AMLOD

These are my last few days in Delhi. Can you believe it? I feel like I blinked and six weeks went by. Don't get me wrong, there were some rough days when I wanted to quit and travel on my own. My patience has been tested to it's absolute limit (although let's be honest, that's not hard to do), but for the most part I've grown attached to Delhi. It's the place in India I know best and for better or worse I will be sad to leave. I am especially sad to leave my friends at SPOWAC. I feel very protective of the girls, somewhat like my little sisters. The other day, a new volunteer asked me if the girls appreciate what I do for them. I replied, "More like, do I appreciate what they do for me?" Besides the fact that everyone I've met at SPOWAC has been incredibly kind and welcoming (except for that one woman who told me I look 30 grrrr), they also work so hard and are truly doing amazing work--the real deal. Aside from the specified goals, SPOWAC's biggest strength is that it offers women a safe haven to congregate in a setting that has nothing to do with housework or married life; to do activities and make choice that revolve around themselves and not about the men in their lives. During this brief glimpse, I've watched girls build confidence and challenge themselves. Last week I taught this girl, Gunja, "cut and paste" on the computer. It took an hour and a half (mostly because of the language barrier) but the next day when I arrived she waved me over excitedly and demonstrated the command for me with ease. As of today she is learning Excel formulas--pretty extraordinary. I've learned that SPOWAC really is a rare occurrence in Delhi, maybe even India, and as such I decided a few weeks ago to forgo buying gifts for my friends and family and use that money for things that SPOWAC really needs. I didn't spend an exorbitant amount or anything, but SPOWAC really needs some better computer equipment, and since I have the means and I know they will be used for an amazing purpose I decided to go for it. So I went to a computer market and bought loads of equipment. By the way, a couple years ago in SE Asia I made a list titled, "Things seen on motorbikes" and I'm now proud to add: An American girl with a small mountain of computer equipment. I'm sorry if this is disappointing to some of you but any trinket that I would buy couldn't possibly compare to the usefulness of this equipment. These girls are smart and driven, and it's unfair that they should have to put up with keyboards and mice that don't work. So yesterday I presented it to Madame Lakshmi and after hugging me she called the computer tech guy and he came over that afternoon to install everything. There was no big show, just doing what needed to be done--my style exactly. Today Pretti asked me, with complete sincerity, why is education important? What a question to ask me this week! I grabbed her notebook and, stealing a bit from Amartya Sen, I wrote: Education is Freedom. I gave it back to her and watched her read it with a friend--such a moment.

It's really the little things that I will miss about Delhi. How when addressing a man 10 years older or more you call him "Uncle." How every cup of chai tastes slightly different depending on who is making it. How every Indian head bobble is unique--I've picked one up myself. The elegant way a dupata subtly falls off women's shoulder. How my name is absolutely impossible for every Indian I come in contact with--one of the computer students was drawing me a Happy Birthday card on the computer and spelled my name "AMLOD." I guess the best way to describe my impression of Delhi is this: You are riding in the back of a rickshaw on the freeway. You are being violently jolted around by the giant potholes and erratic swerving of the driver. What seems like thousands of cars are constantly honking for no reason in your ear, and you are surrounded by a miserable cloud of dust and smog. Suddenly a motorbike whizzes by and on the back is a woman in a striking bright saree fluttering beautifully in the wind. For me, Delhi is a constant juxtaposition of disgusting, crazy, ridiculousness and surprising beauty, kindness, and warmth.

I'm surprised at how much India has affected me, although I'm sure it will be a long time before I understand the full breath. On Saturday I leave Delhi for Rishikesh and a week of R & R. I'm very excited to see more of India. Attached are photos of me buying a saree (and going into saree overload), the dog Jenny who lives at my homestay, the girls practicing giving each other whitening-facial treatments (yes, you read that correctly), some gorgeous chillies, the rickshaw with the wheel that fell off on the freeway with me in it, girls on the computers (Gunja is the first one), and some other fun pics. Enjoy!