For Sister Spencer (and everyone else)

1. What was the best thing you ate on your trip?

Oh my gosh, I don't think I can narrow it down. I think the yummiest dish is my host mom's chana something or other with fried roti (verus like.....sauteed-ish). I'm hoping she'll teach me how to make it before I leave, the particular combination of spices is awesome!

Oothapam (uttapam? it seems to vary) is my go to food though. A fried circle of rice flour mixture topped off with a spicy mix of tomatoes and onions (or other stuff) and a side of coconut chutney for dipping. Nom nom nom.

Also, there's a street food here that's basically a fried spicy dough that they salt and serve with whole roasted green chilis. You take a bite of dough and then a bite of chili and honestly, the combination is unbelieveable. The spice of the dough hits you and then sort of a sweet from roasted chili and then a minute later the heat sinks in and you need more dough....and it cycles and builds to hot intensity. Perhaps not the yummiest dish I've had, but it was a great sentimental moment to share with my coworkers.


2. What was the most wonderful experience you had?

Wow, who knows. I mean, what type of experience? Sometimes when I travel, there's a moment that sort of stands out profoundly and comes to sort of define the trip. In Uganda, going out to do house visits for the HIV/AIDS patients in the area was one of those. In Morocco, talking in french about the language of music with a lute player in Casablanca was that.

It could be said that the value of a trip for me is counted in the currency of these moments.

Here, I'm not sure yet. Upon thinking about it more, I realized most of the moments that I cherish deeply are ones where I had a great discussion or felt I was able to really connect with someone. The language barrier has left me more of an observer than a participator, which makes connect difficult.

Sharing chai and discussing life with my coworkers has been great. Getting dressed up for weddings with my host mom has been great. I think also, there's room to say that the extended experience of interacting with the other interns has been momumental for me: they don't just tolerate and accept me but actually embrace and value me and give me space to be quirky and awkward. That's sort of new for me and I've consequently gotten a lot more comfortable with myself.

I think though, one of the most distinct experiences actually may have happened yesterday. I was out in Dewatha to do some final interviews and ended up waiting for a couple hours, whereupon basically the entire village gathered to talk to me. What was amazing was I'd been to a nearby village for a workshop and I recognized some of the kids! And they recognized me! It was great. Over the course of about two hours, I was lead from house to house meeting everyone, being offered chai, and directed to the next place they wanted to show me. It was awkward because I was being waited on hand and foot, but the sheer VOLUME of the people was amazing, really there must have been about 50 all gathered around me and herding me around. So many beautiful people and personalities in one place! I'll probably post about it in more detail later :)


3. What was the most wonderful new insight or revelation you experienced?

No clue. I've learned a lot about community interaction and interdependence and that has been fodder for thought for me and shown me new ways of thinking that I like. It's funny that they refer to African villages as the prime example of working together, the whole, "it takes a village" mantra, but honestly, I think any Indian village is a stronger example of that.

4. Did you buy anything wonderful to bring home and keep the memories alive?

I haven't found THE THING yet, I actually haven't bought a lot here which sort of surprises me because I love the culture so much you'd think I'd be buying things like crazy, but then again, most of it is touristy and that sort of turns me off.

I was actually thinking this morning about what to buy. Usually I like to get one big thing to have in my house when I'm older. I'm not sure what that thing from here will be yet. I'm considering a bed spread. But, and I know this sounds crazy, I think I'm actually leaning towards a small water pot. They decorate them beautifully here and I think it represents a lot about the way of life I've experienced and come to love here and that would be nice to take back with me.

5. Would you go back if you had the chance?

ABSOLUTELY. I HOPE i can come back at some point. I'm basically dying to see Southern India; Pondicherry, Kerela sounds so different and fascinating, and everyone goes to Tamil Nadu, I'm so curious to see it!

6. What did you learn about the faith of the people? Did it strengthen your own faith?

Hm. Not completely sure what you mean by this. Are you referring to any exposure I've had to Hinduism? There's a huge overlap here between the culture and the religion, I've actually wondered what it's like to be a Christian Indian here because Hinduism is so intertwined in everything. I think my exposure to Islam in Morocco was more of a "faith building" experience, to hear some of the people talk about their faith there and the earnestness and absolute reverence they feel struck me profoundly.

They don't overtly proclaim their faith here but they aren't entirely casual about it either. What I think I've enjoyed experiencing the most is that in one way or another, religion is constantly on your mind here but not in such a way that it's separated from everything else. It's not uncommon to see a group of strangers gather on the side of the road at dusk to take a break from traveling and pray together. There are public shrines everywhere. Every family has their gods and/or guru. Every event, every decision, every major life moment is carried forward with hope and help from the gods.

Some could say it's riddled with excess of tradition and a dirth of spiritual comprehension. I don't now enough to make a call like that. What I do know that I've found interesting is what an example it is of having an integrated life and having your faith be at the center of it, but not in such a way that it overshadows other things or blinds you.