The last of them

So there you go - the last of the digital photos! Anyway gotta run but take care!

Jan, have that baby already!!

mosquitos

Here's the very last picture i took before the camera fell to the floor. I'm in the bathroom because it had the best light. Family, you wanted to see a picture of me - here's a picture with all my bug bites! And all those bites happened over 1 night!

IPPF SARO

This is the SARO building where I work. It may not look like much but the inside and the grounds are absolutly beautiful.

Mrs. Singh's

This is Mrs. Singhs house where i live. BeBe's room is past that blue door infront of the car. Actually, interesting story about Bebe - she had Mrs. Singh move the t.v. into the kitchen so she could watch her soaps while she cooked for us. Now who really runs the household? the servant or the landlady??

fortune.JPG

This was a fortune I got in a Jones bottle before I left for India (these are the last few pictures left on my memory card)

Cement bad

Last night I dropped my digital camera...it's now dead. I should know better then to spend money or own anything nice. I'm so upset with myself $300.00 down the drain. 3 weeks into my term here. How unlucky am I? Oh well I shouldn't be so materialistic. One time when I was traveling a friend said to me that it didn't matter if she had any pictures of the things she saw because she had the memories. I'm going to try to live by that mentality. But see Jan, Nese and Mom - this really proves that I shouldn't spend money on anything but food and clothes ever.

Love you guys. Take care. & chelo (let's go!) Christian Jared Sharrun! I hope you're born happy and healthy into this world and that your mommy is doing well!

"who you gonna call?"

There's something strange going on in my neighborhood.

A Hijra (eunuch/transvestite) came to Mrs Singh's door this morning. I thought that was a dated practice (they would come to residential areas, especially during festivals or weddings, demanding money in exchange for their blessing. If they were refused or the amount of money they felt was not sufficient they would threaten to flash or curse you) It was hard to ignore the flamboyantly dressed women with a huge bindi shouting from the gate. I wonder if a curse is just as effective if you can't understand the language?

While walking the straight long road to the market today I was enjoying the beautiful fragrant flowers that have blossomed since the last rain and have settled about the road along side the garbage when I heard a friendly "hello". There, far down the road, was a man pushing another in a makeshift wooden wagon. They were waving at me - like an old friend that I haven't seen in a long time. Beggars in my part of town? It was very hard to ignore them too, something that reminded me so strongly of A Fine Balance. I hate ignoring. I hate not making eye contact. I would like to at least recognize them as people...as existing. But I don't know any better way to handle the situation.

So, why am I in a internet cafe when I should be working on the publications due tomorrow? Well, two weeks into my stay India is finally starting to not look too different then I remember. This weekend the power has gone off the cable and the water. We still haven't had water in over a day, but luckily Mrs. Singh has a generator. I thought I'd better come to the market and pick up at least some drinking water.In fact the power has just gone off in my basement cyber cafe...the computers are on generator but the fans, A.C. and lights are off...It's going to heat up quite quickly so I should run. It's nice to know some things don't change.

Leave me comments guys

Take care guys. Jan I'm thinking of you! Love yah.

Auto

So here's what it looks like on my daily ride to and from work. The roads are actually pretty spacious and uncrowded so it's not so bad. Although occasionally you'll get a driver who enjoys dodging buses (so subsequently attempts to get in the bus' way).

Terrace

This is my terrace on the 2nd floor of Mrs. Singhs. The light in the foreground is for the late night construction workers. If the picture was better you'd see the "scaffholding" (or bamboo tied together with old twine). Yes steel toed boots maybe laughable in China but these guys haven't even heard of "work boots" before.

My Room

This is my place. All my photos are shitty. It's the digital thing - I'm not so good with technology. So my room is actually alot bigger then it looks - I swear. Please note the two twin beds pushed together - I got the "love" room just like China. Oh yeah.

GQ

Hey Guys,
So there you go, some pictures for you. I had more but I'm having computer problems (of course). I'd like to mention something since I'm sitting here in an internet cafe covered in small insect bites (or "rashes" as Lokesh calls them) it is so incredibly different actually living here rather then traveling. For instance, being a traveler in Delhi you commonly run across the usual long haired, bearded, hemp pants wearing hippies on their way to enlightenment (Goa) on the other hand living in the middle class residential area you run into (as I've just experienced) the well-dressed, GQ, clean cut, washed, muscular, expats (usually dark haired and olive skinned from Iran, or Israel (Kasia you'd love it!).
What else is new? I went to the India Gate to have ice cream with Lokesh last night (Lokesh = the other guy living at Mrs. Singhs). Families and couples flock to the area to eat(there's rows and rows of ice cream carts) and to sit on the grounds and look at the beautifully lit gate. (history lesson = the gate was built by the British to commemorate the Indians killed during world war 1 & 2)The only problem was the lights on the gate are shut off at 10 and all the carts and people flow out of the area giving it an errie feel.
This morning I actually dragged my ass out of bed and walked around the Defence Colony a bit. The roads between the flats are narrow and the merchants riding around on bicycles seem to compete with eachother on who can shout their wares louder, it makes me smile.
I took a laptop home from work this weekend. I have to finish the editing of the publications this weekend. I'm feeling really over my head. But like a good friend told me the other day - I gotta stop stressing (and like my Chinese mark that actually didn't lower my GPA - my intelligence will get me through this - well actually he didnt' tell me I was intelligent, I just threw that in there) but really, it'll work out.
On a final note, I forgot how great India is for my physical self esteem. It's nice being told I'm beautiful, cute and sweet every day. Now I just have to train everyone to worship me. Shouldn't be too difficult.
O.k. everyone start a blog so I can read what's up with you guys. Ang, I love the idea of the Nanny Blog and I'll find everything you write immensely interesting, I promise!

Planes

My sister, her son and my mom took me to the airport. I absolutly love this photo! (Jan I hope you don't mind I've posted a pic of your son on the internet...if you do just drop me an email and I'll make the picture privite)

Marble stairs

I promised an entry related to work (which really is the primary reason for traveling all this way). First of all the office is beautiful…very colonial with extremely high ceilings and crown molding. The layout is wonderful, beautiful curving staircase with marble steps and large open rooms with a central garden. I met with the director the other day and devised my work plan. I am actually the only “research assistant” (the only individual who’s soul purpose is to research and analyze the data and reports our office receives) so I get a variety of jobs. You know me, I like a strict plan and order and felt at first that I would prefer just working for one element researching and analyzing only primary and secondary data working from a rigid anthropological framework. But, now, I figure that this new plan is for the best. It gives me a range of experience in research that might help me find a job (even if it’s not strictly anthropology based). One task is to work with the Research and Analysis Programme Officer. I will be looking at the strategic 5 year (2005-2010) plan of IPPF SAR to find faults, analyze how we will verify that we have been successful in our activities and from there work on the baseline research required to start towards these goals & successes. Secondly, I will be working with the Safe Abortion Programme Officer doing research much like I expected – gathering info on how abortion related morbidity impacts the South Asian cultures and analyzing the information collected on this issue. I also accidentally mentioned I would like to help with the “Real Lives” (the monthly publication IPPF SAR produces). So now I have a huge stack of articles of which I am suppose to short-list, edit (which is a horrendous job…these are pretty standard Socio or Anth or Develop. like papers which I need to make precise and interesting – and, of course, commonly the English language has been butchered) while doing all this I am to think of visuals that can accompany the articles, flag articles which other colleagues might be interested in, and collect all sorts of data on ICPD. Once this is finished, I’ll be sitting down the BCC person and discussing the look and format of the publication. I have to say right now this publication is my favorite task, mostly because it is the only thing I’m positive on how to approach.

So there you have it. When I’m done here I will have some experience and Anthropological related research, some experience in baseline research and some editorial experience. I hope it works out for the best. I can change my mind and either force them to give me only the Anthropological research, give me chances to go out into the field and interview or change to another org. to do this. I’m not sure yet. I have to think of what’s best for my future and I’m not sure yet. One way or another it will not be a negative thing to have this experience…I just have to figure out how positive it will be on my future. I’m going to give it a month and then decide.

Sorry I been really busy lately and haven’t had a chance to write anyone back! I will soon I promise.

As a final note (I apologize for getting political, you know how much I hate doing that) but I’m getting pretty fed up with the walls put up by Bush’s “Global Gag Rule” (i.e. Mexico City Policy). I would like him to come to South Asia and witness a young girl that has just been raped and is now with child. The girl has no choice. She’s un-marriable now but her parents might let her stay with them (only without the child) sure she'll have the occasional beatings and severe guilt for being a “burden” on the family or second, to have the child she is pregnant with and be kicked out of her family’s house forced to live and most likely die within a year on the streets. All because the US banned funding to ANY agency which has pro-choice-like values. The town that this woman lived in didn’t benefit from education on gender equality (which might have stopped the rape in the first place) or from sexual education and reproductive health education (which might have helped reduce the stigma of a raped “used” female) or from access to safe abortion and safe health facilities. Or I would like him to talk to the woman who (as in a case I just finished reading) was instructed by a illegitimate “black market” abortion doctor to insert a stick into her uterus for 3 days, causing her to, obviously, induce a horrible and life threatening infection all because abortion is illegal or considered against religion or society. Damn-it George, abortion is going to happen one way or the other but for God’s sake let’s try not to kill, maim and sterilize women just because we wanted to turn our heads and ignore (and keep money in our pockets to fight daddy’s war).

O.k. I know you're tired of my writing. I will post pictures soon. I promise!

Love yah!

Life less

I have some good news - my office is getting brand new dell computers next week which means I should be able to download some of my digital photo's soon! The IPPF office is great! I'll write more about it in a couple of days.

For those of you who know Ronnie (or Arnav as he likes to be called now) I met up with him last night. He's really grown up (almost 30 now)! Although he's still wearing the blue shirt and white khaki pants as always. He has even stop chasing the German ashram girls and found himself a very sweet Punjabi Hindu named Anjali. Anjali and I spent the night talking and walking around a very nice market area of Hauz K (the district that they live in). In typical Ronnie fashion, he's already called me twice today and planned to show me about 50 things in the city and introduce me to everyone he knows. I've even been invited to Anjali's brothers wedding. Which I'm actually quite excited for. It's in Amister (incorrect spelling, sorry) which is where the Sikh Golden Temple is. I've been wavering about whether to go to Amister because the city itself is supposedly very boring and it's quite a distance from Delhi but now that I have another reason to go it works out perfect! It's nice to have an old friend here. However, my god, everyone can't stop trying to feed me and they don't take "no thanks" or "I'm full" for an answer. Even when you say your full or that you just ate they look at you, usually pick up your arm and squeeze it (checking for fat) and then look into your eyes - I swear unless I'm green in the face they say "oh you're too skinny, here I'll just make you a little something". I must have had a whole loaf of bread this morning (I'm not kidding, at all, I wish I was) and that's because I agreed to ONE piece of toast. Haha I'm sorry Tammy! I promised I wouldn't get boring and tell you what I ate for breakfast!
During the day yesterday I went to Connaught Place. I have vowed to see at least 1 different part of the city per week so I thought I'd start with an area where I've been before. BIG mistake. Connaught is a dirty, stinky mess. Delhi is building a metro. A metro is a very very good idea. Delhi is huge and spread out. The local buses are crowded noisy contraptions that serve the lower caste (besides the morning (8-9am) exec. Commuters) so many people in Delhi are forced to use taxis or autos (auto rickshaws) which can take horrendous amount of time to get someplace. However, the metro line which will go through central Delhi has been under construction for years. This has left Connaught Place in a huge mess. I, looking like a real newbie to India with my cotton pants and hippie shirt, got harassed like crazy and after walking around for hours I found out that the HKBC bank that I needed had "fell over" last year and they hadn't gotten around to rebuilding yet. Hmm. I did however met a great many people (the majority of who where Indian men interested in a lone girl wandering around Connaught apparently lost) I did however meet a very nice Calgarian in town shooting a documentary on Sikhs who is going to show me around a bit. It was nice to be reminded how friendly India is.
I guess that's it. I promise next time that I write a big boring long entry I'll include at least one pretty picture.
Leave a comment damnit! (click on the "comment" work under this entry. when the page comes up that asks you to sign in click on "post anonymously")
Love you guys!!
Michelle (or Moesha as the maid BeBe calls me or Micha as everyone else spells my name)

p.s. I write good english :P Sorry for the grammar and just plain barbaric english in this entry I'm loosing my English skills already.

India deserves better

o.k. so I couldn't not write in this thing. I guess we'll see how long it lasts. There's so much to write about. So much to think about and analyze but India deserves better. I will though, tell you how my day went yesterday.

I went to CEMCA (COL's sister org. In New Delhi) and met with Usha and some other colleague's. Great, great intelligent and hilarious people. I'm feeling very thankful to have such "resources". However, they treat their "peon" "chai guy" like shit. Absolute shit. Now, I have nothing against servants in a country such as this. It's worked for years but the way they treated this guy. While I was sitting there one of the higher up guys directly insulted this peon as he brought us our chai, the director insulted him a little later on. They directly cut him down for doing his job, chastize him for doing it right and scold him if he doesn't do it. He seems like such a sweet guy. Very, very eager to help out and extremely respectfully (namaste'ing all over the place).
Anywhoo, one of the assistants took me to the hospital to get my HIV/AIDS test (you need to have proof of negativity before you can register to live in India for more then 180 days) Oh my god. I understand that not everything has to look the same or have such a western biomedical sterile image to it. But some sterility is always good. Which ones are the doctors? Oh they're the ones in jeans and expensive designer reboks and nikes, sometimes they carry stethoscope. The nurses, however, are decked fully out in 1950s American nurses uniform, crisp white hats, white stockings and time pieces. Makes me think of your nursing aid picture mom. All in all I wouldn't mind the look, feel or approach to the hospital (really guys, this hospital made the ones near the xiyuen in Nanjing look like the taj of all hospitals) if it worked. But it doesn't appear to. Yes India is chaotic, its one of its many charms, but usually amongst the Chaous is a secret order, something that somehow makes everything work. After waiting 3 hours and being dragged from one side of the hospital to the other I really felt that the chaos was pure chaos.
That sounds negative, doesn't it? I don't mean it that way. Really, it's beautiful.

Oh, don't worry folks, I made sure he opened a fresh needle when he took my test. However, the sterialization box for the needle after it was used..I don't know about that. Something about the massive amount of dried blood around it made me feel a bit quezy. It did however give me fresh drive for my job. I got to see many of the methods Dehi has for HIV/AIDS control.

I start work tomorrow and I'm so nervous I could puke.

As a side note - today is Krisna's birthday! I'm a little disappointed that there's not more happening. Just a few more Krisna statues adorned then normal and a bit more thikis (sorry for my spelling).

I'll talk to you guys later. Miss and love you all.

PS: To the WCB LSD crew - for some reason my emails to the @wcb.ab.ca crowd is coming back to me, sorry about that! Hope your all doing well! Drop me an email!