modern

after a week of cultural dos and donts (dont touch paper with your feet, wipe with your left, eat with your right) and many sessions looking at the ethics of international service, i finally got the opportunity to meet two of my coworkers. In anticipation I put on my new threads purchased at Fab India. If it sounds like the GAP of india to you, you are on target. It is an air conditioned, organized, and bright shop that does its best to reign in the chaos of the marketplace. there are 2 or three attendants helping you at all times- handing you stacks of kurtas with long sleeves, short sleeves, no sleeves, and in many colors and patterns. Kurtas: long (longer than most dresses in the states) flowing shirts that have slits down the sides, worn with pants (think MC Hammer). I had a very traditional outfit on featuring bright colors, baggy fabrics, and a scarf draped around my shoulders shielding my female attributes. As soon as Lunch arrived so did my coworkers- young, hip, and modern. They wore jeans, sunglasses, and strolled in with a lot of confidence. As we sat down, cross legged on the grass, for lunch with the other fellows they were the only two to use spoons. I have been using a spoon occasionally and constantly apologizing for my hesitancy to dig in with my fingers, yet here are two modern indians that didnt even think about it. I have gone through orientation being prepared to live in a rural village, like many of the fellows will be doing, but the visit from my future friends reminded me that my upcoming life will be much more modern and western than others. I was reminded that in 2 weeks I leave the walls of the ashram and will be thrown into the up and coming metropolis that is Ahmedabad.

I am looking forward to settling in and being able to devote more time to thinking about the big picture of what I am doing. I am struggling with why I choose to volunteer abroad when there is so much work to be done in my own neighborhood. Why do I choose to leave when I can have an impact, maybe even a greater impact, locally? How do I relate to the poverty of this country and how do I make myself a good agent for change? Is there hope for change or do we just tell ourselves there is?