extremes:shopping and slums

12/29/2010
I had so much trouble sleeping in last night due to the million thoughts running through my head, the jet lag and the promise of shopping in the morning, so I rose at 3:30 am and fixed some of my computer issues, journaled, and thought through what we experienced yesterday. This is seriously going to be my wall of therapy! After several hours of fussing around and a quick breakfast, we hopped in the bus and were on our way to FabIndia!! Ok, driving in the big bus makes me want to yack everywhere. I have staked out a seat in the front row, and every time we drive somewhere, I have to close my eyes to reach my happy place and tell myself its mind over matter. Our drive to FabIndia was the closest I have been to spewing everywhere! Upon our arrival, I had to sit motionless outside for a few minutes feeling especially green.

FABINDIA! Is amazing!!!Most Indian clothes, especially saris, are hand tailored for a super economical price, but FabIndia is one of the few chain clothing stores. We all desperately needed Indian garb, the modesty rules here require women to cover up from the collarbone to the knee at least. This could be very oppressive during the days over 100 degrees. Our CIEE program allotted each of us 3000 Rupees (68ish dollars) to buy anything! The patterns were so unique and colors so rich!!! I tried on about 20 tops and loved it all! A sari is very traditional, and women wear them for doing any kind of living, but we were buying the more casual dress. It consists of a billowy pant, a tunic top (comes in different lengths for levels of modesty), and a scarf for extra collarbone coverage and head coverage in mosques. The women on our program ransacked the joint. Women swarmed; fine fabrics and clothes were everywhere. Madhri was helping us match scarf, pants and top. I ended up buying 4 tops of varying length and sleeve length, 1 pair of trouser pants, and a scarf all for exactly 3000Rs!! Im so proud of my thriftiness; some ladies had more expensive tastes and could only by a few articles. We all look so native!

Most of our group decided to venture off campus tonight to attend a local craft fair and treat Mimi to a birthday drink at a local upscale bar. After securing a cab we began our pilgrimage. 11 of us were at the mercy of our drivers quick maneuvers and jerky reactions (but no nausea for me, yippee!). We parked in a dirt parking lot across the street from the fair and then realized…we needed to cross the street. This is a sacred coming of age moment for every American. There is no median, so vehicles go both ways in one street. Cars and motorcycles don’t stop for animals, people, other cars, it all just kind of works out somehow. (madhri has told us stories of cow road kill from cars not heeding their brake instincts. Maybe Indians don’t have break instincts?) This might be the equivalent to crossing to malcs on crutches…not even. 20 of us spanned the side of the road. Me and 2 others tentatively inched out, then, quickly ran back when a cycle got too close. Test run over, time to go full throttle. We looked at each other, inhaled, then diaspora!! I was leading the charge and ran past the first car, then looked right to see the blinding lights of a motorcycle!!!I whipped out cat instincts and skittered across just dodging the speedy cycle. We heard the locals yelling for us to stop and waving their limbs, but we were already in the thick of it. Whew…seriously thrilling! We all made it across the first street successfully. Once regaining sanity, we looked around and observed a large group of Indians gathering at a central location to cross the second street together. Haha! We all rushed over and crossed with them.

Once leaving the craft fair we encountered our first live slumdog experience. We were laden with gifts and happy, crafty experiences and barely noticed an older woman follow us across the street. Once far from the hubbub, he began to stroke us. She pulled at our arms and clothes. Three small, small girls had followed her and began to do the same. I told the woman I couldn’t help her after she clutched my elbow. One girl began to kiss my feet and ask me for food and money. I pretended to ignore her at first, but then she began groping my arms and hands. Her tiny hands were so cold! Her dress was torn, despicable rags. And her hair looked solid dirt. Her eyes though were full of light and were engaging. Thank God, she is coherent, that means she can’t be too hungry right? (that is what I need to tell myself). I began interacting with her and she started to giggle. Music from HEAVEN! I swag her around and we playfully ran around the parked cars. The other girls saw and all of them jumped on me. Six cold hands reaching for some kind of comfort clutched my skin. I was walking toward our taxi with heavy cargo (although they were surprisingly light), but kind of spinning them as we went. The laughed and chattered. Im not sure if my interaction with them was completely appropriate. I obviously need to be careful, because if there were more beggars around I could have easily been overwhelmed. But rationale was this: I cant give them money. They are professional beggars (as sad as that is), and money will not help them escape this cycle. But that genuine interaction was hopefully a momentary escape from their reality. Their laughter and joy was real. If I could sit down and make each beggar feel important, or make them smile I would. I feel so much compassion for them, although it is quite unnerving to feel so groped. This is why I came to India (at least one of the reasons). I have so much to share with these people, and so much to gain back

On a completely different note, we ended our journey by sampling the local bar scene at Touch. That is the strange thing about India… we left the beggars in the dirt parking lot, and were on our way to a nice bar. The contrast and relationship between opposites is remarkable. We really didn’t debrief the beggar situation until after we enjoyed the bar. We are learning to compartmentalize (is that bad?). The bar was lit with dangerous looking red lighting and they sat us at a low table on floor pillows with rose petals as decor. We really just chatted and enjoyed the scene. Our group members ordered drinks, but not everyone drank because they came with ice in them (fear of diarrhea). Mimi said she had a wonderful birthday, so success!!!