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| Kia and me at the Bengali New Year party |
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Off to Kerala
Monday, April 18, 2011
Make a Difference
Remember my post and photos from the Sundarbans? My friend Bekkah is working on a project to provide solar lamps for children in the villages of the Sundarbans so that they can study more easily after dark. This project is sponsored by a non-profit organization called ASED but relies on donations from to achieve its goal. For more information, see Bekkah's blog post "This Little Light of Mine: Solar Lamps for Children in the Sundarbans" or the donation sight's page "Solar Lamps for 700 Students in Sundarbans, India." This project is very important to Bekkah, and donations of any size are greatly appreciated.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Catholic India
Today is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week. To honor the most important week of the Church's year, I would like to share a few reflections on what India has taught me about my faith. This country is practically a world religions course in itself, but here is what the Christian-minority country and culture has taught me about Catholicism so far:
Most people in India are Hindu or Muslim, but the Christian presence is still strong. Catholic religious orders run countless English-medium schools, and Sunday masses can become quite full. On the other hand, even students at the Catholic college where I attend classes asked why there was a smudge on my forehead on Ash Wednesday. I also have had a few interesting conversations while attempting to explain Lenten observances. This differs drastically from my experiences at Catholic schools in Minnesota. Christianity exists, but it is not an everyday part of Kolkata's culture.
Readings and Holy Eucharist are the same, but there is something that makes masses different here. Music is very unlike ours at home. They say things a bit differently. But, in the end, it's a Catholic mass.
The Sign of Peace after the Lord's Prayer does not necessarily need to be a handshake. In a culture where respectful greetings include bowing with hands together at one's chest, this is the Sign of Peace. But it still means the same thing.
Giving up meat on Fridays during lent is nothing. Many people are "veg" year-round for their religion. And this includes no eggs or fish. Some even refuse onions and potatoes because eating these vegetables kills the plant (whereas I can pick an apple without killing the tree).
I used to think that "Salt of the Earth" referenced salt as something that can add flavor to foods to make them a bit better. A homily a few months ago changed this image. Here, nobody will even touch a meal that lacks a heavy dose of salt. The simple substance that I overlook in America is absolutely necessary for everything. People even put it on fresh fruit. In this light, striving to be the "Salt of the Earth" is not an option to make the world a bit better. It fulfills a necessity such that we fail in our duty to the Earth if we do not act as salt.
Every Holy Thursday, we read about Jesus washing his disciples' feet. In Minnesota, our feet washing means taking off shoes and socks (or boots, as may be the case this year) to reveal relatively clean feet that we pour water over symbolically. Religion teachers have tried to explain that washing feet was work for the lowest servants, but I never really understood. That is, until I began walking the filthy streets of Kolkata wearing sandals. Within minutes, my feet were absolutely disgusting! I try to wash my feet every day simply because they become so dirty so quickly. And I certainly would not wish to make anyone else wash my feet for me - it would be far too demeaning. Now I understand: when Jesus washed his disciples' feet, he did a thankless and disgusting task that nobody would ever ask him to do for them. The example tells us to do for others even those undesirable tasks that they would never want to ask anyone to do for them.
Finally, Blessed Mother Teresa of Kolkata is an inspiration. Every Catholic church and school that I have seen has some reference to this woman who will be a Saint sooner rather than later. And a visit to her Missionaries of Charity Mother House explains why this is so: her organization has grown to serve countless needs in Kolkata and beyond. The original charity, which provided a home for the dying, has been joined by charities aimed at helping children with special needs, feeding and housing the poor, and more. Mother Teresa prayed for the Sainthood of Blessed Father Damien, who helped lepers in the Hawaiian island of Molokai. This seems fitting for someone who also left a European home to dedicate her existence to helping strangers in need. Could I even imagine having the dedication to God required for this kind of life? I don't know. For now, I feel honored to have visited Mother Teresa's tomb and volunteered in a school in the city where she lived and worked.
I hope these reflections can be of interest to someone this Holy Week. Maybe it's taking things out of the context I have been familiar with for so long, but this land that is not primarily Christian has encouraged me to reflect quite a bit about what I believe and why. And, in case I don't have the chance to send this message again before next Sunday, Happy Easter to everyone!
Most people in India are Hindu or Muslim, but the Christian presence is still strong. Catholic religious orders run countless English-medium schools, and Sunday masses can become quite full. On the other hand, even students at the Catholic college where I attend classes asked why there was a smudge on my forehead on Ash Wednesday. I also have had a few interesting conversations while attempting to explain Lenten observances. This differs drastically from my experiences at Catholic schools in Minnesota. Christianity exists, but it is not an everyday part of Kolkata's culture.
Readings and Holy Eucharist are the same, but there is something that makes masses different here. Music is very unlike ours at home. They say things a bit differently. But, in the end, it's a Catholic mass.
The Sign of Peace after the Lord's Prayer does not necessarily need to be a handshake. In a culture where respectful greetings include bowing with hands together at one's chest, this is the Sign of Peace. But it still means the same thing.
Giving up meat on Fridays during lent is nothing. Many people are "veg" year-round for their religion. And this includes no eggs or fish. Some even refuse onions and potatoes because eating these vegetables kills the plant (whereas I can pick an apple without killing the tree).
I used to think that "Salt of the Earth" referenced salt as something that can add flavor to foods to make them a bit better. A homily a few months ago changed this image. Here, nobody will even touch a meal that lacks a heavy dose of salt. The simple substance that I overlook in America is absolutely necessary for everything. People even put it on fresh fruit. In this light, striving to be the "Salt of the Earth" is not an option to make the world a bit better. It fulfills a necessity such that we fail in our duty to the Earth if we do not act as salt.
Every Holy Thursday, we read about Jesus washing his disciples' feet. In Minnesota, our feet washing means taking off shoes and socks (or boots, as may be the case this year) to reveal relatively clean feet that we pour water over symbolically. Religion teachers have tried to explain that washing feet was work for the lowest servants, but I never really understood. That is, until I began walking the filthy streets of Kolkata wearing sandals. Within minutes, my feet were absolutely disgusting! I try to wash my feet every day simply because they become so dirty so quickly. And I certainly would not wish to make anyone else wash my feet for me - it would be far too demeaning. Now I understand: when Jesus washed his disciples' feet, he did a thankless and disgusting task that nobody would ever ask him to do for them. The example tells us to do for others even those undesirable tasks that they would never want to ask anyone to do for them.
Finally, Blessed Mother Teresa of Kolkata is an inspiration. Every Catholic church and school that I have seen has some reference to this woman who will be a Saint sooner rather than later. And a visit to her Missionaries of Charity Mother House explains why this is so: her organization has grown to serve countless needs in Kolkata and beyond. The original charity, which provided a home for the dying, has been joined by charities aimed at helping children with special needs, feeding and housing the poor, and more. Mother Teresa prayed for the Sainthood of Blessed Father Damien, who helped lepers in the Hawaiian island of Molokai. This seems fitting for someone who also left a European home to dedicate her existence to helping strangers in need. Could I even imagine having the dedication to God required for this kind of life? I don't know. For now, I feel honored to have visited Mother Teresa's tomb and volunteered in a school in the city where she lived and worked.
I hope these reflections can be of interest to someone this Holy Week. Maybe it's taking things out of the context I have been familiar with for so long, but this land that is not primarily Christian has encouraged me to reflect quite a bit about what I believe and why. And, in case I don't have the chance to send this message again before next Sunday, Happy Easter to everyone!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Apologies
I'm sorry that I haven't written in a while! As the semester nears an end (Do I seriously have less than a month left before my return to Minnesota?!), crunch time arrives on homework and other assignments. We will spend a week in South India starting next Thursday, so I hope to finish assignments by Wednesday. Yikes! I am currently writing a short dissertation for my international relations class called "Multinational Corporations and their Cultural Influence on the Third World" (unless I give it a better name). I will also write a research paper for Indian History and Society. Cross my fingers I can handle those and the smaller papers due next week.
On the other hand, I have some blog posts in my head that I hope to write soon. I'm eager to share what India has taught me about gender, race, religion, and a couple of other big, important topics. That and I'll have the exciting trip to South India. There will be good stuff...once I get my head above water again. Or maybe just once I have a few minutes to write during a study break. I'm still having a great time, and I want to share it with the world!
On the other hand, I have some blog posts in my head that I hope to write soon. I'm eager to share what India has taught me about gender, race, religion, and a couple of other big, important topics. That and I'll have the exciting trip to South India. There will be good stuff...once I get my head above water again. Or maybe just once I have a few minutes to write during a study break. I'm still having a great time, and I want to share it with the world!
Monday, April 4, 2011
World Champions
I expected many great, once-in-a-lifetime experiences to come during my trip to India: riding camels in the desert, visiting the famous Taj Mahal, living for an extended period in a foreign country, etc. The once-in-a-lifetime experience I did not expect: watching the host country of the Cricket World Cup win the cup for its favorite sport while surrounded by screaming fans.
In case that was too vague, I will explain. I know that India is too diverse for generalizations, but this one almost works: Indians are almost all crazy about cricket. It has probably a greater following here than American Football has in the United States. This means that people in India were excited to see the country host the ICC Cricket World Cup this year, regardless of who wins. As for our group from Minnesota, we gathered at the only game in Kolkata, Ireland vs. South Africa in early March. It was a memorable experience, but a long match. I left before South Africa won, exhausted about five or six hours into the eight hour match.
Combining this excitement for cricket with the national pride that frequently goes into overdrive in reference to sports (and yes, this also applies to state, city, and school pride where applicable), the world cup was an unmistakeable part of India for over a month now. Stores sold jerseys, and fans were encouraged to "Bleed Blue" (India's team color). I first noticed that this was more than just a commercial event when India played its first match. Everyone followed the match in whatever way possible. And when India played England, I found out immediately upon entering the mall with friends. Hundreds of people stood in the central atrium to stare at the large screen. I don't think I have ever seen such numbers of people standing to watch a television screen. They filled all floors of the mall and cheered loudly for all great plays. I thought it an exciting atmosphere that I would not soon forget.
Then, India made it to the semi-final match against Pakistan. As everyone excitedly discussed the upcoming match, I likened it to the 1980 Winter Olympics hockey game between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Both events postioned countries in the midst of political tensions against each other in a game that could not remain only about the athletic contest. People try to keep politics out of sports, but only cricket could make the Pakistani Prime Minister and the Indian Prime Minister sit in the same box for more than eight hours. My friend Kia and I returned to South City Mall to see the hundreds of people again squeezed into the atrium and along the railings to see the match, leaving empty stores save for employees tuned to the stores' televisions. It was a fantastic atmosphere, for cricket lovers and people watchers alike. I watched the second half of the match at the house with my host parents. It was a great ending, not a blow-out but clearly an Indian win, followed by loud celebrations on the streets well into the night.
And then there was the final match: India vs. Sri Lanka. Yes, we are talking WORLD cup even if the best performances came from teams in Asia. I watched with friends in a home before moving to City Centre, another shopping complex. At first, we stayed in a restaurant lounge that afforded a great view of the outdoor screen without requiring us to be cramped in a crowd. It was fun to watch the party-like reactions to great plays. But after dinner, we squeezed our way into probably the last space left in the crowd. Was that ever an experience! Every commercial break, music blared and people started Bollywood dancing. Fans screamed, "India, Jeetega!" (India will win), and every four or six (comparable to a homerun in baseball) brought a deafening thunder of excitement. Sure, we were overcrowded, hot, and dealing with limited visibility. It's all part of the experience.
It was in this electric atmosphere that I was fortunate enough to watch India sustain an incredible run rate to make up for a dismal offensive start. With one last blast into the crowd, India was officially the Cricket World Cup champions. City Centre erupted. Noise, dancing, hugging, cheering, and more for quite some time. Everyone wanted to shake hands and, in our case, welcome us to the country. Someone from a local news station pulled us aside to ask how it felt to experience this while surrounded by native Indians. Our response: unbelievable. I do not know if I have ever seen so much excitement in my life, and that's saying something. We couldn't even walk away from the shopping center as normal, because people insisted upon photos, dancing, and even dousing us in a healthy dose of leftover Holi colors (dry, thank goodness!).
Many people say that sports have a power to turn a group of people into a community. Well, on Saturday evening, all of India was a community sharing a common cause for celebration. I am lucky to have been able to see this, and even luckier that the community so willingly welcomed us to be a part of it all.
Photos:
In another note, I have another batch of photos online. I have finally caught up for the most part, including everything post-Sundarbans through the end of March. This means that it does include many photos from the colorful holiday Holi. Actually, it's not too many photos this time. Take a look at them HERE.
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| Fans at South City Mall |
In case that was too vague, I will explain. I know that India is too diverse for generalizations, but this one almost works: Indians are almost all crazy about cricket. It has probably a greater following here than American Football has in the United States. This means that people in India were excited to see the country host the ICC Cricket World Cup this year, regardless of who wins. As for our group from Minnesota, we gathered at the only game in Kolkata, Ireland vs. South Africa in early March. It was a memorable experience, but a long match. I left before South Africa won, exhausted about five or six hours into the eight hour match.
Combining this excitement for cricket with the national pride that frequently goes into overdrive in reference to sports (and yes, this also applies to state, city, and school pride where applicable), the world cup was an unmistakeable part of India for over a month now. Stores sold jerseys, and fans were encouraged to "Bleed Blue" (India's team color). I first noticed that this was more than just a commercial event when India played its first match. Everyone followed the match in whatever way possible. And when India played England, I found out immediately upon entering the mall with friends. Hundreds of people stood in the central atrium to stare at the large screen. I don't think I have ever seen such numbers of people standing to watch a television screen. They filled all floors of the mall and cheered loudly for all great plays. I thought it an exciting atmosphere that I would not soon forget.
Then, India made it to the semi-final match against Pakistan. As everyone excitedly discussed the upcoming match, I likened it to the 1980 Winter Olympics hockey game between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Both events postioned countries in the midst of political tensions against each other in a game that could not remain only about the athletic contest. People try to keep politics out of sports, but only cricket could make the Pakistani Prime Minister and the Indian Prime Minister sit in the same box for more than eight hours. My friend Kia and I returned to South City Mall to see the hundreds of people again squeezed into the atrium and along the railings to see the match, leaving empty stores save for employees tuned to the stores' televisions. It was a fantastic atmosphere, for cricket lovers and people watchers alike. I watched the second half of the match at the house with my host parents. It was a great ending, not a blow-out but clearly an Indian win, followed by loud celebrations on the streets well into the night.
And then there was the final match: India vs. Sri Lanka. Yes, we are talking WORLD cup even if the best performances came from teams in Asia. I watched with friends in a home before moving to City Centre, another shopping complex. At first, we stayed in a restaurant lounge that afforded a great view of the outdoor screen without requiring us to be cramped in a crowd. It was fun to watch the party-like reactions to great plays. But after dinner, we squeezed our way into probably the last space left in the crowd. Was that ever an experience! Every commercial break, music blared and people started Bollywood dancing. Fans screamed, "India, Jeetega!" (India will win), and every four or six (comparable to a homerun in baseball) brought a deafening thunder of excitement. Sure, we were overcrowded, hot, and dealing with limited visibility. It's all part of the experience.
It was in this electric atmosphere that I was fortunate enough to watch India sustain an incredible run rate to make up for a dismal offensive start. With one last blast into the crowd, India was officially the Cricket World Cup champions. City Centre erupted. Noise, dancing, hugging, cheering, and more for quite some time. Everyone wanted to shake hands and, in our case, welcome us to the country. Someone from a local news station pulled us aside to ask how it felt to experience this while surrounded by native Indians. Our response: unbelievable. I do not know if I have ever seen so much excitement in my life, and that's saying something. We couldn't even walk away from the shopping center as normal, because people insisted upon photos, dancing, and even dousing us in a healthy dose of leftover Holi colors (dry, thank goodness!).
Many people say that sports have a power to turn a group of people into a community. Well, on Saturday evening, all of India was a community sharing a common cause for celebration. I am lucky to have been able to see this, and even luckier that the community so willingly welcomed us to be a part of it all.
Photos:
In another note, I have another batch of photos online. I have finally caught up for the most part, including everything post-Sundarbans through the end of March. This means that it does include many photos from the colorful holiday Holi. Actually, it's not too many photos this time. Take a look at them HERE.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Sunset, Sunrise, Sunset, and More
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Thoughts on Education
Right to Education: I think it is admirable that the Indian government has determined that education falls under the constitutional right to freedom. In guaranteeing free and compulsory education, the government has taken steps toward addressing the persistence of poverty that illiteracy maintains. Unfortunately, this right is difficult to maintain, especially in India. There are far too many children to ensure that each has access to education. Moreover, the system is such that an education in English is necessary to attend college or gain a well-paying job after school. The free schools teach in Hindi, Bengali, or other local languages. This perpetrates a system where generations maintain either wealth or poverty with limited room for economic movement. Anyone with money sends children to private, English-medium schools. Those without must be content without English. The desire to educate everyone recognizes excellent goals, but the system leaves room for improvement. Then again, the United States has encountered some similar but less visible challenges.
Loreto Day Sealdah: As per a required service-learning class, I have been volunteering this semester with a private girls’ school. Loreto Day Sealdah has taken huge steps towards addressing some of the issues in India’s education. Half of its students live in poverty and attend the English-medium school for free. This provides opportunities for children to potentially attend college on scholarship or at least qualify for better jobs than their parents’ jobs. The school also has a program to house street children so that they can attend school (some in English, some in Bengali), with results similar to that with the children from slums. In addition, a Barefoot Teacher Training program and makeshift schools in brickfields, along railroad tracks, and elsewhere with limited access to education help to reach those children who otherwise would not even receive a minimal education. The list I have provided is not exhaustive, but you get the picture. As these programs grow and other schools work to provide similar efforts, India is working actively to improve the current education system.
Villages: I have been to a few villages around West Bengal, and the schools continue to amaze me. Children I have met are unlikely to ever leave their villages, and yet they take the time to learn reading, writing, math, and more. Some even learn English, leaving me astounded to speak with children half my age who can hold conversations in Bengali, Hindi, and English depending on the situation. This also speaks to the power of education without technology. Certainly, the Internet and other technologies help students to learn. We have developed very high standards for students in the United States because there is access to billions of documents at the click of a button. But when a student needs to know how to speak in a second language or how to sign their name, determined teachers can do without SmartBoards.
Facts: Now onto a subject that deeply frustrates me. My education has been one based primarily on ideas with the mindset that a good foundation of fundamental concepts and a thorough knowledge of how to seek information on my own combine to give me the skills necessary to remain well-informed for the rest of my life. India, from my limited experience, places more emphasis on memorization of facts. It bothers me to see that my classmates at St. Xavier’s College place all emphasis on learning for exams. Teachers spend entire class periods dictating notes for students to copy word-for-word. Then, when the teachers try to expand on the topics and students don’t take notes. An attempt to hold a class discussion the other day resulted in half of the students skipping class because they are not accustomed to sharing their thoughts on issues…in a political science class. I, on the other hand, have been fortunate enough to attend a college where many of my classes expect us to learn through discussion. It forces us to consider other perspectives and to be aware of the arguments used for or against certain positions. I try hard to understand the reasoning behind a primarily fact-based system (classes too large for discussion, students lack the excellent pool of academic resources that CSB/SJU provides, etc.), but it is very difficult. I do not want to memorize that capitalism is bad or even that it is good. I want to understand its successes and flaws. Guide me to a thorough understanding of all arguments, from which I can form an educated opinion. But maybe that’s just something that the individualistic American culture has instilled in us without our awareness. I was prepared for lecture, just not for hearing, “I am not suggesting anything. These are important facts for you to know,” for something I call an opinion.
Wow, this became long! Sorry about that! I guess I should not have held these thoughts in for three months, letting them build day-by-day. But I wanted to share some of these reflections. As a student studying for a minor in secondary education, I have put quite a bit of thought into opinions regarding the purpose and methods of a good education. India has shown me things that inspire me as well as a philosophy that is glaringly different from my own. I hope that this hyperawareness of my own preferences and my continuous attempts to understand another view will help me to become a more effective teacher when I begin student teaching next spring.
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