMxkbJ3qXwEa53RHgPlPb6wIO-JMi8KcpqGMhIMSw6T-TXMAqgllyf15NpXgwW9Yy0zhitph6pZKDh1nLrMaWKo23nGwXSrPJj_1uiqjWxIeXFDmn5TM8mPucQaT70yoIrnO-OMBKP668/s320/IMG_5233.jpg" width="240" /></a>Packing made it real for me. I am going to India! Until I started
packing, I was moping around thinking about how much I’m going to miss home, friends, family, Ron Swanson (my cat), grilled cheese, my cozy room, the English
language. Of course I was excited, but also low key been in denial about actually
leaving. The thought of living with a host family terrifies me (which is why
I’m doing it). The sheer amount of people terrifies me. But its happening! I am
actually going to india. I am going to live with a hindu family, eat curry, go
to temples, a mosque, the Taj Mahal, meditate, learn hindi practice yoga, ride
elephants, listen to Bollywood music, drink chai tea, see the river Ganges!</div>
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As much as I have tried to read up on Indian culture, I have
a feeling nothing will really prepare me. Everyone I tell I am going to India
ominously replies “you’ll come back a different person”. How do I reply to that
“Uh thanks, yeah I know I kinda suck now” or “Yep I plan on reaching
enlightenment with some yogis in the mountains”. Whoever I find, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope she is cool and still likes animals a
little too much, still knows how to place catheters and make really good
brownies and gets an adrenaline rush out of behaviors like not buying malaria
pills. I could do without the type A- control freak –bossy-socially awkward-
inability to understand sarcasm- aspects of myself however.. Here’s to India!
Namaste.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18212087588433329069noreply@blogger.com0