Also published at www.sudieniesen.com
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
A Passage to India
Because April begins India's summer holidays, the six India YAVs leave today for our 'All India Tour.' For those who would like to follow our travels, I have included our itinerary below. I will be back with stories and pictures at the end of April!
Wed 01 April TRAVEL ALUVA -> DELHI
Thu 02 April TRAVEL
Fri 03 April ARRIVE in DELHI
Sat 04 April DELHI
Sun 05 April DELHI
Mon 06 April AGRA
Tue 07 April DELHI
Wed 08 April MUSSOORIE
Thu 09 April MUSSOORIE
Fri 10 April MUSSOORIE
Sat 11 April MUSSOORIE
Sun 12 April MUSSOORIE
Mon 13 April DHARAMSAL
Tue 14 April DHARAMSALA
Wed 15 April DHARAMSALA
Thu 16 April AMRITSAR
Fri 17 April DELHI
Sat 18 April JAIPUR
Sun 19 April JAIPUR
Mon 20 April JAIPUR
Tue 21 April JAIPUR
Wed 22 April TRAVEL -> GOA
Thu 23 April GOA
Fri 24 April GOA
Sat 25 April GOA
Sun 26 April GOA
Mon 27 April GOA
Tue 28 April RETURN
Also published at www.sudieniesen.com
Also published at www.sudieniesen.com
Monday, March 23, 2009
I Bless the Rains Down in [India]
A couple weeks ago storm clouds rolled into Aluva and the sky opened up for the first time since November. My rain-loving self immediately ran outside to play, but Honorary Grandpa, Philip, promptly called me inside for fear I’d catch a cold. Thus I pulled out my camera to document the event and enjoyed the sound and smell of the rain from a dryer spot on the porch of Chacko Homes.
The summer rains (or ‘Mango Showers’) have returned a couple times since, bringing with them the promise of cooler mornings. In the midst of Kerala’s hottest season, such times are welcome moments of relief from the heat and humidity and offer the possibility of NOT sweating at 7:30 am. However, there is a much more important reason to welcome the rain . . . With insufficient rainfall during the last monsoon season, a water shortage has affected Kerala for the past several months. Although I have gone relatively unaffected, other YAVs have shared stories of getting into the shower to find they were missing an essential ingredient, or have lost water mid-bath (they resorted to water bottles). A few weeks ago, Lindsey’s school sent students home because there was not enough water to support everyone. The rain is certainly needed.
Such stories have made the global water crisis blatantly apparent. At home I was able to ignore this inconvenient truth; yes, I turned off the faucet while brushing my teeth and opted out of car washes, but the length of my showers went unchanged and I washed clothes when they weren’t actually dirty. The drought in Atlanta a few years ago did bring water concerns to the forefront, especially when I talked with my brother and sister-in-law about their attempts at conservation, but it was still business as usual in St. Louis. However, the view from the other side of the globe looks a bit different.
March 22nd was World Water Day. To mark the event, “The Hindu” (India’s English newspaper) had been running some articles pertaining to the water crisis. One discussed a free market system in Chile that allows multinational corporations to purchase water rights. As a result the public loses access to this basic necessity, and towns dry up with their water source. Reading this reminded me of a similar situation here in India, one I learned of from a documentary we watched with Achen soon after our arrival. Some of the country’s villages are facing problems of severe water scarcity. These do not come from insufficient rainfall (although I’m sure this doesn’t help), but from Indian subsidiaries of Coca-Cola whose bottling operations over-exploit and pollute water resources. Like in the towns of Chile, corporations here have left the people of forgotten villages thirsting for water.
As I learn more about the social factors affecting India, there is one thought that finds constant expression: the people of this world are deeply interconnected. Though we carry different passports and speak different languages, we are all members of one creation - a diverse community bound by common hopes, needs, and experiences. Yet, in our brokenness, we have lost sight of this connection, making decisions without knowledge or consideration of how they impact others. Right now we face the shared crisis of depleted water resources. For some this goes largely unnoticed, for others it is a daily reality. But as stewards of God’s creation, caring for the earth and all its people is a task of our global community.
In a many colored garden we are growing side by side,
We will rise all together, we will rise.
With the sun and rain upon us, not a row will be denied,
We will rise all together, we will rise.
We will rise like the ocean, we will rise like the sun,
We will rise all together, we will rise.
In our may colored fabrics made from strands of common thread,
We will rise all together, we will rise.
- From “Common Thread,” a song we sing at YAV retreats
Barrionuevo, Alexei. “A Chilean Town Withers in Free Market for Water.”
See also Srivastava, Amit. “Communities Reject Coca-Cola in India.”
Also published at www.sudieniesen.com
The summer rains (or ‘Mango Showers’) have returned a couple times since, bringing with them the promise of cooler mornings. In the midst of Kerala’s hottest season, such times are welcome moments of relief from the heat and humidity and offer the possibility of NOT sweating at 7:30 am. However, there is a much more important reason to welcome the rain . . . With insufficient rainfall during the last monsoon season, a water shortage has affected Kerala for the past several months. Although I have gone relatively unaffected, other YAVs have shared stories of getting into the shower to find they were missing an essential ingredient, or have lost water mid-bath (they resorted to water bottles). A few weeks ago, Lindsey’s school sent students home because there was not enough water to support everyone. The rain is certainly needed.
Such stories have made the global water crisis blatantly apparent. At home I was able to ignore this inconvenient truth; yes, I turned off the faucet while brushing my teeth and opted out of car washes, but the length of my showers went unchanged and I washed clothes when they weren’t actually dirty. The drought in Atlanta a few years ago did bring water concerns to the forefront, especially when I talked with my brother and sister-in-law about their attempts at conservation, but it was still business as usual in St. Louis. However, the view from the other side of the globe looks a bit different.
March 22nd was World Water Day. To mark the event, “The Hindu” (India’s English newspaper) had been running some articles pertaining to the water crisis. One discussed a free market system in Chile that allows multinational corporations to purchase water rights. As a result the public loses access to this basic necessity, and towns dry up with their water source. Reading this reminded me of a similar situation here in India, one I learned of from a documentary we watched with Achen soon after our arrival. Some of the country’s villages are facing problems of severe water scarcity. These do not come from insufficient rainfall (although I’m sure this doesn’t help), but from Indian subsidiaries of Coca-Cola whose bottling operations over-exploit and pollute water resources. Like in the towns of Chile, corporations here have left the people of forgotten villages thirsting for water.
As I learn more about the social factors affecting India, there is one thought that finds constant expression: the people of this world are deeply interconnected. Though we carry different passports and speak different languages, we are all members of one creation - a diverse community bound by common hopes, needs, and experiences. Yet, in our brokenness, we have lost sight of this connection, making decisions without knowledge or consideration of how they impact others. Right now we face the shared crisis of depleted water resources. For some this goes largely unnoticed, for others it is a daily reality. But as stewards of God’s creation, caring for the earth and all its people is a task of our global community.
In a many colored garden we are growing side by side,
We will rise all together, we will rise.
With the sun and rain upon us, not a row will be denied,
We will rise all together, we will rise.
We will rise like the ocean, we will rise like the sun,
We will rise all together, we will rise.
In our may colored fabrics made from strands of common thread,
We will rise all together, we will rise.
- From “Common Thread,” a song we sing at YAV retreats
Barrionuevo, Alexei. “A Chilean Town Withers in Free Market for Water.”
See also Srivastava, Amit. “Communities Reject Coca-Cola in India.”
Also published at www.sudieniesen.com
Saturday, March 07, 2009
Sri Lanka
On February 27th I left for Sri Lanka with the other five volunteers; by nature of the Indian tourist visa, all non-citizens must leave the country every six months. Thus, having arrived in September, we reached our limit on March 4th and were off for a week long vacation in our closest neighbor to the south. Here is an overview of our trip:
Days 1 & 2: The City
We arrived in Colombo on Friday morning and immediately made our way to the guest house that Chenoa, a former India YAV and employee of the PC(U.S.A.) in Sri Lanka, had reserved for us. With a gracious hostess, an eclectic art collection, and impressive views of the city, our accommodations proved quite welcoming and we spent the majority of our first day in Sri Lanka resting and enjoying Colombo from our apartment balconies. We did venture out for meals with Chenoa, one at ‘The Cricket Club’ where we fed well-developed cravings for hamburgers and French fries.
Saturday was a day of low-key exploring with destinations including the city’s ocean-front, a Buddhist temple, and Victoria Park where Chenoa and other expatriates play ultimate Frisbee every Saturday afternoon. Some of the YAVs were brave and energetic enough to join in the fun . . . I occupied myself reading Harry Potter on the sidelines.
Days 3, 4, & 5: The Beach
By the time Sunday rolled around, the six of us were ready to trade in Colombo for the beach. We caught a bus to Hikkaduwa, a town south of Colombo that obviously caters to the tourist population. Here we capitalized on the ‘typical beach vacation,’ splitting our time between the ocean and seaside cafes (some of which had ‘real’ cappuccinos!). We spent two days in Hikkaduwa before heading even further south to a quiet and pristine beach at Marissa (in between Weligama and Matara).
Days 6 & 7: The Mountains
After a full day on buses, we found ourselves at the base of Adam’s Peak, a mountain located in Sri Lanka’s Central Highlands. A footprint-like rock formation near the summit has won this peak a place in all Sri Lanka’s commonly practiced religions: Buddhists believe the footprint belongs to Buddha, Hindus attribute it to Lord Siva, and Muslims see it as evidence of Adam’s first step on earth. Because of its religious significance (particularly to Buddhists), Adam’s Peak has become a pilgrimage site; devotees begin the 7 km trek at 2 am in order to reach the summit by sunrise, and then (many) spend the early hours of the day in prayer at the mountaintop shrine. For our last day in Sri Lanka, the six of us couldn’t pass up this opportunity.
As we hiked it became increasingly evident that this was a perfect activity to mark the YAV-year midpoint. I know I’ve previously used the ‘mountain metaphor’ in attempts to both visualize and explain this journey and, after experiencing the uphill climbs and pleasant views of our first six months, this image continues to feel appropriate. Adam’s Peak offered me an opportunity to frame this entire year within one 14+ kilometer hike.
I met the gradual incline of the hike’s beginning (September, October) with excitement and energy; I think all of us were (superficially) aware of the trail’s difficulty, but possessed a spirit of confidence that was stronger than any desire to turn back. A few kilometers up the mountain (November) the doubts started to set in. I had begun the hike with reckless abandon and my legs and stomach were now putting up a violent fight, threatening to fail me if I didn’t give them a chance at recovery. (A banana and some of John’s electrolytes proved a suitable remedy). Like they did during retreats and phone calls in November, fellow YAVs came to the rescue here on Adam’s Peak and provided some necessary reassurance and support that encouraged me to keep on trekking . . . And then it only got steeper. With the trail turning into one long staircase (December, January), I was beginning to wonder if I was crazy to even attempt the climb. Yet, at this point, we could look behind us to see a path of lights curving off into the distance, marking how far we’d come. The struggle melded with a feeling of accomplishment that motivated me to keep going. The final steps (February) felt like they were taking us closer and closer to the stars that still shone above, and the excitement of reaching the peak overshadowed the challenges we had faced to come this far. Of course, watching the night turn into day from atop the mountain reminded us that the climb was indeed worthwhile. Though I have only begun the downhill trek of my metaphorical journey, I imagine it will be something like my descent from Adam’s Peak: the pain will probably set in for brief moments, but it will be a time to take in a newly sun-lit landscape and rejoice in both the challenges and accomplishments of the experience.
By Sudie
To view pictures visit www.sudieniesen.com
Days 1 & 2: The City
We arrived in Colombo on Friday morning and immediately made our way to the guest house that Chenoa, a former India YAV and employee of the PC(U.S.A.) in Sri Lanka, had reserved for us. With a gracious hostess, an eclectic art collection, and impressive views of the city, our accommodations proved quite welcoming and we spent the majority of our first day in Sri Lanka resting and enjoying Colombo from our apartment balconies. We did venture out for meals with Chenoa, one at ‘The Cricket Club’ where we fed well-developed cravings for hamburgers and French fries.
Saturday was a day of low-key exploring with destinations including the city’s ocean-front, a Buddhist temple, and Victoria Park where Chenoa and other expatriates play ultimate Frisbee every Saturday afternoon. Some of the YAVs were brave and energetic enough to join in the fun . . . I occupied myself reading Harry Potter on the sidelines.
Days 3, 4, & 5: The Beach
By the time Sunday rolled around, the six of us were ready to trade in Colombo for the beach. We caught a bus to Hikkaduwa, a town south of Colombo that obviously caters to the tourist population. Here we capitalized on the ‘typical beach vacation,’ splitting our time between the ocean and seaside cafes (some of which had ‘real’ cappuccinos!). We spent two days in Hikkaduwa before heading even further south to a quiet and pristine beach at Marissa (in between Weligama and Matara).
Days 6 & 7: The Mountains
After a full day on buses, we found ourselves at the base of Adam’s Peak, a mountain located in Sri Lanka’s Central Highlands. A footprint-like rock formation near the summit has won this peak a place in all Sri Lanka’s commonly practiced religions: Buddhists believe the footprint belongs to Buddha, Hindus attribute it to Lord Siva, and Muslims see it as evidence of Adam’s first step on earth. Because of its religious significance (particularly to Buddhists), Adam’s Peak has become a pilgrimage site; devotees begin the 7 km trek at 2 am in order to reach the summit by sunrise, and then (many) spend the early hours of the day in prayer at the mountaintop shrine. For our last day in Sri Lanka, the six of us couldn’t pass up this opportunity.
As we hiked it became increasingly evident that this was a perfect activity to mark the YAV-year midpoint. I know I’ve previously used the ‘mountain metaphor’ in attempts to both visualize and explain this journey and, after experiencing the uphill climbs and pleasant views of our first six months, this image continues to feel appropriate. Adam’s Peak offered me an opportunity to frame this entire year within one 14+ kilometer hike.
I met the gradual incline of the hike’s beginning (September, October) with excitement and energy; I think all of us were (superficially) aware of the trail’s difficulty, but possessed a spirit of confidence that was stronger than any desire to turn back. A few kilometers up the mountain (November) the doubts started to set in. I had begun the hike with reckless abandon and my legs and stomach were now putting up a violent fight, threatening to fail me if I didn’t give them a chance at recovery. (A banana and some of John’s electrolytes proved a suitable remedy). Like they did during retreats and phone calls in November, fellow YAVs came to the rescue here on Adam’s Peak and provided some necessary reassurance and support that encouraged me to keep on trekking . . . And then it only got steeper. With the trail turning into one long staircase (December, January), I was beginning to wonder if I was crazy to even attempt the climb. Yet, at this point, we could look behind us to see a path of lights curving off into the distance, marking how far we’d come. The struggle melded with a feeling of accomplishment that motivated me to keep going. The final steps (February) felt like they were taking us closer and closer to the stars that still shone above, and the excitement of reaching the peak overshadowed the challenges we had faced to come this far. Of course, watching the night turn into day from atop the mountain reminded us that the climb was indeed worthwhile. Though I have only begun the downhill trek of my metaphorical journey, I imagine it will be something like my descent from Adam’s Peak: the pain will probably set in for brief moments, but it will be a time to take in a newly sun-lit landscape and rejoice in both the challenges and accomplishments of the experience.
By Sudie
To view pictures visit www.sudieniesen.com
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