Well, this is my last post from India. It is very bitter sweet. The first couple of days of our trip, I have to admit...I was homesick, frustrated, and worried that I wouldn't enjoy the trip. It was so hot, and chaotic, and loud, and I was rooming by myself at the time. I sat down at one point and just thought, "What the holy heck have I gotten myself into?" Now, three weeks later, my bag is nearly completely packed and I'm writing my last post at the desk in the dungeon wondering where the time could possibly have gone. I can't lie though, I'm super excited to see Erik in London!! I've got a full blown cold at this point, so I'm hoping a whopping dose of antihistamine for the flight and some sleep will have me feeling better when we land.
Moving on. Today was our last lecture and site visit (obviously). The lecture was OK. It was given by a director of something for GE (sorry, my notes are packed away). I had no idea how vast GE's business structure is. The facts were interesting, the presentation not so much. The speaker tried very hard, though, to include each of our areas of interest in his presentation.
Unnati Bangalore
The site visit was incredible! I've mentioned that there are little to no social programs here. Today we visited a center which is privately funded/sponsored which provides vocational training to young people who are from disadvantaged backgrounds. They range in age from 18-30, some have physical or mild mental disabilities, they may come from poor families or negative home lives, and none of them has completed high school. Some of them even stopped going to school in the 6th grade. This program teaches basic computer skills, life skills, and spoken English over 70 days. The students come learning little to no English, and leave conversationally proficient. We were able to interact with them some and they were amazing! In English class, we interrupted the students telling a story about a picture their teacher had shown to them. One of our group asked them to tell us the stories they had been discussing, and a few excitedly told us! It was interesting the variation in the stories given the fact that they all looked at the same photo. Another class told us they like being students there because they'll get jobs after the program finishes. You should understand; these people are next to, if not completely unemployable in this country. They have little education and no English skills, little ability to give themselves a rigorous daily schedule, and no ability to earn a respectable income to help provide for their families. To see a program like this thriving in a country where social assistance does not exist, and where you literally have to work twice as hard to maintain your program is just...I don't even know. This is the work I would do if I could do anything. These students must apply to the program. They want to be there! To work with young people who want to change their lives for the better, Wow!
We were all quite moved and very excited to be with the students for the few minutes that we were given. The students loved seeing us and being able to communicate with us! I think they even wanted to show off their English skills. I should mention that in a country as large and as populous as India, many of the regional languages are not able to be understood by neighboring state populations. The only universal language here is English, so it makes it quite imperative to learn. Business is conducted here in English, so these students must learn to use it effectively in order to fulfill their goal of becoming employed.
I will sit down in the coming weeks and compile a list of my memories, thoughts, and observations of India. For now, I conclude my last post from my first study abroad. It's had its ups and downs: Personalities have clashed, we've pushed ourselves beyond limits we didn't know we had, we're all exhausted, but it's been a truly amazing journey. I tried to come without expectation, but you still have some hope of what you'll see or feel. Any expectations that I did come with were quashed in about the first 6 hours. It was hard being the oldest in the group by many years. I bring a different kind of maturity, a different set of interests, and different mindset, and a different view than my classmates. I'm looking forward to coming back with a new set of expectations and journeying on my own (with Erik of course). It will surely be a different experience.
For now, I'll continue trying to write from London and Paris in the coming week. Ahh!! London and Paris!! And Clean Clothes!! (Sorry, Karen, I'm commandeering your wash room). Look for the posts as I find wifi availability.
Love to you all who support me so willingly in all my harebrained dreams and schemes!
XOXO and Keep on Burning...
Moving on. Today was our last lecture and site visit (obviously). The lecture was OK. It was given by a director of something for GE (sorry, my notes are packed away). I had no idea how vast GE's business structure is. The facts were interesting, the presentation not so much. The speaker tried very hard, though, to include each of our areas of interest in his presentation.
Unnati Bangalore
The site visit was incredible! I've mentioned that there are little to no social programs here. Today we visited a center which is privately funded/sponsored which provides vocational training to young people who are from disadvantaged backgrounds. They range in age from 18-30, some have physical or mild mental disabilities, they may come from poor families or negative home lives, and none of them has completed high school. Some of them even stopped going to school in the 6th grade. This program teaches basic computer skills, life skills, and spoken English over 70 days. The students come learning little to no English, and leave conversationally proficient. We were able to interact with them some and they were amazing! In English class, we interrupted the students telling a story about a picture their teacher had shown to them. One of our group asked them to tell us the stories they had been discussing, and a few excitedly told us! It was interesting the variation in the stories given the fact that they all looked at the same photo. Another class told us they like being students there because they'll get jobs after the program finishes. You should understand; these people are next to, if not completely unemployable in this country. They have little education and no English skills, little ability to give themselves a rigorous daily schedule, and no ability to earn a respectable income to help provide for their families. To see a program like this thriving in a country where social assistance does not exist, and where you literally have to work twice as hard to maintain your program is just...I don't even know. This is the work I would do if I could do anything. These students must apply to the program. They want to be there! To work with young people who want to change their lives for the better, Wow!
We were all quite moved and very excited to be with the students for the few minutes that we were given. The students loved seeing us and being able to communicate with us! I think they even wanted to show off their English skills. I should mention that in a country as large and as populous as India, many of the regional languages are not able to be understood by neighboring state populations. The only universal language here is English, so it makes it quite imperative to learn. Business is conducted here in English, so these students must learn to use it effectively in order to fulfill their goal of becoming employed.
I will sit down in the coming weeks and compile a list of my memories, thoughts, and observations of India. For now, I conclude my last post from my first study abroad. It's had its ups and downs: Personalities have clashed, we've pushed ourselves beyond limits we didn't know we had, we're all exhausted, but it's been a truly amazing journey. I tried to come without expectation, but you still have some hope of what you'll see or feel. Any expectations that I did come with were quashed in about the first 6 hours. It was hard being the oldest in the group by many years. I bring a different kind of maturity, a different set of interests, and different mindset, and a different view than my classmates. I'm looking forward to coming back with a new set of expectations and journeying on my own (with Erik of course). It will surely be a different experience.
For now, I'll continue trying to write from London and Paris in the coming week. Ahh!! London and Paris!! And Clean Clothes!! (Sorry, Karen, I'm commandeering your wash room). Look for the posts as I find wifi availability.
Love to you all who support me so willingly in all my harebrained dreams and schemes!
XOXO and Keep on Burning...
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