Signed, Sealed, Delivered

The package has been delivered. 

Two teachers came to my room after lunch to help carry down the materials and when they saw everything on the floor they gasped and commented on how much stuff there was, but then were silent.  On the way to the classrooms I watched the teachers as they marched with two bags each over their shoulders like Tibetan Santa Clauses.  As we opened each bag and spread everything out the teachers were still a bit reserved making it hard to read whether or not the supplies I requested were useful or not.  We methodically sorted materials according to the needs of the students and teachers and made five piles: sensory class, 3 other classes, and physiotherapy room.

Finally when all the piles had been made according to classroom and teacher they thanked me (YOU) over and over and over again verbally and with expression and kept saying to especially, “Please tell your mother we love her and tell your father to ship you back to us soon in one of those FedEx boxes.”  I told them that wasn’t a bad idea and I’ll definitely try to make it happen.  After explaining that coworkers in special education had donated as well, they were so pleased, especially when explaining that Tyler had actually created by hand laminated rupees for a token economy system!  The teacher that opened this said, “Did any of the other teachers request these?” to which I said, “Not yet” and she responded jokingly with, “Well that means they’re all mine.”  Lastly I explained that SP Foundation (a respite care company in Orem, UT) had taken individuals with severe disabilities to stores all over town to find items on the list and that they actually picked and purchased supplies for Karuna Home.  It was clear by their expressions that this was so special to the teachers, and even to me as I said it out loud.  People with disabilities helped send supplies to other people with disabilities in another part of the world. 

Later the students came in and helped carry supplies to the different classrooms and they were all starry-eyed and excited.  One student clapped repetitively for about 15 minutes while giggling, while others put their hands in a praying position and said “Thank you, thank you.” 

During this experience I felt awfully guilty about being the only person to witness the teachers’ and students’ gratitude and as we sorted each item I thought of the person/people who took the time and effort to get it into that dang box to come to India and I was overcome with love for all of you.  I hope all those who have supported the Karuna Home and my time here know how I am daily overcome with love for you and would crumble without your support.  Or at least I’d be half as successful and double as lonely and unfulfilled. 

Thank you.

hampi

"the states"

My time in India is dwindling rapidly, which makes me feel totally out of sorts. The research has constantly been in motion, as I work closely with my informants daily in their classrooms and teacher trainings.  Even informal conversations and (participant) observations add rich information to my research.  Being involved in cultural programs and festivities gave me a whole other perspective on certain aspects of my research as well.  That’s enough about that, the point is time is running out, but the research is still going strong!  It will be exciting to better organize and analyze my data upon return to the states. 

I hate that I’ve adopted the term “the states” when referring to my homeland.  I’ve never been more aware than now of the fact that I am an American and I have a home and family in “the states,” which is a distant unattainable place to so many people.  It’s been strange to be constantly confronted with and reminded of my “nationality” or even this cultural identity I would have denied having until now.  Depending on the conversation, person, or moment I feel different each time I can say “I am an American.”  Many times I feel embarrassed, other times proud, and overall I feel like my being an American Mormon from Orem, Utah has been something that is finally interesting.  Never again will it be interesting, but for 3 months in India it was. J  I am an American. 

My privileged upbringing and living conditions have never been so apparent to me.  I’m not saying I constantly think to myself while fumbling around in the rubble of a ruined city and uncivilized people, “Oh I’m so lucky I’m so lucky!!” because actually I absolutely don’t, probably because I am not fumbling around in anything except lush shrubbery maybe, or once I fell really hard on a path while running through the farms.  I don’t feel like anything is ruined or uncivilized, in fact I constantly think to myself that these people are “so lucky, so lucky” in ways that are far more significant than temporal matters.  In fact, I’ll be losing a lot when I return to the U.S.  Here there is a sense of community, peace, selflessness, and general happiness that only exists in small conditional networks in my life in Utah.  Something must be written though regarding the fact that I may have acquired the gratitude everyone said I would about my life in America.  It isn’t the warm showers, toilets that are toilets, big fluffy beds, pizza at Nicolitalia’s, pretzel M&Ms, shopping malls and fast food, cars, movie theaters (oh, my gosh, did I tell anyone about the movie theater in Mysore?!?!  THEY BROUGHT MY FOOD OUT TO ME ON A TRAY), or any other American luxuries that I’ve grown an added gratitude for.  It is my students.  It is my parents, family, friends, and teachers.  It’s the sound of voices of the people I love and the examples they are to me of good human beings.  It is also education: books, libraries, media, discussion, art, music, etc. And okay fine I really am very grateful for pretzel M&Ms.

We went to Hampi last week and spent all day every day just bumbling around ancient ruins and Hindu temples. 

To read more and see good pictures, check out my friends’ blogs: 

http://beauhilton.blogspot.com/

http://britaroundtheworld.blogspot.com

No use rewriting history.  What in the world does that even mean?!

The box from “the states” (ugh) came Saturday but I’m unable to distribute materials to the teachers and students until Wednesday because today was a holiday and tomorrow we’re going on an outing.  The box was jam packed with wonderful supplies that these children and staff may have never seen before.  When opening the box and searching through all the giant bags I just kept pulling out one good thing after another and grimacing like a little girl on Christmas.  I’m sure the materials will have the same effect on the teachers and students here because I was excited and I don’t even get to keep any of it!  A very warm loving thank you to my mother and father, my dear friends, and my coworkers.  You’re all such selfless, lovely people.

small little preview, more to come

Birthday Celebrations

The Golden temple on 7.7.12

Sitting on a cinderblock for the sake of preserving memories.

It was His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday on Friday, July 6^th.  After feeling a little melancholy over missing our American 4^th of July, this weekend was more than enough to make up for the loss. The celebrations were massive and dripping with cultural beauty unparalleled at any other cultural event I’ve attended.  It was actually my dream come true to sit right next to the stage two nights in a row with the Karuna children and staff through Tibetan dances, songs, and even Tibetan operas. 

            The first day, 6 July, we were at His Holiness’ palace in Camp 8 all day sitting cross-legged in fancy chubas with the sweet Karuna kids while watching performances of their native culture.  The slight 

Giving khata.

resemblance to Native American culture was quite interesting to me, and after this trip and especially after these performances I fear I’ll be partial to Tibetan culture for the rest of my life.  Several times I’ve turned to my roommate saying, “These people are the most beautiful people on the planet.  In every way.”  Maybe it’s a stage of culture shock, but I feel like I can no longer count on my fingers and toes the number of sincere acts of selfless, calm, peaceful kindness I’ve witness among the Tibetans.  A few times I’ve seen acts such as these and remarked, “In America, the receiver of this kindness would say in return, ‘Now how much kindness do I owe you?’”  Maybe not in America, but perhaps just my county culture, family culture, or maybe even myself! 

Anyway on His Holiness’ birthday we spent all day with my beloved Karuna people, and the evening was spent celebrating a teacher’s son’s birthday party at which he was swimming in those white scarves the Tibetans gave me on the day I arrived (khata) while sitting on a little stool accepting small gifts from friends and family.  After this we joined Rinpoche at yet another birthday celebration in Camp 8 at a cultural center that Rinpoche built for the camp.  Camp 8 is one of the poorest camps among the refugee settlements, so Rinpoche made a contribution by building a beautiful cultural center for the people to worship at. You know it’s work of Rinpoche and his wife because of the beautiful decorations, but straightaway you can tell because of the “Karuna pillars” that hold the construction up.  They are identical to the beautiful gray pillars holding up every roof and building at Karuna.  Well so we dined with Rinpoche at a front table overlooking the residents of the camp.  We were able to watch Rinpoche cut the cake for His Holiness and then place khata around a cutout picture of His Holiness above the cake.  When they brought us a piece of cake I whispered to Britney, “His Holiness is lookin’ out tonight.”  I was starving and the cakes along with the fabulous meal were pure gifts.

Dinner at Camp 8 with Rinpoche.

On 7 July, my roommate and I started out in India, I mean actually India: Kushalnagar.  It was dreadfully hot and we both dripped with sweat while we struggled up and down the streets in search of a massage parlor.  We miserably failed, but in the process ended up getting ice cream at least once (I, of course, stopped for another), seeing a dog with its brains falling out of the side of its head, and made good friends with an Indian rickshaw driver (who later that evening proposed to me) and two Tibetans from Nepal.  After Kushalnagar we went to the golden temple, and then to Sera, which are the most cherished couple of hours I have had since being here. 

Friends from Nepal!

Friends from Nepal 2.

 After strolling along Sera monastery and getting a few free rides around Sera Mey and Sera Jey (finally we seriously know there are 2 completely separate monasteries), we found ourselves in Sera Jey eating a meal free at cost with about a thousand other monks.  It was astounding to watch every person get fed a giant piece of sera bread, some vegetable-something-rather, mangos, and a juice box. I can recall at least four other times witnessing the Tibetans feeding tea, rice, and other food to groups of hundreds.  This first few times I thought with a smug impatient American look on my face, “Seriously?  Are they seriously trying to feed every single person here?”  After what seemed like only a few minutes, they successfully did just exactly that.  They indiscriminately fed every single person there!  The clean up wasn’t as successful as the feeding, but still!  The feeding happened. 

         

       

Feeding thousands at the palace.

Feeding thousands at Sera.

            At the Sera Jey monastery we saw performances again: Tibetan pop singers, yak dances, traditional Tibetan dances, and my personal favorite: the Karuna kids’ dances!! 

There are tears at every Karuna performance.  People love to see these students with special abilities show their devotion to the Dalai Lama’s cause, to the Tibetan cause.  I think they also love to see people with disabilities showing their different abilities.  Many have expressed shock at having seen how able the students at Karuna really are.  It’s inspiring for all those in the community, and all those out: me!!

Watching the show at the palace.

Sea of monks.

Yak dance at Sera Jey.

Watching the show at Sera.

            Before the show started, my roommate, Geshe La, and I were saving spots for the students at the front of the stage.  We sat there among a sea of red and yellow monks admiring the beauty of the event when finally I caught a glimpse of a familiar face: one of the Karuna teachers.  Following the teacher were several students, caretakers, and other teachers, all familiar faces that I love and realized I had missed even for just one day.  Seeing them happily march in to take their seats was like watching family arrive for a big Christmas party or family reunion.  In that slow motion moment of watching my Karuna family walk to their seats at Sera I discovered that these people are no longer my “trainees,” “teachers,” “students,” or “research participants,” they are my dear friends and family.  Leaving Karuna will be exciting, but miserable.  I also realized this summer will likely not be my last in India.

Tibetan Teacher Trainings and American Donations

Me & the nurse in our chupas.  This is what all the teachers wear to work daily. 

This week I had the privilege of training the special educators, which was a pure joy.  Training has consisted of (1) how to take proper data, (2) writing objectives, (3) managing problem behavior with positive behavioral supports, (4) teaching social skills, and (5) how to deliver direct instruction.  Many discussions regarding individual student issues ensued as well. It’s a real honor to train teachers at Karuna Home because they are so incredibly humble.  In fact, at the end of the second training the head special educator asked me to come to her class to observe.  No one ever asks for an observer!!  It was shocking.  I’ve been observing other classes instead of hers lately because I have already been in her class over 10 times and I thought I was harassing her.  But to my surprise, she asked where I’ve been and requested that I take notes on behaviors and instruction and disseminate the notes afterward.  She is just so incredibly humble, like most Tibetans I’ve met.  Working with human beings such as these has been inspiring.

Angels from home are assembling a giant package of items to donate to Karuna Home to reduce problem behavior and increase learning.  I made most of the list, but teachers slowly started adding to it requesting specific items.  When I tell the teachers, “A big package is coming for you!” they look so excited and express gratitude profusely. 


Well, so, thanks for donating you guys.  The kids will love it too.