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My first few days in India have been a real eye opening experience in so many ways. I am staying in a youth hotel with the 29 other fellows that are in the same program as. We are in New Delhi for the first 12 days for training, then everyone separates to go to their host location.
The streets of India are exactly what I imagined them to be. Driving in my first auto rickshaw was an exciting experience as we drove through the extremely wealthy and extremely poor areas of New Delhi. We have attempted to see as much as possible in this city, though most of our time is taken up by our training.
I must say I feel truly privileged to be a part of this prestigious and incredible program. Our training consists of a plethora of information concerning social, religious, economic and health issues in India. We have very informative and important speakers from all over India coming to speak to us about various topics to prepare us for our experiences. These topics trigger a lot of questions and concerns about the issues that continue to disturb India. Our topics of discussion are always very intense and there are plenty of fellows to contribute to profound conversations. AIF is extremely well connected in India and the US which is why we were privileged enough to have speakers from every realm. Some of the speakers include, a former Chief Minster of Madhya Pradesh, an India state, the US Ambassador for India, a lead social activist, a woman who participated in the feminist movement in India and is now a well known author and publisher, a man in charge of a dalit (untouchable caste) rights worker, a man in charge of the disabilities non profit, livelihood coordinators, the Deputy Managing Director of the lead bank, etc. In addition we had our own viewing of the National Gallery of Modern Art, where the director gave us a private tour while the museum was closed.
My co fellows are incredibly intelligent. All of them have accomplished a truly mind boggling amount things and are on a strong mission to have a positive impact in this country. Every conversation stirs up many thoughts, issues, emotions, moral dilemmas and social interests. It’s refreshing to be around and apart of such intellectual conversations on a daily basis. It saddens me how sometimes our lives become so routine that we lack such conversations on a daily basis, and I am glad to have that in my life right now. I am lucky to be a part of every conversation and am taking every word that is spoken to soak up all the information I possibly can. I find it very inspiring and motivating to be around such topics of discussion.
I realize now that I will have a constant dilemma while in India. The issues we are concerning ourselves with are serious and are very dominate in the Indian culture. Poverty is out of control, social stigmas and castes societies are still strongly in place, public health services are not readily available, jobs are scarce and the division between rich and poor is un measurable. We are constantly debating on the fact that we should bargain with rickshaw drivers, yet realize this is their livelihood, and what is 10 more rupees to us (25 cents)? Most lower class people make about 20 rupees a day (if at that) which is about 50 cents. A dollar and 5 cent blood test at the hospital is practically impossible for many of these people because of the price. Untouchables as a caste have been able to rise, get an education and hold high positions in their jobs, however they are still discriminated against to the point that a higher caste member will purify a seat that an untouchable has sat in before they continue to sit. The issues go on and on.
Post training, I will be working in these fields and get an even stronger sense of all these issues. I am beyond excited to get involved in my program, however am constantly fearful of all the poverty and social injustice I will see.
Though we are focusing on all these issues I want to emphasize I am very happy with everything I am learning. This wealth of knowledge feels empowering and I just feel so blessed to be here. I am having a blast during down time with the other fellows and look forward to maintaining friendships with them.
The streets of India are exactly what I imagined them to be. Driving in my first auto rickshaw was an exciting experience as we drove through the extremely wealthy and extremely poor areas of New Delhi. We have attempted to see as much as possible in this city, though most of our time is taken up by our training.I must say I feel truly privileged to be a part of this prestigious and incredible program. Our training consists of a plethora of information concerning social, religious, economic and health issues in India. We have very informative and important speakers from all over India coming to speak to us about various topics to prepare us for our experiences. These topics trigger a lot of questions and concerns about the issues that continue to disturb India. Our topics of discussion are always very intense and there are plenty of fellows to contribute to profound conversations. AIF is extremely well connected in India and the US which is why we were privileged enough to have speakers from every realm. Some of the speakers include, a former Chief Minster of Madhya Pradesh, an India state, the US Ambassador for India, a lead social activist, a woman who participated in the feminist movement in India and is now a well known author and publisher, a man in charge of a dalit (untouchable caste) rights worker, a man in charge of the disabilities non profit, livelihood coordinators, the Deputy Managing Director of the lead bank, etc. In addition we had our own viewing of the National Gallery of Modern Art, where the director gave us a private tour while the museum was closed.
My co fellows are incredibly intelligent. All of them have accomplished a truly mind boggling amount things and are on a strong mission to have a positive impact in this country. Every conversation stirs up many thoughts, issues, emotions, moral dilemmas and social interests. It’s refreshing to be around and apart of such intellectual conversations on a daily basis. It saddens me how sometimes our lives become so routine that we lack such conversations on a daily basis, and I am glad to have that in my life right now. I am lucky to be a part of every conversation and am taking every word that is spoken to soak up all the information I possibly can. I find it very inspiring and motivating to be around such topics of discussion.
I realize now that I will have a constant dilemma while in India. The issues we are concerning ourselves with are serious and are very dominate in the Indian culture. Poverty is out of control, social stigmas and castes societies are still strongly in place, public health services are not readily available, jobs are scarce and the division between rich and poor is un measurable. We are constantly debating on the fact that we should bargain with rickshaw drivers, yet realize this is their livelihood, and what is 10 more rupees to us (25 cents)? Most lower class people make about 20 rupees a day (if at that) which is about 50 cents. A dollar and 5 cent blood test at the hospital is practically impossible for many of these people because of the price. Untouchables as a caste have been able to rise, get an education and hold high positions in their jobs, however they are still discriminated against to the point that a higher caste member will purify a seat that an untouchable has sat in before they continue to sit. The issues go on and on.
Post training, I will be working in these fields and get an even stronger sense of all these issues. I am beyond excited to get involved in my program, however am constantly fearful of all the poverty and social injustice I will see.
Though we are focusing on all these issues I want to emphasize I am very happy with everything I am learning. This wealth of knowledge feels empowering and I just feel so blessed to be here. I am having a blast during down time with the other fellows and look forward to maintaining friendships with them.
4 comments:
Hey Girl,
Glad your having a great time out there...Keep in touch!
sounds intense. i'm really excited for you and i'm really glad that you appear to be open, enthusiastic, cautious and even keeled about the whole experience so far and for the experience that is yet to come. leave it all out there and make it happen. we all support you and wish you the very best. i'm looking forward to following your experience.... rich a
i'm glad it's exactly what you imagined..make the most of every moment!
Be well sis - I'm glad your documenting your stay and how your feeling/what you're seeing.
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