Hi folks!
Or, namaskara/namaste- I bow to the divine within you - a typical Indian greeting
So. Here it is. Now we are getting to some of the harder themes. Today we went out into Bangalore as a group with only 40 rupees (less than $1, or relative to what the cost of living/purchasing power is $4) which is what many, many Indians live on daily. Our group leaders found us a small restaurant that served 10 rupee breakfasts, and then we went farther out into the city and into a slum.
That was hard. We were with an Indian guide (the fabulous David Selvaraj of Visthar, the NGO which is hosting us), so it was less awkward because he could translate our purpose and interact with non-English speakers, but it still felt like we were intruding on people's lives and gawking. It was also hard because of the crushing poverty we witnessed, and knowing that my actions as an American consumer created some of that - Western companies that pay poverty wages, Western companies which dump toxins/trash in local communities, Western companies that displace people and force them to move to slums. At the same time, how do you stop consuming? At some level, you will always be responsible for harm, and it's important to take ownership of that and also to reduce it when possible. As David talked to us about, there is a perpetual contrast between the vision (what we want) and the practice (what we do).
After experiencing one of Bangalore's many slums, we then went to an upscale, Western style mall nearby. With our 30 remaining rupees, we were instructed to try and buy lunch. Walking in, there was a stand selling gourmet doughnuts - I was quite hungry by then and craving American pastries. But the cheapest one was 55 rupees. The mall was clean, with expensive clothing shops and escalators and altogether not different than Northtown Mall or West Acres, but it felt extremely luxurious after seeing the slums. It was also a weird feeling knowing that with the budget we'd been given, I couldn't even afford small things. And while this contrast may seem like a uniquely Indian thing, there's stark poverty and disparity in the US as well. We just hide it better.
At the top floor was a food court - with KFC and several Indian chains, but the only thing to be purchased for under 30 rupees was a small basic salad or a basket of plain roti flatbread. Not a meal. It was jarring.
Coming back to Visthar, I was exhausted both mentally and physically, but great discussion with the other members of the group helped immensely. I am so fortunate to be traveling with all of these genuine, intelligent people.
And on a happier (but somewhat guiltily so) note, we have begun to discuss fall break plans: I am looking at going to Bodh Gaya, where the tree Buddha reached enlightenment under is. It's in northern India, near Nepal. Otherwise, I will be going to Darjeeling or the beaches of Kochi.
Peace and love,
Malyn
Or, namaskara/namaste- I bow to the divine within you - a typical Indian greeting
So. Here it is. Now we are getting to some of the harder themes. Today we went out into Bangalore as a group with only 40 rupees (less than $1, or relative to what the cost of living/purchasing power is $4) which is what many, many Indians live on daily. Our group leaders found us a small restaurant that served 10 rupee breakfasts, and then we went farther out into the city and into a slum.
That was hard. We were with an Indian guide (the fabulous David Selvaraj of Visthar, the NGO which is hosting us), so it was less awkward because he could translate our purpose and interact with non-English speakers, but it still felt like we were intruding on people's lives and gawking. It was also hard because of the crushing poverty we witnessed, and knowing that my actions as an American consumer created some of that - Western companies that pay poverty wages, Western companies which dump toxins/trash in local communities, Western companies that displace people and force them to move to slums. At the same time, how do you stop consuming? At some level, you will always be responsible for harm, and it's important to take ownership of that and also to reduce it when possible. As David talked to us about, there is a perpetual contrast between the vision (what we want) and the practice (what we do).
After experiencing one of Bangalore's many slums, we then went to an upscale, Western style mall nearby. With our 30 remaining rupees, we were instructed to try and buy lunch. Walking in, there was a stand selling gourmet doughnuts - I was quite hungry by then and craving American pastries. But the cheapest one was 55 rupees. The mall was clean, with expensive clothing shops and escalators and altogether not different than Northtown Mall or West Acres, but it felt extremely luxurious after seeing the slums. It was also a weird feeling knowing that with the budget we'd been given, I couldn't even afford small things. And while this contrast may seem like a uniquely Indian thing, there's stark poverty and disparity in the US as well. We just hide it better.
At the top floor was a food court - with KFC and several Indian chains, but the only thing to be purchased for under 30 rupees was a small basic salad or a basket of plain roti flatbread. Not a meal. It was jarring.
Coming back to Visthar, I was exhausted both mentally and physically, but great discussion with the other members of the group helped immensely. I am so fortunate to be traveling with all of these genuine, intelligent people.
And on a happier (but somewhat guiltily so) note, we have begun to discuss fall break plans: I am looking at going to Bodh Gaya, where the tree Buddha reached enlightenment under is. It's in northern India, near Nepal. Otherwise, I will be going to Darjeeling or the beaches of Kochi.
Peace and love,
Malyn
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