Random Thought: 27

Hi!

So, tonight I realized just how emotional I’ve been lately. I’m not gonna spend anymore time whining about my culture shock, but I do wanna tell you about my great night. This has definitely been the first great night of my time in India. Not to say that my time has been anything but very easy, assisted, and wonderful, but if someone asked me ‘How was your evening?’ I would definitely respond ‘It was SO great!’

Remember how I mentioned that there were some Danish girls coming to volunteer also? Well, it turns out that they’re gifts from God. One of them actually has already volunteered here for three months, so she is perfectly familiar with not only the area we live in, but the entire city of Chennai. She speaks some of the language, and is so comfortable here, it’s amazing. She has brought a friend, who is in India for her first time, so I have many things in common with her. Anyway, they showed up yesterday and immediately, the experienced one (Corina) goes “Don’t worry. I will take you under my wing. I know this city, I can show you how to get everywhere, do anything, whatever.”

So we started talking, and immediately, this was so comforting because Corina told me that it took her well over a month to feel comfortable here, and that it’s perfectly understandable to be nervous or scared or anything, and that if I don’t feel comfortable with a certain assignment or task while at my placement, if I’m perfectly honest, no one will force me to do anything or go anywhere alone. So after like five minutes, Corina goes ‘We’re thinking of going to a movie tomorrow. Would you like to come?’ I’m thinking she means a Bollywood movie, but I’m not one to turn down any kind of social bonding experience, so I’m like ‘Totally. Are we thinking Hollywood? Bollywood? Calliwod?’ And she replies ‘Oh, American. Definitely.’

So, I’m thinking, cool, this should be fun. In fact, as soon as I arrived in the city, Jessie, the girl I met at my hotel, said ‘If you ever miss home, go to the movies. It’s great.’ And boy, could she not have been more right. We went to this brand new mall built only in August, that was SO nice. Totally powerful air conditioning, United Colors of Benneton, KFC, computer stores everywhere, I was in my western element. It’s so sad that I need these kind of comforts to feel better, but I am so over that. Anyway, going to an Indian mall is like going to a really bright club. American music is blaring everywhere. This time I heard Right Round and Californication. We went into a bookstore, and I found out that Stephanie Meyer even has shrines in south Asia. There was poster about Glee and how ‘You love the show. Now you can own the music.’ It was amazing and I don’t even watch Glee or read Twilight.

So then we go to the theatre, which is on the fourth floor, and get our tickets. We only had two options for the time we were there: Alice in Wonderland and Step Up 3D. Step Up sounds and looks stupid, so I vote for Alice, even though it’s equally as stupid, and I’ve seen it. But, I figured it’d be something familiar, if anything. Well, there are only three seats left. There are three of us, so it seems perfect, but then we find out that in India, seats are assigned, like on a plane. And the only 3 seats left aren’t next to each other. So, Step Up 3D it is. We walk into the next area, and we are officially now in a night club. It’s SHWANK. Like, the coolest, nicest theatre I’ve ever been to. With really comfortable seats.

Ok so I’m expecting this movie to suck. And in many ways, it did. But in many more ways, it was the most amazing movie I have ever seen. It was SO AMERICAN. I needed to be American tonight. I needed to hear American music and English and laugh at American jokes, it was so great. So great in fact, that I literally almost started crying. That sounds ridiculous, but it’s true. I have been so emotional lately, and this was so great, that I almost started crying. My eyes welled up and everything. I’m so glad that the only time I’ve almost cried has been out of happiness, you have no idea. So I’m totally gonna buy this movie and it will always mean a lot to me. Oh and did you know the little girl from the Missy Elliot videos is in these movies? She’s all grown up now. I’ve never seen the first two, but that was enough to catch my interest from the start. She’s so white, it’s hilarious.

But let’s be honest. It was, in many ways, terrible. The writing and story were just nonsensical, and it was completely shot the way it was solely because it was in 3D. Entire scenes were based on the 3D effect. But whatever, it was fun. And it was loud and exciting and so enthralling to watch, so I’m not gonna complain. I loved every second of it. However, even though I was Americanizing it up, it was still a cultural experience. For instance, as soon as the movie starts, all the Indians go crazy. Like, you’d think you were at a basketball (cricket?) game. Everyone’s hooting and hollering and whistling b/c it’s so exciting. Then everytime something awesome happens (ie: a kiss, good dance move, etc), it all happens again. More whistles and cheering. And there’s an intermission. Isn’t that funny?

At my intermission, I had to pee, because I had ordered an Extra Large popcorn and an Extra Large Coke (this is more than I’ve ever ordered in the US), and when I went to the bathroom, every single urinal had its own personal LCD panel to watch movie previews. The only urinal that was free was the one with the broken LCD panel. I chose that one. So anyway, I went back to the movie, finished it, and Corina goes ‘I’d be willing to go to a movie every week if you want.’
HELL YES.

I feel so blessed. Honestly, this trip has been so great thus far because of the wonderful people I have met along the way. I will ALWAYS have a special place in my heart for Danish people now, because they have made me feel so welcome in countries that aren’t even their own. I absolutely HAVE to visit the country now, it’s even a priority. Luckily, these Danish girls are here as long as I am, so I’m definitely just in such gratitude of God right now. Like, I can’t even imagine what it’d be like if they weren’t here. I would just spend everyday uneasy at my work and every night bored in my room and with no one to relate to or connect with…and that just seems like it’d be so sad. And really there was no guarantee there’d be anyone here to hang out with. It wasn’t like I asked when I signed up, and I don’t know if ELI would have told me if that was the case.

OH! So I should tell you about my job. I don’t have one yet lol. I know, I’ve been here almost 6 days and I haven’t done anything yet. You see, I arrived on a weekend, and it was a holiday, so the center I’m volunteering at was closed. Then Monday, the guy that I’m supposed to assist was out sick. Then today, all I did was orientation. I met everyone, and learned all about the center. It’s actually a great place that does a lot of good work. It has six ongoing projects: HIV/STI awareness among sex workers, prevention of human trafficking in women and children, women in development, a short-stay home for victims of domestic violence, working with transgenders, and family counseling. It doesn’t have much money, but its staff is very educated and everyone here has a masters degree in social work. There’s also a clinical psychologist on staff. I’m planning on spending my time bouncing around from project to project. I learned a TON about micromanagement and finances and all this stuff that I never thought would happen here. I really want to learn more about fundraising and stuff.

OH! And I met an Australian girl who is working here but not living here, and she is actually here for like 3 months (the Danish girls are here for 6 weeks) and then travelling all over India, then volunteering some more in Kerala, then travelling all over Nepal, and is gonna be gone for like eight months total. Anyway, she’s working on the Human Trafficking project and I think I might assist her with some great projects. Like tomorrow, she’s taking some people who are staying in this shelter to a park to do some activities about self-esteem. Like putting on skits and playing games and giving advice. It all sounds awesome.

Oh! And this is so interesting: This is a Christian organization, so everyone who works here has an English name. Like, they’re totally Indian, but with English names. My boss or whatever in the HIV project is even named Joshua lol. The director of the entire center’s name is Isobel. There is also an Andrew (who LOVES country music. He loves Kenny Chesney, Faith Hill, John Denver, the whole shebang), Alex and Christine.

Oh right. So anyway, I was planning on actually getting started with my job tomorrow. I was supposed to go with Joshua to a slum and see their center where they have self-help groups (yes, this is somewhat scary, but I won’t be alone, and everyone assures me that it’s safe, especially as a man), then visit a medical center, and meet the staff and everything, and maybe even meet some sex-workers. But then Krish, my coordinator through ELI calls me and tells me he wants to take me out to lunch tomorrow, and set up the internet in my room (THANK GOD). So I’m like, ok I’ll start the next day. Then, he tells me that he’s taking a bunch of English and American students to this town about 3 hours out of town the next day (Thursday) to see this museum which is all about traditional art in the 4 southern states of India. I was kind of hesitant, because this would be like 2 whole days off, but then he told me it’s set up by the Ford Foundation and is apparently one of the coolest places I can go while I’m here. And I’d get to spend the day with familiar faces. So, I was like ok whatever. So now I won’t start til Friday…then it’s the weekend lol. And then I have 2 weeks lol, which I’ll explain later.

All in all, it seems like a good place to volunteer. They told me that if I have some skills, I could teach the children at the short-stay home anything I want. So, I could like, teach them about math. Or give them English lessons. Or I could teach them how to use Photoshop. Lol, really anything at all I’d like to do, I can. Or I can just ask to do paperwork for a couple of days or whatever. So yeah, it’s very flexible. I think I’m really gonna spend most of my time learning, rather than actually volunteering though. This isn’t a problem, as I love learning, and non-profit management and social work are two careers I have considered, but at first I was like ‘Ugh. I paid $1000 to do nothing.’ But then I realized, no I didn’t. I paid $1000 (and then raised that much) to have someone pick me up at the airport, have a place to stay and kitchen to use, have a very helpful professional assist with anything I need, a tour of the city, and now a 3 hour trip to some museum. I’m totally ok with this. Because I could have just come right to this center and not paid nearly as much, but having the support is SO NICE. If I ever meet someone who wants to volunteer abroad, I will definitely recommend this NGO.

Oh, and I should get this out of the way now…I decided to make one tiiiiiiny little last tweak to my travel plans…..lol…..don’t judge me. I guess I’m always this indecisive though, so no one should be surprised. I realized last night that I’m going to be in Bangkok, but won’t see any of it, because I’m just flying in and out, and that this is stupid. And I was kind of freaking out about being here for like 27 days still, because I was being a pussy, and then I remembered how it only cost $10 to change my flight before….so I was like, hmm.

Sooooo then I decided to leave India 5 days early to go to Thailand!! Haha. I mean, really, it makes sense. I know that 2 months from now, I’ll look back on it all, and if I really didn’t take advantage of every opportunity I could, I’d regret it. I’ll definitely have a taste of India after 3 and a half weeks, and I won’t regret taking a month off of my trip, but I will regret not at least spending a couple days in Thailand, somewhere I’ve ALWAYS wanted to go. That, and it gives me some peace of mind. I’m gonna keep my flights to Bali the same, just change the date I fly out of India.

OH PS. MY FLIGHT RESERVATION WAS LOST. Yeah, I called them and they had NO record of my reservation. I don’t think I was ever booked on it, or they somehow cancelled it thru a glitch in the system. Or my travel agent fucked up. Regardless, I’m never using a travel agent again. I’m booking through websites, because this has never failed me. Can you imagine if I just showed up at the airport on October 12th and they were like ‘Sorry….you’re not on this flight.’ I would have had a nervous breakdown. I probably would have had to spend the night in the airport, and spend like $1000 on a last minute flight, or worse, had to find out there aren’t flights for like 3 days and what if I didn’t have a phone anymore? I don’t even know but THANK GOD I decided to spend a few days in Bangkok or I never would have found this out. Seriously right? I have a freaking guardian angel!

Luckily, a new flight only costs like $200. So I’m gonna book that tomorrow morning. I’m gonna aim for October 6th or 7th. And, like in Vietnam, I’m going all out. I have to at this point. If I’m not in very comfortable surroundings, where I can sleep easily, use my netbook, watch Grey’s, talk to Jason, and just relax for 4 or 5 days, I’m gonna go insane. Especially since I will have had 2 flights, and already spent a night in an airport (that too! This way I can get to Bali and NOT need to sleep for 24 straight hours). So I’m combing through resorts. I have found some SWEET places…and they only cost like $50 or $60 a night. I know! And that’s totally worth it. In the US, you’d pay well above $300 for a room in place like this. All these places have gorgeous pools, spas, massages, etc.

So yeah, I’m DEFINITELY looking forward to my time in Southeast Asia! I also realized today that right now really is the hardest part of my trip, and that it’s ok to be stressed right now. I’m just about to cross the halfway mark, and once I only have a couple weeks left in India, or less than a month til I’m home, so much of the pressure will be lifted off my shoulders. Ya know? Like the beginning of my trip was all exciting and new, and though I had a couple of lonely nights, I was fine. But right now, the middle, it makes sense that it’s stressful. And my total number of days in India will be like 27. I think I have 22 left now.

OKAY I’M DONE. But I love you guys and miss you all!

WAIT! I’m not done. I just want to tell one small story and make a necessary point. So, only 5 days in, I’ve really learned a LOT about the divide between the rich and the poor here, in more ways than one. Yesterday, I had nothing to do, so I just went along with some staff members to take some videos of some of their success stories. Andrew (country music guy) is a documentarian, so he’s making a video as kind of a commercial about the center, and they were interviewing a guy that got a small loan and started a flower business, and a woman who was in a self-help group and, well, helped herself. So we went to the woman’s house (room), and talked with her, and she told me that she makes 20 rupees a day. That’s 50 cents. She makes 50 cents a day. Ok remember that number. 20 rupees. So, that’s like, what? 140 rupees a week, 560 rupees a month. I went to the movies tonight, and it cost me 300 rupees. Can you imagine going to the movies and having to pay 300 dollars?? It’s like that in India. The rich have no trouble doing so, but the poor could probably never dream of it. It was also interesting to go to the movies, because it was so western. Everyone is wearing crocs and Abercrombie-type shirts and blue jeans,etc. It felt nice, of course, but was strange. Oh and I saw more white people. Whenever I see a white person now, I think to myself White Person!

Another thing I noticed was how much I really have in common with Europeans and Australians. I mean, I always knew that ‘the west’ was an entity that consisted of both Europe and the States, and I guess I always just associated it with money. Like, the west is rich, and the east is poor. Though, this is stupid, because I’ve taken enough anthro classes to know it’s much more than that. I even wrote a 5 page paper on it, but I guess in real life, I didn’t think of myself as identifying that strongly with anyone from the Anglophone world. But now, I realize that I have SO much in common emotionally and philosophically with other Westerners, without even making these points explicit. It’s like, regardless of ethnicity or accent or nationality, we are just drawn to each other for comfort, on one end or the other.This is probably one of the biggest revelations I’ve had thus far. Ya know? Like, instantly, I meet these Europeans and it’s like…we’re from the same town or something. It was the same in Bosnia with the other westerners I met. We instantly bonded because we were in a new, less developed, less Christian, less white place…without even trying, really.

- Josh A