Frustrations

Soooooo

The science fair team is here. It is amazing to view what happens when they come from a different perspective (last year i was a part of the science fair team). It is really disheartening to see the pedestal we are placed on.

India is the most racist place in the world. Period.

It is the belief that your skin is dark because of a tainted soul. The paler, the purer and more holy you must be. So white people are worshiped; to touch you is some sort or weird blessing that brings good luck.

For example, everyday I have been eating in the mess, with the hostile students and teachers. Everyday we have white rice, curd, and two vegetable curries. About once a week they serve chicken, and maybe twice a week, eggs. So kids here get protein roughly 3 times a week.

Enter science fair team. They feed us a banquet at every meal (with 3-4 different dishes containing meat at most lunches and dinners). You stay in a palace, while the rest of the staff here fits their whole family into one cubical sized room, and the rest of the village lives in grass huts. You sleep on -compared to real Indian beds- fluffy, soft mattresses.

And people bitch about it. Not about how it's not right; the Indians shouldn't treat us differently, but about how bad the food is. About how terrible the beds are. Or there are those living on cloud 9. Everything is perfect here. The Indian diet is a cure-all. The culture here is oh so wonderful and beautiful...etc.

When will our eyes be opened to the reality of the harshness of this culture? Because the reality is brutal. Reality is Martha. A woman's three sons literally threw her out on the street because she became sick. She could no longer make herself useful so they no longer had a need for her. The only child left in her care is her daughter, Martha. So they live a tiny grass hut (maybe 5 feet high and 5 feet wide) on the bank of the river. This is where Martha grows up, with many horrors of abuse and pain.

-Martha is a staff member here who usually is the main PR person with Americans, as she speaks great English-

Reality is the girl in the hospital who, as a baby, was thrown into a tree by her drunk father. Her back is broken and -if I remember correctly- has some pretty good brain damage.

Reality is an average of 700 calories a day.

Reality is a rat race.

Reality is survival mode here. If you aren't cruel and cutthroat, your throat will be cut.

How bad is the food now? How rough is your bed really?

How beautifully simplistic and loving is the culture?

Don't get me wrong, this is not to judge the sincerity of heart. Because I know these people, and I know how big their hearts are. I guess this year has just been a little more eye-opening for me, so it's frustrating (to say the least) to be screaming for equality, and then watch them treat us like gods.

But I guess you can't change history in a day eh?

morning assembly

caitlin and kc and meggers all arrive today!

wooooooooo! americans! my age! ha!

last night we (me and the hostile boys and the male teachers) set up the big dome thing. Took us four hours of ladders and nuts and bolts but we did it! The science fair is using it to make a giant walk through heart. should be pretty tight.

I got to lead roughly 400 kids in assembly this morning. we learned "jesus loves me" and simon says. so fun. so cute.

13 days here. 9 to go.

Oh my gosh...INTERNET!!!!!!!

I have been at Riverside school for umpteen days with no connection to the outside world (save for a phone that costs an arm an a leg to use) and to actually be sitting at computer with access to the web is beyond awesome.

From the moment we arrived here it has been go go go. We have been doing many lectures and activities with the school, hospital, and kitchen staff on the importance of hand washing, sanitation, ect. Today we start nutrition. My tuuuurrrrrrn!

I have been learning a few telegu words, as I spend most of my down time playing with kids here or just hanging out with the staff. Christmas Eve we had the opportunity to visit an elderly home, which was humbling, to the say the least. It amazes me how these people live. Things we would never think of in America are a complete norm here. Many of the people at the home were literally bent over in a 90 degree angle because of the severity of their osteoperosis. One man couldn't walk, but actually scooted everywhere he went. I am not sure what was wrong with him but Jody said probably polio.

We also had the opportunity to go into a nearby village and do a medical clinic one day. (I can't remember the actual name of the place and I won't write what we called here. It's not exactly appropriate...) That was much like the elderly home in it's humbling. Stuck in a room for four hours, hot as hell, seeing patient after patient, (I just took vitals...cuz I'm clearly not qualified for real doctor stuff) but then you look out the window at chickens fighting over the shade under a palm tree, next to a house made from coconut leaves, and a woman coming over the hill with a massive jug of water atop her head. Suddenly the room doesn't seem quite as hot.
The trip has been incredibly productive, and incredibly rewarding. So far.

But all is not well in paradise. I'm not sure how much has been covered on news back home but there is much social unrest. When we arrived, the school had been shut down due to threats from political activists. There are many protesters (violent and peaceful) for both sides. However, I have not felt in danger one time. On several occasions, we walked right by masses of protesters in town. Not once were we bothered. We don't go places alone, of course. But we are safe on campus, and we never leave campus unaccompanied. And above all, we do NOT walk in fear. School has started again today, and it's nice to hear the noise of hundreds of kids in my ears.

There are many other stories I could share, but my time is limited, and I don't want to bore you too much.

I love you all, and if I don't have another chance to get on, I'll see you in 9 days!!
Until next time...

California-London-Hyderabad

So we arrived in Hyderabad at 4:40 am this morning. It's almost seven yesterday at home, which kind of weirds me out when I think about it.

Anywaaaaaaay. The flight over was awesome. My two travel buddies and (Jody and Julie)I had more fun than should be legal on a 10 hour flight. For example, I was taught by these two pro's how to hide my liquor bottles when I'm done, so the flight attendants don't count our bottles, and cut us off.

When we first got up in the air, Julie was looking through her little complimentary kit thing the airline gives you, and she pulled out the toothbrush (which looks like a little tube); with the most quizzical look on her face she asked, "Where do you put the batteries??" Hahaha! Please believe the rest of the plane was staring because Jody and I were laughing so hard.

I started dozing off for a bit, until Jody put her headphones on my ears to let me sample what she and Julie were listening to. When she took them off my head, I opened my eyes to a completely black plane full of sleeping people, side for my two companions who were dancing - think Hitch dancing. Kevin James, not Will Smith - in the aisle, noiselessly singing along, "Keep on. With the force don't stop. Don't stop till you get enough..."

Needless to say, there was no sleeping that happened on that flight. A LOT of laughing, but no sleeping.

I passed out immediately on the 2nd flight, so I know nothing about it, except that all our luggage made it through; if you know India, you that's a miracle in itself.

Its about 8:30 AM. Chill time for now. Then shopping in Hyderabad. 9:45 tonight we get on a train for 13 hours to Malkepurum (pretty sure that's spelled wrong). Then about an hour on the bus to Mori? I think?

It's an adventure! I miss you all, and you are in my prayers daily.

Love you Love you Love you!!!!!!

Almost time

"I found that paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love." -Mother Teresa

2:52 AM. I leave today! I spent the most incredible last night at home, and I feel completely filled with gratitude for the people in my life here. Hopefully there will wifi on campus at Riverside (the school where I'll be working) so I can keep you all updated on what is happening.

I feel so full of appreciation and joy and love right now it's unreal. I have a feeling that when I wake up to go run - in 2 1/2 hours - the only thing I'll appreciate is an incredibly large cup of joe. Until then, I'm sky high!

I sure hope I didn't forget anything!



You'll hear from me when I reach Hyderabad.
...hopefully...