Final Thoughts on GRAAM Project

Though my time in India is not yet over, I am now formally done with the program. As I look back on my experience this past summer, I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to come to India. I have had a lot of different experiences during my time in India, from the cultural activities such as the trips to my academic and work experiences. I know that this summer has been an experience that I will never forget.

I feel privileged to have gotten the chance to work with GRAAM. The people there are working on a lot of different projects and I really saw that they were really invested in the outcomes of all of their projects. I am glad that I got to contribute to the work that they are doing on the NREGA and people with disabilities in India. The NREGA study contains a heavy emphasis on advocacy, which means that the goal for the project is to bring about positive change in the current NREGA situation.

I will be remaining in India for 4 weeks, during this time; I hope to finalize the documents that I have been working on for GRAAM. I also hope that I can remain engaged in the project and provide any assistance that I can. The work that I have done with GRAAM has helped me to further understand the importance of the study that GRAAM is undertaking. It is clear to me from the various literatures that I have reviewed that the issues facing people with disabilities in relation to the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act have not been well studied. I hope that this pilot study can help to start a dialogue about the issues affects the participation of people with disabilities in the NREGA.

A Bus Trip Around Hyderabad

I had the opportunity to travel around the city of Hyderabad with a person with a disability to experience first-hand the experiences that the person had talked about in their interview with me.  I am so thankful that SERP arranged this and for the individual I traveled with for agreeing to show me the city and taking time out of her day to do so

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First, we met at a location about 20 minutes away from the SERP office by vehicle.  We met at a major bus stop that was quite big and had a lot of people waiting.  I was a little intimidated by the sheer number of people waiting to get on buses, but luckily the person I was riding with was a great guide.

The first bus we rode on was the standard (high-floor) bus.  For me, just getting on was terrifying.  The bus doesn’t really stop, it just slows down and people are pushing and grabbing at each other to get on.  I wasn’t prepared for that, so I felt lucky just to be able to make it onto the bus to start the day.  The bus ride lasted for about 20 minutes and we arrived at another popular bus stop.

The next bus we took was a new, low-floor bus, that I have been examining as part of my project.  It was a much nicer bus and was easier for everyone to board because it was much lower to the ground.  Even though there are still accessibility issues with it, the low-floor bus makes many improvements in accessibility for passengers.

Finally, I got to cross a busy highway with the individual I was traveling with.  I got this experience because the bus stop and her workplace are separated by about .25 miles and a major road, so I got to experience what life with public transportation is like.   It was terrifying for me to cross that major road, but it really gave me a good understanding of the location of the bus stop.

I'm so glad I got to have this experience because it really helped me add insight to my project, and it's something I will remember for a long time to come.

SVYM Course Field Trip

Coffee Plantation, Elephant Camp, and Golden Temple. To the casual observer, it might seem unlikely that these three things would be listed together, but then this person obviously has never been to India.  As we set off for our trip early in the morning, we were all looking forward to the long but exciting day ahead. 

The first stop of the day was the Coffee Plantation, which was located in a rain forest like region of Mysore District, very unlike the urbanized Mysore from which we had departed. From an ILR perspective, the trip was informative because we got to learn about how the agricultural sector within India was being affected by the changes in the larger Indian labor market and also learn about the ways in which gender played a role in the division of labor on the Plantation.  We were treated to fresh bananas, coconuts, and oranges while we learned about various aspects of the Plantation’s operations. After that we took turns riding on what we came to affectionately call the “roller coaster,” as we stood on back of a flatbed and got to see more of the plantation as well as the living quarters of some of the staff at the farm. 

Following that and lunch, we departed for the Elephant Camp which was reached via a short riverboat ride. The highlight of this part of the day was being able get up close to the fully-grown elephants, some thing that we all knew we would never have been able to do in the United States. Some of the braver students took turn feeding the elephants bananas and also receiving blessings from the elephants. The trip served to reinforce our understanding variety of roles that elephants in the Indian culture.

The last place that we visited was the Golden Place, which is Buddhist Tibetan temple in the Mysore District of Karnataka.  Walking into the temple, we were greeted by three gigantic Buddha statues. The scale of the temple and its elaborate decoration really gave a sense of the importance that the Temple has to the Tibetan community of India.

Overall, the day’s activities were highly memorable and though they were varied location, they all helped to give me a better understanding of the diverse range of lived experiences that exist within India.

interview #1

Part of my project is to conduct interviews with persons with disabilities to report on the barriers that the lack of accessibility of public transportation.

 I got to do my first interview on Friday! I was really excited to be able to meet with the individual and have a conversation about the barriers to transportation that she faces every day...  her stories were really fascinating.

One really shocking thing that I learned that people with disabilities are often refused a drivers license by the DMV staff.   It shows the importance of public transportation in the lives of so many people here in Hyderabad.

I also might have the opportunity to travel with her on public transportation to see first-had her experiences with it, which I think will just make my final report even better!
It felt great to be able to complete my first interview; I learned so much from being able to interact with her.  The interview went really well, and I'm looking forward to completing many more with other individuals.

Getting into Rhythm: Week Number Two in Hyderabad

A range of emotions stirs within me as I write this post. It is now the halfway point of my internship experience with the Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP). This week was filled with deeper investigations into my project and spending more time assimilating into the Hyderbadi life—the culture that makes this city standout in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Slowly but surely, I’m finding ways to make sure that I take in a holistic understanding of the community around me.

Now in the second week, I am really falling into a daily routine: wake up by 9:30pm for breakfast of tea with bread and jam (the customary idli with sambar and peanut-tasting chutney was too rich and heavy for me to be hungry enough to eat another hearty meal by lunchtime);

spend 30 minutes reading the Deccan Chronicle and the Times of India—catching up on local, state, federal and global news; then jump right into the tasks for the assignment, continuing from the day before.

 My project involves analyzing the practices of the US and other countries in regards to vocational rehabilitation and employment placement programs. Without a formalized system for assessing people with disabilities and placing them into employment opportunities, SERP is searching for a way to create an effective and efficient program. Thus, I have been researching existing tools and programs, particularly in the US, on how to evaluate and assess the abilities of people with disabilities. From this information, I will next work on developing a streamlined program to implement in SERP’s efforts to assist people with disabilities and those in rural communities.

 It has been a great experience working independently on the assigned projects--from developing research questions, to searching for credible sources and information across the globe, to analyzing and developing further questions to follow up with our coordinators at SERP. I have really enjoyed this process and it has been great to see myself grow into being capable of taking on self-directed work, being accountable with myself and with the organization directors on my progress.

With only two weeks left, I work with an enthusiastic fervor to make the most of my time here in Hyderabad and in my work with SERP.

Overview of our first week in Hyderabad

Teresa and I have now been in Hyderabad for two weeks, working with the Society for the Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) in their disability department. 

Teresa’s project involves analyzing the employment and skills assessment program for SERP. She will be creating a tool that will streamline the evaluation of persons with disabilities for potential careers.

 

My project is to interview persons with disabilities in regards to lack of accessible public transportation. I will then compile findings from the interviews into an essay that SERP can use to advocate to the government to have more accessible public transportation. 

 

 

In addition to working hard at our projects, we have been able to see a lot of the city. Hyderabad is really vibrant, and we’ve had a lot of fun exploring. 

 

We went to the Charminar on Saturday, which is an icon of the city. We climbed all the way to the top, which offered wonderful views of the greater Hyderabad area.

We also went to Laad Bazaar, which is a really old bazaar in the heart of the city. Hyderabad is the city of bangles and pearls, so we had a lot of fun picking out pearl bangles!

We’re having a great time here in Hyderabad and are very excited about our projects. It’s hard to believe that we only have two weeks left! 

Photos of our time in Mysore

Here are some photos from the first two weeks; we took classes at SVYM in Mysore, Karnataka and were able to see some of the local temples and monuments.

Namaste!

For the past 2 weeks, Teresa and I have been taking Hindi so we will be able to communicate with people in Hyderabad.  We have been learning basic phrases and useful things to know, like directions, foods, and simple phrases.

A few days ago, we gave our Hindi teacher a list of words and phrases we wanted to learn to prepare for our specific projects at SERP. The list included things like "what education have you received?" "what transportation do you use?" and "is it accessible?".

One of the most important phrases we asked her for was "person with a disability." Around the world there are different ways of saying it.  In the U.S., we prefer the people-first language.  We learned during the pre-departure course that in South Africa they prefer "disabled person" for other reasoning.

Here in India, the term they use translates to "person blessed with special abilities."  I think that it is such a great phrase and a really good way to look at it.  While there are a lot of obstacles that people with disabilities have to overcome, I look forward to understanding how that phrase reflects the culture towards disabilities.

Finally, I would like to thank EDI for organizing our Hindi class so quickly.  We really appreciate your support!

           

Past Week

The last couple of days have been really busy and productive. The classes that we have been taking have given us good insights into various aspects of Indian culture and society. We have also been introduced to the local language of Karnataka, Kannada, it has been rewarding and challenging to try and learn the language. 

I also recently met with Arun and Mr. Basvaraju, my project director, to finalize what my tasks would be for the summer. My work with GRAAM will focus on the implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREG), which intersects well with discussions that we have had in our classes at VIIS. Before my project officially begins, I will be reviewing some articles regarding the NREGA, so that I can hit the ground running.

One highlights of the past week was the dinner that was hosted by one of our professors Mr. Purshotam, who is a labor lawyer in India. At the dinner, I presented him with a book about the Finger Lakes, which all of us had signed. I will also be working with Mr. Purshotam as an intern to learn more about Indian Labor Law after the conclusion of the GSL program.

Tour of Mysore

Saturday we got a fantastic tour of the greater Mysore area.  The area is full of rich history and monuments-- everywhere I look there is another teple or shrine.  We left at 8am, which was great because it was the perfect temperature outside then (around 75*).  Looking out my window and from the drive here from Bangalore, I could not believe that Mysore is actually 1 million people.  However, when we went out today, there were people everywhere.  Everywhere I look there are people in shops, in homes, walking down the street—it’s really neat to see.

Our first stop was Chamundi Hill.  This hill is on the outskirts of Mysore.  On the top of this hill there is a shrine to the Goddess of Mysore.  It is customary to pay repsects to the god of the town when you go to a new place, so that is what we did today.  At the temple, there were many shops and people walking around selling things.

  It was extremely crowded, as Saturday is a popular time for people to visit the Goddess’s temple.  We had to take our shoes off to go inside (this is true for any Hindu temple) and that was not too bad.  We had to wait about 15 minutes to make it into the temple.  There are monkeys outside of the temple, and they were jumping around and scaring us.  

Inside, there was lots of religious men with holy candles and water, where you were supposed to wave the flame towards you and drink the water (we didn’t—we just watched).  The actual shrine was a little gold statue of the goddess.  We couldn’t get very close to it because it was roped off, and pictures weren’t allowed.

The outside of the temple

After Chamundi Hill, we stopped on the side of the hill to take pictures of Mysore.  It was a fantastic view, because you can see all of Mysore from the hill.

Then, we went to an old Catholic church.  It looks fairly similar to those in Europe or older churches in America.  There was beautiful stain glass inside.  The remarkable thing about the church was that all of the holy figures are depicted wearing traditional Indian attire.  For example, Mary is dressed in a Sari.  There were also many people there who were Hindi and Muslim.  We were told that people of all faiths like to go there to meditate, which really shows India's acceptance of many different religions.

Mary with a Sari

After that, we went to Mysore Palace, one of the biggest and most ornate palaces in India.  The palace was absolutely amazing.  We were not allowed to take pictures inside, but it was absolutely amazing.  It was so ornate and colorful. There were rooms made entirely of gold.  Many of the rooms were absolutely huge and they were all very symmetrical.  I’ve been in several castles in Europe, but this was by far the most amazing place I have ever seen.  I hope to visit again while I’m here.

The founder of SVYM knows the director of the palace, so we were able to go into special rooms that are normally not available for public use.  For example, we got to go see a room full of all the swords the family had owned.  There were all sorts of blades, including those covered in precious jewels or carved with ivory.  Another room we got to go into contained all of the animals the kings had hunted in taxidermy form.  It was full of exotic animals, lots of lions, rhinos, cheetahs, bison, elephants, giraffes, and more.  We were able to walk around the room and sit on stools made from elephant feet.  Because we were with the director, we were also able to go past the barricades to get really close the exhibits, and skip all of the lines. 

The day, while full, was absolutely amazing.  Mysore is such a vibrant place with rich history.  Mysore Palace was one of the most incredible man-made places that I have ever seen. 

India: The Journey Begins

Just arrived at Bangalore Airport!

At last, we have arrived!!! After a long journey of over 20 hours, we have finally arrived in Mysore, India where we will be staying for the next two weeks. We took a nice bus ride from the Bangalore airport to Mysore, where we got to see the local people, culture, and scenery. After a semester of preparation, it is so surreal to believe that we are actually here. All our hopes, expectations, and excitement about this opportunity come into fruition as we unpack our bags and begin our orientation process here. As we continue to take in all the sights, sounds, and activities around us, we will make sure to keep you updated on our reflections on this amazing service-learning experience.

Two weeks until India!

Two weeks from today, Jeffrey, Katie, and I will board our planes to leave the U.S. for India. As part of both the ILR Global Service-Learning program and the EDI disability focused program, we have spent the past semester taking two courses in which we learned, analyzed, and discussed the social, economic, and disability context of India, as well as various characteristics of true global service-learning. With only two weeks left, the three of us our immersed in finishing our final exams, packing to leave Cornell, and trying to contain our excitement of working with local organizations in India to increase the rights and opportunities for people with disabilities.