translation? my email is not cooperating...
so i'm responding on this mofo, my link to the world back home.
My brother is officially a senior in college!!!! I'm so proud that i'm blushing. Yay, Vimz! (Did you ever get the package I sent?... make sure you set up forwarding your mail to home @ the post office.) I'm so excited to see you guys in July!!!
Jennaiya!!! You owe me 75435425 punches in the nose. Your birthday came and it went and I was too far removed from calendars to know. Aaaa! Please, forgive me. Happy Birthday Babydoll! Btw, you have yet to send a mailing address.. ; send your cell # too. My email is still (mywholename)@gmail.com. It should be working fine when the computers here aren't throwing temper tantrums. :) Give our corners and Mama G a huge hug for me.
Robyn!! Happy freakin Bday to you too!!!
Aditya, i know that picture isn't so great. But broke ass!?! I'd like to see how much of a rockstar *you* look like after a year of living like the salt of the earth in the desert. :P
Nikhil- the CD's and magazines rock! Thank you sooooooo much! I put the 1st CD in and homesickness washed over me like no one's business.... but in a good way. :) Totally made my week. Thank you!
Hardyduss, I miss you tons too. Congrats on finishing pharm school! You should celebrate--- come visit me! I guarantee you won't regret it. It's amazingly beautiful out here. And there's 2 bicycles and on open desert horizon with our names on them. ;)
*****************************************************
Now, down to business. This fellowship is over in 2.5 months. I have a huge decision in front of me. Anand, Indicorps founder, wants me to stay another year on a paid PR position. Awesome opportunity- writing, putting together a collective book and videos, counseling projects, traveling... it would be amazing. And it would put together a lot of the pieces for me.... laying an amazing foundation for the things I want to get into when I get back... (and I would have time to apply to grad school)
There's also an opening at UNESCO (i.e. the united nations!!) that this project has given me the perfect entry for. It's kind of funny how life gives you exactly what you ask from it. I've been wanting to work for the UN since I was in high school. ... and now there's an opportunity that is punching me in the face: "here I am. Exactly what you said you wanted. An international career. In the field of art. Empowering communities. Falling asleep at night *knowing* you're doing something that matters. Something that fits."
So the problem? I am ready to come home. I miss my family. I miss my friends. My brothers, the most important thing to me ever, are growing up without me. Quite literally, a 16th bday, a 21st bday, a driver's license (!), a senior in college. My mom is the president of our samaj. my dad is now running daily (!). My friends are all at some crazy amazing turning points. And the first corners' trip is planned for this sept. Home is pulling me back relentlessly.
But I think I need some time to readjust. I need to stay in India a while. To unromanticize the idea of India in my head. Because, realistically, India is not the adventure that I have been on this past year. It's a nation like any other, with a wide disparity btw socio-economic classes. It's got a highly standardized, globalized urban yuppie city culture (my favorite... ummm... right....). But it's also got masses of people who live on very little, who are mostly illiterate, surviving on the strengths they have, surviving on 'whatever God gives them'. Neither end of the spectrum is bad, I've come to realize. It's all in the eye of the beholder. India's got a whole lot of character and beauty if you know what you are looking for.
Anyway, I am considering staying (a few months max). It's still a debate at this point. Questions/ comments/ concerns? Email me. or call.
Much love.
PEACE.
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Breathe in,
breathe out. Aaaaa....
so many things to say.
Ok, first things first. My dada is feeling better. Still in the hospital, but stable. Yay! *sigh of relief* Because he had come to visit me a few months earlier, the people in my village keep asking how he's doing, how he's feeling. Now that is community. :) Someone pass him word that everyone on this end is pulling for him. Everyone, including people he has yet to meet.
Next, someone give my two brothers a big hug from me. I miss them so much.
And Mom for mom's day. Sorry to be so far!
....
Now, I think I might notice this more than everyone else who is 'wrapped all up in it' (whereas I am a bit removed for the moment.) Life is unbelievable. Everyone I know is in an amazing transition right now. And b/c my contact w/ ppl is fewer and farther btw, I can SEE how much the people I love are growing. It is an INCREDIBLE thing to notice.
---> this realization begins with some great news. Angela Patel, who, incidently, was *convinced* that she would never make it through high school, is graduating with a Masters in Social Work from Colombia. GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My baby's growin up!!! Someone hug her for me. (Then kick her as hard as you can.) I am so proud of you beta!
....
As for me, I'm doin ok. My toe is healing (I got an Xray taken finally, and it's going to be fine.... btw, I have the cutest toe bones evah!) *wink*
and...
I HELD MY FIRST ART EXHIBITION EVER! Such an overwhelming experience, I don't know where to begin. We convinced the village men to let 20 of their women come out to Ahmedbad to be a part of their first exhibition of their work. THEY CAME!!! 20 women, who had never left their village before, came out to big city A'bad. We wanted them to see for themselves, the buzz that has been created over artisans reclaiming ownership of their craft.
We did it all....overnight bus, a roller coaster, meeting the Gujarat minister of education, interacting with artists, designers and shop owners, going to department stores, high end clothing stores, out for ice cream, downtown, a movie.... 3 days of craziness. THE MEN AGREED (on the condition of 4 male escorts from the village.) We also took 4 boys from the villages, who are super promising at their studies, to enroll them at a great boarding school in A'bad. The publicity was unreal: articles in the Times of India, Mumbai Samachar, Divya Baskar AND, randomly enough, the Sunday London Times.
Now, here's the excitingest part. Anyone read the tipping point by malcolm Gladwell? It's about how movements are started and how they gain momentum. Basically, a whole lot of groundwork is laid, and then it just takes one small trigger to tip the scale. I have yet to see if I am getting ahead of myself, but I think we hit it. The difference in their cooperation, their understanding, the DESIGNS and QUALITY of their work is UNFUCKINBELIEVABLE. (excuse the language- i am too excited) A popular motif in their last piece was peacocks, because they saw peacocks roaming around for the first time! And suddenly, the women are thinking about their work. They are drawing inspiration from their surroundings, from their experiences, from their lives- they are evolving their traditional art themselves. They have ready replies for WHY they chose a particular (motif, color palate, spacing, layout) anything.
Sorry if this is rambling. I'm on a huge high right now. This is what they are talking about when they are talking about empowerment. Letting the people reclaim who they already are.
The majority of the handicraft work done in India is all about 'reviving tradtional art' via income generation. ... i.e. giving the women pre stenciled designed cloth, kits of thread in the colors of the design, and a sample of what the finished product should look like. Like labor work...
Which I am not knocking, b/c it is necessary to give these women work, and the women do not argue with the money. And their skills in embroidery are used.
But there is an unmatched, unparallelable beauty to have them take ownership of their work. There is a visible difference in how much they enjoy creating the finished product. They debate what looks good, what doesn't. They express opinions. They *argue*. They are suddenly *thinking* about their work. And enjoying the process. And reclaiming ownership. I can't believe that it's actually happening.
Maybe they just had to see it for themselves.
so many things to say.
Ok, first things first. My dada is feeling better. Still in the hospital, but stable. Yay! *sigh of relief* Because he had come to visit me a few months earlier, the people in my village keep asking how he's doing, how he's feeling. Now that is community. :) Someone pass him word that everyone on this end is pulling for him. Everyone, including people he has yet to meet.
Next, someone give my two brothers a big hug from me. I miss them so much.
And Mom for mom's day. Sorry to be so far!
....
Now, I think I might notice this more than everyone else who is 'wrapped all up in it' (whereas I am a bit removed for the moment.) Life is unbelievable. Everyone I know is in an amazing transition right now. And b/c my contact w/ ppl is fewer and farther btw, I can SEE how much the people I love are growing. It is an INCREDIBLE thing to notice.
---> this realization begins with some great news. Angela Patel, who, incidently, was *convinced* that she would never make it through high school, is graduating with a Masters in Social Work from Colombia. GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My baby's growin up!!! Someone hug her for me. (Then kick her as hard as you can.) I am so proud of you beta!
....
As for me, I'm doin ok. My toe is healing (I got an Xray taken finally, and it's going to be fine.... btw, I have the cutest toe bones evah!) *wink*
and...
I HELD MY FIRST ART EXHIBITION EVER! Such an overwhelming experience, I don't know where to begin. We convinced the village men to let 20 of their women come out to Ahmedbad to be a part of their first exhibition of their work. THEY CAME!!! 20 women, who had never left their village before, came out to big city A'bad. We wanted them to see for themselves, the buzz that has been created over artisans reclaiming ownership of their craft.
We did it all....overnight bus, a roller coaster, meeting the Gujarat minister of education, interacting with artists, designers and shop owners, going to department stores, high end clothing stores, out for ice cream, downtown, a movie.... 3 days of craziness. THE MEN AGREED (on the condition of 4 male escorts from the village.) We also took 4 boys from the villages, who are super promising at their studies, to enroll them at a great boarding school in A'bad. The publicity was unreal: articles in the Times of India, Mumbai Samachar, Divya Baskar AND, randomly enough, the Sunday London Times.
Now, here's the excitingest part. Anyone read the tipping point by malcolm Gladwell? It's about how movements are started and how they gain momentum. Basically, a whole lot of groundwork is laid, and then it just takes one small trigger to tip the scale. I have yet to see if I am getting ahead of myself, but I think we hit it. The difference in their cooperation, their understanding, the DESIGNS and QUALITY of their work is UNFUCKINBELIEVABLE. (excuse the language- i am too excited) A popular motif in their last piece was peacocks, because they saw peacocks roaming around for the first time! And suddenly, the women are thinking about their work. They are drawing inspiration from their surroundings, from their experiences, from their lives- they are evolving their traditional art themselves. They have ready replies for WHY they chose a particular (motif, color palate, spacing, layout) anything.
Sorry if this is rambling. I'm on a huge high right now. This is what they are talking about when they are talking about empowerment. Letting the people reclaim who they already are.
The majority of the handicraft work done in India is all about 'reviving tradtional art' via income generation. ... i.e. giving the women pre stenciled designed cloth, kits of thread in the colors of the design, and a sample of what the finished product should look like. Like labor work...
Which I am not knocking, b/c it is necessary to give these women work, and the women do not argue with the money. And their skills in embroidery are used.
But there is an unmatched, unparallelable beauty to have them take ownership of their work. There is a visible difference in how much they enjoy creating the finished product. They debate what looks good, what doesn't. They express opinions. They *argue*. They are suddenly *thinking* about their work. And enjoying the process. And reclaiming ownership. I can't believe that it's actually happening.
Maybe they just had to see it for themselves.
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Ultimate frisbee on the Mumbai shoreline ...
head on collision with Deepa Ganachari. Her unbelievably hard heel meets my toe. 16 days later, it still hurts. Diagnosis: 'fractured,' a medical term meaning 'it's broken.' Geez.
Also, my grandfather is sick. I've decided that spirit and being positive have more of an effect than I give credit. So, everything will be fine. I'm betting on it. And praying for him. I loves him so much.
Also, my grandfather is sick. I've decided that spirit and being positive have more of an effect than I give credit. So, everything will be fine. I'm betting on it. And praying for him. I loves him so much.