Amusing musings sing in us

Greetings fellow earth travelers,

I am feeling much more settled and reflective than when I sent along the last note which came barreling forth like it's namesake, the Indian train. I have had a restful night's sleep with added material comfort. I was provided with a basic mat to use on my cot when I arrived, but had loaned it to a friend who did not have one. I had become very accustomed to sleeping directly on the weaved fibers of my cot, and last night felt as though I was slumbering on a dreamy marshmellow cloud (you know the ones that you can play on in your dreams because they are not explained away by the scientist and thier water vapor talk :) ) I did subsequently sleep much later than usual, but after a successful second workshop, I was pleased to grant myself this opportunity.

It was quite the experience facilitating this workshop, as the American documentary film expert, for folks from all over India. What started out in my vision as a basic volunteer service for local NGO workers, turned out to be a more intensive program for 8 individuals whose daily residents span the breadth of India. One man was came all the way from Manipur, which is in NE India near the Nepalese boarder. (Foreigners need a restricted area permit to enter) It is a place that is strikingly different than where I am staying in the south, and I am very thankful to be given continual opportunities to expand my support network in india. Mother India and I already have an agreement for my return to attend to vague unfinished business, and I have not even stepped of her magnetic soils. She has a strong grip :)

I have agreed to complete one more training similar to the one I just completed before I embark on my journey back to the US on April 20th. For those of you interested, I will be in NY from the 21until the early morning hours on the 27th, at which time I will fly back to SF and begin a full time 6 month project with Far Wester, the company I worked with last field season. In addition to the doc. film training, I will organize a series of yoga classes at VMMs childrens village which will be lead by the master from which I have been learning about pranic breathing and kundalini yoga. In the mean time, I am also setting the intention of finding a female yoga instructor who would be willing to work with me daily at VMM, as Keerthi is somewhat concerned about me working so closely with a male teacher.

The cultural rules surrounding the roles and appropriate relationships of men and women here are incredibly strong and so interesting to me. I get away with a lot being a foreigner (thankfully) but still manage to push even my limits, many times unknowingly. Here, women have different lines at the airport for security checks which are conducted by women only. This is true of everywhere I have been where security is required, except on a few occasions where I have attended special events with Vidyamma, during which we casual breeze through security as honored guests and are not subjected to any searches or scans.

The idea of modesty is somewhat different than I would have imagined as well. I daily wear Punjabi dress (long tunic and pants) but usually forgo wearing my scarf as I end up dropping it, tripping on it, getting myself wrapped up in it etc. Even though the neck is quite high on most of my tops, it is still considered very bold and risque (spelling?) of me. It turned into quite the ordeal on the train to Visak. While Gouri and I were both sleeping there was apparently a couple young men commenting on my lack of Chuni and a chivalrous fella from a few rows back observed. I woke up to him loudly and obtrusively scolding the men. Meanwhile woman in saris sat "modestly" in thier tight blouses with a good portion of thier stomachs and backs exposed. It reminds me of a tribe in south america (maybe?) who live toplessly, but find the exposure of the female calf to be unspeakable.

Something else that has struck me recently is how unaware of my physical differences i have become. Being stared at is so commonplace now, that I hardly ever notice. Will it be weird to go unnoticed in the US? And on the rare occassion when I catch my reflection in a window or mirrow, I am shocked to see a white person with light hair and blue eyes staring back at me. Where did that body come from? I'm not an Indian?!

One final recent discovery, which I hadn't thought about prior to visiting Visak, was the source of some amusement for me. I purchased a new pair of chappels (sandles) as my perfectly broken in pair that I love and wear daily is becoming (or really has already become) very beat up and dingy looking (well loved and amazing). Apprearance is very important here, and I was attending many family functions, so, out of respect made this purchase. The leather sandles that I decided upon complete with jingley bangles, were being described to me as the highest quality (of course) camel leather from Rajistan. I hadn't stopped to think about where the leather that people wear here has been coming from. Of course it wouldn't be coming from thier worshipped cows!

As always, I keep you all in my heart as I float along, and am so thankful that so many loving souls do the same for me!

Satha Koti Deevenalu (Many Blessings)

Haley