I'm sitting in a cramped, very hot internet cafe in Jaisalmer. I'm guessing its still around 30 + degrees C, and its 4:30 pm. It's not even the first of March!
Laura and I left Udaipur last night on an overnight bus to get to Jaisalmer, which is a desert city about as far West in Rajasthan as they come. It's beautiful - I think it's termed "the Golden City" because everything is constructed in a light, sand colored stone. But it's just so hot.
Our bus journey was ridiculous, to say the least. Overnight buses are often sleeper buses, which means there are little box compartments in the buses where you can lie down in. Sounds kind of cool, but really isn't practical when your bus is taking windy mountain roads. I spent most of the first part of the trip (6 hours) holding on the edge attempting not to roll out of the compartment. At around 4:30 in the morning we reached Jodhpur, where we had to transfer buses for another 6 hour ride to Jaisalmer. Even though we'd payed for sleeper, the second bus was only sitting, which made a lot of the tourists cranky and bitter. By and far one of the worst travel experiences of my life - somehow Laura and I were assigned the seats in the very back, so you can't lean on the windows to sleep or recline. At least 3 Indian men started smoking, it was so bumpy that you flew about a foot every time you hit a bump, and they tried to charge us 20 rupees to store our luggage in the back. By the end, I was cranky, to say the least.
Then, when you step off the bus in Jaisalmer, the touts and rickshaw drivers swoop down on you like carnivorous vultures. Laura and I were immediately surrounded by at least 5 rickshaw drivers, all trying to yell over the other about how their prices were better, don't trust this man and don't go with that one, etc. etc. I finally had to yell at them to back off and leave us alone - which they did, murmuring "Sorry Madam, sorry to disturb". Argh. Talk about stressful experiences. We ended up finding a nice hotel for a really good price - and napped most of the afternoon. We're still waiting for the heat to die down a little...
Tomorrow we're taking off on a two day/one night camal safari in the Thar Desert. We checked out alot of places, made sure we would be getting plenty of water and healthy food cooked for us, and decided to go for it. After all, how many chances do you get to sleep in a real desert under the stars? It should be memorable, to say the least. Though of course, this is India, so memorable can really go in either sense of the word.
After that we'll have a day or two more in Jaisalmer before taking the train up to Delhi to meet another Juniata friend - then, the Golden Triangle Tour until I have to be back in Delhi on the 10th.
Wish us luck! Hopefully we'll survive the desert...
Friday, February 29, 2008
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Update!
So, after much thought and research and stress, I've taken a giant leap into the unknown.
Well, all the research kind of negates the word "unknown", but it still feels like the unknown. After about a month at my organisation, I decided that a) I wasn't getting enough work to justify staying there 3 months and b)the work wasn't what I wanted to do. Logically, it made sense for me to figure something else out. So, I've signed up with a different program (also in Udaipur) where I'll be doing ESL teaching in primary schools in local villages (which I have some experience with from ISB). It should be a lot of fun, if very different from my first organisation. The only issue is that it doesn't start until March 10, so until then I'll be traveling with two friends from Juniata around Rajasthan, Delhi and Agra before meeting my new group in Delhi. Then, at least another month in Udaipur - and after that, who knows? I can extend for at least another month, or come back if it gets too hot (which is really my only concern, to be honest). Already, today it was 37 degrees C. A far cry from my first weeks here. By the end of April, it could easily be in the mid 40s. So we'll see.
Until then, I'll be roaming!
Miss you all!
Well, all the research kind of negates the word "unknown", but it still feels like the unknown. After about a month at my organisation, I decided that a) I wasn't getting enough work to justify staying there 3 months and b)the work wasn't what I wanted to do. Logically, it made sense for me to figure something else out. So, I've signed up with a different program (also in Udaipur) where I'll be doing ESL teaching in primary schools in local villages (which I have some experience with from ISB). It should be a lot of fun, if very different from my first organisation. The only issue is that it doesn't start until March 10, so until then I'll be traveling with two friends from Juniata around Rajasthan, Delhi and Agra before meeting my new group in Delhi. Then, at least another month in Udaipur - and after that, who knows? I can extend for at least another month, or come back if it gets too hot (which is really my only concern, to be honest). Already, today it was 37 degrees C. A far cry from my first weeks here. By the end of April, it could easily be in the mid 40s. So we'll see.
Until then, I'll be roaming!
Miss you all!
Saturday, February 23, 2008
The one with all the weddings
It's officially wedding season in Rajasthan.
Weddings here are the most important event in a person's life - they are in many cases the ultimate way to show off one's status in society, and often sink a family into life-long debt due to the extravagance and expense of the ceremony and party. I've heard people at the organisation here talk despairingly about how weddings still undermine much of the financial development work that NGOs' attempt to instill in villages - regardless of teachings on saving money, taking loans responsibly, etc., many people still feel the pressure to take loans of thousands of dollars to spend everything on one wedding ceremony.
But I don't just mean any ceremony. The weddings here usually last for about a week, and involved hundreds to thousands of guests. Each wedding party seems to vie for the title of "Loudest Party", leaving chaos and a ringing in your ears in its wake. There are nights when I pray to never see or hear one again.
My dorm is, rather unfortunately, located in an area where a number of wedding party venues are set up. At around 5 or 6 in the evening, or as dusk falls, the groom parades come out on the streets. These involve an official looking band - it's actually very American style looking, with the uniforms and the brass instruments, which, incidentally, are only there for show and are not played - with the groom's friends behind them dancing to the beat of drums which are more often than not at odds with the blaring Hindi music. Finally, behind the frenetic dancers comes the groom, elaborately dressed, sitting on an even more elaborately dressed horse. These horses often do a number of wedding parades a day/night, and seem unperturbed by the noises and chaos. More often than not, the groom appears uncomfortable, ill at ease, and sometimes terrified. As the procession advances, carrying the groom to the family of his bride-to-be, they stop in the streets and beat the drums louder and dance with greater energy, usually causing massive traffic jams as they pass. Not that this seems to bother anyone.
Perhaps the best part is the explosives. And by explosives, I mean the cases of fireworks and firecrackers set off every 5 meters or so down the street. As I'm still more or less a newbie to the whole situation, I still jump everytime a firecracker explodes 3 meters behind me, which never fails to make the shopkeepers around me chuckle with amusement. Ah, to be a foreigner.
But there are quite literally dozens of firecrackers and fireworks being lit every which way, along the main road, often only 2 or 3 meters from walkways or stores. It's one of the most ridiculously hazardous things I've ever seen - when walking down a street, I have learned to gauge the approximate amount of seconds I have to run past the firecracker between the time that it has been lit and that it will explode.
Later at night the real party begins. Everyone arrives at the wedding venue in beautiful outfits (I've seen them on their way!) and gets ready to party all night long. The fireworks begin in earnest around 9-10 pm, and are sometimes so close and so loud that I can feel the vibrations my bed mattress as they explode. The music blares until 2 or 3 in the morning. And every night, without fail, the same pattern starts again. This is the best time for weddings because it is still cooler than the rest of the year, and it also means that many shops close early as people are invited to dozens of weddings. I'm still holding out hope for an invitation of my own... :)
So beyond the lack of sleep, I at least get personal fireworks from my rooftop every night - that is, if I willing to brave the possibility of getting hit by one myself!
Weddings here are the most important event in a person's life - they are in many cases the ultimate way to show off one's status in society, and often sink a family into life-long debt due to the extravagance and expense of the ceremony and party. I've heard people at the organisation here talk despairingly about how weddings still undermine much of the financial development work that NGOs' attempt to instill in villages - regardless of teachings on saving money, taking loans responsibly, etc., many people still feel the pressure to take loans of thousands of dollars to spend everything on one wedding ceremony.
But I don't just mean any ceremony. The weddings here usually last for about a week, and involved hundreds to thousands of guests. Each wedding party seems to vie for the title of "Loudest Party", leaving chaos and a ringing in your ears in its wake. There are nights when I pray to never see or hear one again.
My dorm is, rather unfortunately, located in an area where a number of wedding party venues are set up. At around 5 or 6 in the evening, or as dusk falls, the groom parades come out on the streets. These involve an official looking band - it's actually very American style looking, with the uniforms and the brass instruments, which, incidentally, are only there for show and are not played - with the groom's friends behind them dancing to the beat of drums which are more often than not at odds with the blaring Hindi music. Finally, behind the frenetic dancers comes the groom, elaborately dressed, sitting on an even more elaborately dressed horse. These horses often do a number of wedding parades a day/night, and seem unperturbed by the noises and chaos. More often than not, the groom appears uncomfortable, ill at ease, and sometimes terrified. As the procession advances, carrying the groom to the family of his bride-to-be, they stop in the streets and beat the drums louder and dance with greater energy, usually causing massive traffic jams as they pass. Not that this seems to bother anyone.
Perhaps the best part is the explosives. And by explosives, I mean the cases of fireworks and firecrackers set off every 5 meters or so down the street. As I'm still more or less a newbie to the whole situation, I still jump everytime a firecracker explodes 3 meters behind me, which never fails to make the shopkeepers around me chuckle with amusement. Ah, to be a foreigner.
But there are quite literally dozens of firecrackers and fireworks being lit every which way, along the main road, often only 2 or 3 meters from walkways or stores. It's one of the most ridiculously hazardous things I've ever seen - when walking down a street, I have learned to gauge the approximate amount of seconds I have to run past the firecracker between the time that it has been lit and that it will explode.
Later at night the real party begins. Everyone arrives at the wedding venue in beautiful outfits (I've seen them on their way!) and gets ready to party all night long. The fireworks begin in earnest around 9-10 pm, and are sometimes so close and so loud that I can feel the vibrations my bed mattress as they explode. The music blares until 2 or 3 in the morning. And every night, without fail, the same pattern starts again. This is the best time for weddings because it is still cooler than the rest of the year, and it also means that many shops close early as people are invited to dozens of weddings. I'm still holding out hope for an invitation of my own... :)
So beyond the lack of sleep, I at least get personal fireworks from my rooftop every night - that is, if I willing to brave the possibility of getting hit by one myself!
Monday, February 18, 2008
Doctors visits, accountant training, and generally life in India
I imagined as I was typing my entry yesterday that Sunday would be quiet and calm. It was in fact, far more interesting that I had planned it to be.
My Swedish roommate, who was (and is) sick, had a fever of about 39.5 C at one point, which seriously worried me and made me think that we should get her to a doctor. Anjuli, another roommate, agreed, so we set off on a mission to find a doctor. Because Alex was so weak, we decided to locate one first, confirm that he/she would be around, and then drag Alex out for a check up. It wasn't too bad - by the second hospital we had found a 24 hr on call doctor who agreed to see what was going on. Luckily, it was only about 2 blocks down from my dorm, but we still had to take a rickshaw because Alex was so exhausted she could barely walk.
The hospital was nice, clean. Nothing spectacular, but nothing terrifying either. The doctor was really nice and spoke good English, though Anjuli was there for any translation issues. Due to some lack of resources though, there was some improvisation for material - he used a huge garage flashlight to check her throat (which he subsequently used on me also, as I think I may be picking up her bug). When he picked it up to use it I thought I would die laughing - but it seemed to work pretty effectively. He was a little evasive about what she could have, but prescribed medicine and pills, and she feels better today, so something must have worked! Altogether a pleasant experience, and now I feel like we have a residential doctor for future reference.
The only unpleasant thing to happen concerned our rickshaw driver. Lately I've been increasingly impatient and mean with rickshaw drivers - they appear to be a particularly sly and cheating group of men in India, and I'm starting to get fed up. We agreed with our driver to pay 20 rupees to take us two blocks, wait for us, and bring us back (which in my mind was still expensive). However, when we returned to the dorm, he demanded 30 rupees instead. I was so angry at that point - not too mention tired and worried about my friend - that I threw the ten extra rupees at him and told him in no uncertain terms that he was a very bad man (thank you, Jeremy!) and that I thought he was terrible and horrible. Anjuli had to gently tug me away, but even now I'm furious thinking about it. Anjuli couldn't understand why I was so upset, so I had to explain to her how it's a battle every day for us foreigners not to get cheated too much - inevitably, you always are cheated - but at least to pay a semblance of the normal price. I met a Belgian woman here who told me that she routinely tells cheating drivers that they are bad people for cheating foreigners and if they think going to the temple every day is going to change that, they should think again. I can see where she's coming from - its frustrating fighting every day for a fair price.
On a better note, today I went off to a center about 45 minutes outside Udaipur to observe a training session for accountants. It wasn't the most fascinating afternoon, particularly since it was a combination of math and Hindi (neither being a forte for me) but it was interesting to observe the dynamic of the group. It's a 4 day training course aimed at insuring that accountants can calculate interest, work with banks and understand the important financial functions and concepts. Of the 25 people, only 3 were women. They had all received brand new calculators - but not a single person had removed it from the plastic wrapping, instead preferring to type through the plastic. The instructor admitted that it's an uphill battle with many of the accountants, particularly the older ones who can barely follow the basic mathematical procedures. He often went from person to person showing them how to effectively use the calculator, and why it was often more correct than writing out the 30-40 numbers by hand and adding them on the paper. I am baffled as to how one can implement financial programs in rural villages, particularly after seeing accountants struggling with basic concepts. These people are counted as very literate in their communities, while many people participating in self help groups have little to no literacy. I feel more and more how much we take for granted our educational systems in the West.
As for tomorrow - who knows? It's always a surprise in India.
Love! Marion
My Swedish roommate, who was (and is) sick, had a fever of about 39.5 C at one point, which seriously worried me and made me think that we should get her to a doctor. Anjuli, another roommate, agreed, so we set off on a mission to find a doctor. Because Alex was so weak, we decided to locate one first, confirm that he/she would be around, and then drag Alex out for a check up. It wasn't too bad - by the second hospital we had found a 24 hr on call doctor who agreed to see what was going on. Luckily, it was only about 2 blocks down from my dorm, but we still had to take a rickshaw because Alex was so exhausted she could barely walk.
The hospital was nice, clean. Nothing spectacular, but nothing terrifying either. The doctor was really nice and spoke good English, though Anjuli was there for any translation issues. Due to some lack of resources though, there was some improvisation for material - he used a huge garage flashlight to check her throat (which he subsequently used on me also, as I think I may be picking up her bug). When he picked it up to use it I thought I would die laughing - but it seemed to work pretty effectively. He was a little evasive about what she could have, but prescribed medicine and pills, and she feels better today, so something must have worked! Altogether a pleasant experience, and now I feel like we have a residential doctor for future reference.
The only unpleasant thing to happen concerned our rickshaw driver. Lately I've been increasingly impatient and mean with rickshaw drivers - they appear to be a particularly sly and cheating group of men in India, and I'm starting to get fed up. We agreed with our driver to pay 20 rupees to take us two blocks, wait for us, and bring us back (which in my mind was still expensive). However, when we returned to the dorm, he demanded 30 rupees instead. I was so angry at that point - not too mention tired and worried about my friend - that I threw the ten extra rupees at him and told him in no uncertain terms that he was a very bad man (thank you, Jeremy!) and that I thought he was terrible and horrible. Anjuli had to gently tug me away, but even now I'm furious thinking about it. Anjuli couldn't understand why I was so upset, so I had to explain to her how it's a battle every day for us foreigners not to get cheated too much - inevitably, you always are cheated - but at least to pay a semblance of the normal price. I met a Belgian woman here who told me that she routinely tells cheating drivers that they are bad people for cheating foreigners and if they think going to the temple every day is going to change that, they should think again. I can see where she's coming from - its frustrating fighting every day for a fair price.
On a better note, today I went off to a center about 45 minutes outside Udaipur to observe a training session for accountants. It wasn't the most fascinating afternoon, particularly since it was a combination of math and Hindi (neither being a forte for me) but it was interesting to observe the dynamic of the group. It's a 4 day training course aimed at insuring that accountants can calculate interest, work with banks and understand the important financial functions and concepts. Of the 25 people, only 3 were women. They had all received brand new calculators - but not a single person had removed it from the plastic wrapping, instead preferring to type through the plastic. The instructor admitted that it's an uphill battle with many of the accountants, particularly the older ones who can barely follow the basic mathematical procedures. He often went from person to person showing them how to effectively use the calculator, and why it was often more correct than writing out the 30-40 numbers by hand and adding them on the paper. I am baffled as to how one can implement financial programs in rural villages, particularly after seeing accountants struggling with basic concepts. These people are counted as very literate in their communities, while many people participating in self help groups have little to no literacy. I feel more and more how much we take for granted our educational systems in the West.
As for tomorrow - who knows? It's always a surprise in India.
Love! Marion
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Weekends
The one thing I have noticed about India is that there doesn't seem to be any particular importance in the different days of the week. It's Sunday, but it doesn't feel any different from any other day of the week, except that this is the one day that I actually get "off" from work. Indeed, my work week is technically Monday-Saturday (tragic, in my opinion) - though don't pity me too much - work really only starts around 10:30 and most people have drifted away by 5:30 or 6 pm. And then there isn't really an office for me to work in, so I spend most of my time in the library, or out on the terrace. You fall into a certain routine - especially centered around the power cuts, which are everyday from 10:30 until 1 pm. During that time all you can hear is the whirring of the generators which keep a certain percentage of the computers running, though the internet is always down when the power is out. There are rumors that next week the power cuts will be the afternoon from 2 until 5 pm, which will mean I'll have to shift my routine around a little bit.
Yesterday I visited the production unit of Sadhna, which is a women's collective. They produce clothes, blankets, pillow cases, bags and various accessories, which are sold in two show rooms in Udaipur, and they also get orders from big chains in India such as Fab India (almost every Indian knows Fab India!). One of my roommates, who is a textiles major, is doing her internship there, and she designs new collections for Sadhna. In the production unit the cloth is brought, cut into the patterns and then sewn into the general shapes (pillow cases, shirts, etc.). Once they're ready, they're brought to villages in the area where they are hand embroidered and decorated by the local women there, who are in turn paid for the work they do. The products are brought back to the production unit to be checked for quality, and the women in the villages are then paid (monthly) depending on how many items they have decorated. My roommate showed me some of her designs, which are amazingly beautiful and would do incredibly well in the West. In all, she has to design 6 collections worth of items for Sadhna - she comes up with themes and produces 20-30 samples for the executives of Sadhna to approve. It's pretty amazing. And most of the women who work with Sadhna come with pretty loaded backgrounds - many are working to escape violent husbands, or support children because their husbands drink, etc. Yet there is a vibrance and energy in the air - as well as genuine friendliness - that is remarkable. Within seconds of stepping into the room, I was invited by 3 women to share their breakfast of samosas - even though they only had one each, they kept encouraging me to eat more. They giggled at my reaction to the spicyness of the food, and gave me water, and then offered me chocolates afterwards. Anjuli, my roommate, often tells me how inspired and moved she is by these women - most of whom are twice her age but are eager to learn from her.
I was supposed to go to Ranakpur, a site about 2 hours away, known for its Jain temples - but unfortunately one of my roommates got really sick last night and has a fever, so we've decided to stay and keep an eye on her. Instead, I got a massage this morning from a woman who gives Anjuli massages every Sunday. Not a bad way to wake up! The back and head massage were particularly amazing - though the leg and arm massage sometimes verged on brutal. However, as Anjuli assured me, a tough massage is necessary to feel TRULY relaxed afterwards. Which she was right about... and, I paid 70 rupees (almost 2 dollars) for an hour long massage. I was so surprised, I kept waiting for an extra 0 to be added to the price.
Yesterday, being bored, I made my way out to the old city on my own - walking most of the way - which usually can be a pain because of all the attention you get - but maybe people are getting used to me, because I had no problems. I spent the afternoon wandering around, away from the tourist area, and then found a cafe that sells some of the most delicious apple pie I have ever had ANYWHERE. Top it off with a fortifying cup of chai, and you're in heaven. It's also so much warmer than it was last week that I actually had to take off my sweater. Sitting in the sun actually verges on hot, which makes me wonder what it's going to be like 3 weeks from now.
I took a tempo back (a tempo is like a public rickshaw, and is so much cheaper - around 5 rupees from the old town back to where I live, as compared to 40 rupees). I was excited because it's the first time I've done it alone, and it was awesome to feel so independent and spend the day doing what I wanted. I feel much more comfortable with the layout of the city, and sometimes I even think I know what I'm doing! The more I wander around Udaipur, the more I love it.
Last night, Anjuli taught me a couple of Indian recipes - I took exact notes, which she thought was amusing - and went out and bought random Indian sweets to try. Overall, a pretty amazing day.
So, life isn't too shabby. My errands are punctuated by stops at fresh fruit juice stands - I'm enjoying trying different combinations (yesterday I had carrot and orange, which was... different). I seem to have gotten over some of my stomach issues, which makes me more adventurous. And it's fun! I meet lots of travelers with interesting stories and backgrounds, I read amazing books (right now I'm reading "The Namesake" By Jhumpa Lahiri, which I HIGHLY recommend) and will dive into another of many amazing Indian novels when I'm done.
As for work itself... much to be desired. I am working on getting something else, but will keep you all posted.
Love! Marion
Yesterday I visited the production unit of Sadhna, which is a women's collective. They produce clothes, blankets, pillow cases, bags and various accessories, which are sold in two show rooms in Udaipur, and they also get orders from big chains in India such as Fab India (almost every Indian knows Fab India!). One of my roommates, who is a textiles major, is doing her internship there, and she designs new collections for Sadhna. In the production unit the cloth is brought, cut into the patterns and then sewn into the general shapes (pillow cases, shirts, etc.). Once they're ready, they're brought to villages in the area where they are hand embroidered and decorated by the local women there, who are in turn paid for the work they do. The products are brought back to the production unit to be checked for quality, and the women in the villages are then paid (monthly) depending on how many items they have decorated. My roommate showed me some of her designs, which are amazingly beautiful and would do incredibly well in the West. In all, she has to design 6 collections worth of items for Sadhna - she comes up with themes and produces 20-30 samples for the executives of Sadhna to approve. It's pretty amazing. And most of the women who work with Sadhna come with pretty loaded backgrounds - many are working to escape violent husbands, or support children because their husbands drink, etc. Yet there is a vibrance and energy in the air - as well as genuine friendliness - that is remarkable. Within seconds of stepping into the room, I was invited by 3 women to share their breakfast of samosas - even though they only had one each, they kept encouraging me to eat more. They giggled at my reaction to the spicyness of the food, and gave me water, and then offered me chocolates afterwards. Anjuli, my roommate, often tells me how inspired and moved she is by these women - most of whom are twice her age but are eager to learn from her.
I was supposed to go to Ranakpur, a site about 2 hours away, known for its Jain temples - but unfortunately one of my roommates got really sick last night and has a fever, so we've decided to stay and keep an eye on her. Instead, I got a massage this morning from a woman who gives Anjuli massages every Sunday. Not a bad way to wake up! The back and head massage were particularly amazing - though the leg and arm massage sometimes verged on brutal. However, as Anjuli assured me, a tough massage is necessary to feel TRULY relaxed afterwards. Which she was right about... and, I paid 70 rupees (almost 2 dollars) for an hour long massage. I was so surprised, I kept waiting for an extra 0 to be added to the price.
Yesterday, being bored, I made my way out to the old city on my own - walking most of the way - which usually can be a pain because of all the attention you get - but maybe people are getting used to me, because I had no problems. I spent the afternoon wandering around, away from the tourist area, and then found a cafe that sells some of the most delicious apple pie I have ever had ANYWHERE. Top it off with a fortifying cup of chai, and you're in heaven. It's also so much warmer than it was last week that I actually had to take off my sweater. Sitting in the sun actually verges on hot, which makes me wonder what it's going to be like 3 weeks from now.
I took a tempo back (a tempo is like a public rickshaw, and is so much cheaper - around 5 rupees from the old town back to where I live, as compared to 40 rupees). I was excited because it's the first time I've done it alone, and it was awesome to feel so independent and spend the day doing what I wanted. I feel much more comfortable with the layout of the city, and sometimes I even think I know what I'm doing! The more I wander around Udaipur, the more I love it.
Last night, Anjuli taught me a couple of Indian recipes - I took exact notes, which she thought was amusing - and went out and bought random Indian sweets to try. Overall, a pretty amazing day.
So, life isn't too shabby. My errands are punctuated by stops at fresh fruit juice stands - I'm enjoying trying different combinations (yesterday I had carrot and orange, which was... different). I seem to have gotten over some of my stomach issues, which makes me more adventurous. And it's fun! I meet lots of travelers with interesting stories and backgrounds, I read amazing books (right now I'm reading "The Namesake" By Jhumpa Lahiri, which I HIGHLY recommend) and will dive into another of many amazing Indian novels when I'm done.
As for work itself... much to be desired. I am working on getting something else, but will keep you all posted.
Love! Marion
Thursday, February 14, 2008
End of Week 2 in Udaipur
My train trip to Jaipur was easy, relaxing and uneventful, other than the fact that I happened to be in the same compartment as the only other foreign girl in the car, who was French. We hit it off really well and swapped traveling stories - she happens to be working at a tourist agency in Delhi, so I consider her to be a very practical contact! The only attention we got was her difficulty in climbing up to the top bunk (she's very short) which prompted at least 3 Indian men to rally around her, all giving their own ideas about where her feet should go, how she should turn, etc.
Jaipur itself is much crazier and busier than sleepy Udaipur. As a hub for merchants, Jaipur is teeming with bazaars and vendors and food stalls. The traffic is impressive, but it could be my reaction to having been in Udaipur, which is relatively calm in comparison. In the old city of Jaipur, there are at least four bazaars which seem to go on for kilometers in every direction. Each bazaar has a specialty - textiles, silver jewelry, household items, etc. It's amazing to see shops stretching as far as the eye can see, all filled with customers grappling to buy the same cloths. You could easily spend 2 whole days walking through them and still not get through all the stalls. Unfortunately, so much choice makes it far too easy to spend money, and I think Jaipur was the most painful experience so far in terms of my finances.
We spent the first day roving through the bazaars, visiting the Jantar Mantar - an amazing observatory built by the founder of Jaipur, which is still used today to calculate time and optimal days for certain festivals - and ate some delicious foods. Sunday was a half day expedition to the Amber Fort, about 9 km outside Jaipur. Stunning doesn't quite cover it - it's an enormous fort built on a large hill, the color of wheat and honey, reflecting light from the sun. You walk up a huge ramp to get to the main gate, and you can then spend hours walking through the endless passages and walk ways around the fort. Amazing. I think Christopher and I spent about 3 hours wandering through it.
Now, back to Udaipur. Christopher left Udaipur yesterday for Delhi, and should be flying out in about 3 hours for Sydney. We had a great couple of days exploring Udaipur before he left - we rented bikes the other day and biked around the other lake, Fateh Sagar, ending up in remote towns in the hills. Such a different view of Udaipur than you get from the city center. We enjoyed some food poisoning from a dal (lentil) dish - what more can you ask for in family bonding? But it is amazing how noticeably different it is to walk alone in the streets without him next to me (or any other male, for that matter!). With Christopher and Jeremy, I am ignored (stared at, but not talked to) and completely unhassled. As soon as I left Christopher in the city, I was accosted by men yelling out the usual "Hey baby" and other typical remarks as I walked alone to find a rickshaw back to my dorm. I'm trying not to let it hamper any activities that I want to do on my own, but it's definitely less relaxed and can make a good day less pleasant.
Otherwise, no problems on this end. I've turned into a particularly aggressive haggler, especially when it comes to rickshaws. Sometimes, as I'm bargaining over a difference of 10 rupees, getting angrier by the minute because of some of the drivers attitudes, I mentally ask myself if it's worth it. I don't know if I'm angrier at myself or the driver for making such a big deal over 10 rupees (25 cents). And then I remember that it's really the principal of the matter - I am no tourist and I certainly don't intend to be cheated. I'm not sure how it will affect my ability to get nice drivers though, particularly as Udaipur is so small and they are constantly gossiping... But I'm learning the importance of holding my ground - politely, of course, but nonetheless staying determined. I'll know I've been here too long the day I start haggling over one rupee!
This weekend I'm hoping to do a day trip to Ranakpur, which is about 2 hours away and boasts beautiful Jain temples. It's nice to get trips set up and keep things busy, and I intend to do as much traveling as possible before it gets hot. Already in one week the weather has changed so much - I was hot with a sweater on today, though the nights are still chilly. I was assured today by some locals that it never gets hotter here than 40 degrees, which sounds better than 45, but I'm still thinking I should appreciate this weather while I can.
Happy Valentine's day! Love to all :)
Jaipur itself is much crazier and busier than sleepy Udaipur. As a hub for merchants, Jaipur is teeming with bazaars and vendors and food stalls. The traffic is impressive, but it could be my reaction to having been in Udaipur, which is relatively calm in comparison. In the old city of Jaipur, there are at least four bazaars which seem to go on for kilometers in every direction. Each bazaar has a specialty - textiles, silver jewelry, household items, etc. It's amazing to see shops stretching as far as the eye can see, all filled with customers grappling to buy the same cloths. You could easily spend 2 whole days walking through them and still not get through all the stalls. Unfortunately, so much choice makes it far too easy to spend money, and I think Jaipur was the most painful experience so far in terms of my finances.
We spent the first day roving through the bazaars, visiting the Jantar Mantar - an amazing observatory built by the founder of Jaipur, which is still used today to calculate time and optimal days for certain festivals - and ate some delicious foods. Sunday was a half day expedition to the Amber Fort, about 9 km outside Jaipur. Stunning doesn't quite cover it - it's an enormous fort built on a large hill, the color of wheat and honey, reflecting light from the sun. You walk up a huge ramp to get to the main gate, and you can then spend hours walking through the endless passages and walk ways around the fort. Amazing. I think Christopher and I spent about 3 hours wandering through it.
Now, back to Udaipur. Christopher left Udaipur yesterday for Delhi, and should be flying out in about 3 hours for Sydney. We had a great couple of days exploring Udaipur before he left - we rented bikes the other day and biked around the other lake, Fateh Sagar, ending up in remote towns in the hills. Such a different view of Udaipur than you get from the city center. We enjoyed some food poisoning from a dal (lentil) dish - what more can you ask for in family bonding? But it is amazing how noticeably different it is to walk alone in the streets without him next to me (or any other male, for that matter!). With Christopher and Jeremy, I am ignored (stared at, but not talked to) and completely unhassled. As soon as I left Christopher in the city, I was accosted by men yelling out the usual "Hey baby" and other typical remarks as I walked alone to find a rickshaw back to my dorm. I'm trying not to let it hamper any activities that I want to do on my own, but it's definitely less relaxed and can make a good day less pleasant.
Otherwise, no problems on this end. I've turned into a particularly aggressive haggler, especially when it comes to rickshaws. Sometimes, as I'm bargaining over a difference of 10 rupees, getting angrier by the minute because of some of the drivers attitudes, I mentally ask myself if it's worth it. I don't know if I'm angrier at myself or the driver for making such a big deal over 10 rupees (25 cents). And then I remember that it's really the principal of the matter - I am no tourist and I certainly don't intend to be cheated. I'm not sure how it will affect my ability to get nice drivers though, particularly as Udaipur is so small and they are constantly gossiping... But I'm learning the importance of holding my ground - politely, of course, but nonetheless staying determined. I'll know I've been here too long the day I start haggling over one rupee!
This weekend I'm hoping to do a day trip to Ranakpur, which is about 2 hours away and boasts beautiful Jain temples. It's nice to get trips set up and keep things busy, and I intend to do as much traveling as possible before it gets hot. Already in one week the weather has changed so much - I was hot with a sweater on today, though the nights are still chilly. I was assured today by some locals that it never gets hotter here than 40 degrees, which sounds better than 45, but I'm still thinking I should appreciate this weather while I can.
Happy Valentine's day! Love to all :)
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Settling in...
Udaipur.
I wish I could put up some pictures of the city, because it's really magnificent. (I will, hopefully, soon!) Sometimes in the afternoons I go out to the old city (my dormitory is about 15 minutes outside of town) and climb to the top of house - most of which have roof top restaurants and cafes - and sit in the sun, looking out over Lake Pichola. The white Lake Palace looms in the center of the water - mysterious and exotic - and if I ever marry a millionaire, it would be one of the first hotels I would want to stay at, just to get a glimpse of what is hidden behind the white walls. On the side of the city you can see the golden walls of the City Palace - which I will hopefully explore soon - and altogether, looking down at all the colorful houses and tips of temples, Udaipur is picturesque. The old city itself is quite small and contained, and most of the tourists are concentrated there as well. It's always a surprise to get there and see so many other white people - in a way, being outside the city makes you forget that other Westerners come out to India.
The old city is small enough that after 3 or 4 afternoons passed there, one or two vendors and determined rickshaw drivers already recognize me. A bookstore owner asked me yesterday how work was going (I was trading in old books for a new one, and yes, it was my second time there). I'm not sure if I remember telling him that I was going to be working in Udaipur, but he may have just assumed it. People are generally friendly, and I think it will help to be there for an extended period of time and be recognized - that way I won't always be pegged to be a confused, lost, naive tourist.
As for my living arrangements, the dorm is quite nice. It's a 7 bed dorm for women, and if you ever thought that sharing a room with one person was difficult, well, think 6 other people. It's virtually impossible to sleep through an entire morning because everyone seems to be getting up at different times. One of the girls is Swedish; the others are all Indian, from different areas of the country. It's been great with them - they giggle at our naive questions about India and instruct us on how to dress, what beauty products to use (they were aghast that we didn't use coconut oil in our hair everyday, and have vowed to change that). They're a fun group, and I feel like I'll probably learn more from them about India than from the internship itself.
Otherwise, this week has been kind of long. In true relaxed Indian style, the organisation seemed to have no real idea what kind of project I should work on - I was told my supervisor is out of town and they're not sure when he's coming back - and could I please come back to the office next Monday? They needed time to think it over. A week, to be precise. They assured me it would be nice for me to have the time to get settled. Unfortunately, it apparently takes less time by Western standards to get settled, and by Tuesday I was ready for something to do. So I've been lazing about since then, going into the city, doing some reading in the library they have here on self-help groups, and trying to figure out how to cook with ingredients that I've never really used.
I've spent some time shopping in the local markets - fruits and vegetables are particularly fun to buy. The other day I got a whole bag full of potatoes, tomatoes, onions, carrots, beans and other fresh veggies for the equivalent of 25 US cents (about 15-20 euro cents). Fruit is a little bit more expensive, though not by Western standards. You regularly find guava, oranges, pineapple, apples, all sorts of bananas, papaya and grapes. Mango season is due to start in March - I can't wait! I also can't wait for the cold weather to pass - it's freezing here, mostly because the houses are not built to deal with the cold. In our dorm, we don't really have window panes, just mosquito screens, so the room is permanently freezing. I find myself re-wearing the same sweater and pants and layers everyday, with multiple scarves wrapped around my permanently frozen limbs. I actually had to buy a sweater the other day. Who would've guessed? As I type this, my fingers are numb. And I thought I was fleeing the winter in Belgium!
I'm also rapidly coming to the conclusion that India and my stomach are not friends. I've resorted to a diet mostly of bananas and rice (and the occasional omelet) and stomach cramps are sadly becoming common. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my stomach is still in transition mode, and that this won't be an issue the whole time I'm here.
So I'm getting used to it all. I'm definitely a much, much better bargainer than I was 3 weeks ago, and I'm slowly figuring out the little details. This weekend I will meet Christopher in Jaipur (he's been roaming through Rajasthan this week) and be back Monday morning here - not that there's any rush :) That's my next challenge - it's the first time taking the train on my own. But I'm excited to see Jaipur, and since Christopher has my camera, we can hopefully get some pictures up when we both get back here.
Miss you all!
I wish I could put up some pictures of the city, because it's really magnificent. (I will, hopefully, soon!) Sometimes in the afternoons I go out to the old city (my dormitory is about 15 minutes outside of town) and climb to the top of house - most of which have roof top restaurants and cafes - and sit in the sun, looking out over Lake Pichola. The white Lake Palace looms in the center of the water - mysterious and exotic - and if I ever marry a millionaire, it would be one of the first hotels I would want to stay at, just to get a glimpse of what is hidden behind the white walls. On the side of the city you can see the golden walls of the City Palace - which I will hopefully explore soon - and altogether, looking down at all the colorful houses and tips of temples, Udaipur is picturesque. The old city itself is quite small and contained, and most of the tourists are concentrated there as well. It's always a surprise to get there and see so many other white people - in a way, being outside the city makes you forget that other Westerners come out to India.
The old city is small enough that after 3 or 4 afternoons passed there, one or two vendors and determined rickshaw drivers already recognize me. A bookstore owner asked me yesterday how work was going (I was trading in old books for a new one, and yes, it was my second time there). I'm not sure if I remember telling him that I was going to be working in Udaipur, but he may have just assumed it. People are generally friendly, and I think it will help to be there for an extended period of time and be recognized - that way I won't always be pegged to be a confused, lost, naive tourist.
As for my living arrangements, the dorm is quite nice. It's a 7 bed dorm for women, and if you ever thought that sharing a room with one person was difficult, well, think 6 other people. It's virtually impossible to sleep through an entire morning because everyone seems to be getting up at different times. One of the girls is Swedish; the others are all Indian, from different areas of the country. It's been great with them - they giggle at our naive questions about India and instruct us on how to dress, what beauty products to use (they were aghast that we didn't use coconut oil in our hair everyday, and have vowed to change that). They're a fun group, and I feel like I'll probably learn more from them about India than from the internship itself.
Otherwise, this week has been kind of long. In true relaxed Indian style, the organisation seemed to have no real idea what kind of project I should work on - I was told my supervisor is out of town and they're not sure when he's coming back - and could I please come back to the office next Monday? They needed time to think it over. A week, to be precise. They assured me it would be nice for me to have the time to get settled. Unfortunately, it apparently takes less time by Western standards to get settled, and by Tuesday I was ready for something to do. So I've been lazing about since then, going into the city, doing some reading in the library they have here on self-help groups, and trying to figure out how to cook with ingredients that I've never really used.
I've spent some time shopping in the local markets - fruits and vegetables are particularly fun to buy. The other day I got a whole bag full of potatoes, tomatoes, onions, carrots, beans and other fresh veggies for the equivalent of 25 US cents (about 15-20 euro cents). Fruit is a little bit more expensive, though not by Western standards. You regularly find guava, oranges, pineapple, apples, all sorts of bananas, papaya and grapes. Mango season is due to start in March - I can't wait! I also can't wait for the cold weather to pass - it's freezing here, mostly because the houses are not built to deal with the cold. In our dorm, we don't really have window panes, just mosquito screens, so the room is permanently freezing. I find myself re-wearing the same sweater and pants and layers everyday, with multiple scarves wrapped around my permanently frozen limbs. I actually had to buy a sweater the other day. Who would've guessed? As I type this, my fingers are numb. And I thought I was fleeing the winter in Belgium!
I'm also rapidly coming to the conclusion that India and my stomach are not friends. I've resorted to a diet mostly of bananas and rice (and the occasional omelet) and stomach cramps are sadly becoming common. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my stomach is still in transition mode, and that this won't be an issue the whole time I'm here.
So I'm getting used to it all. I'm definitely a much, much better bargainer than I was 3 weeks ago, and I'm slowly figuring out the little details. This weekend I will meet Christopher in Jaipur (he's been roaming through Rajasthan this week) and be back Monday morning here - not that there's any rush :) That's my next challenge - it's the first time taking the train on my own. But I'm excited to see Jaipur, and since Christopher has my camera, we can hopefully get some pictures up when we both get back here.
Miss you all!
Friday, February 1, 2008
Udaipur!
Final step of my travels - Udaipur.
I have to say that I'm in many ways relieved to have finally reached Udaipur. Traveling for more than two weeks straight is exhausting, and I'm excited to be able to unpack and settle down.
Since we left Cochin, we've spent an intense couple of days traveling up from Kerala, slowly making our way north. After meeting Jeremy and some friends of his in Calicut (Kozhikodde), we left straight from the railway station (another 5 hours from Cochin to there) to go to Wyanand (a national forest/park) and spent the night there. We hiked through these cool caves with ancient carvings from the 4th century BC (we got into everything free because Jeremy's friends are in the tourism industry and pulled all sorts of strings for us) and stayed in a beautiful house there. The next day we trekked several km down to waterfalls (most intense hike I have EVER done, by far). The guide, who was easily all of our combined ages, looked bored everytime we begged for a two minute break as we tried to heave ourselves up practically vertical paths of rocks and dust. I concluded that I am very out of shape.
We drove back down that day (the 3oth) to Calicut, where the families of Jeremy's friends had prepared amazing thalis and dishes for us. Unfortunately, I was unhappily struck by nausea in stomach cramps (which not only made the winding 3 hour drive down from Wyanand excruciating, but also made me miss out on the good food). Even better, we were taking a 35 hour train ride that night, which would bring us to Ahmedabad, in Gujarat, and from there we had one day before transferring to ANOTHER night train for Udaipur. I took a nausea pill that day, which had the unfortunate side effect of making me drowsy and put me in a hypnotic state for the rest of the day. By the end of the evening I had a fever and was not feeling so good.
Thank god for long train rides! I think I slept for about 15 hours, and woke up feeling much better. We were sharing a compartment with 2 elderly Indian couples who lived half the year in America (one in WA, one in GA). Being a little family, everyone was very concerned about me and the aunties gave me biscuits to eat that would not upset my stomach. I really had no choice in the matter - one auntie rummaged through all the food she had and forced me to take some. She then sang some traditional songs of praise - very much like a lullaby - and we all chatted for a long time. Everyone was very nice, and when we all went to bed, we all chorused our "good night!"'s and "sleep well!". A veritable hallmark moment.
Ahmedabad was interesting - we had the day to wander before our 11 pm train - and visited some AMAZING step wells that are as ornate as temples and palaces. We spent a good amount of time eating various foods from little shops (my stomach was fully recovered by then!) and haggled with vendors. I think we're starting to pick up how to not get ridiculously cheated, but we'll get last minute lessons from Jeremy.
So, last train ride (yay!) and on to Udaipur. I have NEVER been so cold in my life. I thought my feet had developed frostbite. It's really, really cold here. Im currently bundled in about 4 layers, which include a long shirt, fleece and two huge scarves. Apparently by March it will be so hot here that the South, in comparison, will seem comfortable. Hard to imagine.
We went straight to the organisation, Seva Mandir, where I dropped my bags off and met two of my new roommates (who both seem really nice). It's on a lovely, large compound, and the room has seven beds with a connecting bathroom, and we have a kitchen too. I haven't had much chance to see Udaipur (after this we're off to the old city) so I can take pictures and keep you all posted.
So the travels are over! Though there's some talk of going to Jaisalmer (in the desert) next weekend... but we'll see. Until now, it's good to be anywhere longer than 2 and a half days...
Love from India!
I have to say that I'm in many ways relieved to have finally reached Udaipur. Traveling for more than two weeks straight is exhausting, and I'm excited to be able to unpack and settle down.
Since we left Cochin, we've spent an intense couple of days traveling up from Kerala, slowly making our way north. After meeting Jeremy and some friends of his in Calicut (Kozhikodde), we left straight from the railway station (another 5 hours from Cochin to there) to go to Wyanand (a national forest/park) and spent the night there. We hiked through these cool caves with ancient carvings from the 4th century BC (we got into everything free because Jeremy's friends are in the tourism industry and pulled all sorts of strings for us) and stayed in a beautiful house there. The next day we trekked several km down to waterfalls (most intense hike I have EVER done, by far). The guide, who was easily all of our combined ages, looked bored everytime we begged for a two minute break as we tried to heave ourselves up practically vertical paths of rocks and dust. I concluded that I am very out of shape.
We drove back down that day (the 3oth) to Calicut, where the families of Jeremy's friends had prepared amazing thalis and dishes for us. Unfortunately, I was unhappily struck by nausea in stomach cramps (which not only made the winding 3 hour drive down from Wyanand excruciating, but also made me miss out on the good food). Even better, we were taking a 35 hour train ride that night, which would bring us to Ahmedabad, in Gujarat, and from there we had one day before transferring to ANOTHER night train for Udaipur. I took a nausea pill that day, which had the unfortunate side effect of making me drowsy and put me in a hypnotic state for the rest of the day. By the end of the evening I had a fever and was not feeling so good.
Thank god for long train rides! I think I slept for about 15 hours, and woke up feeling much better. We were sharing a compartment with 2 elderly Indian couples who lived half the year in America (one in WA, one in GA). Being a little family, everyone was very concerned about me and the aunties gave me biscuits to eat that would not upset my stomach. I really had no choice in the matter - one auntie rummaged through all the food she had and forced me to take some. She then sang some traditional songs of praise - very much like a lullaby - and we all chatted for a long time. Everyone was very nice, and when we all went to bed, we all chorused our "good night!"'s and "sleep well!". A veritable hallmark moment.
Ahmedabad was interesting - we had the day to wander before our 11 pm train - and visited some AMAZING step wells that are as ornate as temples and palaces. We spent a good amount of time eating various foods from little shops (my stomach was fully recovered by then!) and haggled with vendors. I think we're starting to pick up how to not get ridiculously cheated, but we'll get last minute lessons from Jeremy.
So, last train ride (yay!) and on to Udaipur. I have NEVER been so cold in my life. I thought my feet had developed frostbite. It's really, really cold here. Im currently bundled in about 4 layers, which include a long shirt, fleece and two huge scarves. Apparently by March it will be so hot here that the South, in comparison, will seem comfortable. Hard to imagine.
We went straight to the organisation, Seva Mandir, where I dropped my bags off and met two of my new roommates (who both seem really nice). It's on a lovely, large compound, and the room has seven beds with a connecting bathroom, and we have a kitchen too. I haven't had much chance to see Udaipur (after this we're off to the old city) so I can take pictures and keep you all posted.
So the travels are over! Though there's some talk of going to Jaisalmer (in the desert) next weekend... but we'll see. Until now, it's good to be anywhere longer than 2 and a half days...
Love from India!
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