I have come to a conclusion that it is NEVER a boring day in India. The last time I thought I was bored was when I was on a restless 14 hour flight to India. Everyday there is a new adventure, a new word I may learn in Hindi, and a new face with a new name that I continuously forget.
This week has been intense: I started a pilot program for the Women’s Initiative Program. It’s call “Women’s Empowerment Mentorship Program”. It is about teaching young women about influential Indian women, careers they can pursue and how important it is to continue an education. After a week of getting permission slips signed by parents and finding a location to host the class, I had a successful 3 days of the program. It is held every Monday-Wednesday during recess in the auditorium. I have 11 girls currently attending the class and their inputs on various subjects have been clever and knowledgeable. For example, they asked me about the American culture and I said, “Well in America, most Indian women, don’t wear Indian clothes. We may wear jeans and a shirt.” Then one of my students interrupted by saying, “But teacher, we wear jeans and t-shirts too.” These young women recognize the difference between the standing of men and women in India and they realize the different roles women now play from the past. I am interested to see how these young women grow and I hope they benefit from what I can offer them.
Another enjoyable event this week is when I taught classes at the English Medium School just 5 minutes up the road from Madhi High School. I teach 1-4th standard and boy are they adorable. This Thursday I met the music teacher, Vijay Bhai, and I had a few music lessons. He has an amazing voice and the children always love watching him and singing along. Later in the day when I was teaching the 3rd standard class a student walks up to me with his tooth in his hand, “Teacher, my tooth fell out!” After taking a few pictures of his new found excitement, I told him about the tooth fairy, and sent him on his way to the nurse. Next thing I know, three of my students come up to me to show me their teeth waiting to fall out. I laughed and said, “Wow, look at that! Please don’t pull it out now…”
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Chaudapull
June 10, 2010
Emily and I ventured off to Surat on the local bus making stops literally every 15 minutes. We were seated next to a man who was also going to Surat. His name was Harish Kaka and he suggested a Sari shop called Jagruti in Chautupull. When we got to Chautupull I was so excited because it looked like a huge hidden market. As if it was a secret blessing. Everything one could possibly need was there in all colors, shapes, and sizes! We were directed by Ashok Bhai, the owner of the Sari shop, upstairs to where I fell in love with my first Sari. I grew up thinking I could never wear a Sari beautifully because I was short and well…chunky. Therefore, I was incredibly self-conscious and didn’t exactly know what I was looking for. What was the fashion in Sari’s? I know I don’t want flowers on it? What color should I get? Many colors and patterns later, my eyes skimmed the arranged Sari’s on the window and spotted a blue one with silver circles scattered delicately along the whole thing. I tried it on and I knew I had to have it but was 2000 RS a lot of this Sari? Man, what is my mom going to think? Does this outfit make me look like a grandma? In the end, Emily and I walked out bag-less. We peered into another store dreading the amount of indecisions that may come upon us in limited time. A woman and her daughter were fighting over prices of already laid out Sari’s, dissatisfied , they walked out. A man approached me and ask what my budget was, laughing to myself, I said, “500-1500 rupees” and I was immediately guided to the “old lady Sari’s”. Displeased I looked over at the Sari’s that were abandoned by the previous shopper. I opened a blue and pink Sari and smiled at the beautiful color mix so I asked to try it on. Once I did I loved it but I couldn’t risk another heartbreak so I asked the price before I couldn’t live without it, “Yeh kitna luging hai?” (bare with me on pronunciation and spelling). I crossed my fingers and the sales man said, “ Sale hai- $1500 rupees” YES! I finally bought my first Sari and whether anyone else liked it or not, I loved it and when growing up that is all that matters.
Our next mission was going back to the originally part of town our bus arrived in. However, after a lot of miscommunication the cabby took us to the opposite end to a place called “Escon Mall”. Alright, we’ll have a little adventure so Emily and I walked into the mall with our mouths hanging low at how legit the mall was. First of all-air conditioned- and actual stores like Leevi’s, various Sari, and shoe stores. After exploring the in’s and outs of the mall we decided it was time to find a…Mcdonalds. We had both been craving meat and so we ventured to find it. Oddly neither of us eat McDonalds in the states so going to Mcdonalds here was an odd treat.
We entered shyly taking in the similarities and differences of an Indian Mcdonalds. We approached the line staring at the Mcveggie burger meal, aloe wrap, paneer wrap and then finally…chicken. The manager opened up a new register for us and asked what we would like to order. Emily ordered the chicken burger and I ordered the fish fillet. The fish was not ready as quickly as Emily’s order so we were told to sit down and they will bring it to me. Now that’s service.
Emily and I ventured off to Surat on the local bus making stops literally every 15 minutes. We were seated next to a man who was also going to Surat. His name was Harish Kaka and he suggested a Sari shop called Jagruti in Chautupull. When we got to Chautupull I was so excited because it looked like a huge hidden market. As if it was a secret blessing. Everything one could possibly need was there in all colors, shapes, and sizes! We were directed by Ashok Bhai, the owner of the Sari shop, upstairs to where I fell in love with my first Sari. I grew up thinking I could never wear a Sari beautifully because I was short and well…chunky. Therefore, I was incredibly self-conscious and didn’t exactly know what I was looking for. What was the fashion in Sari’s? I know I don’t want flowers on it? What color should I get? Many colors and patterns later, my eyes skimmed the arranged Sari’s on the window and spotted a blue one with silver circles scattered delicately along the whole thing. I tried it on and I knew I had to have it but was 2000 RS a lot of this Sari? Man, what is my mom going to think? Does this outfit make me look like a grandma? In the end, Emily and I walked out bag-less. We peered into another store dreading the amount of indecisions that may come upon us in limited time. A woman and her daughter were fighting over prices of already laid out Sari’s, dissatisfied , they walked out. A man approached me and ask what my budget was, laughing to myself, I said, “500-1500 rupees” and I was immediately guided to the “old lady Sari’s”. Displeased I looked over at the Sari’s that were abandoned by the previous shopper. I opened a blue and pink Sari and smiled at the beautiful color mix so I asked to try it on. Once I did I loved it but I couldn’t risk another heartbreak so I asked the price before I couldn’t live without it, “Yeh kitna luging hai?” (bare with me on pronunciation and spelling). I crossed my fingers and the sales man said, “ Sale hai- $1500 rupees” YES! I finally bought my first Sari and whether anyone else liked it or not, I loved it and when growing up that is all that matters.
Our next mission was going back to the originally part of town our bus arrived in. However, after a lot of miscommunication the cabby took us to the opposite end to a place called “Escon Mall”. Alright, we’ll have a little adventure so Emily and I walked into the mall with our mouths hanging low at how legit the mall was. First of all-air conditioned- and actual stores like Leevi’s, various Sari, and shoe stores. After exploring the in’s and outs of the mall we decided it was time to find a…Mcdonalds. We had both been craving meat and so we ventured to find it. Oddly neither of us eat McDonalds in the states so going to Mcdonalds here was an odd treat.
We entered shyly taking in the similarities and differences of an Indian Mcdonalds. We approached the line staring at the Mcveggie burger meal, aloe wrap, paneer wrap and then finally…chicken. The manager opened up a new register for us and asked what we would like to order. Emily ordered the chicken burger and I ordered the fish fillet. The fish was not ready as quickly as Emily’s order so we were told to sit down and they will bring it to me. Now that’s service.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
"I want to be a doctor"
After much delay, my first day of Spoken English finally arrived. Emily and I were supposed to split the class in half, each of us having 30 students. However, on the morning of our first day, she fell sick and I had to take on all 60 students with Emily’s co-teacher, Ms. Amitaben.
I was nervous walking into the classroom and afraid that 60 students would not give a woot about what I was saying. As Amita and I walked in all of the students got up from their benches as said, “Good Morning Teacher”, I greeted them back and told them to sit down.
I had bought a bag full of miniature Jolly Ranchers and decided for the first day of class I would have each color represent a question. Each student would receive and candy and they would stand up, tell me their name, what color they had, and answer a question that pertained to the color. Majority of the girls happened to have the “Cherry” flavor and the question that was continuously repeated was, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I had heard often of the boys wanting to be engineers and doctors but one rarely knew what a girl wanted to become. When I asked one student, Manisha, the question she simply said, “I want to be a doctor” This answer was the most common amongst the girls and every time I heard it I became happier with their aspiration.
However, I grew up in America where becoming a doctor as a woman was not as difficult as becoming a doctor in India. Most of these girls will be married by the time they should be ready for college and the other half may not have the support or grades to succeed in this dream. It became a realization for me that an Indian woman in America does not face the same challenges as a woman in India. One of the main reasons I decided to join the Nanubhai team was mainly to help develop women’s initiatives in Gujarat. As a woman what could I do to inspire these young women to continue on their path to become doctors, engineers, teachers or any other field they would like to go into? The answer quickly came to me as I watched them all file out of the classroom. Empower them.
I was nervous walking into the classroom and afraid that 60 students would not give a woot about what I was saying. As Amita and I walked in all of the students got up from their benches as said, “Good Morning Teacher”, I greeted them back and told them to sit down.
I had bought a bag full of miniature Jolly Ranchers and decided for the first day of class I would have each color represent a question. Each student would receive and candy and they would stand up, tell me their name, what color they had, and answer a question that pertained to the color. Majority of the girls happened to have the “Cherry” flavor and the question that was continuously repeated was, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I had heard often of the boys wanting to be engineers and doctors but one rarely knew what a girl wanted to become. When I asked one student, Manisha, the question she simply said, “I want to be a doctor” This answer was the most common amongst the girls and every time I heard it I became happier with their aspiration.
However, I grew up in America where becoming a doctor as a woman was not as difficult as becoming a doctor in India. Most of these girls will be married by the time they should be ready for college and the other half may not have the support or grades to succeed in this dream. It became a realization for me that an Indian woman in America does not face the same challenges as a woman in India. One of the main reasons I decided to join the Nanubhai team was mainly to help develop women’s initiatives in Gujarat. As a woman what could I do to inspire these young women to continue on their path to become doctors, engineers, teachers or any other field they would like to go into? The answer quickly came to me as I watched them all file out of the classroom. Empower them.
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