It seems like I have been talking about Hinduism for a long time now, but I still don't necessarily understand it. I know that's normal, but I want to be able to have a stronger grasp of it be fore I go to the field. I was sitting in my anthropology of development class the other day, and my professor said that before we go into a community and build rapport and seek to build friendships, we must first know and understand the religion. This hit me strongly because I know that with what I want to study, I need to be able to see how the religion of the women, impacts their lives and their daily actions.
On Wednesday, we were able to talk more about Hinduism, and I liked that Jay said "Hinduism is the driving force in India". This personified Hinduism a little bit better for me and I was able to actually picture it better in my mind, when in the past, it had been just abstract and mystical. Knowing that this religion really is the force behind the actions of the people, really helped me see why they may behave a certain way.
It was interesting to note that colonialism actually brought unification among the people of India, especially when it came to religion. I read a passage in this book called "India: an anthropological perspective", where I learned that the unification of Indians was something extremely important to the people. Although India itself has various official languages, religions, ethnicities and other traditional values, there is also an underlying unity that they all share, and Hinduism provides for this unity. This unity is also illustrated in the way that villages are cohesive or the opposite. There is also something else I read in that same book that illustrates this unity. There is no sense of privacy, and this is because the culture is very collective, and not individualistic. I know that I will be seeing a lot of this in the village, as I see women and neighbors working and talking together. Also, as I observe the family dynamics of the host family that I will be staying with.
I think that perhaps the most fascinating aspect of Hinduism, is the many contradictions that are in it. Again, in the book, I read that one of the things that Indians don't understand about Westerners, is their lack of ability to comprehend the many paradoxical concepts of Indian culture. I thought that was so interesting, because contradictions are something that is not very common in an organized religion, like Mormonism. However, I think that being able to embrace these contradictions, instead of puzzling them out, will help me better understand the women better, and will give me greater insight into the things that the women say and try to illustrate to me, as they tell me about their self-perceptions.
Religion is extremely important in many cultures, but I think that Hinduism is the underlying thread of the large tapestry of diversity that India exhibits. I am looking forward to seeing the different patterns of religious habits in the lives of the women and how they affect how these women act, say and feel.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Difficulties in the Field... Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Yesterday in the prep class, it was interesting to talk about the different difficulties that we will experience in the Field. I was wondering if this was going to be worth it... of course it is. I know that this experience will change my life, I have felt it for so long, and I will honestly be relying on that feeling through out my Field Study, especially as I face the difficulties.
The first difficulty that we talked about was that of language. I have already addressed this in the online journal before. I just really don't understand Tamil, and I have come to terms with that. I have always been able to learn languages and little phrases here and there. I can say hi in thirty-three languages (I have a really nerdy goal of learning how to say hi in every language possible...). I have always been proud of being able to do that...but my pride definitely deflated when I walked into Tamil and could not pronounce half the words. I have always heard that Chinese is one of the hardest languages to learn...and when I took it, it was hard. BUT, Tamil is harder. That terrifies me because I will actually be living with Tamils, and I won't even be able to communicate with them...but that's ok. As long as I try really hard, and love them and be friendly, I will be alright. When it comes to interpreters though, I think that it will take a lot of effort on my part in order to find someone that will be able to interpret correctly what I am trying to ask my interviewees. I will have to rely on networking and snowballing in order to know how to find an interpreter who will be fit with my needs.
Cleanliness was another issue brought up that I think is important. I honestly will admit that I am a germ-ophobe. I carry hand sanitizer with me, EVERYWHERE I go. I hate being dirty and touching dirty things. I always make sure that I am cleaning things and after myself. I know that where I will be, will not be up to the standards of cleanliness of Western culture. This will be a challenge to me, but like Ashley said, flexibility is perhaps the most important component of a Field Study. I think that it will take patience and flexibility. I wonder what kinds of things I will face, but I will strive to be flexible and not let something different, discourage me from learning and growing from the field.
We had a really brief but interesting discussion on happiness and how to be able to find that in the field, when there are other things that will be weighing me down in the field. I was really intrigued to hear about the different things that the facilitators did in order to keep high spirits, especially during difficult or less enchanting times in the Field.
Something I want to do in order to keep myself happy, I want to write something new every day that I love about India. Just one thing every morning, and then think about it through out the day. I know that this sounds a little idealistic, but it is a goal that I want to try to do. I want to try to remember that this experience is about me, but mostly, it is about the people whom I will be staying with and whom I will be learning so much from.
The first difficulty that we talked about was that of language. I have already addressed this in the online journal before. I just really don't understand Tamil, and I have come to terms with that. I have always been able to learn languages and little phrases here and there. I can say hi in thirty-three languages (I have a really nerdy goal of learning how to say hi in every language possible...). I have always been proud of being able to do that...but my pride definitely deflated when I walked into Tamil and could not pronounce half the words. I have always heard that Chinese is one of the hardest languages to learn...and when I took it, it was hard. BUT, Tamil is harder. That terrifies me because I will actually be living with Tamils, and I won't even be able to communicate with them...but that's ok. As long as I try really hard, and love them and be friendly, I will be alright. When it comes to interpreters though, I think that it will take a lot of effort on my part in order to find someone that will be able to interpret correctly what I am trying to ask my interviewees. I will have to rely on networking and snowballing in order to know how to find an interpreter who will be fit with my needs.
Cleanliness was another issue brought up that I think is important. I honestly will admit that I am a germ-ophobe. I carry hand sanitizer with me, EVERYWHERE I go. I hate being dirty and touching dirty things. I always make sure that I am cleaning things and after myself. I know that where I will be, will not be up to the standards of cleanliness of Western culture. This will be a challenge to me, but like Ashley said, flexibility is perhaps the most important component of a Field Study. I think that it will take patience and flexibility. I wonder what kinds of things I will face, but I will strive to be flexible and not let something different, discourage me from learning and growing from the field.
We had a really brief but interesting discussion on happiness and how to be able to find that in the field, when there are other things that will be weighing me down in the field. I was really intrigued to hear about the different things that the facilitators did in order to keep high spirits, especially during difficult or less enchanting times in the Field.
Something I want to do in order to keep myself happy, I want to write something new every day that I love about India. Just one thing every morning, and then think about it through out the day. I know that this sounds a little idealistic, but it is a goal that I want to try to do. I want to try to remember that this experience is about me, but mostly, it is about the people whom I will be staying with and whom I will be learning so much from.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Time in the NGO. Monday, March 26, 2012
As I was working on my proposal and trying to figure out how I am going to go about my internship, I kept remembering that I will be working at Shanti Ashram.
I am actually really excited that I get to work with them, not only because it is a solid organization, but because it gives my proposal so much more structure. However, the more time I spend thinking about it, the more I remember that I need to also build rapport with the people involved in the NGO, those who are running it and those who are involved with it.
I used to only think about building rapport in the village, but when I decided that I wanted to intern with the NGO, I started thinking of ways to build rapport with them too, especially since I will be spending a lot of time there. Since I want to mainly observe the women who are being empowered through the Women's development program at the Ashram, I will be involved in the activities that they will be doing. At least, I hope to be. I keep thinking about the phrase "learner-owned" and how I have to initiate things as well. By appropriately approaching the leaders of the Women's Development program, I will be able to join the women with whatever they will be doing. While I will be joining them, I will also be talking to them and trying to make friends. I have always enjoyed talking to people and I love meeting new friends, but for some reason, this time around seems a lot more intimidating. However, I know that once I start talking and building those relationships, I will start noticing new things and start to find deeper meaning for what the women are doing and how they perceive things.
I want to always volunteer and see what I can do to help. I will be stepping out of my comfort zone and I will be learning new things every day, but I will also be expanding my knowledge of how these women feel about themselves.
I am actually really excited that I get to work with them, not only because it is a solid organization, but because it gives my proposal so much more structure. However, the more time I spend thinking about it, the more I remember that I need to also build rapport with the people involved in the NGO, those who are running it and those who are involved with it.
I used to only think about building rapport in the village, but when I decided that I wanted to intern with the NGO, I started thinking of ways to build rapport with them too, especially since I will be spending a lot of time there. Since I want to mainly observe the women who are being empowered through the Women's development program at the Ashram, I will be involved in the activities that they will be doing. At least, I hope to be. I keep thinking about the phrase "learner-owned" and how I have to initiate things as well. By appropriately approaching the leaders of the Women's Development program, I will be able to join the women with whatever they will be doing. While I will be joining them, I will also be talking to them and trying to make friends. I have always enjoyed talking to people and I love meeting new friends, but for some reason, this time around seems a lot more intimidating. However, I know that once I start talking and building those relationships, I will start noticing new things and start to find deeper meaning for what the women are doing and how they perceive things.
I want to always volunteer and see what I can do to help. I will be stepping out of my comfort zone and I will be learning new things every day, but I will also be expanding my knowledge of how these women feel about themselves.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Religion where I will be. Friday, March 23, 2012
When I lived in New York for five years, I remember seeing a lot, a LOT of Indians. The streets smelled of curry, ALL the time, and there was a famous street called "Liberty Avenue", which was lined with shops that sold Indian dresses and other accessories. I was always surrounded by Indians, yet something that I didn't really understand, was the Hindu culture. Of course, I was young, so I didn't care to investigate it. I just saw the "OM" sign on Hindu temples and heard my Indian friends talk about it at school.
Now that I am older and about to go to India, I constantly think about the predominant religion, and all that it will signify to the people that I will be spending time with. I once heard that the more confused you are about Hinduism, the more you are beginning to understand it. I thought that was really interesting, but I am beginning to see how it is true. I didn't really know about the beginning of Hinduism, and apparently Hindus don't either...In my Tamil class, Venkat opened the lesson of Hinduism by saying "No one really knows where Hinduism came from". With that being said though, I learned that Hinduism had become such a grand part of the culture, that it was not only a religion, but just a way of life. It really mandated how things were done in this life, for Indians. What to think about, how to treat your family, how to talk, who to talk to... everything. I think that Hinduism is more than a religion that Indians participate in every week day... it is what dictates their life, and this is useful information for me, as I will be spending so much time around Hindu women.
Women have an active role in Hinduism, which I think is so interesting. The things that go on in the Temple are really important, and the women are responsible for keeping it beautiful and clean. There are many Hindu gods and goddesses, that all have different purposes, and to me, the most interesting part of that is that the central gods, all have a female partner. It just shows me how marriage between and a woman is viewed as vital. I think that there are connections between how women see and perceive themselves and their religion. So, I know that religion and the precepts therein will have a impact on how the women see themselves and carry themselves.
I know that where I am going there will be other women of other religions, such as Muslims, Jains, Christians and even Latter-day Saint women. It will be interesting to see if the perceptions of women are different because of the influence of their religion.
Now that I am older and about to go to India, I constantly think about the predominant religion, and all that it will signify to the people that I will be spending time with. I once heard that the more confused you are about Hinduism, the more you are beginning to understand it. I thought that was really interesting, but I am beginning to see how it is true. I didn't really know about the beginning of Hinduism, and apparently Hindus don't either...In my Tamil class, Venkat opened the lesson of Hinduism by saying "No one really knows where Hinduism came from". With that being said though, I learned that Hinduism had become such a grand part of the culture, that it was not only a religion, but just a way of life. It really mandated how things were done in this life, for Indians. What to think about, how to treat your family, how to talk, who to talk to... everything. I think that Hinduism is more than a religion that Indians participate in every week day... it is what dictates their life, and this is useful information for me, as I will be spending so much time around Hindu women.
Women have an active role in Hinduism, which I think is so interesting. The things that go on in the Temple are really important, and the women are responsible for keeping it beautiful and clean. There are many Hindu gods and goddesses, that all have different purposes, and to me, the most interesting part of that is that the central gods, all have a female partner. It just shows me how marriage between and a woman is viewed as vital. I think that there are connections between how women see and perceive themselves and their religion. So, I know that religion and the precepts therein will have a impact on how the women see themselves and carry themselves.
I know that where I am going there will be other women of other religions, such as Muslims, Jains, Christians and even Latter-day Saint women. It will be interesting to see if the perceptions of women are different because of the influence of their religion.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Entering the Community Friday, March 16, 2012
On Wednesday, we talked about entering the community that we will be staying with. I think about this all the time, perhaps more than anything else in my present life right now. I think about how this will happen, especially my first week there.
As Margaret read us her experience, I liked that she mentioned the difference between what is being written and what is actually happening. I have a feeling that what my family and friends are going to read from my experience will slightly differ from what I will actually be living. I loved that she mentioned "I tried not to panic" because I have a feeling that I will be doing that a lot, trying not to panic is great advice.
One of the questions that were asked of us was: "is the Field suitable for your intended project?" As I thought about this, I knew that I wanted to do some sort of project that was connected with International Development. As I thought further, I knew that I wanted to do something with women. I also remember one of the most important things that I learned from my Intro to International Development class, was that of asking the locals what they need and how they are feeling. While in India, I will be working on a personal project, but I will also be building relationships with those around me, which I think is the most important thing I can do. Consequently, I think that the village of Chavadi Pudur will be an ideal location for me to learn about the women there, and especially to spend enough time around them to gain mutual trust and be able to understand them a little better.
Another aspect of the location that I think is perfect for my project is the fact that there is an NGO in the city. The NGO has a program called "Women's Development Program" and through this program, I will be able to participate with the women in the activities that they do, and learn about them thorough talking to them and letting them teach me.
I think that India really is the perfect place for me to go at this time. Which is why preparing to enter the community is so crucial. The best I can do right now is to be observant of the world around me and withhold judgment, so that when I enter the community, I can try to do the same. I am nervous!! But oh so excited...
As Margaret read us her experience, I liked that she mentioned the difference between what is being written and what is actually happening. I have a feeling that what my family and friends are going to read from my experience will slightly differ from what I will actually be living. I loved that she mentioned "I tried not to panic" because I have a feeling that I will be doing that a lot, trying not to panic is great advice.
One of the questions that were asked of us was: "is the Field suitable for your intended project?" As I thought about this, I knew that I wanted to do some sort of project that was connected with International Development. As I thought further, I knew that I wanted to do something with women. I also remember one of the most important things that I learned from my Intro to International Development class, was that of asking the locals what they need and how they are feeling. While in India, I will be working on a personal project, but I will also be building relationships with those around me, which I think is the most important thing I can do. Consequently, I think that the village of Chavadi Pudur will be an ideal location for me to learn about the women there, and especially to spend enough time around them to gain mutual trust and be able to understand them a little better.
Another aspect of the location that I think is perfect for my project is the fact that there is an NGO in the city. The NGO has a program called "Women's Development Program" and through this program, I will be able to participate with the women in the activities that they do, and learn about them thorough talking to them and letting them teach me.
I think that India really is the perfect place for me to go at this time. Which is why preparing to enter the community is so crucial. The best I can do right now is to be observant of the world around me and withhold judgment, so that when I enter the community, I can try to do the same. I am nervous!! But oh so excited...
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Understanding Reciprocity. Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Although I was late for class, I was able to catch the jist of a very important conversation and lesson for that matter. Ashley was talking about the different things that we will face in the field, especially when it comes to culture and how we will react with individuals in their own societies.
I think about this often, because my biggest concern is to be able to build good relationships with the people I come in contact with and I am hoping to make friends with all that I become close to. I often think about how I might offend someone, so I try to be thoughtful and careful with my word choice and what I say to my friends, just as practice before I enter the field.
I liked that we learned about the boundaries that the culture will have and how it is my responsibility to respect those boundaries, since I am the "guest" in the field. Something that was brought up was the concept of leaving "no trace", and I thought that was interesting because we as students, will have to maintain our reputation. There have been many students before us and many after us, and it is my responsibility to make sure that I enter the field with a good and respectful attitude. With leaving "no trace", I think that's a difficult concept to grasp because no matter how hard we try to leave no trace and not to disrupt the culture, our mere presence is already causing some sort of change. However, I think that it is important to leave a positive trace. I think that it is good not to go into a culture and society and say "I am going to leave a positive trace and grace them with my presence", obviously this would be ridiculous. But I think that it would be great to enter the community with a positive outlook and think about how them as people who are just like me, just different, and who deserve my respect and love.
I thought that the different levels of reciprocities that Ashley shared were really interesting and they were also complex in their own way. For example, balanced reciprocity is the ideal! But I have a hard time with it because I tend to sometimes give more than needed, without giving others the chance to give back. When I am in the field, I want to make sure that I discern how balanced to be. The negative reciprocity is basically what I struggle with since I am willing to give instead of letting others equally give. Finally there was generalized reciprocity, which in all honesty I didn't really understand, but I feel like the whole concept of reciprocity is a very significant one when it comes to building and keeping relationships in the field and with the many with whom I will associate. I think I will get more of a feel for it once I am there.
I think about this often, because my biggest concern is to be able to build good relationships with the people I come in contact with and I am hoping to make friends with all that I become close to. I often think about how I might offend someone, so I try to be thoughtful and careful with my word choice and what I say to my friends, just as practice before I enter the field.
I liked that we learned about the boundaries that the culture will have and how it is my responsibility to respect those boundaries, since I am the "guest" in the field. Something that was brought up was the concept of leaving "no trace", and I thought that was interesting because we as students, will have to maintain our reputation. There have been many students before us and many after us, and it is my responsibility to make sure that I enter the field with a good and respectful attitude. With leaving "no trace", I think that's a difficult concept to grasp because no matter how hard we try to leave no trace and not to disrupt the culture, our mere presence is already causing some sort of change. However, I think that it is important to leave a positive trace. I think that it is good not to go into a culture and society and say "I am going to leave a positive trace and grace them with my presence", obviously this would be ridiculous. But I think that it would be great to enter the community with a positive outlook and think about how them as people who are just like me, just different, and who deserve my respect and love.
I thought that the different levels of reciprocities that Ashley shared were really interesting and they were also complex in their own way. For example, balanced reciprocity is the ideal! But I have a hard time with it because I tend to sometimes give more than needed, without giving others the chance to give back. When I am in the field, I want to make sure that I discern how balanced to be. The negative reciprocity is basically what I struggle with since I am willing to give instead of letting others equally give. Finally there was generalized reciprocity, which in all honesty I didn't really understand, but I feel like the whole concept of reciprocity is a very significant one when it comes to building and keeping relationships in the field and with the many with whom I will associate. I think I will get more of a feel for it once I am there.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
IRB Reflections. Monday, March 12, 2012
As I was writing my IRB (and I had the privilege to write another one for another class)and I was writing the one for my Field Study, I was thinking a lot about the ethics behind it. I was especially thinking about how we have to be so careful and keep everything so secure and make sure that no one is harmed or abused; what was interesting though was that in the IRB proposal, there was also a section asking for the significance of the study and how this would potentially benefit society.
I often think of this study as something great for my life and about me and how much I will grow and learn, and how I get to tell people how I went to the wonderful country of India, etc. I mean, being a Geography major and having studied different cultures and people, I also am greatly looking forward to the people I will meet and form relationships with. However, until the IRB, I never thought about how I would actually impact society and about the true significance of my project.
I thought about the many others who are doing this with me, and how their projects are just as significant and how they will also contribute to society. I think that this Field Study and all that it entails, has a lot more to do with the wonderful people and the societies that they live in, than myself and my own successes. The relationships I will build with others, those who will share their amazing knowledge with me, those who will teach me things about life that I had never known before, all of those things, that I will eventually be able to give back- those are things that truly matter and that will ultimately be the underlining purpose of the study. Obviously, what I learn and what I share will be a little different because I will interpret it through my point of view, and also how careful I am with the information that I will gain, will play a significant role in the overall success of my field study.
I am glad that the IRB, though very hard to get through, helped me see a little bit of what's really important.
I often think of this study as something great for my life and about me and how much I will grow and learn, and how I get to tell people how I went to the wonderful country of India, etc. I mean, being a Geography major and having studied different cultures and people, I also am greatly looking forward to the people I will meet and form relationships with. However, until the IRB, I never thought about how I would actually impact society and about the true significance of my project.
I thought about the many others who are doing this with me, and how their projects are just as significant and how they will also contribute to society. I think that this Field Study and all that it entails, has a lot more to do with the wonderful people and the societies that they live in, than myself and my own successes. The relationships I will build with others, those who will share their amazing knowledge with me, those who will teach me things about life that I had never known before, all of those things, that I will eventually be able to give back- those are things that truly matter and that will ultimately be the underlining purpose of the study. Obviously, what I learn and what I share will be a little different because I will interpret it through my point of view, and also how careful I am with the information that I will gain, will play a significant role in the overall success of my field study.
I am glad that the IRB, though very hard to get through, helped me see a little bit of what's really important.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Annotated Source #13 (February 22, 2012)
"The Mango Season"
In this short novel that I am reading, a young woman goes to America to pursue an education, but then she falls in love with an American, which she becomes engaged to. She must go back to India, and while she is there, she realizes that she has become very westernized and thinks India's traditions are foolish and that India is filthy, etc. I saw a large between what her mother thought life was like and how she now saw life. It seemed as though she was completely separating herself from her native country. It made me wonder why this was so, and if the women of the village that we see will be against Western culture or see it as extremely different.
In this short novel that I am reading, a young woman goes to America to pursue an education, but then she falls in love with an American, which she becomes engaged to. She must go back to India, and while she is there, she realizes that she has become very westernized and thinks India's traditions are foolish and that India is filthy, etc. I saw a large between what her mother thought life was like and how she now saw life. It seemed as though she was completely separating herself from her native country. It made me wonder why this was so, and if the women of the village that we see will be against Western culture or see it as extremely different.
Annotated Source #12 (February 20, 2012)
"Dealing with the Blue faced Monster: The Bad Mood" Madhavi Prasad-- Woman's era
In this Indian magazine, I read about the ways that women "should" deal with mood changes and how to better handle people that are in a bad mood. The article was pretty ordinary and normal, but there were a few things that were only Indian. For example, " you will be around a cranky husband, mother-in-law or perhaps neighbor...your mood will be affected by all of those who will be around you constantly". I could really feel the collectiveness of the culture, rather than the individualistic attitude.
In this Indian magazine, I read about the ways that women "should" deal with mood changes and how to better handle people that are in a bad mood. The article was pretty ordinary and normal, but there were a few things that were only Indian. For example, " you will be around a cranky husband, mother-in-law or perhaps neighbor...your mood will be affected by all of those who will be around you constantly". I could really feel the collectiveness of the culture, rather than the individualistic attitude.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
My India Group. Monday, March 5, 2012
I was thinking about my Field Study on Friday (I seldom DON'T think about India) and as I sat in the prep class, I was talking to one of the guys in my group. We were having a really funny conversation and I started thinking about our group and how we are going to be acting in India.
I am a big people person, and so I am so grateful for the fact that I will NOT be going to India alone. I find myself being fortunate enough to have known everyone in my group from our IAS 220 class last semester. The only one we didn't know, is Steven and he seems to fit right in.
I thought about the lesson we had about how we will have to meet as a group every so often while we are in India, just to check up on each other and discuss our experience there. I think that is so great because I won't feel as alone in a different country and I will be able to share the experiences that I am having with those in my group.
As I thought about this, I recalled some facilitators saying that you have to have patience because living with the same people for three months, guarantees some collisions and we also have a the great chance of driving each other crazy. I am sure that this will happen on more than one occasion, but like I said before, I think we have been fortunate enough to know each other before and Dave taught us some valuable things that will really come into action in the Field. I like everyone in my group, and I like to observe the people I will be going with. I'm not saying we are all going to hold hands and skip off into the sunset, but I did think up of the positive attributes that the individuals in my group have and how that will affect me in the Field. Consequently, I have decided to take the liberty to write them down.
I want to start with the only other girl going, who will essentially be "saving" me, because the rest of the people are boys!
Emma: I love her already. I was always impressed by her in our class because she is really mature and she's VERY intelligent. It will be great having her around because she thinks very critically and "outside the box". She is also very open minded, so it will be nice to talk to her in the field because we will be in a completely different country, and her open mindedness to the differences will be really great.
Nathan: He is always willing to help out. Whenever I have asked for a favor or anything, he is among the first to help me. He is also really serviceable-always offering rides or anything of the sort. It will be great having him around in the Field because of his serviceable attitude. He will be so willing to help when help is needed.
Josh: He is probably one of the most laid back human beings I have ever met. It will be nice to have him around because when I am running around like a headless chicken or having a freak out, Josh will always be there to say "it's all good Laura, everything is going to be ok".
Steven: I have not known him for very long, but he is a really nice person. Something I have noticed about him is that he is very responsible. He gets things done and is pretty reliable. It will be great having him around to remind us of the importance of being responsible and keeping our word.
I know that I have not spend 3 months with these people yet, but I rather focus on the good characteristics and the positive things that I will experience, rather than constantly thinking about the negative and how we are going to "drive each other crazy". I'm not naiive and saying this is not true, but I rather start early before I get to the field, to be an optimist. It will just make me and everyone around me happier.
I can't wait to go to India with all of them though!
I am a big people person, and so I am so grateful for the fact that I will NOT be going to India alone. I find myself being fortunate enough to have known everyone in my group from our IAS 220 class last semester. The only one we didn't know, is Steven and he seems to fit right in.
I thought about the lesson we had about how we will have to meet as a group every so often while we are in India, just to check up on each other and discuss our experience there. I think that is so great because I won't feel as alone in a different country and I will be able to share the experiences that I am having with those in my group.
As I thought about this, I recalled some facilitators saying that you have to have patience because living with the same people for three months, guarantees some collisions and we also have a the great chance of driving each other crazy. I am sure that this will happen on more than one occasion, but like I said before, I think we have been fortunate enough to know each other before and Dave taught us some valuable things that will really come into action in the Field. I like everyone in my group, and I like to observe the people I will be going with. I'm not saying we are all going to hold hands and skip off into the sunset, but I did think up of the positive attributes that the individuals in my group have and how that will affect me in the Field. Consequently, I have decided to take the liberty to write them down.
I want to start with the only other girl going, who will essentially be "saving" me, because the rest of the people are boys!
Emma: I love her already. I was always impressed by her in our class because she is really mature and she's VERY intelligent. It will be great having her around because she thinks very critically and "outside the box". She is also very open minded, so it will be nice to talk to her in the field because we will be in a completely different country, and her open mindedness to the differences will be really great.
Nathan: He is always willing to help out. Whenever I have asked for a favor or anything, he is among the first to help me. He is also really serviceable-always offering rides or anything of the sort. It will be great having him around in the Field because of his serviceable attitude. He will be so willing to help when help is needed.
Josh: He is probably one of the most laid back human beings I have ever met. It will be nice to have him around because when I am running around like a headless chicken or having a freak out, Josh will always be there to say "it's all good Laura, everything is going to be ok".
Steven: I have not known him for very long, but he is a really nice person. Something I have noticed about him is that he is very responsible. He gets things done and is pretty reliable. It will be great having him around to remind us of the importance of being responsible and keeping our word.
I know that I have not spend 3 months with these people yet, but I rather focus on the good characteristics and the positive things that I will experience, rather than constantly thinking about the negative and how we are going to "drive each other crazy". I'm not naiive and saying this is not true, but I rather start early before I get to the field, to be an optimist. It will just make me and everyone around me happier.
I can't wait to go to India with all of them though!
Friday, March 2, 2012
FINALLY understanding CASTE better. Friday March 2, 2012
For Wednesday, we had to read a chapter from the book "Arrow of the Blue Skinned God" for our individual group. At first, I was trying to understand what the chapter was about, since it started out with the story of Sita, and how she was being pestered by a crow, and then her husband Rama destroys the unruly bird. As I kept reading, I saw that Rama stayed true to his caste, to his order of warrior.
I noticed that the men being interviewed were explaining that cast was something that made everyone stay to their own order. It was sort of a divine responsibility, with the ability to keep everyone organized and in harmony. It was only when the government and modern politics banned it, that problems started arising. Those at the "bottom" were all of the sudden given things and those who were at the top, had to fight to keep their "standing" in society.
Caste has also had an impact on the culture of India, although it was mostly paired with Hinduism. I thought that it was interesting that there was that deep connection between the culture and the religion, yet when religion was taken out of the equation, the aspects of the religion still applied to the culture. That sounds a lot more confusing than I intended it to be, but the best example that I can find is when I talked to Venkat, our Tamil teacher, and I asked him if he worshiped in the Hindu temple. He said "well, no, I am not Hindu by religion, but I am still Hindu by culture".
The fact that caste has been banned, does not separate the people from their deep culture, that is tightly interwoven with the Hindu religion. This helps me better understand why certain things are done in the villages and even in the cities of India--at least from the little that I have read. I am sure much more will make sense, or I'll be even more confused once I enter the field and see things for myself.
I noticed that the men being interviewed were explaining that cast was something that made everyone stay to their own order. It was sort of a divine responsibility, with the ability to keep everyone organized and in harmony. It was only when the government and modern politics banned it, that problems started arising. Those at the "bottom" were all of the sudden given things and those who were at the top, had to fight to keep their "standing" in society.
Caste has also had an impact on the culture of India, although it was mostly paired with Hinduism. I thought that it was interesting that there was that deep connection between the culture and the religion, yet when religion was taken out of the equation, the aspects of the religion still applied to the culture. That sounds a lot more confusing than I intended it to be, but the best example that I can find is when I talked to Venkat, our Tamil teacher, and I asked him if he worshiped in the Hindu temple. He said "well, no, I am not Hindu by religion, but I am still Hindu by culture".
The fact that caste has been banned, does not separate the people from their deep culture, that is tightly interwoven with the Hindu religion. This helps me better understand why certain things are done in the villages and even in the cities of India--at least from the little that I have read. I am sure much more will make sense, or I'll be even more confused once I enter the field and see things for myself.
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