9/14 to 9/18 Because I finished most of the office work I needed to do I was able to be in the field every day this week. Still I felt some apprehensions because most of the CSP (people who go into the field) don’t speak very much English meaning even if I go on the field visits, I don’t know exactly what is going. Going on the visits was reviving though and have been the best part of the internship thus far although it is so stinking hot every day I am constantly perspiring. The first day I went with two women who were doing marketing and meeting with potential clients. We had one introductory meeting with some women and many questions were asked about me, why I was there and what we were there for. ... read more

We went to Agra on an overnight train that was supposed to be 12 hours. It was my first time navigating a train station and I was a little overwhelmed. The train stations embody everything that makes India India- the mix of smells and people and cows, the beggars, the travelers, the wanderers, different religions, different classes and castes, etc. We found our car which was 2nd Class AC just fine and chose our seats. Our tickets were e-tickets and didn’t have seat numbers so we decided anywhere would be fine. Two nice men from Germany sat across from us and we started having a very enjoyable conversation until an older Indian couple asked us to move because we were in their seats. We frantically tried to figure out how we could find our seat numbers, ... read more

Namaste from India! I haven’t used this greeting yet but I read in my Hindi book that this is how you should greet most people. Here is some background on India. Under Britain’s rule for a long time India, gained its independence in the 1940’s and is still struggling to define the country’s political structure. The bureaucratic system of the British is mostly still in place and the government offices are a HUGE, interconnecting maze, a combination that makes it really hard to get anything done. In addition, (and you should look the actual figures up on your own) there are so many different types of religion here that the complexities of how to greet someone, how to not offend someone and all of the difficulties that come with religious beliefs are present. I think I ... read more

8.08.09 At 4 am the Heather and Kathryn were up and getting ready to leave. I had bought a roundtrip ticket when coming to Kenya because it was cheaper than a one-way ticket and gave me a back-up plan if I wanted to come home. I never really thought seriously about returning but it was weird knowing I could be getting ready like them and returning to the U.S. I was so sick of flying I knew I couldn’t return even if I had wanted to so I walked them downstairs where Willis picked them up for the airport. He decided to return for me later so I got to go back to sleep. Upon returning to the room I was enveloped in the feeling that I was alone- truly alone in a strange city for ... read more