This is the life!
Listening to my Chillout Ibiza album, I'm suddenly so very aware that I'm here, the songs I've listened to at home have so much more meaning here in India. One song in particular called "universal unfolding" by Grandma funk over soul, feels like my bible or something, cannot believe how true it is. I have absolutely fallen in love with this place, there is I feel, so many things wrong and so many things which need fixed here but they make up a crucial part of how India is and that is amazing. I love the pace of life here. For all that India (what I have seen so far anyway) is crazy and so unbelievably busy, with roads filled with everything under the sun and animals which don't even exist back at home, there is such a sense of calm, no hurry, there is always tomorrow.
When I first arrived here I completely freaked out and wondered why I was doing this however the whole time knowing that I will miss this place so much when I have to leave and this was when we arrived in the airport! I felt in complete awe, looking out of the bus window as if in a bubble, not feeling anything really but total exhilaration and complete happiness to see this beautiful place.
I feel like I am starting to think so much more out here, I have always been a bit of a thinker back home but it feels like being away from my society is helping me to see more clearer about this other world and also the world I live in back home. The western world has a lot to learn from this country. I feel everyone needs to live or even only visit India to wake up and realize that only the simplest things in life really matter, family, friends and the words from my song mentioned earlier, love,peace,joy..and happiness.
I have seen so many things already that I do not like and feel angry towards. The slums in particular, how close they are to big air conditioned, plenty of food in the fridges, houses. The contrast is so strong, such as life and the difference between mine and theirs. My room is bigger than some of their houses and to say I appreciate my life so much more is an understatement of how I feel on this subject. One thing that struck me is how happy these people are and how beautiful the children are and how little they whine, back home people can moan on for ages about something that means absolutely nothing in the grand scale of things. I already felt I knew what was important in life. Having been brought up with two working class parents who are heavily involved in education and working to get people out of poverty, I share their views on education being a way of people not getting swept up and corrupted. If people can express how they feel and have the education to do this then they will always have the opportunity to move forwards. Having said all this I feel I have a better understanding on what really matters and feels as if this is only the beginning and when I get back home I may only then start living.
For all the ups I've had here, I've had the downs to match it. I've been ill and being ill in this country does not feel good, I've been to the hospital twice which sounds so much more dramatic than it actually is and had a little of the 'I'm so lost' feeling. But I got over it and realized I was glad it happened at the start and now India is in my system and can start to feel more settled.
Being told what I was going to be doing was probably the most scariest moment in my life, I haven't actually fully started yet because like most things here in India things rarely start on time or according to plan. I keep reminding myself that I am at the advantage as the language I am teaching is my first language and what I speak but little had I realized just what a complicated language English really is.
I have really enjoyed working in the balwadis and with the younger children in the creches, getting my mindee paint done on my hands and speaking to so many welcoming and kind women.
I feel so privileged to be involved in this work with Deep Griha, I can see how many peopleit helps. I went along to a DISHA, Aids Awareness day which was fantastic,
getting involved and being hands on, I could see that these people are doing a really great thing, in spreading the word that aids is not the end of a person.
Falling asleep is a bit of a nightmare although I am starting to get used to it, probably because we have the air condition on now, its probably drowning out all the other noises. I am also dreading to think how i'll cope without my mosquito net back home but like that a lot of things are going to change when I get back home.
I cannot believe how different I sound after just nearly three weeks, I have rambled on and on but I just feel so much more in tune with my own thoughts and without going too deep almost as if my soul is cleansed and I'm starting a new. I am so glad I have decided to do this and actually got on that plane,not looking back and I have realized that you don't just experience one new thing a day here, you experience many new things a day here.
Tess Barber
When I first arrived here I completely freaked out and wondered why I was doing this however the whole time knowing that I will miss this place so much when I have to leave and this was when we arrived in the airport! I felt in complete awe, looking out of the bus window as if in a bubble, not feeling anything really but total exhilaration and complete happiness to see this beautiful place.
I feel like I am starting to think so much more out here, I have always been a bit of a thinker back home but it feels like being away from my society is helping me to see more clearer about this other world and also the world I live in back home. The western world has a lot to learn from this country. I feel everyone needs to live or even only visit India to wake up and realize that only the simplest things in life really matter, family, friends and the words from my song mentioned earlier, love,peace,joy..and happiness.
I have seen so many things already that I do not like and feel angry towards. The slums in particular, how close they are to big air conditioned, plenty of food in the fridges, houses. The contrast is so strong, such as life and the difference between mine and theirs. My room is bigger than some of their houses and to say I appreciate my life so much more is an understatement of how I feel on this subject. One thing that struck me is how happy these people are and how beautiful the children are and how little they whine, back home people can moan on for ages about something that means absolutely nothing in the grand scale of things. I already felt I knew what was important in life. Having been brought up with two working class parents who are heavily involved in education and working to get people out of poverty, I share their views on education being a way of people not getting swept up and corrupted. If people can express how they feel and have the education to do this then they will always have the opportunity to move forwards. Having said all this I feel I have a better understanding on what really matters and feels as if this is only the beginning and when I get back home I may only then start living.
For all the ups I've had here, I've had the downs to match it. I've been ill and being ill in this country does not feel good, I've been to the hospital twice which sounds so much more dramatic than it actually is and had a little of the 'I'm so lost' feeling. But I got over it and realized I was glad it happened at the start and now India is in my system and can start to feel more settled.
Being told what I was going to be doing was probably the most scariest moment in my life, I haven't actually fully started yet because like most things here in India things rarely start on time or according to plan. I keep reminding myself that I am at the advantage as the language I am teaching is my first language and what I speak but little had I realized just what a complicated language English really is.
I have really enjoyed working in the balwadis and with the younger children in the creches, getting my mindee paint done on my hands and speaking to so many welcoming and kind women.
I feel so privileged to be involved in this work with Deep Griha, I can see how many peopleit helps. I went along to a DISHA, Aids Awareness day which was fantastic,
getting involved and being hands on, I could see that these people are doing a really great thing, in spreading the word that aids is not the end of a person.
Falling asleep is a bit of a nightmare although I am starting to get used to it, probably because we have the air condition on now, its probably drowning out all the other noises. I am also dreading to think how i'll cope without my mosquito net back home but like that a lot of things are going to change when I get back home.
I cannot believe how different I sound after just nearly three weeks, I have rambled on and on but I just feel so much more in tune with my own thoughts and without going too deep almost as if my soul is cleansed and I'm starting a new. I am so glad I have decided to do this and actually got on that plane,not looking back and I have realized that you don't just experience one new thing a day here, you experience many new things a day here.
Tess Barber
posted by Volunteer at 6:52 am
2 Comments:
OK you rambled on - but it was a very honest account and nice to hear - I'm sure you will be an assett to Deep Griha
I thought your sentiments were inspiring and insightful....
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