There are many beautiful things about India, and one of those things is the huge amount of curiosity.
Just as I am here, curious about India and its traditions and people, many Indians, unable to get out of their situation are just as interested in me as I am in them. They sit next to me and ask me questions, make gestures towards me, ask me to be in a photo with them. I am a novelty, just as they are a novelty. The people of India have a wealth of knowledge, just in different areas of life.
The people of India have opened a door for me - they welcome me into their lives. Everyday, they show me what they know, and the world they see, the world that they are a part of.
They show me through their eyes the things they know.
My academic upbringing did not teach me about the world. I heard about poverty. I heard about mafias. I read about poor living conditions. I saw pictures of disfigurements, and examined articles on sanitation.
I did not know suffering until I got to India.
All of the SIP students - we are all here for different reasons.
I have examined as many people as possible (all that I have met that can communicate with me) about the mentality of India's people, their corrupt government, and traditional ideals - I am here to learn about Indian society, in all aspects, and help where help is needed and wanted.
Upon discussing Indian society as well as other issues with other SIP students (whom are interested but not as intent as I am), I realized yesterday that they might be tired of hearing me ask questions regarding the reasoning behind the complex Indian lifestyle, so I rolled my eyes with the off-hand comment (but not really, I'm being serious, I really do want to know. It is a fascinating, horrible, loaded question.) "Oh, how to solve the world's problems. Where to start."
One girl looked me from across the train -
'Why do you want to save the world? There are so many problems. I can't take on that many, I have my own."
She is a problem.
It is people like her that are walking around remote regions as well as vastly populated regions of India, other developing countries, or even places that with their eyes closed, refusing to see that this world is huge and connected and there are people in need everywhere. We all have the time to help others, if they ask for our help.
This girl became a novelty for a minute for me. I pulled a shameless India stare and just looked at her - I'm fairly certain my eyeballs were bulging out of my head.
I had just given gum to a little boy, tried to indicate the trash should go in dust bin, and watched him throw it out the window, saying "This place is my dust bin."
And then she tells me that she can't worry about other people because she has her own issues.
Well
Someone tell me
Who the hell doesn't?
We had just seen a brilliant display of the Indian mindset and lifestyle- here was a prime example. A filthy, curious, smiling child on a train by himself - he was asking me (in Telegu) my name and "reading" my text message, eating a fried chili pepper and then gesturing towards me for money and food, which I gave to him only to find him throwing the trash out the train window.
I can only determine this as a lack of... morals and respect.
I do not claim to know the inner workings and beliefs behind the religions of India and the East and therefore I do not know the true morals of the people of India, but I do believe that there are vital aspects to living on the earth. Surely somewhere in their beliefs there are guidelines to being a world citizen... right? Hinduism, Buddhism - enlightenment and understanding the world through an accepting and peaceful self, through peaceful eyes... right?
What is it?
Is it the lack of education? That can't be right - public education is guaranteed through high school. Are people just not going? Why not? How did life get so bad here that nobody can find any way to support themselves and allow children to become educated?
On that note, where did all the people come from?
Where did any of it come from?
Is it the lack of communication? The oppressive culture? The amazingly liberal yet incredibly demanding and restrictive religious beliefs? Is it good ole' tradition, passed down from generation to generation? Is it life by example?
Has there always been such a lack of... care?
India is such a free-for-all. This makes it appealing to many, mostly foreigners in well developed and static lives.
In India, you can become a brand new person, and it is usually a choice.
In India, for many natives, life often depends on the goodness of visiters.
The other day, I was given some strange advice: Only give to those who are disabled. If they aren't missing a leg, an eye, a hand - they can work for themselves.
I do not agree with this advice.
I was also told to never give money to children - they have often been drugged or were sold into a form of slavery where they have to beg for money to "pay" back what was paid for them.
Even as that breaks my heart, I wonder where that comes from. Where (why, when, how) did someone determine that the best way to make money is at the expense of other people's well being?
But I do believe that many people can often make their future. You can determine who you want to be.
Society only holds you in as much as you allow it. Otherwise, there are always ways around the system.
I have always been a firm believer of thinking for yourself. Do not just accept the conditions in which you live, where you come from, the ideals you grow up with. One should always challenge societal beliefs and norms. This is not to cause discourse within a society, but to prompt questions and change where needed. Discourse with change is inevitable.
The tough part - how do you determine what is right for everyone?
You don't. The world is what you make it. Guidelines are necessary, until it is time for change again. And change, like they always say, is inevitable.
So what is it?
Are these the images and ideals of a culture moving, changing from a conservative to liberal society?
Where (when, how, why) did India gather its lack of concern? Does nobody want to find a way to better their world here in India? What is their concept of a liberal, free society? What is the eventual goal of India?
Why is life this hard?
Even those with money do nothing, from what I can tell.
The Commonwealth games are coming next October to Delhi.
Delhi has a lot of money on the way.
Delhi is getting a new metro system.
Upon investigation, Delhi is not getting homeless shelters, animal shelters, literacy associations, and afterschool programs. No roads are being improved and Delhi is not creating jobs. Some jobs have been created by the building of the metro system, yes. But with all of the money coming in, many more jobs should be created.
These are some of the issues I am confronting in India.
I am not a tourist here. I will be here for 4 months. I am a citizen. I have signed the residency papers.
Just as the people of India have so much to tell me and so much that I can learn, I can help them learn, too. I have the ability and resources to spread knowledge of the thousands of possibilities the world offers. I can't give them those possibilities, as much as I want to just hand them education, food, shelter, comfort, hope and money, I can't. I can only help them understand and determine themselves, for themselves, if they let me.
I hope that one day, little boys won't throw trash out the window. I hope that one day, people will become curious about their lifestyle, their beliefs, their systems and attempt to improve them. I hope one day, hopefully through my help, little boys will respect themselves, their environment, and their fellow world citizens.
I don't know where to start.
But that is my hope for India.
My hope for me is that I always understand I can't make the world better because of my own notions of "better."
