Always, there is a way of living. How you live. Told to not do this, to do this and to not do that. In a country where the caste system is supposedly exterminated, it still very much exists in the hearts of people here, sadly enough. Always referred to still. Then I wonder if any efforts of the Gandhi really took affect. Freedom is won, yes, but what are people doing with it? Some towns and cities are vitalizing that freedom while others still are stubborn with change. If the society doesn't like it and agree, then you confine in yourself and give in to not do anything.
It's very odd to find this here. Nobody speaks up to the majority. Life strolls along, and narrow-mindedness is apparent. Coming from a place like America, it's a bit of a shock. To realize that people WILL indefinitely judge you by the way you dress and act in public. If you want to be a real individual, go else where.
"We don't go there, that is where the Lower caste people go..."
I look at this girl in disbelief. Younger than me, and already, she is told that. Just really shocked me. Even the younger generation is taught to look down upon many. It's hard to change a country when the culture runs deep. Where the population is exploding.
I remember at school in America, I was asked to list some problems that face India. Overpopulation, deforestation, pollution, etc. These are the issues that I listed, but now that I am here, there is so much more. Corruption in the government, that is one I hear almost everyday. Greed of the government. Not all schools are given money from the government here. Corruption. The police are corrupt. I hear that one all the time too. But then I think of the burden that the non-corrupt government has in taking care of a country that is scaling it's way to be the country with the highest population in the world. It's not just one issue that can be extracted, it's all the issues working and intertwining to together that make up what this country has to face.
On another note: People here complain about how dirty it is all the time, trash everywhere, but then contribute to the mess by throwing trash on the ground as well. I find myself just picking up after my host parents when I can because they just throw things on the ground. I come from a very environmentally aware school in America, so habit is to clean up and be nice to the environment. I could only imagine what my biology teacher in America would do if he were here, seeing all this trash everywhere... I am going nuts seeing it.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
Language
हैलो! मैं आप सभी की बहुत याद आती है. मैं यात्रा के लिए पैकिंग कर रहा हूँ. पागलों की तरह भाषा अब अध्ययन मेरे मन में एक नया लक्ष्य है, और मैं इसे जनवरी के अंत तक पहुँचना चाहते हैं. यह बहुत ही अपने आप को यह सोचकर कि तुम्हें पता भाषा में मूर्ख आसान है, और मैं पर और इस बारे में जा सकते हैं. गुजराती बहुत हिन्दी से मेरे लिए आसान है, इसलिए कई मायनों में है. सिर्फ इसलिए क्योंकि मैं अब और गुजराती बोलते हैं. मैं आमतौर पर हिन्दी बात नहीं है, हालांकि मैं यह समझता हूँ थोड़ी बेहतर है. पता है पता है गुजराती, हिंदी वही है जो लोगों को मेरी बात कह रहे हैं.
मैं प्रतिभा जिला सम्मेलन के लिए तैयारी कर रहा हूँ अब दिखाने के ... मैं प्राप्त एक ई मेल इसके बारे में. तो, इसके पीछे मेरे विचार कर रहे हैं कि मैं गिटार खेलते हैं और गाते विनिमय छात्रों में से कुछ के साथ एक हिंदी गीत, नृत्य गरबा जा रहा हूँ, और संभवतः गुजराती में काफी अच्छी तरह करने के लिए प्रतिभा दिखाने के आयोजन के लिए एक मेजबान की तरह हो जो होना आश्चर्यजनक है. तो मैं उठा रहा हूँ गुजराती थोड़ा तेज. हालांकि मैं नहीं बल्कि हिन्दी होता बोल सकता है, तो मुझे लगता है कि बोल गुजराती काफी अच्छा है. दोनों भाषाओं के रूप में यह बहुत मुश्किल है. बातें अच्छी तरह से भाषा दुनिया में जा रहे हैं.
मैं लिफ्ट दूसरे दिन के लिए इंतज़ार कर रही थी, और इन दो बड़ी महिलाओं से कदम रखा है, मेरी तरफ देखा, तो मुझे गुजराती बोलना शुरू कर दिया, मुझसे पूछ अगर मैं यहाँ का आनंद ले रहा हूँ और अगर मैं भारत को पसंद ... और मैं समझ गया कि वे क्या कह रहे थे, यह एक महान भावना को पता है कि मुझे क्या कहा जा रहा था. कि जब मुझे पता था कि मैं एक बहुत अच्छा हो रहा था इस पर. मैं भाषा भी यहाँ प्यार करता हूँ. गुजराती या हिन्दी से सीधे अंग्रेजी नहीं करने अनुवाद काम करते हैं. यह हिंदी या गुजराती में पूरी तरह से अलग कुछ का मतलब है ... यह दिलचस्प है और मैं इसके बारे में काफी कुछ हंसते हुए कहते हैं पड़ा है. भाषा के और अधिक सीखने के लिए मेरा उत्साह बढ़ गया है. मैं वास्तव में इन दिनों में अपने आप को डाल रहा हूँ. अगर लोगों ने मुझे अंग्रेजी में बात शुरू, मैं कभी कभी कहते हैं: "गुजराती माँ Buolo" गुजराती में (बोलो) और वे जाएगा. तो, हाँ. मैं बातें बहुत आसान हो स्वीकार करना चाहिए, जब तुम भाषा जानते हैं या इसे समझने की शुरुआत, जीवन को बहुत आसान जाओ और तुम अब और नहीं विमुख क्या लगता है लगता है.
मिस आप सभी बहुत बहुत बहुत. टाटा
*******************
Hello! I miss you all very much. I am packing for the trip. Studying language like crazy now, I have a new goal in mind, and I want to reach it by the end of January. It's very easy to fool yourself into thinking that you know the language, and I could go on and on about this. Gujarati is a lot easier to me than Hindi, in so many ways. Just because I speak Gujarati more now. I never usually speak Hindi, though I do understand it a bit better. Know Gujarati, know Hindi is what people are saying to me.
I am preparing for the District Conference Talent show now... I received an e-mail about it. So, my thoughts behind it are that I am going to play guitar and sing a Hindi song, dance Garba with some of the exchange students, and possibly get good enough in Gujarati to kind of be like a host for the Talent show event, which would be amazing. So I am picking up Gujarati a bit faster. Though I would rather be speaking Hindi, I think that speaking Gujarati is good enough. Both languages are very hard as it is. Things are going well in the Language world.
I was waiting for the elevator the other day, and these two elder women stepped off, looked at me, then started to speak Gujarati to me, asking me if I am enjoying being here and if I liked India... and I understood what they were saying, it was a great feeling to know what was being said to me. That's when I knew that I was getting a lot better at this. I love the language here too. Translating directly from Gujarati or Hindi to English DOES NOT WORK. It means something completely different in Hindi or Gujarati... It's interesting and I have had quite a few laughs about it. My enthusiasm for learning more of the language has increased. I am really putting myself into these days. If people start speaking to me in English, I sometimes say : "Gujarati ma Buolo"(Speak in Gujarati) and they will. So, yeah. I must admit, things become a lot easier when you know the language, or begin to understand it, life seems to go a lot smoother and you don't feel alienated anymore.
Miss you all very very much. Tata
मैं प्रतिभा जिला सम्मेलन के लिए तैयारी कर रहा हूँ अब दिखाने के ... मैं प्राप्त एक ई मेल इसके बारे में. तो, इसके पीछे मेरे विचार कर रहे हैं कि मैं गिटार खेलते हैं और गाते विनिमय छात्रों में से कुछ के साथ एक हिंदी गीत, नृत्य गरबा जा रहा हूँ, और संभवतः गुजराती में काफी अच्छी तरह करने के लिए प्रतिभा दिखाने के आयोजन के लिए एक मेजबान की तरह हो जो होना आश्चर्यजनक है. तो मैं उठा रहा हूँ गुजराती थोड़ा तेज. हालांकि मैं नहीं बल्कि हिन्दी होता बोल सकता है, तो मुझे लगता है कि बोल गुजराती काफी अच्छा है. दोनों भाषाओं के रूप में यह बहुत मुश्किल है. बातें अच्छी तरह से भाषा दुनिया में जा रहे हैं.
मैं लिफ्ट दूसरे दिन के लिए इंतज़ार कर रही थी, और इन दो बड़ी महिलाओं से कदम रखा है, मेरी तरफ देखा, तो मुझे गुजराती बोलना शुरू कर दिया, मुझसे पूछ अगर मैं यहाँ का आनंद ले रहा हूँ और अगर मैं भारत को पसंद ... और मैं समझ गया कि वे क्या कह रहे थे, यह एक महान भावना को पता है कि मुझे क्या कहा जा रहा था. कि जब मुझे पता था कि मैं एक बहुत अच्छा हो रहा था इस पर. मैं भाषा भी यहाँ प्यार करता हूँ. गुजराती या हिन्दी से सीधे अंग्रेजी नहीं करने अनुवाद काम करते हैं. यह हिंदी या गुजराती में पूरी तरह से अलग कुछ का मतलब है ... यह दिलचस्प है और मैं इसके बारे में काफी कुछ हंसते हुए कहते हैं पड़ा है. भाषा के और अधिक सीखने के लिए मेरा उत्साह बढ़ गया है. मैं वास्तव में इन दिनों में अपने आप को डाल रहा हूँ. अगर लोगों ने मुझे अंग्रेजी में बात शुरू, मैं कभी कभी कहते हैं: "गुजराती माँ Buolo" गुजराती में (बोलो) और वे जाएगा. तो, हाँ. मैं बातें बहुत आसान हो स्वीकार करना चाहिए, जब तुम भाषा जानते हैं या इसे समझने की शुरुआत, जीवन को बहुत आसान जाओ और तुम अब और नहीं विमुख क्या लगता है लगता है.
मिस आप सभी बहुत बहुत बहुत. टाटा
*******************
Hello! I miss you all very much. I am packing for the trip. Studying language like crazy now, I have a new goal in mind, and I want to reach it by the end of January. It's very easy to fool yourself into thinking that you know the language, and I could go on and on about this. Gujarati is a lot easier to me than Hindi, in so many ways. Just because I speak Gujarati more now. I never usually speak Hindi, though I do understand it a bit better. Know Gujarati, know Hindi is what people are saying to me.
I am preparing for the District Conference Talent show now... I received an e-mail about it. So, my thoughts behind it are that I am going to play guitar and sing a Hindi song, dance Garba with some of the exchange students, and possibly get good enough in Gujarati to kind of be like a host for the Talent show event, which would be amazing. So I am picking up Gujarati a bit faster. Though I would rather be speaking Hindi, I think that speaking Gujarati is good enough. Both languages are very hard as it is. Things are going well in the Language world.
I was waiting for the elevator the other day, and these two elder women stepped off, looked at me, then started to speak Gujarati to me, asking me if I am enjoying being here and if I liked India... and I understood what they were saying, it was a great feeling to know what was being said to me. That's when I knew that I was getting a lot better at this. I love the language here too. Translating directly from Gujarati or Hindi to English DOES NOT WORK. It means something completely different in Hindi or Gujarati... It's interesting and I have had quite a few laughs about it. My enthusiasm for learning more of the language has increased. I am really putting myself into these days. If people start speaking to me in English, I sometimes say : "Gujarati ma Buolo"(Speak in Gujarati) and they will. So, yeah. I must admit, things become a lot easier when you know the language, or begin to understand it, life seems to go a lot smoother and you don't feel alienated anymore.
Miss you all very very much. Tata
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Preparations
NORTH TRIP!
I have been dancing around all week, and every time my host family says something about it, I get all excited and start jumping around like a five year old. You can tell that I am very excited about it. =P There are of course all this preparation that goes with it, packing, xeroxing passport, visa, police certificate, yada yada yada. It's worth it though! Yes! I am meeting the Brazilian and we are going to take the train up to Surat, where we slowly pick up people, then we are off to the North!!! =D
On another note, and inside joke for myself. I still get stared at so I just say "Su tyue? Chokari jo e natee que kem???" hehhehe.
Love you all, I will update one more time before I go to the North. tata.
I have been dancing around all week, and every time my host family says something about it, I get all excited and start jumping around like a five year old. You can tell that I am very excited about it. =P There are of course all this preparation that goes with it, packing, xeroxing passport, visa, police certificate, yada yada yada. It's worth it though! Yes! I am meeting the Brazilian and we are going to take the train up to Surat, where we slowly pick up people, then we are off to the North!!! =D
On another note, and inside joke for myself. I still get stared at so I just say "Su tyue? Chokari jo e natee que kem???" hehhehe.
Love you all, I will update one more time before I go to the North. tata.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Happy New Year!
It's the NEW YEAR!!! Here in India! Lot's of food, lots of people visiting!
Just a side note, last night, fireworks were going off everywhere, everybody firing them at their own leisure. THEY DIDN'T BLOODY STOP FOR THE WHOLE NIGHT. I was forced to take an all nighter because it was impossible to sleep. Whoa, that was a sort of fun at the same time though, never experienced that before.
Just a side note, last night, fireworks were going off everywhere, everybody firing them at their own leisure. THEY DIDN'T BLOODY STOP FOR THE WHOLE NIGHT. I was forced to take an all nighter because it was impossible to sleep. Whoa, that was a sort of fun at the same time though, never experienced that before.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Diwali
Happy Diwali!
Fire Crackers fill the night. Nobody can ever sleep before 1 am during this time. You can hear firecrackers, fireworks everywhere. Delicious food every day, each day something different, either something spicy or something very very sweet. And you best dress sharply, look your best. Friends, family, going out of town. Every evening, my host mother doesn't cook, she gets a break and we order out, or go out for food. During the days, there is just peace, I sit on the terrace and enjoy the nice breeze. I know what is ahead of me, but I don't mind. The North trip chaos and fun. But I stay here, my mind stays put. Each day, I fall in love with India more and more. But I can't explain how, why, what, when ,where, or any of that. I just love being here.
They have this craft called Rangoli. It's really hard to do, because it takes skill to know how to pour the sand in the right spot, don't spill it out of line, have a steady hand and so on and so forth. I made one! =D I am proud of myself, even my host mom was impressed, they has to mean something.
I was filling this one with the sand, while a little munchkin was trying to stop me.
This is the one of made all by my lonesome.
I am starting to forget what it's like to know what snow is, how to ice skate. I am starting to forget the culture I came from as it slowly melts its way off my mind and a new molding is finally hardening over that brain of mine. I can't speak English properly, and I am picking up words in Gujarati and Hindi smoothly now. I speak a different language all together. I understand what is happening. Still get a bit nervous, but I am trying.
Life is nice.
Hope all is well at home, I miss you all. Tata.
Fire Crackers fill the night. Nobody can ever sleep before 1 am during this time. You can hear firecrackers, fireworks everywhere. Delicious food every day, each day something different, either something spicy or something very very sweet. And you best dress sharply, look your best. Friends, family, going out of town. Every evening, my host mother doesn't cook, she gets a break and we order out, or go out for food. During the days, there is just peace, I sit on the terrace and enjoy the nice breeze. I know what is ahead of me, but I don't mind. The North trip chaos and fun. But I stay here, my mind stays put. Each day, I fall in love with India more and more. But I can't explain how, why, what, when ,where, or any of that. I just love being here.
They have this craft called Rangoli. It's really hard to do, because it takes skill to know how to pour the sand in the right spot, don't spill it out of line, have a steady hand and so on and so forth. I made one! =D I am proud of myself, even my host mom was impressed, they has to mean something.
I was filling this one with the sand, while a little munchkin was trying to stop me.
This is the one of made all by my lonesome.
I am starting to forget what it's like to know what snow is, how to ice skate. I am starting to forget the culture I came from as it slowly melts its way off my mind and a new molding is finally hardening over that brain of mine. I can't speak English properly, and I am picking up words in Gujarati and Hindi smoothly now. I speak a different language all together. I understand what is happening. Still get a bit nervous, but I am trying.
Life is nice.
Hope all is well at home, I miss you all. Tata.
Monday, October 12, 2009
The Mudane Life
Why hello.
How are you?
So, I am nearing my 3rd month here in India. Life is rolling to it's own groove. It's slow, it's simple, it's peaceful(most of the time) I have found a tabla teacher as well as a dance teacher, my school is going to be kind enough to set that up for me. I am completely excited about it.
The conservative side of things here is starting to really irritate me. I thought I would be able to handle it, but it proves to be a challenge. I am trying my best. I also find this statement to be a little absurd... "You have to adjust to us, we don't we don't have to adjust to you at all..." Okay, the first part, I understand, the little last bit seems to be a little iffy for me. I mean I know my host parents can't completely adjust to me, and I don't want them to, but I do have somethings about myself that I know won't change, but is being pushed by them to change. There are things that will not change, and then there are things that I know are changing.
Maybe I will admit it; I am a bit scared that I am changing. Because, I know it's happening, and for the good or worse it is, and there is absolutely nothing I can do about that.
Since it is my third month here, I am suppose to change my host family soon. I don't really know what to think about that... I know I have to though. I should bring it up with my host family...
North trip is coming up, and the schedule for it is promising, too good to be true. Every where I want to go. Taj Mahal, Agra, Rajkot, The Himalayas(staying there for I think 2 days in a house near them). The trip starts out with a camel ride in the beautiful desert, watching the sun set in the desert and I believe staying there for a night. What a great way to start out an amazing trip. I am more than excited about meeting up with all the exchange students. I guess it's because it's comforting to be with people who are somewhat going through the same thing as you. On a bus with all of them for 15 days, oh yes. So hyped up for it, sooo hyped up. I actually had a dream about it the other night. But I have a feeling that it's going to be better than my dreams. I need a break from being in this small town anyway...
Hope all is well at home. I miss you all. tata for now.
How are you?
So, I am nearing my 3rd month here in India. Life is rolling to it's own groove. It's slow, it's simple, it's peaceful(most of the time) I have found a tabla teacher as well as a dance teacher, my school is going to be kind enough to set that up for me. I am completely excited about it.
The conservative side of things here is starting to really irritate me. I thought I would be able to handle it, but it proves to be a challenge. I am trying my best. I also find this statement to be a little absurd... "You have to adjust to us, we don't we don't have to adjust to you at all..." Okay, the first part, I understand, the little last bit seems to be a little iffy for me. I mean I know my host parents can't completely adjust to me, and I don't want them to, but I do have somethings about myself that I know won't change, but is being pushed by them to change. There are things that will not change, and then there are things that I know are changing.
Maybe I will admit it; I am a bit scared that I am changing. Because, I know it's happening, and for the good or worse it is, and there is absolutely nothing I can do about that.
Since it is my third month here, I am suppose to change my host family soon. I don't really know what to think about that... I know I have to though. I should bring it up with my host family...
North trip is coming up, and the schedule for it is promising, too good to be true. Every where I want to go. Taj Mahal, Agra, Rajkot, The Himalayas(staying there for I think 2 days in a house near them). The trip starts out with a camel ride in the beautiful desert, watching the sun set in the desert and I believe staying there for a night. What a great way to start out an amazing trip. I am more than excited about meeting up with all the exchange students. I guess it's because it's comforting to be with people who are somewhat going through the same thing as you. On a bus with all of them for 15 days, oh yes. So hyped up for it, sooo hyped up. I actually had a dream about it the other night. But I have a feeling that it's going to be better than my dreams. I need a break from being in this small town anyway...
Hope all is well at home. I miss you all. tata for now.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Checkin' In
Hey everybody!
just wanted to say hello. Saying things are well. Diwali is coming up soon, then after that is my NORTH TRIP!! HAHAH! soooo hyped. Nothing really to say. My english is horrid now. I understand Gujarati a bit better each day, even though I get laughed at at times. haha. oh well. I have found peace of mind.
Tata, hope all is well at home. Lots of love.
just wanted to say hello. Saying things are well. Diwali is coming up soon, then after that is my NORTH TRIP!! HAHAH! soooo hyped. Nothing really to say. My english is horrid now. I understand Gujarati a bit better each day, even though I get laughed at at times. haha. oh well. I have found peace of mind.
Tata, hope all is well at home. Lots of love.
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