I think that it is easy to forget how lucky we are to be able to pull out our smart phones, open an application, and have instant access to the accumulated knowledge of man. Who was that actor that played Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird? Let me Google it really quickly. How does the quadratic formula go again? Oh OK, it is b squared minus 4ac; I thought so! Being in a place where it sometimes takes weeks for the internet to return, I can relate to how generations before me dealt with simply not knowing answers to simple questions. I feel like a goddamn caveman.
That being said, my disconnection from the outside world has allowed me to appreciate the miracle that is technology. Especially when it comes to teaching, being able to use the internet as a wonderful resource has made me extremely grateful for this day and age. Facebook doesn't seem too important anymore either, which is probably a healthy change of pace.
Yep, I'm still in India. This hasn't just been a crazy dream.
Tomorrow marks the halfway point of my journey: two months down, two months to go. As I described in an earlier blog, time still seems to by flying by and creeping along in a strange feeling of inbetween-ness. For those of you who have read The Lord of the Rings, I feel like I am in the forest of Lothlórien where time seems to halt amongst the ancient trees and even more ancient elves of Middle Earth.
With the internet down, I have spent a lot more time blowing through the books I never got around to reading during my last four years in Berkeley. I have never been a fan of fantasy, but these books are pretty amazing.
Beginning this Friday, Peter and I get 15 days off for a festival called Diwali. It is the biggest and most important festival in India, and everyone seems to be excited for the coming days. Imagine the excitement of the 4th of July with fireworks exploding all around you, the spirit of Christmas with everyone giving their loved ones gifts, the optimism of New Years as the start of a fresh and fruitful year, and the theological significance of Easter as a day to remember the essence of your spirituality- all combined into five days that almost everyone in this country celebrates.
Diwali is called the "festival of lights", signifying the power of light and knowledge winning over darkness and ignorance. Fittingly, the main night of the celebration happens during the darkest night of the Hindu month Kartik, the night of the new moon. The deity most honored during Diwali is the goddess of wealth and prosperity, wife of Vishnu- Lakshmi. Legend has it that the beginning of the five day festival marks the birth of the goddess while Diwali proper celebrates the day that she chose Vishnu as her husband.
I plan on traveling first to Jaipur to meet up with Kash, and from there figuring out where we want to spend our days during this holiday celebrated by more than a billion people across Asia. Regardless of where we end up, I can tell that Diwali is going to be one of the biggest celebrations I have ever witnessed. The students can barely contain their excitement, and in fact today seemed like a ghost town on campus since many kids have already gone home.
Um, hello?
Is anyone still here?
As I said, the students can barely focus on class materials due to the excitement of the holiday season in the air. To take a break from learning English and proper pronunciation, we have been going over American holidays for the past two weeks. I didn't really realize how ridiculous and strange Groundhog Day is until I tried to explain the concept to 25 confused Indian faces. Well, a groundhog is this weird, giant, rodent thing. Yes the old men in Pennsylvania talk to it. No, it doesn't really signify the end of winter one way or another. Where does it come from? I have no clue, the internet isn't working!
Life as a teacher marches forward. While every day continues to be a challenge, I am actually beginning to look forward to class each day and the opportunity it provides to try a new technique or to work through a different mode of communication. While teaching in India has surprised and frustrated me with its lack of expectations and structure, it has allowed me to explore the vast world of instructional possibilities unhindered, really giving me a good idea of what works and what doesn't work. I'll tell you this- there is no classroom in California that could provide a more difficult experience than the one I am in, even if the students only spoke Spanish. I am pretty good at Spanish!
Well, the internet has gone out and come back three times since I began this blog, It is 2:30 in the morning now and I fear if I continue my rambling, the Hindu god or goddess of technological blessing will smite me where I lay. So I leave you with a few pictures that are pretty darn cute. Six puppies were born earlier this week and they decided to take up residence on the side of our house. They are feisty little buggers and really make me miss my dog back home.
Look at them!
They are cute, but they are sure tough. India is hot and dry.
Sometimes I, too, wish that I could sleep all day.
I know that this round wasn't very picture heavy, but I have a feeling that after Diwali I'll be able to show everyone some slightly more exciting stuff. Thanks for following me, continue giving me feedback, and until next time.
BJ