Culture.....SHOCK!

So, I think my complacency of living in India had reached a new high a few points these last weeks when culture came up to me and slapped me in the face a few times.  From work experiences to new friendships and new travels, this past month has reassured me that India is a bit different from the comforts of Los Angeles…but also eerily similar to life back at home.

Let me start from the beginning.  January 15 was a big day: the monthly meeting for the project I was working on.  This would cap the first month of data collection by the village health workers, as well as begin office consolidation of that same data.  These women come to the office once a month as a part of this project to bring savings from their respective village microfinance groups, discuss issues/problems with the project, and hear updates from the office.  So, as the health workers began to come into the office (most only get to the office once a month at this meeting because of the demands of their work and the distance our office is from their villages) I was excited to see the success of the data collection and begin to input it into the office computers. 

(Aside: This project uses village microfinance groups to help empower women in the village through: “adoption” of pregnant women by members for proper antenatal care, interventions in domestic violence cases, increasing women’s participation in local governance bodies, and improving the government rationing system.  My project was intended to collect data on all these issues to help the office have a better handle on the impact/effect of the project within the villages.)

The village health workers in the conference room discussing
with staff (the male members).

So, I eagerly awaited Village Registers all neatly and correctly filled out, bursting with information for me and the rest of the office to type into the computers.  How sorely I was disappointed.  Yes, Village Registers were brought to the meeting.  But not only were the registers incomplete or incorrect, but they were lacking crucial data on certain parts of the project.  Additionally, I was VERY ill-prepared to handle an influx of 40 village data sets and had had HUGE miscommunication at the initial meeting on exactly how the data should be collected.  One village took about one hour to input, given that it was the first day of data collection, erorrs in inputing, etc.  So you can imagine how long 40 villages takes (40 villages x 1 hour per village = 40 hours).  The work I thought would be neatly packaged into a one day activity was quickly turned into a hectic melee of data sets, registers, workers, and office staff packed into a cramped little office.  I soon realized that my expectations of…orderly business… was merely my naiveté at the work environment I’m currently working in.  By the end of the day, I had only inputs 5.5 data sets.  It was quite a blow to my ego.

So, over the course of the past 2 weeks I’ve had to re-organize my understanding and make sure that next month’s meeting goes…a little better.  I’ve had some conversations with the project leadership to ensure that all village women are better prepared to handle the data collection, and have worked to registers to the office before the next meeting to deal with initial collection.  Overall, a big reality check of my expectations and the reality of where I live.  Lesson learned….

So, of course during the following weekend there was a holiday, a day off from work.  Of course there was a holiday….Makar Sankranti.   Celebrated on the winter solstice, it’s the day with the longest period of darkness during the year.  In Hindu culture, it is celebrated as a harvest festival.  Special meals are made in all the homes, and people exchange sweets with the saying “Til gul gya, gord gord bola”(Accept these sweets, speak sweet words).  I was invited along to my Director’s home to take part in a family celebration for the holiday.  A great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.


And then, I found myself at the National Rural Youth Fest in Tuljapur.  The Tata Institute for Social Sciences School for Rural Development (a satellite of the very prestigious Tata Institute in Mumbai) is located about an hour from where I live and held a 5 day festival starting January 15 to celebrate/discuss/contemplate issues of rural development.  Due to connections between my boss and staff at the Tata Institute, I was able to attend for a few days.  Attendance consisted of a collection of 300 students from all over India and a delegation from Nepal.  I could go into all the details of the things that were discussed/presented, but that would be a bit dry.

The main stage for the event.

What I would like to share is about the people I spent the majority of my time with.  A group of Masters students at the Fest quickly took me into their circle of friends.  I wasn’t only struck by their masterful command of English (one girl admitted that she knew her ABCs better than her A AA E EEs – the Hindi alphabet), but the ease with which I connected to among them.  It was a group of urban, middle class, mid-20 somethings all interested in issues of development.  Not only was I able to talk to them about pop culture / daily life issues  (and spew some of the sarcasm I had been holding back – it doesn’t work so well in my elementary Marathi), but to critically engage with some of the development issues that I had been interacting with here in rural India.  I left after three days really excited about these new friendships, not only as people to try and catch a movie with on the weekend, but to continue conversations about the fate of rural India, America's role in development, etc.

I was also struck by the huge diversity this group offered.  Although all from India, this group of students represented almost every major ethnic subdivision: students from the Northeast (where they look more like their Chinese neighbors), West, and way down South.  Yet they were all India, could converse in Hindi along with knowing both English and the language of their respective state (i.e. Bengali for West Bengal in the East, Malayalam from Kerala in the South, Assamese from Assam in the Northeast). 

New friends!  They're all currently spread around India
for a month long field placement.  But looking forward to
reconnecting in March.

 Then I had to come back to work.  But rest not…because we were gearing up for our big yearly event: Mahila Melawa (Women’s Gathering).  This event on January 23 every year is held to celebrate the work of the village health workers and the microfinance groups in the villages.  Women from all around the project area are brought to our NGO campus for a day long presentation.  Awards are given out to the best performing groups, and rousing speeches are given about the importance of women and rural development.  This year, almost 2000 women attended the event (in 2006 the Melawa had a high of 6000 people) with the Guest of Honor as the State Minister, an important political officer.  Well, I couldn’t understand too much of the presentations given the Marathi, but it was exciting to be in the room full of so much energy.  And seeing as I was the camera/video man, I have great documentary of the whole thing (and also had to pay attention to the whole thing…).

The crowd at the Melawa. 

Head speaker addressing the crowd.  I could lie and tell you
what he said was really interesting.  But unfortunately I didn't
understand it too much.

After this event, all of the staff needed a day of relaxation (read: day off of work). This plus another holiday the following week (Republic Day – the signing of the Indian constitution - on January 26), I was able to take 2 days and visit a fellow “fellow”, Sami, doing some work in Hyderabad, the capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh (directly east of where I live). 

Hyderabad lies about 300 km east of me.  When asking about how long the bus ride from my village to Hyderabad, I was told in the range of 7 to 10 hours.   Therefore, I grabbed a 10:30pm bus Sunday evening thinking to arrive the following morning around 6 or 7am (the time Sami was supposed to arrive).  What I didn’t expect was a speedy 5.5 hour drive, landing me at the main Hyderabad terminal at a bright 4:00am.  You can imagine my anxiety as I was exhausted and alone at a very crowded bus terminal (not sure why there were so many people there that morning) in a state where Marathi is not used.  Alas, in Andhra Pradesh, the main language is Telugu, a complex vernacular completely different from both Marathi and Hindi.  Surprise Surprise…me in a place where I can't speak to anyone.  Great!  Fortunately, English is spoken sporadically and I was able to get a rickshaw to the hotel and take a little nap before Sami arrived (gotta love 24 hour check ins).

And so we explored Hyderabad for a few days.  Hyderabad has a distinct culture unto itself, heavily shaped by the large Muslim population in the city (approximately 40%, as compared to a national average of 16%).  So that translates into a lot more meat (Islam provides for a much more meat –friendly culture than Hinduism).  In fact, Hyderabad is famous for Hyderabadi byriani, a spiced rice dish containing your choice of meat (it can also be made vegetarian...but since when is that interesting).  Think of it like a paella, but Indian style.  So, of course we had to get our hands on some of the best byriani in town.  At one restaurant we were told that the proper technique to determine good byriani is to throw some rice on the floor and see if the grains stick together.  Yes, I was immature enough to do this at a fancy restaurant.  No, there is no documentation of such.

Getting my hands on some Byriani!  You don't have to remind
me that I look extremely attractive here.

Of course the restaurant's name was "Paradise".
The perfection description  of us as we were walking home,
stomachs full of byriani. 

But, we also got some sightseeing in as well.

An iconic focal point of the city is the Charminar, built by the former rulers of the Hyderabad empire in the 1500s.  It serves as the center of the city and offers great views of surrounding area.

Charminar: Photo taken walking toward it from
Laad Bazaar, the marketplace surrounding
the Charminar from the East.

Hyderabad is also known as the City of Pearls.  Can you guess why?  It has made itself famous by the sale of natural pearls from the Indian Ocean. 

Sami trying on a few for size.  Beautiful!  I feel so much more
qualified to evaluate pearls now.  Thanks Sami. 

 You can also find the largest statue of Buddha in India here in Hyderabad.  It was placed on an island in a lake in the city in 1992.  Funny enough, when they tried to put it here the first time, it sank to the bottom of the lake during transport.  But, hope was not lost as they pulled it out and set it up 2 years later – no damage done.

That's him.  

The local  buses in Hyderabad – hate to love ‘em.  They are very frequent, but you have to risk you heart and soul as you rush against crowds of other people to board during the 10 seconds it stops at any bus stand.  But, we braved the storm and made our way out to Golkanda Fort, a few kilometers outside of the city.  It was built in the 1300s and was the capital of various empires since that time.  Overall, it seemed like a family friendly weekend trip for groups to come, explore and bring picnics!  Unfortunately we didn’t get the picnic memo beforehand, but it was a fun adventure and offered a views of the city of Hyderabad.

Golkanda Fort!  

Views of the city after trekking to the top.

And thus, a quick trip came to an end.  I didn’t take a bus back (fearing that I wouldn’t find one if I went to the Hyderabad bus station – the whole language thing) and made my way back to Andur by train.

Fortunately, I came back right in time for graduation!  The nursing students here at my NGO have finally finished their 18 month course and examinations, and thus we had a send off event for them.  The 20 girls were studying to work in village health centers and will now be moving on to bigger and better places.  The event was great: crying girls, speeches by the staff, all the good stuff of a graduation.  And, point for Andrew: I gave a 3 minute speech…in Marathi…during the event.  Felt pretty good to be able to express myself…and have people understand me.  This also made me realize how terrible my grammar is and that I still can’t speak in more than 1 tense (present).

Posing with all the graduates.  My instructions for this photo
were "Smile".  As you can see, my instructions hold a lot of weight with them.  

But the students had been a large staple of my life here in Andur, so it’s weird to have them gone.  I needn’t worry too much because the second batch of students arrived 2 days later.  Meaning 20 new faces, friends, and conversations.  Although I have to admit it will take me the first 2 months to remember their names. 

The new batch.  Can't wait!

 And so I must go.  I have some conversations to start up, people to meet.  Oh, and a few badmittion games to catch up on.  


We recently found a few rackets and shuttlecocks on the campus, so a few of us guys hit the cock around after work.   I didn’t realize it could be so much of a workout.  So far it’s been only a male activity, but I’ve been trying to bring some female coworkers into the melee.  They don’t seem so excited....  The plan is to try to set up a proper court and all with net to make it official. 

Some guys playing around after work.

Hope all is well stateside!

Andrew