My life is my message

This was one of the most powerful places in India for me. Let me paint the picture. It was a beautiful sunny day in Ahmedabad. My bonita friend Jimena and I had just visited the offices of a company that I have done work with and it was my first real international business experience. We took a tuk tuk to Gandhi's Ashram and after entering, I noticed a sunny peace shining down over everything. I walked the walls of the museum, drinking in the messages that Gandhi and his family / friends experienced as a community. I had a few students come up and get me to sign a book of theirs, reporting that they saw a Canadian woman "lady" on their field trip (so cute).

I can remember the sun beaming down on me and the quiet of the place, feeling like I somehow had found a place that I was meant to experience at some point. And at that moment, I turned the corner and came across this Gandhi-scrawled message on the wall.

"My life is my message."

It struck deep down into my veins and I knew from that moment on, life would seem more significant. I will never have the humility of Gandhi, nor the ability to say these words. But I can try? Right?

Thanks Gandhi. A Happy Earth Day to you.

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International Women's Day

Happy Women's Day to all my strong, beautiful women out there. I just wrote a note to my Aunt the other night, telling her this:

"I'm reading a book called Circle of Stones right now - and in the opening it talks about what life would be like if every young girl had a strong circle of wise, nurturing women around them. I had that. I had two incredible Grandmothers, amazing Aunts, intelligent older cousins, an indescribable and a determined, passionate older sister. I found a woman mentor in my first adult job in business and only ever worked for women bosses before that. On top of that, I had a strong network of female friends in high school and college. Everywhere I look, there women who continue to amaze and surprise me."

I get how lucky I am.

Now I want to work with / read about / uplift / empower women like Suma. When Suma was six, she started work as a servant where she was abused daily. At 16, Room to Read (still my favourite organization!) paid Suma's school fees, introduced her to a mentor and gave her life skills training to build confidence. She will graduate secondary school in two years. After that, her dream is to become a health educator to help empower more girls in her community. This is Suma's song.

Goosebumps? Si, si.

In honour of International Women's Day, I'll spotlight a story about a strong, smart Indian woman I had the pleasure of meeting while I was in Ahmedabad late last year for a wedding. Seemab is a beautiful woman living in Ahmedabad, where she was born and raised. She didn’t come from an impoverished, horrible childhood, but she grew up with odds against her – simply by being a woman raised in India. However, she has worked hard her whole life and recently graduated with a Masters degree in Human Resources. She works for a company called Openxcell Technologies in Ahmedabad, one of the three HR employees in a company with 100+ employees.

I attended the wedding of one of her colleagues, so I got to see Seemab around quite a few colleagues / friends. I also had a chance to visit their office and see her at work.

Seemab struck me as such an intelligent woman when we had a few chances to chat. She was not only breathtakingly beautiful, but had so much to say. You could tell she really cared about her employees and colleagues, helping them on their path to career success. She was very interested in psychology and I have no doubt we will hear big things from this woman one day. She’s a dear friend to me.

Here she talks about moving out of her comfort zone to attend Management College in Mumbai:

Seemab: Starting off with my childhood, I was born and bought up in Ahmedabad. I did my Bachelors in Business Administration and whilst pursuing it I developed a liking for Human Resource electives. I started identifying my flair in interpersonal skills and how well I identify with people and this knack of helping them when in need. I totally felt I am here to help big corporations understand how humans actually feel at work and so I decided to be the BIG link between employees and employers. 

I then started to wonder if I could do a Masters degree in it. I weighed all the available options and started preparing for entrance exams while graduating. I had to appear for some 10 odd entrance exams, as well as give a couple of presentations and group discussions. I then had personal Interviews conducted and finally managed to get into a B+ Management college in Mumbai.

The thought of moving out of my comfort zone was thrilling, but at the same time very scary.

I lived with two roommates and made friends for a lifetime. There I got an opportunity to interact with students from all sides of India. It was a very cosmopolitan batch; a mix of East, West, North and South of India. And it makes me wonder how much fun it would be to meet people all over the world. It’s so enthralling to meet new people everyday, to be able to talk to them, identify with a few, and understand their ideas. Some leave their imprints on us and we leave ours on others. Social learning is something I thrive on. I believe we humans are here to see and observe and learn.

My years in Mumbai were the most memorable ones and have shaped me to be a much better, confident and more intellectually mature individual. I am thankful to God for giving me that opportunity because it did change my life in so many ways. My mother was the force behind my moving out. She always encouraged me to study and be independent. Today, whatever I am I owe it so much to my mother. (Ohh, I love that.)

In the next five years I aspire to gain a much deeper understanding of the dynamics of the industry as well as the field I work in. I want to interact with a variety of people and learn and grow into someone who is a master of human psychology.

I believe my mastery will help me help others and together we can shape a better future and better lives.

Just re-reading her words makes me remember the power of a woman who seeks a great life for themselves and those around them; who acts with intention. Women are connected to the Divine, to Mother Earth, and we can create any reality we so choose. If anything, I hope Seemab’s words push you forward down any path towards a goal you have. Take the first step today.

Love to you on this "día de la mujer" i.e. Day of the Women

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The Beautiful Women of Katputli Nagar

I finally finished this little diddy. I listened to this song every. single. night. in India on my terrace after a day at work. These women all meant something very special to me and a lot of the other volunteers there. They'll always remain in my heart and I HOPE to see them all again one day.



Please replace the word "brothers". As sisters we will stand and we'll hold your hand.

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Why was I the lucky one born in Canada?

I ask that question only for the reason that I don't understand my sheer luck, not because I am mad, sad or unhappy in Canada. It's the opposite - I'm SO happy and SO lucky to have been a female born there. Canada (as I've been reminded by everyone here since returning home) is definitely one of the best places in the WORLD to live.

Troubles Indian women face? They are lucky to make it through birth in rich areas, as sex-selective abortion is prominent. In poorer areas where they cannot afford to discover the sex prior to the birth, newborn babies are poisoned. Every family wants a male for specific reasons:

• They stay in the family and aren't given away to another family.
• They can continue on the family name / run the family business (girls cannot do this?)
• They are the recipients of a dowry, rather than having to pay a steep price as the bride's father does

Women, on the other hand, usually aren't paid for to go to school. They must work while the male is educated. They are married off at an early age in poor families and become the other's family, no longer living with their own. There is usually a large dowry to pay for them to enter another family and sometimes there are what is popularly known as 'bride burnings.' When the new family wants an even larger dowry or simply don`t want to the bride in their family, the husband, sister or mother-in-laws may pour gasoline on the new wife and light her on fire.

Everywhere you go in India, you see men sitting on the side of the road and in small shops, drinking tea and chatting. But you rarely see women sitting and not working. You see them carrying large loads on their heads, working in the fields and cooking over the hot fire....or cleaning, taking care of the children or sewing. They are always working -- hard work, more than what we`re used too.

If you are at all interested in the issue of women in India, one must-read is May You Be the Mother of a Hundred Sons: A Journey Among the Women of India written by Elisabeth Bumiller. It discusses a variety of challenges facing women in India, including a bride burning case; a rare death by sati, in which a young widow joined her husband on the funeral pyre; poor villages where girl babies are so unwelcome that some don't survive and cities where boy babies are given the edge by prenatal tests and the availability of abortion. There are some generalizations in the story, but overall it`s a must read and one that unfortunately points out issues that haven`t progressed too much since it was written back in the `80`s.

During my time in India, I became so used to hearing the women I knew talk about their own arranged marriages that it became normal to me. It was just a fact of life that two people would enter into a marriage like a business contract and that love would come later, if ever. It began to make some sense that two families would choose and, in the good cases, support the marriage to get to the point of love if all other elements of a marriage were present: responsibility, accountability, good health, trust and honesty.

I knew some women that were dating now, in their late teens and early 20`s, but knew the inevitable would one day come and their families would choose their groom. They were close enough to their parents that they felt they would consider their feelings in the choice and it actually seemed...easier. There was no headaches or analyzing and questioning their love for someone. It was just the next step in life.

After kissing a lot of frogs, do I wish that my parents could just do the work for me and find a suitable mate?

Umm...no...that idea has me rolling on the floor laughing. But there, it made sense.

Thanking my lucky stars for being a native Canadian and trying to make my life meaningful enough so as to not forget my luck...

Pyaar.

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Dancing in the Street - Indian Style

Our hosts here put us up in a 5 star luxury hotel. It is amazing to have clean towels, hot water and clean sheets! The wedding was unbelievable in colours, sights and sounds. Indians have a beautiful tradition of dancing the groom to his wedding. We arrived and danced for an hour down the street to where the ceremony would take place.

I'm really not sure why this is sideways.
Getting into the sari, with all the jewellery -- hardest thing
I've done for a wedding!

Jayneel followed the party in a 1930's something kind of car.

The food wasn't upside down. I think I am.
Delicious buffet & Indians will not stop feeding you!

Gujarat is a dry state, alcohol is banned. We had
delicious grape and kiwi fresh fruit juice all night.

Today we see the office of the 100+ employees that make up Openxcell and Gandhi's Ashram. Tonight I arrive in Delhi at 9 p.m. and currently no idea where to stay. Yet another Indian adventure...Pyaar!

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Cozy Katputli Nagar

Since I have arrived here I've had this certain thought in my head, but I've felt it's somewhat politically incorrect to say. I'm just going to say it anyway -- there is something incredibly cozy about the slums.

Children run from home to home and are the entire community's children. Mothers share the load of cooking, cleaning and scolding. There's always tons of people around to laugh or play games with. Children bathe together, mothers cook together and men ... well the men seem to sit and chat together.

All along I wanted to see what it was like in Katputli as the sun set and night arrived, as to me dusk is the coziest time of day. During our visits to the girls home on Diwali I got to see it first hand (and probably on the happiest day of the year). Everyone is busy cooking in their homes or just outside of them, children are bouncing from house to house and people gather just to talk or laugh together. They call the elder females "Didi" for "older sister" or "Aunty" if they're a woman so you hear these often. If you sit for one moment and close your eyes, listening with your heart to the shouting and laughing, you get the feeling that you're just visiting one big family.

They are incredibly poor in monetary means. They are constantly faced with difficulty and the air around them literally stinks. Yet there is something so cozy about their lives. And for anyone who knows me, they know the feeling of being cozy means everything. I will miss the wonderful people of cozy Katputli Nagar.

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"What would you do if you knew you could not fail?"

My last day at the camp and finished work. I realized this morning that I have much reflection to come from my time spent here, but I know this for sure - I definitely made a difference in one life by coming here: my own.

"We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily difference we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee." - Marian Wright Edelman

The past four weeks have been ... words can't explain. At this point, pictures can't explain. I have been scared, anxious, joyous, incredibly sad, heartbroken, comforted, challenged and so incredibly happy I feel my heart has blown up in my chest.

I have really jumbled up in my head what I feel is the right path for me to take following this experience. I'm incredibly interested in women's development and still thinking about social entrepreneurship. I get to choose a city (any city) in Canada to live in when I get home. And I've finally taken my heart back without anger, only forgiveness. I feel brand new and a lot older at the same time.

Let's get this straight. I am not, and have never been, a hardcore feminist. I don't think women are better than men, nor do I want to beat out men in jobs or politics if they can do a better job. I think men play an extremely vital part in our society and sometimes it's just nicer that they are good at driving and fixing things or that they feel the need to buy us flowers! I have so many wonderful men in my life - fathers, uncles, brothers, best friends - who I could not exist without. My grandfathers faces and my fathers words of encouragement are constantly in my head when I make choices in my life.

However, I've learned more about my own womanhood through seeing others struggle to emerge as a woman in this Indian society. They rarely communicate lovingly with their husbands and giggle when discussing simple womanly topics such as their bodies (which makes me grateful for our ability to choose to marry for love and to embrace our sexuality in Canada). Yet they care for their children and watch out for each other. They daringly decide to go to this small school and educate themselves (some even in their 40's) to attain self-dependency. They celebrate their success. They make me so proud to be a woman. Over the weeks, as I uttered words of encouragement to the girls about our incredible bodies, our masterful minds and our beauty, I realized that being a woman is a precious gift, and one that they don't get to enjoy as often here. Sex-selective abortion is still prevalent in certain areas. Dowry prices are high, a woman is often seen as unable to take over a family business here, and other reasons make having a female an unwanted thing. I think about the people I know back home that just want to have a girl and find it unreal that it's so backwards.

The one thing I noticed among all Indian women, women at home and even new friends that I've made here in the camp is this: being a woman is about love and nurturing. I may not have the romantic 'love' in my life right now, but I'm surrounded by all kinds of massive love and great relationships, affection shown by others towards me, towards their loved ones, and towards themselves. I'm surrounded at home by strong, powerful, beautiful women and educated, sensitive and kind men. I've nurtured (or tried too) what I have in my life and will continue too with new and old friendships ongoing through my life. A simple moment like Elena coming into my room last night and letting me know she had a Green Apple drink for me here (which I love and can rarely find here in Jaipur!) shows me L.O.V.E.

I am woman. And I'm so thankful for the lessons I've learned from challenging myself to do this step in life.

My cake for the adolescent girls class.
Continue your studies. You are the future of India!

I left each girl with a school notebook & handwritten letter.
"Dream about what you'd like to become and then find
ways to start taking small steps in that direction."
I should listen to my own advice.

Nehru Gardens. To the left we had a massive audience of
onlookers while having our cozy picnic.

Beautiful flowers the girls picked for me.

My little hearts.

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Even the Post Office is an Experience

The thing I love about India is that everything is random and eventful. It never fails.

I thought this was going to be a quiet weekend of running errands, but I ended up getting a parcel hand-stitched and sewn and sealed with wax and then going to a party in a fort. Not your regular Saturday.

The lovely people at India Post who stitch your parcel by
hand and then melt hot wax over the seams to ensure...
I'm not sure what it's to ensure...but I like the passion &
care that goes into each package!

Randomly today I found this sign close to where I live
in Jaipur. I was surprised to see the U of M does work here.

As I was picking up the cake today,
this little dude was heading my way.

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Bollywood

The Bollywood industry is bigger than Hollywood. It's considered to be the largest in the world when considering the number of films produced and the number of tickets sold.

We went to see Ra One last week. A movie with a surprisingly large Western influence. Two of the best known Bollywood actors starred in it, along with an adorable child actor.

The movies are pure entertainment. Glamour, comedy, horror, music, spoof and action in one package. One hilarious package, combined with an intermission and uncomfortable seats. Each time the actors appear on screen there is loud cheering and applause. I was so swept up in it even I found myself whooping for the main actor as he kicked some bad guys ass. And although the movie is in Hindi (more like Hinglish - as there are random insertions of English all the time), it wasn't difficult to follow the plot at all.

If you're looking for two hours of mindless hilarity, please find Ra One online and watch it. You won't be disappointed!

The Bodyguard also recently came out and although I didn't see the movie, you hear this song blaring everywhere - on ringtones, played on cell phones, even sung by random tuk tuk drivers. Teri Meri means You and Me. When we were in the desert coming home via camel, my South African friend was playing this on her cell phone and we felt like it was the theme song of our "voyage". Enjoy!

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Terrace Talks & the Women's Picnic

Last week a new volunteer arrived who has an oddly similar background to mine, except that she's from NZ and lives in the UK. We both work in communications, would like to work in Corporate Social Responsibility or Cause Marketing, and have taken time off to see where India and the women's empowerment program fit into our lives and passions. She's staying at the smaller flat, as I am, that has only 8 girls. We usually end our weeknight evenings out on the terrace. Our 'terrace talks' this week have included sharing passionate ideas we had & have for the Women's Empowerment Program. One of the other volunteers - who is here to work with the children - so aptly stated, "You two are really passionate about this program aren't you?! You must have really thought about it before coming..." Haha. And we did. I shared the Little Travellers dolls and stories with them (thanks Mom, for supporting me during that time and buying so many that I could bring some here to inspire more women) and Nicola shared special sessions from her past goal setting / life coaching classes. I have such a high comfort level knowing that she'll be looking after my women and children when I leave. Through her and Sara - the other Saarthak intern - I hope to keep in touch with what this special NGO is doing and will continue to contribute where possible. And to be able to check up on my girls progress during the coming months is so important to me.

Yesterday being my second last day at work, we organized a picnic with the women's class to Nehru Gardens. Organizing tuk-tuks for three volunteers, one translator, seven women and three toddlers is not so easy. But we arrived and after only a little trouble, found one another.

Nutan, Sunita, Nirma, Jimena, Manna
Mamta, Seema, Pooja, Nikola and moi.
Plus three little ones.

Monu.

Seema & Laxmi. In the past 4 weeks
Laxmi has begun talking and it's been
so special to hear her first 'bye byes'.
Seema has one of the brightest smiles
I've ever seen. I only wish she would show it
off more often in photos!

Meet Manna, one of my dear friends. She captured me on the first day with her raspy voice and bright smile, but hard attitude (or so I thought at the time). I recently found out that she is married, but upon meeting her, her husband didn't want to live with her. His loss. She is living back with her parents now. She has a speech impediment, but has been the one regular woman at class everyday since I've been here. She is a mere 22 and has a bright future. I cut the 5th class piece specifically for her, as she will be taking the test for her first time at the end of this month. I've promised Nutan and Manna that I will be emailing within the month to hear that she's passed. Next, she'll study for and complete 8th class, as well as learning a vocational skill (beautician work, including henna, eyebrow threading and massage) and within two years she will have the opportunity to secure a job and support herself fully on her own.

Pooja had never seen ducks so seeing
them at the Gardens was a delight for her.

Nirma and Sunita are sisters in my class. They didn't show up very regularly during Diwali, but since then have been back almost everyday. They remind me a bit of me and my sister - they fight and then they laugh together and are best friends. They live together with their two children and their husbands and grandmother. I was at their house for chai the other day, when I learned about their youngest sister being married off at three years old. They too were married that same day, to brothers. They hope to take their Class 5 and Class 8 examinations soon too, while also learning a vocational skill (maybe sewing?). They have two adorable kids.

A tight tuk tuk ride home.

Last up, my adolescent girls Empowerment Presentations. We worked on them Wednesday and Thursday and then Friday they stood in front of the class and delivered two strong statements about women in India or in general. I videotaped them all and was pleasantly shocked by a couple of them. Most spoke about how women and men must be educated equally, that women should get an education so they don't have to rely on their fathers, brothers or husbands, etc. Many took the article we worked on this week (about toilets being necessary for girls in schools) and talked about that. But one of the newest girls, Pooja, stood up and talked about how wrong it is that they sometimes abort fetuses if they find out early on that it's a female. I stopped taping for a moment and we had a quick discussion about how "very, VERY wrong" this is... It's hard to hear from such young girls that they know this happens in their own country, but it was a good discussion to have and to know they understand how deeply wrong it is.

One bright young girl gave her full presentation in English (a change from Hindi for the others, and with only a little help) and one other smart young lady discussed the importance for generations to continue the train of education in order for long-term empowerment.

Pooja's presentation on female fetuses
being wrongly aborted.

Muskan gave me bright blue earring and a neckalace
as a Diwali gift. It's amazing what a little jewellery can
do. Everyone that day noticed it and complimented me -
whether they knew me or not.
Twice I was told I looked like Shakira.
Umm...right..

I am so proud to have been a small part of these girls lives. And as you can imagine, it makes me tear up thinking of leaving. But, I have one day yet (Monday is my last day) and we will take the girls for a picnic and distribute photo's that I've taken along with handwritten notes to each one.

So. My final weekend in Jaipur. Helpful note from the Universe: "Dwelling from, not upon, the space you want to inherit is the fastest way to change absolutely everything."

(you guessed it) Pyaar!

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The Good, the Bad and the Beautiful

the Good.
Monday.
Sometimes I wonder, when the women and girls I am teaching are speaking rapidly in Hindi, are they talking about me? Are they enjoying learning? I am not an English teacher by nature. Nor am I a teacher by nature. I have little patience most of the time and very much support people who are self reliant and self learners. However, since being here I have never had a moment where I am frustrated with the pace at which anyone is learning. I have felt completely in my element, which is surprising when it is so out of my element. Classes seem like they are going great and I love celebrating the small successes and daily there is a moment in class where something happens, a simple smile, or a great conversation, where I fight back positive tears of feeling right where I should be right now. Its just hard to know how the girls are interpreting it. So yesterday, I was pleasantly surprised when one of the new interns who was sitting in on a lesson asked me if I was a teacher at home. I laughed and said, “no no no!” and she replied that she thought I was because I was doing well. This is nice to hear. Kind of a saving grace after four weeks. Later in my girls session they were complaining about their hands being sore from writing so much and I was telling them that the only way to learn English well is to read, write and speak it every single day. It seemed to motivate them, but I felt like my teachers in school and remembered that sometimes they annoyed me by saying stuff like that. Yet one of my (favourite) girls looked up at me and said, “Tamara, you are very good teacher. We are learning much from you and then you will be gone next week…” And was sad. It made me cry little happy tears, but it also made me so sad for them, these volunteers coming in and out and very little stability. I feel like I haven’t had the time I would love to have with them. As I was leaving work today with many of my translators and co-workers, saying bye to the girls, I felt so home! But, this is what time allowed in my life right now and I must remember that.

the Bad.
On the flip side, Tuesday was an extremely frustrating day, as some can be when working with NGOs that have overwhelming duties and very few resources, time or money to accomplish them. I actually said the words 'I am mad at India' aloud. (I’m not really India. I still love you!) But why was I so frustrated? Many reasons. My classes were interrupted repeatedly with a potential donor to the school, making it very hard for everyone to concentrate (esp. as he was a young man from the U.K. and the girls were a bit gaga) -- yet I understand the PR side of that too. They want to see the girls in their element, learning and reading. The girls were doing a small quiz and were getting high test scores – so that was good. But an ad hoc ‘meeting’ erupted in my classroom while we were discussing an important newspaper article. We were having a good conversation and thus, it was challenging to be abruptly cut off. There are further reasons that I won’t share here.

Then on the way home, I felt some major discrimination. A new law has come into effect here where tuk tuk drivers must use their meters when driving and charge accordingly. Usually we just barter each time, based on what we felt or were told by past volunteers that the rides should be. But we were paying slightly higher than normal, of course, being foreigners. Now there is this law for everyone to pay the same.. so now drivers could care less about us I guess - they are flying past us. They see us as having white skin and therefore being very, very rich, so they either think it’s not fair that we only pay the meter, or they stop and say – 20 Rs extra, plus the meter. Which we absolutely can do, but in reality it isn’t right and has been a problem for all the volunteers here. This is my fourth week, I’m hot and exhausted, yet it takes me a good half an hour on the way home from work to even be stopped for? Ugh. It’s all about the experience though right?

the Beautiful.
In other news, I purchased my sari for the wedding Monday night and am picking it up tonight. Ta da! I feel like I’ve finally ‘become’ in Indian culture. It’s almost as if this sari found me. We went Monday night to go to our first Bollywood movie at the Raj Mandir (the largest cinema in India) (and that was an experience in itself – craaaazy lines and shouting people. “Oh but” my grandmother would’ve said!) and the movie sold out so we wandered across the street to a small locals shop. I knew I wanted to shop for a sari this week, but didn’t know where to start. There are so many beautiful , incredible colours and trying to choose overwhelmed me. So I tried on three or four very colourful ones and they made me feel glamorous, as if I was going to the Oscars. Yet they didn’t feel right. Then – I saw ‘the one’. Orange, with shimmering silver and gold and bronze flowers. As I tried it on there were some small children at the entrance to the shop that were saying 'ooohhh sooo beeeeautiful' in their gorgeous Indian accents and I was laughing and twirling and felt like a queen. So can you tell? I’m very excited to have found ‘my’ sari.

Back to work - but still beautiful - I have another volunteer now during the women’s session so I am able to test the women individually. I got two more women’s pre-assessment quizzes done and will complete the final two tomorrow which is good as it's the goal I had set for myself by the end of my time here. We also had a discussion at the beginning of class about the true empowerment of getting educated and securing a job. This means not having to depend on husbands or in-laws, but rather providing for oneself. My translator explained to the women that her in-laws didn't agree with the money she wanted to spend on her daughters education, so she is paying it herself.

Powerful? I think so.

And in my girls class, we read an article pertaining to the Government of India making it 'mandatory' for there to be toilets in all schools by the end of November, particularly for girls. I asked specific questions relating to why girls need toilets more and although the girls were shy at first to discuss such an issue as menstruation, we did get into how incredible the woman's body truly is for being able to give birth and nourish their child. We also discussed other barriers to children or girls going to school, including having no money and needing to work, having a lack of transportation, and having (what we called in class) old fashioned mindsets with the elders in the family. These girls though? They are going to go far...this I know for sure.

Powerful Wednesday. Now off to my first Bollywood movie. Sundar pyaar! (Beautiful love)

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Jaipur!

After what feels like forever, I've safely arrived to Jaipur! This will be quick as I am ready to crash. Slept all the way to Chicago and had a long layover there - over 5 hours. Had good food and met an older couple - a man who works in L.A. for Habitat for Humanity. Surprise surprise! It was nice to share stories with him about the Family Selection committee roles & duties; he was more on the Building side of things. So funny how if you talk to people for 5 minutes it seems there is always some kind of connection.

The 15 hour flight from Chicago to Delhi went on and on and on. Three movies and an entire book in, I finally fell asleep for bits & pieces. Today around 5 or 6 I arrived on Indian soil. The sun was beginning to set as we landed in Delhi and as we flew over huge statues of their Hindu gods it definitely brought tears to my eyes. And after going through international customs, out to get my bag, into domestic departures and through their customs I had a 30 minute power nap waiting for my flight to Jaipur. The plane we had to get here was super small, about a 20 seater and took only an hour. My taxi wasn't there upon arrival so I had to get a couple of men to call the mobile and he showed up within minutes. I have to say I was a bit nervous as to how the men would treat me, but so far they have been very polite. At least five men offered to make a call for me, etc. and some of them were the armed guards of the airport. They did offer me some strange milky brown shot out of a bag, which I happily declined (look Tamara's learning!)

Arrived to the volunteer apartments and there are at least 20+ people here from all over the world. Right now I can hear about six of them playing Monopoly and loud music and a Swedish girl is behind me on the phone speaking rapidly. There are women empowerment night sessions, yoga workshops from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. (which I am NOT participating in tomorrow, I need sleeeeeep, but put my name down for the next day) and a small internet area. There are about seven programs with IDEX so I'm not sure yet who is actually working my program. Apparently there is a guy here from Toronto - the only other Canadian - but I've yet to meet him. It's 10:30 p.m. here and I have orientation tomorrow, so I will be heading to bed tonight, no socializing for this girl.

Parents, I have a phone that I can call from so I will eventually and I'll email the address of where we are if needed for whatever reason.

PS - I'M IN INDIAAAA. It's beautiful and strange and bright and dirty and wonderful.

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Sewing Her Way Out of Poverty

Nicholas Kristof is a man I much admire, which all started when I picked up the book Half the Sky (honestly, if you've never read this book, go out and get it. From your library. From a used book sale. Wherever. It's one you must read!)

I have been corresponding with a woman who has volunteered for the program in Jairpur that I will be there for and she talked about the many things we can teach the women there. About life, about English, about a trade (if we have it - such as sewing), computer skills or about entrepreneurship (which will be my focus).

This article basically talks about an antipoverty organization called Jamii Bora, which became Kenya’s largest microfinance organization and runs entrepreneurship training, a sobriety campaign to reduce alcoholism, and a housing program to help slum-dwellers move to the suburbs. Nicholas tells the story of Jane, a prostitute turned savvy businesswoman whose sewing business flourished, giving her profits to buy a small home in a safe suburb and to keep her children in school. Her eldest daughter, Caroline, became the first child in the family to graduate from high school and is now taking computer classes. Her middle child, Anthony is #1 in his class, hoping to go to College. And a third child, Cynthia will become head girl of her school next year.

As Kristof states,

There’s a tendency these days to give up on poverty, to dismiss it as a sad but inevitable feature of humanity, particularly at a time when we have deep economic problems of our own. But if a former prostitute in a Nairobi slum can build a dressmaking business, buy a home in the suburbs and produce over-achievers like Caroline, Anthony and Cynthia, then it’s worth remembering that sheer grit, and a helping hand, can sometimes blaze trails where none seem possible.

Inspiring. Read the NY times article here. 

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