Namaskar from Pune, India!

(Namaskar means “hello” in Marathi, the language of the Indian State that I am in).

I have completed the first week of classes of my semester her in India! But most importantly, I SAW TWO CAMELS ON THE SIDE OF THE STREET YESTERDAY!!!! It was soooo cool! They were standing there with saddles, eating leaves from the trees next to them. Two young men were squatted on the ground next to them with their tethers. We had to walk passed them on our way to class so it was really exciting! It is the first time that I have seen camels (which are called ‘oont’ in Hindi) here in India. Some of the other animals that are on the streets: cows (occasionally, but not very often here in the city), goats, cats, dogs (but not as many strays as in South America), ox-drawn carts, and the other day on the way to school I saw five or so donkeys being herded down the street.

Besides the animal life, every day is very exciting. The traffic here is probably the most exciting part. First of all, there is lots of it, and second of all, the traffic laws here are more like suggestions than laws. The other day, while in a rickshaw, the rickshaw driver decided to do a “u-turn” in the middle of the street. Cross-walks are also not abided by really. The main rule seems to be: go when you can and honk a lot. =P Sometimes there are two lanes of traffic on either side of the road, other times there are more like four as the motor bikes will slip in between whatever vehicle when they can. On the whole, the traffic makes crossing the street quite an adventure. And getting into a rickshaw or any automobile on the road can be likened to getting on a roller coaster. =) The only difference is that the thrill in the rickshaw and on the motor bikes is that you gasp as people nearly graze your vehicle or vice versa.

Currently I go to and from school via rickshaw every day. It’s about 25 rupees one way for the 5 to 10 minute ride (about 50 cents as ≈ 40 rupees equals $1). Yesterday my host brother showed me how to walk so I will be able to walk everyday to and from school now. It will take about 30 minutes or so and is along a beautiful park jogging path with lovely trees on either side. I usually go to school with one of the two boys in my program who lives across and down the street from me so it will be nice to walk instead of pay.

Speaking of the program, the program I am here with is called The Alliance for Global Education (www.allianceglobaled.org for more info and descriptions of the classes). There are 25 of us students in the program, all from different universities in the USA. We arrived in India on the 11^th but came to Pune on the 14^th, after two days of culture and program orientation. I am currently living with a host family that is actually very similar to my Chilean host family (the only difference is I don’t have a 7 year old nephew nor a dog here). I have a 64 year old host mother, Mrs. Rajani Shende, and a 39 year old host brother, Rajesh Shende. We live in a fourth story apartment on a busy road called Law College Road (see photos for more details).

Through the Alliance we have a program center which is like our home base: there is a small classroom where we have some of our classes, a kitchen where they serve breakfast every morning, a computer room with internet available for a few hours per day, a study room/library, the program offices, and a wonderful outdoor patio area where we spend most of our time lounging, eating and studying. The program people are extremely wonderful and supportive. All of our classes are taught by Indian professors but only one or two Indian students are in a few of our classes. For our larger classes such as the required ones, we have class in the Alumni building of Fergusson college which is located next door.

This is my schedule: (Every day from 8 to 8:30 am breakfast is served at the Program Center)

Monday: 8:30 - 10 am: Free, 10:15 - 11:15 am : Beginning Hindi, 11:30 - 1 pm: Free, 1 - 2 pm: Lunch, 2 - 3:30 pm: Social Justice

Tuesday: 8:30 - 10 am Contemporary India, 10:15 - 11:15 am: Beginning Hindi, 11:30 - 1 pm: Social Justice, 1 - 2 pm: Lunch, 2 - 3:30 pm: Nation, Gender, & Caste Thru Film

Wednesday: 8:30 - 10 am: Contemporary India, 10:15 - 11:15 am: Research Methods and Internship, 11:30 - 1 pm: Free, 1 - 2 pm: Lunch, 2 - 3:30 pm: Nation, Gender, & Caste Thru Film

Thursday: 8:30 - 10 am: Contemporary India, 10:15 - 11:15 am: Beginning Hindi, 11:30 - 1 pm: Free, 1 - 2 pm: Lunch, 2 - 3:30 pm: Nation, Gender, & Caste Thru Film

Friday: 8:30 - 10 am: Free, 10:15 - 11:15 am: Beginning Hindi, 11:30 - 1 pm: Free, 1 - 2 pm: Lunch, 2 - 3:30 pm: Social Justice

~ Occasionally we will have speakers or special presentations or meetings from 3:45 to 5:45 pm, but these are not that often.

~ "Free" means that I do not have class during this time so am free to study, go out or do whatever I choose for that time.)

~ I will hopefully be taking an Indian dance class sometime during the day twice a week or so, but we will be starting dance and other such "Expressive Culture classes" the week after next I think.

~ I am actually just auditing the Social Justice class as I don't want to overload myself with too much work but really really like the class. Also, I would have to pay extra to American University for taking 18 credits instead of 15. Auditing means that I can go to class but the classwork is optional for me and I won't get credit for the class.

The safest way to send me things is to send them to the actual program center. Therefore, my address here is:

Kaia Range Alliance Center: Alliance for Global Education Bungalow #3 Fergusson College F.C. Road Pune, 411004 India

Other Cultural Differences:

• People here eat with their hands mostly. Silverware is offered at restaurants but most people use their hands. And only their right hand. The left is supposed to be used for going to the bathroom and therefore can only be used to serve yourself (using the serving utensils) and to drink with (to pick up your cup and drink from it).

• Toilet paper is not usually used here. They use water. I haven't really figured it out yet so just carry around toilet paper, but next to some toilets there is a litte spray nozel that I guess you can use or there will be a bucket. So when I figure that out, I'll let you know. =p

• Indians don't say "thank you" much here. In fact, my host family says I say "thank you" too much. Mom and Dad, you taught me too well. They consider me part of the family and so I shouldn't need to thank them for the things that they do (so I shouldn't say thank you when they serve me or do things for me, etc.). My host mom explained it as that people feel that it's part of their duty so they needn't receive a thank you in return. It's very hard not to say but the fact that my host brother AND host mother have started playfully mimicking me is helping.

• The other day while in my rickshaw we went past a man sleeping on the tiny strip of concrete that acts as the divider in the middle of the major street. He was just stretched out sleeping there. I also passed some little boys squatted on the side of the street going poop. Yeah, just going to the bathroom right there in the street.

• Other street sights: stray cats (though few), dogs (but not as many as there are in Chile), goats, shacks, food stands, & people living on the side of the road and cooking, eating, and sleeping with their little tents there.

• There are a surprising amount of trees everywhere. They are all very tall as buildings are close to each other but the city is filled with them. The sidewalks have been built around them and the other day there was one giant tree that they had built the street around and it was just sitting in the middle of the lane. They always paint the trees by the sides of the road with one stripe of red on the trunk with a white stripe above and below the red one. Don't know why yet.

• Each of us was given our address in Marathi so that we could show the rickshaw drivers or whoever if need be. However, the two times I have done this, the drivers that I had couldn't read. The second time, the people who had been in the rickshaw previously read it to him.

• I haven't seen as many street beggars as I thought I would see but several times children have come up to me or to us. They follow you and tug on your sleeves. Sometimes they are followed by a woman who is in charge of them. What we have to do is ignore them otherwise they will just ask for more. Many of them have been forced to beg by adults so it is best to donate ignore them and donate to a reliable organization that can help them.

• The school week (in University, too) is traditionally Monday through Saturday. Fortunately our program has allowed us to skip out on this Indian tradition. =)

So that's all that I can think of at the moment. Yesterday I was feeling a bit tired and homesick so I didn't do all that much besides learn how to walk to school and talk to my parents, Aunt Karen and Uncle Jesse, Aunt Lory, Uncle Don, Cedar and Sage and Antonio. It was nice to get to talk to them finally and I am feeling much better today. =)

Today I had breakfast with my hostmother's nephew (he stayed the night last night as he and his parents came from Mumbai for an Engagement Party yesterday). He already has his bachelors in Computer Engineering and works for a bank in Mumbai. He speaks English and explained the rules of Cricket to me (it's the national sport - still don't quite understand it but now have a better idea). We will eat lunch soon and then at 2:15 or so my friend Marie will come over and Amma (my host mom, "amma" means "mother") will take us shopping. It would be fun to get some gold jewelry as we would blend in better (gold jewelry and bangles are the tradition here) but I don't know how expensive they are so we'll see. =) I might have to wait until later in the program. Rajesh (my host bro) suggested that I invite her to stay the night so she will stay the night and then will be able to use my internet tomorrow morning to skype with her family (skype doesn't work on her slow internet connection). We don't have class Monday morning so it should work well.

Tuesday is a holiday: Republic Day (kind of like Independence Day, I think) so we won't have classes. I think Rajesh will take me and whoever else wants to go to the hill nearby to see the city. Should be fun.

I hope you all have a wonderful week! Please feel free to write if you have any questions. So much is different here that it is hard to write it all. But I will do my best.

Enjoy the pictures!

Love, Kaia

First India Pics