Carol’s India Blog

Thursday 19^th March – Great excitement; well actually it’s only me who’s excited; because we have rain! This is unusual as apparently it very seldom rains outside of the monsoon season. It’s the first time I have felt the rain on my face since I left home. I think they all thought I was mad when I went and stood outside. The storm started about 2 pm with thunder and lightening, followed by strong winds and heavy rain, and accompanied by dark mutterings from sir about cyclones. They had a major cyclone here in 1999. It was a national disaster, hundreds of people were killed, villages and crops destroyed so it was not unreasonable to worry. And of course the electricity went off (a daily occurrence here) Must admit it was bit scary when branches started to fall off the trees next to the office and the neighbour took his cow and calf indoors with him. The debris on the roads didn’t last long as in midst of all this, women in saris and small children scurried about collecting up all the branches. . Who needs ground maintenance and estates services! The men were all sheltering of course, and it was amazing how everyone just disappeared.

Carols oriya book nursery 1

Back to normal this evening, just a little rain and a welcome breeze. And my Oriya lesson! My teacher is exasperated with me as he expects me to remember a word after he has told me once which of course I don’t. I need to sit and repeat it over and over again and even then I struggle. The Oriya script looks like snails crawling across the page and everyone shouts all the time. Prakash (my teacher) says I my voice is far too police and gentle, and I need to learn to shout. I keep writing things phonetically and he keeps telling me use the script but all the letters look the same! Apano kemeti achanti? – ‘how are you? ‘ and ‘Mu bhala achhi’ – I am fine. Long way to go before I can hold a conversation although it’s surprising how much I can understand. And I can read a story from a nursery book all about a balloon whalla in Oriya script!

Monday 23^rd March – For some weeks now I have thought that the boss is expecting an addition to the family but I don’t like to ask in case she is just putting on weight! But the fact that she made me take any references to holidays and working hours out of the HR policy but leave in the section on maternity pay could be a bit of a give away. This is very nice for them but not so good for me as she is the only person who really speaks English. And if I have little work now I will have none when she is off.

I think VSO will definitely move me to another organisation, but will wait and see what happens. As of today we have the internet in the office which is great and at least I will be able to do some research. Today ‘sir’ took me to work on the motor bike so what with him looking at the scenery, using his mobile, picking his nose and playing with his son who was also on the motor bike with us, it was a bit of a stressful experience.

Anna and I have a now have a competition running to see who can win the ‘blue peter badge’ I think she was winning with her home made planter for her balcony (she has a posh flat) However last week I met a young aussie (Brian) who is definitely in the lead with his combined rat and cockroach trap. Like me he lives in rural place. Last week at the golf club party he told us a story that made us all scream and squirm. He had been placing a jug full of water (heavy) over the drain in his room at night to stop anything coming up. One night he forgot and was awoken in the middle of the night by something chewing at his wristband – it was a large rat!! Naturally he freaked out, leapt out of bed and tried to club it over the head but it shot back down the drain. He now has a water filled jug containing a bottle of water ( for the weight) and has discovered that cockroaches climb up the side of the jug, get stuck inside and drown – dual purpose! My house is scrubbed with bleach and other chemicals so not too many insects, and if I ever wake up and find a rat in bed with me ( there is a joke in there somewhere folks) I am going home!

It’s impossible to recount all the adventures Sue, Bill and I had, as they would fill a book, so I will recount a few of the main happenings. We had a great week. Met up at the Ginger Hotel in Bhubaneshwar. Me arriving by train and tuk tuk and them arriving by plane and taxi. It was fantastic to see them, looking very fit and relaxed after holiday in Sri Lanka, despite a long and fraught flight. Late afternoon we went next door to the ‘Rob Roy Bar’ (makes a change from the ubiquitous Irish bar) and the first thing we saw as we entered the bar was a painting of Stirling Castle! Also pics of Edinburgh and Loch Katrine and Loch Lubnaig – and very good non-alcoholic cocktails – not very Scottish!

Beach at Puri with cow

We spent a few days in Puri, a famous seaside resort and very holy place for Hindus, being the home of Lord Vishnu, as Jagannath, Lord of the Universe. Hindus only allowed into the vast 12^th century temple so not for us but Indians, forever the traders had a solution, for a charge of 100 rupees we could go onto the rooftop of a neighbouring house for a birds eye view. I felt 100 rupees was too much, so bartered him down to 50 (approx. 60p for the 3 of us) Sue and Bill were impressed at my bartering skills – so am I actually1

We stayed at the Railway Hotel, which will be 5 star when the restoration work is complete. It’s an old colonial hotel with lots of charm. The rest of Puri is dirty and smelly and a good place for ‘hippy’ watching. Our walk along the beach took in such scenic delights as a dead cow, several mangy dogs bickering over scraps of food, lots of rubbish and a group of people sitting on the sand in arm chairs – who ever said the British were eccentric had not been to India! Or maybe they learnt it from the Brits.

Carol on chilika lake

Next day we took a bus and boat trip to Lake Chilika. Our companions were mainly Indian tourists plus an Austrian and a German. But Bill was the star of the trip with his new camera, everytime he took a photo half the boat crowded around to look at the pic. Chilika is the largest brackish water lake in Asia, with several islands. We had no sooner left the shore than someone spotted dolphins (Irewaddy) breaking the surface of the water – very exciting! Another highlight was a massive sea eagle catching fish – Bill has an award-winning photo of the eagle in flight with fish! We put ashore at a long sand spit where the lake meets ocean. Sue and I sat in the shade and ate prawns cooked in front of us, while Bill walked to the sea mouth in the searing heat – mad dogs and all that!

Sea eagle fish

Interesting bit of Indian bureaucracy the next morning when the hotel’s machine would not accept Sue’s card and she had to go to the bank to change money. The first 2 banks did not change money and the third informed her that the ‘money changer’ was not in. He arrived as they were leaving so Sue spent some time filling in forms in triplicate before receiving a metal token to take to the cashier. At last Sue was about to get her cash but no – the cashier informed her that the documentation had not arrived! It was on the next desk! Eventually it was passed across and money changed hands. Oh India – you either love it or hate it!

Next day we hired a boat and boatman to cross Chilika, having seen the overcrowded ferry we didn’t fancy the idea of 4 hours sitting amongst the boxes of fish. The crossing of around 25 miles is a fantastic trip. We lazed around watching acrobatic white terns diving for fish so close you could touch them, and the fishermen in their long narrow boats. Their way of life and their fishing methods have not changed for centuries. Our hotel that night looked out onto the lake, sounds idyllic but in reality resembled a 1950s holiday camp that had seen better days. Sue demanded sheets, towels, mosquito repellent, soap, toilet rolls etc none of which were in our rooms! The nearby water sports centre with its 2 or 3 dilapidated boats with swans heads provided excellent photographic material for Bill and his new camera. I loved the lake, a jewel in the crown of Orissa!

Carols home in digapahandi

Sue and Bill came to Digapahandi to see my house and meet everyone. And then onto Dengausta (dead scouser as Bill called it) to the ‘office’. The boss had new clothes for the occasion, Sir tried to sell Sue some sunglasses and everyone wanted to meet them. Sue and Bill were impressed and we were invited to take tea at the boss’s mother’s house – who needs a royal visit! Bill was the star turn with his camera and even today people have been asking me where he is! My Oriya teacher gave me row for not informing him of their presence, apparently his mother spotted them! I will leave Sue and Bill to comment further on their visit as I written enough for now. Thank you everyone for the birthday cards, presents, e mails, letters and long, very amusing message from Jim (the big man) loved the image of him running up and down the hall with Cooper (footie mad or what) the floor mop on legs. It was great to have Sue and Bill here; I’d love to see anyone – anytime!

Good to know that romance is not dead. It’s the wedding season here! In the nearby town of Berhampur the streets have been blocked by processions of rickshaws and carts carrying bands and huge speakers blaring out ‘bollywood’ music, followed by young men dancing very badly or very strangely! Women don’t feature in this procession, as this is the bridegroom on his way to get his bride who is waiting for him at her home. The actually ceremony goes on for more than 6 hours, and after they are married the bride and groom go to his family home where the ‘reception’ takes place. The bride is supposed to look downcast as she very sad to be leaving her family. She will now be part of her husband’s family. According to tradition she will not be allowed to leave her ‘in-laws’house for 15days after the wedding. I did wonder if this tradition was to prevent her running off home! This is my version of events and I am sure there is lots more to it. 90% of marriages here are arranged between the families, and people marry very young.

I have been at 2 wedding receptions this week. The first was in Berhampur, when I was takne by the boss and sir. We were welcomed by the groom and his family; the bride was shut up inside the house. We went in to say hello, she is not allowed to speak, sat for a few minutes and then went outside to partake of the wedding food. Veg curry, rice, dal and some other unidentifiable vegetable dish, with mango juice and water to drink followed by guess what –very sweet rice pudding!

The second wedding was a hundred yards from my office. 2 sons were getting married and the father invited us to come and share the food. Everyone from the neighbourhood was there and there was masses of food, in huge cauldrons. We were served seated on the ground on plates made from leaves. Guess what was on the menu – rice, veg curry, and some other unidentifiable vegetable dish – it was very good! Water to drink and you’ve guessed it – rice pudding to follow! The entire local school seemed to be there. The reception took place out the back of the house under a temporary structure built of bamboo poles and leaves. The brides were not there as the marriages had yet to take place. The people here are very hospitable, the father of the bridegrooms was seems very happy that I was there and kept asking if the food was good and what did I think of it all. These people are very poor and the food must have cost them a lot of money. Many weddings are much more elaborate with the women dressed in fabulous saris but at this one many people had just come in from the fields – a simple affair with good simple food. The music was blaring out as I left the office at 5pm, so I guess the procession was about to move off to the brides’ homes to snatch them away from their families. And now I am at home what do I hear but very loud wedding music – set to go on all night no doubt, still it makes a change from the temple chanting!

The big news from here is that the bosses elder son (aged 9) has typhoid fever. He seems to be on the mend now, but has lost lots of weight, mind you he was very chubby so he looks much better. I can’t believe I have actually seen someone with typhoid, hope that’s the first and last time. I only drink water that I have boiled for several minutes,  after its been though a filter, or if out I buy bottled (making sure its sealed) and I never eat uncooked vegetables, really miss salads. When it’s this hot eating curry and very ‘hot’ food makes you sweat even more. I do eat somosas from the stall near my house but they are deep fried in front of you. At the city stalls the food is piled up already cooked and covered with flies, I would never eat anything from them. Eating out is risky, as you have no idea what the conditions are like in the kitchens so I tend to avoid it. there are no nice resturants anyway. The other medical news is that I have had my first parasite, diagnosed by Doctor Lewis (by text/email) as cutaneous larva migrans, a very common parasitic helminth infection that travellers to hot countries get in their feet. I don’t want to know any more thanks! It seems to have cleared up now thank goodness. I knew I should be wearing closed in shoes and not flippy sandals!

Honestly its puts you off eating or drinking anything unless you have cooked it yourself except coffee or chai that has been boiled for hours. I had my first glass of sugar cane juice from a stall today, bought by the boss who made sir monitor the making of the juice to ensure that no (dubious) water had been added as apparently they often water it down, very sweet but very pleasant. I think my sense of smell has disappeared! When I first arrived in India it was the smell I first noticed – made up of a variety of exotic, pleasant and unpleasant smells, and now it has to be really strong before I even notice. Even crammed into the bus unable to ‘put a fag paper between you’ as an old employee at Summerlee used to say, I don’t really notice the smell, which judging by the state of some of the passengers must be pretty strong! Or maybe I am now just as smelly as they are, I will ask sister Sue when I see her.

It’s Friday night here so it will be a few glasses of wine for the girls back there is Alva and it’s a solitary movie night for me – cried my eyes out at the last film , called ‘I am Sam’ Beryl’s choice I think. Something more cheerful tonight!  Over and out from the biggest democracy in the world.  Take care everyone and stay warm.

I thought when I came out here I would lose weight but no such luck. Everything is deep fried and what with all that the rice, it tends to counteract the fact that I live on vegetables and dal. Not strictly true now as I have rediscovered the joys of cooking and have been experimenting. Tried Claire’s receipe and recommend it.

I bought a non-stick roti pan last weekend, and Pravasani and Vratima (the silent one) have been discussing who is to inherit this fantastic piece of kitchen equipment when I go home. Made some pancakes on it and they were fantastic, much better than I ever made at home so I may just slip it into my suitcase. People are always feeding me – and as in every culture it’s insulting to turn down food people have gone to the trouble of preparing. This plus the fact it is very good means I eat it, need to get out on my bike more!

This seems to be turning into a ‘domestics’ edition – toilets next! There have been a couple of instances recently when the Boss’s driver has brought me home at night, never seen so many bare bottoms in my life! The villagers go out after dark on toilet excursions, and whereas the women seem to go as a group, the men are more solitary and cannot be bothered to walk far from the road. They just squat there next to the road and of course totally exposed in the headlights. I am extra vigilant when walking along the side of the road to work the next morning.

I have a very nice western toilet but no infrastructure to support it. (No proper sewage disposal) Anna, my VSO friend, lives in the town and has an Indian squat toilet – basically a hole in the ground – but it is an up market ceramic one which flushes and there are no open sewers on her street. Last week she was doing her washing, which like me she does by hand in a bucket. She tipped the soapy water down the toilet only to watch her best bra whiz off down the hole with no way of getting it back. I was able to point out to her one of the plus points of living out here, she could have dashed out to the front of the house and caught it as it floated past on its way to the main sewage channel. Someone probably came across it in the course of their daily bathe and is now wearing it. Nothing goes to waste here!

Indians are such a nation of traders, they buy and sell anything, even empty plastic bottles and bits of cardboard. No matter how small the village, there are always stalls and cabins selling a variety of goods and always a paan kiosk. Paan is made from some kind of seeds, it is addictive like tobacco and I think it also has narcotic properties and the men chew it all the time. It cannot be swallowed so they spit long gobs of red saliva and it stains their teeth and mouth – disgusting! However enough of disgusting habits – most food shopping is done by the men who spend ages picking over the vegetables to get the best, and haggling over the price, then head for the most popular place in town or village – the chai stand. I guess its their equivalent of a pub and it’s a very male preserve which I only dare go near if I am with someone. Anna and I sometimes go the one at the old bus stand in Berhampur (just near the hotel that Sue and Bill will be staying in,) on Sunday morning where I usually opt for the coffee as the chai is so sweet,. And I love the caraway biscuits they sell from large glass jars so I usually have one of them too – no wonder I don’t lose weight.

Work is much the same as usual this week, but I was amazed to hear ‘sir’ describe himself to villagers as a doctor, he was an optician 3 weeks ago. His 3 months training at the eye hospital must have been quite intense and it’s increasing – wonder what he will be next week!

Its Saturday and I am supposed to be at the office but I have decided to rebel. I have had enough of that hot sweaty bus and I am going to work at home, well not work exactly but write my blog and go out for a cycle. The boss has not been here for days and I have spent the entire week on my own (apart from the office boy) I bet she shows up today! One of the many things I have learnt about working in (rural) India is that the boss (whether it’s a man or a woman) is the one who makes all the decisions (even ordering the tea) and everyone else does exactly what they are told. Nothing happens unless she says so. I can tell she finds my independence confusing but wish she would tell me what to do!

Life here is pretty similar to home in some ways! Get up, get ready, get bus to work, in office all day, get bus home, cook tea! But this being India there is always something happening to divert my attention and make me smile. The other day I was walking the last section of the road to work when a fire engine passed me – it had crossed my mind last week in all the time I have been in India I have not seen a fire engine – and there it was! Actually the term ‘fire engine ‘ is a bit on an exaggeration, it was an open backed, red truck pulling a fire tender almost identical to the one we have in the exhibition hall at Summerlee. There were 2 firemen sitting in the back of the truck and one of them was ringing a large brass hand bell – so that’s where all those old primary school bells went. They must have going about 40 miles an hour tops so I just hope I never require their services! Made me wonder how many house fires there are out here. The houses have very little combustible material but they do have very suspect electrics. Big appliances, and especially computers, needs a stabiliser to regulate the current as it spikes up and down all the time, and every so often you get a nice firework display from the sockets. ‘Sir’ is obsessed with ‘current shock’ and if he is around he won’t let me plug anything in.

I am quite attached to the office now, with the fan on it’s not too hot and I love watching the goats and the water buffalo being herded up and down the road. The men and boys in out in the fields wear these huge coolie hats woven from leaves, or a strip of cloth wound around their heads to protect them from the sun. Its amazing how so much is done by hand, but in a country with so many people it makes sense. The majority of the labourers on the construction sites are women. They still wear their saris, and they carry 8-10 bricks or large baskets of sand up ladders on their heads, and I have never seen anyone drop anything. If that were me I would trip over the sari and end up falling down the ladder.

Don’t want to give myself an inflated status but I think my being here has given the old mother-in law a new lease of life. No one ever seems to talk to her, the temple people bring her food and she is on her own most of the time. I have made a point of saying hello and chatting to her, not that she can understand! And now she is up out of her bed, getting dressed herself and waiting for me every day. She even shuffles to the front door to watch the world go by. She’s always really pleased to see me, takes hold of my hand, and talks away. No idea what about but it doesn’t really matter. With the boss and sir away, she has been showing me photos of her and husband, when they were young. They looked very fine and well dressed. Apparently (according to Pravasani) her husband’s family were very rich and owned lots of land and much gold. The office building and the house we live in belonged to his family. Now she is a widow she has no status, she cannot wear bright colours or flowers in her hair, or the dot on her forehead. I guess that’s preferable to having to throw yourself onto your husband’s funeral pyre as they used to – or maybe not – depends how much you loved him I suppose.

Its been a strange week over here – aren’t they all!

Pratap, the man who takes me around on the back of the motor bike, turned up at my door much to my surprise! Not only does he live some distance away but it’s not the done thing – man going to single woman’s door . He gestured to me to come outside. There waiting for me was a brand new bicycle! I was so delighted, could not stop smiling – I think Pratap finds me very amusing! The boss bought me the bike so I could go out and about which is a complete u turn. I hope she is not expecting me to cycle all the way to the office along that road! It has very haphazard toll system where crowds of men hand about in a small booth at the side of the road drinking chai with makeshift barriers on a piece eof rope. If they don’t know you they lower the barrier and extract money from you. This road is being upgraded at the moment to become one of the main highways, so all the large trees along side it are being felled. Its amazing to see trees with trunks of 5 or 6 feet in diameter being felled with a hand axe, sad though because they must have been growing there for years.

There was another holiday this week which came as a complete surprise. The boss called one morning at 9.30 as I was about to go to work and said ‘today is holiday’ This holiday is a ‘puja’ or religoius festival in honour of the goddess of learning/knowledge (Saraswati) I think. It was all geared around children and young people who seem to get presents, sweets new clothes etc. The chanting has not stopped since – it starts as day breaks and goes on until late into the evening – getting used to being woken at 6m to the sound of chanting and sitars. Now a holiday cannot be spend in my dark dingy little house so I braved the hot and sweaty bus journey. So many people cram onto the bus hanging off the side, on the roof etc you’d wonder how they don’t keel over, and arrived at Anna’s just in time for cup of ginger tea and cold shower – bliss. We went out for something to eat to the only café we trust and then sat on her roof watching the stars, and chatting

More surprises in store – the boss tells me she is arranging some motor bike lessons for me and is giving me the motor bike! Help! Too old for all this but its another possibility for the future; I could become a bikers moll when I get home. And then she announced that she is organising air conditioning for the office which is moving downstairs into what is currently a house – they are having walls built and all sorts – still only one computer though! Actually I would rather stay upstairs even if it is hot because there is a lovely view and I can watch the water buffalo and the next door neighbour at work. He never stops – if he’s not milking the cow, he is repairing the thatched roof, or ploughing, or drawing water from the well to water his vegetables, digging up something, or cutting down something.

After sweating it out on the bus all week I decided that these western clothes are far too hot and I am going to wear Indian ones instead. I vowed I would not do this – I am western woman not an Indian and I will wear the clothes of my culture and all that – but the baggy trousers and loose tops of the salwar kameez are so much more comfortable. Be wearing a bindi next (the spot in between your eyes) but don’t worry the large nose jewellery is just a step too far! And I will develop a taste for chai eventually.

And finally – I have finished watching Pride and Prejudice so with Sense and Sensibility this concludes the Jane Austin season. No copy of Emma though. I will be moving onto the ‘rom coms’ next. So many folks at home have said Slumdog Millionaire is worth seeing so I hope I will get to see it – been told not to go to the cinema in the evening and not to go alone ever!

And finally, finally – great to speak to friends and family on the phone – made my week!

It was Republic Day on Monday, a national holiday unless you work for my organisation in which case you will be at work (except me and the boss), so I did what most of us do at home on a national holiday and headed for the seaside. To a small resort called Gopalpur-on-sea. It’s a lovely little place unfairly described in the Rough Guide as a ‘desultory collection of crumbling bungalows and seafront hotels standing idle’ I think it has lots of charm, and is set to make come back! There is a long sandy beach, where fishermen launch their long pointed boats, and ride the waves out. Returning to haul in their catch and spread out the fish and the nets to dry. Families were enjoying the beach, picnics; games of cricket and women bathing in the sea fully clothed! There was one western woman swimming and sunbathing in her swim suit and nobody was even giving her a second glance – despite the dire warnings we had been given that this was a no go activity. Anna and I have decided we are going to take our cossies next time and go for a dip in the waters of the Bay of Bengal!

It was a hot day so the sea breeze was very welcome, but later in the evening I could feel my forehead burning. Obviously I had missed a bit with the old factor ‘why bother going out in the sun at all’ lotion. I need to be more careful as I don’t want to end up like prune! But at least I have a bit of colour as I feel extraordinarily white! We climbed up the lighthouse for a fantastic view out to sea and inland to the hills, and returned home worn out.

We also visited Anna’s Indian friends, lovely people, who had their Swami staying for a few days. He was explaining to us some of his teachings, and quest for the meaning of life. I don’t think there is any great meaning but Anna seemed more convinced! I am learning more about Hinduism and the various gods, the two epic texts, and the various stories (Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana etc.) And the origins and philosophy of yoga and all that meaningless chanting we did at the beginning of the class!

And work – the reason I am here! I have been out into the ‘field’ again. As we drove further and further into the countryside the road got smaller and smaller until eventually it petered our altogether and we came to a very peaceful, sleepy village. We were there to identify people with cataracts or treatable eye infections, and following identification of a problem; the villagers were herded into rickshaws and taken off on the long journey to the eye hospital. Most of the people were old and frail and I wished I could make their lives less harsh, and give them a few comforts. They all seemed so bewildered and hardly spoke at all unless spoken to. ‘Sir’ treated them as if they lower beings, which of course they are in relation to him. He strutted about with his head lens on pretending to be a doctor, which I found quite amusing. (But he’s ok really) After the ‘clinic’ I wandered off towards the school, and was invited in to see teaching in action. The school was very well organised and the classroom for the youngest pupils – about 60 little tots doing their reading lesson – was cheerful with lots of pictures on the wall. This school was so much better than the one we were at for the Children’s Day. The village leaders caught up with me and gave me the guided tour I must admit I was impressed with this community, and their hard work and determination. Could teach our community forums a thing or two.

I have completed a draft HR policy and drafted content for a web site for the organisation. Now I have some feelings of achievement, and just need to persuade boss to engage a web site designer!

One thing you need is lots of patience, things happen very, very slow. Actually I have found it very hard going this week and I have been missing all the manic activity and my colleagues at NLC. The constant battle against the insects and the dirt is pretty wearing too. As is the people following me around when ever I go out, but still it’s an experience having the life of a ‘celeb’

I love the comments on the blog and all the e-mails are very much appreciated. I will definitely be at that blog party!

Sorry folks I not been paying attention to the blog this week not that I have been that busy (I wish!) just didn’t think I had anything interesting to say. However it has been quite an eventful week.

Last week some transport was arranged to get me to the office and a young man took me to work and back. On Saturday he came to collect me a bit earlier from the office and as we came into Digapahandi we took a detour down one of the lanes. (discovered there are far more houses here than I thought.) ‘We go to my house’ he said ‘you drink coffee’ it did cross my mind that I could end up in the ditch somewhere but I had no option and it was just round the back of my house so I decided to go with the flow. He introduced me to his father and his wife, who scuttled off to make the coffee.

I was very surprised to see they had a fridge and a TV so either they have land or he is making a good living from the auto driving! He speaks some English, and his wife spoke a little too but as he left me in the company of his father for a while who had no English we sat and engaged in that universal language – smiling and nodding. The house gradually filled up with other family members and local children, all come to see the strange foreign person. People here are so friendly. I will have to get organised and make some oatcakes or (as Claire suggested) get some Irn brew shipped over so I can return their hospitality. Indians love anything sweet. Burns Night soon but no chance of haggis here – maybe I could make veggie version! No one to address the haggis though, pity Barry is not here!

Sunday my placement officer from VSO arrived. Praveen is a very interesting and well travelled guy. He has just spend 4 months in London studying at the London School of Economics and despite having no sight had ‘done Europe’ alone while he was in London, so he found the idea that the boss lady would not let me out very amusing. He has a good understanding of how it feels to be in a country where you don’t understand the language or the culture. We had a good meeting and I think we have moved forward. I am going to do some marketing, research, and set up a database. However its impossible for me to use my laptop as there is no means of transferring work to their PC, so still problems to be over come. Also no Internet at work so research is not easy – where’s the public library when you need it! I don’t know what he said to her but my boss has made a real effort to be kind, she gave me a necklace and some sweets, and came round on Thursday to put some red flowers in my hair. I have been asking her about cooking – Sue’s suggestion – and flattery worked, she is going to show me how to make some dishes!

The meeting seemed to have some positive effects work wise because on Tuesday I was taken out to an eye clinic in one of the villages. We have a portable eye-testing centre and people are provided with very subsidised specs. What with people touching my feet, me being ‘honoured guest’ and the organised chaos of it all, it was an interesting day. The head teacher of the village school invited me to spend the day at his school day. He has around 700 children – primary and secondary- and 12 teachers. So I hope I will be able to go. The village schools have very little – the children sit on the floor and are taught from a blackboard on the wall. I think secondary schools may be different, as India is proud of its education system, and I am sure city schools are well equipped. Difficult not to get involved as I could have streamline the eye clinic system dramatically. But decided I will write up my comments and suggestions. Difficult not to get emotionally involved too. A small girl wandered in who had virtually no sight. she was walking into the tables and chairs. Someone went to find her father who was outside talking to people. He was advised that he must take her to the hospital in Berhampur for assessment by the eye doctor there – they wandered off and maybe he will take her.But she will be included in our progamme and taught basic living skills and to use Braille, so some positive outcome for her.

Getting hotter here – and the man in the Internet shop tells me I will soon have to sleep with a wet towel over me head, as it will be around 45 degrees. Can’t wait! I already look a total mess what with all the bites etc, without my hair going all scraggy from sleeping under wet towels. Still no knows me here and I have my eyesight, and I can go hame if I want! So will be content with what I have.

Nothing like ‘need’ to encourage human inventiveness – how does that old quote go ‘to invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk’ I have the junk and am becoming more inventive by the day. I got my new fridge last week much to the interest of the staff and the neighbours. They cannot understand why everyone in Scotland has a fridge and yet it’s so cold and few people have them here and it’s so hot! But given that the fridge cost the equivalent of 5 months wages for most people it hardly surprising they are few and far between. People have been in to my house to look at it! VSO provide the fridge I hasten to add. But after I unwrapped it I was left wondering what to do wit the packaging – there is no refuse collection here, you just chuck your rubbish out onto the street and it eventually disappears. Either eaten by animals, picked over by human scavengers or blown away on the wind, but a large fridge sized cardboard box and expanded polystyrene packaging is bit of a problem. But then I had an idea – recycle! I have made a photo display system (now hanging on my kitchen walls) and a shoebox for all the unnecessary shoes I brought from home. Cannot believe I bought 2 pairs of high heels with me – obviously had no concept of life here what so ever. Most people go bare foot and those that do wear shoes its flip-flops. I feel very guilty sitting in my little house with my fridge, knowing that no one else has one except the man who sells milk and cold drinks. I often wonder what they all think of me – they call me Madam, even though I constantly tell them my name, always stand back and give me right of way and just generally grovel – and I hate it. Apart from the boss lady who treats me the same as she treats all the staff and her husband – with contempt.

Having read the both of the books I brought with me ages ago I spend most evenings listening to the BBC world service on my laptop, or listening to my ipod and catching up with e mails. I have been doing some (very bad) sketching and once a week I allow myself the luxury of watching one the DVDs Beryl and Jaynie gave me – accompanied by a vodka and mango juice. I had a very funny e-mail from those 2 ladies – obviously sent on a Friday night after a few glasses of red wine – thinking of you girls!

The journey to the office in the mornings never ceases to amaze me. Looking out over the fertile farming land to the hills in the distance reminds me of the carse of Stirling looking toward the Ochils; but for the men wearing enormous coolie hats herding goats, water buffalo and cattle; and the women collecting the cattle dung and spreading it out to dry for fuel. When I got to work today 2 members of the new cultural project team came in to the office and one of the men insisted on singing for me! It’s a lonely life here most of the time as I am alone in the office all day, and alone in the evenings – but hey I am in India and getting good at making my own entertainment!

I will post some information about Janajagarana who I work for anyone who is interested – and some photos.

I have to eat my words! I visited the eye hospital and I was  yet again surprised by an institution. As we drove onto the waste ground at the back of the building, the rubbish, dilapidated old bus and magey dogs lazing in the sunshine gave the impression that it was derelict building – but no – this was the eye hospital. Inside there was an out patients treatment room,  an operating theatre and  2 wards with beds so tightly packed together there was no space between them, each occupied by a patient awaiting surgery. The toilets (about which I have an obsession) were abysmal. I am sure Lewis has seen worse places, and at least the patients here are not dying. The doctor was cheery and positive. He spoke good English and, told me there are 2 doctors carrying out around 20 operations a week plus clinics, although how they keep the operating theatre sterile beats me. I felt sad when I left, bacause everything here seems such an uphill struggle. I have come to realised there is a kind of endearing naivety about Indians, and the simplest thing is pointed out to me with such pride, as if they feel blessed for having anything at all. The accountant was working on his accounts when we arrived. He was entering figures in a large ledger that would not have been out of place in the office of Uriah Heep – and yet India as a nation supposedly has so much expertise in the ICT field, and where are the emerging middle classes we read about cos I am not aware of having met any out here in Orissa, maybe they all live in Delhi. My boss is probably the nearest thing, as they have a TV and a dining table. She tells me her husband (sir asI call him) is an optician and trained for 3 months to get his qualification – I think it maybe not quite the same as ours!

How many people does it take to post a letter Digapahandi to the UK? Answer – 9

2 to work the computer, 1 to weigh the letter, 2 to organise the exchange of cash, 1 to issue the stamps and 2 to give advise- plus me, the customer. And the destinations of my letters were read out to the entire post office amid approving nods and mutterings as if ‘Milngavie’ or the ‘Museums Association’ actually meant something to any of them.

I have always thought my house here was very bare, and now I know why – they just don’t ‘do’ furniture.  Squatting or sitting cross legged on the floor is the norm, indeed there is no word for table or chair in Oriya, and comfort as we know it does not exist out here in the sticks. Oh - how I long to lounge on a sofa!  The office is much the same. We sit on the floor at meetings, there’s no coffee and scones a la NLC, and you are lucky you get offered a drink of water or a cup of chai. I never leave home without my own water supply – I have become obsessed with that too and see amoebic cysts and protozoans everywhere!

My boss has decided she wants me to teach her the British way of doing things. This worries me because I get the impression her idea of the ‘British way of doing things’ went out with the Raj. She would not take kindly to the staff calling her by her first name or having opinions of their own. They work every day of the week, but (she says) they have plenty of time to return to their villages and help with the work (farming, etc)  Oh well that’s ok then – the concept of leisure time has not reached here either. My constant ‘nipping her heid’ seems to be paying off though ,as today a group of staff appeared and we had an introductory meeting. They all stood up and introduced themselves and told me what they did, and I told them why I was there. Credit where its due, she took my suggestion on board and that impressed me. Just need to stop her sending the staff to follow me when I go out and all will be fine!

A post script to the motor bike incident – I thought I had seen it all when I saw 3 adults and 2 children on a motor bike but today I saw 2 men and 3 goats on a motor bike – one of the men was driving and none of them were wearing helmets!