I am glad to report that my Indian adventure has turned rather from a sordid affair to summer breeze. I am now established at the blind school: my new NGO internship begins. And while the school itself has no projects planned for us, it does have the resources for us to create our own. So we are. Sarah and I will be working to establish a penpal exchange between blind students in the US and the blind students here at Netraheen Vikas Sansthan school. One teacher there speaks English; a young woman named Vaneja. I declare my first real Indian friend in her, as she chats, and is delighted to go out, and show us the best places to shop, eat and be entertained, often taking us there in her car! Even more spectacular, we are able to discuss with her in great depth regarding life, the universe and everything (sorry, just read so long and thanks for all the fish). I find her life fascinating: she is a middle class Indian that has declared her choice to work and intention not to marry. If only you understood how unusual this is!
Today, Vaneja drove us out to a hearing impaired school run by an NGO. Both these schools are really quite impressive with sound teaching techniques, polite and honest children, and maintained facilities. The hearing impaired school has a sound-proof room and a computer program that uses visual images to help the children know what kind of sound they speaking into the recorder.
Afterward we went over to her friend’s house where we were served our third complimentary meal of the day, second complimentary tea, and shown pictures of the family and learned about the importance of ‘exams,’ which are taking place right now and essentially determine a persons future career. Afterward, Vaneja took us to india’s equivalent of Target. Glorious—food, clothes, toiletries, furniture and appliances all in one place.
Just to add to the irony of my journey from hell’s alley to Jodhpur’s rich neighborhoods on a Indian bus, we decided to get a month long pass to use a fancy hotel’s pool within walking distance of our guest home. So now each afternoon we walk over in our sticky hot state, dive into the pool and work out in the cold water as long we like. We even have another adorable friend in the pool attendant, Surat, who loves us because I swim better than average and we speak tora tora Hindi. Today he told us we are like his little sisters and gave us two goggles to borrow because he noticed our eyes were getting red. After a swim we take real showers in the hotel bathroom. And the final cherry on top is that the pool is always empty but for ourselves and Surat and must be cleaned and freshened at least once a day! If India could deliver me a few cooler nights or an air conditioner my life would be one sweet gulab jamun.
I think perhaps that the plane of existence between a poor rural Indian villager and me is just too great a divide to bridge and I should be satisfied with the more real relationships I can realistically establish with wealthy, modern Indians. Within days I am establish more meaningful relationships than I could ever hope to in a place like Gagari. It’s a very unromantic view of the human condition, but perhaps one I can deal with.

written by  Drie on March 27, 2008 from Jodhpur, India
from the travel blog: Adventures in Hindustan
Send a Compliment

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Wow I always thought thre was a pool or at least water at the end of the day.

written by  Dad on March 28, 2008

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Wow, you have a pool now! That is quite the improvment! PS- I love reading your blog!!

written by  Caitlin on March 29, 2008

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