So Much to Say!

Last Thursday afternoon instead of having a traditional Hindi class, Rajul took us to her house to cook for us and show us her house and family. Her house is by far the largest and nicest I have been in in India, and the food she cooked was not my favorite by any means, but it was interesting. What I found most interesting were the "gods" that sat on her kitchen counter. I have been trying painstakingly to not divulge myself in anything related to Hindu idol worship because I would consider it a huge conflict of interest in my personal beliefs, but it is SOO DIFFICULT because hinduism permeates so much of hospitality and lifestyle here. My homestay mom gave a little Ganesh idol for my birthday and told me she prayed to him that I would have a good birthday (which was kind). Last Saturday I accidentally ate a sweet that had been a sacrifice for Ganesh, and I have encountered numerous other instances where Hinduism and hospitality collide. With the immense respect that Indians have for religion, I am sure that I could reject their offers on religious grounds, but with the language barrier I don't know whether they would understand that I am rejecting their god, not their hospitality and kindness.

Friday was our first field trip. We drove out of Jaipur for an hour to an NGO that does work with villages. We met the most incredible women there who single handedly built a reservoir that provides water for livestock and crops. One of the most influential books I have read on India was written by my teacher, Gloria Raheja, on rural women, their identities, and folk songs that reflect their spirit and hopes. Friday these women sang as a group for us, a type of call and response form that was truly incredible. During the last song one of the women danced for us, and it was the first time I wish I had a camcorder so I could have recorded it. Luckily I think Arwen got a copy and hopefully I can pass it on to you. The field visit made me really excited for my internship, and really hopeful that I will have a life enriching experience. I think that in villages like the one we saw is where the real culture of India is the most beautiful. It is people living life as they always have done and finding joy in it. One of the remarkable stories the women told us was when a liquor store moved into their village. It was basically a shed, but the men hung out their all the time late into the night when they should have been with their families. In the middle of the night this group of women got together and tipped over the shed. That was the end of the liquor store, and men are now home at a resonable hour. These women knew how to take charge! That night a bunch of us went out to dinner at Niro's. Dinner in India is generally served at 8:30-10, but we decided to meet early, at 7 since some of the group (not me)wanted to go out to a disco(club). When I got back home from the field trip I quickly changed clothes and hopped in a rickshaw to get there on time. When I glanced at my watch as we arrived, I realized that it was 6, not 7. I was an hour early and all on my own as it was getting dark. I calmly tried to figure out where to go, and spent some time in a bookstore and coffee shop till I met my friends. It was a minor crisis in my mind, but noone bothered me (except for street vendors and street kids). Dinner was fun, there is something devious about being out after dark here, like we are breaking the rules.

Yesterday Krista and I spent the day in the old city. We had to go there that morning to pick up our passports from the Foreigners Registration Office. Since we each had year long visas we were required to register here in Jaipur. We went to the office with P.P.(Prem Prakash) from the MSID office here. He is an interesting character, very quiet and shy but always watching over all of the students here. I think his shyness is due to a insecurity about his English, but the few times I have spoken to him he has been very clear and understandable. Anyway, when we went last week to register we had to leave our passports there and pick them up a week later. When you think of a registration office like this, I would picture a place like a courthouse, very official. Instead it was very shady, like a basement. Both Krista and I agreed that we would NEVER have left our passports there if we were alone and didn't know we would get them back. Retrieving them yesterday turned out to be no big deal, and Krista and I explored City Palace, a museum, before we headed out shopping. We hopped a cycle rickshaw to take us to Bapu Bazaar, where there are good clothing stores. Our cycle had other ideas though, and quickly got us lost while trying to take us to a shop where he had a commission. We finally yelled at him to stop and jumped out to get a driver that would take us where we wanted to go. Why does this stuff always happen when I am with Krista? At the end of the shopping excursion I had a couple new salwaar suits, kind of. I bought material for the shirt, pant and scarf suit and they are being tailored as we speak. After spending the day out and about, I was looking forward to a quiet evening, but then Anthony called. He was having people over, and wanted me to come. My hostmom walked me to an auto and I was off, with one small hitch. I had never been to Anthony's house, and it was dark. I had gotten directions, but the driver was persistent that he knew the way, and proceeded to get us lost. Eventually we got there, but I survived another late night India adventure.

Which brings us to, TODAY! I am finally caught up. I spent this morning reading, something I have been doing alot lately. I have made my way through an Amy Carmichael biography, two fiction books, and I am almost through with Hillary Clinton's autobiography, which I bought here. I also wrote postcards and rested. Then I took off with Krista (again!) to Gaurav Towers where I, ta da!, finally have a mobile phone. The MSID office found some secondhand phones for the students to purchase, but they have been working only intermittenly and I figured my parents would rather have me spend and extra $25 and get a nice one that will work well than one that only works sometimes. I can get texts as well as phone calls, so no one has an excuse not to get in touch with me!

I think that is it for now. Hope you enjoy my adventures!