!!! Surprise !!!

Coming to India, I prepped myself for many things going wrong: probably losing my luggage, my bank card not working, getting terribly sick (like everyone does) or at least something small. Up until now, I had it free sailing and without problems. My ISAC (India Study Abroad Center) boss came to visit for a few days so that was great. We were counting weeks and days until I left and realized that the number of weeks from start to departure flight was 13 weeks, we had on record only 12 weeks and that’s what I had paid for. My IE3 coordinator, ISAC boss and I had all missed this somehow. An extra large sum of money was needed to stay until my departure flight  so the next step was to find an alternative. We weighed all my options and decided it was best to move up my departure date. So, SURPRISE I'm going back 11 days early and will be back on that freedom soil April 4. 6 weeks sounds like, “Cool, I’ve got some time here still.” But, 5 weeks is like “I’m leaving so soon!” Now comes the realization to truly cherish every moment here and take it all in.

Part of enjoying all these little moments are my morning runs. At first, I was nervous to go running because it’s just not something you see here. Everyone reassured me it was fine, and besides, it was just another silly thing the foreigner in town does. Running gives me time to not have to think about what somebody is saying to me in a different language or what kind of custom I am breaking. I go at 7am before the sun gets too hot so it’s just me, my running shoes and the pavement (and the peacocks/parrots). Lately, it’s turned into the original Olympic Marathon. As I run through the villages, people cheer and barefooted children run alongside or try to race. It’s always a challenge dodging cows, herds of dogs, the huge vegetable carts or the zooming motorcycles. One thing I find very funny is that for about 1/4 of a mile of the road, there is a cobblestone sidewalk. Normally, I associate cobblestone streets with my city in Germany or parts of Europe, but they use bricks for many things here so, I guess why not? Right?!

I’m glad that through my weird and foreign ways I bring joy and laughs to those around me. My manager always says that I am so expressive and passionate about things. #1. I find that Americans are generally more expressive through emotions and body language than Indians and #2. My personality is more outgoing than most Americans so it’s like a double dose of excitement over here.

               These were the few faithful students while everyone else was at the fair

In a Team Balika Training. The girl standing next to me is already planing to gain political power, and is well on her way. What a girl!

                                                   Some are just too precious

        One of the main streets into market

Even though I’m headed home a week earlier than expected, I’m glad everything worked out and if that’s the worst of my troubles, I’ll take it! In a month, I’m headed back and I’m excited to get back to real life but I still have lots to do here ie. vacation and meet a few more little smiling faces. ~ Anna

“A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.” – Laozi

Shattered Preceptions

One month down, two more to go! Any thoughts I’ve had about this wonderfully, diverse country have all been challenged, changed, redirected and shattered. I knew the western perspective had some misconceptions about India but I’m now realizing just how many. This week I had the chance to get to know two girls who came from Mumbai who just joined as part of the communications team. We spoke on many things together regarding Indian traditions, customs and the not so simple ways of life. From an outsider’s view women staying at home and working; cooking and cleaning and watching after the children is simple. Yes, the acts in and of itself may be simple but take a deeper look and there are many rules and customs to abide by. For example, when there are two bothers the oldest brother and the youngest brother’s wife aren’t allowed to have a relationship, at all. They can’t talk or see each other. When he enters the house he either coughs or calls to someone in order to warn her of his entrance so she’ll leave the room. In family pictures he’ll stand in the back and she’ll be brought in at the end, veiled and be ushered out first thing. The reason for this is to keep order in the joint family. If they don’t have a relationship it’s easier to give and take orders.

I have learned so incredibly much through these wonderful ladies and through conducting interviews with Team Balika members. This week I got to visit a couple more schools where the students adorably sang and danced for us and went to a temple opening festival. At the festival, was mass amounts of food for the whole entire village to be fed. Still there were dividers set up for the division of the different castes to eat behind. In some ways there is so much progress and in other areas the old traditions have such a tight hold still. Traditions are great in order to not lose the base culture but some traditions are very harsh in discrimination and dividing the people.

Chatting with the leader of the village, at the temple ceremony, in the middle of 150+ men

 

Happy faces waving goodbye at a girl’s boarding school

Hilarious man high asking to take a picture with me

The quote on the bottom says, “Woman today don’t know how to pray but the speak English.” We pulled him over because are proud of this fact!

The more people I meet, the more my mind is filled with knowledge and history. Watching the young girls in the hostel sing and dance, with an extra shimmer in their eyes because they don’t have to go back to a home where they may have to work lots or abuse takes place was remarkable. Hearing them giggle and call after me “Didi, Didi,” (Big Sister) is why I’m here; to help make this whole world attainable to them. If Educate Girls can enroll just one more girl or convince one more father to let his daughter study past the age of 15 then our work here is done. Fighting for the cause. ~Anna

“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Calling All Paparazzi, We've Found Some Lucky Blues!

Week two interning with Educate Girls was much less busy but I have still learned just as much. My task for the week was to develop an English teaching model that will start at the beginner level and progress through more advanced lessons. I'll continue to develop it during my time here and eventually be able to use it on Team Balika volunteers maybe. I have also started English lessons with our Communication's Officer, Meena. Her English is already very good, so week one was finding what needs help yet and reviewing the basics of grammar.

My other task for the week was to paint signs and posters that we used for the Republic Day parade that took place on Sunday, January 26th. Educate Girls was involved in a rally and presented during the big parade that happened in the afternoon on Republic Day. On Saturday we all worked into the night painting, working out costumes and reviewing dance steps. Having a vast dance background, I was excited to get my first official lessons in bollywood dance. I had 20 plus people stay at the guest house with me Saturday night and we all were awake by 6:30am getting ready for the parade.
The Parade was alot of fun but at the same time very overwhelming. I now know what it's like to be Justin Timberlake or Kate Middleton being bombarded by paparazzi. There was  constantly a camera on me even if I was simply standing there doing absolutely nothing. A friend was pretending to interview me about the situation and instantly a swarm of people surrounded. I was kindly ushered out of the circle by another friend. Another moment my director stepped in to stop the picture obsession and walked me away. So, I have my own body guards. :) They all tell me that only the luckiest people are blessed with blue eyes... uhhh thanks? (Sweden must be pretty well off then?!) I'd say I do live a pretty lucky life! The experience was great and all the hard work paid off for we won FIRST out of all the floats and displays in Sirohi.

There's a popular cereal that's called "foreign bride" in Hindi. This was my name for the night.

EG's display for the parade filled with dancers, posters and Team Balika following behind

Educate Girls Wins First!

Akanksha and I with our trophy. The master behind the whole plan.

This week was filled with learning more about Indian traditions and customs. From getting to experience a wedding processional through the city with the groom on a horse, to the parade and various costumes and regional dress my mind has once again been filled with wonderful, first hand knowledge and experiences. Constantly living, learning and living that lucky, superstar lifestyle! ~Anna

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness." ~Mark Twain

Camels, Elephants and Monkeys, Oh My!

What a whirl wind of a first week. Sirohi has greeted me already with exotic animal sightings, festivals, parades, field visits and teacher’s trainings.  On my first day at work there was an ELEPHANT on the street. Later in the week 8+ monkeys were on my porch and numerous amounts of cows and dogs are constantly roaming the streets. I have already been involved in so many things and I have been here only one week. My week has been filled with getting to know colleagues, the town and simply learning how to live. It’s a whole new way of living from customs, food and how to get around. I have 3 meals a day prepared for me and my room cleaned by my caretaker. One of my life dreams came true, I'm a princess with a butler. I wake up in the morning and brekfast is prepared for me with Chai to accompany. He sends me on my way to work with lunch and then I come home and he's already in the kitchen cooking. I wash up and by 7 he calls my name and placed on the table is my full dinner. I love my life!!

 I am interning with a Non-Government Organization called Educate Girls. They strive to bridge the gender gap in education and learning. They have created a structure of teaching called the Creative Learning Technique (CLT) that introduces Math, Hindi and English is a way of hands-on learning using flash cards, charts and the like. It is a 15 minute walk to work past the stadium, many school children, little vendors and whoever else decides to be wandering the streets that morning.  People show up between 9:30 and 10:00am to the office. Time is not of true importance for this relaxed lifestyle. It’s quiet nice to not be rushed and ruled by the ticking hands of a clock.

This week I went on a field visit to a school in Pindwara and got to see CLT in action. What little gems the students are. As I left the school all the children rushed out of their classrooms as the waved and yelled, "Goodbye Madam!" That afternoon we visited a small begger community to continue in the negotiation of sending their girls to school. Since the daughter's are already engaged (even at age 6) the father's see no need in educating the girls.We have a long ways to go in the relationship but progress has already been had. I also got the chance to attend 3 days of teacher’s training. The trainings were required by government and were put on by Educate Girls in order to introduce CLT in the schools. On the third day I found myself sitting in the middle of the circle at lunch time and being peppered with questions about American culture and the education system. It turned into a time of singing and dancing even though I had no idea what I was doing. They brought me candies and sweets to enjoy while in the meeting, they knew the way straight to my heart.

The parades were amazing. 3 festivals of different religions fell on the same day and it stayed peaceful amidst the pride.

Mid-day meal at the school where I got to engage in some very good discussion with teachers

The teachers also wanted their picture taken :)

Meeta, a Team Balika member, engaging in the Creative Learning Technique with young students

Each village gets to choose their own slogan with Educate Girls. This is the EG symbol.

Teacher's training with the best Master trainer in the world

This is my guest house where I have it all to myself!

My companions at the guest house

My first day at the office this guy was working right outside

What a welcome to India, I couldn't have asked for a better first week of my internship! Packed with excitement and joy, amazing food and people, unusual wild animals and sights but this is my life now and I choose to embrace it. ~Anna

"If you wish to travel far and fast, travel light. Take off all your envies, jealousies, unforgivness, selfishness and fears." ~Ceaser Pavese

Houston, The Plan Has Landed

Safe and Sound. Finally to the guest house after a very long but successful journey! My itinerary consisted of some pretty long flights doubled with being bused around the airport having no idea what's happening, but moved along with the flow of everyone else. When I saw my baggage come through in Udaipur my heart was at ease and I was left with just one hurdle to jump, finding my contact in the crowd of people who was supposed to be wearing a yellow shirt. I walked out the main doors and standing there was my India Study Abroad Center Contact and the director of my internship site. She handed me a goodie bag and we were off!

At that moment started my introduction into India with the famous driving/ road situation. Zooming along were huge trucks painted, with little tunes for horns that are constantly playing, autorickshaws piled with people to the point they are hanging off the back, motorcycles and taxis swerving in and out of traffic and then add in the stream of camels walking along the highway. It's the biggest game of "chicken" you'd ever seen and the bigger car doesn't always win.

The market in town where all the shopping is done

The top word says, Sirohi. That's where I was standing. It made me giggle :)

Learning to navigate through lots of people and cows crowding the market

It's already a lovely place and my guest house is wonderful. Today many people already came by the guesthouse to meet me. Tomorrow morning I start off to my first day of work with Educate girls. Thankfully my ISAC contact is still here with me so I don't get lost walking to work. Goodnight for now and till next time!

Open minds and open hearts make room for growth and change. Striving to live by this day to day. ~Anna

"Be the change you want to see in the world."~Gandhi

I'm Leavin' On A Jet Plane!

Tomorrow I take off for an adventure of a lifetime. I will be interning with an organization called Educate Girls for three months in Sirohi, Rajasthan, India. I’m told that I will be shadowing the director for the first couple weeks and then moving on from there. Starting with behind the scenes and then looking at the front side of the organization will give me a better idea how NGO’s function and are stabilized. I don’t truly know what’s in store and it will probably all change once I get there so I will have an open mind and am excited to simply just be there. My travel time is about 32 hours arriving in Udaipur at 6am then a 3 hour car ride to my guest house and start work and 9am the next morning. I am staying up all night tonight in hopes to sleep the entire time on the plane so the time goes by faster. The past 3 months have been spent in great anticipation for this moment and in the morning I head out. I am told I’ll have WIFI and all my meals prepared for me.  This does not sound like the stereotypical India everyone thinks about. Preconceived notions can’t be helped so I’m excited to see how these compare and to break down others. I know only very basic phrases in Hindi so this will be a fun adventure to communicate in everyday life. I studied abroad in Germany last year but I was there solely for the purpose of increasing my German language skills. Although this isn’t my first time abroad or traveling on my own, there are naturally butterflies in my stomach and I can’t wait to just get there already. Enough for now and next time I write will be from wonderful India!




Sirohi is in southern Rajasthan closer to the border of Gujarat. Rajasthan is also one of the most touristy areas of India. Famous for the great desert in Jaisalmer where you can ride camels, the lake palaces of Udaipur or the mountain range containing Mt. Abu.

My Bucket List for India:

Ride a Camel

Ride an Elephant

Be involved in a festival

Attend a wedding

Learn enough Hindi to engage in small talk

Master the art of not using utensils

Learn 5 Bollywood dances

See the Taj Mahal

Have a successful internship

Simply Enjoy Life!

Onto the next chapter. ~Anna

"The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." Saint Augustine