Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Day 4-6 Jaipur - Rajasthan school project

It's been a couple of days since our project start now and I think we are just getting into the rythymn of things. Monday morning was our orientation at the Jaipur city co-ordinators house after we dropped off one of the other volunteers at their local public school which they teach at. We were told about local customs, dress, expectations etc but nothing about essentials like where to buy water, setting up SIM cards, ATM's, transport and the fact that there is a public holiday on Friday - this is India you are supposed to live for the day ;)

So we arrived out our school later that afternoon to meet the children that we will be teaching for the next few weeks - they are in 4th and 5th standard as its called here - ranging from the ages of 7-9 years. We had the theatre co-ordinator with us so we could get an idea of what she expected of us with the kids over the next few weeks. The kids speak great English and were very sweet with their chorus of Namaste as we entered the room. We did a heap of theatre games with the children to get them moving, projecting their voices and just overall building their confidence.

We were a little suprised that we are actually at a private school for this project as our understanding is that we were to be teaching theatre to children from slum areas - so not too sure what's going on there. I have put in a request to work with the slum children also as I heard about a program where you can go in and teach English to them rather than theatre.
Now that I know I teach theatre at this one school 9-11am each day I am hoping to be able to also go across to the slums and teach English 12-2pm so am meeting this evening with the manger to see what we can do.

The two classes are both very sweet and really enthusiastic. Yesterday morning we arrived to see all the children lined up outside for their morning assembly - they were adorable! Then as they walked past us into their rooms they filed past one by one and clasped their hands to bow their heads and say namaste. Then one very sweet girl came up to my feet and in the hugest sign of respect in the Indian culture she knelt and touched my feet for blessings then her chest and said "Namaste Madam - Good morning to you" I wanted to cry and this created a repeat action from the next few girls who also wanted to do the same. I've seen enough Bollywood movies to know how special that is hence why I got really emotional about it (that or I'm just a big girl!). Class went extremly well again with numerous games and a chance to really bond with the kids.

Today I took my i pod along and we spent the morning using music and movement to "explore different ways of conveying emotion" yes in other words I got to do Bollywood dance with the kids. The teachers have spent the last few days during our class peaking their heads out of their room to see what we are exactly doing with the other children, the principal told us today that the kids have been going home raving to their parents what they have been doing and parents have been rining up very happy. I think the teachers are curious (like most Indians) as to why I am dressed as a Punjabi girl but clearly not Indian but I think they really appreciate that I am trying to speak Hindi and dressing conservatively. Today definately threw a spanner in the works when this white girl was teaching the kids Bollywood dance moves to all the latest Hindi tunes - one teacher came out and said she wanted to join us and the kids got a real kick out of hearing me name dropping their countries top actors and how to act like them. It was a brilliant morning.

On a more tourist note after class yesterday afternoon a couple of us decided to get a autorickshaw into the Pink City (CBD) to go visit the famour Hawa Mahal. On my last trip to India with the tour group we drove past and got a photo of the exterior but never got to go in an explore as with most tours it was all rush rush rush. So thanks to my trusty travel books we found our way in to the beautiful "palace of winds". It has a terracotta facade and beautiful "screens" from which the women of the royal families were able to sit and observe the day to day livings of those outside the palace. There are little wooden shutter windows built into these screens so that the women of the palace could pass or in some cases throw down gifts, notes and food to those below (that's what I read anyway).
Inside the Hawa Mahal was really beautiful architecture and as usual I found myself frustrated that when the technology and knowledge we have now days, we we just cant continue such a beautiful trade and technique in our buildings and homes. I took some amazing phots that as per my usual mission - are so far the shots of the trip (perhaps I need to break this down to shot of the city since I'm away for so long!). One shot was a beautiful old grandmother in saari with her grandchildren exploring the fort - she was a typical Rajasthani tribes woman and looked stunning as she posed for a photo in a Maharaja style temple for her grandkids. I asked if I could take a photo and they obliged willingly - I was so happy with the shot. Then up on the rooftop of this temple - very very high and no safety barriers, I sat there observing life below.. the city is surrounded by these rugged mountains that I can only compare to the images of those I have seen in Afghanistan. Then the square houses with flat rooftops meet the mountains and as you follow the skyline down to the main roads of the city you are greeted with thick Jaipur traffic. Amongst the traffic you can spot all sorts of things and it became a virtual game like "Where's Wally" except it was more like "What the hell can I find in the traffic" ......
1. couple of elephants
2. few cows
3. overcrowded sweatbox bashed up buses
4. too many auto and cycle rickshaws
5. beaten up cars (forget nice cars here)
6. scooters and cyclists competing for space with all of the above
7. humans risking their lives crossing anywhere there is space (that was me all day)
8. monkeys
9. Chai wallahs
10. markets markets markets
Panadol anyone?? Not at all it was heaven - for me anyway! At the Hawah Mahal I scored some great shots of the palace vs the city traffic - such a contrast. Not to mention the crazy monkey that decided to come up and pose whilst I thought about my lack of Rabie shots and them cutting my brain open to see if I really did die of Rabies (that's what the travel doctor told me would happen!!!).
A few of the other volunteers came to meet us at the palace and went to get a Lassi at the main MI Rd, but I decided it was time to break from the group and go it alone - as I always love to do. My mission was to find the dance school so that I could arrange some lessons in the classical Indian dance style of Kathak and possibly learn the Indian tabla. I did after a 2 hour adventure find it and will start my lessons next week hopefully.

The 2 hours that I went missing was something that I will never forget and probably never be able to convey just how amazing it was. I know if I had anyone with me it would never have eventuated that way as being solo seems to open more doors with people here in India when you are a foreigner. I found gemstone polishers on the streets displaying their wares on rags spread out on the dirty footpath, a poster seller of the various apparently 2 million + (??) Hindu gods alongside famous Bollywood stars (Yes I bought 5 posters for 100 rupee to brighten up my room). Somehow I found myself in a chai wallah area that was full of men and normally intimidating but my stubborn self shined through and I was determined to buy a samosa and chai from one of these hawkers. I know you can get pretty sick from these guys if you are unlucky but decided its time to live a little (yes coming to India was simply not hard enough clearly). So I walked up to this old Ghandi look alike in charge of selling the samosa and said "Eek samosa danyvard" 1 samosa thank you - 10 rupees later I had a hot hot samosa wrapped in newspaper in my hands - spicy is an understatement but as I sat there under a old torn blue tarp, with stray dogs around me, an old man in traditional muslim garb to my left and a curious Hindi guy on my right I was glowing. They saw me eyeing off their pot of chai that they were brewing for some waiting orders, so one customer comes over and asks if I would like a chai. I didnt even think about it but before I had a chance to think about my response with a very serious look I raised my eyebrows and flicked up my head - a typical Indian response for yes but perhaps resevered in roughness more for the guys to do. This caused such amusement to the customer that he ran over to place my order and tell the chai wallah what I had done - watching him re-enactment was hysterical and even I started to laugh. Bidding my new friends farewell and trying to make a mental note to remember where they were located I continued down the Johari Bazaar main rd and just as I spotted another elephant walking past in peak traffic, the local mosque started its call to prayer - I sat in the gutter and listened again with a huge smile on my face thinking how beautiful his voice was and envoking memories of my stay in Cairo.

As I walked past an alley way and thought to myself lets see if this is a short cut - I shook my head wondering why I was so confident that I knew where I was going and wasnt letting anyone in my way - then as I turn into this alley way my confidence is rewarded as I discover the entrance to the narrow wedding market - not actually called this but full of things needed for weddings since the season in India is just about to start. Saaris - I was peaking with excitement for the glitter, beautiful patterns, sequins, the hats for the groom, the accessories - if you know me well you know I was in heaven. I was the only none tourist in there so tried to hide as I took photos and observed as women bargained hard for the 10 or so saaris they need to survive wedding season - it was brilliant.

Jaipur is an amazing city so far - like any city you need to be prepared to walk, explore, communicate with the locals in their language and take a genuine interest for what's around you. I can't wait to head back in on Monday as I may have just been invited to my first Indian wedding for the season next Tuesday night which means I need to glam up! This Friday is a public holiday in India so I have been trying to organise transport to Udaipur or any city but its all booked up :( will keep trying my luck and have more news soon.

Namaste!