A long over due introduction

So I have finally decided to sit down and update everyone on where I am and what I am up to. I am in the International Development Program at the University of Toronto and as part of my co-op component I will be spending the next 8 months in Madurai, India. I am working for the Madurai Non-Formal Education Centre (MNEC) which is supported by Presbyterian World Services and Development (PWS&D). MNEC is a social development organization that aims to address the needs of urban slum dwellers in Madurai. The organization has a rather broad scope within development with programs focusing on economic independence and sustainability (especially for Women)and social awareness and empowerment of the urban poor. Currently one of the main focus of the organization is the Self Help Groups (SHG's) that comprise mainly of women from the 30 slums undertaken by MNEC.
My role at MNEC involves the following responsibilities:

• Learn how programs are run and share insights with management based on my observations.
  
• Prepare project proposals for potential funding agencies.
  
• Engage in capacity building by teaching conversation English to the staff.
  

Madurai is situated on the banks of river Vaigai and is the second largest city in Tamil Nadu. It is also one of the oldest cities in India with a rich history and culture. The city is built around the Meenakshi Temple complex and is laid out in the shape of a lotus (makes navigating around the city a death wish). The population of Madurai is quite diverse as much of India is. Hindus are the majority followed by Christians and Muslims. I have also heard there is also a small Buddhist population here. One of the first things that really hit me was the sheer amount of people everywhere. I live in a middle class neighborhood in a quieter part of town and yet the streets are alive at 5 in the morning as the vegetable vendors roll in their carts and women gather at the water tanks. The streets are mostly chaos no matter what time you venture out. Rush hour is every hour. Rules of the road are basically as such: fear is your worst enemy. It takes a special kind of strength and resolve to venture into Madurai's streets at the helm of a vehicle. Scooters, rickshaws, buses, cycles and cars weave in and out of traffic as if its a choreographed dance. The first few days I was basically chauffeured around the city and only in the last 2 days have I been relying more on autos to get around. It is all very thrilling and liberating.
Currently I'm living in a 3 bedroom apartment above my boss and his family. They are building a mansion next door and so they will be moving soon. I'm going to move into a much smaller (thankfully) apartment behind this new house. At the moment I take meals with the family downstairs but I will soon be cooking for myself in my new apartment. Living with my quasi host family has been a wonderful introduction to Tamil culture. They have helped me with everything from buying flatware to getting an internet connection and a cell phone. One of the biggest barrier to communication here is language. People living in my area mostly speak Tamil, so does the staff at the office. Therefore communication is a challenge but I am slowly trudging along with my limited tamil vocab. My willingness to learn has elicited a great response from everyone and I usually find myself in an impromptu Tamil lesson everywhere I am.

Although Madurai is a fairly large and populous city it still retains a lot of its cultural heritage. Women are usually dressed in Sarees and Salwar Kameez and many men (especially farmers) wear the traditional cloth tied around their waist. The roles of men and women are also somewhat traditional to some extent although most women work outside of the house. In that sense, the culture of Madurai is oriented around family life and the up keep of relations. Needless to say the nightlife in Madurai isn't very vibrant. However there is an abundance of tea and coffee stalls and road side restaurants that are usually brimming with people. At the risk of getting carpal tunnel I am going to end this entry here. I haven't gotten around to taking too many pictures yet but I promise to make more of an effort :P

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