India-Pakistan Border Ceremony

My second full day in India arrived, and already I had made it to the border of Pakistan. A popular attraction for both Indian and international tourists is to attend the flag lowering ceremony that occurs daily at the Wagah Border, located 30 kilometers west of Amritsar. Since 1959 millions of Indians have frequented the spot, as it is said to be the only road border between the two countries and the only border crossing area which maintains this kind of peaceful display of citizenship. Alisa and I joined an Indian family of five in a shared van to reach the vicinity of the border, with roughly an hour to spare before the ceremony began.

We followed alongside thousands of others for a few kilometers through various disjointed security checkpoints, and were relieved when we arrived near the event stadium and officials ushered us and the few other foreign visitors to a separate section with an enhanced view of both the Indian and Pakistan sides. (As an aside, this was after experiencing a not entirely unfounded fear of being trampled to death by Indian aunties on foot and border security officials on horse, all of whom must have forgotten their manners at the Golden Temple).

Inside the stadium, we witnessed India’s Border Security Force perform exercises, we chanted patriotic slogans (Hindustan zindabad! Long live India), sang along with popular Indian music to include a massive “Jai Ho” sing and dance-off, and watched children run the Indian flag to and from the border in a kind of informal relay race. “Children” should be loosely applied here, as it may or may not have become a participatory event thanks to Alisa’s peer pressure. The moment I joined the line, the guard handed me the flag of India and told me, "Go!" Only when I reached the border did I notice the man carrying an AK-47 to secure Pakistan from intruders. But this helped me to run the flag faster on the way back.

Harmandir Sahib: Amritsar's Golden Temple

Less than 12 hours after arriving at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Airport I was headed north. My friend Alisa has been living and volunteering in Jaipur, Rajasthan for several months, and after I procured my summer internship with UNICEF, we made a plan to travel together around north India during the week following my final exams, prior to the start of my internship. The city of Amritsar is about eight hours northwest of Delhi - accessible via train or bus - and home to Harmandir Sahib (Punjabi: Darbar Sahib) or Golden Temple, a sacred ground for Sikhs and a place of worship for all. As we learned from a new friend in our bustling sleeper class train ride out of Delhi, followers of the Sikh religion in India will often make multiple pilgrimages in their lifetime to this shrine, which comprises a large outer complex made of white marble, and the “pool of nectar of immortality” (the literal translation of Amritsar’s namesake) a body of water which surrounds the most precious gilded inner temple.

Shown above, the inner temple is made up of over 100 kilos (approximately 220 pounds) of gold and includes valuable artwork and precious gemstones and metals such as silver, ivory, pearl and lapis lazuli. Construction began in 1577 and the temple as it presently exists was completed in the late 1700s. The surrounding complex includes a dining hall, able to seat 35,000 people at one time, as well as sleeping quarters. All major components of the inner complex (including dormitories, dining hall and the inner temple) are open and free for all visitors of all faith traditions to enter 24 hours/day, 7 days/week. While many things struck me on my visit, I particularly admired the manner in which people moved in and out of the temple and the dining hall, which was at once inconspicuous, reverent and efficient.

Waiting in line to enter the inner temple took about 30 minutes. We formed a steady cloud of primarily Sikh men women and children but also included some Indian and international tourists. Every person removed footwear and covered his or her head with a scarf, bandana, hat or turban (dastar) upon entrance, and we slowly budged closer to the front as people exited the temple on the other side at their leisure. While it reached well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit by mid-day , we were not uncomfortable due to our position on a shaded strip below large fans. Once inside the temple, I watched one man chanting from the Holy Scripture (Adi Granth), while another played the harmonium, broadcast via speakers across the complex.

Many will present an offering of food like this (procured free of charge at the temple) or leave a donation while entering or exiting the inner temple.

A primary tenant of the Sikh religion is that all people are equal and should be treated as such. Going along these lines, tourists and foreign visitors are welcome to participate in the pilgrimage, meal and site activities as they see fit.

Waiting in line for lunch. Meals are served free of charge around the clock. Simple but filling meal of round wheat flat bread, black lentils in broth and a sweet rice pudding type dish (not shown). Anyone may also assist the hundreds of volunteers washing dishes after people have eaten. N.B. that plates provided were sparkling clean.

Fotografie di Roma

From top: Via del Teatro di Marcello, vista di Ponte Palatino, Il Colosseo, Piazza di San Pietro, celebrating my 26th birthday with Jess at Piazza Navona, Fontana di Trevi, Sister Jacinta (friend from Rwanda) by Lago Albano a Castel Gandolfo, Il Papa Benedetto XVI at General Audience

Roma per una Bambinaia

Several months ago I applied to work as an au pair in Italy for the summer, and soon after learned of my acceptance by the au pair agency. My desire to spend a summer al’Italia had been brewing for some time now, so that my Italian becomes more than just conversational, and to experience il bel paese in the midst of its most beautiful season. Working as an au pair was the most cost-effective option; one in which I am forced to speak Italian and make my way here as more than just a tourist. In exchange for 30 hours per week of babysitting, I get room and board in an apartment in the center of Rome, plus a modest stipend of 100 euros/week and transit within the city.

It sounds like a dream job, no? Yes, and no. The family is accommodating and friendly, both eager to help me with my Italian and practice their English. There are two small children: a girl of four and a baby boy of seven months. Both the mother and father work in the father’s law office, which is on the same floor as our apartment; in case of a problem or emergency, I don’t need to go far. But despite almost 15 years of babysitting, multiple years lifeguarding and teaching swim lessons, and thousands of hours teaching and tutoring English, French, math, CCD and other subjects to children, I feel a little unprepared for the stress that accompanies taking care of a seven month-old baby! When he is not (and sometimes when he is) drinking, eating, pooping, sleeping, riding in the stroller or playing with something sufficiently distracting, he is crying. Often wailing, seldom whimpering.

I understand the psychology behind it. At this point in time, crying is the baby's only means of communication. But sometimes I look at his scrunched up little face mid-outburst – at once heart-wrenching and unbelievable adorable - and think: what is so difficult in the life of treasured bambino named Federico?

Baby Federico’s sister, Ginevra, was initially hesitant with me. She is opening up more and more each day. By now, the start of my second week, she has really come to life, and sometimes requires more attention than her brother.

It is surprisingly difficult to understand the Italian of a little girl, as she speaks in detailed run-on sentences, with a vocabulary that I envy. (Someday...maybe someday soon, I keep telling myself.) It is a humbling experience, speaking to a four year-old and receiving a funny look in return because she can’t quite decipher my convoluted Italian. I imagine things come out along the lines of:
-“Ginevra, now I will go together to the Park Borghese to play with your friends of the school”
or
-“I’m sorry, Mamma cannot come now to you at the room. She has the large invited ones of dinner that must to speak to. In the night, we see again.”

Maranyundo School ranks #3 in Rwanda, #1 among girls' schools

Rwanda's 2010 National Exam results were released yesterday, following the November 2010 exams mandatory of all 6th, 9th and 12th grade students. Students are required to pass in order to move on to the next grade level or university and qualify for scholarships; for this reason, these exams are extremely high stakes. I was thrilled to learn that ALL of our school's 9th grade students passed - many in the first division - putting our school at #3 among junior high schools in Rwanda, and #1 among girls' schools. Furthermore, a scholarship fund established by the Maranyundo Initiative in Boston will enable all students to attend senior high school, regardless of her ability to pay school fees.

In its third year of operations, this was the first round of national exams completed by our school's first group of 9th grade students. I'm bursting with pride for all of our girls, especially those that I tutored in the final term of the 2010 school year.

To read Kigali's New Times article announcing the results, click on the link on the right-hand side.

Reflection on two years in Sub-Saharan Africa

Peace.
It does not mean to be in a place where this is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart.

Roughly six months into my first year in Rwanda, I received a package from a close friend. Opening that package on the concrete floor of my room in dusty, rural Nyamata felt like winning the lottery. I delighted in the tin of hot cocoa, boxes of mac and cheese, Twix bars, Cosmopolitan magazine, Swedish fish, mashed potatoes au gratin mix, brightly colored stickers, notepads and other goodies that I knew would last me the rest of my first year. Nestled amongst these goods were three sealed, numbered envelopes containing cards written by my friend. Her instructions were deliberate: I was to open the cards in order, at three times over the course of the next several months when I needed a boost. Having those cards stored away in my closet (along with the remaining spoils of the package) reminded me that no matter how difficult things got – no matter how much judgment I faced from Maranyundo’s nuns, no matter how many people viewed me as a walking dollar sign, no matter how many protruding bellies I passed on my way to the district office, no matter how bitterly cold it got at the top of Kilimanjaro – I was not alone.

One of the cards included this message about peace. I find that it appropriately describes much of what I learned in Rwanda, through getting to know those who have had to find peace in the most un-peaceful circumstances. In hard times, I think about these strong, resilient people, most of whom will never have access to the resources or opportunities that we as Americans often take for granted. In the hardest of times, I try to emulate their character, and I remember to count my blessings.

Lessons Learned
1. How to COMMUNICATE without words
2. How to pay close attention to my surroundings and become increasingly self-aware
3. How to have FAITH in God...and in the moto driver
4. How to APPRECIATE the many things I have as an effect of where I was born, and how to live without many of those things
5. How to WAIT –
for a bus to start moving, to earn the trust of school administrators, in line for peanut butter, for a student to respond to a question in English, for running water, electricity, world news, refrigeration, and the arrival of a friend
- for a seemingly endless period of time, without understanding why, and with no guaranteed resolution
6. How to LISTEN
and, when the timing is right, how to share advice
7. How to live as a minority in a rural village
8. How to be RESOURCEFUL in a range of situations –
open a can of tuna with a kitchen knife...launder clothes in a hotel bathtub...turn bug spray into WD-40...sub bobby-pins for paperclips...insert a European plug into a British outlet, sans adaptor...create an Irish flag using patterned fabrics from the market...force the unharmed exodus of a bird, monkey, chameleon or mouse from one’s sleeping quarters...turn a bed sheet into a movie screen, a ripped pair of pants into a headband, or red Gatorade powder into “cherry” cake frosting
9. How to GIVE fully and without reservation for just matters, however unpleasant the journey may be
10. How to LOVE those who may have nothing in common with oneself
11. How to spend the greater part of a day without eating, drinking or using the loo – and understand how many around me experience just that on a regular basis, without ever complaining
12. How to say NO...to racist policies and ignorant endorsement of such policies, to pretending that everything in Rwanda is perfect based on face value, to random requests for money, English lessons, my hand in marriage
13. How to earn the trust and respect of those who have experienced trauma, abuse, loss and betrayal by loved ones at various stages of their lives
14. How to LET GO – of past possessions, grievances and judgments
15. How to find beauty in a damaged people, a broken heart, a furry spider and a newborn’s cry

Return to USA via Switzerland

Sun 21 Nov: Nairobi, Kenya-->Zurich, Switzerland-->Boston, USA – Arrived in Zurich early morning, cringed at the bitter cold weather, train to Utlieberg, hiked nearby hill to stunning view of lake and Alps (unfortunately obstructed due to fog). Returned by train to Zurich, walked around main thoroughfare to lake, visited city’s three major churches and Swiss National Museum, shivered some more, shopping for chocolate, pastries and cheese at large train station market, train back to airport. Afternoon flight to Boston, greeted at 8PM EST by my lovely family at Logan Airport’s International Terminal!

KENYA: Travels 20-9 Nov

Sat 20 Nov: Nairobi – Packed and spent day at hostel. Departed for Carnivore Restaurant, renowned for its delicious variety of meats (see below). Our favorite by far was crocodile. While we feasted (yes, we tried everything), we thought about how happy Liz’s dad and mine would be, had they been there with us. Taxi to Nairobi airport, evening flights to Europe.

Carnivore Restaurant Menu
All Inclusive
Starters:
Ginger Carrot Soup ~ House Salad ~ Cole Slaw ~ Roasted Potatoes ~ Roasted Vegetables ~ Chickpea Salad
Meats:
Chicken ~ Turkey ~ Spare Ribs ~ Ostrich ~ Pork Chops ~ Pork Sausage ~ Crocodile ~ Lamb Chops ~ Lamb Sausage ~ Beef ~ Ox Testicles ~ Ox Heart
Sauces:
Tikka Masala ~ Fruit Salsa ~ Green Chili ~ Wildberry ~ Mint ~ Garlic ~ Sour Cream
Yum!
Fri 19 Nov: Mombasa-->Nairobi – 7:30AM bus to Nairobi left several hours late. Made friends with ailing street kittens while waiting. Arrived mid-evening.

Thurs 18 Nov: Diani Beach-->Mombasa – Morning at beach. Taxi/ferry to Mombasa. Visited Fort Jesus and old town, rode in tuk-tuks, slept intermittently due to extreme heat and resounding late night/early morning calls to prayer.


Wed 17 Nov: Diani Beach – Day at the beach. Rode camels and swam in Indian Ocean. Pre-dinner drinks at Ali Barbour’s Cave Restaurant, meaning, a restaurant in an authentic underground cave.

Tues 16 Nov: Mombasa-->Diani Beach – Arrived 6AM, took ferry and local bus to Diani Beach, arrived at Stilts Lodge, 200m from the beach where we stayed in tree-houses! Monkeys were everywhere and their stealing habits became problematic. Afternoon and evening spent relaxing on white sands of the Swahili Coast.

Mon 15 Nov: Lake Nakuru National Park-->Nairobi – Morning game drive around the lake, saw thousands of pink flamingos, storks and other large birds, rhinoceros, baby baboons playing, lioness with four cubs, zebra feeding her young and many giraffes. Drove back to Nairobi, overnight bus to Mombasa.



Sun 14 Nov: Maasai Mara, Narok, Great Rift Valley – Morning game drive through Mara, new sightings included wildebeest migrating, buffalo herding, lion and lioness mating. Visited Maasai Village, saw traditional jumping/dance demonstration and deplorable living conditions. Drove northwest to Lake Nakuru spotting zebras, baboons and buffalo along main highway.

Sat 13 Nov: Maasai Mara National Reserve – Full day game drive through park. New sightings included cheetah and cubs devouring a fresh kill, zebras and wildebeest crossing the river with hippos and crocodiles waiting, lions cuddling, leopard in a tree, ostriches, warthogs and their youngsters scurrying along (think Pumba from the Lion King), an eagle in its nest, spotted hyenas, multiple animal carcasses and a band of meercats.

Someone's running late for school...

Fri 12 Nov: Great Rift Valley, Narok, Maasai Mara National Reserve – PM game drive through Mara. Sightings included: zebras, giraffes, buffalo, impalas, LIONS, elephants, bushbacks, jackals, hot pink/purple lizards, wildebeest, baboons, monkeys. Our sightings started even before we arrived at the reserve, with a 20 foot giraffe crossing the road in front of our car.



Thurs 11 Nov: Karen – Visited Karen Blixen house (site of book/movie Out of Africa), marveled at her collection of fur rugs (lions, leopards, zebras, impalas…) Thought of S3 Maranyundo students celebrating their graduation with Rwanda’s first lady.
Wed 10 Nov: Nairobi - Met with safari tour operator at hostel, negotiated 4 day safari to Maasai Mara and Lake Nakuru starting on Friday, shopping for crafts and souvenirs at Nairobi’s City Market, dinner at South African burger chain in town, Liz arrived PM
Tues 9 Nov: Kampala-->Nairobi – Left Kampala at 6AM on Akamba Royal Class Bus to Nairobi which, for $7 more than the regular bus, featured:
-breakfast
-huge reclining seats with adjacent (though non-functioning) outlets
-fewer passengers - therefore fewer stops
-more humane bathroom breaks (this means 3 over the course of the 12 hour drive, rather than 1)
-a driver who helped us out of a sketchy passport-control issue at the border, and
-Viewing of Home Alone 1 and 2 on the 24” TV at the front, plus intermittent Thai sub-titles
Lunch was this angry-looking samaki, chips & posho for roughly $1