tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14847080580858129602024-02-19T16:28:33.772+05:30Jen does Delhi with VSOJennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17998051011790025094noreply@blogger.comBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484708058085812960.post-80736689483275066942011-01-06T21:57:00.000+05:302011-01-06T21:57:26.403+05:30The End of an Era...Adieu!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj461uPntUxKkgBtP7oSV7Me_KyNMpZiC6sSrabr5ApaiWcTrTawvxOfb7Zm3G7VJ_2_GW_2vHIMRDvEYTbEOKs4Lf7x1DkIW4xUwkcNvwXSi8hWybPG1Lc9GD4qNG7cg44HQBzUy64oeCq/s1600/UK_snow_February_2%252C_2009_img008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj461uPntUxKkgBtP7oSV7Me_KyNMpZiC6sSrabr5ApaiWcTrTawvxOfb7Zm3G7VJ_2_GW_2vHIMRDvEYTbEOKs4Lf7x1DkIW4xUwkcNvwXSi8hWybPG1Lc9GD4qNG7cg44HQBzUy64oeCq/s320/UK_snow_February_2%252C_2009_img008.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;">I've held back on my last post as I didn't want to jump in when the first two weeks back have been manic. It's been a bit weird to say the least. I amazingly made it back into Heathrow on the day my flight was scheduled (though postponed by 9 hours). Many others were stranded. On my arrival the ground was covered with snow which made for a very lovely Christmassy atmosphere and I was met by my parents who in their outstretched arms held a blanket and a warm flask of tea. It was good to be back.</span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;">But the first few days were odd. I had to eat about four bacon sandwiches over the first few days in order to satiate my cravings. I had to remember to put toilet paper into the loo and not in the nearest available wastepaper basket. I spent a lot of time emailing, calling friends and visiting. </div><div style="font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;">I had an odd moment when on Xmas eve I made a mad dash round a nearby town to see if I could get a last minute present for my brother which was a DVD he'd requested and I'd forgotten to get him. After visiting six shops I was forced to enter the ASDA. In a big nameless town in Essex, ASDA is the last place you want to be on Xmas eve. My senses were assaulted not by spices and horns beeping but an altogether different kind of mania. My companion pushed me stupified onto the travelator to get up to the first floor. Looking at my screwed up face she said yes it's full of common people in here isn't it? It wasn't the people it was the bananas. The veg aisles (note the plural) were stuffed full of enough produce to feed an rural Indian village for weeks. I hadn't seen anything like it for months. Then a woman's screechy voice with an undeniably Essex brogue screamed that the turkeys were half price and we should all rush to the meat counter to purchase her extra meat. Jeez. Coupled with the grabbing of merchandise going on around me, I nearly passed out at the cacophony of materialism going on inside the store.</div><div style="font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;">At home I pretty much didn't leave the house for two days over Xmas and slowly returned to normality in the UK via the TV (there's one bonus of the old set you know). Well travelling Kerala and diving in The Andamans for three weeks helped too. I have since completed my rehabilitation and after two weeks in the UK I am settled right back in, I'm back to work and behaving normally. Well I say normal but I'm definitely more Indian now. I stand closer to people on the tube and personal space is less of an issue these days. I occasionally burp out loud and realise I am in so-called polite company. but at least the toilet paper goes where it is supposed to.</div><div style="font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;">I'm looking forward to this year. I think bigger, I want another challenge, I have plans and I have new interests. It's all good and I'm still in contact with Deaf Way and VSO and here to assist with anything they need. The internet is a marvellous thing, eh? I miss my colleagues but I know I won't be losing contact with them. No need to be sad, I just gained some very good friends. Will I go back. Hell yes. In some way or another.<br />
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</div><div>The other thing of note is I have enjoyed blogging and YouTubing immensely. It has sparked off a writing hobby and I now regularly turn my musings into short stories. I am putting a natural end to this blog in order to spend time on the world of fiction. </div><div><br />
</div><div>To complete these musings, here are the things I wished I'd written about and didn't have time:</div><div><br />
</div><div>The shockingly high incidence of sexual abuse of Deaf children</div><div>The lack of a decent bilingual education for Deaf children</div><div>Rubbish, (the lack of proper) recycling and ragpickers</div><div>Climate change in India</div><div>The levels of corruption in the Government</div><div>The experience of practicing Buddhism in India (eye-opening)</div><div>Why people get involved in development work (cos we're lovely?)</div><div>How development work changes your perspective of life back home (it really does)</div><div><br />
</div><div>There are obviously many other things that never would have reached this medium but that's me to know and you to find out. For now...Adieu!</div><div><br />
</div></div>Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17998051011790025094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484708058085812960.post-79412730844922385052010-12-04T21:29:00.000+05:302010-12-04T21:29:58.069+05:30Lost Weekend: Finishing up in DelhiOk so it wasn't a lost weekend but where did it go? In fact the last 4 weeks just went. In training they tell you the last month of a VSO placement will be gentle. Tidying up loose ends, saying goodbye, eating cake. That sort of thing. Not here.<br />
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I was busy trying to squeeze in training for the Delhi Half Marathon (I haven't yet got sick of dropping that into conversations). I had a visitor over from the UK then I remembered the strategy plan for ASLI. There was the flat to finish up and furniture had to be sold and belongings packed. An unbelievable amount of stuff vomited itself out of my wardrobe and the flimsy cane bookshelves yielded a bumper crop of jewellery and brass Hindi mini-Gods. I started the clearance. There was four or so bin bags for VSO volunteers to rifle through. This is a benefit of someone leaving - you get hand-me-downs for your usually sparsely equipped cupboards. Judging by the amount I was getting rid of I must have done well over the last year. The remaining went to the cleaner and there was an inordinate amount of stuff to be posted and couriered back. Frightful. I clearly can not travel light.<br />
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After the house sale I had my leaving party. We made a profit from the goods we bought last year so that provided the beer for what was to be the last party in the house. Arun of ASLI/Deafway fame (i.e. the wonderful man I have had the pleasure to work with over the last year) provided the food and manned the barbeque in exchange for being fed with Kingfisher. The Deaf Way staff created amazing canapes and took over food preparations. I concentrated hard on drinking and saying my goodbyes. I had an amazing time and it was a wonderful send off after an unbelievable year.<br />
<br />
It was back in the office on Monday after partying, moving out and dealing with a hangover of proportions not seen yet this year. I managed to finish some final bits and we had the obligatory pizza (Puneet, the IT and English teacher, was leaving too). After lunch I said my goodbyes and there it was. I blubbed. Totally unexpectedly. Anyone who has kept up to date on this blog will know how much I have enjoyed being here. And that is a gross understatement. I've lived, worked and breathed Delhi. Anyone who knows how dusty it is here can imagine the hardships I may have had to endure. <br />
<br />
'Will you be back?' is the question du jour. I hope I have given some idea of how much the Deaf community is still being discriminated against here. Interpreting services are just one part. Education where sign language is virtually banned, not being allowed to drive, a total lack of equality when it comes to employment, no mental health services, a lack of academic sign language and interpreting qualifications...it goes on. I'll be offering any assistance I can from the ether. And I have some plans afoot but I'm not done in India just yet. It's all about the R&R and taking some time out to consider my next steps. It's the beach for me for now. Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17998051011790025094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484708058085812960.post-49367660569293531522010-11-20T16:12:00.003+05:302010-11-26T16:19:39.262+05:30Tourist India<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:RelyOnVML/> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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</style> <![endif]--><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEe6yhj0aGmCADxd4btYaz91zPQD3OKVmvwehlUz6klhqfllTP2OUfIYZoBTtsJzZvymJ8ytCM19HMhyphenhyphenbmigf-MVCQV8OQ4VSH3geSxTh0SOomadhWXfgUSjNHIfj0Rjw6LOZHMzw9AWPS/s1600/P1030640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEe6yhj0aGmCADxd4btYaz91zPQD3OKVmvwehlUz6klhqfllTP2OUfIYZoBTtsJzZvymJ8ytCM19HMhyphenhyphenbmigf-MVCQV8OQ4VSH3geSxTh0SOomadhWXfgUSjNHIfj0Rjw6LOZHMzw9AWPS/s320/P1030640.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span lang="EN-GB">Tourist India is, to my mind, a bit exhausting. I recently had a colleague and friend over to visit from the UK. As the person who has travelled around the country it falls to me to be the responsible one; ensuring plans are feasible, trains are booked and boarded and nothing goes wrong. But this is India so things do go haywire occasionally. Travelling around regularly makes it a bit easier and luckily nothing went wrong. Most things aren’t too tiring apart from the struggle to communicate and the continual fight for a fair price. You see it’s the <a href="http://jendoesdelhi.blogspot.com/2010/01/shut-up-and-drive.html">skin tax</a> thing again. </span></span><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="MsoHyperlink"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span lang="EN-GB">There are, generally, two tourist India’s. The five star luxury where you don’t see much of the real India at all. You pay through the nose for this and if you ventured into your hotel’s kitchen you might get the idea you weren’t in a decent hotel at all. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span lang="EN-GB">The other India is more real but they still try to make you pay through the nose for what you get. I’m off travelling soon as my placement ends. I’ve decided to head somewhere, stay with friends I’ve met. When I need to venture further I’ll hunker down in a half decent hotel and limit the contact I have with tourist India if I can. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span lang="EN-GB">For anyone coming here it is fun but you have that same old fight on your hands to not be seen as fair game. In fact if there weren’t so many people coming to India who allowed themselves to get ripped off it might help but in some cases it keeps families afloat so we shouldn’t begrudge. Pay over the odds sometimes to someone who needs it more than you. Don’t be the back packer or foreigner that treats everyone like crap and haggles over every rupee. <span> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span lang="EN-GB">I’m off soon and I’ll be the tourist again. I’m hoping the receptipon I get in Kerala will be more like Amritsar where everyone was friendly and out to help rather than Varanasi where everyone just wants your cash. After a year of working here, I’ve loved it n’ all but I really don’t want that tourist fight. I just want a nice little beach, a massage and a glass of chilled white wine please. </span></span></div>Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17998051011790025094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484708058085812960.post-85399749715097178012010-11-12T15:21:00.000+05:302010-11-12T15:21:06.521+05:30How very Vipassana<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:RelyOnVML/> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSY8yERRwM_jHmP0qAMLMlHQ9eOWQseKkiV1tUSFjLZwkimkjIC-3VuNQnOStBuNWPIzGOevltVOvUmlW_8TAigZetcqG3mRKivbhDdROn9uLAKquHtdWACJY_dw4hhrp2ceAiACNy85Wc/s1600/P1030527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSY8yERRwM_jHmP0qAMLMlHQ9eOWQseKkiV1tUSFjLZwkimkjIC-3VuNQnOStBuNWPIzGOevltVOvUmlW_8TAigZetcqG3mRKivbhDdROn9uLAKquHtdWACJY_dw4hhrp2ceAiACNy85Wc/s320/P1030527.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">Recently I went on a <a href="http://www.dhamma.org/">Vipassana</a> meditation course. I was expecting 10 days of no speaking but as it sometimes happens in India what is supposed to happen just doesn’t. You can read about what should happen on fellow vol and friend <a href="http://indianbells.blogspot.com/2010/10/one-step-closer-to-enlightenment.html">Izzy’s blog</a>! <span></span>We both agreed I was a bit unlucky though in the end the result was pretty much the same. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">I arrived at the centre and immediately hit it off with S. who like another 5 Western women on the course lived in <a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/Rishikesh">Rishikesh</a> and hung out learning all about yoga and other spiritual practices. We wondered if we’d be able to remain incommunicado for 10 days and we agreed we’d have to avoid eye contact. We drove out of town through the hills behind Dehradun and arrived at the centre. After Chai and chatting we proceeded to take instructions and started our silence.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">Up at 4am the next morning we started the regime of 10 hours meditation a day which was to become strangely enjoyable after a few days. What was not so much fun though rather entertaining was one woman screaming in the mediation hall amidst the rest of us concentrating on our breath. This happened again on day 3. Also one elderly woman had been admitted who chatted to herself throughout and clearly wasn’t in a fit state to participate. On day 5 after the constant talking of some participants got to me I talked to the onsite doctor. I was informed the elderly woman was dropped off by her husband. With a lack of welfare services here he probably just wanted a form of respite care. By the end of the 10 days the women were all looking after her and I suspect she was suffering from Alzheimers. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">The mediation went well despite the lack of silence. On day 5 I tried really hard to have a quiet day. It worked until 8:05am when 5 minutes into mediation the doctor passed me some decongestant pills I’d requested. Wait until perhaps I had my eyes open? Not here in India where rules are all so important but in reality always broken. Ho hum.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">The evening of day 5 saw a change in the group dynamics when so much talking was going on the old Western students who had done courses in the US and Europe also gave up. We all happily talked to each other outside of meditation sessions in snatched conversations. One who understood more Hindi than I told me the screaming woman thought she had been possessed by demons and on day 3 they had left her body through her nose. By day 6 amongst the insanity I’d given up on silence too. A shame considering I was really enjoying any quiet time I actually got. By then I was getting it and we’d been given mediation cells in the pagoda on site. A relief as every time we had leafy greens for lunch the men would fart their way through the afternoon. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">Around this time the hours of cross-legged concentration kicked in and clarity struck. Vipassana can reveal spooky sensations. Things come up from your past that you had forgotten. The smell of the local library’s highly polished floor at aged 8. The dress you wore when visiting the senior school on an open day</span><span lang="EN-GB"> at age 11</span><span lang="EN-GB">. Amongst the inconsequential, the stuff you wanted to forget comes up. The idea is you meditate so deeply the feelings you dealt with using logic can be felt at a deeper level. The trick then is to deal with them at this level of subconscious and truly get rid of them. It sounds a bit pop psychology but it works. It's what makes 10 days of insanity all worth it. Each person has a unique experience and people who attend regularly report feeling differently each time. It’s reported that often people leave with a changed world view or a heightened perspective of the world. They’ve even tailored a special course for executives enabling people to rid themselves of pointless negativities and </span><span lang="EN-GB">subsequently </span><span lang="EN-GB">enhancing their performance. What is clear is only the brave or the mad do this but we all come out the better for it. <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></div>Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17998051011790025094noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484708058085812960.post-34458378290537898022010-11-08T18:51:00.012+05:302010-11-11T18:58:22.700+05:30Fever. In the morning, fever all through the night…<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:RelyOnVML/> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0m_ft0VlmQ2eutVByjxRm1k1nCEAJK3Vvq2-eNlulB0SH0oduRL3mYxfKQzgf0C0phXxddZtV5Ycx_qnk_RHYeN5tQ4vQ6uFrelRUUZFfoFXwJItY9tOoPoeM-GgNzMoJdv7488LbbbNs/s1600/dengue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0m_ft0VlmQ2eutVByjxRm1k1nCEAJK3Vvq2-eNlulB0SH0oduRL3mYxfKQzgf0C0phXxddZtV5Ycx_qnk_RHYeN5tQ4vQ6uFrelRUUZFfoFXwJItY9tOoPoeM-GgNzMoJdv7488LbbbNs/s320/dengue.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">Out of 15 volunteers currently in Delhi, 7 have been struck down with mysterious fevers and illnesses. That’s nearly a whopping 50%.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">Dr H., our resident VSO doc must be chanting a new mantra: a volunteer a day keeps the bill collectors at bay. Although I like to think he doesn’t charge to see us VSOers as he is so lovely. One doctor he referred me to said that he’d retired and made his money so he was happy to help out those who were helping others.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">Of the 7 that have been struck down, we’ve had cases of <a href="http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs117/en/">Dengue</a> (2), <a href="http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs327/en/index.html">Chikungungya</a> (1), unidentified fevers (3), a strange rash and unknown vomiting (2). No <a href="http://www.who.int/malaria/">Malaria</a> yet but it could just be a matter of time.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">My fever came and went with joint pain in 24 hours. I was in Tamil Nadu. Back in Delhi three days later it came back with a vengeance and I couldn’t move my arm or see very well. I freaked out when one of my eye balls started clouding over and rang the doc in tears. Not very good at being ill me. He reassured me and I went in for a check the next day. Fever had dissipated and mobility in the arm had come back to the point where it was hard to tell I’d been ill apart from the clear lack of sleep. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">I was sent off for 4,000 rupees worth of blood tests. That’s nearly £60! Hard to imagine when you’re used to the NHS. You can see how doctors and hospitals get accused of sending people off for random tests in order to make some extra cash. People tend to be in favour of a government hospital as although basic they tend not to overcharge. I say hospitals are basic but one volunteer here when admitted with Dengue had a plasma TV. I obviously don’t envy the Dengue though.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">£60 later and I got to check my results on the internet within 12 hours. I called the doc and said I don’t know what it was then and he said, 'well neither do I!'. The mystery remains and thankfully it looks like I and my fellow vols here are all on the mend…</span></div>Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17998051011790025094noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484708058085812960.post-85349777615821434212010-10-17T16:34:00.004+05:302010-10-18T17:04:58.322+05:30Let the Games commence…<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CJennifer%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CJennifer%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CJennifer%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><style>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKIgnl8yBZFtCROdudD3ucp6-j8H2v4TfpzGQaqtaA_WoOFnLCh87Mhh8TghysOAZ5q5xYIbLxnHpebDUUlFwFmu5iFy0nZK_hp13Vx8KZ8giv9IYeFu-1fmNR7TWZUNO7U84D5HVi2elA/s1600/P1030435.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKIgnl8yBZFtCROdudD3ucp6-j8H2v4TfpzGQaqtaA_WoOFnLCh87Mhh8TghysOAZ5q5xYIbLxnHpebDUUlFwFmu5iFy0nZK_hp13Vx8KZ8giv9IYeFu-1fmNR7TWZUNO7U84D5HVi2elA/s320/P1030435.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">I missed out on my swimming ticket due to a rescheduling of the <a href="http://jendoesdelhi.blogspot.com/2010/10/coimbatore-interpreter-training-course.html">Coimbatore interpreter training</a>. I’d had a few emails whilst I was away asking if the atmosphere in Delhi had changed due to the <a href="http://www.cwgdelhi2010.org/">Commonwealth Games</a> and what it was like. I wasn’t expecting major changes in the city though I’d read news of the special CWG lanes causing havoc for drivers and the venues not being ready on time. I was expecting even more overinflated auto rates and more tourists but that was about it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">I was lucky enough to return by plane rather than endure another <a href="http://jendoesdelhi.blogspot.com/2010/10/all-aboard.html">42 hour train journey</a> (ok once but not twice in two weeks). I booked my taxi then headed over to the chaos that was the pre-booked taxi stand. I’d never seen it like this before. Tourist wandered round like lost sheep and the taxi men were barking numbers and herding people into their cars. There was nearly fisticuffs as one local was about to lose it. I took matters into my own hands and flagged down the car with my number on it. Once in I had to listen to the CWG theme song on repeat for 45 minutes. Still, I didn’t even think it was as bad as the critics say.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">I wasn’t sure if I was mistaken but Dilli looked a bit cleaner. Recently the plastic hoardings they’d put up to make the roadside look better had been ripped. They’d fixed that and there was a definite increase in shrubbery. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">At the docs the next day there were definitely more cargo pant wearers and people in silly hats that scream tourist. Strangely though, when I got to see the Games I saw comparatively few tourists at JN Stadium but then I was in the cheaper seats. I happily sat amongst screaming families as they cheered on the brilliantly entertaining men’s triple jumper Maheshwary and no less than 3 Indian javelin throwers. When England won both the men’s and women’s 100m relay there was no doubt as to which country I came from. We went on to win a few more medals and I’m glad India did too, the stadium atmosphere was electric.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<span lang="EN-GB">A few days later and it was time for some badders. With every match featuring either England or India it was going to be a good day. It ended with two golds for India with the brilliant Saina winning the women’s singles. England ended up with 3 silvers surprisingly as in two matches they looked close to being able to win. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAIVHItCzWTYecxPEXAAYoVQjUQZ01dyYFRmuZgsD251Mfrd2MqRBwvdlrAGL3U1OAVhi2AEfYrohBABLbnX0OyvbhpLZggwQCgM2_zO5n3lmos4O5-SD0JMtGQSw4irPKPHHJ5mjLNxyp/s1600/P1030508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAIVHItCzWTYecxPEXAAYoVQjUQZ01dyYFRmuZgsD251Mfrd2MqRBwvdlrAGL3U1OAVhi2AEfYrohBABLbnX0OyvbhpLZggwQCgM2_zO5n3lmos4O5-SD0JMtGQSw4irPKPHHJ5mjLNxyp/s320/P1030508.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-GB">I had a good conversation with a gentleman who was telling me that good sportsmanship was important and everyone should be clapping both sides. I think he was trying to negate the fact that the couple behind me were shouting at the England player that he should hurry up and lose. Charming. They did get confused though when they realised his first name was Rajiv. They wondered for an instant whether they should be supporting him then went back to cheering on the freakishly fast Malaysian Chong Wei Lee</span>. This is a man who has lost something like one match in his last 60. Rajiv, you did brilliantly.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">One teenager kept walking in front of me when crucial points were being played. I held him off with one hand as Anthony Clark hurled himself onto the floor then turned and calmly stated that you should wait whilst points are being played. Hmmph. Many of the crowd turned up half way through and popped out during matches. It was obvious they were only there to see Saina in the last match. Shame the people in my row weren’t more like my gentleman friend and there for the sport not just the Indian players.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">Needless to say the venue went wild with all the police and volunteers coming inside for the last game. Saina was pretty brilliant and absolutely deserved the gold. Thing is if everyone was inside who was left outside? Not many by the time I snuck out as she was doing her lap of the crowds. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCCjmLkIA2nMem9kO2qoEloBsr42lrP-WkgvXcMmC41zSZM6JbQud78gZt0xZVi3tnUhOgFUYBlkdicTY7QS6rlBKcOxa9kXBehW4HhIncgHAtO5FC-wtJyiZm5BrMEXIpdJ49a9LWNRZd/s1600/P1030523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCCjmLkIA2nMem9kO2qoEloBsr42lrP-WkgvXcMmC41zSZM6JbQud78gZt0xZVi3tnUhOgFUYBlkdicTY7QS6rlBKcOxa9kXBehW4HhIncgHAtO5FC-wtJyiZm5BrMEXIpdJ49a9LWNRZd/s320/P1030523.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">The excellent organisation of the whole games wasn’t that surprising. Even the new metro line was open enabling me to use my CWG ticket to get to the games for free. This is how it rolls in India. It all seems like chaos. All the naysayers are baying that it’ll never happen on time, things will be a mess and everything is a disgrace. Then it all comes together at the last moment and you wondered how you ever doubted it all.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">Look at <a href="http://www.southafrica.info/2010/wordcupgdp-260710.htm">South Arica and the World cup</a>. There’s nothing like hosting a world sporting event to boost your country’s credentials, the economy, employment and a sense of national pride. It just a shame that <a href="http://in.news.yahoo.com/267/20100803/1759/tsp-cwg-spent-rs-4-138-on-one-toilet-rol.html">corruption</a> meant the toilet rolls were being charged at 4000 rupees and the price of a treadmill rental was reportedly more than the cost of buying it. But the CWG has highlighted to the world the controversies of India. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India_Shining">‘shining’ India</a>, the one capable of being on the world stage with its growing economy alongside the poverty, the way <a href="http://jendoesdelhi.blogspot.com/2010/06/cleared-out-by-games.html">slum dwellers were dealt with</a> and the corruption that pervades everything political. Now the games are over, let the investigations commence… </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17998051011790025094noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484708058085812960.post-31407509099235693162010-10-13T13:30:00.000+05:302010-10-13T13:30:10.978+05:30Coimbatore - Interpreter Training Course Number 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS0m_-VlnZZKN1LXFAEONcXDws2KQRETUngPDnqorOrel1MzarEo38-639I0rfikR2OjbCNqQUDv_Rma1opa-hf_diTLhr7rMQWz5q4g9VhbWUrUj4egGAiQnOE_emPia-rz9gIKogqxQS/s1600/DSC_0011+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS0m_-VlnZZKN1LXFAEONcXDws2KQRETUngPDnqorOrel1MzarEo38-639I0rfikR2OjbCNqQUDv_Rma1opa-hf_diTLhr7rMQWz5q4g9VhbWUrUj4egGAiQnOE_emPia-rz9gIKogqxQS/s320/DSC_0011+1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>There are always some ups and downs in the first few days of the interpreter training. You rock up in a strange new town, unpack and prepare yourself and the trainers for what is to come. You take a long look at the list of names, their backgrounds and talk about their potential. <br />
<br />
Some of the people that you thought had promise and you were excited about just don’t turn up on the day: illness in the family, changed minds, live too far away, think because they have done a sign language course they don’t need to learn about interpreting. The last reason is the most disappointing. The primary aim of the training is giving specialised interpreter training to those that have language skills whether they are bilinguals by virtue of having Deaf family or friends or because they may have learnt some sign language already. Sign language and interpreting skills: two different things people.<br />
<br />
It’s great when you get random people turn up, those that you thought may never come and they transform over the week into knowledgeable, committed and passionate people. Being in an immersive environment for 9 straight days with members of the local Deaf community, learning from Deaf and interpreter trainers about linguistics and Deaf perspectives makes people’s ISL skills and use of specialised signs shoot through the roof. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLqMPmWwwLIi6zv6Z1VCRMrwHIk03bq6nopJrvbQwFsXtHvGeigXn5dAXIFbre2w-8syuRhnlq4qGqTssd9eE6GlvFu5lVH-8pZoXRpU9gEi1vOGzpu3KmZ3BiGwXa-aKkUusMtFhyphenhyphenabmg/s1600/P1030391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLqMPmWwwLIi6zv6Z1VCRMrwHIk03bq6nopJrvbQwFsXtHvGeigXn5dAXIFbre2w-8syuRhnlq4qGqTssd9eE6GlvFu5lVH-8pZoXRpU9gEi1vOGzpu3KmZ3BiGwXa-aKkUusMtFhyphenhyphenabmg/s320/P1030391.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>We’ve had tons of people having light bulb moments. The guy with a Deaf friend who thinks that Deaf people don’t know very much – he’d only met one Deaf person who’d had a terrible education. A couple of days with our brilliant Deaf trainer and he was a changed man. The teachers are often the best to see. In Coimbatore we were lucky to have three teachers of the Deaf attending. All had worked for a few years and some had a basic level of signing. One broke down and cried on day one. She said going through the sign language assessment that she realised how difficult it is to understand in a different language and how bad it was that she hadn’t used signing with the children for four years. I’ve found that these light bulb moments are the turning point for people. They improve dramatically and often go on to be the strongest advocates of Deaf people and sign language. <br />
<br />
As this was the last course I’ll be attending I have spent most of my time refusing to deliver or facilitate sessions in order to watch and play a more supportive role. I’ve been in the background watching, advising and providing input where necessary which gratifyingly has been hardly at all. I was struck down by fever one day and took to my bed in the Deaf Centre in the next room. From there I could hear them all happily role-playing away. When I popped my flushed bedhead into the room to see if everything was ok I was sympathetically told to go back to bed! <br />
<br />
After two previous courses and an evaluation process it seems the changes we have made have left ASLI with a course that can be delivered for months to come to many potential or existing interpreters in India. I’m chuffed and really proud of the course content. Dramatic changes occur to participants over the nine days and it amazes me every time I see it. I can’t wait for the day when India gets much longer interpreter training programs. Just imagine the results that will be possible then.Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17998051011790025094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484708058085812960.post-57886149585586769312010-10-07T16:20:00.006+05:302010-10-13T13:04:06.590+05:3010 Down, 2 to go<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CJennifer%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CJennifer%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CJennifer%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><style>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzhcFGHOaRcI_hYSmVYJLF_h-lygqCmqSn5xNj6dM8d4CwvJyAyZb1yi8jIhNhqIZoOkEA_BuLIYY_WWODe0MU3RmvwuBwtLpd0tBPP69vhgH8eCOFzAeWaa7fHndOPLz48xa4dFEl4TdP/s1600/supermarket.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzhcFGHOaRcI_hYSmVYJLF_h-lygqCmqSn5xNj6dM8d4CwvJyAyZb1yi8jIhNhqIZoOkEA_BuLIYY_WWODe0MU3RmvwuBwtLpd0tBPP69vhgH8eCOFzAeWaa7fHndOPLz48xa4dFEl4TdP/s320/supermarket.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><span lang="EN-GB">As is usual on the old blog, I feel the urge to reflect on what has happened and what the coming months will bring. A VSO placement often feels like it is broken up into a few stages. There's the strange first three months, the last few and the long bulk of it in the middle. </span><span lang="EN-GB">At 10 months in, it certianly feels like I've been here a while. Now I'm on the final stretch it's the right time to look back and more importantly look forward to what is to come</span><span lang="EN-GB">. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">I look back and in some ways I feel I’ve been here forever. I can’t remember what it’s like to walk into a Tesco’s and be confronted by a range of cheeses. The common thing that’s said about India is it’s an assault on the senses when you arrive: the colours, the smells, the noise and general chaos. Thing is after months of shopping at vegetable stalls and small shops when I get into a fully-stocked supermarket I think I might feel consumed by the smell of the bakery and overcome by the salamis. I’ll be freaking out at the choice. Once I’ve recovered there is a chance I’ll be shocked by all the consumerism and will never venture into such an establishment again. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsWIwVgkWeXTpfEixP8pxb5u-OVYaw1IMmlTceeVtsDyopg16JG5TpROjC6BlgUqe2maHsTNxu7pY-a4bWnGFP42D6U_XNybEiBwEftpyKhSNmnC7W3YDzS5XXBNnzHCYaWMyKR9dGfYnB/s1600/shabziwallah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsWIwVgkWeXTpfEixP8pxb5u-OVYaw1IMmlTceeVtsDyopg16JG5TpROjC6BlgUqe2maHsTNxu7pY-a4bWnGFP42D6U_XNybEiBwEftpyKhSNmnC7W3YDzS5XXBNnzHCYaWMyKR9dGfYnB/s320/shabziwallah.jpg" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-GB">Work wise I’m currently on the third interpreter training program and writing this from Coimbatore in South India. We’ve ran out of time to do course number 4 and 5 so ASLI will be doing this after I’ve gone. This means I need to ensure everything I need to do is completed before I go, everyone is happy with what they are doing and everything is sustainable by making sure any skills and knowledge have been passed on. I’ve seen the course develop over the months and I’m really happy with the progress we’ve made. I won’t be needed at the next now it’s all up and running. There’s no relaxing yet though as there’s a few more things to keep me busy until the end of November.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">I’ve had my final placement review, I’ve started catching up on reporting, I’ve planned my last few working months, have a vague idea of where I want travel afterwards and I’ve booked my flight home. In the middle of all this reflection and the tidying up of ends I just want to get back. By the time I get there three of my friends will have new born babies and people keep emailing me amazing news. Before I came, friends and family all reassured me that nothing would change in a year. They all lied. As much as I love it here and want to come back, it’s time to finish what I came here to do, plan my future then go and see all the lovely folks back home.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB">Pics from:</span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB">http://www.billboardmama.com/wise-construction-c-4_30.html </span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB">http://www.flickr.com/photos/63695821@N00/1327862465</span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"><br />
</span></div>Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17998051011790025094noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484708058085812960.post-64895377443992499082010-10-04T16:00:00.000+05:302010-10-04T16:00:52.381+05:30All Aboard...<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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</style> <![endif]--> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM2iqIbxgZPEWx_oYbiDpVTp82owbPCDBLcq8F3XOnYMkcu8_QqbqgSnlkSJ1VLPGLKRUKaqVRKEv4QEyOmeb828ATRVUEyYKKYCIdNoogy_HG13c3-OUaShGO9GsDGuLf8yx39bYNGbmh/s1600/india-railway-budget-image-lalu-prasad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM2iqIbxgZPEWx_oYbiDpVTp82owbPCDBLcq8F3XOnYMkcu8_QqbqgSnlkSJ1VLPGLKRUKaqVRKEv4QEyOmeb828ATRVUEyYKKYCIdNoogy_HG13c3-OUaShGO9GsDGuLf8yx39bYNGbmh/s320/india-railway-budget-image-lalu-prasad.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="ZH-CN" style="font-family: Arial;">I was 5 hours into a train journey last week when I managed to get my battery starved laptop on, cranked up the internet and <a href="http://twitter.com/jenpenwen/status/25773927392%20">tweeted</a>:</span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span lang="ZH-CN"></span></span><span lang="ZH-CN" style="font-family: Arial;"><span> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">…</span><span lang="ZH-CN" style="font-family: Arial;">another 37 hours to go. 42 scheduled hours from Delhi to Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. A cool 2611 km away. That’s nearly two and half times the entire length of my home country, Great Britain.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="ZH-CN" style="font-family: Arial;">These long train journeys in India are renowned for running late. As I stood on the platform at New Delhi relishing the freedom of the outdoors several announcements came across the loud speakers: We are sorry to announce the Shatabdi Express is running late by 10 hours and 37 minutes. We regret any inconvenience caused. We are sorry to announce the Puri Express is running late by 8 hours and 23 minutes. We regret any inconvenience caused. The train name usually becomes a bit of a misnomer. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIW4d8GvJnxUQoXTLw-969A7INOkfPDI_QzcT21fPKtisQKZQGWV5B_1JBC6Jv4ikgXMxrYruUs9O8b3Ik7O_KtkTiNx497A8F9D3aMk4cU35MWBcqNC-ncRBqqi5KYmqurYYlOwuHj82x/s1600/train.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIW4d8GvJnxUQoXTLw-969A7INOkfPDI_QzcT21fPKtisQKZQGWV5B_1JBC6Jv4ikgXMxrYruUs9O8b3Ik7O_KtkTiNx497A8F9D3aMk4cU35MWBcqNC-ncRBqqi5KYmqurYYlOwuHj82x/s320/train.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="ZH-CN" style="font-family: Arial;">I was lucky though. I left on the morning of the 28<span style="position: relative; top: -3pt;">th</span><span> </span>at 11:30 and was due to arrive almost two days later at 05:10 on the 30th. I actually arrived a little after 6am but what’s another hour between friends. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Several snacks, some chatting with my fellow travelers, one of whom was traveling to Kerala and would be on the train for 52 hours, waving at small children who were looking up to my upper berth, a lot of reading and sleeping and it was all over. If you want to see the inside of an Indian train I took a video last year on the Puri Express and it’s up on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/jenpenwen#p/u/7/-N5lpv_ZZuM">YouTube</a>. That journey was a monster 34 hours so nothing really. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The most amazing thing about train travel in India is you might lose a couple of days in comparison to the 4 hour flight but the damage to your pocket for over 2500km of travel in 2AC, i.e. air conditioned carriages with only two berths per space (upper and lower) is the equivalent of ₤30. Bargain.</span></div>Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17998051011790025094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484708058085812960.post-51320213574652581992010-09-23T17:52:00.000+05:302010-09-23T17:52:59.467+05:30Bodhgaya: Finding some peace<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwiJa_4ts29IcaeSTkCV79qn2JzGUIFT4SYaz-ZAEYkzff0rrIcxuTOpCoLbnysZiXcA8bzwQKOy9zLchG1BsG-ciqJFmxaR9Wd-RzkaHAIQdK0My3D8E3YVmZPTEGePLj8zTOy4Wo_26C/s1600/P1030254.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwiJa_4ts29IcaeSTkCV79qn2JzGUIFT4SYaz-ZAEYkzff0rrIcxuTOpCoLbnysZiXcA8bzwQKOy9zLchG1BsG-ciqJFmxaR9Wd-RzkaHAIQdK0My3D8E3YVmZPTEGePLj8zTOy4Wo_26C/s320/P1030254.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After the delivery of the Kolkata interpreter training over 9 days including two weekends it was time for some R&R. I had one day to explore Kolkata with one of the volunteers there who showed me round. We had a laugh in the <a href="http://www.kolkata.org.uk/tourist-attractions/birla-planetarium.html">planetarium</a> where the 70-something schoolmarm shouted at people if they had their mobiles on and told us that Pluto was no longer a planet and had been demoted. As India’s old capital city, Kolkata has a lovely historical feel to it and is certainly more cultured than Delhi which feels clinical and functional (or dysfunctional) in comparison. The Park Street cemetery was a little slice of calm and told of young British deaths due to Malaria and Typhoid. India is as mad as a box of frogs, what must have it have been like in the 1800’s?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">After the whistle stop tour it was off to <a href="http://bstdc.bih.nic.in/BodhGaya.htm">Bodhgaya </a>for me and my friend who hadn’t been out of Kolkata for 6 months. A remarkable achievement for a place that although lovely was packed, had crazy traffic and few green spaces. Bodhgaya seemed a good choice as the site where <a href="http://viewonbuddhism.org/buddha.html">Shakyamuni Buddha</a> gained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd6aLtmgdLPhDFXgpn-PwB4fKdNhWQMjr3_LiQbwAKV2rZNfw61IwptMNEcS92S8zz8HEENik30EpxhMa4r4nwqj2MH6bpFPxQzUk_ATaHCcjXBlnWLDNhz02KwSpvnH15F0NnwZasTFEZ/s1600/P1030368.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd6aLtmgdLPhDFXgpn-PwB4fKdNhWQMjr3_LiQbwAKV2rZNfw61IwptMNEcS92S8zz8HEENik30EpxhMa4r4nwqj2MH6bpFPxQzUk_ATaHCcjXBlnWLDNhz02KwSpvnH15F0NnwZasTFEZ/s320/P1030368.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We arrived at Gaya and got an auto the 13km out to Bodhgaya through a few villages and fields. Ruralshire was a welcome sight. We found our guesthouse complete with some monks and sorted ourselves out after the night train. We discovered a tiny town with temples dotted along the sides of one main road. Monks mingled with mainly Indian tourists and the stalls were selling tourist tack. I’d heard reports this place had been ruined and after having breakfast in a dirty restaurant accompanied by cockroaches I’d wondered whether I was even going to like it here. The cheap eats we got at a Thai restaurant redeemed the place and the next day we had found a good travellers cafe and a quality dhaba for chai and chaat. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The reason for coming was confirmed once we entered the Mahabodhi temple complex. This Indian Buddhist temple was built by King Ashok to preserve and commemorate the site of the Bodhi tree. I’ve been practicing <a href="http://www.sgi-uk.org/">Buddhism</a> over the last year or so but whether you practice or not you can really feel the power and serenity of the place. We sat under the tree with monks, lay Buddhists and tourists from all over Asia. Some meditated, some chanted, others sat in peaceful thought and contemplation. Over the three days we chatted to a few Sri Lankan Buddhists, sat under the tree with others and watched Korean Buddhists chanting with some monks. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The other temples in Bodhgaya all have different characteristics and decorations depending on their region. The Tibetan Karma temple had the most amazing depictions of Buddhist scenes such as the moment Buddha gained enlightenment. The main Tibetan temple had monks listening to a talk by the Dalai Lama and the Bhutanese one was atmospheric replete with a monk banging a drum and chanting. The Chinese temple took me back to travelling China last year with its script inside and the large stone dragons adorning the doors. The Japanese multi-denominational temple was peaceful and spacious with its understated wooden features and open spaces. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We saw many others but were drawn back to the main <a href="http://www.mahabodhi.com/">Mahabodhi temple</a> every day as somewhere you could spend time in peaceful solitude. The town is similar to other Indian tourist spots with the hawkers selling tat and a willingness of some locals to rip off foreign tourists. Hey that’s just the downside of India. Another problem we had was being a few weeks ahead of the main tourist season we were two of only a handful of foreigners. We got rather more attention than we wanted with cameras thrust in our faces and being constantly asked where we were from. It was easier to escape inside the complex and take refuge. Apart from that, anyone spending time here in the presence of Buddhists cannot fail to feel peaceful and happy. Three days was enough to feel refreshed and get back to Delhi ready for a potentially painful visa extension process and preparations for the next interpreter training course. </div>Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17998051011790025094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484708058085812960.post-27024406527483483222010-09-17T16:06:00.000+05:302010-09-19T16:10:59.141+05:30Round 2: Interpreter Training in Kolkata<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CJennifer%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CJennifer%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CJennifer%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><style>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL2brI3rx5A5ZWRfAGblSSLtsPIW24ve-MQVh8LCaKM-zfwQjBxanKs5PoKSWau-mkdz0UsQoWPNBFkVnM6aARDEoulpIF-7bsqmopPqe1uS_f5cE8eudrzXqT0JMo4_sZL0P-cRHLvVVT/s1600/P1030112+%5B1600x1200%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL2brI3rx5A5ZWRfAGblSSLtsPIW24ve-MQVh8LCaKM-zfwQjBxanKs5PoKSWau-mkdz0UsQoWPNBFkVnM6aARDEoulpIF-7bsqmopPqe1uS_f5cE8eudrzXqT0JMo4_sZL0P-cRHLvVVT/s320/P1030112+%5B1600x1200%5D.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p>The first course was in Delhi and was our tester. This was Kolkata and this was for real. We had our Deaf trainer to lead the course for the first 2 days teaching Deaf history, community and culture delivering in Indian Sign Language (ISL) so clear and wonderful that most participants couldn’t take their eyes of him. After talking to our contacts we realised the impact we were already making. It seemed West Bengal had never seen sign language like it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">We had 13 people turn up who consisted of 4 members of staff from a Deaf organisation, 3 teachers of the Deaf, 3 parents and 3 people who already were interpreters. The staff of the organisation told us about a dire lack of services in the state for Deaf people. For example Kolkata has around 4 schools for the Deaf, all of which use the oral method of teaching, which means using speech not sign language. Famously in 1880 a conference of educators for the Deaf banned the use of sign language in schools. This was a decision which caused much discrimination and took education of the Deaf back to the middle ages. Anyone who is Deaf or works with Deaf people will tell you stories of Deaf children having their hands caned, tied behind their backs or sellotaped together. This is the equivalent of gagging someone. We happily reported that the ICED had <a href="http://www.bda.org.uk/news.php?action=view&news_id=244">formally rejected the 1880 resolution</a> after 130 years opening up a new era for Deaf participation and respect for sign language in education. Two of the teachers of the Deaf, who depressingly didn’t know ISL, didn’t come back the next day. I’d like to think some of the teaching got through to them. This is one reason why Deaf Way will be doing a survey of Deaf education in India soon.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSeRymgjkh-46C8qJUedQwpGhFTymzQCue5m_Z5jglnCZLOvY9BoCNz8Nas2PCs7As7LhAPnj0ZtqQ7cKXM5GQRAHtYBGQOfsSsnSmNj14NsxGFzFMHkdcTC7vKM3i-Y5nNHLzD2WkSxDJ/s1600/P1030110+%5B1600x1200%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSeRymgjkh-46C8qJUedQwpGhFTymzQCue5m_Z5jglnCZLOvY9BoCNz8Nas2PCs7As7LhAPnj0ZtqQ7cKXM5GQRAHtYBGQOfsSsnSmNj14NsxGFzFMHkdcTC7vKM3i-Y5nNHLzD2WkSxDJ/s320/P1030110+%5B1600x1200%5D.JPG" /></a><span lang="EN-GB">After the first 2 days of teaching and working out the results of our language assessments we had a core number of participants who were either already interpreters or had good enough ISL to start a course of interpreting. Arun Rao, ASLI’s president and trainer supremo, and I led the next 7 days of intensive interpreter training. The number was less than we wanted but it was a sad fact that our course was five years ahead of its time for this state. We ploughed on though and took on the challenge. One of the students bought in a figurine of Saraswati, the goddess of education, culture and knowledge so we put her on the front desk to give us all good luck. I was really buoyed up by the willing attitude of the participants to get involved and learn. We had great fun again doing the role plays and putting people through their paces. We had 3 local Deaf people who helped us with role plays and assessments. It was essential to have their input and their assistance as users of the Bengali dialect of ISL. It was so much fun watching them act out scenes as parents or shoppers to Arun’s dour shopkeepers or angry school principals. All of them deserve Oscars.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">We had one more hiccup, a typical Bengali Bundh. This is apparently a monthly occurrence of an all day strike where the city shuts down including shops and transport. The police are out so anyone breaking the strike is fined. We couldn’t hold the course as people were coming from too far away so we agreed to have longer days. This meant I could get on with some work and spend some time relaxing by watching some lapdog TV. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">After those long days and enjoying some great Bengali fish it was time to wrap up the course. There was a marked difference in attitudes, skill and competence by the end of the week and again it was a real pleasure to be there to see these improvements. One person said she didn’t know how we could possibly teach that much about interpreting in 9 days but we had made her realise it was a complex process that deserved more follow up courses. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">I’m now armed with more changes to make before the next course which will be in Coimbatour in Tamil Nadu. After a break in Bodhgaya, the good work will be continued...</span></div>Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17998051011790025094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484708058085812960.post-73365372462872211122010-09-07T15:48:00.001+05:302010-09-07T15:53:16.179+05:30Dharamsala and The Dalai Lama<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFFfpLHr849pmvVZnMn4poo3VDmhskaV6sZFuS2jB3HNfkWYrFiKMURS_MbE7w3pdt3sgsCpnaF-OiAXwVTNZiLEA1QZpT73hvVriPtCNgooq-02dRILKb-16nTlMWHz6KIEWRlkc4vNsd/s1600/P1030106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFFfpLHr849pmvVZnMn4poo3VDmhskaV6sZFuS2jB3HNfkWYrFiKMURS_MbE7w3pdt3sgsCpnaF-OiAXwVTNZiLEA1QZpT73hvVriPtCNgooq-02dRILKb-16nTlMWHz6KIEWRlkc4vNsd/s320/P1030106.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After the nine days of <a href="http://jendoesdelhi.blogspot.com/2010/08/training-interpreter-trainers.html">interpreter training in Delhi</a> it was time for a break. I went straight to the hills to <a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/Dharamsala">Dharamsala</a>, the site of the Tibetan government in exile. After a queasy 12 hour bus ride round altitudinous mountain roads, my friend and I arrived. We were welcomed by a cool breeze and a rickety taxi van.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Upon arrival at McLeod Ganj, otherwise known as Upper Dharamsala, the taxi pulled over and I wasn’t sure the handbrake would hold on the incline outside the guesthouse. After freshening up it was delicious <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1rOlueaWpo">Momos </a>for lunch. It would be sacrilegious to come here and not eat them. We chose a roof top hotel restaurant. We could see the monks chatting on the street below outside the temple opposite. The highlight of lunch was seeing an elderly woman walk round the whole temple turning every prayer wheel as she passed. A beer or two later was enough to ensure relaxation was kicking in which meant we then went to the beer shop to pick up some fruity local apple and plum wines. We supped on the balcony in the early evening watching kestrel-like birds hovering over the trees passing in front of the many coloured buildings on the slopes of the town. It was all reminiscent of <a href="http://www.sorrentotourism.com/eng/index.html">Sorrento</a> in late autumn not that I’ve been there.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1LGst-lhFiqrQ99aDb7sWkUUUyUCgLwt7wbx2TPo_sJ0Y7yPpXMf9AYXChVNUiuHKqo-xaHGKu0Rfg5CksoNECnp8Wl8VH2zyGSS9WOZCz9BRVZJ4QHtmhPtGGA9caPgJlhY6fIxjrCeo/s1600/P1030073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1LGst-lhFiqrQ99aDb7sWkUUUyUCgLwt7wbx2TPo_sJ0Y7yPpXMf9AYXChVNUiuHKqo-xaHGKu0Rfg5CksoNECnp8Wl8VH2zyGSS9WOZCz9BRVZJ4QHtmhPtGGA9caPgJlhY6fIxjrCeo/s320/P1030073.JPG" /></a>The main attraction was being able to listen to teachings of the <a href="http://www.dalailama.com/">Dalai Lama</a>. You register the day before with your passport and two photos. You’re given an ID badge that gets you into areas outside the temple in the Tsuglagkhang complex. Once in you can sit yourself in the different cordoned off areas with signs that say English 96.0 FM and Spanish 95.4 FM. The Dalai Lama speaks in Tibetan which was translated simultaneously into Korean as the teachings were requested by Korean Tibetan Buddhists. Breaks were taken every ten minutes or so the listeners could tune in to the consecutive translations into six different languages. It was quite impressive being amongst so many people of different backgrounds and countries all with the same purpose. The monks come round serving bread and <a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_2187794_po-cha-tibetan-butter-tea.html">Po Cha</a> (butter tea). As the Dalai Lama swept in and out of the hall amonst the assmebled Tibetan Buddhists you could see their faces light up. He has an amazing presence and it was an honour to be able to be there.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Tibetans are in exile, forced out of their homeland by the Chinese with a history of atrocities committed against them. The <a href="http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Panchen-Lama-turns-20.-For-14-years,-he-has-been-a-hostage-of-the-Chinese-government-15085.html">Panchen Lama</a> was kidnapped 14 years ago when he was six, a fact the Chinese government still deny. Many people travel here to work with refugees. Despite their treatment Tibetans are a happy lot and make Dharamsala a lovely place to be walking beside the monks and taking in the mountain views. I’ve checked out the Dalai Lama’s schedule and I’m sure I’ll be back for more.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
The Dalai Lama's Trust: http://www.dalailama.com/office/the-dalai-lama-trust <br />
Free Tibet: www.freetibet.org<br />
Save Tibet: www.savetibet.org<span class="f"><cite></cite></span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17998051011790025094noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484708058085812960.post-71789219896744824862010-08-25T14:20:00.002+05:302010-09-07T10:13:00.647+05:30Training the Interpreter Trainers<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CJennifer%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CJennifer%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CJennifer%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><style>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoZ79i-GiX_hQ0ucGZbd63xTVXQ3j365C4e33lcwnwnEgeelmbTxjjgw0V9WTn6ptUXF98bsKh_8YpvGWaIk4kcRDBAQUTp51POCitju8NCgHHgToYKzXqK_5VIxvtLPYecnggV_yEbH3f/s1600/P1010221+%5B1600x1200%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoZ79i-GiX_hQ0ucGZbd63xTVXQ3j365C4e33lcwnwnEgeelmbTxjjgw0V9WTn6ptUXF98bsKh_8YpvGWaIk4kcRDBAQUTp51POCitju8NCgHHgToYKzXqK_5VIxvtLPYecnggV_yEbH3f/s320/P1010221+%5B1600x1200%5D.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">We just completed the first interpreter training program for bilinguals i.e. people already fluent in ISL (Indian Sign Language). This was a bridge course over 9 full on days. Many cups of Chai were quaffed to get us through these manic days. There may also have been a few rounds of cake...</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">ASLI was funded by VSO to provide this pilot course in Delhi followed by four more courses around the country. The idea was that I would write the course along with Arun Rao, the President of ASLI, who has delivered courses before. We amassed training resources such as ISL clips and started with language assessments last Monday. We’d already hand-picked our first cohort to cover a range of experiences and locations. Some of whom will become our first interpreter trainers. We then invited a few Deaf people with linguistic training to become our first batch of Deaf trainers.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">In the reality of the classroom I was able to gain more insight into what the interpreters needed. Each night I went home to make notes on the days training and to prepare for the following day. Some of the material was pitched too high and I have tons of scribbles reminding me how the course will be changed for the next batch. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">The definite highs were being able to observe and give people feedback. One participant said she had never had feedback in 15 years of working as an interpreter and felt she had gained a lot from the course. I’m really happy we managed to cater for both new and experienced interpreters. Everyone agreed the practicals were the most fun so next week I am working on more ideas to get people active in the classroom. I believe we have given these interpreters practical tools and information that they can use out on the job. As this was my main placement objective I am so pleased we have completed the first course successfully and have feedback so we can make improvements. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRjMwSPiBO8jSZ-zKqToiTrpnK2XF9MijCGKtk_CRqHPFM-qGzKdJpymNNwQnHTYL1qfk4Qo9KFO1xEtHabXae_7_254ljsKpAYv_5Y8NwF6z8OhMYfGuEDIxf3mJfrwg8oYGzGfKrRUco/s1600/P1010290+%5B1600x1200%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRjMwSPiBO8jSZ-zKqToiTrpnK2XF9MijCGKtk_CRqHPFM-qGzKdJpymNNwQnHTYL1qfk4Qo9KFO1xEtHabXae_7_254ljsKpAYv_5Y8NwF6z8OhMYfGuEDIxf3mJfrwg8oYGzGfKrRUco/s320/P1010290+%5B1600x1200%5D.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">It doesn’t end there. On the third day of training we got word that the government had approved our training. This means interpreters passing the course will be able to get an ‘A’ Level certificate with the government. The ‘A’ level is the first qualification with ‘C’ being the highest available. At least 3 of our first batch are already at ‘C’ level standard or above. ASLI is working on getting higher level qualifications as both interpreters and Deaf people recognise this is not yet enough. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">Most ‘A’ and ‘B’ level courses offered consist of ISL teaching only and little interpreter training. Although our students can only get the ‘A’ certification at the moment, we have given them a grounding in ethics, more coping strategies for when they are in high pressure situations, information on how to better work with Deaf people and a chance to practice in a safe environment. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">Along with the news of certification came funding to carry out an additional five courses making ten in total with the VSO funding. ASLI will now be able to create up to another 130 interpreters in this programme of training that will looks to continue long after I have left India. ASLI also has the potential now to build on the first using evaluation programmes and further courses taking ‘A’ level interpreters through to ‘B’ then ‘C’. The ultimate aim is getting higher level courses in place and jobs for interpreters. India’s interpreting profession is still going through its first baby steps and like a proud parent (or rather participatory cousin) I am happy to be here to experience it along side everyone. </span></div>Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17998051011790025094noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484708058085812960.post-81036117560475766032010-08-19T22:13:00.000+05:302010-08-19T22:13:52.821+05:30Cleaned Out<div style="text-align: justify;">One plus of living in India is having hired help. You feel slightly embarrassed you’re paying someone the equivalent of £15 a month to clean every morning but you obviously get used to it surprisingly quickly. It’s a relief to have help as Delhi’s dust gets everywhere. Surfaces have to be wiped and floors swept and mopped daily or everything gets covered in a layer of brown.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Our allowances don’t cover luxuries but for me a cleaner is a necessity that gives me more time to relax, exercise and keep in touch with home. I like to go with the old argument that you are contributing to the local economy and spreading moolah around. One friend here has a huge house shared by 5 adults, 3 children and requires around five hired help, each with specific tasks, from drivers to maids to cooks. In these larger households, each domestic aide has their specific duties and they operate to a clear pecking order. That’s a creation of one job per adult. Our landlady tells us it’s harder to get the staff these days. They want more money, they know they can get more and they take long periods of leave to visit their families back home in the rural areas of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Orissa to name but a few of the poorer states. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Our old cleaner was a cheeky 25 year old man-child. We thought he was about 17 until he said he had a wife and child. Trips to the bathroom meant you weren’t following him round the house. He would then miss out on the sweeping and wash the dirt round the floor instead. On the days he finished in 20 minutes flat you knew he had skipped on a few chores. The landlady would tell us we had to be firm with him and follow him around. They had known him since he was a teenager and use to work for them in Uttar Pradesh. Apparently since moving to Delhi he had been mixing with other cleaners and was no longer the obedient boy they once knew. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We’ve had a new cleaner for a month or so now. She is an older lady who chats away to me in Hindi that I only vaguely understand. She knows I don’t as I have a random vocabulary and little grammar. My responses when I do understand tend to be of the two word variety. Still she chats away and I love her for it. It’s much better than moody version one. We even giggle when she can’t get doors open as she is so slight. Mostly there seems to be a mutual respect that was woefully absent with the last light-fingered cleaner. He used to pick things up and look lovingly at them until told off and once it looked like he was trying to pinch a cell phone. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">With our new cleaner it’s very simple. She cleans, we pay her. If she wants time off she gets it. I do my best to understand and shake my head apologetically when I don’t. If she needs something, she’ll say. After months of struggling with the other one it’s a relief that we have a cleaner who fulfils their part of the bargain and we are once again supporting a small part of the local economy.<br />
</div>Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17998051011790025094noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484708058085812960.post-21826711122486426742010-08-15T17:34:00.003+05:302010-08-17T19:50:44.472+05:30A Million Dollar Success<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CJennifer%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CJennifer%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CJennifer%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><style>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjK5LGmb-CCOloCDpVjhQClC9h1bEHBXCeRVp1AOgjCVcoQ4ahsFWTqVuC8ovg7fg3TDpfngBEkWZdmOuGGv8WxF2454mDS4q7dbtL0we_pBwd4zVwdniDxn4i7WGkqiBAEnWaM7faZ4z/s1600/_MG_9242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjK5LGmb-CCOloCDpVjhQClC9h1bEHBXCeRVp1AOgjCVcoQ4ahsFWTqVuC8ovg7fg3TDpfngBEkWZdmOuGGv8WxF2454mDS4q7dbtL0we_pBwd4zVwdniDxn4i7WGkqiBAEnWaM7faZ4z/s320/_MG_9242.JPG" /></a></div><span lang="EN-GB">You may have seen my <a href="http://www.twitter.com/jenpenwen">Twitter</a> or Facebook updates already in which case you’d know: I have had a pretty damn good week. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">The main aims of my <a href="http://www.vso.org.uk/">VSO</a> placement was to set up interpreter training and deliver this in a few cities across India. The other was to develop the Indian Association of Sign Language Interpreters (ASLI) and the interpreting profession in general. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">For the last three months I have had my head down creating the training which we start delivering tomorrow to our master trainers in Delhi. They’ll be a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_outlying_territories_by_total_area">few more dates round the country</a> including Kolkata in West Bengal and Coimbatour in Tamil Nadu. One pressing issue was to get the training certified. I wrote my first government proposal a few months back. This was delivered in person as <a href="http://www.deafinindia.blogspot.com/">Arun</a> and I went to meet the ministry concerned. We explained the course had the highest content of interpreter training that India had seen so far. Many courses have so far concentrated on ISL skills. I had word on Wednesday that the training should be confirmed next week as receiving accreditation which means interpreters passing the <a href="http://www.signasli.org/">ASLI </a>course will be eligible to register with the government. There is still much work to do on registration and standards but this is an incredible first step to improvements in the current system. This was this week’s first bit of good news.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">The second came on Saturday morning. Followers of this blog will have seen an <a href="http://jendoesdelhi.blogspot.com/2010/07/indian-sign-language-academy-work.html">update at the end of July</a> concerning work being done for the <a href="http://deafinindia.blogspot.com/2010/07/isl-institute-being-taken-seriously.html">proposed ISL academy</a>. I stated then that the proposals I helped to develop were well received by other organisations and the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. Since then there have been a few meetings of the new advisory committee and budgets were firmed up. There was an all day meeting that Arun attended. On Saturday he phoned: the centre has been awarded 80 Crore ($20 million dollars).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqs0eo4ZcZB0xGwVW6KODQMN5vmkFNtDtQiP_w6wvaa3oiHJKMqCN-tNSrvgKkTsR7BMIbZFeRr2wqPfvLLAoT4C6urr8av5LJcurpqN1NWU34YP_oWBWeTh0-2fzHJEYPKkQvxAPq4THs/s1600/DSC_0601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqs0eo4ZcZB0xGwVW6KODQMN5vmkFNtDtQiP_w6wvaa3oiHJKMqCN-tNSrvgKkTsR7BMIbZFeRr2wqPfvLLAoT4C6urr8av5LJcurpqN1NWU34YP_oWBWeTh0-2fzHJEYPKkQvxAPq4THs/s320/DSC_0601.JPG" /></a></div><span lang="EN-GB">This will mean the centre houses one of the biggest Sign Language Linguistics departments in the world. There will be research and training on bilingual education for Deaf children. In a country where very <a href="http://www.nadindia.org/Articles/Education/NAD-ConsultationDeaf.html">few teachers of the Deaf</a> have any knowledge of ISL this is an incredibly important step. There will be funds to encourage ISL poetry and film production. There will be research and training of sign language interpreting. There will be more employment of Deaf people. The icing on the cake everyone is hoping for is that ISL becomes the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_India#Official_languages%20%20">19th official language of India</a>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">I am so proud to have been involved in this project and to have made an impact. For anyone that thought I was on a jolly and didn’t want to donate to VSO, you may do so now by <a href="http://www.justgiving.com/jendoesdelhi">clicking here</a>! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">It’s no rest for me though. There’s the Delhi course next week for 15 new interpreter trainers. In between the Kolkata and Coimbatour courses, I have a few weeks to complete my next big job. I will be writing another proposal for the government on providing interpreters nationally. We’re talking about a service for anywhere between 4 – 10 million Deaf people. As the census has never had a separate category for Deaf people, nobody knows exactly how many people are Deaf and use Sign Language. Those that are need access to medical, legal and financial appointments. School, college and university students need interpreters. The courts and police stations need to be able to call on interpreters at a moment’s notice. With scant provision now, mostly through Deaf organisations, there is no information with which to start. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB">After </span><span lang="EN-GB">consultations and research </span><span lang="EN-GB">I’ll need to work out the logistics of setting up interpreter provision in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_outlying_territories_by_total_area">a country 14 times the size of the UK</a>. I’m finishing up at the end of November and it’s going to be a busy few months. Watch this space. Soon there'll be reports of another million dollar success!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17998051011790025094noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484708058085812960.post-40939373598850035312010-08-12T17:27:00.001+05:302010-08-17T19:49:02.804+05:30Blogpost for VSO: My Story So Far<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEJVOgUi9uuEJKxLKdBrcw3QTfiO7BsHsSUedtVl2jQIBUvWyy17UKaRaclC3P8Qm3BqPrrGbZKe6yG0nItXi9nwjIMX89k8I4sA2QV87f_3H_G-p3Ampjv2Dx45eIuFpWuQ443VlGQ6jE/s1600/_MG_9284+%5B1600x1200%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEJVOgUi9uuEJKxLKdBrcw3QTfiO7BsHsSUedtVl2jQIBUvWyy17UKaRaclC3P8Qm3BqPrrGbZKe6yG0nItXi9nwjIMX89k8I4sA2QV87f_3H_G-p3Ampjv2Dx45eIuFpWuQ443VlGQ6jE/s320/_MG_9284+%5B1600x1200%5D.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So I've been at it again: blogging for others, this time for <a href="http://www.vso.org.uk/">VSO</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">They asked me to write of my experience so far. Now it's been a whopping 9 months it was a good chance to reflect and summarise the work I have been doing and what I am expecting of my remaining few months.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was great having the VSO UK media team visiting. We had lots of fun taking pics with staff and as it was my first day back from holidays it was a nice way to ease myself back into work and being back in India.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">You can see some more pics and read the VSO blogpost summarising my antics <a href="http://blogs.vso.org.uk/?p=134">here</a>. </div>Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17998051011790025094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484708058085812960.post-49713014982554341002010-08-08T00:44:00.002+05:302010-08-17T19:47:21.144+05:30The Good Life – Urban Vs Rural<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CJennifer%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CJennifer%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CJennifer%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link> <m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent><style>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_aUuPFJBja39Xl81CWqzXjTsQPOFxDS0kbaEDJtHvYCPD4GVnhnho9fiSXJ0_Q0eD0CnpAvNdvVbIJe5JXBSBOuj_xZDwW-GkDfKbrdZBcPakdIyYGJrlh9PCkO6OwUsF4siTPo_xGKVP/s1600/P1100559.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_aUuPFJBja39Xl81CWqzXjTsQPOFxDS0kbaEDJtHvYCPD4GVnhnho9fiSXJ0_Q0eD0CnpAvNdvVbIJe5JXBSBOuj_xZDwW-GkDfKbrdZBcPakdIyYGJrlh9PCkO6OwUsF4siTPo_xGKVP/s320/P1100559.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">It was off to the farmland scrubs of <a href="http://www.rajasthantourism.gov.in/">Rajasthan</a> last weekend where I visited a <a href="http://indianbells.blogspot.com/">friend in her VSO placement</a>. We’ve often compared placements. She is living with a family in a village of around a thousand people. The family run the NGO, <a href="http://www.gvnml.org/">GVNML</a> and she lives with them tucked away in a small part of a beautiful house, barely leaving the compound to venture out for weeks at a time. The surrounding houses are made of mud and most people don’t have a toilet. She’s so well integrated the family treat her as one of them. One of her ‘sisters’ pointed at the field on the outskirts of the village and told me that was the public toilet. She explained people don’t want toilets in their small houses especially when it is so hot. Now I know why there are <a href="http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=34369&Cr=mdg&Cr1">more mobiles in India than places to do your morning ablutions</a>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">By contrast I am in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delhi">Delhi, India’s second biggest city</a> and do things like go to the cinema and sing karaoke. The downsides I’ve documented well such as the heat, dust, chaos and the staring. I have access to everything if I want it but my £5 daily allowance doesn’t cover it. Equivalent prices in GBP: a small block of imported cheddar £5, marmite £4, cinema visit £4, cheapish night out with beer £10. These treats are paid for out of savings as the allowance tends to go on locally available food and ever increasing auto costs – well the <a href="http://www.cwgdelhi2010.org/">Commonwealth Games</a> are approaching you know. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGDAUrfUV88QgyRlMlmNZBvurKab5uoWbbI9vT5pFf9bzhM8x0I5IrTu2qaEXAhwlEcW_j9vUHsQkMsvL-OtpsDfaakxRIaCWA1wXr4GmrWe3eIKbNtuMtagU-rrysD0JzxeyuOK7gOSXC/s1600/P1020992.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGDAUrfUV88QgyRlMlmNZBvurKab5uoWbbI9vT5pFf9bzhM8x0I5IrTu2qaEXAhwlEcW_j9vUHsQkMsvL-OtpsDfaakxRIaCWA1wXr4GmrWe3eIKbNtuMtagU-rrysD0JzxeyuOK7gOSXC/s320/P1020992.JPG" /></a><span lang="EN-GB">How lovely it was to escape to the countryside and visit the family’s farm. Looking out at the green fields, fresh from the best monsoon in 10 years, previously drought-struck Rajasthan looked beautiful. From the back of the tractor it was green as far as the eye could see. I almost got agoraphobia. The nearest I get to lush greenery are the few small parks that I run around trying desperately to get some exercise. This involves dodging mums with babies in strollers talking into mobiles about <a href="http://www1.setindia.com/ii/">Indian Idol</a>, older women replete in saris with bright white trainers sticking out at the bottom. There’s usually a 50 something gentleman doing his morning yoga, clearing his throat and hacking something up as I make my way past. Occasionally someone burps, usually incredibly loudly. Luckily I’ve come to find most of these random bodily noises amusing. It’s a kind of acceptance necessary for sanity. Even at <a href="http://www.youtube.com/jenpenwen#p/u/0/NxUX_Tjsyog">7am the parks are full </a>resulting in a lack of peace, a lack of space or clean fresh air. It can drive you mad and there are times I long for the English countryside, a long hike through fields followed by a glass of red and a Sunday pub lunch. My horse riding lessons in the UK seem like a distant memory.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">Out in the sticks you’re more likely to learn a language too as in Delhi people see you coming and speak English. My roti man greets me with a daily ‘Guten Morgen’ even though I’ve told him I’m British three times. It’s all swings and roundabouts here, there's good with the bad, you take the rough with the smooth. It’s India’s extremes. I’d personally find it hard going rural for more than a couple of months so it’s lucky my placement was city based. I take my hat off to all those working hard in their rural placements, having seen firsthand how challenging it can be. They get to see the other side of the country, live closer with people and understand the poverty that affects so many of the rural communities. Being in the centre of things though makes my work more effective in terms of campaigning government and organising events such as interpreter training. I get the city benefits on the side. Dilli’s foibles may drive me mad on an off day but give me karaoke and beer any time; I’m a confirmed city-wallah. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZP8_JnIMzU">YouTube Channel Clip - Rotis in Rajasthan</a> (eating breakfast with the family)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></div>Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17998051011790025094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484708058085812960.post-87959742062668733372010-07-26T20:48:00.006+05:302010-07-26T21:20:19.673+05:30The Indian Sign Language Academy - A Work Update<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4s8KhGCFvzjGxaATfjiaR5SMgRX8_0HpPcyE_2e4iHiSgwRdnHNM6ZI22YGSuEGy9j1jnFWPlwTqKSAU5Ru6wBrC1ghbJqZEGV41WljSaEpJ-nebEuI8U8EATQRZyvQDkVEUbGHgUXPU/s1600/Deaf_Way_India_RHW-Jaipur_LG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4s8KhGCFvzjGxaATfjiaR5SMgRX8_0HpPcyE_2e4iHiSgwRdnHNM6ZI22YGSuEGy9j1jnFWPlwTqKSAU5Ru6wBrC1ghbJqZEGV41WljSaEpJ-nebEuI8U8EATQRZyvQDkVEUbGHgUXPU/s320/Deaf_Way_India_RHW-Jaipur_LG.jpg" /></a></div>Back in February the Finance Minister announced in his budget funding for a Sign Language academy. The Deaf Way Foundation Director, Arun C. Rao, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1244590871">wrote a blog post</a> and detailed his delight alongside his concerns that the Deaf community would not have effective participation in decisions as to how the academy would be run.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
Here’s some background: India has over 500 schools for the Deaf, only two of which use Sign Language. The trend is very much towards the oral, <a href="http://library.gallaudet.edu/Library/Deaf_Research_Help/Frequently_Asked_Questions_%28FAQs%29/Cultural_Social_Medical/Audism.html">audist</a> approach of teaching and is therefore not successful. The government provides this schooling up to class eight. With the bare minimum for any employment worth considering a pass at the 10th class with any decent job requesting a class 12 minimum standard, Deaf people have been left behind for years. The academy should push forward the agenda of <a href="http://deafness.about.com/cs/communication/a/bilingual.htm">bilingualism</a> and create Sign Language modules for the B.Ed. programme that teachers of the Deaf must take before being let off their leashes in the classroom. In short, teachers have been, for years, teaching in a language the children do not understand.<br />
<br />
Interpreter provision is sketchy at best, non-existent at its worst. Interpreters are mostly provided by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-governmental_organization">NGOs </a>such as Deaf Way and ad hoc interpreting done by bilingual family and friends. Deaf people complain that the interpreters trained by the government organisation are unintelligible and the classes mostly teach Deaf studies and basic sign language. Deaf Way will be delivering the first of five courses in August directly to those already working and skilled giving them quality teaching on ethics, interpreting theory and practical ways of improving and supporting themselves after the course.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
The centre will ultimately give Indian Sign Language (ISL) the due it deserves and if successful in its current proposed form, the centre could be the biggest Sign Language Research centre in the world. The Indian government has the chance to bring forward ISL and the efforts of the Deaf community into line and even become a global leader in Sign Language linguistics.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
One thing that surprises me is ISL has no real body of literature yet. There are no Deaf film producers, actors, poets, writers or presenters here as there are in the UK. The academy will encourage the Deaf community to be creative and will catalogue the results showcasing them at film festivals and other celebrations of the language.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
In all the belated and important work being proposed what I am working on is just a start. The interpreter training is the main task, alongside side providing interpreter support and consultation for the <a href="http://www.nadindia.org/">National Association for the Deaf (NAD)</a> in creating their government proposal for the academy. These proposals have been circulated within the Deaf community and consultations have proved fruitful. I was working on the proposals with NAD right up until I left for my holiday to ensure all feedback was included and the budgets were feasible. It gives me great pleasure to read <a href="http://deafinindia.blogspot.com/2010/07/isl-institute-being-taken-seriously.html">another one of Arun’s posts</a> and see the NAD proposals are being well received by those in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. It looks like Deaf people and ISL will finally get the recognition they deserve. </div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17998051011790025094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484708058085812960.post-32576734054130627762010-07-21T21:07:00.001+05:302010-07-22T14:44:35.208+05:30Single, White, Female<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CJennifer%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CJennifer%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CJennifer%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><style>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvw2Jx-RycFvFNmRL216qOSNTnYODZgj9Z16qLijByk0H5jmIAroKPYeI5CSPE-XKuzk6SVcNiMyrd4fCjuGBt65VA2NYsbHVn25LEWK3-ylaZS6bHPnd1kVMffNTVjgzHxEzDRr03rlq_/s1600/P1090998.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvw2Jx-RycFvFNmRL216qOSNTnYODZgj9Z16qLijByk0H5jmIAroKPYeI5CSPE-XKuzk6SVcNiMyrd4fCjuGBt65VA2NYsbHVn25LEWK3-ylaZS6bHPnd1kVMffNTVjgzHxEzDRr03rlq_/s320/P1090998.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Solo?</div><div class="MsoNormal">Yes solo.</div><div class="MsoNormal">Just one?</div><div class="MsoNormal">Yes just one.</div><div class="MsoNormal">No man?</div><div class="MsoNormal">No man.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">On average I had this conversation twice a day whilst away in Malaysia. It’s not like this isn’t part of daily life in India though:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Shaadi? </div><div class="MsoNormal">No, not married.</div><div class="MsoNormal">Bachche?</div><div class="MsoNormal">No. No children.</div><div class="MsoNormal">Where are your family?</div><div class="MsoNormal">UK.</div><div class="MsoNormal">You don’t miss them?</div><div class="MsoNormal">Yes I do.</div><div class="MsoNormal">No husband?</div><div class="MsoNormal">Noooo.</div><div class="MsoNormal">How old are you?</div><div class="MsoNormal">37 (Cue short intake of breath).</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">By Indian standards I’m a bit odd. By UK standards I’m a bit of an anomaly but less so and actually who cares? Thing is, judging by the amount of books written about lone female travellers I really thought I wasn’t that different. But you travel round or live anywhere for a while in Asia and you’ll notice you’re still a rarity. One man even asked before I started a jungle trek if I wasn’t scared I’d get lost. Travelling is bad enough, but what are the stereotypes and cultural pressures in India as a single female? </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I’ve had chats with friends who say everyone they know is in a love marriage or that they aren’t being pressurised into an arranged marriage. But then they are the lucky ones. However strong the social pressure is to be married with kids in the UK, here it is far worse. Many more women report pressure from parents, endless meetings with potential partners and <a href="http://www.shaadi.com/">Shaadi.com</a>, I kid you not, is pretty popular. Some have secret boyfriends whom they wish to marry but their parents won’t let them as they are in different strata of society. Men too face pressure from eager parents keen to fulfil their social obligations. The topic of sex is taboo. Because of this certain parks are known as lovers’ make out places and the abortion rate is on the increase. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgizcoT4wg2pTgT9MhrsticDv37mRQwFDFSE9_Oi85d_-sXrtWL-6SdCWvdByZ9PE2u0v7qLei5oL4Qi5cwFtljQa3E8vh7JLY6As9wnTqjbwcDLl_J_v-TtfqQQuu-nBZrF4-h5V5X6N/s1600/14_5_2005_child+marriage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgizcoT4wg2pTgT9MhrsticDv37mRQwFDFSE9_Oi85d_-sXrtWL-6SdCWvdByZ9PE2u0v7qLei5oL4Qi5cwFtljQa3E8vh7JLY6As9wnTqjbwcDLl_J_v-TtfqQQuu-nBZrF4-h5V5X6N/s320/14_5_2005_child+marriage.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">This is Delhi. It’s the capital city and conservative compared to Mumbai. But those who are approaching their 30s that have the strength, social position or freedom to rebel do so. Parents may insist on arranged marriages but the lucky ones are allowed their choices. Elsewhere those from more moderate backgrounds or more rural areas are under more pressure. <a href="http://sanhati.com/excerpted/2207/">Child marriage</a>, before the age of 18, is well documented and prevalent in rural communities. Kids as young as 11 are paired off and girls are often pregnant with their first child by 12 or 13. Once married there may be other issues. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dowry_death">Dowry torture</a>, where a wife’s new family may try to kill off the bride so the husband can remarry and bring a new dowry to the family is often in the news. Less reported are false accusations that can damage a husband’s family and its reputation.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Many of these social problems stem from an ingrained culture of boys having more value than girls in society. This causes <a href="http://www.gendercide.org/case_infanticide.html">female infanticide</a> where female foetuses are unwanted and therefore aborted. In the case of child marriage a lack of women causes communities to want to get the girls and marry off their offspring early. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Whether in the city or rural, male or female, the stereotypes and cultural pressure exist. I’m no expert on these issues and they run much deeper than what I have stated here. Still, anyone can clearly see the effects old prejudices have on today’s society. It may not be easy being in your 30s, single and living with India’s slow cultural change but as a <a href="http://www.wordnik.com/words/gori">gori</a> I get it easy.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Pic from: <a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_14-5-2005_pg1_8%20">Daily Times</a> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17998051011790025094noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484708058085812960.post-18756579114113925442010-07-20T20:33:00.001+05:302010-07-21T12:33:51.576+05:30India Vs The Rest of the World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuGXivYVep8mA44wWNKzwDUHCEb3Rz1bumBNznt__vH4m9QcYV2-WdAwvKkRVbD_ub7_1ZdeRdpPynIYI_6OjxESnAiCJZRU3Lh1gC2p9-wwlhvSkIVj0G27AAhDdiACrVJ0IMX6AhyJC9/s1600/P1020886.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuGXivYVep8mA44wWNKzwDUHCEb3Rz1bumBNznt__vH4m9QcYV2-WdAwvKkRVbD_ub7_1ZdeRdpPynIYI_6OjxESnAiCJZRU3Lh1gC2p9-wwlhvSkIVj0G27AAhDdiACrVJ0IMX6AhyJC9/s320/P1020886.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I took my credit card, a budget from my savings and for my birthday did what I always do: took off somewhere tropical to do some diving. Indian and Sri Lankan dive sites are currently out of season so it was off to Malaysia – home to <a href="http://www.scuba-junkie.com/diving/sipadan/">Pulau Sipadan</a> in Borneo, one of the <a href="http://www.scubatravel.co.uk/topdives.html">top ten dive sites in the world</a>. En route and on my return I went to KL, Kota Kinabalu, Semporna, Sepilok, Penang and back to KL to take in some sights, Orangutans and some tasty food. I had a list made for me of must eats from another volunteer so steadily worked my way through Malaysia's famous dishes such as <a href="http://www.pulau-pangkor.com/malaysian-food-laksa.html">Laksa</a> and <a href="http://rasamalaysia.com/beef-rendang-recipe-rendang-daging/">Rendang</a>. I also met up with two ex-VSO volunteers in Penang who regaled me with tales of life post VSO and took me out for some delicious <a href="http://nyonyaperanakan.com/">Baba Nyonya</a> food.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">On my first trip out of India in eight months I found that I’d forgotten what the rest of the world was like. I’ve seen enough of India to know it is at least five countries rolled into one. The colder, mountainous North of the <a href="http://www.explore-himalaya.com/himalaya_geography.php">Himalayan belt</a> has its Tibetan influences. The richer South has the tourists’ havens of <a href="http://www.keralatourism.org/">Kerala</a> and <a href="https://www.goa.gov.in/portalweb/login/index.jsp">Goa</a> alongside Orissa and Chennai where the local women wear every colour of sari as long as it’s bright. There are the more isolated, troubled yet beautiful Eastern states of <a href="http://www.assamtourism.org/">Assam</a> and around. The West contains the ports of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gujarat">Gujurat</a> and cities such as <a href="http://www.mumbai.org.uk/">Mumbai</a> that have played an important part in India’s economic development. The varied central states from <a href="http://www.rajasthantourism.gov.in/">Rajasthan</a> to Delhi to <a href="http://www.westbengal.gov.in/">West Bengal</a> are characterised by a dry heat and plenty of religious places: <a href="http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhistworld/bodgaya.htm">Bodhgaya</a> the birthplace of Buddhism and Hindu mecca <a href="http://jendoesdelhi.blogspot.com/2010/04/easter-in-varanasi-bodies-bulls-and.html">Varanasi</a> on the Ganges. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">No matter its different forms, India is still unmistakably India. It’s bewildering, confusing, noisy and altogether different. So what does the rest of the world have that India doesn’t? Malaysia was a welcome reminder. Public toilets (men don’t piss on the street here), pavements (India has them but people use them to park bikes and scooters), people that don’t stare (they wave and say hello), transport is easier to navigate and on time (I got stranded once in a town at 4.30am as the night bus was early) and a huge mix of people from the influx of immigrants. Malaysia has a high Indian and Chinese population, extant for up to four generations. In reality, they are not afforded the same rights as Malays and this is causing unrest and mass migration. KL also had skyscrapers. Delhi buildings are rarely over six stories so for the first time since leaving built-up London I walked around looking skywards.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwjjGUT1-hzeOFt5D_LVbYqT7ibOvwlONNmtTgaLEjzEWLSbnVHsn1FD4dHx63kN7MHGRKbRO1wnO6TKleGkYM0FctHOqEAj7o9AEzia_ibpvwm6OY68L5DFe_Ezzx1nHLOYM1YFQOWVHP/s1600/P1020839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwjjGUT1-hzeOFt5D_LVbYqT7ibOvwlONNmtTgaLEjzEWLSbnVHsn1FD4dHx63kN7MHGRKbRO1wnO6TKleGkYM0FctHOqEAj7o9AEzia_ibpvwm6OY68L5DFe_Ezzx1nHLOYM1YFQOWVHP/s320/P1020839.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Despite all this, after 10 or so days I may have missed India. Just a little bit, but don’t tell anyone. A country so diverse from within it doesn’t suffer culturally or otherwise from a lack of immigrants. The food is obviously great. I avoided all the Indian dhabas in Malaysia in preference of pretty much anything with beef or seafood. Now I am back it is tasty, flavourful masala doused dishes all the way. It’s not that there is animosity here. You just need to work harder to meet people before being rewarded with their excellent hospitality. I’m taking my work colleague up on that offer of a roti making lesson as soon as I see her. Why do I need to marvel at the mosques of Malaysia or if I was in Europe, churches? Here I can see mandirs, gurdwaras, mosques, churches and Buddhist and Jain temples in every neighbourhood. Most stalls or shops even have their own shrines with incense burning away inside. My Saturday morning trips to replenish stocks are always interesting. And there is a reason the world loves <a href="http://jendoesdelhi.blogspot.com/2010/01/bollywood-aquafresh-on-acid.html">Bollywood</a>. It’s brilliant. One Malaysian taxi driver was singing songs to me on the way to the airpoirt. I declined his marriage proposal but that’s another story. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">For all its confusion, India will never be boring. Even after eight months I still find it exciting, wonderful, intriguing and colourful. I could carry on with a whole host of adjectives but I think you get the picture: I still quite like it here.</div>Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17998051011790025094noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484708058085812960.post-26655685799578079152010-06-28T12:41:00.001+05:302010-06-28T12:42:23.181+05:30Cleared out by The Games<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CJennifer%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CJennifer%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CJennifer%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><style>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkk8zwZ-pmZZxFQm7Jr5o4If0ipUvOYDvJhVOuMJmOJ1mJWcwlhKdJVSxR0_YZZ6FinrpF6MXCafesp3sDcU4AftXlFvNmfFATd8lXcfFzoWrO7NJDTbGUPy0kd9mTkHDktUiRYYvXTc-U/s1600/36374_1520456857298_1410846536_1430659_5489827_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkk8zwZ-pmZZxFQm7Jr5o4If0ipUvOYDvJhVOuMJmOJ1mJWcwlhKdJVSxR0_YZZ6FinrpF6MXCafesp3sDcU4AftXlFvNmfFATd8lXcfFzoWrO7NJDTbGUPy0kd9mTkHDktUiRYYvXTc-U/s320/36374_1520456857298_1410846536_1430659_5489827_n.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">With the <a href="http://www.cwgdelhi2010.org/">Commonwealth Games</a> only 98 days away there have been reports that the government is up to no good again. In the year leading up to the Games they have been arresting beggars and clearing slums. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">A <a href="http://www.zeenews.com/news588328.html">reported 52%</a> of people living in Delhi reside in slums. ‘Reside’ is a bad word, ‘survive’ would be better. You can see people washing from a bucket outside, cooking on basic gas stoves and eeking out an existence threading flowers into garlands for temple goers. At more than half of the cities’ population of 15 million, that’s a shocking amount of people living in conditions like this. Often slums are right by the roadside and clearly visible to any passers-by. There has been a few that were allowed to stay in place and screening such as fences or trees were used. For the others, as an eye-sore and an embarrassment for India, the Delhi Development Authority and other departments have been at work.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn3oHwen4nUvNRa2O2JlkncS2UMeUz7gsj5ObC-AowkDGf9GEFyT7h2XvDwQhsqfYVI326YXSIxrHsqmDQqXgB-0-86vs71uEbJz3i57RccH-NnY9nJAm2Dp3JU6vPksPNBF01ZXWrWknX/s1600/slum+clearance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn3oHwen4nUvNRa2O2JlkncS2UMeUz7gsj5ObC-AowkDGf9GEFyT7h2XvDwQhsqfYVI326YXSIxrHsqmDQqXgB-0-86vs71uEbJz3i57RccH-NnY9nJAm2Dp3JU6vPksPNBF01ZXWrWknX/s320/slum+clearance.jpg" /></a>It is well-reported that beggars have been arrested and put in jail without trial until after October when they may be released. <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/08/delhi-commonwealth-games-beggars-police">Beggars’ jails</a> are in existence here which are called homes for beggars but in reality they are mini prisons housed next to the bigger prisons. With so many beggars to be tried there have been some initiatives such as a beggars’ court where beggars are tried in a mobile van before being and carted off to the ‘home’.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Recently, <a href="http://michaelrosenkrantz.blogspot.com/">Mike Rosenkrantz</a>, another VSO volunteer, received a text from someone in the slums near the <a href="http://www.isidelhi.org.in/">Indian Social Institute (ISI)</a> where VSO holds its orientation training. He found out that slum clearances were going on here. If you want to see the area before it got bull-dozed it features on one of my <a href="http://www.youtube.com/jenpenwen#p/u/16/jrChraZVk2U">You Tube videos</a> from November 2009.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We walked past these people every day. They looked at us as we walked by and we smiled and laughed with the children all the while getting a glimpse of the side of India that isn’t shining. Now their semi-permanent brick-made shelters are gone and families are homeless once more. Finding out why the government has cleared this particular area, which is not visible from the main road, is unbelievable. These people were displaced as apparently Delhi needed more parking for the Games. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17998051011790025094noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484708058085812960.post-23636340132130330252010-06-23T11:29:00.002+05:302010-06-23T11:37:53.990+05:30Manali and Mountains<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CJennifer%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:RelyOnVML/> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CJennifer%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CJennifer%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvpFb4XZbC37X74zpk72mEuda-itQCKPdv2jfcfZU7LTVI8mcdcPtSJP4A1hO4O8Axk16ZBMgMkcIH_scm9FPlBaU9oKGCFUYcKp49WD0L3cURjP2aTnSVKtS5KPnZL-1Q9exwNMFxMUxD/s1600/P1020743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvpFb4XZbC37X74zpk72mEuda-itQCKPdv2jfcfZU7LTVI8mcdcPtSJP4A1hO4O8Axk16ZBMgMkcIH_scm9FPlBaU9oKGCFUYcKp49WD0L3cURjP2aTnSVKtS5KPnZL-1Q9exwNMFxMUxD/s320/P1020743.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">After a 16 hour bus journey another volunteer and I arrived in <a href="http://hptdc.nic.in/cir0203.htm">Manali</a> in the region of Himachel Pradesh. How great it was to get away to the cool of the mountains for the weekend. Warm enough for T-shirts in the day and cool enough for jeans and fleeces in the evenings. It was a revelation compared to the current 40 plus heat. Yesterday here it hit 50 plus on someone’s thermometer. The AC at home struggled to cool down my flat. I wasn’t sure if it was even on at one point. In Manali it rained a bit every day and it was a welcome experience. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Welcomed by the usual touts and auto drivers fresh off the bus we made it past the hordes until we got a reasonable price and headed into Old Manali. Past new Manali we went up the hill into the world of the backpacker, aging hippy and dried out volunteers. Signs outside cafes screamed banana pancakes, nutella croissants and coffee. All of which must be consumed sitting outside with an air of smugness and a world weary look on ones face. My own smugness tends to come in at the point where I hear someone bragging about their travels and I think, well I live and work here so probably best not to come over here with your stories.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPjl0xnS2BuHW9VEtsVFB9OOAGsJGGViWVQ74WywKjuWA81LTNJmnrQ8606DZFTYzq9jGeD6TNf2NB6jGjYwXiEla85C0V5vdn9LrovgFPeDqbhbkGQRsSLA6xotmZv6LCsnuaZ5H3BQco/s1600/P1020770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPjl0xnS2BuHW9VEtsVFB9OOAGsJGGViWVQ74WywKjuWA81LTNJmnrQ8606DZFTYzq9jGeD6TNf2NB6jGjYwXiEla85C0V5vdn9LrovgFPeDqbhbkGQRsSLA6xotmZv6LCsnuaZ5H3BQco/s320/P1020770.JPG" /></a>We escaped the tourist merry-go-round of cheap massages and pedicures and fortune-telling by heading to the mountains the next day for a three day trek. We chose an easy option which is lucky when being in the Delhi heat means exercise is irregular and usually short-lived. We were rewarded by green foothills and colourful villages. Sleeping in a tent, fed on dahl and roti, listening to the sound of the River Beas was pretty amazing. Another three hour trek the next day rewarded us with a camp site 3000m up on the side of Patalsu mountain surrounded by the other snow-capped peaks. Lolling around in the sunshine all afternoon, reading, chatting to passing trekkers and playing with Terry the dog who had abandoned the trekker he was with in favour of our tent. He proceeded to sleep in our tent porch all night and accompanied us on the trek until he got distracted by some cows and another group of trekkers. Our cooks and porters did us proud feeding us with unlimited chai and three course meals. The only problem was finding a suitable place to go to the toilet as the trees were a bit far away. I was slightly embarrassed to be caught peeing on the side of the mountain by an American trekker and his four year old son but the chance I’ll ever see them again is remote!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Our final day involved another three hour trek followed by another four hours to get back down the mountain. The day after, we headed to Manali main town on sore legs for some retail therapy. Blankets, a variety of wool products and Yak’s wool shawls have been obtained and are waiting for the next Delhi winter or my return to the UK depending on where I’ll be in December. The main part of Manali was full of Indian tourists so we were able to get some Indian food at a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhaba">Dhaba</a>. We managed to avoid the hawkers selling fake Ray-bans and men purveying the pinkest radioactive looking candy floss I’ve ever seen.<span> </span><span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We had to put up with a broken down bus on the way back and a replacement bus with no AC but got a 400 rupee refund when we got into Delhi sweating 17 hours later. The whole thing was brilliant and the chance for a break away couldn’t have come quick enough. Work as well as the weather has really hotted up with government proposals and training to be worked on. The opportunity to get away and enjoy some UK-like weather came at a good time and has meant a renewed sense of enthusiasm on my return. Now I need to plan my next trip away!<span> </span><span> </span></div>Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17998051011790025094noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484708058085812960.post-9909114010186349432010-06-08T17:00:00.000+05:302010-06-08T17:00:38.599+05:30Wot choo looking at?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjca5-gbNkQBxFkGOewivbgA-df00LHdW_KzBaIZBB8lNWYGml5Z8KHAYwii-oTV3jYoQulsogJD8wiovRrjoFiQpzhaVuGR2eB_8vIkUj9L5MVFIij3ePtl5eXb3B707-6WwPQTfwZwTNr/s1600/billion27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjca5-gbNkQBxFkGOewivbgA-df00LHdW_KzBaIZBB8lNWYGml5Z8KHAYwii-oTV3jYoQulsogJD8wiovRrjoFiQpzhaVuGR2eB_8vIkUj9L5MVFIij3ePtl5eXb3B707-6WwPQTfwZwTNr/s400/billion27.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>So I’m more used to the auto drivers now. I even have a bit of a laugh with them when negotiating in Hindi. I still occasionally jump when car horns toot but mostly not. There are things to do for fun and places to relax. I’m settled and happy. <br />
<br />
So why does the staring get to me sometimes? It’s like there is no one around who isn’t Indian other than me. And it’s not just men, its women too. Even when I’m going to work and my clothes are more Indian, it doesn’t make a difference.<br />
<br />
Granted sometimes you can tell that the person staring may not be a Dilliwallah and could be from a rural village. You see everyone comes to Delhi to work. That’s why some sleep on the side of the street. Construction workers often build tent-like homes from bricks on a spare bit of pavement. You see whole families cooking, washing and living their lives side-by-side with the traffic. <br />
<br />
So what gives me the right to get wound up? On the rare day that it does now I have a little chat to myself and think...ladyee, you are rich in comparison. Just deal with it. <br />
<br />
Pic from http://blogs.sacbee.com/photos/2010/04/indias-national-census.html Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17998051011790025094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484708058085812960.post-23818616942768322072010-05-31T10:26:00.000+05:302010-05-31T10:26:36.807+05:30Lingua Franca<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CJennifer%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CJennifer%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CJennifer%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><style>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgurLomEiCjHB3_vFBONRxxeBkBP8iOgqZrUhEAQnXjVvQimJLrr1MtlEIeTrzzM7XU-ce-I0SO5lRJeRXND0iyWbt0uhofuq6fhhz_lmDjneg6xXPISYSeo1SvuV60u-VETpmDvAk-M-90/s1600/hindi+alphabets.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgurLomEiCjHB3_vFBONRxxeBkBP8iOgqZrUhEAQnXjVvQimJLrr1MtlEIeTrzzM7XU-ce-I0SO5lRJeRXND0iyWbt0uhofuq6fhhz_lmDjneg6xXPISYSeo1SvuV60u-VETpmDvAk-M-90/s320/hindi+alphabets.gif" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Learning two languages has been a challenge and one fraught with usual faux pas. In Hindi if you don’t roll your R enough in Kurta (shirt) it sounds like kutta (dog) and everyone giggles. I mostly use Hindi for auto drivers and vegetable shopping so I find that it hasn’t developed as much as I’d have liked though at times I sound quite good.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The other language I’ve been learning is Indian Sign Language (ISL) and it is one of the languages of my work here. In the UK we use British Sign Language (BSL) and I’m fluent. It’s a common myth that there is a universal sign language. Pretty much every country has its own sign language due to communities developing their own just like spoken languages developed. Sign Languages have been researched by linguists as early as the 1960s and proven to be full languages in their own right. As many different sign languages have similar grammatical features once you learn the vocabulary of another sign language it can become much simpler. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But there are still complications. As one of my first encounters with ISL was an international sign linguistics conference in Delhi I met many Deaf people from around the country. Trying to learn a new sign language is a bit difficult when you’re meeting people using five different dialects of ISL from as far apart as Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. Also some Deaf people prefer using the American finger spelling system. In Delhi they mostly use an alphabet similar to the British system. Finger spelling is used for spelling anything that doesn’t have a sign or does but you just don’t know it! It’s more complicated than that but I won’t go into that here. I find it gets interesting when people fingerspell Hindi words to me. Luckily these tend to be about food so I’ve obviously learnt all those words. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidi6-xFUQLIxJy2EqI5BMqaiadWWeBk-xRDHrVmVjMhnrKsWEGIkRnxRs89FA6d8KzPImJ6bNJ2miDrU4LIFyTEv4B2hJ4bmmMAdJIQBy9Idv75OrJiIOfCEevU_D5C68rer18tYxp1Gxi/s1600/HP+womens+fest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidi6-xFUQLIxJy2EqI5BMqaiadWWeBk-xRDHrVmVjMhnrKsWEGIkRnxRs89FA6d8KzPImJ6bNJ2miDrU4LIFyTEv4B2hJ4bmmMAdJIQBy9Idv75OrJiIOfCEevU_D5C68rer18tYxp1Gxi/s320/HP+womens+fest.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">It was really hard at first trying to remember to stick to very visual elements of the language and to pick up the Indian signs along the way. Sometimes I have to work hard to decode the language if I don’t know what the subject is. Once I know the context it’s much easier and I just get it. I find myself wishing I could just sit around the office chatting to the Deaf staff and students but it’s a mix of Deaf, hearing interpreters and sadly, laptop time as work must be done. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The hardest things to learn are the real cultural signs that have been adopted into ISL. Many of these are slight head nods or certain movements of the hands. Some of these signs are used by hearing people on the street gesturing to each other that something isn’t possible or when they are agreeing to something. But it’s great when it all fits in and I love it when I sign in ISL without coding from the BSL first. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">And just like Hindi I’ve had a faux pas in ISL. In my first month I asked a Deaf member of staff what the sign for toilet was. I spelt it out and asked for the sign. I wondered if it was appropriate but thought that’s an important sign to learn and I really wanted to find one at the time. He held out his first two fingers palm facing upwards and pulled them back. Not many people use toilet paper here which is why eating with your left hand is taboo. So in my naivety and surprise I thought the sign was a graphic description of what Indian people do in the bathroom. Anyway a month or so later whilst chatting with staff over lunch about travel arrangements I realised what the man thought I had spelt: ticket. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Here’s some info is you want to know more about Sign Languages:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.wfdeaf.org/pdf/fact_signlanguage.pdf%20">World Federation of the Deaf – Factsheet on Sign Language</a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.wfdeaf.org/pdf/fact_signlanguage.pdf"><br />
</a><a href="http://www.deafsigns.org/">Learn Indian Sign Language</a><o:p></o:p><cite><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></cite></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.deafsigns.org/"><br />
</a><cite><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></cite></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCXAUATESfE">UCL Mini-lecture: The truth about sign language</a><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCXAUATESfE"></a> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.ucl.ac.uk/lhl/lhlpub_autumn2009/11_241109">UCL Video - A visual people and a visual language</a><b><o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.ucl.ac.uk/lhl/lhlpub_autumn2009/11_241109"><br />
</a> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Pics:</div><div class="MsoNormal">Hindi Alphabet from <a href="http://sites.google.com/site/hindispekingtree/Home/hindi-language/hindi-alphabet">Google Sites</a></div><div class="MsoNormal">International Women's Day from <a href="http://www.thedeafway.org/">The Deaf Way Foundation</a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://sites.google.com/site/hindispekingtree/Home/hindi-language/hindi-alphabet"><br />
</a></div>Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17998051011790025094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484708058085812960.post-20478960823103201152010-05-28T15:16:00.002+05:302010-05-28T15:17:51.723+05:30Video Killed the Radio Star<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeCwtC3Qz7JiNuDX7XGVTrobEmhyphenhyphenyDSjJJQ-iJKFiOqNZSBVV_LCyjZoNMfsyV_AFP8hOW1q5Cf_54RgLYaGtnPBpTCDTpJK3hc5qq9VU2sOHMqahq5r0VgORN0LfsC2iS0E6-4n1ZlcIH/s1600/jen+recording.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeCwtC3Qz7JiNuDX7XGVTrobEmhyphenhyphenyDSjJJQ-iJKFiOqNZSBVV_LCyjZoNMfsyV_AFP8hOW1q5Cf_54RgLYaGtnPBpTCDTpJK3hc5qq9VU2sOHMqahq5r0VgORN0LfsC2iS0E6-4n1ZlcIH/s200/jen+recording.jpg" width="200" /></a>Not content with my own You Tube channel: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/jenpenwen">www.youtube.com/jenpenwen</a><br />
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I've got in on VSO-UK's. See the clip of a few volunteers talking about why we love it and why you should volunteer too: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/vsomediauk#p/a/u/0/lkCBX8lhTFk">www.youtube.com/user/vsomediauk#p/a/u/0/lkCBX8lhTFk</a> <br />
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Another clip on my channel to come soon: Staff leaving lunch in the office. I'm subtitling in three languages again so it always takes a while.Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17998051011790025094noreply@blogger.com0