As I’ve begun my new school year back in the U.S.A., the state through which I completed part of my IFE, Kerala, has experienced one of the worst natural disasters in the history of the state due to catastrophic rain and flooding. More than two hundred lives have been lost, many have lost their homes and land leaving at least 800,000 people homeless, and farms and roads have completely washed away. The kindness, warmth, and love shown to me by the people of Kerala has influenced me tremendously, giving me a level of joy that is impossible to describe adequately with words. From students, teachers, families, and leaders in the community, their welcome, care, and sincere investment in my well-being were overwhelming; I created friendships in days that felt like a lifetime. With the ravishing green forests within the communities exemplifying the best in humanity, I honestly felt I was in a utopia while in Kerala. It is truly the most beautiful place on Earth, making this tragedy that much more heart-breaking, a true devastation, to say the least.
I am sharing this information with hopes of giving support to the beautiful people of Kerala in their time of sadness and great need; many thoughts, prayers, and donations would go a long way. You can learn more information through the the link below, which contains a link to a fund created by the Chief Minister of Kerala for those who can give, confirmed by my host teacher as legitimate. If you’d like to make a donation, thank you! You will need to do so in rupees (INR). $1 USD is about 69 rupees right now, so a 2,000 rupee donation is just under $30 USD. Please message me if you need help using the site. Miracles come from thoughts and prayers, so THANK YOU for simply taking the time to read this. Have a wonderful day! 🙂 https://donation.cmdrf.kerala.gov.in/
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I made an album on Google Photos of the pictures and videos I collected throughout my journey, some of which shared with me by others. The link is:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/L9s1taV6Uzutw6ZS6 If you have any questions or lingering curiosity and would like more in-depth information from what you see, feel free to contact me. My experience in India has not been easy, but rather very difficult and I most definitely have struggled. I know I have made a lot of mistakes and have been far from perfect, especially when exhausted, dehydrated, and uncomfortable. But it was without a doubt that I can say that these past four weeks have been of the best in my life, challenging me in ways that I never could have anticipated in all of my months of preparation, resulting in a level of happiness that has left me devoid of words that will allow for an adequate description in writing. The happiness I feel from my time here comes from times of sadness, when I broke down hysterically sobbing, overtaken by the pain experienced by so many here, worry that I may have offended someone with my ignorance, concern of falling ill or being harmed, frustration with sanitation, and my continual efforts to understand why God brought me here and what He wants me to do with all I have learned. It comes from times filled with laughter, often in moments that were entirely inappropriate, so loud and tear-filled that I probably appeared insane, which can only be rationally explained as a tickle from the Holy Spirit to help me stay on the side of hope over despair. It comes from times filled with so much joy, when seeing brown water turn clear in my hotel after a difficult experience on an overnight train, when tasting new flavors with each different type of food I tried, and when seeing the smiling faces of all my Indian students, their teachers, and their families who welcomed me into their schools and homes, making me feel more than just a guest, but rather another part of their families and communities. It was from all the lessons that came from the moments filled with sadness, laughter, and joy, and the grace of the many special people I encountered along the way, that I found happiness. In India, the love I felt was palpable; I was home. I am so extremely grateful for every single part of this journey, for my International Field Experience thanks to the U.S. State Department’s IREX Teachers for Global Classrooms Program, alongside my 11 co-fellows and all our coordinators, for my International Field Experience enrichment thanks to my Intrepid Travel tour alongside my 11 co-travellers and our tour leader, and for all the people of India who let me experience their homes with open doors and hearts, giving me the most authentic learning opportunity I may ever have in my life time, all while making me a part of their family with sincerity, kindness, and love. I hope to take everything I’ve learned and the happiness and love I’ve gained here with me back to my home in America to my family and into my classroom with my students and colleagues, who have been with me in my mind and heart each day throughout my journey, and hope I have also left some happiness and love behind. Although this post concludes my blog and I will soon be wrapping up my Global Education Guide, this journey is far from over. There’s much I’m still trying to understand from what I’ve experienced, and in many ways, despite how rich my experiences were here, I still feel as though I’ve only scratched the surface. As I continue on with my reflections and endlessly seek to understand the connections and complexities of humanity and the world around us, a pursuit of happiness if you will, I can only hope I’m carrying out God’s work and that I am able to share His love, directly and indirectly, with all I do, returning the happiness gained in my pursuits unto others. In conclusion, with all I have experienced with my time here, I leave with a new found respect for my greatest role model, St. Mother Teresa, although my experience extensively pales in comparison to hers; her unrelenting commitment to not just serve but to be one of the poorest of the poor is of a mystery beyond conception. I can now defend with confidence that her courage, humility, strength, cheerfulness, and unconditional love exhibited through her work exemplify the superior human qualities deserving of sainthood. Thank you to all who beared through my blog posts, many of which long and filled with typos and grammatical errors. I did my best to capture my journey as I went along, no matter how tired or overwhelmed I felt; I wanted this blog to be real, the truth as I’ve experienced it. And as I get ready to board the plane in the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi on my way to my home in the U.S.A., my journey carries on! May God bless you all, wherever you are in the world! <3 MP :-) Our second day in Jaipur, which has quickly become one of my favorite major cities in India, began with a walking tour of the city. The weather in the morning was cool, relatively speaking of course, and so we had a nice time observing local life on the streets and in the markets, coming across camels and beautiful buildings, including the Wind Temple. The day quickly heated up, making our tour of an observatory a challenge, but it was nice to have the feeling of sunshine, which has not been visible in many of the places in India I’ve visited. After our walking tour, I made my way back to the hotel for a large lunch that doubled as dinner, and then took a walk to a local shopping mall to pass the time before our evening plans.
In the evening, we went to go see a Bollywood movie at the Raj Mandir, listed as one of the 10 World’s Most Enjoyable Movie Theaters. It was such an awesome experience! The movie was a love story, and although in Hindi, we could follow along to get the gist, although I was more intrigued by the overall experience than the movie itself. The movie was quite long, so we left after the intermission so the rest of the group could get dinner, and I made my way back to the hotel via rickshaw, which was an interesting experience in and of itself, alongside my tour leader, Gajraj, who offered to take the rickshaw back with me to make sure I was safe; he is native to Jaipur, and has been truly outstanding this entire experience, constantly going above and beyond his duties with his high level of professionalism, confidence, expertise, organization, and kindness. Before taking off with me, he went to get our group situated in the restaurant, leaving me with time in the rickshaw. The rickshaw driver asked where I was from, and when I said the U.S. he informed me that he did not go to college, humbly following up with “no college, no knowledge” with a huge grin, further informing me that he also did not go to high school. I told him his English was great and how life experience has clearly taught him much, letting him know I was a teacher to hopefully validate my claims. He proudly asked if I’d seen the Amber Fort, letting me know that he’s never left Rajasthan and that he has a large family, with 5 brothers and sisters, just like me! I made sure to let him know our commonality, and he smiled asking if I was married. He told me that he lives with his entire family, working 7 days a week from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on the rickshaw. I was in complete shock. Wowed. As my tour leader returned to the rickshaw and we were wrapping up our conversation, he told me I’ll have to come back to Jaipur someday, but with my husband. Just so sweet! I made sure to give him my blessing after he dropped me off at my hotel, having made my time in Jaipur extra special through his kindness. Once I got back to the hotel, I took a nice warm shower, but after drying off with smelly, stained towels, I’m not sure it was purposeful. We got up early the next morning to board our 6:00 a.m. day train back to Delhi, during this time I decided to book a new hotel near the airport; I’ve had my lot of quaint, family run Indian hotels at this point, and need a clean shower and good night’s sleep before heading back to the States. Others in my group feel similarly, and have also booked a night at the same hotel, and so we will continue on with the remainder of our Indian adventure together! We plan to do some extra touring of New Delhi, and then will hang out at the hotel until it’s time to depart for the airport. Jaipur is a city that intrigues me; I’d love to dive deeper by exploring the schools and communities to get a richer perspective of the heart of the city, although my tour leader being native to the area has already done a great job. I love how much pride Indians have for where they come from; I have yet to experience one individual in this country who complains or speaks negatively of where they live. Even in their honest admissions of the imperfections, they always paint them with hope for improvements, an optimism that permeates through generations. Although I’d love to spend time passively observing here, it is not possible for me in India; it is fair to say that I have not done well at keeping a low-profile despite dressing similar to custom. I stand out everywhere I go, even when tucked in a group or hidden in the back of a rickshaw, so the more actively connected I am to people who live here when I travel, the safer and more valuable the experience will be. I can’t believe I have just one day left in India. This has been by far the most rapid four weeks of my entire life, which simultaneously feel like the longest, as if a year has passed since arriving here. Not much more to come, perhaps just one more blog post before my journey concludes! Namaste, Rajasthan! We began our adventure in this beautiful state a few hours south of Jaipur in a small, remote village, staying overnight in a heritage property that was once a palace. Upon our arrival, we took a safari ride and saw the natural landscapes of the area, climbing to the top of a sand dune for peace and relaxation, enjoying the beautiful scenery, the dry sand at our feet, and the sounds of birds; quite the contrast from the populous, noisy, rainy, Agra! We also stopped by a small village within the village, but it seems that this is a common tourist drop-by place so the experience did not feel the same in comparison to my others. I decided it best to respectfully refrain from taking pictures in it; another learning experience that took me by surprise! After our adventure, we had an outdoor dinner at the palace, by which we could see stars and feel breeze in the air, and by 10:00 pm I was cozy in my beautiful, tv-less room and fast asleep. The following day, we did a walking tour of the village directly outside the palace and learned more about the culture and politics of the area. I felt much more comfortable taking pictures in this particular portion of the village, and thanks to our very knowledgeable tour guide, who graciously answered my many questions, I learned a great deal and gained a new perspective on India. It was a breath of fresh air in the remote Rajasthan village, literally and figuratively, and so my batteries were recharged and I couldn’t wait to take on Jaipur, Pink City, also in Rajasthan, but a three hour ride northward. The ride was a bit bumpy and had me feeling queasy, but after a delicious huge lunch I was all set to conquer our newest destination. Upon arriving to Jaipur, we made our first stop to the iconic Amber Fort. Situated on top of a mountain, we made the trek up a countless number of stairs, with the Great Wall of Jaipur at our backs, dripping in sweat from the intense heat and sun, but when we made it to the top we could see it was worth the journey. The Amber Fort is absolutely gorgeous, from the intricate details, to the marble pillars, to the views, to the science in the design, no picture or words can do it justice. After the Amber Fort, we had a few tours of hand-craft jewelry and block printing facilities, and then made our way to our hotel, another quaint, beautiful heritage property. We will be exploring Jaipur for another day, and may go see a Bollywood movie! My trip is starting to wind down here, but there is still more to come! It’s hard to believe there are just two days left here for me! Our time in Varanasi continued on with clear skies allowing for our planned night boat ride along the Ganges to go on uninhibited. Accompanied by musicians who played classical Indian music throughout the ride, we made our way on to the sacred river for a truly magical, once-in-a-lifetime experience. The rituals we witnessed from the day continued, and alongside the river were 1,000s of Hindu pilgrims who gathered for the evening ceremony in celebration, although it had formally been held earlier in the day rather than at night due to the lunar eclipse. There were also people swimming across the river, getting in their nightly exercise, a routine for some of the locals. After some time listening to the music and gazing at the beautiful lights on the buildings alongside the river, we lit flower candles and made wishes, and placed the candles in the water, making a trail of light as we moved along the river. It was calming, sentimental, incredibly beautiful, and so special. It was one of those experiences you know is bigger than what you can conceive in the moment, so I did my best to be still, to observe, to pray, and to soak it all in.
After the boat ride, we had a late dinner; exhaustion was starting to hit me hard, so it was a struggle for me. The following day, I woke up with an awful headache and the exhaustion was worse than the day prior, but I did my best to keep trucking! We spent the afternoon touring beautiful Buddhist temples in a part of Varanasi called Sanarth where Buddha gave his first sermon. It was fascinating, and although I was not feeling well, I was so grateful to see a new part of Indian culture, observing monks in prayer in addition to the decorations on the exterior and interior of the beautiful temples. The remainder of the afternoon was spent eating a huge lunch, which was to double as our dinner, in preparation for our next overnight train ride to Agra. The train station was packed and chaotic; there were people scattered everywhere, many dressed in saffron carrying long decorated sticks with jugs attached containing water from the Ganges. I’ve never seen anything like it, but we made it through and found our seats, most of us together among Indians, getting once again a full Indian experience. We had a few scary moments with people getting on and off the train, some making a scene in words we couldn’t understand, but fortunately our tour guide was able to promptly stop by our car and diffuse the situation so we could sleep in relative peace; he ended up switching seats with a local so he could be closer to us and make sure we were safe. I must admit that it is an extremely isolating feeling being around others who do not speak your language, and it’s truly terrifying when it’s an urgent situation. This feeling is not new, as I experienced it on my initial flight into Frankfurt a few weeks ago during the German medical emergency onboard; perhaps it was God preparing me for many other times to come while on my time here. I’m grateful to have had my overnight train experiences, but after a 17+ hour trip this final time around, I will be even more grateful if I don’t need to repeat them! Having done both in-country flights and overnight trains to commute across India over these past few weeks, considering both hygiene and safety, I would highly recommend the flight over the train. The challenge wasn’t over after we reached the train station; through the heat and humidity, we needed to walk up a flight of stairs, across an overpass lined with monkeys, and down a flight of stairs to reach our bus to the hotel. With my suitcase in hand and backpack on my back, dehydrated and hungry from not eating much besides snacks since the day prior and overall just not feeling well, by the will of God I made the trek without falling. Once we checked into our hotel and I got into my room, eager for a shower, brown water came from the faucet, and just when I was about to cry, it turned clear, and I did a happy dance for clean water; oh my how travel can change you! Still not feeling well, and considering taking the day off having been to Agra a few weeks prior, I had a huge lunch and lots of coffee, which was enough to help me to keep going for the afternoon and evening activities. After having to push our broken down van in the middle of a crazy busy road, we were able to get it started and went to a carpet making store, made a visit to the majestic Agra Fort, and then had a delicious huge dinner. After a few hours of sleep before heading to the Taj Mahal at 4:45 am, I was feeling much better, although periodically waking due to a door bell sound that apparently is a figment of my imagination. LOL! The malaria pills have been giving me strange dreams, so I’m assuming I can attribute it to that. A few others in my group, unfortunately, have starting coming down with similar symptoms, one girl very sick with nausea, but being a group of troopers we made our way to the Taj Mahal, in the unforecasted down pour of rain. We waited in Cafe Coffee Day in hopes for a clearing, and after breakfast and coffee the only thing that was clear was that luck was not on our side. And so, with our umbrellas and rain gear, we made our way into the beautifulTaj Mahal, having a blast taking pictures despite the pouring rain. I even got the chance to FaceTime some of my family, although my data was cutting in and out; it was so amazing being able to share my experience with them!!! We are currently on a bus to Tordi Garh. I will try to send this post as soon as I can, but there’s a good chance it will be delayed, possibly until I get home, because of my Internet limitations. More to come with just a few days left of travel! Upon hopping off the train, with my bright floral luggage in hand and purple backpack strapped on my back, the sounds of the city of Varanasi were blaring, greeting us with its unique version of “Namaste” amidst a light rain in the overcast sky. Our tour manager placed us in pairs in rickshaws, and off we went to our hotel. Again, culture shock hit me hard as we drove through the streets lined with cattle and stray dogs, a sight that is normal to all but us Westerners; we are the different ones! We checked into our tiny hotel nestled in a dirt road alley way, took cold but clean showers, and after breakfast we were on our way to explore the city. After an extended stop for tea and coffee (things in India seem to take much more time than in the West) and a bathroom mishap that led to toilet water squirting in my face (which also happened to another girl in my tour group; Indian practical joke?!? LOL), we walked to the Holy Ganges River, one of the most sacred rivers to Hindus, lined with cows, hand-made boats, and people everywhere. It was just unreal. All around were people bathing, drinking, fishing, praying, selling, harassing, all the while cattle were roaming around and monkeys were flinging from buildings and trees. I was just moving forward, gazing in awe of all the sights of phenomena I’ve seen on documentaries, snapping lots of pictures, feeling like I was walking into a living National Geographic magazine. As I moved, I kept my head facing forward, trying to avoid eye contact so as to diminish some of the intense attention I’ve been getting from men, many of whom stare intently, follow me long distances, or try engaging in conversation. And as I had my gaze fixed ahead, I stepped in a large pile of cow dung, and soon thereafter was nearly mauled by a cow that came charging at me for no apparent reason. Serious craziness! After more walking, we came across some particularly sketchy portions of the stretch along the river, warned that the area was a high drug use and selling area; a man approached me and told me he’d buy my hair for a million dollars, terrifying me, to say the least! We eventually came to a portion on the Ganges where funeral services were taking place; bodies hauled out on hand-made, decorated stretchers were blessed, anointed with coconut oils and other treatments, and burned into ash. Gray smoke flowed through the air, while people sang and sat watching on nearby stairs. I stood from a distance respectfully, close enough where taking pictures felt inappropriate, but remained far enough away so as to not obstruct the view from family members. I have never seen anything like it; it was just mind-blowing to witness and a true honor to have permission to be present. After we made our way through the river, we walked through the streets of Varanasi, loaded with a variety of individuals of all ages, some decorated in an orange color called saffron in honor of the Hindu god, Shiva. We scrambled along amidst the crazy traffic of pedestrians, rickshaws, motorcycles, cars, cattle, and dogs, all trying to move through the same tiny spaces, fighting for the right of way. It felt like a holiday, but apparently this is just a normal Thursday night in Varanasi! We made a visit to a silk shop, tucked in a tiny alley way, where we learned all about the science of silk, and some in my group made purchases. I stuck with the affordable synthetics, LOL, but loved drinking the complimentary masala chai while learning about the silk making and authenticity chemical testing process. As we continued our walk through Varnasi, in the land which is heart of the Hindu religion, my eye caught St. Thomas’ Church; I’m always so heart-warmed by the diversity in India. I nearly got hit by all the movement in the street, but felt compelled to get a picture of the Church before we moved on. St. Thomas is one of the 12 apostles who is thought to have brought Christianity to India, something I knew but didn’t make the connection to until doing more research back at the hotel. I also learned that he is said to have arrived into India in the state of Kerala through the Arabian Sea, and I was there just a few weeks ago! Serendipitous! I do not believe in coincidences, so I write this with tears of joy, feeling in my heart more confirmation that this trip is a part of God’s plan for me; I am so blessed and I don’t know why! We concluded the day with a delicious Indian meal, a rickshaw ride home, and a cold shower (getting used to those!) in preparation for our early day to come in just a matter of hours, 4:30 a.m., with hopes of catching the sunrise morning rituals along the Holy Ganges. Due to some rain, we delayed our departure until 5:00 a.m. when the weather started to clear. As soon as it stopped, I threw on my rain gear, hopped on a rickshaw with some of my fellow travelers, and back to the Ganges River we went! As we approached, we witnessed the influx of people moving inward, the cattle still fast asleep, and as we continued getting closer to the river, the scene seemed much different than the afternoon before. It was peaceful, with beautiful music playing and words in Hindi sang, with small flower candles being placed in the water of which many individuals were joyfully wading and cleansing themselves in the highly revered water. It was so special! We then took a boat ride on the river, getting an experience that words and pictures simply can’t do justice. We saw more funerals along the way, as well as some people lathering up in soap, some brushing their teeth, some praying, some just joyfully drifting; it was just incredible knowing how momentous this is to those who are here, some Hindus traveling far distances from various villages throughout India. We then went to a cute coffee shop, enjoying a late breakfast (late in comparison to when we woke up, at least), again slow in service, during which I was able to work on this post in between chatting with my fellow travelers, maximizing the time lag; you’ve got to adapt where you go, but you can never leave who you are behind! LOL! We then had the afternoon to do as we pleased, which included a walk to check out a local shopping mall, an extremely dangerous wander with the chaotic, non-pedestrian friendly traffic, but we somehow made it! Tonight, we are going to see the Ganges at night so we can see the floating flower candles in the dark. We will be taking another boat ride, but will have classical Indian music along for the ride and a local dinner to follow. Tomorrow, we are going to venture out of Varanasi a bit for some extra exploration before taking another overnight bus to Agra. With each day that has passed over these past three weeks, India keeps proving to me that there’s a lot left for me to learn about this beautiful country, and so the adventure continues! More to come soon! Now that my IFE through TGC is complete, I have extended my travel with a tour group with the purpose of gaining the full Indian experience, an IFE enrichment! I’m going to blog as much I can to capture my days throighout Delhi, Varanasi, Agra, Tordi Garh, Jaipur, and back to Delhi on my tour. My first full day of exploration on my tour was filled with a bunch of firsts. I had my first experience on the Indian Metro system; very nice, clean, and efficient, with the first few cabins of each train reserved for women only. It serves over 1 billion riders per year! We then went on a walking tour of Old Delhi; from the sights of people working in crammed spaces, the old infrastructure with tangled wires, the stares and harassment, the variety of scents, the dogs and monkeys, the chaotic traffic, the poor air quality, and the non-stop noise, it was intimidating, to say the least. Plus, it’s extremely hot, requiring lots of water consumption that has to be balanced by the lack of available bathrooms, few having toilet paper and most squatting. Through our tour, I saw the largest mosque in Delhi, required to wear an overgarment on top of our clothes, observing while others were in prayer. I then hopped on my first rickshaw and made my way to a beautiful Sikh temple, through which I was able to see a prayer service in action, this time required to cover my head, and was able to escape the chaos of Old Delhi with peace created in this inclusive, service-oriented temple that serves four full free meals to anyone of any creed, race, or caste every single day. After a huge, delicious lunch/dinner near our hotel in a neighborhood called Karol Bagh, also intimidating and different than anything I’ve ever known, my group and I packed up for our overnight train to Varanasi, my last of firsts for the day. It’s definitely not the route of travel for the claustrophobic, LOL, but definitely an authentic Indian experience. So much of being here has been beyond what I expected, forcing me to put my fears, germophobia, comforts, and judgements to the side, and to just keep confidently moving forward, learning and soaking it all in like a sponge. I’m with another great group, our tour leader an Indian native with 12 years of experience, and 11 other travelers, four of which from the U.S., and the others from Australia and the U.K. I write this post formerly on the top bunk of the sleeper train, now sitting with my co-travelers, thirsty but trying to avoid attempting the bathroom again until our stop in Varanasi in two hours. In the meantime, we are gazing out the window, observing the impact of poor sanitation infrastructure along the countryside of India which forces individuals to excrete their wastes in the open fields; there’s no where else to go. With the amount of people who live in these areas, their fecal matter doesn’t decompose quick enough, unsanitary for the individual, the community, and all the other organisms in the area, contaminating the water and soil. Just unreal and very sad. I’m trying hard to not be a grouchy, high maintenance American throughout my travels, but it’s not easy. But I didn’t come here expecting anything to be easy, and so the adventure continues! We will be arriving in Varanasi soon; I can’t wait (to see it, of course, and to get off this train! LOL)! More to come! Since arriving back to Delhi from the utopia which is Wandoor, we’ve been debriefing as a whole group on our extremely diverse experiences throughout India, traveling to Agra for an overnight trip to see the sunrise at the Taj Mahal, and embracing with the culture through more food, classical Indian music, dancing, fashion, henna, and shopping. Again, these last few days have been beyond my expectations, further shaping my perspective, as well as my growth as an educator and as a person. We spent our final day with Indian teachers who are alumni from ILEP and TEA, having spent time in the U.S. studying our education system. Some of the TGC fellows wore traditional Indian clothing, including myself, wearing a sari that was custom-made for me a few weeks ago upon my arrival to India thanks to my amazing in-country hosts, Mamta and Sonia, who have truly been like family in my time here. They came early with another Indian teacher to help us put on our saris, doing so with enthusiasm, humor, and love, creating another strong bond between us through fashion; I love Indian culture and all its traditions so much, and my love for the people is beyond words. After lots of pictures, we had a great final session filled with dialogue to create ways to build lasting connections between American and Indian schools, as well as discussions on our investigations of our guiding questions, part of our requirements for TGC by which we were directed to focus on a specific question to help keep our time in India purposeful and relevant to our studies on Global Education and our classrooms back home. When given this task in February at our Symposium in D.C., I immediately thought of the concept of the “American Dream,” curious how this compares and contrasts with the “Indian Dream,” unsure if such a sentiment even exists in India. My plan was to build a guiding question that was focused yet broad so I was able to explore with both purpose and openness, hoping to gain a depth of perspective from individuals that would allow me to develop a holistic perspective on Indian culture and society, with a specific focus on the education system. With that thinking in mind, my question evolved into, “What’s the Indian Dream?” a question through which I learned so much in my time here, leaving me with much left to learn and better understand moving forward. This final session was the perfect closure to our experience, which included time to honor our sensational hosts, including our program coordinator, Patrick, our “good shepard,” who diligently, patiently, and kindly made every effort to make this experience a meaningful one through his leadership, organization, and kindness. I couldn’t ask for more from any of my hosts, coordinators, or TGC fellows; I have been so blessed by the people I’ve met throughout this journey thanks to their genuine passion for teaching and learning, for seeking to understand the good in humanity, and for doing all things with happy, humorous, positive energy and enthusiasm. My purpose through this experience has not been to suggest “right” from “wrong,” or to indoctrinate or diminish American or Indian values, but merely to state the truth as I’ve experienced it during my time in India these past few weeks and throughout my teaching career in America. With all things considered from what I’ve learned with my time here and what I know from back home, we are very different, but the foundations of both systems are much more similar than they are dissimilar. Despite all the imperfections, in both systems it is without a doubt evident that we all care about kids, want them to succeed, want a good society, and want peace in our world. I hope that through my work through TGC, I have been able to serve as a ray of light for the connection that exists between these two highly diverse, beautiful societies, each with their own unique cultures and identities, and although geographically very far apart, are held firmly together by individuals who have shared DNA, a shared planet, and a shared purpose to live a good, meaningful life where one can have a dream and make it happen, a connection shared by all mankind. Recognizing this connection does not mean we need to sacrifice our identities, but rather that we can learn from each other and work towards collectively improving our societies. I believe it is through both the “American Dream” and the “Indian Dream,” separate but highly interconnected, that we can come together for the “Human Dream,” and make our world a more harmonious, loving, and beautiful place. At this time, my journey with TGC ends, and I begin a new journey on my own as I continue on in India solo, starting a tour tomorrow throughout India. I’m not sure what to expect, but I’m super excited to embark on a new adventure! For my remaining time in India, I have an Indian SIM card, which means I have data and a local number. This also means I no longer have access to IMessage on my phone with my U.S. number, so if you need me, please email or message me on WhatsApp. I may continue blogging if time allows, but I’m not sure exactly how my tour will be structured, so we shall see. To all on this Earth who have been following my journey, Namaste! Thank you for your kind words, encouragement, and love, especially my family back home, who are constantly filled with worries throughout my time here, yet are still supportive knowing how important this experience is to me. Over these past few weeks, I have been overwhelmed by all the warmth, kindness, and hospitality, learning that the Atithi devo Bhava, Guest is God, philosophy is beyond just words but lived by action here in India. “Thank you”cannot express my gratitude to the people of India; I am not sure how I’ve gotten so blessed for so much, but I most certainly hope I’m doing God’s will in return! To learn about my research and reflection on my Guiding Question, go to: What's the Indian Dream? Our final day in Kerala was a bittersweet one. I am so sad to leave, but so extremely grateful to have had this incredible once-in-a-lifetime experience exactly where I had it; one week went by so fast, yet it feels like months have passed. Fortunately, our school was open despite the periodic heavy rains, and we were able to have a proper good bye with all those who have made our time in Wandoor so very special. Our day began with a meeting with the local Lions International Club, a philanthropic organization whose leaders were very eager to meet with us, and offered to supply the school with a subscription of 6 Indian Express newspapers written in English to support English language learning in the school in exchange for 10 minutes of our time. We were an educational bargaining chip! LOL They made a banner recognizing us, we said a few words, and the local news came to capture the moment. It was more of a ceremonious meeting if anything, but the exchange was meaningful enough to the Lions Club leaders that they decided to bump up the subscription to 15! We were to spend the remainder of the morning observing classes, and to meet the demand of the student body, we were told we were going to visit every class. And by every class, we were to personally greet 3,000 students in two hours! It was exhausting and overwhelming, but the smiles on the students’ faces as we walked into each classroom kept us going. I kept the Disney World employee mentality my superintendent talked to my high school staff about years ago, inspiring us to always show our best face in moments that seem mundane to us but are significant for others. Recognizing that for many of these students, this was a very important moment in their lives, I stayed energetic, attentive, and joyful as I walked into each room, talking to students and answering their questions and asking questions, gaining so much more from all of them than I could ever offer back in return. After our marathon tour of the school and all its beautiful students, we were served another incredible homemade lunch, personally made by the students and their Moms, so delicious and loaded with so much kindness. After our lunch, we were escorted to the library for our final event, which began with a panel discussion on gender equality. The questions and curiosity of these amazing, courageous young women led to an open and honest dialogue; from infanticide, to social gender roles, to safety, to property ownership, to the pay gap, and so much more, the discussion was shocking, moving, and loaded with mutual learning. After the discussion, we were again recognized, given a plaque with inscriptions and our picture, just way too kind! We concluded with a dance party, of both Western and Indian music, dancing in a room filled with Muslim, Hindu, and Christian girls and their teachers, jumping in unity with so much joy, evidence that harmony is possible in our beautifully diverse world. Once the party was over, and we were able to recognize Riyas and the teachers for their incredible work with us and all their students, a swarm of students surrounded me with more questions; the potential of these extremely smart, hard-working, thoughtful, confident, beautiful, and kind young ladies is beyond what my words can express. They are truly angels, and I love them and their amazing teachers with all my heart! And, of course we could not leave with out more food! We were given our final feast from the students, filled with the same love, given handmade self-portraits and rings, and of course requests for lots and lots of selfies before saying a very difficult goodbye. From there, we were greeted at our hotel by another philanthropic group, who have built houses for the needy in Kerala, who also wanted to recognize us with plaques! I’ve just been overloaded with so much kindness of which I am not worthy; I’m trying hard to process it all and understand why we are held to such high regards. I am very human, most certainly far from perfect, not deserving of all the recognition I’ve been given over this past week. I am truly honored to have been in the presence of individuals filled with so much goodness, and hope I was able to convey that honor to them. We ended our night at Riyas’ house, where another amazing meal was prepared for us, with the love of his whole family surrounding us with warm, humble smiles. The next morning, we were invited to a local college for another panel discussion on gender equality, also an amazing exchange although many of students seemed timid, and despite being co-ed, only female students were in attendance. The president of the college came to ask a few thought-provoking questions, and gave us a book by Arundhati Roy, An Ordinary Guide to Empire, as a thank you for coming to his college. Just too kind! Ruxana’s son sat through our final session and drove two of us to the airport, honestly answering all of my final questions on all things Kerala on the way; he’s just an outstanding human being, a reflection of his Mother who was a remarkably loving, giving, and supportive friend to me in my time here. Riyas drove another fellow, meeting us at the airport to say goodbye with his buddy, Yasir, along for the ride. Riyas’ diligent efforts, patience, sincere kindness, and pure joy, qualities he shares with every single student, teacher, and person he encounters, were pivotal to making this experience every bit of amazing; if I take anything from this experience, it is to be more like him. “Thank you” just doesn’t cut my gratitude for all he has done for me and my admiration for the incredible person he chooses to be. I feel blessed beyond measure for so much here in India, and make my way back to Delhi feeling so extremely blessed for all the love, kindness, and genuine care given to us by the people of Kerala. If only the whole world could see just how incredible it is in the sweet little town of Wandoor, tucked in the beautiful state of Kerala, placed at the bottom of the ginormous country of India, we’d all be better people. I’m writing this post in the Kozhikode (Calicut) airport alongside my fellows, with the addition of two more who spent their time in Kozhikode who we’ve been looking forward to catching up with! So far, it’s been another unique airport experience, including a flight delay, but there are no complaints here; I’m in good company! I am so grateful to have had two exceptional teachers with me throughout my journey in Wandoor, as the Lion Club leaders called us, “The 3 Ms!” Their intellect, passion for all students, ability to communicate, positive attitude, honesty, energy, unique backgrounds, and above all else, their companionship, were essential in this experience. We were a team; I’m not sure how this would have been without them! From Kozhikode, we will be flying into Mumbai and then back to Delhi to meet with all the TGC fellows to debrief on our experiences, and then will be heading to Agra to see the Taj Mahal! None of this seems real. God has blessed me very much! If you are reading this post and are in disbelief, I don’t blame you; it truly feels like a dream, much of it I’m struggling to understand. More reflections to come! |
Mary Patricia PavicicAurora High School Science Teacher and IREX Teachers for Global Classrooms Fellow 2017-2018. ArchivesNo Archives Categories |