Hannah's India Adventure

New Years Eve

2009-01-01T06:04:00.002-07:00

The whole family going to the Resolution 5K walk/run in Wash Park

MONKEYTON!

Back Home With the Fam

2009-01-01T05:57:00.002-07:00

Opening presents from India. Nate with a star from the South and Noah in his new URMUL shawl.

In my new jersey from Nate from England, and Mom with her Santa book

Nate with his new URMUL shawl

The brothers in their new URMUL shirts with Indian pants on! (Noah is wearing a pair we bought for him and Nate is wearing a pair of mine!)

Dad, Nate and Noah with their new URMUL shirts and Dad with his new hand-woven stole that I custom designed for him with Bogta Ram at the Pokaran Weaving Center

Trying to Get Home/Home

2009-01-01T05:45:00.003-07:00

Friends from our flight hanging out in the airport. We spent all night together in the airport. We got to the airport at 9pm for our midnight flight. We boarded the plane, but fog came in and we sat on the plane for three hours waiting to take-off. Finally, at about 3am the captain decided we couldn't go and that our flight had to be rescheduled for the next day. The flight had to be rescheduled 16 hours later because the flight crew has to have that much time in between flying. So, we were stuck in Delhi until 5:30pm the next day. American Airlines didn't do anything for us-the didn't even make general announcements telling everyone what to do until that time. And, they wouldn't provide food or hotels for anyone. It was horrible and really stressful. But, a group of us stayed at the airport and spent all night talking and laughing and keeping each other's spirits up. If it hadn't been for this group, we would have been toast. The next day we finally boarded the plane, but all of check-in and boarding was a mess again. We left Delhi at 7:15pm and arrived in Chicago at about 11pm on the 30th. Then, we had to go through customs, immigration, wait for our bags and then wait in a long line to get new connecting flights for the next day. American Airlines finally did put us up in hotels that night.

When we got to the hotel, I was OVERJOYED to see this bed. It was fabulous! The only downside is we were only there from 1:30am to 5am because then we had to go back to the airport to catch out plane to Denver. The good thing is we got to rest a little bit and take showers (which was REALLY GOOD, because we had started to smell really bad after all that time in the airport and on the plane.)

In Denver! We made it!

Delhi

2009-01-01T05:36:00.002-07:00

So, its really kind of lame, but we went to McDonald's in India. The have vegetarian options so we went to check them out. These are some masala shake fries.

Here's our McVeggie burger, Paneer Salsa Wrap and spicy fries.

The Lotus Temple

Mom's new rug from Kashmir

Me with the Kashmiri rug salesmen

ELEPHANT!!!

2009-01-01T05:31:00.002-07:00

So, Mom and I had just left the Nehru memorial and we were on our way to the Gandhi memorial when we saw an elephant on the road. This was mom's first elephant siting in India, so we slowed down the car to take a picture. At that point the boy on top of the elephant asked if we wanted a ride. I agreed, so he stopped the elephant in the middle of the road (cars were honking behind us) and had him kneel down so I could climb up. So, I did! It was great. We were sitting on top of an elephant on top of a bunch of sugar cane. We walked down the road for some time and then he dropped me off. The elephant was so beautiful, really obedient and super sweet.

Last* Day in Delhi

2009-01-01T05:24:00.002-07:00

Last* morning in Delhi

Mama Bear

Gandhi's memorial, Delhi

* At this point we thought this was our last day in Delhi, but our plane ended up getting delayed and we had to stay overnight in the airport and then the whole next day in the airport, so this actually wasn't the last day, but we didn't know it at the time.

On the plane back to Delhi and some old photos from Phalodi

2009-01-01T05:14:00.002-07:00

Mom enjoying the snack on the plane

Outside the plane window

VINU!

Vinu and Suresh

URMUL family photo on our last night of our internship at Phalodi before heading back to Jaipur to finish up the semester program

Good-bye Chennai, Hello Delhi

2009-01-01T05:08:00.003-07:00

The kind family that shared their lunch with us on the beach

Cathedral built above the tomb of St. Thomas, one of Jesus' disciples, Chennai, Tamil Nadu

At the airport eating a custard apple from the ashram

At the airport eating a passion fruit from the ashram

Kingfisher airlines is amazing. This is what they call a "snack" (and its FREE!)

At the seashore

2009-01-01T04:58:00.002-07:00

Cute little family

Fishermen brining in a boat

Peanut man on the beach (again, for Nate's benefit)

Eating delicious rice that a man on the beach just gave to Mom and me because we didn't have any lunch to eat. He kept giving us more and more servings of the rice and a sweet from his family's lunch box. He wouldn't accept any credit for it either.

At the beach

2009-01-01T04:52:00.002-07:00

Mom in the water

Flower petals along the shore from offerings

Flower petals

Fishermen

This picture cracks me up because it looks like that little girl is creeping up on me-and i am totally oblivious!

On the Train/Chennai shore

2009-01-01T04:45:00.002-07:00

More train friends from our compartment

Train friends

At the beach!!

Goodbye Kodai, Hello Chennai

2009-01-01T04:39:00.001-07:00

Relaxing by the water

Our train friends

Train friend

At the ashram

2009-01-01T04:35:00.001-07:00

Early morning watching the sun come up from the roof top

Just after yoga class

The group ready to go hiking

At the waterfall

Ashram Photos

2009-01-01T04:30:00.002-07:00

Delicious food and home-made gulab jamon

Mom on Christmas Day

Singing at the ashram on Christmas

Beautiful sunrise

Goodbye India

2008-12-28T23:15:00.002-07:00

I've spent the morning and last night uploading as many photos as possible to my blog to fill in the past couple of weeks of travels and adventures with Mom. (Sorry to all of you that receive the blog as an email and have been bombarded with emails this morning!) I still have a few photos to add, but we are leaving our hotel now for a day in Delhi before heading to the airport this evening for our flight back to Chicago.

I want to thank everyone and everywhere I have met and traveled during my four months in India. This has truly been an incredible and unbelievable experience full of joys, challenges, happiness and struggles. I won't forget this time or the people who have graciously opened their homes and lives to me. It is said to say good-bye, but I am confident that I will be back someday soon.

Please pray for safe travels for Mom and I as we head back to the United States.

Love to everyone and thank you for all your support and interest in my blog.

In Peace and Love,

Hannah

2008-12-28T23:10:00.002-07:00

At the Christmas Eve bonfire cutting the Plum Cake that Swami-ji brought for us

Beautiful sunrise morning on Christmas Day

At the sunrise service on Christmas Day

Christmas Day breakfast at the church in Kodai (masalas are being made behind me)

The ashram students: Carlo, Marina, me and Marvin

2008-12-28T23:03:00.001-07:00

the beautiful ashram

In the hills of Kodai outside the ashram

Mama Bear

At the ashram

The Christmas Eve Bonfire

Kodaikanal

2008-12-28T22:57:00.001-07:00

Jasmine flowers on the street in Kodai

Buying Christmas stars in Kodai

Walking in the hills around the ashram

Beautiful Poisettas growing in Kodai

Goodbye Namakkal, Hello Kodaikannal

2008-12-28T22:51:00.002-07:00

On a bus on the way to Kodai

Cute newly-wed couple we met at a bus station on the way to Kodai. We ended up hiring a cab with them for the rest of the way to Kodai. They are from Jaipur and were on their honeymoon.

Woman at the roadside stall with her "butterfruit" (avocado) that she adds sugar to and says "tastes like ice-cream"

A heart on the wood in our hotel the first night in Kodai

Kodai International School

Namakkal

2008-12-28T22:04:00.002-07:00

At the top of the Rock Fort

Hanuman temple

Instead of dinner we ordered masala chai and some sweets! (Mom had the chocolate ice cream and I had the gulab jaman.)

Harish and his mother and Karthi and his mother at the C.A.R.E. Christmas Program

Mom with Dr. Jesse who talked about nutrition and HIV/AIDS and the District Collector of Namakkal with his wife at the C.A.R.E. Christmas Program on Dec 23

South Indian Lunch and Rock Fort, Namakkal

2008-12-28T22:00:00.001-07:00

Lunch on a leaf

Delicious food!

YUMMY South Indian food

Rock Fort, Namakkal

Mom on top of the Rock Fort!

Namakkal Field Visit with Stella and Viji

2008-12-28T21:53:00.002-07:00

Karthi wearing his braces to help him to walk correctly

Karthi's cousins

Karthi, his mom, and his grandmother (Three Generations)

Rice paddies

Sweet South Indian woman whose crops we visited and photographed

Namakkal Visits

2008-12-28T21:48:00.003-07:00

Beautiful sunset

Field Visit Friends

Concern for AIDS Research and Education (C.A.R.E.) staff, Namakkal

A gracious welcoming to the C.A.R.E. center with beautiful floral mallahs

Karthi, a friend we met on our field visit with Viji and Stella

Good-bye Chennai, Hello Salem and Namakkal (plus a photo of a high class squatty potty for your viewing enjoyment)

2008-12-28T21:39:00.004-07:00

This is a very nice and VERY CLEAN squatty potty on the train from Chennai to Salem

tractors full of sugar cane, near Namakkal

Prema, Mom, me, Mashek and our driver with tamarind fresh off the tree

Dr. Sam and Mom with a coconut at a coconut yard

Us with the coconut workers

Good-bye Jaipur, Hello Chennai

2008-12-28T21:33:00.002-07:00

Dr. Meeta Singh and me in her garden on our last day in Jaipur

Pastor Dhanaraj and his wife, Chennai, Tamil Nadu

At the One Mother workshop, Chennai

Tribal group women from a Self Help Group we visited in Chennai. She is giving us a welcoming blessing

The women of the Self Help Group

Hello Jaipur, Goodbye Host Family

2008-12-28T21:21:00.002-07:00

Mom on the train, up with the fans!

Akshay and Akshara ready for school in their uniforms

Mommy-ji saying good-bye from the balcony

Papa-ji in his new track suit coming back from our morning at Central Park. Akshara hopped on for the ride into the parking garage.

Mom had to take a photo next to these elephant ears. She said, "Now these are elephant ears!"

Good-bye Phalodi

2008-12-28T21:13:00.002-07:00

Great friends and family

Gathering for our send-off

Kids loving up on mom-ji

GOODBYE!!!

On the train back to Jaipur

(much calmer than the train to Jaisalmer, and not full of adolescent Indian boys)

Phalodi Market Adventure

2008-12-28T21:05:00.002-07:00

Dried red chilies

Shopping ladies

At the silver shop

Garlic purchase

The ladies after a successful shopping excursion

Phalodi Photos

2008-12-28T20:51:00.002-07:00

Ganpat Ram and Lila-ji

Lila-ji dressed mom up married lady India style

the Phalodi ladies

Radha-ji and Mamta

VINU!!!!!

Good-bye Erik/Phalodi

2008-12-28T20:40:00.002-07:00

BYE ERIK!!!

VINU!

Surjan Ram-ji and Radha-ji's children

Surjan Ram-ji and his mini-me

Kusi and Vinu! TOO CUTE!

Phalodi/Good-bye Erik

2008-12-28T19:58:00.003-07:00

Suresh with a play-dough mustache

Vinu with his cup of chai (which he also spilled all over his little kurta)

URMUL!

lots of URMUL staff

waiting at the train station for Erik's departure

Phalodi

2008-12-28T19:44:00.002-07:00

Mom and the Mommy-ji's

So happy to see Vinu!!!

Ganpat-Ram and Lila-ji's family photo

Urmila and her mom showing off their Hello Kitty coloring skills!

Erik with an Indian mustache (play-dough styles)

Good-bye Pokaran, Hello Phalodi!

2008-12-28T19:35:00.002-07:00

Bhera Ram-ji (the only Indian I met that I look little next to)

cute little baby in Phalodi looking cute and not crying for once

Pokaran Weaving Center

2008-12-28T19:23:00.002-07:00

Surjan Ram-ji finding out how much he weighs

you need more weights?

group shot!

Good-bye Lathi, Hello Pokaran!

2008-12-28T19:14:00.002-07:00

Goodbye!!

URMUL staff

Bogta Ram-ji and me

Spinning the cotton

Bogta Ram-ji, me, Surjan Ram-ji and Erik at the Weaving Training Center

Fun Time in Lathi

2008-12-28T19:05:00.002-07:00

neighbor boys

So excited for this delicious meal! (all home-made by Vimla-ji and her daughters)

Vimla-ji and her husband

All snuggled up at night to sing songs together. (Erik was happy, even if the photo doesn't show it)

Laughing!

Lathi

2008-12-28T18:56:00.002-07:00

Vimla-ji

Deepti and her cousin-brother

Check out that garlic!

Pretti

Yummy crunchy things that Vimla-ji made

Good-bye Jaisalmer, Hello Lathi!

2008-12-28T18:45:00.002-07:00

Mom layed down for this photo, so Maga Ram and Erik put a pillow over their head?!?!

Goodbye Jaisalmer office-aerial shot taken by Khushal

Jyoti preparing tea for us upon our arrival to Lathi

Mom-ji and Erik bhai

Vimla-ji's husband makes home-made soap that smells delicious! Of course we had to purchase some!

Friends

2008-12-28T18:34:00.002-07:00

cute little boy and his beautiful mother at a shop on the street in Jaisalmer

sweet little boy showing off the electronic game controllers he is selling

funny and nice Nepali man who came to the window to talk

Vuta Ram with his father and son- Three Generations

Maga Ram and Vimla-ji asked for this photo to be taken!!! They wanted to stand behind these hanging elephants and camels! So funny!

Jaisalmer fort

2008-12-28T18:25:00.002-07:00

the Jaislamer crew with a goat and a canon on top of the Jaisalmer fort

Maga Ram is so silly

URMUL co-worker whose house is in the fort. We visited her for the first time on this day

very sweet old woman who lives in the fort

More Jaisalmer Photos

2008-12-28T17:59:00.002-07:00

outside my front door in Jaisalmer before leaving for a run with Mom in the rain. (Yah, it RAINED in Jaisalmer-so crazy and unexpected!)

Another delicious meal at Radha-ji and Maga Ram-ji's house

beautiful Radha-ji

The Jaislamer crew!!!! Our beloved URMUL co-workers!

okay, so this is a really funny story! on our train from Jaipur to Jaisalmer our cabin was FULL OF all these Indian boys and they were everywhere. Our train was like 2 hours late, so we got on at about 2am and were exhausted and then realized that we only had 2 reserved sleeper bunks, not 3, and these boys were absolutely everywhere with their luggage all over. We got so frustrated, but then their teacher made sure we all had bunks. In the morning we talked to the boys and they were actually really nice and are from a tribal group in the northeast of India. They got off in Jodhpur and we kept going to Jaisalmer. Then, the next day we saw some of them at the fort in Jaisalmer! So, we had to take a photo!

Jaisalmer

2008-12-28T17:51:00.002-07:00

Maga Ram-ji, Vimla-ji, me, Erik and Surjan Ram-ji at the Sand Dunes

Unbelievably good dinner at Maga-Ram and Radha-ji's house

Radha-ji and Maga Ram ji preparing delicious food!

RAHUL!!

sleepover at the Jaisalmer office

Mom's Trip to the Sam Sand Dunes, Jaisalmer

2008-12-28T12:03:00.002-07:00

Riding a camel

Beautiful sunset

Erik bhai!

Good-bye Jaipur, Hello Jaisalmer (and Mom's first Indian train ride)

2008-12-28T11:56:00.002-07:00

Mini veggie burgers!

YUMM!

Heart-spotted baby cow that we saw on the walk back from the traveling street food dinner.

Mom on the train

Rahul enjoying his new coloring book from Aunty Sue Ann

Street Food Traveling Dinner

2008-12-28T11:49:00.002-07:00

Masala dosas being made on the street in Jaipur

Dosas being served up

Paneer and vegetable kabobs!

Mommy-ji and Papa-ji

Namkeen store

For our last night in Jaipur we broke all the rules and ate lots and lots of street food. We started off with masala dosas for dinner. Then we passed a stand selling lassi, so we stopped for lassis. While we were drinking the lassis we noticed the paneer kabobs, so we had to try that. Then on the next street Papa-ji spotted the mini-veg burger stand, so we couldn't pass that up. A delicious night!!

Henna Time

2008-12-28T11:42:00.001-07:00

Mom and I all bundled up in our URMUL shawls on the roof in Jaipur

Sisters

Mom's first henna!

Erik's first henna!

The first henna that I did (on Akshara's hand)

Jaipur Fun

2008-12-28T11:35:00.001-07:00

Mom in Raja Park while we wait for the photos to be developed

Erik and I by a beautiful cow on the street in Jaipur

Check out all the kites in the sky!

Erik, Akshara, Mommy-ji and me on the roof

View from the roof

More from Jaipur

2008-12-28T11:27:00.002-07:00

Lots and lots of mints, fennels, paan, and jellies that we sampled at the government expo

cow patties drying on the side of the road, Jaipur

Mom all tuckered out after a long day of shopping in Jaipur

cookie makers that Mom found in Raja Park

me, sad because my photos were taking FOREVER to develop

Pink City Adventure

2008-12-28T11:21:00.001-07:00

Woman working on the street in the Pink City

Mommy-ji and I ordering spices

Spices!

Paanwallah

Paneer!

Mom's Adventures in Jaipur!

2008-12-28T11:14:00.002-07:00

Akshay and Mom enjoying lassi's on the street in the Pink City

Women shopping for saris that loved getting their picture taken by Mom

Goodbye Grace the Samoan Explorer!

Flying Kites

Mom and Akshay flying kites on the roof

Mom-ji in Jaipur!

2008-12-28T11:03:00.002-07:00

Mom-ji and Mommy-ji on the roof in Jaipur

beautiful flowers on the street

Aahana!!!

Mom with the fam

Akshara, Akshay and I with a lot of laddu!

Bird Sanctuary/Jaipur

2008-12-28T10:57:00.001-07:00

Mom's visit to Ganesh-ji's temple

Akshay and Mom!! (My families finally meet!)

Checking out the birds

Snake birds drying their wings in the sun

Kingfisher bird!

Bird Sanctuary/Agra

2008-12-28T10:50:00.002-07:00

Painted Stork

Painted Storks nesting

Mom looking cute with her bike at the bird sanctuary

Peanuts on the roadside (taken for Nate's benefit)

Mom's first cup of chai in India! (on the streets in Agra)

More Fun Photos

2008-12-28T10:43:00.002-07:00

Mom at the Taj Mahal looking very cute!

The Taj Mahal reflection pools. A cute man took our camera and led us around to lots of different places to take photos of us with the Taj Mahal. Each photo he took he had to take vertical and horizontal. He would also instruct us to either stand up or sit down or squat. It was a pretty funny experience-and we got some really great photos out of it also!

Mom and I on our first day together in India!

Mom and her first monkey siting!

Erik and I dancing with Phalodi friends on our first visit to the residential quarters in Phalodi. Everyone kept asking us to dance so we asked everyone to join in.

Sight Savers International Visit Photos

2008-12-28T10:36:00.002-07:00

Avinash welcoming Lord Nigel Crisp with a mallah

URMUL staff with Sight Savers International visitors

Field Visit to observe a blind man who has been working with URMUL at his work-place. He is now able to work because URMUL staff have worked with him to train him to get around independently. He has not only gained confidence, but has also inspired others in the village who are living with disabilities.

The car got stuck in the sand so we all had to help push it out.

Waiting on the side of the road

Here are some more photos from Lord and Lady Nigel Crisp's visit to URMUL.

Various Photos from URMUL

2008-12-28T10:27:00.003-07:00

Surjan-Ram ji's brother in Bhojasar weaving

visiting Makesh, a 14 year old boy who is blind, but with the help of URMUL and Sight Savers International has learned Braille and has entered school

Lord and Lady Nigel Crisp with Makesh

Makesh with Elizabeth, the Sight Savers International India Director

Vinu and me!!!!

During out time with URMUL, Erik and I got to participate in a visit from Lord and Lady Nigel Crisp from England. Lord Crisp is the Chairman of Sight Savers International, an organization that has partnered with URMUL to provide comprehensive eye-care services. The visit consisted of field visits and meetings to review and observe the work and progress that has taken place as a result of this partnership. It was a really interesting and fun day. I wrote a report about the experience that I will also post for those who are interested in learning more about the program.

Field Visit with Krishna-ji-Animal photos

2008-12-28T10:20:00.004-07:00

Erik and I in the desert

Me with sheep

Erik and I with a goat

Krishna-ji with villagers, a camel and spraying water from the water hole

Krishna-ji, me and kids with a donkey

Erik had just put his camera away when a whole herd of goats and sheep came walking past us. We then decided you always have to have your camera out in India because anything can happen at any time. It proved to be true, because about 5 minutes after the goats and sheep came by, a man with a camel passed and then another man with a camel carrying a load of tons of sticks passed by. Krishna-ji stopped all to take photos. This turned into a photo shoot of us with various desert animals-goats, sheep, camels, and a donkey.

Phalodi

2008-12-28T10:13:00.002-07:00

Nice old man in village near Kolu

Erik and I with some villagers and a camel carrying a ton of sticks!

Maga Ram and Avinash!

Jakeer and I enjoying ginger coffee! DELICIOUS!

Jakeer with 50 rupee bill and 1 dollar bill. 50 rupees=1 dollar(approx.)

MOM-ji and Me in India Photos!

2008-12-28T09:50:00.004-07:00

Mom and I have taken so many photos since she got here (like 1000) so here is just a small sampling. I still have to go back and post photos from the rest of my time in Phalodi, then back in Jaipur and then all the different things with Mom. So, these are just a few to wet your appetite!

Christmas Eve bonfire, Kodaikannal

Mom and I eating "butterfruit" (avocado) on the way to Kodai. The woman told us it "takes like ice cream."

Chai in Jaisalmer with Erik bhai, Vimla-ji, Surjan Ram-ji and Maga Ram-ji

Jaipur family!

Mom and me at the Taj Mahal, Agra. So beautiful.

Back in Delhi

2008-12-28T09:47:00.002-07:00

Mom and I are back in Delhi after a week in South India. We had a fantastic time, full of lots of experiences and adventures. There is so much to tell and so many photos to share. We had a long day of traveling so I'm going to try to just upload some photos now and then write more tomorrow. I hope everyone had a blessed Christmas. Mom and I celebrated in Kodaikannal, which was an incredible experience. Tomorrow night we head back to the United States. I can't believe it, but I am very excited to see family and friends and celebrate the New Year together. As I said, I'll write more tomorrow. Until then, good night and much love to all.

South India

2008-12-20T06:43:00.002-07:00

Hello! Just a short update because we don't have long internet access. But, I wanted to say that we had an excellent visit to Agra, Delhi and out to Western Rajasthan. We had so much fun, and mom got to meet so many people who hold a very special place in my heart and experience in India. I'm excited to put up the photos asap. We traveled by overnight train from Jaipur to Jaisalmer with Erik. This was a crazy experience, as we were waitlisted (which I didn't realize until 3 hours before the departure time) so we had to get to the station early, I had to push my way to the front of the line to get confirmed seats. Then, we realized we only got 2 confirmed seats and were supposed to share one berth for sleeping. And, not only that, but our car was FULL OF 7-9th grade school boys!!! Yeah, crazy! And, the train was freezing and about 3 hours late. But, we made it and had a great reception from Maga Ram, shared delicious meals at his home, Vimla-ji, Surjan-Ram-ji and Khushal came to meet us, and it was great. And then, it RAINED IN JAISALMER!!!! CRAZY!! After Jaisalmer we headed to Lathi to Vimla's house. FANTASTIC TIME! Then after an overnight we went to Pokaran and then to Phalodi. Mom and I had a fun shopping excursion with the women of URMUL in Phalodi. Then a great send off from Phalodi and another night train to Jaipur. A few hours in Jaipur, a great meeting with Dr. Meeta Singh at her home, then a bus to Delhi, overnight in Delhi, then 430am wakeup and transport to airport and flight from Delhi to Chennai. Now, we are in Chennai. It is so different than North India. For one, its hot here now! Palm trees are everywhere, people look and dress different, different language, everything. We are excited to explore South India for a week before heading home. Sorry this is a rambling mess of a message, but I wanted to give a quick recap. More details and photos to come.
Love to all and happy holidays. May everyone have a blessed and peaceful Christmas shared with the ones you love.
Love from Hannah and Sue Ann

SHE'S HERE!

2008-12-14T00:15:00.002-07:00

Yes, that's right, Mommy-ji Sue ann is in INDIA!!! We have had jam packed days since she has been here. On December 10th after finishing up my classes and semester, I got on a bus from Jaipur to Delhi. Then, once in Delhi I got a rickshaw to take me to the hotel I had booked for us. That rickshaw took some time, since neither of us knew where the hotel was located exactly, and also because we had to stop for gas. Then, I went and got some fruit and snacks and cleaned up before taking a taxi to the airport at 9:00pm. Mom was supposed to get in at 9:45pm, but he plane was delayed almost 2 hours because of snow in Chicago. But, since I had no way to check that before going to the airport, I was there 2 hours before she got there. It was alright, but the waiting area is closed off now since the Mombay bombings. So, I waited outside along with all the other anxious family and friends waiting for their loved ones. I enjoyed some hot chai while I waited. Then, finally she came through the doors and I was sooo excited. We headed back to the hotel, all the while catching up on everything from the past 3 1/2 months. During this time, Mom was pointing out things like crazy traffic, cows in the streets, the people everywhere-things that I have now become accustomed to, but which are very surprising when you first arrive.

The next day we got up early, had some breakfast and then headed to Agra. We had a really nice driver named Sanjeev, who shared helpful cultural commentary while carefully navigating us to Agra. We visited the Taj Mahal, which is BEAUTIFUL!!! It is like everyone says-breathtaking, beyond words, just spectacular. We had a great dinner out and also Mom had her first chai of India on the street from a vendor.

The next day we got up early and headed toward Jaipur, with a stop at a Bird Sanctuary on the way. The Bird Sanctuary was AWESOME!! We rented bikes and had a great time biking around and looking at birds-like storks, cranes, snake birds and kingfishers. I can't wait to put up the pictures. The storks were unbelievable-there were so many of them and they were all nesting.
After the bird sanctuary we continued on to Jaipur. Then in Jaipur we went over to my host family for Mom to meet everyone. They love her and it is so funny and fun having my families meet. We stayed over late and then Papa-ji and Vinita Bua took us back to the hotel on their motor-bikes. Mom was so scared and held onto Vinita Bua really tight-it was pretty cute and funny. When we got back to the hotel mom got to meet Erik, Grace and Molly. Grace and Molly were leaving the next day for Delhi, but Erik is traveling out with Mom and me to Jaisalmer to meet all the NGO friends and family.

Yesterday we got up early at 6:15am to go running in Central Park while Papa-ji walked. Mom had brought him a track suit from the USA and he was wearing that and it looked great! Then we went to the house for chai and then walked back to the hotel to get cleaned up. After cleaning up, we headed back to the house for breakfast-which was delicious poha, and then Mommy-ji, Mom, Akshay and I went up to the roof to fly kites!! Akshay is really good at flying kites and he even cut someone's kite! We were totally impressed! Mom did a good job helping reel the kite back in. After kite flying on the roof, we headed to the old city for shopping! It was quite the adventure and experience. We bought sooooooo much stuff and had lots of laughs. After shopping, we went back to the house and then the hotel to drop things off, had a little short rest, and then headed back to the house to go to Raja Park for a few more things. Mom got to try her first samosa also! Oh, and in the old city we had buttermilk lassis! They were DELICIOUS! After all this shopping we did a little bit more by Ganesh temple on our street and then had a great dinner of palak paneer, dal and rice and roti.

This morning we got up at 6:15am again to go run in the park. Then, chai at the house again, and then back to the hotel to pack up and check out. We moved a lot of our baggage to MSID to store while we got out west. We leave on a train tonight for Jaisalmer. And today during the day we are going to do some Jaipur sight seeing. Also, for lunch today we had gatte belle, and garlic chutney-my favorite dishes!!!

Its great having Mom here and she is being quite the trooper-she is wearing me out and I don't even have to adjust to the time change! I feel very lucky and blessed to have this time together.

I'll try to put up pictures if I can, but my internet is not really frequent now, so they might have to wait til we get back to the United States.

I hope you are all happy and healthy and enjoying winter and getting excited for the holidays.
Much love from India!

Field Visit with Krishna-ji

2008-12-08T23:12:00.002-07:00

Krishna-ji

Muslim family

In the desert

Krishna-ji and Self Help Group leader

Field visit

Phalodi Kids

2008-12-08T20:59:00.002-07:00

Playing "Red Light, Green Light" on the roof

Vinu and Mamta!

Boys that attended a Youth Training Workshop at Phalodi campus. At first they were so annoying and wouldn't leave us alone, but then we talked to them and they were nice, sang songs and then the rest of the night sent us little pictures and messages they drew on pieces of paper through the door crack calling them "postcards."

Neighborhood kids

VINU!

Back in jaipur

2008-12-07T21:21:00.002-07:00

Hello everyone!

I'm back in Jaipur now. Today Erik and I are making a presentation to the rest of our peers about our time with URMUL. We are very excited to talk about all the amazing work and people we met and saw over the past 5-6 weeks. These next few days are full of wrapping up the semester, getting ready to go home, etc. Then, on December 10th, MOM COMES TO VISIT!!! I can't wait! We are going to visit the NGO family, my Jaipur family, and then head south for some visits and fun. I CAN NOT WAIT TO SEE MOM! And introduce her to India and re-see it all again from her eyes.

Our time with our NGO wrapped up really nicely. The last day we traveled with 40 URMUL staff to Luckanrsar (sp), where all of the URMUL family organizations were gathering for an annual meeting. It was great meeting workers from all of the 8 URMUL organizations. Then we took an overnight bus from Bikaner to Jaipur, got into Jaipur at 5:30 am, went to our hotel, kind of tried to sleep and then went to school!

I'm write a longer update soon. Much love to everyone.

Photos from Phalodi

2008-12-06T21:22:00.002-07:00

SURESH! and other little kids in the back

Neerma, me and Mamta!

siblings

cute little girl, but for some reason she was always crying. we tried to be her friend though, and in this picture she looks cute.

KAVITA!

Thoughts

2008-12-02T02:54:00.000-07:00

2, December 2008
10:30am
Phalodi

Happy December everyone!
I can’t believe that time has flowed so swiftly and we are now in the last month of 2008. I’m wondering if snow has begun to fall in Colorado and Minnesota, if the skies have turned gray, the ground cold and the air biting. I hope that the winter isn’t too harsh and that it isn’t keeping everyone locked up inside. I have to admit that I am quite happy to experience only half of a Minnesota winter this year. The days here have started to turn a bit chilly in the evenings and mornings, but as soon as the sun is out the heat is here! All of the Indians we are with are wearing long sleeves, jackets, hats and shawls, because this is their “winter,” but to me it feels like the best time of fall-when you can wear a few layers, but by mid-afternoon you’re in your t-shirt and pants soaking up the sun. It’s a time when the air is crisp but the sun is still shining full and warm. I think back to when we first got to India and every little movement caused a waterfall of sweat. It’s nice to be beyond that time, especially since we are living out in the desert of Western Rajasthan. Erik and I talk about how hot it must get out here in the desert-we can’t even begin to imagine. After experiencing day after day of cloudless skies, we are started to learn what it must be like to yearn for their rainfall and the time when crops grow and water is plentiful. There is a song in Hindi that we listened to out in Jaisalmer with Vuta-Ram that goes “Mausam bhiga, bhiga hai.” When we asked Vuta-Ram what it means, he told us that it means, “The weather is nice and good.” But, as we learned more Hindi, we discovered that it actually translates, “The weather is wet, wet.” As the world is more and more coming to realize, water rights, accessibility, and distribution is and will become even more one of the biggest issues we face as a world community. Living with the URMUL community in the Thar desert, I am seeing exactly how real this issue is. Some of the examples of water issues we have learned about and observed from our time with URMUL are:
-Part of the reason why URMUL was created was to provide income generation outside of the agriculture sector, because with droughts (like the ones experienced in the late 1980s) agriculture is not a secure source of income for families.
-The massive water pipes that are just outside of Phalodi proper that carry water from Punjab to the city of Jodhpur.
-Water tanks that have been built by URMUL in villages that catch the rainwater and provide drinking water for all of the months without rain.
These are just to name a few.

Two days ago Erik and I had the opportunity to discuss some of these issues with Arivand-ji from URMUL TRUST. URMUL Trust is the parent organization to URMUL Samiti. Arivand-ji had been with URMUL Trust since it’s inception in 1986, and before that he had been working with URMUL Dairy as a government servant, so he has more than 30 years of experience with development work in India. The meeting was extremely helpful and informative. Arivand-ji told us that the role of NGO’s is now shifting as development shifts. In the 1980s and 1990s, NGO’s often had to take the role of delivering services-such as education and health care. But now, as the government has improved these services, the role of NGO’s should be to empower communities to know their rights and demand them. He told us that the goals that were set for URMUL 10-15 years ago are met, and so now it is important to restructure and reanalyze the organization, its strengths, needs, and goals. All of the organizations in the URMUL family believe that change must come from the community. Arivand-ji told us that in the beginning they invited any of the local community to come and talk about what their community needed and wanted-that all voices were heard and valued. This still continues today as a big part of URMUL’s work is empowering local leaders to advocate for their communities.

Some of the challenges that URMUL faces are funding, capacity, and technology. First, funding is an issue because URMUL is always reliant on outside donors to provide the funding for their programs to continue and exist. Arivand-ji stated that in the past 10 years or so, development funds to India have slowed because in the global community India is seen as a country on the rise-it even has millionaires. Arivand-ji also stated that in the past 10-5 years, the youth in countries like the Netherlands, which used to be one of the biggest donors, have started to demand their own rights and demand funds for services in their own country. Erik and I have also seen the power dynamic that exists between “richer/developed” countries that have the funds and “poorer/developing” countries that need the funds. (I intentionally put richer/developed and poorer/developing in quotes because I do not think these are accurate or helpful terms. First, the do not accurately describe the current situation. Second, there are “developing” parts of the “developed” countries. Third, the terms richer and poorer only refer to monetary status and not to other indicators of well-being. Fourth, the status of richer and poorer does not necessarily describe the situation for all of a country’s population-it is merely the GDP.) For example, the Save the Girl Child initiative that Erik and I were studying in Jaisalmer ran from January 2006-July 2008, but then finished because funding ended. During this two-year period over 150 villages were organized and worked in by URMUL staff. The relationships were built, the seeds for change were planted, but now the project has stopped. Even though URMUL staff maintains relationships with the villages, they need funding to continue the work. When Erik and I met with Dr. Meeta Singh a couple of weeks ago, she stated that she really thinks that now is the moment when change can take place, but the moment has to be seized. For the project to be sustainable, villages need longer-term contact, but this isn’t possible without more funds. And the people who hold the power to more funds are in other “developed” countries. To me this creates an unfair and unjust model of development. I am not sure exactly how to change it, but I don’t know if as long as the “developing” world has to rely on the “developed” world for funds and support if sustainable development will ever take place. I do believe in international solidarity, but it is my opinion that making “developing” countries ask for money and support from “developed” countries is a continuation of colonization and a perpetuation of a hierarchical world order. There is an unjust power imbalance. I’m not sure if my feelings on this are correct or not, but I do think that their needs to be a new model of development. I’m not sure really what that would consist of, but development has been evolving the last 50 years and I think its time for it to evolve again.

All of these complex tensions were highlighted again for Erik and I yesterday when URMUL was visited by Lord Nigel Crisp and Lady Sian Crisp from London, England. Lord Nigel Crisp is the chairman of the UK based organization, Sight Savers International that works on eye-care around the world. Their slogan is “Saving Sight, Changing Lives.” URMUL Samiti was chosen for the visit out of 42 Sight Savers projects in 5 states of India. So, it was a huge privilege for the URMUL staff, and especially the field workers that work in the area of eye-care that they were chosen as an example of a Sight Savers success story. In preparation for the visit URMUL was cleaned, a “special” breakfast was prepared (and by this, I mean there were things that are presumed to be Westerner breakfast items-some of which are true, some of which are not-like fruit, tea bags with sugar cubes (not masala chai, like we normally drink), potato chips, and biscuits (cookies, but the Brits like to call them biscuits, and so Indians do too)), chair were set up meeting hall (we normally all sit on the floor cross-legged), bottled waters were bought (we normally drink well water), and orange juice was served (We NEVER have fruit juice, because it is too expensive). It was interesting being an “outsider” on the “inside” for this experience. You could feel the nervous and excited energy from all of the URMUL staff upon the arrival of the Lord and Lady. With them were also Elizabeth, the head of Sight Savers India, and 4 gentlemen from the regional Sight Savers office in Jaipur, Rajasthan. After a power-point presentation highlighting the history of URMUL and the progress of the Sight Savers program at URMUL, we had tea and the “breakfast” and then went on some field visits. Erik and I asked to and were allowed to tag along! We first visited a village and were led to a big dirt hole. When we got there a young man was pointed out to us. He was working alongside all the other workers, but the difference with him was that he held a stick to find his way. He is blind and before URMUL started working on eye-care in 2004, this man had just been sitting at home. Now, he is able to participate in work, contribute to the income of his family, and he has been a source of pride for the community and an inspiration to other blind and handicapped people in the community.

The first step of eye-care work in the communities is to set up diagnostic camps at schools and in the community to screen everyone and have their eyes checked. From there, some people are referred to hospitals. Some have eye surgery, some are able to recover without surgery and then those who are totally blind are worked with to increase mobility. This young man had been found during one of the screenings in his villages done by URMUL. Then, he was worked with one-on-one with an URMUL field worker to learn how to walk with a stick and get around independently. It was so amazing to see all of the pride in the fellow villagers as his story was told.

When we left the village one of the cars in the caravan got stuck in the sand, so we had to dig and push it out. Lord and Lady Crisp went to another village to meet a woman who URMUL works with. After that all of us visited Surjan Ram-ji’s village so that the visitors could see the weaving process. Erik and I also visited our friend Teena, who we met the last time we went to Surjan Ram-ji’s village. Teena is an amazing woman, who is tall, confident, hilarious, and full of life. She now calls us sisters and when we were about to leave, she made me stop so she could but makeup on me and give me a packet of bindis.

Then we made a stop at another village to meet a young boy of 14, Mahesh. Mahesh is totally blind and three years ago was diagnosed at one of the URMUL camps. After that he was assigned an URMUL teacher who started teaching him mobility as well as reading and writing Braille. He also helped get Mahesh enrolled in school, which until that time had been very hard since the school didn’t have the resources to teach a blind student. The URMUL field worker then started going to school with Mahesh to help the teacher, teaching Mahesh Braille, and also teach one family member and one peer group member to read and write some Braille. Two people in Mahesh’s life are being taught Braille so that he will have continued support when URMUL staff no longer works with him. This is in order to ensure the sustainability of the eye-care efforts. Mahesh also presented Lord and Lady Crisp with letters of welcome that he had prepared on his Braille maker. In just three years of working with URMUL, Mahesh has started going to school, has learned to read and write Hindi Braille, has started learning English Braille, has become the top student in his class, and has been able to read books for the first time in his life. Many members of the community gathered for the visit and I could see how much pride all of them had for Mahesh’s accomplishments. Mahesh said that this time with URMUL has taught him self-confidence. He also said that once he finishes school, he hopes to work with and teach other sight-impaired children how to read and write Braille.

After all these visits we headed back to URMUL, had some lunch (Indian style-the others went back to their hotel), and then said goodbye to the visitors. It was a really interesting visit-Erik and I were extremely impressed to see all the work that URMUL has done in the area of eye care and rehabilitation. But, we also felt conflicted about the power dynamic that existed between this Englishman and his organization holding the funds, and the URMUL staff hoping to receive them in order to continue their work.

Last night Avinash shared with us the photos from the day, the power-point presentation, and of course some Punjabi songs. This, of course, led to some Punjabi dancing!

Erik and I have also made the decision to extend our time with URMUL a couple of days to attend the annual URMUL meeting which will include staff from URMUL Trust and all the URMUL family organizations. We will travel to Bikaner with URMUL staff on December 6th attend the meeting and night time culture event and then head to Jaipur on December 7th for our semester wrap-up sessions.

Also, Erik and I are currently working on a proposal for Surjan Ram-ji, the chief executive of URMUL Samiti, to travel to the United States for a cross-cultural exchange. We are hoping to hold interactive discussions as well as exhibitions of the URMUL products. So far we have contacted our universities in Minnesota and California, as well as my home in Colorado. Everyone has expressed interest and enthusiasm. Now, we are just working on the funding side of things. If anyone is interested in helping plan/host an event/attend an event/be involved in the planning of this exciting opportunity, let me know.

Well, that’s all for now. As always, feel free to ask any questions or be in contact. Sending you and all of yours lots of love, happiness, and warmth from India.
Much love,
Hannah

Ps. I just realized that I didn’t answer the questions that some of you have asked about the bombings in Bombay. I really don’t know too much about everything, so yesterday I talked to some of the staff from the Sight Savers office in Jaipur. I asked them if they think the terrorists were from Pakistan or an internal group in India, or what they think the bombings were all about. George, the director of the Jaipur office, told me that what he believes has happened is that terrorism has shifted from being someone of militant groups with a purpose to becoming an industry. He says that terrorism is now an industry and that since nothing really seems to make sense and there are continuous, and somewhat small attacks, it seems to be driven by something else. He thinks that arms dealers are probably behind most of it, because if a war or armed conflict were to break out as a result of these bombings-like along the Pakistan-India border, then those who would benefit would be the arms producers and dealers. He also agreed with my opinion that the only reason that British and American passports were being checked was to arouse attention in those and other Western countries. Immediately after I heard that Westerners were being targeted, I looked at the numbers of those killed and found that out of 183 killed, 23 were foreigners. While this is extremely tragic-as any death is-for their families as well as all communities, I do not think that foreigners were targeted for any reason other than to get media coverage in those countries. As George mentioned, and I agree with this, we have to look at these bombings from deeper perspectives and not just on the surface. We have to ask the questions like, why was only one of the terrorists kept alive, and why as soon as he was caught did he start reveling information?; How did all of the anti-terrorists officials happen to arrive at the same time together?; Why was it at the Taj?; Why was it at the scale it was at?; Where did the weapons come from?, etc.
As I have said, I really don’t have very much information on the bombings, and so I am of course open to hearing other opinions and standpoints. However, I do think George is correct to say that we need to think critically about these attacks and not just respond out of rash emotions or racial and religious stereotypes and scapegoating.
Whatever the case may be, these are serious and important issues for all of us as a world community to look at, study, and deeply and compassionately analyze.

KIDS!/Weavers

2008-11-30T01:10:00.001-07:00

Very skilled weaver

CUTE LITTLE KID

DANCE DANCE

YIPPEE!!!

WEAVERS/Phalodi

2008-11-30T00:54:00.002-07:00

Surjan Ram-ji and his brother in their village weaving.
Weavers from Bhojasar village

Hand-weavers

Weaving

the girls of the neighborhood

PHALODI

2008-11-30T00:38:00.002-07:00

Surjan Ram-ji enjoying a cup of chai.
Jakeer Hussein, the best cook ever.

neighborhood kids-URMUL family

Surjan Ram-ji and his grandson, Vinu

cute!

Photos from Phalodi/Eika

2008-11-30T00:20:00.002-07:00

Woman in Eika village
lots of kids in Eika village.
We attended a meeting on child rights and protection and quality education.

Erik and some dudes.

Kavita, URMUL field worker

Raju, URMUL staff

Weaving Center, Pokaran

2008-11-29T23:32:00.001-07:00

Some photos from the Weaving Center at Pokaran.

Update

2008-11-28T05:05:00.003-07:00

I thought I should post to let everyone know that all is alright here. I am in Phalodi, in Western Rajasthan, which is very far away from Mumbai and the bombings that have taken place there. Thank you to everyone who has called or made contact. Even though we are all okay here, I am definitely concerned and sending love and comfort to the families and people affected by the bombings.

In other news, yesterday Erik and I went to Pokaran with Surjan Ram-ji and Bhera Ram-ji. On the way we noticed people covered in a yellowish liquid. As we kept traveling down the road, we saw an over-turned oil truck with lots and lots of people surrounding it. There had been an accident and people were flocking to get some free oil. People were filling up any kind of containers they had on them. The oil was dirty from the dust and sand, but it was still free, so a huge opportunity for a lot of people.

Erik and I have one week left with our NGO. We have really enjoyed out time. The other night is a prime example of how great our NGO staff is. Erik and I were in our room getting ready for bed when some staff members came in. We had been listening to some Bollywood songs and so the staff members started dancing. This led to one-two hours of dance party recording all the dancing on our video cameras. Then we all had to take turns singing our favorite songs. It was hilarious and a blast! I can't wait to share these videos with friends and family when I get back. They are CLASSIC and unforgetable

THANKS FOR VISITING!

2008-11-23T00:35:00.002-07:00

I wanted to write and thank everyone who has been visiting my blog and keeping up with whats been going on. Its always so great to hear from you all and I'm sorry if I don't respond immediately, but you are all always in my thoughts and well wishes.

I hope you all are enjoying the fall and have great Thanksgiving celebrations with your families and friends.

Also, some of you have asked if you can share this blog with family or friends-FEEL FREE!! Pass this along to anyone.

Sending loves and hugs from my heart to all of you.

Books I've Read this Semester

2008-11-23T00:09:00.003-07:00

I wrote this a while back while we were in Jaisalmer. Since that time, I've read some more books, but I thought I'd post this anyway.

Books I’ve read This Semester:

-Understanding the Caste System: The Non-Brahmanic Perspective

*I read this book for a book report for my Country Analysis course. I thought it was just an okay piece. It was a collection of essays that had been papers at a conference at the University of Pune on the Caste System. However, I found that that collection was all essays by academics-which I don’t really think can claim to be the Non-Brahmanic perspective. I didn’t feel that there were any voices of the people who the essays were talking about-like women, Dalits, scheduled castes, untouchables, converts to other religions because of their untouchable status, etc. The Introduction did provide a good overview of the history of religion in India. But, I found this book lacking.

-Equation for Life

*I read this book for a book report for my International Development course. It was a collection of essays surrounding issues of sustainable development. For my book report, I focused on the essay about sustainable agriculture and the effects of Intellectual Property Rights and Genetically Modified Crops, such as Bt Cotton.

-Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri

*This is Jhumpa Lahiri’s new collection of short stories. VERY GOOD, although this time almost all of the stories took place primarily in the United States, unlike Interpreter of Maladies that had stories set in both Western countries and India.

-Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts

UNBELIEVABLE!!!! The best way to describe it is to use the back cover:
“A novel of high adventure, great storytelling and moral purpose, based on an extraordinary true story of eight years in the Bombay underworld. In the early 80s, Gregory David Roberts, an armed robber and heroin addict, escaped from an Australian prison to India, where he lived in a Bombay slum. There, he established a free health clinic and also joined the mafia, working as a money launderer, forger, and street soldier. He found time to learn Hindi and Marathi, fall in love, and spend time being worked over in an Indian jail. Then, in case anyone though he was slacking, he acted in Bollywood and found with the Mujahedeen in Afghanistan...Amazingly, Roberts wrote Shantaram three times after prison guards trashed the first two versions. It’s a profound tribute to his willpower...At once a high-kicking, eye-gouging adventure, a love saga and a savage yet tenderly lyrical fugitive vision.” AND 934 PAGES LONG! Seriously, this book is SOOO crazy and SOOO amazing. Probably one of the best books I’ve read.

-One Night @ The Call Center

*I’m not sure how to describe this book! It is one of the top-selling English Indian novels and has recently been made into the Bollywood hit “Hello.” It is a story about six workers at a call center outside of Delhi and then one night they get a call from God. Basically the premise is that their lives are all full of issues and then this call from God gives them the strength and courage to make necessary changes in their life. But there are a lot of questionable parts in the book-like the portrayal of women, and the sentiment toward Americans. Basically, all Americans are portrayed as stupid, rich, and ignorant. I guess it was good to read this because it is such a wide-read book by English speaking Indians, but I wonder what they think about this book. It was disturbing to me, for more than just one reason.

-AIDS Sutra

*This is a collection of stories written by famous Indian authors. Each author tells the story of the different faces of HIV/AIDS in India. This ranges from impoverished drug injectors in the northeast to sex workers in Bombay to widowed women in villages whose husbands passed the disease to them and then after he died, his family shunned her, to truck drivers to the MSM (men who have sex with men) community, etc. A very good and important book to read.

-The Mistress of Spices by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

An awesome book that weaves together magic, spices, life stories or love, loss, grief, injustice, immigrant life, identity and culture. I’m in the middle of this book, so I’m offer more of an anotation later.

And, I’ve bought soooooo many more books to read!!! I can’t wait to read them and let you know what I think!

Mid Internship Report

2008-11-23T00:09:00.001-07:00

URMUL Marusthali Bunkar Vikas Samiti

For the MSID fall semester in India, “Community Internship in the Global South” field placement, Erik and I have been placed with URMUL Marusthali Bunkar Vikas Samiti, an NGO that works in Western Rajasthan. URMUL Marusthali Bunkar Vikas Samiti is part of the URMUL family, which consists of 8 URMUL organizations. In 1988 the late Sanjay Ghosh was a student at the Institute of Rural Management (IRMA) in Anand, Gujarat. His IRMA field placement at that time was with the government organization, URMUL, which stands for Uttari (Northern) Rajasthan Milk Union Limited. After joining URMUL, he started URMUL Rural Health Research and Development Trust. Through URMUL Trust, Sanjay Ghosh-ji created and began training programs for local community members. After their training with Sanjay Ghosh-ji, these trainees went on to found seven non-governmental development organizations.
URMUL Marusthali Bunkar Vikas Samiti, which in English means URMUL Desert Weaver Development Organization, was founded on 30, January 1991 by Ramchandra Barupal, Chetan Ram Barupal, Rewata Ram Panwar, Bhera Ram Juiya and Surjan Ram Jaipal. The five founding members are weavers from the Meghwal community (a scheduled caste) of Phalodi and Pokaran. URMUL Samiti began as an Income-Generation Program during a time of severe drought in the region. The other organization in the URMUL family are URMUL Seemant, which works on border and migrant issues in Bajju, Bikaner; URMUL Jyoti, which works on eye-care work in Nokha, Bikaner; URMUL Setu in Lunkaransar, Bikaner; URMUL Khejadi in Jayal, Nagore; URMUL Marushakti Sansthan in Sujangarh, Churu; and URMUL Shanti Maitri Mission in Pughal, Bikaner. The URMUL family has annual meetings and share similar values and missions, but each organization operates as a separate entity based on their location and developmental focus.
URMUL Marusthali Bunkar Vikas Samiti has three offices: Pokaran, Phalodi and Jaisalmer. We were first introduced to the organization and URMUL Samiti staff at Pokaran. All of the URMUL Samiti staff was gathering at the Pokaran campus for a month-end meeting. The objective of the month-end meeting is to update everyone in the organization on the on-going projects and progress in the field and to propose future course of action and work. During this two-day meeting, Erik and I were able to see the functioning of the organization. We observed that in the meeting hall and in the mess hall everyone sat together, regardless of caste, class or status in the organization. While there is an URMUL cook, everyone is responsible for washing their own dishes and staff members are conscious to share and distribute food and chai to everyone. The organization is headed by three of the founding members, Surjan Ram-ji, Bhera Ram-ji, and Rewata Ram-ji, but they sat on the floor in the meetings and ate with everyone as equals. During the meetings everyone sat in a circle facing one another and open discussion was encouraged and allowed. Everyone, from the drivers to the cooks to the weavers to the field workers joined together in the meeting sessions. We also observed a very interesting and beautiful custom that URMUL Samiti has, which is to sing at the beginning of every meeting and also every time the meeting reconvenes after chai breaks or lunch break. At night URMUL staff joined together to sing traditional songs and play traditional instruments. We have observed that preserving and maintaining culture is a very important part of this organization.
At the Pokaran campus we were given a tour of the weaving and dying training center. When URMUL Samiti was created in 1991 it was with the purpose of reviving and creating a market for the traditional weavers from the Meghwal community of Phalodi and Pokaran. In 1994, after an outbreak of malaria, URMUL Samiti extended its efforts to support development work for weaving and non-weaving families in the region. Since that time URMUL has been dedicated to working for the development of the vulnerable and marginalized, especially Dalits, women and children. This commitment is evident in URMUL Samiti’s mission, which is ,“To bring together the local people, to empower them and make them aware of their rights, and to participate actively in all spheres of their development and build their capacity to conserve and develop the traditional art.”
Current URMUL Samiti programs are: income generation through weaving, comprehensive eye services, village resource centers, a library program, child rights activism, water harvesting, disaster preparedness and risk reduction, a computer lab, birth registration, Panchayat Resource Center, Dalit development and advocacy, horticulture and agriculture programs, and women’s Self-Help Groups. An extension of these programs has been a female feticide prevention initiative that took place in Jaisalmer from January 2006-July 2008. For all of these programs, URMUL Samiti has both national and international supporters, such Save the Children, Finland; Save the Children, UK; OXFAM India Trust; Room to Read; Plan International (India Chapter); and USAID.
As we learned at the October month-end meeting in Pokaran, URMUL staff works either at one of the offices or in the field throughout the year. Sometimes conferences or workshops are held at one of the offices. At the Pokaran campus there is a weaving training center, dyeing center, and showroom that are always in operation. Since Phalodi is the main office, that is where the main offices are located. The Phalodi campus also houses eight of the URMUL staff families, including Surjan-Ram’s, Bhera-Ram’s, and Rewata Ram’s families. An URMUL brochure states, “In scores of poor homes in villages where weaving had been facing extinction, the looms are busy again, providing a livelihood. UMBVS campuses in Phalodi and Pokaran provide space for training, storage, dyeing, display and sales, besides modest residential facilities and a platform for community activities.” We were told that weavers initially receive 60% from each product sold, and then at the end of the year all of the year-end profit is distributed among the weavers. The other 40% goes to the designers, sewers and development programs.
Erik and I spent our first two weeks with URMUL Samiti at the Jaisalmer office working with Maga-Ram, Vuta-Ram and Vimla-ji. Our days consisted of traveling to villages to talk with men and women about issues surrounding female feticide. We discussed marriage, dowry, women’s rights, education, boy and girl births, culture, and community. The Jaisalmer office is not currently in operation because the Save the Girl Child initiative that URMUL was working with only ran from January 2006-July 2008. Even though the official timeline for this work has been completed, URMUL staff still maintains relationships and connections with the communities and villages that were organized around this issue. After two weeks of these field surveys, we moved to the Phalodi campus. The past three days we have spent attending a teacher-training workshop led by URMUL Samiti and Room to Read staff. During these next 15 days at Phalodi we will make field visits to see the work done in the areas of weaving, horticulture and agriculture, water harvesting, education and child rights.
I have been very impressed with URMUL Samiti as an organization and with each of the staff members for their dedication, passion, and commitment to their communities, traditions, and development. They have obviously taken very vital and grassroots steps to work for the maintenance and revitalization of traditional craft as well as the implementation of integral and holistic developmental initiatives in their communities. However, there are some areas for improvement. For example, out of the 60+ staff members, only about 7 are women. In addition to this, the majority of the weavers that the organization works with are men. While there are some initiatives for women’s empowerment, this is not shown in the make-up of the organization itself. I also think that there are issues of sustainability for many of the URMUL projects. For example, URMUL gives the weavers the dyed cotton and wool that is used for weaving. They are also given looms. This makes me wonder if income generation program that URMUL is undertaking could be sustainable without URMUL’s presence in the communities. In addition to that, the cotton comes from a mill in New Delhi, and I think it would be more beneficial or the weavers, the earth, and purchasers to use organic cotton, or to be connected to or start a sister cotton-milling organization.
In conclusion, Erik and I have thoroughly enjoyed our time and work with URMUL Marusthali Bunkar Vikas Samiti. We have seen that all of the staff is actively working for improvement and development in the communities they serve. URMUL does a good job of talking with and listening to community members’ needs and then responding with comprehensive and holistic programs. URMUL has made remarkable strides in reviving an important and beautiful artisan tradition and has created both a national and international market for their products. However, there are places for improvement, especially around the issues of sustainability and gender equality. I look forward to learning from the second half of this field placement.

Field Notes #2

2008-11-23T00:08:00.001-07:00

Field Notes #2: Amar sagar

On 6, November 2008 Erik and I traveled with Vuta Ram-ji to Amar sagar, which is about 15-20 kilometers from Jaisalmer. We met with 6-10 women and many more infants and children at the government children’s center in the village. In addition to the village women, we also met the ANM that has been assigned to and living in Amar sagar for a few years. The women were very frank, animated, and direct with us throughout the field visit. Throughout the whole meeting, there were lots of little babies and children wandering around and playing. Some of the women would get up to take care of a child or go home, and another would come and take her place. This was an open and playful environment and interaction with the women and this led to an extremely productive field visit.
In response to our first question, “What is the different in a boy birth and a girl birth?” one of the women pointed to another woman. The first woman told us that this other woman has six children. She first had five girls and was very sad after each birth, but then she finally had a boy and was very happy. We asked why there was so much sadness after the birth of girls and were told that it is because girls marry and move to another house. Girls are also a burden because you have to pay dowry when the girl is married. I asked if boys and girls are treated differently after they are born, and was told that boys and girls are fed the same and go to school together (which is different than in Chandan, for example, where boys and girls go to school separately). However, girls only go to 8th standard because after that they have to go to Jaisalmer for secondary school and it is believed that that is too far away for girls.
We were also told that there are more boys than girls in the village. However, the women told us that the reason for the larger number of boys was “god-given.” It is my understanding after talking with Vimla-ji and Vuta-Ram that this is not actually true. There are medical interventions that occur to abort female fetuses, but none of the women in this group would talk about it, and I didn’t know where my place was to push the question further, especially since Vuta-Ram had to translate my questions. I asked the women what happens when a couple has had all the children they want to have and was told that at that time, women will have a sterilization operation, if the husband wants. The women said that it is the husband’s decision if this operation takes place or not, but no men will get the operation done themselves. It is believed that if men have a vasectomy, it will make them weak. I asked the women why their husbands make the decisions concerning their bodies, and they said, “Where will we go if we don’t listen to what he wants?” They were married into his family and live in his house and often don’t have economic independence or employment outside of the home, so they have to listen to their husband’s choices because otherwise they will be “put out.”
The women all stated that they don’t really like dowry, but it is their system and culture, and so they have to do it. When I asked the women if they liked being women, they all stated that if they could have asked god, they would have asked to be men. They would prefer to be men because men can come and go as they please, and there is also a big problem with smoking and alcohol, which only the men take part in. The women said that their husbands are different when they drink and cause lots of problem, like coming home and hitting the wives and children. They said that they think the government should do something to help with this problem. I asked the women if they want to change the way the men act, and they said that they do, but that they can’t because the men are in charge and make the decisions in the house. There is no women’s group in this village and it seems as if the women, even though they are aware of their secondary status and subservient role in the home, don’t what steps to take to change this situation.
Since the village Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) was present, I took advantage of the opportunity to ask her about her work with the women and children in the village. The government placed her in Amar sagar. She has been living and working there for a few years. She was just 24 years old and has two children. She was married at age 16. She doesn’t see the different number of boys and girls as a problem in the village. She said that her job is just to record the births, administer medicines and vitamins and take care of vaccinations. She did tell us that she get more pay from families when a boy is born than when a girl is born.
The majority of the women we spoke to had been married between the ages of 9-18. There were a couple of women that had been married as late as 30. All of the women had arranged marriages. They told us the story of a couple from the village that recently had a love marriage conducted at the local temple, but were now sitting in prison because the girl’s family had called the police on them.
Erik and I were both very pleased with all of the information and stories that were shared during this meeting. The women enjoyed laughing and joking with us, even amidst very serious discussion topics. The women invited me to stay in their village and to arrange a marriage for me, which we think was partially in-joke, and partially in seriousness. We really enjoyed this meeting, but I also couldn’t help but be saddened and surprised by the responses that all of the women wished to be men, that the women and their children face domestic violence that is related to alcohol abuse, that so many of the women explained that they do not have the power to make decisions concerning their own bodies, and that the women for the most part feel disempowered to do anything about their situations. I was also surprised by the ANM’s response that she doesn’t see the different in numbers of boys and girls in the village as a problem. She also didn’t think there were any issues or problems related to women and children in the village. This makes me wonder about the training of ANM’s and their effectiveness in communities. I remember having a conversation with Becky Ford, a past MSID student, where she told me that often the ANM’s work in the village is only as effective as the ANM herself. If the ANM is motivated and active, then there is the potential for good work to be done, but this can go the opposite way as well. I am not trying to place a value judgment on this particular ANM. I am just offering my observations about her opinion of her role in the village and in service to women and children.

Field Notes #1

2008-11-23T00:06:00.001-07:00

The next three blog posts will be copies of assignments that I completed for my Internship course. Some of it will be repeats from other posts, but some is fresh material. This first one is a field note.

Field Notes #1: Chandan, Lathi, and Sodakore

Erik and I have been conducting field visits in the villages surrounding the city of Jaisalmer with the help and guidance of URMUL NGO staff for the Jaisalmer office. The villages we are visiting were organized and worked with as a part of the female feticide awareness and education initiative that ran from January 2006-July 2008 under the title, “Save the Girl Child.” URMUL was one of the NGOS that worked with the “Save the Girl Child” initiative. This field note will include information, observations and reflections from the first three villages we visited: Chandan, Lathi, and Sodakore.
Chandan 3, November 2008; field visit with Vimla-ji and Maga Ram
We went to the government children’s center to meet with Maya, the head worker at the center. She works there with 2 other women and earns 1000 rupees/month for her daily work at the center. When we first arrived we were shown a little baby girl whose birth had been celebrated by the village’s Self-Help Group (SHG), which is led by Maya. The baby girl is her grandchild and celebrating girl child births has been part of the female feticide prevention work done by URMUL and Save the Girl Child. After we met this little girl and some other children at the center, we asked Maya some questions. We learned that Maya is illiterate, had been married at age 12, had her first child at age 16, and is the leader of the village women’s SHG. We were surprised to learn that there are 30 girls and 10 boys in the village. We asked if female feticides are an issue in the village and were told by Vimla-ji, an URMUL field worker, that they are. Also, from observation of the children at the center, there seemed to be more boys than girls wandering around. Maya also told us that the town wants boys but that the women’s group has started celebrating girl births also. Even though Maya is working to promote dignity of the girl child, she believes that boys and girls should be educated separately because boys and girls are different. Currently, very few girls in the village study after the 5th standard.
When we asked Maya her hopes for the future, she said that for her family she would like necessities, like a cooler and also a sewing machine for her daughter Soniya. For the village she hopes for a doctor and a hospital, since the closest hospital is in Jaisalmer and there is not easily accessible health care besides the local Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM). She also hopes for better and further education for girls in the village, because many girls do not study past primary school. For the country, Maya said she wants India to be a strong country.
We also had the opportunity to meet Maya’s daughter, Soniya, her friend, Prema, and her son-in-law (the father of the celebrated baby girl we met earlier in the visit). All of the younger generation said that they think that education should be together and not separate. Prema is one of the rare girls in the village who has had a further education and is currently in the 11th standard. She said that she plans on finishing 12th standard and then would like to become a police officer because she would like to work in women’s safety and security.
This was a good first meeting, however there were some difficulties conveying questions and responses because we did not have one common language. However, we did the best we could and everyone worked their hardest to translate and communicate the messages we were trying to share. Also, we hadn’t come up with questions before the meeting because we weren’t sure what we would be doing when we went to the village for the field visit. This led us to planning out questions and translating them ahead of time in order to better communicate at our next field visit.
Lathi: 4, November 2008; field visit with Vimla-ji
Lathi is Vimla-ji’s village, well actually it is her husband’s village, but since women move to their husbands home after marriage, it is now her village as well. As soon as we arrived at Lathi, Vimla-ji covered her head with her sari because it is her husband’s village. We went to Vimla-ji’s home at the end of the village, met her children and had lunch. During lunch three women came over and we asked them some of our questions concerning male or female preference, dowry, marriage, births, etc. Translation was not accessible at this time, so we had Vimla-ji write the responses on a piece of paper to have translated later.
When we got the responses translated by a fellow intern at URMUL, we learned that in response to the question, “what do you hope for in the future?” the women stated that they want to bring happiness to their families and hope for employment opportunities for their children. In response to the question of what issues women in the community face, they stated, “violence against women, and that there is a movement to eliminate violence against women and to eliminate discrimination among boys and girls.” Vimla-ji’s notes also say that the women’s group does lending and borrowing to start small businesses to increase income for women. She wrote notes like, “women should raise their voice against violence and should get justice;” “Parents don’t educate girls because they think after marriage they have to go to another house;” and “People have developed the mentality that girls and boys are not equal because the boys continue the family and they support their elders.” These last comments were responses from the women we met at Vimla-ji’s husband’s parents home. All of the women there stated that they want boys and not girls and that these are the reasons for the male preference.
We also talked to Vimla-ji’s two eldest daughters about their future husbands. Jyoti and Preeti are 18 and 17 years old and their marriages have already been arranged. They will get married at the same time in a year or so once Preeti turns 18 years old. Neither of the young women wants to be married, and when we asked why they are getting married, Jyoti answered with one world, “unjustly forced.” I was surprised by this answer since Vimla-ji is working in the field of women’s empowerment. I asked who was forcing the marriages and was told that it is Vimla’s husband’s parents who are insisting that the marriages take place. This really showed me that change takes a long time, because it has to take place in phases. I understand that Vimla-ji does not want her daughters to be shamed in the family or community and therefore has to follow some rules and traditions that she does not completely agree with. However, it is unfortunate that these two young, bright, and beautiful young women are going to be forced into marriages that they do not want to take place. The family has to pay dowry for both of the girls as well. They told us that the dowry will be 200,000 rupees, which is a very large amount of money. Both Jyoti and Preeti are marrying within their caste, which is a common theme that we have noticed with talking with people at these field visits as well as on the street and on buses.
Sodakore: 5, November 2009; field visit with Vimla-ji
On our way back to Jaisalmer from Vimla-ji’s village we stopped at Sodakore. We met with some men and one woman at the home of a young man who is part of the village’s youth group. This was just a short meeting because there had been a death in the village so the meeting Vimla had planned was canceled due to the death. However, we did meet some elders of the village and were introduced to a baby girl. I asked if the baby girl’s birth had been celebrated and Vimla-ji told me that sweets had been distributed on the occasion of the baby’s birth. This is a big achievement because women’s births are not often celebrated in villages. We couldn’t ask too many more questions because of a lack of translation.
Overall Observations:
In these first three field visits it really became apparent that the male preference we had learned about during the track section of our International Development course are the reality for so many people. Coming from a country that does not have a gender preference it was shocking to hear both men and women state that they would prefer to have boy babies and that boys and girls are different from one another. It also made me realize that century old cultural expectations and values are hard to change and the work that Save the Girl Child initiative and programming with URMUL has made significant strides, even if that just means for now celebrating girl births. There is still so much work to do and so many inequalities between boys and girls-ranging from education, health services, life expectations, marriage expectations, work and career opportunities, food, etc.
I have also observed that so much of NGO work is building relationships with communities and community members. Sometimes field visits might not seem to have accomplished any immediate thing, but they are important for establishing and maintaining relationships, building trust and confidence, and listening to the needs of the communities that the NGO serves.

URMUL Schedule

2008-11-23T00:05:00.001-07:00

Here is a little summary of Eriks and my time with URMUL so far.
URMUL NGO Internship/Field Placement Schedule:

Oct 30: Travel from Jaipur to Pokran, meet some URMUL staff at Pokran office (including Maga Ram and Vimla-ji), have short planning meeting with 3 Head URMUL staff members-Bhera Ram, Sujan Ram and

Oct 31: Tour of Weaving Training Center and Showroom at Pokran with Sujan Ram and Bhera Ram, End of Month full URMUL staff meeting, break-out session with OXFAM India program, night music with staff members

Nov. 1: Full staff meeting all day with singing and presentations of each project update and future planning, purchase URMUL kurtas

Nov. 2: travel from Pokran to Jaisalmer with Maga Ram, unpack and get settled in Jaisalmer office, visit haveli with Maga Ram and Vuta Ram, visit the Jaisalmer vegetable market, go for a short walk around the office, play cards with Vuta Ram, Vuta Ram stays the night at the office

Nov. 3: Chandan field visit with Vimla-ji and Maga Ram, Vimla-ji stays the night at the office

Nov. 4: Lathi field visit, visit Vimla-ji’s home and family, visits with neighbors and family members, dress up in Rajasthani fashion, sleep over at Vimla’s house

Nov. 5: visit famous temple near Lathi with a bunch of kids, BARACK WINS US Presidential election, Sodakore field visit with Vimla’ji, return to Jaisalmer

Nov. 6: Amarsagar field visit with Vuta Ram, lunch at Maga Ram’s house, meet Maga Ram’s family

Nov. 7: Mulsagar field visit with Vuta Ram

Nov. 8: Model Village field visit with Maga Ram on motor-bike, Maga Ram’s house for lunch and dinner

Nov. 9: Sunday rest day, use internet, (bed taken by neighbor’s mother-in-law), wash clothes

Nov. 10: visit from Phalodi staff, visit Sam sand dunes, ride camel, big sleepover with Phalodi staff at Jaisalmer office

Nov. 11: visit hospital because of Radha’s sister’s delivery, visit the Jaisalmer fort with Vimla-ji and Vuta Ram, travel to Lathi with Vimla, stay the night at Vimla’s house

Nov. 12: travel from Lathi to Jaisalmer, Frank and Vanessa arrive in Jaisalmer

Nov. 13: Rent taxi with Vanessa and Frank, Masuri field visit, Sam sand dunes, camel rides

Nov. 14: Visit Jaislamer Fort and haveli with Frank and Vanessa, Frank and Vanessa leave for Jaipur, dinner at Maga Ram’s house

Nov. 15: Erik gets his ears pierced, purchase Rajasthani shoes and earrings

Nov. 16: pack-up, travel from Jaisalmer to Phalodi with Maga Ram, move into guest room at Phalodi campus, look at photos with Khalu Ram

Nov. 17: look at photos with Raju Ram, Teacher Training session at Phalodi campus-inter-organization workshop focused on issues of library development, reading kits, and the “Room to Read” initiative, night time singing with some URMUL staff

Nov. 18: Teacher Training session at Phalodi campus, write poems about books, teachers, children, school, book-bags, visit residential quarters, sweets in town with Surjan Ram-ji

Nov. 19: Teacher Training session at Phalodi campus, visit URMUL family residential quarters, design students at URMUL campus

Nov. 20: meeting at Pokaran with Dr. Meeta Singh, sweets in town with Surjan Ram-ji

Nov. 21: Eika village visit with Save the Children Finland URMUL team: meeting on quality education and child rights and protection, tea at LIC, visit residential quarters

Nov. 22: Surjan Ram-ji’s village with Surjan Ram-ji, Khushal and “greaser,” visit weaving community member homes, meet Tina and visit her home, boy youth group at URMUL campus

Nov. 23: FINALLY FOUND INTERNET IN PHALODI AND UPDATE BLOG!

Move to Phalodi

2008-11-23T00:03:00.000-07:00

Move to Phalodi

17, November 2008
12:00 noon

Yesterday Erik and I left the Jaisalmer office with Maga-Ram (and said goodbye to Vutaa Ram) and moved to the main URMUL office at Phalodi. Phalodi is about 160 km from Jaisalmer. We went by bus around 2:30pm and arrived at Phalodi around 5:30pm. We were greeted by Sujan Ram (who is the Chief Executive of URMUL), Bera Ram (another of the founding members of URMUL) and other URMUL staff. This is the main URMUL office so the majority of the workers are here. The URMUL campus consists of offices, a meeting hall, a kitchen, cook, garage full of motorbikes, and two guest rooms. Erik and I are staying in one of the guest rooms on the roof of the building. We have a huge roof top porch and have a good view of Phalodi. Behind the main office building (on the other side of the open courtyard) live eight URMUL families. Sujan Ram and his family, Bera Ram and his family, and then 6 others (whose names I don’t remember right now, because there are so many names and faces to match them to). We aren’t really sure what our work here will look like. We are thinking that we will still be visiting some nearby villages, like we did in Jaisalmer. However, now the focus will be less on female feticide issues and more on the weaving projects, and other development programs that URMUL runs (like children’s rights, birth registration, eye heath care, education). Today there is a big teacher training meeting here at the Phalodi office.

Last night after we were settled into our room, we had dinner and then Sujan Ram’s son, Khalu, showed us a bunch of photos on his computer. He is in his early 20s and has one son, Vinu, who is 4 ½ years old. Most of the photos were of his son, Vinu, and some of his wife. There were photos of a family trip to Jaipur. He also showed us videos he has made of his son dancing or doing English homework. The whole time that he was looking at his son’s pictures he was just beaming. Even though he only makes about 6000 rupees/month, he pays 1000/month in school fees for his son to attend an English-medium school. Just like Maga Ram who pays for extra out of school English tutoring for Rahul (and has also bought him lots of Leap Frog activity books), Khalu wants all the best education and opportunity for his son-everything he wasn’t able to have. He told us that he is taking lots of pictures and videos of his son now to give to him when he is older, like in his early twenties. We also found out that Sujan Ram’s family is of one of the 5 scheduled castes (which are some of the lowest castes in India).

Along with the photos of his family, Khalu showed us photos of Sujan Ram’s trip to South Africa. Sujan Ram went to South Africa to represent URMUL weaving at a museum exhibition in Johannesburg. He was gone for 20 days, and it was a VERY BIG deal that he had this opportunity. Sujan Ram’s son showed us pictures of Sujan Ram’s farewell, and how it was a very big deal because very few people have the opportunity to go abroad and so when one person does, it is a big deal and a huge source of pride for everyone in the family and the organization.

3:00pm

Erik and I just sat through the teacher training meeting for the past three hours. It was completely in Hindi, so we didn’t understand much of it, but I do know that they are talking about reading programs and a new library initiative. Even though I really wish I knew what everyone was saying, I think it is good to experience situations as an outsider. In my life, as a white, middle-class, educated woman, in the the United States I am so often used to living in the majority and having situations and opportunities accessible to me.

Erik GOT HIS EARS PIERCED!

2008-11-15T05:07:00.002-07:00

Erik and I are huge admirers of the ear-piercings that almost all men in Western Rajasthan have. So, today Erik bought some of the beautiful gold flower earrings and then got his ears pierced. We thought that we were going to be taken to a piercing store, but we were just led to women on the street who were ready to pierce his ear right then and there. We weren't sure how sterile and sanitary that would be and when we hesitated, everyone just kept saying "it won't hurt, there won't be blood." But, we insisted that we at least needed to get some iodine or alcohol to clean his ears and the earrings first. We then walked to a nearby chemist and got some iodine and cotton (for 20 rupees) and then headed back to the ladies. We drew quite the crowd-probably because there aren't many foreigners who just sit down on the wooden bench and let the woman jam the earrings through their ears! Erik was a great sport and he looks great with pierced ears. The were pierced with just fake diamond studs and in a few days he can put in the gold flowers! We can't wait! I also got some Rajasthani fashion today. I bought some beautiful silver earrings-that are gauged! Just like with the crowd for Erik's piercings, a crowd gathered to offer their opinions about which pair of earrings I should buy! It was a great day at the market!

Vimla's House/Field Visit

2008-11-15T05:02:00.002-07:00

The first two photos are of little girls at our last field visit. The other three photos are at Vimla's house. These are huge chunks of sugar that are then crushed and sifted and then melted down. I helped her with the process! And then at night Jyoti did henna for me! We also taught everyone the Hokey Pokey and the Macarena! They LOVED IT!

Jaisalmer Fort/Field Visit

2008-11-15T04:54:00.002-07:00

The last three photos are from the Jaisalmer Fort that we visited with Vimla-ji and Vuta Ram the other day after we visited the new baby at the hospital. Then there is a photo of the fresh vegetables that are sold on carts all over India. The first photo is of a very special little girl that we met at the last village we visited. We visited the village to talk about child rights and female feticide. We first talked to the little kids and at first the only kids that volunteered to sit in front of us and talk were little boys. I then asked if a little girl wanted to talk to us. Most were too shy, but this little girl, Yogita, wasn't shy or afraid. She talked to us and told us that she wants to become a doctor in Jaisalmer someday. We wished her lots of luck and told her we believe she can do it. I'll post soon more details about this and other field visits that we have recently gone on.

New Baby

2008-11-15T04:23:00.002-07:00

The other day Maga Ram called Vuta Ram to tell him that he was at the hospital because Radha's sister had just delivered her baby. We went with Vuta Ram and Vimla-ji to the hospital to visit. Vimla-ji took me with her into the ward to visit the mother and baby. When we got into the room there were beds full of women, with guests either sitting on the floor or on the beds with the new mothers. Radha was sitting on the ground with another woman next to the bed that her sister was lying on. I could feel the weight of sadness as soon as I walked in. I was given chai and as I sat there sipping it, I was told that she had just had her sixth girl, and so the mother was disappointed since she had wanted a son. I asked where the baby was and was shown a bundle of blankets behind the mother's back. The mother was lying on her side on the mattress and the baby was wrapped in blankets and lying behind her. The mother sat up after a few minutes but faced the wall and not the rest of us or the baby. I asked to take a photo of the baby and even then the mother didn't turn around. The baby is healthy, but I could sense the sadness the mother was feeling. It was so hard to see a mother so disappointed by her newborn baby, and this in the family of someone who works on the issue of female feticide and women's rights. It just showed me how expectations are so deeply imprinted on women's lives and psyches. I saw the father of the baby today in the vegetable market and asked about the mother and baby, and he said they are both fine. I hope that the family can embrace and love this beautiful baby girl.

Sand Dunes

2008-11-15T04:17:00.000-07:00

Fun times in Jaisalmer

2008-11-15T04:06:00.000-07:00

A few days before Vanessa and Frank came for a visit, the URMUL staff took Erik and I out to the sand dunes to ride camels. Three of these pics are from that day, and one is from the day at the dunes with Vanessa and Frank. The last photo is of Radha, Maga Ram's awesome wife! She is so chill, beautiful, fun and funny. We love going over to their house to visit, play with the kids, and eat delicious food.

Fun Photos

2008-11-15T03:57:00.001-07:00

Photos 1 and 2: Maga Ram's ADORABLE children! Photo 3: GOATS Photo 4: all three of us on one motor-bike. we went 45 kms each way for a field visit on this thing!!! Photo 5: Erik's a BRO.

Mulsagar visit

2008-11-15T03:49:00.001-07:00

Photos 1-5: Pictures from Mulsagar. The last photo is of me and Preemi with her grandson. See Field Notes Post for details! The other photos were yet another "dress hannah up in rajasthani fashion" session!

Field Photos

2008-11-15T03:41:00.002-07:00

Photo 1: Erik and another guy on the tractor we rode to Mulsagar for our field visit; Photo 2: Maga Ram and his 5 year old son, Rahul; Photo 3: Erik and I with little boys who led us to a temple in Amarsagar; Photos 4 and 5: Women at Amarsagar during our field visit. See Field Notes Post for details about this visit.

Temple Visits near Lakhe

2008-11-13T09:20:00.001-07:00

Vimla's Village Photos

2008-11-13T09:13:00.002-07:00

More photos from our overnight at Vimla's village. By the way, this was the night of the US Presidential Election, so all night long I was anxious to hear the results. In the morning after we went to the temple, we got back and had breakfast and then I got the call from Mom telling me that BARACK WON!! Then I got texts from my Rachel Didi and Grace and a phone call from my host family in Jaipur!

Photos 1-3: Me in Rajasthani dress Photo 4: Me with Vimla's family: Vimla, Jyoti, Preeti, Deepti, Ajay and Chhoti Photo 5: Me with Vimla's mother, father, and brother in law and a cousin of the family

Vimla's Village: First Visit

2008-11-13T09:05:00.002-07:00

On our third day in Jaisalmer we went to Vimla's village, Lakhe, to talk with some women and also to meet her family. These are some pics from our time there. We feel in love with the family and have already been back to visit again. We stayed overnight, they dressed me up in Rajasthani fashion, we met lots of relatives and neighbors, visited a famous temple in the morning, and slept under the stars. It was a GREAT time. There are a lot of photos!

Photo 1: kids in front of the beautiful sun set after playing freeze tag together with Erik and I (we were extremely out of breath from the game-we realized how OLD we are!) on the sand hills Photos 2: a really nice neighborhood boy Photo 3: Vimla-ji in her garden Photo 4: Vimla's father-in-law Photo 5: two of Vimla's kids and some neighbor kids in front of Vimla's house

2008-11-13T08:58:00.000-07:00

First two photos are photos of the view from our rooftop. Then a GREAT picture of Vimla-ji that Erik took at a field visit. Then two pics of friends that Erik and I made on a bus ride the other day. We got placed up in the front cab of the bus and so we chatted with the driver and another guy up in the cab of the bus. Both guys were OBAMA supporters!

Photos!

2008-11-13T08:49:00.002-07:00

Some pictures from our time with Urmul. The first two are photos of our first day of field visiting at Chandan: Vimla is on the left and Maya (the women's group leader of the village-who I mentioned in a past post). The second photo is one of the women who works at the Children's Center in Chandan with a baby girls whose birth was CELEBRATED! Then a photo of Erik and I in the front of a bus, then a great sign that Erik and I found our first day in Jaislamer, and then finally a photo from the vegetable market where we buy our veggies everyday.

Vanessa Visits!

2008-11-13T08:42:00.002-07:00

Vanessa Shafa (who I studied abroad with in Central America fall semester 2006) is living in South India and she is traveling around North India right now and came to Jaisalmer with her friend, Frank! It is great to see her! We figured out that we have now been in six countries together: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, USA, and India! We took Frank and Vanessa with us on a field visit today and then went to the sand dunes and rode camels!

Jaisalmer

2008-11-09T04:06:00.003-07:00

The first day we got to Jaisalmer, Vuta Ram and Maga Ram took Erik and I to visit the famous haveli here. They charge foreigners 50 rupees to go inside and then more money for taking photos. But we said no to the fees and just sat around. Then Vuta Ram and Maga Ram were like okay, its cool, they said you can go inside, so we did-free of charge, and we took pictures too! And the last picture of Maga-Ram and Erik is right outside of our office!

Urmul Photos

2008-11-09T03:43:00.004-07:00

Here are some photos from the staff training days with Urmul. These were the first 2 days that we spent with the organization. On the second night we were there everyone gathered together for music. The head staff of the organization along with field workers and other staff, like drivers, cooks, etc, all participated-playing instruments, singing and clapping. It was a magical experience. The little girl is Monica, one of the cooks' daughters. She was hilarious and loved taking funny pictures! And there is a picture of Erik and I with some Urmul staff, wearing our new Urmul kurtas. These are part of the weaving project of the organization that I mentioned in past posts.

Last Pics of Diwali

2008-11-09T03:36:00.002-07:00

On the day after Diwali, Mommy-ji and Papa-ji made a DELICIOUS sweet of gram flour and cardamom! It was an intense process, but SOOOOO worth it! When it was done, we were licking our fingers and asking for more! I think we might make some more before I leave for the USA, so I can take some home with me!! Get excited! ITs GREAT! Ps. You can tell they are delicious by the sly smirks on Mommy-ji and Papa-ji's pics in the photos! They know they are making some bomb treats!

All Dressed Up!

2008-11-09T03:28:00.001-07:00

Papa-ji, Mommy-ji and me; Bua Vinita, Aahana and Dadi-ji; Bua Vinita, Aahana and me; Akshay and me; Akshay

The lights of Diwali

2008-11-09T03:21:00.001-07:00

These are some more photos from Diwali. Mommy-ji singing aarti, Papa-ji performing puja, Akshara with the diya candles, teeka with rice and the holy string that we tied on our wrists.