India - An Experience
My experience began when I set my journey to Hyderabad, India on 1st February 2015. Immediately upon arrival, the fact that I got stares from everyone around did not escape me. Perhaps it was the colour of my skin that seemed peculiar or perhaps it was my long tresses of braided hair that had only seemed elusive to them before; a sight only to behold in the seat of a dark theatre or a passing movie on their television screens. Maybe, it was both. All the same, it was a bit unnerving for me to feel all those pair of eyes follow every slight movement I made.
I quickly searched for the taxi driver that had been assigned to pick me up. He was a tall, stout gentleman, with a very big moustache and a friendly face. He quickly took my bags and began the journey full of stories about Hyderabad, the city that I would call home for the following six weeks. The man’s hospitality warmed me for the future days to come as I only hoped that all the Indians would appoint me the same hospitality as the driver. As we drove on, I took the time to observe the city. I could not help but notice the roads that would snake high and above me as well as below and around. No roundabouts! This was a first for me. Grand temples, as well as tall, modern structures befell my eyes. However, on one of our stops at the traffic lights, I was also endeared to see a beggar with her child in tow approach me and raptly knocked on the glass window. The driver wisely advised me not to give the young mother anything, not unless I was ready to give all the others, who were in hiding, a penny or two. It pained me not to be of help and to put a blank face of indifference, after all, did I not journey all this way to help and to make a difference? We quickly moved on when the lights turned green and the driver took care to show me the way to the flat so as to store it in memory.
Upon reaching my new address, I was met with a stark white three storeyed building. I was informed that the intern flat was situated on the third floor and that the land lady lived on the second. The ground floor was bare, in the midst of renovations. I quickly made my way up the stairs, only to be shocked to see a mass of mosquitoes, in broad daylight along the staircase corridor. Nevertheless, I trudged my way to the second floor. I was greeted by six Brazilian interns who had been in India for four weeks and it was easy to see that had become well acquainted with one another though they had never met each other before as I learnt. The intern flat was a three bedroomed house, painted white and bare of any furniture. There were two beds in each of the bedrooms and no showers in the flat. We were twelve interns in the house, which left six of us to sleep on the floor of the living room. I was provided with a mattress to sleep on and it dawned on me that I would have to buy a bucket and a list of other necessary things in order to survive my stay. The first day of my experience and I could only but imagine how it would turn out.
During my stay. I worked with an organisation known as KAARMIC Education Services. My job description was to teach children English and personal development. I was to do this together with my partner, a freshman girl from Indonesia. This experience had a lot of learning curves for me because for one, language barrier was a huge problem. Majority of Hyderabadi only speak their native tongues, Hindi and Telugu. One of the first questions I was ever asked by my students is my knowledge of Telugu. This is because they found it quite difficult to speak, or rather express themselves in English. In turn, the first two weeks were quite difficult when it came to class participation. Most of the students were timid when it came to answering questions and doing class presentations as they were not confident in their oral English. This made me learn ways of how to keep them engaged without losing their attention.
I suppose one of the other bigger challenges was Lastly, one other challenge I faced was the sanitary conditions were much worse than Kenya. In my opinion the disregard for stray animals and laid back attitude towards changing their environmental conditions has facilitated their current levels of population. During my first week in Hyderabad, I quickly noticed that our flat bordered a nearby slum. Their slums comprised of make shift houses made of polythene paper bags. There was garbage and rotting decay along the sidewalk and pedestrians walked by, as if the backdrop of stench that permitted the air, was not recognizant in their minds. Often enough, one could see pigs happily rolling in the trash. Stray dogs and cats can also be seen all over the city. Herds of cows would casually walk on the main roads and cars would patiently wait on them, not even hooting, before overtaking them slowly. Another problem was how they handled waste management especially when I had the opportunity to go to one of the neighbouring states. I quickly learned that many Indians, men and women alike, preferred the outdoors rather than the use of lavatories, even though some of them did possess them in their homes.
However, there were so many life lessons I got to learn.
Humility
My experience in India has made me humble. I do not think I can reiterate enough how I was humbled by the willingness of the children to learn despite their economic situations. To those that made an effort to come to school every day, and even to those who paid attention to what I had to offer. Most humbling enough was that they were willing to share their food with me whenever I met them during lunchtimes even though what they had to eat was not much. The smiles on their faces every day and their eagerness to say “Jambo!” to me every time I went to class made me conscious to be happy and appreciative of what I have, even when it does not seem much. Furthermore, I was moved by the interns I met too. A group of six Brazilians, who came from affluent families and who worked at a Christian home were so transformed by their project that they were able to do a fundraising to help with the upkeep of the children. One of them was able to use their mother’s bank account. They shot a YouTube video that they also spread on Facebook so as to raise awareness. At the end of the campaign, they were able to raise 60000 rupees. This showed me that if people could move from thousands of miles away and still give so much, who was I not to leave the same if not more of an impact.
Teamwork
Most of the teamwork experience I had gotten previously was through the class group work that we had to do in university, with the aim of attaining good grades. However this time, I had to work with my partner not for my benefit nut for the good of the children. Together, we had to learn each other’s shortcomings as well as our strengths so as to combine our efforts and make learning wonderful experience. Many a nights, we would come together, discuss our challenges, identify where we were going right and come up with fresh ways for the students to learn as KAARMIC education services was all about learning the unconventional way. We had to sync our efforts in order to run our curriculum well. Other than that, the teamwork brought about a good friendship where we were able to lean on each other and make a wonderful experience.
Independence
Sometimes one never truly understands independence until they get the opportunity to be in a place where nobody truly knows them. Where there is neither family nor friends surrounding you. The only things you possess are the bags on your back and the money in your pocket to help you survive. I did not have anyone to ask me where I was going and neither did anyone take their time to check up on me. I had to learn the practical meaning of true freedom which I had only learned it theoretical in my philosophical anthropology class. My mother was not present to persistently wake me up even when I had pointedly ignored my alarm. I learnt to be responsible, to wake myself up, to ensure I ate a proper meal, including my vegetables, to learn how to pay rent. To be responsible. To be independent. From being able to manage a crisis on my own where I got lost because the tuktuk driver did not understand me to simply making a choice to wake up and go to teach simply because I knew there was someone waiting for me to make a change in their life. I can truly say this experience has made me more independent, and made my mind stronger, I am more confident in the decisions I make, without worrying too much if I make the wrong one because life gives you chances to get down but even more to get up.
Global Mind-set and Diversity
India exposed to me so much of itself. Its beauty was made whole by not only its good but also its bad. It made me realise and challenged me to understand that the whole world needs help that poverty is widespread but at the same time, India reminded me that all humans are the same. That we appreciate family, kindness, food. India introduced me to so much more than itself. I met people from across the world, from different continents, all with different cultures. They provided diversity to the project which even enriched the children’s experience further. I was able to talk politics and religion, about the law and human rights, about what affects us as youth today. I got a broad spectrum of people’s views that gave me strength that our generation still has hope for better leadership. That we can still nurture ideas that will make our own countries grow in the future. This project made me think beyond my country and think as a world, because what affects us today, affects those next to us. From economic meltdowns, terrorist attacks and the HIV/AIDS pandemic, to suicides amongst the youth. Going to India only made me more aware of what the world faces as a challenge today and only gives me more drive to help others see this.
Self-Appreciation
Being away from my country let me appreciate my identity as a Kenyan. I appreciated my Kenyan names that gave me my uniqueness, the Kenyan music that helped me when I was homesick. It made me proud to show my students the flag of my country and to show them their teacher’s roots. To be able to explain my dark skin and to show them the kinks in my hair. To show them my president, and the beauties of my country, from the wildlife to, to the sandy beaches at the Coast. Explaining my culture, of the rich ethnicity that Kenya possesses gave them a chance to dream and imagine themselves beyond India, to be able to appreciate my country in my own eyes and to somewhat demystify the little they knew of it. Never before had I had an opportunity to showcase my country. Perhaps it was because I felt like a minority and I had to shout who I was and where I was from. Nevertheless, I am happy I got the opportunity to tell my students of a foreign land, and that gave them incentive to want to see the world one day in the future.
Spontaneity
It was also through my experience in India that I was able to learn that sometimes, it is alright to have good fun. This was especially the case on March 6, a week before I was home bound. It was a national holiday and the country was celebrating Holi Festival. Holi, known as the festival of colours is an annual traditional Hindu festival where a bonfire is lit on the previous night where the people sing and dance. On the day of the festival, people play with each other by throwing powdered colours. I reluctantly participated in this as I had been thinking about how dirty I would get. However, it turned out to be one of the most remarkable moments for me in India. I was able to enjoy myself and have a good time. I was even able to eat Indian cuisine!!
One achievement I consider is completing the program. It was not easy. There were challenges of living in a foreign country that were thrown my way. I had to give up sleeping on a bed, bathing with cold water in a bucket amongst other luxuries that I had deemed absolute necessary for survival at the begin of my journey. I had to face poverty head on, be able to keep a straight face against the evident disparity that I saw amongst several of the “low” in society due to an ageless caste system. At the same time, I was faced with hospitality, curiosity and a sense of friendship from those I met. I was able to learn a word or two and I was able to see the Incredible India that many have seen before. From Hyderabad, to Goa, Mumbai, Jaipur, Agra and New Delhi, all incredible places that showed the different sides to India. It was a truly memorable experience that I am sure to regal to many that I meet.
