When it rains it pours and opens doors

It's monsoon season and it shows about 5-7 times a day. It's quite peaceful in fact. The sound has become one that I look forward to. It's one that I hear and I instantly release all my tension and smile. I love how it brings people closer as they share an umbrella.

I've officially started my field placement and my classes. I am doing my field placement at this NGO called CHILDLINE. CHILDLINE is a toll free crisis hotline for children who may be being abuse, are on the streets, or need any form of support. The hotline extends to case work, where social workers respond to cases- by going to houses and sometimes removing children from the home. I will not be working the hotline, but rather the majority of my work will be doing trainings on children's rights with police departments and schools. I will also being doing a research project possibly on street children and/or outcomes of the clients involved with CHILDLINE. One to Two days a week I will be working with the clinical office where I will respond to calls to figure out how to keep children safe and secure.

I just got back from a field visit with Childline where me and two BSW students checked out two locations where children are placed after being removed from their families due to abuse or other domestic issues. The kids were adorable, and I loved playing with them. This one to the right was a handful- my friend Sooraj said that he thought he was probably a good example of me as a kid.

I am taking two classes: Urban and Rural Community Development and Social Work with Children. I'm excited about both classes- the students are great and so are the professors. Classes are very different here. We are not assigned a whole list of readings to do and books to purchase, but rather we learn through lecture, independent research, group work, and field experience.

Thats it for now- Here is a picture of me and some of my friends at Rajagiri. From left to right that's Bless, me, and Anoop. More pictures to come

You say tomato I say tomahto

Friendship is the same and different in India. It's the same in that it fulfills the same functions: the provision of nurture, support, entertainment, counsel, humility, etc. In the US, men are not typically nurturing towards each other. Usually this role is filled by a woman in a man's life. Indian friendships differ in this capacity. Cross gendered relationships are not unheard of here but the depth at which a male female relationship can go is limited. But friendships must serve the function of the object nurturer, so same gendered relationships fill this role.

I've been getting to know the male students better each day. It's an interesting and good experience being friends in this cultural context. Male touch is much more permissible and frequent, which I have no issues with since I grew up in a touchy family. The funny thing is that a close male relationship serves a different function here. Different... yet functioning to fill a needed role that is filled by another relationship in western culture. It makes me wonder how difficult it may be for Indian males to transition into a culture like mine where male relationships like this are not as common.

On another note, it makes me miss my roommates. It's true that in the US it is nontraditional for males to have nurturing male relationships, but I definitely did back in B-more, minus the hand holding. I hope you guys are doing well without me.

Clarity

India has a deep reservoir of spiritual energy. There are times I can feel it, and other times I am distracted and my senses are blunted. We have started our daily yoga classes here at Rajagiri. Everyday monday through saturday we have yoga at sunset. It's funny that a month of yoga here costs the price of one session in the US, and yet here it feels so pure and untouched by a western time is money mentality.

Today as we laid at the end of our session and chanted I felt tapped into the energy of India. Something about here feels like home, and I have no other words for it.

Today I watched some of the masters students play cricket, and tomorrow I will play with them. They play every weekday. They invited me to play with them... ha, and they're helping me with their names.

I feel so cleansed each day. It pours rain 5 to 6 times a day here and then the sun shows through the clouds. When I hear the rain a deep calm comes over me reminding me that I am exactly where I need to be. To add to this I have been running each day. The combination of running through the city and yoga has left me feeling filled up and peacefully exhausted when I climb into my mosquito net.

We have been meeting with NGOs each day to determine where we will each be placed for 6 months. So much is going on here that is so good. Language classes have also begun each morning. Sometimes I am lost and other times I do "nala" (good).

I'm so excited for my friday classes to begin.

Huhs of India

1) Mustache thing... already mentioned

2) STD. The international phones here are called "STDs." "Hey guys I'm going to go look for an STD, I''ll be back in about 10 minutes..." I don't think this phrase has become any less funny

3) United Colors of Benneton, and Puma stores in the city? Really? I'm pretty sure if some people can't afford food that costs 10 rupies, they can't possibly afford a shirt that cost 3,000 rupies (fyi about 42 rupies to $1). ps I bought a shirt from UCB- seye you'd be proud.

*Sidebar*
When we got to Cochin I found out that instead of living with the 5 women I would be living on campus in the men's hostel ("dorm"). So, I'll be living here for the next 6 months, 2 of which will be with my roommate Andy, who is studying public health here until August. He's a cool chap from University of Michigan- we went into the city this past weekend while the girls were in the south at an HIV conference.

4) India's favorite music. Andy and I went to a music store on Saturday. Of course my eyes were drawn directly to the "International" wall. Oh, nice... who are the favorites here in India.... #1 Madonna... yeah that makes sense. Let's look a bit lower... #6 Kenny G!? I know, I couldn't believe it, no one even likes Kenny G in the states. Well moving on, lets look down a few more. #8 another Kenny G cd! huh?

5)Meeting Ramesh on the bus. This past weekend on the public bus, where you are literally vertically spooning with other people it's so crowded, a man appeared with his head laying on my bicep as I held onto the roof rail. "Hello, what his your name"... Jeremy, and yours? "Ramesh, where are you from?" the US. So to make a long conversation short, Andy and I befriended Ramesh, a telecommunications help line operator for Blue Cross Blue Shield. So, if anyone has BCBS and has any questions I can call Ramesh directly.

*Pictures of Rajagiri College are linked on the left*

Pottys

This morning I woke up at 4am, refreshed and ready for my first full day in India. My normal routine in the mornings at home is to use the potty for my first #2 of the day. This time, it being my first full day in India I summed up the courage and I decided to use the squatty instead of the western toilet that the professors have been letting us use.

Now I've used a squatty before, but I always used tissue, not the traditional water bucket and hand technique. However, this time.... I took the leap and used the left hand. I have to say I was presently surprised at how amazing clean I felt afterwards. You all in the states should try it sometime :)


So you stand facing the camera, you pull your pants down, and squat back so you are hovering just behind you pants. I like to aim for the hole, I mean who doesn't want a hole in one? After you have finished, you take the smaller orange bucket and fill it up with water from the spigot. Grasping it in your right hand you pour some water into your left hand, and wipe. Repeat this process until you are clean. After cleaning is complete let your body parts dry a bit then pull your clothing back up. Then utilize the big red bucket full of water to wash your left overs into the hole and act as a "flushing" mechanism. That's it- nice and easy. It is now my basic routine. OH YEAH- wash your hands with soap and water.

First Impressions

I arrived in India about 3 hours ago. So apparently the mustache is mad popular here. I tried counting the number of men that DO NOT have one, and I have three so far. Imagine that...

All my bags are packed...

I'm ready to go. This is my last entry while in the US. My plane takes off at 6:40 tonight headed for London. From there I fly to Bahrain and onto Kochi. I'm excited... a little nervous. The plane ride should be mad sweet. As long as sara doesn't smell... Next stop India. Namaste