India: Project updates and random camels, and ramblings that turned out way longer than I anticipated

Before coming here, I think I thought I would be living and working in the slums of Hyderabad.

Not so at all--we live in a nice yellow apartment in a residential area not far from a guy who sells mangoes, three internet cafes, small grocery stores, and other businesses. There are 1 1/2 inch cockroaches in the kitchen, but I've never seen live ones while I'm out and about. Two of the rooms in the apartment have air conditioning, and the room I sleep in has a large ceiling fan and a swamp cooler.

I'd say we're fairly spoiled.

T. explained why we're not working in slums. Legally none of them are supposed to exist, even though the government facilitated their creation. Because none of the people in the slums own anything, land or material, and because they could get rooted out like cockroaches by the police at any time, they are unwilling to invest in any renovation, and we're not supposed to be there.


It's disheartening.

I do feel blessed that my director's found CARPED. CARPED is local NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) that works to empower rural women and stop child labor ("Any child not in school is a Child Laborer"). CARPED has established a solid reputation with rural people over the past 15 or so years. Their research on rural women conned into having unnecessary hysterectomies made national and global news.

CARPED owns two acres of land in a rural village, Kowdipally. CARPED's program director, Subhash, is working to install a community center on the land. The center will be used for a myriad of purposes, including getting students excited about school, disseminating information from universities out to the people, and as a demonstration of technology and techniques for the people.

Subhash has asked that we help plan and install a demonstration .25 acre homestead on the land! People who know me know this is exactly the kind of thing that is on "Ivy's list of favorite things to think and dream about." :)

So far, I've been made project leader over vermicomposting (composting using earthworms), square-foot gardening, and beekeeping. This means I get to write project proposals, find contacts, keep a budget, write instruction pamphlets that will be translated into Telegu (more common than Hindi), and play in the soil. :)

I'm excited but also a tad overwhelmed. I feel inadequate, especially with the beekeeping. I hope to find a local university extension agent who will be the primary facilitator of beekeeping--I only have five weeks left here, which is NOT enough time for me to be the one in charge of that particular venture.

And while I knew I was the only one on the team who had any agricultural experience, I didn't realize how much that would affect project work. HELP International has a rule, thankfully, that no one goes anywhere except they have a buddy. This means, however, that I am not able to work full time on these agriculture projects because agriculture is not the primary interest of the other team members. Right now, I plan on spending Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 am-2 pm working for CARPED.

We'll see how much I can get done in the time I'm given. I keep repeating to myself the positive affirmation my sister taught me, "Everything always works out perfectly for me." You should do this, too.

Yesterday I looked out an internet cafe window and saw two little boys dressed in some costume riding a trotting camel. :)

There are so many animals scattered randomly throughout the city. Down the street from our apartment there is a mini herd of what look like wild grey pigs. They root around in one of the many garbage heaps that is by an auto graveyard. There are also wild dogs EVERYWHERE (I have yet to see a single cat), and several were watching the pigs like they were hoping one would come just a little closer. (It amazes me to see the dogs smiling. Even though they have a hard life, they all trot along with a smile. I think we could all learn from them).

Water buffalo meander through the streets, as do cows, most without halters or an apparent shepherd. Google "brahma cattle" to see the particular breed. Cows are holy, and I've been told not to ever, EVER hurt one. We have a friend who works as a US diplomat here in the city, and she said if one of hurt a cow and came running to her office, they probably couldn't shield or save us .

T. said he has seen two elephants on the streets. :)

The crazy thing is that you need to remember Hyderabad is a major city. That's what has really blown my mind about seeing all the animals. Concrete + Cows = Taken aback "Whoa!"

One random tidbit that no one else will think to tell you if you plan to travel from an arid location to humidity areas: your feet, toes and legs will swell. I overheard some teammates talking about their ankles disappearing, and realized that was why I was having such a hard time fitting into my wonderful shoes. Only the past day or so has it been relatively easy to slip them on.

I woke up about 4:15 am today wondering why on earth there were crazy brass trumpetings and gargled yellings. It continued until about 6:30 am, and it was towards the end when I decided it must be a local marching band because I could hear percussion playing.

I was so wrong. My teammates told me the racket had started about 2:15 am (I probably missed the beginning because of my wonderful melatonin pills, which I'm still taking to help me get over jet lag), and was part of a wedding celebration. Supposedly that kind of noisy celebration is illegal, but mostly ignored because of how important the timing of major events (such as weddings) is in Indian culture. For example, if someone was born at midnight it would be best for them to be married at midnight. One teammate asked how you reconcile the birth timings of two people...a good question, if you ask me. :)

BTW*, I never know cold showers could feel so amazing. The treat I look forward to at the end of each day. :)

*Stands for "By the way", just in case you're like me and am still trying to figure out texting lingo ;P