So I've been in India for 3 days now. I have discovered that when India is referred to as developing, they mean it...China is allegedly developing as well, but when I spent a summer in the 6th largest city, I found their infrastructure to be pretty well established, which is more than I can say about Mumbai.
I had been told about the dichotomy between the "rich" sections of town and the slums. Perhaps because I haven't spent very much time in the more affluent sections of the city, I haven't found the (relatively) rich sections to be very rich--however, the slums have exceeded my expectations and are certainly deserving of the title...I think the best way to express it all is with a summary of my average day so far...
I woke up jet-lag-free last Thursday morning at 8am, to the sound of rain which had been falling constantly for the previous 24 hours, a preview to the weather I am to expect once the monsoon season officially beings next month. At the risk of "standing out in the crowd" I wore cargo shorts and tennis shoes to offset the heat of the 85 degree humidity. It was a temperate day in Mumbai.
I left the apartment of a Somaia college student that we are staying with to head towards the train station. I have arrived just in time to enjoy the Poinciana and hibiscus blooms, reminiscent of the tropical flora from Key West. Along the road that leads to the train station, I have seen countless stray dogs scavenging through trash, as well as a malnourished monkey asserting his dominance over the community canines.
Crossing the roads brings back memories of China, only with more cars (mostly auto-rickshaws), less order, and more horn-honking than should be allowed. Perhaps more exhilarating than crossing the street is boarding/exiting the trains. Even during non-"rush", the number of people on the trains requires that riders begin to de-board well-before the train reaches a stop, risking being pushed off if they choose to wait patiently. More exciting is the struggle to secure your one-square-foot space on the train by pushing through the crowd to board before it gets moving too fast to keep up. Passengers hang out of the edge of the car to enjoy the breeze and avoid the crowd, resembling the trolley riders in SF, at less-safe speeds.
After one transfer, I arrive at Bandra station, forming the Eastern border of Behrampada, the slum which the project is targeting. If you are unfamiliar with what brings me to Mumbai during monsoon season, check out http://dsd.lbl.gov/BWC/mumbai/, our project blog. Essentially, we are working on creating a community-wide health campaign in the slum, focusing on providing a point-of-use water treatment system, and more importantly, an awareness of health/hygiene education by developing a community health-resource center. The need for such an intervention was evident soon after leaving the station.
On my way to the community, we trekked through ankle-deep muddy water, filling my shoes. I quickly understood why sandals are the footwear of choice throughout Mumbai. I was led into the slum by Erin, the head project member from Berkeley. I followed faithfully as I was taken down progressively narrower and darker alleys which put even the sketchiest streets of the US to shame. Even in the middle of the day, light does not find it's way through the four-story tall, three-foot wide alleys to illuminate the debris, soil, and assorted fluids which comprise the streets; it is perpetually dark in the slum.
Despite the darkness, dirt, and smells, the inside of many of these homes are surprisingly well maintained. Most of the rooms contain a bed, cooking space, and the occasional toilet. Women in colorful saris are taking care of their children and eating home-cooked meals, some families watching television. On second thought, the apparent quality of these rooms may just be due to the horrible conditions just beyond the doors.
In each home we entered, we were greeted with generous offers of food and drink. We took our seats on the floor with the women of the household, the men typically off to work. Not speaking Hindi has made it pretty difficult to engage myself in the interactions, and more often than not I find myself smiling and practicing the "head bobbing" common in Indian conversation. While most cultures I have seen generally nod up and down in agreement, in India people tilt their head from side to side instead. I definitely think I will be in for some upon my return home...
I am just starting to get involved in my portion of the work, and should have enough to keep me busy for a while. We have found an apartment in the slum that we will probably rent starting on June 20th. This will mean sleeping on the floor, and spending less time with the students whose company we have been enjoying thus far.
In addition to traveling to the slum, I have been eating some really good Indian food and drinking the most amazing fruit juices. Odwalla will just seem second-rate from now on I'm afraid. I went to see a Bollywood film with the students we are staying with, consisting of a silly 3-hour plot, jokes that I couldn't understand (the whole movie was in Hindi), and with completely unrelated song-and-dance scenes spaced throughout. I think I'll stick to American films, although I have sent an email to a friend of a friend of a friend who is currently appearing in Bollywood films. I included a glamour shot, and with any luck, they'll need a white extra and I'll be on my way to fame and fortune. We also received our first lesson in Indian dancing from Jasneet...Soon enough I'll have the chance to test my skills at a disco.
It's hard to believe I've only been here for 6 days so far. I feel far more comfortable than even I had expected. It should be a great summer. I could probably write more a few more hours, but I figure I should give you something to look forward to...Expect more updates (with pictures) in the coming months!!
I had been told about the dichotomy between the "rich" sections of town and the slums. Perhaps because I haven't spent very much time in the more affluent sections of the city, I haven't found the (relatively) rich sections to be very rich--however, the slums have exceeded my expectations and are certainly deserving of the title...I think the best way to express it all is with a summary of my average day so far...
I woke up jet-lag-free last Thursday morning at 8am, to the sound of rain which had been falling constantly for the previous 24 hours, a preview to the weather I am to expect once the monsoon season officially beings next month. At the risk of "standing out in the crowd" I wore cargo shorts and tennis shoes to offset the heat of the 85 degree humidity. It was a temperate day in Mumbai.
I left the apartment of a Somaia college student that we are staying with to head towards the train station. I have arrived just in time to enjoy the Poinciana and hibiscus blooms, reminiscent of the tropical flora from Key West. Along the road that leads to the train station, I have seen countless stray dogs scavenging through trash, as well as a malnourished monkey asserting his dominance over the community canines.
Crossing the roads brings back memories of China, only with more cars (mostly auto-rickshaws), less order, and more horn-honking than should be allowed. Perhaps more exhilarating than crossing the street is boarding/exiting the trains. Even during non-"rush", the number of people on the trains requires that riders begin to de-board well-before the train reaches a stop, risking being pushed off if they choose to wait patiently. More exciting is the struggle to secure your one-square-foot space on the train by pushing through the crowd to board before it gets moving too fast to keep up. Passengers hang out of the edge of the car to enjoy the breeze and avoid the crowd, resembling the trolley riders in SF, at less-safe speeds.
After one transfer, I arrive at Bandra station, forming the Eastern border of Behrampada, the slum which the project is targeting. If you are unfamiliar with what brings me to Mumbai during monsoon season, check out http://dsd.lbl.gov/BWC/mumbai/, our project blog. Essentially, we are working on creating a community-wide health campaign in the slum, focusing on providing a point-of-use water treatment system, and more importantly, an awareness of health/hygiene education by developing a community health-resource center. The need for such an intervention was evident soon after leaving the station.
On my way to the community, we trekked through ankle-deep muddy water, filling my shoes. I quickly understood why sandals are the footwear of choice throughout Mumbai. I was led into the slum by Erin, the head project member from Berkeley. I followed faithfully as I was taken down progressively narrower and darker alleys which put even the sketchiest streets of the US to shame. Even in the middle of the day, light does not find it's way through the four-story tall, three-foot wide alleys to illuminate the debris, soil, and assorted fluids which comprise the streets; it is perpetually dark in the slum.
Despite the darkness, dirt, and smells, the inside of many of these homes are surprisingly well maintained. Most of the rooms contain a bed, cooking space, and the occasional toilet. Women in colorful saris are taking care of their children and eating home-cooked meals, some families watching television. On second thought, the apparent quality of these rooms may just be due to the horrible conditions just beyond the doors.
In each home we entered, we were greeted with generous offers of food and drink. We took our seats on the floor with the women of the household, the men typically off to work. Not speaking Hindi has made it pretty difficult to engage myself in the interactions, and more often than not I find myself smiling and practicing the "head bobbing" common in Indian conversation. While most cultures I have seen generally nod up and down in agreement, in India people tilt their head from side to side instead. I definitely think I will be in for some upon my return home...
I am just starting to get involved in my portion of the work, and should have enough to keep me busy for a while. We have found an apartment in the slum that we will probably rent starting on June 20th. This will mean sleeping on the floor, and spending less time with the students whose company we have been enjoying thus far.
In addition to traveling to the slum, I have been eating some really good Indian food and drinking the most amazing fruit juices. Odwalla will just seem second-rate from now on I'm afraid. I went to see a Bollywood film with the students we are staying with, consisting of a silly 3-hour plot, jokes that I couldn't understand (the whole movie was in Hindi), and with completely unrelated song-and-dance scenes spaced throughout. I think I'll stick to American films, although I have sent an email to a friend of a friend of a friend who is currently appearing in Bollywood films. I included a glamour shot, and with any luck, they'll need a white extra and I'll be on my way to fame and fortune. We also received our first lesson in Indian dancing from Jasneet...Soon enough I'll have the chance to test my skills at a disco.
It's hard to believe I've only been here for 6 days so far. I feel far more comfortable than even I had expected. It should be a great summer. I could probably write more a few more hours, but I figure I should give you something to look forward to...Expect more updates (with pictures) in the coming months!!
posted by Adam at 5:47 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home