You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘culture’ tag.
Yesterday I went on another awesome adventure into Coorg. Coorg is an interesting area in India- an autonomous state of sorts. Ravee was telling me that the people there have different laws and rules governing how they live- how you can’t own land in Coorg if you’re not a citizen, how Coorg residents can purchase a gun without any documentation or inspection, while other Indian citizens have to go through a laborious process to own a gun. These people are distinctly unique and live as such. The land is extremely fertile and 85% of India’s coffee is produced in the area.
I was excited to see this place that online is dubbed as “The Scotland” of India. Who knows why they picked Scotland, everyone says the delicious food and beautiful sights are something special.
I woke up at 445 for the trip to be out at 530. We didn’t end up leaving till 630. Needless to say I was completely exhausted, and when I got into the car and the three men we were traveling with were talking loudly at 7am, I had to wonder what they had to say at this hour of the morning. It was a bit frustrating I just wanted to nap. The journey was 3.5 hours of bumpy roads and listening to Indian music from phones.
The roads here, let me explain, are not for the faint of heart. If your stomach hurts you should probably stay home. If you get motion sickness, you probably shouldn’t get in a car. The roads push you around, scoot you upwards, swish your stomach around and drop you back to the ground. The roads can be painful. While many of the roads are paved, there are equally as many through villages that are not, and there are speed bumps everywhere. That’s another thing- the speed bumps amaze me. There is rarely a sign above where they are, and so beyond the indent in the road, you have to be very aware of them as to not make your car completely fly. But everyone seems to know how to slow down to find them. This amazes me.
The closer we got to Coorg, the more lush the world around us became.
I watched Sex and the City the other day and it left me very confused. I was sad for two reasons: 1. I missed home and 2. I was disgusted with home. The movie reminded me of all the relationships I have back home with friends and family and my boyfriend- which made me very sad. And then, before I could even cry about that, I was disgusted by this image of America shown on HBO here in India.
The movie, while it is about four women who are good friends (don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the characters of Sex and the City) is also riddled with American extravagance. It’s a lot of talk about the latest fashions, shopping sprees and buying expensive name brands. One of the big scenes involve the gifting of a Louis Vitton bag as “one of the best things I’ve ever done”
..
Please don’t post angry comments about how much you love the movie. I know it’s a good movie about relationships and love and I maybe I am over-interpreting it. It just upsets me to see how much lavish the American lifestyle can be in relation to one here in India. And while I know my life is not “Sex and the City” style, and that most Americans don’t live that way either, it was frustrating to think this is what India sees of our culture. It is similar to how we see Slumdog Millionare and assume India is all poverty and slums.
Sex and the City 2 is playing in movie theaters here in India- but we’re more alike than we realize.
Ravi and I talked about everything. From loneliness to race to being in foreign countries to religion, it seemed as if every topic that was seemingly taboo, was fair game. And this was greatly appreciated.
Ravi wanted especially to relate to my feelings of loneliness. He spends so much time doing his work that it can make him lonely. Talking to him about his own loneliness reminded me that this feeling, this pain, its universal. I’ve felt it before and I’ll feel it again, and it too shall pass. But Ravi let me sit with it a bit. He didn’t tell me to sweep it under the rug. We talked about loneliness, and it was really meaningful for us both. I began to cry, probably for the thousandth time and Ravi gave me a hug. Do you know how nice it is to get a hug when you really need one? I think I miss that most. If you know me at all you know I am a hugger and a holder, and it’s strange to not be not feel comfortable to reach out and touch people. Even the children shake hands.
It was interesting too because Ravi spoke to me about our desire to be someone in particular. He told me about how when he was younger he had this idea of who he needed to be and what he was supposed to do and how he was supposed to do it. He said that in life, we’re supposed to be lots of different people, at different times, in different places.
Thinking about it now, it really strikes me. Right now, I’m not really feeling like myself. That isn’t to say I shouldn’t be myself in India, but I’ve been having trouble coming to terms with the fact that this is really challenging me. Thinking about it that way, it’s as if I’m just being one of the many people that I can be right now. Maybe this is just cautious Kelsey, or sad Kelsey, or lonely-shes-in-India-Kelsey. I can try new Kelseys while I’m here- or I can go back to all my favorite ones, like painter Kelsey or helper Kelsey or teacher Kelsey or friend Kelsey. I know, it all sounds so basic and silly, and I’m laughing as I refer to myself as all these different people, but it’s true isn’t it? We all have so many different layers and shades of humanity. I think we forget how much like chameleons we can be and how easily we can adapt and change to fit a situation. Sometimes we become the people we don’t want to be in response to a problem or a change… maybe if I can get in touch with some of the ones I’m not connecting with within myself right now, I’ll find connections to the people I’m working with. Maybe research Kelsey needs to come out. Maybe listener Kelsey needs to come out. We have to work with all the different facets of who we are to succeed sometimes, I just think I may be picking the parts of me that are making things difficult. But, there are reasons for it.
Ravi and I talked about race. It is so interesting to hear his stories from around the world, seeing so many different people and how they interact. We talked about faith, about how he likes how in the Indian culture many of the faiths are seen through commentaries, rather than told as hard facts.
And we talked a bit about education. I guess that teachers here are politically appointed in an almost affirmative action style program. People who were systematically oppressed in lower castes in history are given priority by the government for certain things, one of them, teaching positions. Because they were oppressed in the past, the generations of these people now are given these jobs to make up for their history. The upper-level castes are not given any such governmental aides. Because they are appointed to try and bridge the gaps between the castes, it is difficult to fire these teachers.
I find all this very interesting, especially when it comes down to teaching as an almost “gift-like” job. We got to talking about what it means to be a teacher after all, and what makes a good teacher. I love listening to what people think of this. We talked about the importance of being at a round table with your students and colleagues, the importance of being knowledgeable of the current information.
A lot of things make good teachers. A lot of things make being a good teacher difficult. Here in India, the political pull makes things hard- and I guess many of the teachers actually have political prospects and are just using teaching as a stepping stone to a different career. This reminds me of Teach for America in the States, which I actively support and may possibly be involved in, but is criticized for this same attitude toward career advancement.
Anywhoo, after Ravi and I talked for a long time, he went off to bed and I sat up and waited to skype with Jason, Josh, Tori and Mom. What a treat. It brought me to tears to see them, but this time, the tears were also followed by laughter and smiles. How great Skype can be!
I went to bed very late and woke up to spend some time with Ravi’s mother. She has invited me to go to a wedding with her tomorrow! I have nothing to wear, but she says it is okay. I’ve never been casual for a wedding, but we’ll see.
I’m hoping to go back to the school a little different. This time here has been invaluable to me to catch up with my emotions and reflect on what is going on there. Being able to talk to friends for a bit, write and read my emails fully and explore something new has given me some new perspective on the school. I hope that I can find this comfort there.
This whole thing is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but I didn’t realize how difficult it can be to be in a foreign country. Looking through the photographs I’ve posted on facebook of the school and some of my adventures, it seems I haven’t even recognized how beautiful it all is.. I’ve been having such a hard time focusing my energies on my frustrations and sadness, that I don’t feel connected to what is around me.
I hope that I can find a way to get myself on track. I hope that I get more hugs soon. Both, would change things a lot.
We’ve all had this experience- when we move out of one place and into another and disaster ensues. My dorm room is successfully sprawled all over my home bedroom floor. Successfully, I call it because it was quite a long move- I really don’t know how or why I have half the stuff I have.. but anyways, this would not be an issue if it weren’t for the fact that I have to get myself organized, and soon! Just 12 days till I leave.
Preparations for this trip have been a lot of work. Yesterday I was on hold with my insurance company to get my prescriptions filled for over an hour, only to find out that the prescriptions were written incorrectly so they couldn’t be filled. And now, some are still at CVS in Waltham, so they have to go through a transfer process.. oh bureaucracy. They don’t like to make anything easy.
I’m unsure if I want to unpack my things to repack them again- but I don’t have my suitcases yet (I just ordered new ones) so that means I can stall my packing till then. I’m still unsure what to pack- I need to find out if ankles are a no-no, since I bought myself cotton capris. I do know that bathrooms are squat style and buckets of boiled water is a shower. I think I’m going to cut my hair shorter since I won’t really be able to wash it too well. All these things to think about.
Another thing, it’s funny- you tell one person you’re going to India and it becomes evening news wherever I am. My Doctors office all knew about it, as did the pharmacy– its funny the connotation of foreignness and intrigue that comes with a trip like this.
Of course, I share these thoughts of foreign culture shock, but I believe I’ll find a lot of parallels between India and the US.. we’re all human beings after-all, and there is certainly a lot of trouble going on no matter where in the world you are. I think we need to stop thinking of everyone else as “the other” and rather embrace these other cultures as just another facet of the beauty that is humanity. Rather than tell me that I’m going to be smelly and sick (thank you pharmacist for pointing out some of the obvious) why don’t we feel the need to discuss the many beautiful traditions of this country, the people’s warmth and hospitality, their traditions we as Americans can’t even seem to fathom.
Not that I believe people shouldn’t give me advice and remind me of the stark differences between my lifestyle today and my lifestyle in two weeks– but I guess it’s just frustrating when all we can do is focus on our difference and forget to acknowlege just how alike we all are.
But I guess figuring that part out is my job.
Ps. Help me reach my goal of 1000 hours before I go! If you haven’t clicked the one lap top per child side bar on the left, please do. If you did it before, try it again- they change! It would do a world of good. We’re at 784 right now.. let’s get it up there!
This is a really cool clip done by ABC a few years ago on Indian culture/civilization/outsourcing.. it’s well done and not too long, enjoy!
Some of you may know that a while back I wrote that I was worried Gaga wouldn’t be in India. Good news- she does release her singles in India, just a month or so late. If you haven’t seen this epic video, please indulge your eyes, don’t worry, I went for the ‘non explicit version’.
Okay, in all honesty- I am not sure I like that this video makes it across the global airwaves, though I would not expect less. It’s got lots of half naked women, namely Lady Gaga in all her girly glory. They say this is to prove she’s a woman. I don’t think women should feel the need to run around naked to prove their femininity. I don’t think Gaga is good for girls- her videos are lewd and hyper sexual. Such is our culture. I wonder how much of this I’ll see in India… for a country with high moral codes for dress, I hear those are beginning to lighten.
I found this image of Bangalore from a blog– he write of it,
“Explaining such a picture to some new visitors to India has proven to me one of the most difficult pieces as it runs with the biggest possible contradiction. On the scale from 1 to 10 in rating India’s openness to talk about sex in public, I’ll give it a straight 1. There is hardly any more prudish country in the world. Yet, in a layer that is so far away from reality that it is impossible to conceive, almost everything goes. Take Bollywood where you have beautiful, sexy half naked woman dancing under the rain-machine.”
Interesting. I wonder, when do we lose our culture to the influx of sexual videos and suggestive images? What will we tell our children our childhoods were like? What is our culture anyways? Are we just hyper-sexual beings who can’t get enough?
Things to think about.
Gaga info from Yahoo News source.
Check out this article about skin whitening in India. It’s interesting how in cultures where skin tone is darker they want to lighten, and in places where kin tone is often lighter, we want to darken.
BBC here.
Seeking the Soul in 8 Weeks 