A New Indian Religion

(Side note: allow the two videos to start downloading before you start reading, especially the second one.)


Have you ever sat down and watched a cricket match? 

Well, neither had I. According to Gokul, our India KEI director, cricket is not just a sport in India; it is a religion. As I walk around the streets surrounding Symbiosis, I've noticed the multiple dry and dusty cricket fields scattered in various places. There are always a lot of young boys running in chase of the hard ball. They look lost and confused as they follow the ball rolling over the dirt. I'm sure they are not dazed, but that particular look comes with the game. There is always something happening during a cricket match. It's definitely hard to keep up.

Now, I don't know that much about cricket, so I have taken the liberty to copy and paste information from the fantastic, all-knowing website, wikipedia.

"Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on a roughly circular field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. Each team takes it in turn to bat, in which they attempt to accumulate as many runs as possible, while the other team fields, attempting to prevent the batting team scoring runs. The game progresses as one member of the fielding team known as the bowler delivers the ball to the batsman down the length of the pitch. The batsman then attempts to strike the ball with his bat in order so that the ball either reaches the boundary or enables him to run to the other end of the pitch and thus accumulate runs. The batsman may continue batting until he is dismissed. Once ten batsmen from the batting side have been dismissed, the team is said to be all out and the two teams change roles... A team's score is reported in terms of the number of runs scored and the number of batsmen that have been dismissed. For example, if five batsmen are out and the team has scored 224 runs, they are said to have scored 224 for the loss of 5 wickets (commonly shortened to "224 for five" and written 224/5)". 

None of this made that much since to me. So, at dinner the other night, one of my friends explained it in easier terms. Luckily, there happened to be a match on the television at the restaurant, so we watched it for a while. Some people absolutely love Cricket in India, while others don't care for it at all. However, just as it is in the US, all the men in India, whether they like it or not, know all the players, rules, and teams. I will never be able to understand how a man can't remember his and his girlfriend's anniversary, but he can remember who scored the winning goal of the 2002 World Cup or who made the touchdown in the third quarter that changed the Colts vs. Cowboys game. 

Anyway, now that I understand the basics of cricket, I have watched a few matches. And honestly, it's really not that bad. It doesn't have as much action as a soccer game, but it is interesting for me because I have never seen anything like it. However, I must say the best thing about watching cricket matches in our room is not the game itself but the commercials. There is one in particular I absolutely love. It's so utterly ridiculous that it's amazing! I can't help but laugh at it every time. 

I couldn't find the English translation on youtube, which really makes this even funnier. It is a Cinthol cologne commercial, and their slogan is "Alive is Awesome". I guess you could say it does reach it's target audience. Obviously, I'm not talking about me, but I do know a lot of guys here who also love this commercial. 

I will translate a little bit of it for you, so you're not so confused. Right before Virat Kohli, one of the greatest cricket players today (and some say of all times), bursts into song and dance he states, "There is a seven-foot guy waiting to charge at me with a ball. Do you know what is going on inside of my head?"

Oh man! I love it so much! I keep laughing now just at the thought of it. In all seriousness, cricket really does play a huge role in the life of many Indians, especially when the match is against Pakistan. That's when all of India comes together, fans and non-fans of cricket in the North, South, East, and West. It's funny how sports truly can unite an entire country. 

A Competition

Hi everyone,

My friend, Namita, here in India told me about this blog competition. People from around the world upload their blogs to a particular website. People have until the 15th of April to vote for their favorites. The top 100 are then selected. From that group, 16 peoples' names are drawn. Those 16 will swap places with one another for ten days. Each person will blog for the ten days about their experiences as they immerse in a different culture. I think it sounds absolutely amazing. Not to mention, it's documenting a different culture.... sound familiar? That is exactly what I've bee doing in India for the past three months. Needless to say, I think I would be great at this. 

The website is the Big Blog Exchange if you are interested in looking at it. Click the picture to the right to vote for this blog. You might have to search The Curryer in the search bar if it doesn't pop up right away. 

If it works out, it'll be a lof of fun. However, there are a million blogs already posed on the website, and I'm starting a month late. Ah well, one can always hope, right? In the mean time, I'm gong to continue to live it up in India. 

Don't want to waist a minute! 

On another note, this is how I immerse in culture.... through snakes!

I've Fallen in Love

There are two men here who have captured my heart (and I hate that I don't have any photographs of them yet). I would assume they are both in their upper forties to fifties. I also can barely speak to either of them because they both speak Marathi and very little English. Every now and then, I get a couple of Hindi words out there that they know. Whenever I say namaste, it makes them grin.

The first is our cleaning man. Tess and I are so spoiled in the fact that our room is alway neat. Every morning the man comes knocking on our door. He has really come to like the two of us. It could be because we are cute, American girls. Or, it could be the fact that we tip him in cookies and cash every Friday. Who doesn't like cookies and cash? He never fails to put a smile on my face. He comes in with his own big smile and an enthusiastic "good morning ma'am". He works extremely hard for very little, so we do what we can to help. We pick up stuff from the floor, make our own beds, and try to keep it fairly neat. Plus, our room is much easier to clean than Eugene's and Emanuel's. I hate to say this, but it is so nice having our room vacuumed every other day. I'm going to miss that when we get back to the states.

The second man is our banana guy. Oh my goodness, he is so precious. We walk a couple of extra blocks just to find him sitting by his cart full of colorful fruits. It wasn't hard for him to recognize us the second time we returned. He always tries to sell us extra fruit, which is so funny. He knows at this point we come for 6 or 9 bananas, but  he never fails to ask. Sometimes we do get the occasional grapes. He also let us try his figs one day. They were delicious and reminded of the days I used to climb fig trees in South Carolina. He is one person that we practice our Hindi with. "Mujhe chhe banana cha-hi-ye." (I would like six bananas.) I think he finds it funny when we say this because it never fails to bring a giant smile to his face!

I'll make sure to get some photographs of them before I leave! But for now, enjoy this black and white series of people I have taken while exploring.

(If you click on one of the photos, it will make them larger).

Being a Participant

We've nearly been here three months; it's hard to believe. I know there is still so much to learn about India; however, I am beginning to feel comfortable being here. I no longer worry when people stare as we walk around the streets. The food and even the water doesn't upset my stomach any more. I'm able to handle more and more spices everyday. I can read some of the signs written in Hindi, and I was even told I cross the street like a pro. It's hard to believe how far I've come in just three short months.

I've really tried to immerse myself in the culture. There is no point in living abroad if you are just there to look around at pretty sights. It is vital that you truly get to know the people, learn the language, and take chances throughout each and every day.

As I continue the readings for my Documenting Culture class, I am fascinated by several ethnographers mentioned throughout. It has to be extremely difficult to live in remote places of the earth, away from family, friends, and modern societies. One has to be completely dedicated, courageous, and spontaneous. According to Participant Observation: A Field Worker's Guide, "Living, working, laughing, and crying with the people that one is trying to understand provides a sense of the self and the other that is not easily put into words." My Mom has always told me you learn the most about yourself when you're traveling overseas alone. From crowded airports to navigating a city organized by signs in a different language, you have to be prepared to be caught off guard. You have to be ready to deal with frustrations such as language barriers or rickshaw driers who rip you off constantly. So, I applaud all of those who have taken the task of documenting cultures vastly different from their own.

I know I'm not a professional ethnographer, but I am a decent participant observer. I am working hard to study the people around me. Since I am mostly with college students, I spend a lot of time watching their mannerisms, where they eat, and what they do for fun. I listen to them talk in Hindi or Marathi, and I ask tons of questions. I order foods they suggest, try drinks from street vendors, and shop in their local markets. In a sense, ethnography is professional stalking. People get paid to avidly watch and learn from others. So, I guess you could say I'm learning to stalk people for a grade.

The book continues to state, "... ethnographers practice the method of participant observation by living in the community, taking part in usual and unusual activities, “hanging out,” and conversing (as compared with interviewing), while consciously observing and, ultimately, recording what they observed."Recording my observations is something I have definitely been doing, partly for school and partly to get a better grasp of the amazing people who live here. Not to mention, most of you know I love to journal, so I'm always writing down daily occurrences.

The students here are similar to students in the US. However, there are some differences. They have this ability to memorize everything. When a topic is given, they want to learn everything possible. It is quite an obsession of theirs. I think it shows their true dedication to school and learning. Although, like all college students, the word procrastination is still in their vocabulary.

Besides their study habits, there are other things that are similar. For instance, girls in India know how to flirt, bat their eyes, and wave their hair. When you sit and watch, you realize how all girls are universal. I will say the style of clothing is a little different here. Yes, they do wear jeans, but you hardly ever see anyone wear regular T-shirts. You also don't see many of the girls wearing tight clothing. It is too hot in India to wear clothes that stick to your skin. Furthermore, many of the girls do not wear a lot of make-up, even when they go out dancing or to the bars. (The annoying thing is they are all naturally gorgeous, so they really don't have to know how to wear extravagant make-up.)

Boys will be boys. They have fun. They goof off. They get upset, fight for a bit, and become best friends seconds later. The thing that is truly different is the fact that there is an atmosphere of confidence wherever you go. It seems these students learn at a young age who they are and what they want. They have dreams and strive to achieve them- while having fun at the same time, of course.

The other night we went to Anuksha's house to help her bake brownies and cupcakes for her cupcake business. She's nineteen and already has her own business. She also plans to move to the United States and eventually audition for American Idol or The Voice. She is quite the inspiring girl. I loved listening to her talk about her dreams and aspirations. She reminded me a lot of myself at nineteen. (I was constantly talking about traveling and being a National Geographic photographer). At one point, Anuksha stated, "Why should I be scared to do these things? There are millions of singers out there, and I may not be the best. However, I can be and do my best, so why worry?" I thought this very wise and also very encouraging.

My favorite part about being a "participant observer" is the fact that I get to converse and interact with such inspiring girls and boys!

Something Random

So, I have this one teacher here in India who is absolutely amazing. I promise he has an entire encyclopedia of India stashed inside his head. You can ask him anything, not almost anything, but anything. He loves to talk. Of course, when I say talk, I do mean ramble on for two complete hours of class time. It's fascinating though. We have learned about the monsoons and how they affect the economy as well as the environment. We've learned about the women's roll in Indian society, dowry, and women in the work place. Last week, we touched on the indigenous tribes of India. (Did I mention I get to go to one of the states known for its tribes?)

You can see it really is an interesting class. However, there is one thing that gets to me while I sit in the back doodling in my journal. There is something special about the way our teacher pronounces his "Ts". I know this is probably the most random thing to blog about, but every class all I hear now is the exaggerated T.

Say the word development.

Government.

Or, even better, it.

Do you know how many times we say "it"?

It's a lot.

Now, say them again while making sure to put your tongue on the roof of your mouth and amplify the T at the end. Do this a hundred times in two hours, and you'll know how I feel.

In the Hindi language, there are four different T sounds. It has been a journey just trying to learn each of them. You have to use your throat, chest, and tongue in unusual combinations. They do have one in which the T is magnified; therefore, this is the one our teacher utilizes on words we wouldn't normally intensify. In the end, it makes me smile. Like I have said many times, these are the small things that are simply a part of their culture, and you have to be ready for the unexpected.

The Honeymoon is Over

We were told when we arrived there were stages each one of us would have to go through in order to completely adapt to life in India. The first stage is the honeymoon stage. "Visitors in the honeymoon stage view the new culture as something exciting and fresh. Differences in culture and appearance seem fascinating, while similarities stand out as common bonds." This first stage is only supposed to last a couple of weeks followed by a period of rejection and isolation. I was told to come here with an open mind and expect the unexpected always. So, I took that to heart and honestly haven't had many "bad" days in India. I never really entered into the rejection stage. Every moment has been exciting; there is always something new to look forward to every day. 

However, I have gotten a little home sick lately. This has only occurred in the last several days. I don't feel as if I've moved in to the isolation stage, which is typically characterized by homesickness. I am still  having adventures and getting in to mischief as always. Yet, there are small things during the day that remind me of home. For instance, America is mentioned in our classes all the time. I see maps of the US constantly. And, of course, I can spot good ole Mississippi right off the bat. 

It is true you take things for granted until you no longer have them. I miss my sisters every day. I am reminded daily of their love. They each supported my choice in studying abroad and were very encouraging. How could anyone ask for better sisters? For Christmas, they supplied me with amazing gifts that would help me during my travels. Helen gave me a wonderful Osprey shoulder bag for Christmas. I use it every day to carry around my random belongings. She also had the great idea for me to buy a water purifying bottle. I can't thank her enough for that idea. Tess and I don't have to spend a fortune on water bottles because we just refill the ones we have with my purifying camelbak. Morgan gave me a journal, which I just finished filling up, and an adorable zebra wallet. Obviously, I have used each of these almost everyday since I arrived in India. Sara gave me a cute pair of colorful Toms. You have no idea how much I have worn those out. I love them! Thank goodness they are so comfortable because I have put around a hundred miles on them. These gifts remind me how much I really miss seeing my sisters. 

I am also missing my friends back at VI and in east Tennessee. Tess and I decided to have a "girls' night in last night. In Virginia, this consisted of ordering Chinese delivery and watching Disney movies. At home, we had two other partners in crime, Molly and Kayla. Every now and then Arlyn would also join us. It wasn't quite the same in India. For one, I couldn't find egg rolls and secondly we really missed the other girls. Not to mention, we could only watch one movie because the internet would download the others fast enough. 

I miss SURF, Matt and Sherry, and little Caleb-o. I miss crashing on their couch on lonely nights, Bobba's wonderful cooking, and the many many moments of laughter. 

I miss my second home on 223 Gregory Ave in Greeneville, TN. Mr. Ed and Mrs. Kathy were always so welcoming. I loved spending time with the Tilson gang. We always had good food, great talks about cycling, and lots of fun just relaxing in their comfortable living room. 

I miss the small things too. I miss Hue the Vue, classes that start on time, Spring rains, the Appalachian Mountains, non-spicy food, the quad, Coach Letterman, Blackbird muffins, AnnOlivia's cupcakes, cycling rides on clear afternoons, crazy Amy Thompson, wearing shorts as the warm months come around, having an actual wardrobe, my amazingly squishy mattress, late night Wal-Mart runs, velveeta mac'n'cheese, Mom's cooking, Dan's laugh, and so much more. 

Wow, this has been a hard blog to write. The more I write, the more I miss home. I just want you all to know how special you are to me, and how excited I am to see my family and friends in May. However, I will continue to live it up in India. Don't worry about that. I just wanted to thank you all for encouraging me to be who I am and never stop traveling. I am grateful for these adventures. I am blessed to have a God that allows me to travel as much as I do. I do miss you all greatly and pray for your daily adventures in the US!

Take care everyone and remember to enjoy the little things!

The Little Things IV

     After taking classes in India for quite some time, I have come to the conclusion that college students are the same all over the world. You have your teachers' pets, the ones who get by by the skin of their teeth, and the ones who fall to peer pressure. There are always the students who sit in the back of the classroom starring avidly at their laps. It's as if they believe teachers are brainless and have never heard of cellphones. Then, you have the quiet ones, the nerds who ask too many questions, and those who doodle in order to stay awake (At least they do stay awake. There is always the one who stayed up too late the night before having fun).

My point is the students here are just the same as the students in the US. They like to go out and have fun. They take risks. They have adventures, and they're here to learn. We all want to grow and expand ourselves in various ways. I love the guys and girls of SSLA. They are truly wonderful characters. They have welcomed us since day one with open arms. I have gotten close to a few in particular. On Tuesdays, Tess and I go to a small group Bible study at Namita's house. Namita is a beautiful girl, both on the inside and out. We hit it off from the beginning. She loves art, films, and traveling. How could we not get along? Plus, her family is marvelous. This past Tuesday evening I went over early so her Mom could give me Indian cooking lessons!

Manasa is the queen bee of SSLA. Everyone loves her, including me. She's the president of the student government, top in all of her classes, and involved in all the clubs. She even won the photography competition the school held recently. Manasa is so sweet! During the first day we actually met the students, Manasa was the first to come up to us and begin chatting. She's also helped me out a lot in our Film Studies class. I was definitely behind in the beginning.

Through church, we met two hilarious boys, Viral and Akho. Viral is an engineering student at another university. Akho is in his final year at the Symbiosis Law College. They have taken Tess, Sijla (one of the German exchange students), Eugene (a student from NY), and I under their wing. They take us out to different parts of the city. They even took us to our first movie in India; we watched Zero Dark Thirty. (Seeing that particular movie with Indians made me look at it with a different perspective, but that is another story). I wouldn't have found half the restaurants/bars in Pune without their help. They're kind of like crazy goofy, energetic tour guides. But, they really are sweet boys. Sijla and I are going to Akho's home in May. He lives in a part of India that very few outsiders travel to, Nagaland. I can't wait to go there! (Sorry I don't have any pictures of them to post yet).

Because of everyones' kindness, it has been really easy to adjust to living in India. I am so grateful for this opportunity of learning from these wonderful students. I have learned more from them than I thought possible. They truly are incredible people!

The Little Things III

On the way to the Amber Fort. This is where we got to ride the camels.

As little kids, we were all taught that sharing is caring. We were taught to share our pudding at the lunch table, invite the other kiddies to play games at recess, and make sure to always be kind. Well, that concept was not lost in India.

Back in January in my first Film Studies class, I was showed how much sharing is accepted in this society. I was sitting up against the cold, concrete wall on the far side of a large wooden table. I set my newly filtered, crystal light-filled water bottle on the table. I'm still not sure if it was the sparkling color of raspberry lemonade or the entrancing glow of the UV light which filters the water. However, as soon as I set my bottle on the table, the girl next to me, who I did not know, grabbed the water and started drinking. I gave her an unusual look only because I was slightly caught off guard. She smiled and realized I wasn't used to the random grabbing of something that doesn't belong to you.

In truth, I really don't mind. It has helped me to become more patient. I still cringe when someone begins to eat half of the meal I will be purchasing. Yet, I know I can eat food off of their plates as well. It is the extreme "family style" dinner.

Another thing that comes to getting food is not as kind and considerate. Downstairs on the bottom floor of my building is the campus canteen. In one cramped room, sealed off on all sides, is where you can order something quick to eat between classes. There are two men that sit behind a tall counter during the lunch rush. If you're not quick, you will get cast aside. You literally have to shove your way up front, shove the money in his face, and scream your order so he hears you correctly. I can't give you an accurate image of the shoving and pushing. Just know it is overwhelming. Most of the time I don't even order my own food, but I get one of my Indian friends to do it for me.

After you place your order, you are given a receipt. Then, you have to take the receipt to the specific counter where your food will be cooked. Again, you have to shove the ticket out front, or it won't get taken.

This is probably the most frustrating thing for me in India. I like having orderly fashioned lines. I like knowing who is next. I like knowing when someone is skipping (Although, most of the time I never say anything. I just give mean looks). This isn't just true for ordering food. It is true for standing in line at the grocery store, the clothing shop, the Foreigners' Registration Office, the International Office, the coffee shop... I can go on and on. There are no lines or cues here, and I doubt there ever will be. It's another thing that makes India work; another thing that keeps it ticking.

I had fun with the post-processing of this image of the Taj. 

The Little Things II

There are some things about living in a different country that start to get to you. For instance, this is supposed to be vegetarian heaven. Every menu has a veg and non-veg option. However, what they don't tell you is the fact that all the veg options are either deep friend potatoes or chinese noodles covered in soy sauce. There is one dish, the samosa pav, that the college's canteen serves. It is absolutely amazing (which is the bad part). Inside the samosa is a mixture of potatoes with cauliflower or sometimes peas. Then, that mixture is fried in a triangle shaped dough. What makes it even better is they put it inside a fluffy, buttery bread roll. You never have to worry about carbs in India!

There is another thing about India that Tess and I find ourselves venting about a lot. In all honesty, we didn't really come to India to sit in a classroom. We came to learn from our experiences, which we have. Yet, we are finding ourselves stuck in the classroom more and more each day. At first, it wasn't so bad. Then, in February, they added two more classes for the international students. One of those teachers started in the middle of February. Now, she still expects to get her 45 hours in although she started the class 6 weeks late. That means Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday we are sitting in our Hindi class. I want to learn the language but not at 7:30 on a Saturday morning. Not to mention, my mind can't comprehend anything at that time let alone a complicated foreign language.

So, things get added and changed in India constantly. We think we are going to go for dinner... Nope. There is another gender violence workshop you have to attend at 6:30 Friday evening. We think we have the time to run some errands and buy groceries... Nope. We have to go to an afternoon workshop. We think we are going to continue to have free afternoons... Nope. We have four extra classes this week. A class gets canceled and we are excited for the break... Nope. He decides to have a make up class on Saturday. (I don't understand these Saturday classes. Weekends are a foreign concept to Indians).

If any of you know Tess, she is extremely organized and punctual. She hates it when I'm three minutes late for something. So, you can imagine how frustrated this makes her. No schedule. No time limit. I'm the more laid back, free-spirit type, and the inconsistency in India even drives me a little bonkers sometimes. However, you do have to respect their culture. Indian Standard Time means you can officially be 40 minutes late for something and not get penalized. It's just a part of their everyday life.

I hate to admit this, but I never realized how important a planner and clock were to me. 

The Little Things

I started this blog for a few various reasons. For one, I wanted to keep everyone posted on my travels through India. I have somewhat failed in that aspect. I haven't really kept any of you informed on the goings on in India. The second reason I began this blog was for my Documenting Culture class I'm enrolled in at VI.

I've looked back through my posts, and a few have captured some of the culture shock that comes with living in India. The post on the rickshaw drive adequately portrays the insanity that is traffic here. The train journey was another part of the culture shock I have documented. However, there are other things in India which are so very different than living in the United States. While my camera is out of sorts and I can not upload any new pictures, I have decided to fill you in on some of my random contemplations throughout these past several weeks.

I stand by the fact that I love India. It is truly incredible. I wake up early most mornings as the sun comes softly through our cream curtains. The pigeons coo in the morning air on our balcony's ledge. It has become ritual to wake up, check emails, make breakfast, and open the balcony door to the city of Pune. The traffic begins to buzz down the bumpy Senapati Bapat road as students trickle through the college's gates.

Pune is a special city. It is the nation's university city. In a sense, it reminds me of Cambridge; hundreds of little colleges packed into one area. Yet, Pune is massive! I keep thinking it can't be any larger until I find myself in an hour long rickshaw ride to yet another unexplored area of the city. I believe I have adapted to it quite well. I was afraid I would not learn my way around until the day we left. However, yesterday evening I was able to correctly tell the rickshaw driver where the restaurant was in Koregan Park. Tess even spotted some buildings that we knew way after the sun went down. We are proud of our successes here, even if they are small ones. We have made some wonderful friendships, attend a weekly Bible study group, and have adventures all the time.

A simple walk up the street is an adventure for us. There is a corner shop a few blocks away in which we get the small necessities. The owner and his son love us there. We speak a little hindi, which makes them and every other Indian smile. The language barrier is not that much of an issue for us. Sadly, I haven't learned as much Hindi as I had hoped. For one, everyone speaks English to us. Secondly, in Pune, the local state language, Marathi, is spoken more than Hindi. I have gotten to the point where I can read a few of the signs on the side of the street or next to the individual shops. There are 312 letters or variations of letters in their alphabet, so don't get me wrong when I say I can't read all of it. But, the trill of being able to read some of the sanskrit is always exciting, even if I have no idea what it actually says.

Each day I am caught off guard by the fact I can say I am living and studying in India. There are only seven weeks left of this adventure, which saddens me. But, who knows? If it is in God's plan, I may show up in this wonderful country once again.