Hi everyone! I've been in Mumbai for about a week now and it's been crazy! I left home on the 8th for orientation in D.C. and met up with all of the other YES students. I actually like orientations a lot because it really helps you get ready to live without your family. Of course, everytime someone asks me what I miss about home, I get a little teary-eyed but otherwise it's okay.
So while in D.C. we got to look around a bit, see the government part of the city and drive past the capital. We also got to meet the inbound YES abroad kids who were all very sweet. All of us got to talk to kids from our host countries except for the malayasia kids. With them, we visited the department of state (which is super strict and makes you take an escort to the bathroom) and the embassies (which were all very pretty). There was a talent show for all the kids as well, but specifically only Egypt and the Phillipines preformed. It was awesome!!! I especially liked the phillipines dance because there were two-three groups dancing at once and all of the costumes were matching (well same with Egypt but their's wasn't as colorful and diverse. Not that their wasn't interesting, I just like the phillipines one a lot). We had a nice dinner before we left for the airport and then we were off.
Because there has been a swine flu scare in India (well people are dying but seriously, you can treat it like any normal flu, I've been told), the embassy made us wear facemasks on the flight which was really awkward. People gave us all kinds of weird looks and anyone who has worn a facemask before can tell you how unfun it is. Basically, it's just like having a swamp around your mouth. Once we were beginning to land though in India, other people started putting on their masks too. We got through customs all right and were soon ff to our guesthouse in Delhi.
Now, mind you, it was the middle of the night plus swine flu, so I didn't experience the steriotypical "all the cabdrivers want you in their car". Also we already had a driver but that isn't the point. I was really thankful that didn't happen either. Oh, Delhi is much hotter than Mumbai, like painfuly hot even at night. Although I was only there for a while, I can say so.
Our orientation went well there and we met quite a few people, like Angela the chairperson of AFS India and the American ambassador to India (sorry I don't remember his name). In fact we met him in his sweaty running clothes which was kind of awkward but oh well. There were 3 Italian girls with us there as well and they were very nice. Finally, we were getting on the plane to Mumbai, Dushyant from AFS, Austin, and I. It was a noisy flight since two little boys sat in front of us and I made the mistake of amusing them with making silly faces. Plus one kept on poking Austin. Hmmm it wasn't very pleasant.
At the airport our host families came to pick us up and I finally met my family. They're very nice; I have a mom, dad, and two sisters. We live in this "posh" area called Powai in a large apartment complex and it is relatively quiet when compared to the other more populous areas. The apartment is very big, and has a balcony overlooking the lakes called talab (a view you can only get here). I have my own room that used to be my sisters but she is sleeping with the older one. You see, the older one goes to school in London so she's here for vacation. Once she goes back in October, we'll decide who will be in what room. Also, my host sisters speak in english a lot not so much hindi, while my parents do. They also wear more western clothes than the traditional types.
Around the house, I don't have to do any cleaning since we have three maids and a cook who comes everyday. They all speak in hindi so I can't understand what they're saying except for "Didi, chai lelo". There is a misconception about India that all of the women wear saris. In reality only the married ones wear saris usually. So I asked my sisters if the one maid who wears a sari is married and they said yes but her husband left her and she has a three-year-old daughter. This is kind of surprising huh?
But enough about my house, you must be wondering about the city. For one, it is huge! There are thousands of people in the streets all the time, plus cows, trucks, cars, taxis, rickshaws, goats, and dogs. Yes, it is quite common to see cows and goats in the cities, pulling carts and heating hay. Sometimes one is right next to your window. And the reason that people walk in the streets is that the sidewalks are so disgusting. Rarely do people walk on the sidewalks unless they are going into a store or a house. And with the dirty roads, everyone has shoes with higher soles, sandals, tennis shoes, everything.
The slums.... are everywhere, you cannot escape them. And I will be honest, for me, I am not bothered when I drive by. Being in India, you have to expect everything to be a bit more in your face: the colors, the religion, the poverty. I mean, the first full day I spent, we drove right past a huge slum. And what can you do? Nothing, atleast not at the moment. You might be thinking I'm heartless but it is true what I'm saying. At the moment you are in your car, you cannot do anything for those people except maybe buy whatever the're selling if you want it. And that is not very often. I can recognize the slums instantly, they're not hard to miss. Buildings of concrete and brick with openings covered with blue tarp and dirty clothes and wet clothing hanging over the railings. But at the moment, my heart doesn't ache and pain and make me want to cry when I see the small children running around with dirty hair.
Of course walking along the street is different. I dread the times when the small children tug on the clothing of someone next to me, asking for money. I feel awkward because giving money might support whoever has governship of them, their alcoholic fathers or slum lords. I was given the advice to buy them small treats but with my host mother shooing them away, that is hard to do. After my family changes in january I expect to see more of this since there are no beggars where I live right now (I can see a slum from my balcony but that isn't the same).
I only started school yesterday but I had to "bunk" today so that I could go to the foreigner registration office. But because our visas said Delhi, Dushyant has to get a letter and we have to go back tomorrow. And because school shut down because of swine flu, we have school that next 5 sturdays. So I'm missing two days of school. Not that I especially mind, it's just very tiring. I'm already behind the other students plus they're all geniuses anywa, so it will be difficult to catch up. Oh and yes, I do have to wear a uniform but it's fairly nice compared to others. It's just aa button-up short and skirt plus black shoes and you have to keep your hair tied. Some schools make you wear shirts, pinafores (dresses), and make you braid your hair and tie with ribbons. I sa some of those kids around today and I'm so glad to have my uniform be so simple.
Anyways that's all for now. Ganapati (or the festival of Ganesh) starts this Sunday so I'm very excited for that. I'll write again soon!
Friday, August 21, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Only one month left!!!
In one month I will be in India and I'm becoming more and more excited! I found out a while back that I'm going to be living in Mumbai and going to one of the most famous schools, Dhirubhai Ambani International School. The school is huge and has almost everything! It is an IB school and I will be in those classes (which means a lot of work). But all the same, it seems very fun and will open many doors for me.
In fact, the school sent me some information on it a few weeks back. It consisted of the school magazine (like a yearbook), the school diary, and it's Annual Day DVD. Each school in India has what is called an Annual Day which is like a big performance that the students put on for their parents. So, for example, DAIS's Annual Day had a storyline that took place years in the future with humans who returned to earth to see what it looked like. There they met some remaining humans who explained to them the past of what happened to earth and why there weren't many people, etc. plus important wars and drastic events in history. It was very interesting to watch.
So along with finding out my school, I've recieved information on my host families. That's right FAMILIES. ahahah Usually AFS students only have one host family but I get two, one for aug-dec and another for jan-june. I have sisters my same age in both families that go to my school and have been talking to them a lot, getting to know each other. We get along really well from what I can tell and I think we're going to have fun.
My first embarassing sort of situation came up a few days ago. I was talking to my host sister and she had mention getting a SIM card there in one of her messages. She mentioned it again during our the chat messages and so I said something along the lines of," So you guys have cell phones?" The reason why I thought teenagers might not is that India is a rather conservative, thirld word country, so wouldn't teenagers not have cellphones? But my host sister told me that since Mumbai is so big, they really do need them. Plus the cost of having one is so cheap, some people even have two numbers! I was really surprised! Although maybe I should've expected it since my school is very up-class so the people who send their kids there must be pretty wealthy as well....
Oh! As I mentioned before, I love bollywood. So I was excited to find out that some famous actors' kids go to my school! Of course, they're all under 5th grade but I thought that was pretty cool. Oh! And my first host sister loves movies as well so we're probably going to be hitting up the theatres a lot :D heehee But I promise that I will focus on my grades! I do need credits for my school here. I will try my best and battle IB! I tried before and lost so this is my chance to redeem myself (in my freshman year).
Although my host families are fluent in english, I hope that they can speak to me in hindi very, very often. I'm pretty sure that becoming fluent is one of YES's goals so always speaking in english would halt that process. But my host sister says it's easy to learn and use, so hopefully I'll pick it up quickly and use it a lot. Plus knowing another language is a great asset, you know?
I guess this isn't that important but one of my best friends just came back from her own AFS exchange to Italy. As a present, she gave me a whole journal full of tips and encouraging words for during my own exchange. Talking to another exchange student is always helpful, even if they went somewhere completely different. One thing that she said to me was especially interesting: "it's like jumping off a cliff and then looking back up to see someone else do the same thing." I laughed at the time, but I still know what she said is true. Living abroad without family is kind of like jumping off a cliff :]
So that's all for now. I still have to submit my visa but the processing should only take a week since I've been in contact with the U.S. consulate. My presentation is still in the works... ahaha anyways, wish me luck!
Annah
In fact, the school sent me some information on it a few weeks back. It consisted of the school magazine (like a yearbook), the school diary, and it's Annual Day DVD. Each school in India has what is called an Annual Day which is like a big performance that the students put on for their parents. So, for example, DAIS's Annual Day had a storyline that took place years in the future with humans who returned to earth to see what it looked like. There they met some remaining humans who explained to them the past of what happened to earth and why there weren't many people, etc. plus important wars and drastic events in history. It was very interesting to watch.
So along with finding out my school, I've recieved information on my host families. That's right FAMILIES. ahahah Usually AFS students only have one host family but I get two, one for aug-dec and another for jan-june. I have sisters my same age in both families that go to my school and have been talking to them a lot, getting to know each other. We get along really well from what I can tell and I think we're going to have fun.
My first embarassing sort of situation came up a few days ago. I was talking to my host sister and she had mention getting a SIM card there in one of her messages. She mentioned it again during our the chat messages and so I said something along the lines of," So you guys have cell phones?" The reason why I thought teenagers might not is that India is a rather conservative, thirld word country, so wouldn't teenagers not have cellphones? But my host sister told me that since Mumbai is so big, they really do need them. Plus the cost of having one is so cheap, some people even have two numbers! I was really surprised! Although maybe I should've expected it since my school is very up-class so the people who send their kids there must be pretty wealthy as well....
Oh! As I mentioned before, I love bollywood. So I was excited to find out that some famous actors' kids go to my school! Of course, they're all under 5th grade but I thought that was pretty cool. Oh! And my first host sister loves movies as well so we're probably going to be hitting up the theatres a lot :D heehee But I promise that I will focus on my grades! I do need credits for my school here. I will try my best and battle IB! I tried before and lost so this is my chance to redeem myself (in my freshman year).
Although my host families are fluent in english, I hope that they can speak to me in hindi very, very often. I'm pretty sure that becoming fluent is one of YES's goals so always speaking in english would halt that process. But my host sister says it's easy to learn and use, so hopefully I'll pick it up quickly and use it a lot. Plus knowing another language is a great asset, you know?
I guess this isn't that important but one of my best friends just came back from her own AFS exchange to Italy. As a present, she gave me a whole journal full of tips and encouraging words for during my own exchange. Talking to another exchange student is always helpful, even if they went somewhere completely different. One thing that she said to me was especially interesting: "it's like jumping off a cliff and then looking back up to see someone else do the same thing." I laughed at the time, but I still know what she said is true. Living abroad without family is kind of like jumping off a cliff :]
So that's all for now. I still have to submit my visa but the processing should only take a week since I've been in contact with the U.S. consulate. My presentation is still in the works... ahaha anyways, wish me luck!
Annah
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Getting Ready
I'm leaving for India in about two months. In response to any confusion, I did receive the full scholarship through YES Abroad to go to India for a year. This is a great honor as it was a very competitive process and I expect with each year it is granted to more US students, the more competitive it will get (to learn more about YES, go to http://www.yesprograms.org) .
Info on being a YES recipient:
As a YES student, I'm expected to attend a total of 5 conference calls, 2 of which have already happened. Each conference calls talks about different aspects of our exchange, what we should expect and what we are required to do. One of the conference calls is country specific so that the recipients of each country scholarship get a chance to talk to their peers and supervisors about being in that country. Along with me are four other recipients of the scholarship to India like all of the other countries (35 scholarships= 5 scholarships per country).
Along with this, like all exchange students, I have attended a Pre-Departure Orientation with AFS in my local chapter which is one day long (it is required!). AFS also provides a program called Culture Trek that YES supports us using in order to prepare for the exchange experience. These are very good programs read through and participate with. Although AFS and YES will not be checking up on our progress with these, it's a good idea to look at them. We all think we'll be just fine but I read through the booklet provided and was stunned with how much I have to consider! Being an exchange student is not an easy task.
For prospective students:
As with any commitment, being a YES scholar becomes a priority over everything. Receiving money does set you up for many responsibilities. You are expected to stay with the program the entire year unless there is a severe medical emergency or a death in the immediate family. I'm not trying to scare you but this is something to consider. You will hear this over and over again but even if an important event like prom or a meet is happening back in America and you want to attend, you can't. You are going to be an unofficial ambassador for your country, community, gender, ethnicity and this goes for being an exchange student anywhere. You should be prepared and you have to want to be in your host country.
Okay enough with that lecture :D and back to YES. While in India, in addition to being with a host family and going to school, the recipients also get to participate in community service type and culture activities. I'm not quite sure what this entails, but it sounds interesting and fun. I'm looking forward to experiencing as much of India as I can. Since I got the scholarship, the host family previously selected for me has to change since they want us to be in "clusters" for support and so that we can readily get together for activities. Atleast that's what I got out of it. It's always good to have others that you know in the area.
Personally, I have started to learn hindi slowly along with thinking about the packing and other miscellaneous things. I won't lie, it's sad to think about leaving everything and everyone I know to go live in a different country. I probably already mentioned this but I hope with this exchange I become much more confident with myself and others as well as being more worldly aware. Starting over with a clean slate in a new country where no one knows you is a refreshing and scary thought but it also means that you can just be. You may not be happy all the time but this is just one chapter in your life that will affect everything.
To my fellow YES recepeients, congratulations on making it here. I'm sure we'll have loads of fun mixed with misunderstandings and mayhem. Let's keep an open mind and listen to everyone we meet. I'm sure that there will be a story to tell at the end of every day even if it's a short one. And let's be realistic here. We're going to change and having any expectations about what will happen in our host countries is a silly idea. We can't always change others no matter what we do so trying will not help. The best we can do is participate and observe, making the most of our experience.
Hm well I don't know how enjoyable my blog will seeing how I keep getting serious :] I will try my best to be as accurate about my exchange process as possible to help you see what I'm going through. This might just be my main way of telling most of my friends what is going on but I would love it if people will send me letter while I'm over there. As soon as I find out my host family, I will give you the address to send letters to.
Until then, shantih
-Annah
Info on being a YES recipient:
As a YES student, I'm expected to attend a total of 5 conference calls, 2 of which have already happened. Each conference calls talks about different aspects of our exchange, what we should expect and what we are required to do. One of the conference calls is country specific so that the recipients of each country scholarship get a chance to talk to their peers and supervisors about being in that country. Along with me are four other recipients of the scholarship to India like all of the other countries (35 scholarships= 5 scholarships per country).
Along with this, like all exchange students, I have attended a Pre-Departure Orientation with AFS in my local chapter which is one day long (it is required!). AFS also provides a program called Culture Trek that YES supports us using in order to prepare for the exchange experience. These are very good programs read through and participate with. Although AFS and YES will not be checking up on our progress with these, it's a good idea to look at them. We all think we'll be just fine but I read through the booklet provided and was stunned with how much I have to consider! Being an exchange student is not an easy task.
For prospective students:
As with any commitment, being a YES scholar becomes a priority over everything. Receiving money does set you up for many responsibilities. You are expected to stay with the program the entire year unless there is a severe medical emergency or a death in the immediate family. I'm not trying to scare you but this is something to consider. You will hear this over and over again but even if an important event like prom or a meet is happening back in America and you want to attend, you can't. You are going to be an unofficial ambassador for your country, community, gender, ethnicity and this goes for being an exchange student anywhere. You should be prepared and you have to want to be in your host country.
Okay enough with that lecture :D and back to YES. While in India, in addition to being with a host family and going to school, the recipients also get to participate in community service type and culture activities. I'm not quite sure what this entails, but it sounds interesting and fun. I'm looking forward to experiencing as much of India as I can. Since I got the scholarship, the host family previously selected for me has to change since they want us to be in "clusters" for support and so that we can readily get together for activities. Atleast that's what I got out of it. It's always good to have others that you know in the area.
Personally, I have started to learn hindi slowly along with thinking about the packing and other miscellaneous things. I won't lie, it's sad to think about leaving everything and everyone I know to go live in a different country. I probably already mentioned this but I hope with this exchange I become much more confident with myself and others as well as being more worldly aware. Starting over with a clean slate in a new country where no one knows you is a refreshing and scary thought but it also means that you can just be. You may not be happy all the time but this is just one chapter in your life that will affect everything.
To my fellow YES recepeients, congratulations on making it here. I'm sure we'll have loads of fun mixed with misunderstandings and mayhem. Let's keep an open mind and listen to everyone we meet. I'm sure that there will be a story to tell at the end of every day even if it's a short one. And let's be realistic here. We're going to change and having any expectations about what will happen in our host countries is a silly idea. We can't always change others no matter what we do so trying will not help. The best we can do is participate and observe, making the most of our experience.
Hm well I don't know how enjoyable my blog will seeing how I keep getting serious :] I will try my best to be as accurate about my exchange process as possible to help you see what I'm going through. This might just be my main way of telling most of my friends what is going on but I would love it if people will send me letter while I'm over there. As soon as I find out my host family, I will give you the address to send letters to.
Until then, shantih
-Annah
Friday, March 27, 2009
Hello :]
Hi, my name is Annah and this is going to be my blog while on my exchange experience. I am currently in 10th grade and hope to spend my junior year abroad. I applied to and was accepted by India through AFS and hope to be able to fulfill this dream.
I say hope because we all know about the financial situation currently and I know personally I do not have $10000 lying around. So I thank AFS for already providing me with an $800 scholarship but I still need much more money. To help cover it, I have applied to the YES and NSLI-Y scholarship programs and will find out soon whether I have received one. The reality is that although I did apply with my first choice as India for those scholarships, the evaluators might decide that if I do get it, it might not be to India. But I feel that going to any location to represent my country and experience a new culture would be very valuable, if to India or not. So to all of you prospective exchange students who are reading this blog and are interested in getting those scholarships in the future, remember to be open to any location even if it is not your first choice. I met a lot of amazing people during the selection camp who were alumni of the program and from those countries, which gave me confidence to see that going to any place would awesome.
In regards to fundraising, I'm planning to have a donation party inviting the community and family friends. My birthday is coming up as well so I'm planning to ask that my friends bring money instead of presents (because, honestly, I have too much stuff anyway :]). Other things include a possible garage sale and letters to prospective donors. I love how AFS has so many ideas to choose from and that they all sound fun. Ahaha how promotional am I? Anyways, I'm in the planning process right now but hopefully, it will all turn out cool.
Okay let's step away from the money issue and talk about the big question "why?". Well, like most students, I've dreamed of traveling and living abroad for quite a while. Unfortunately, I've never gotten a chance to before and have only been to Canada, which doesn't count in my book. You must be thinking "she's crazy, wanting her first abroad experience to be for a year!" But to me, I think that even if I went to, say, France for a week or every year travelled to a different country for some period of time, that would never set me up for a whole year abroad without my family. Not to mention that it is very difficult to see and become a part of a community if you are there for only a month.
In a way, that is one of my goals for going on this exchange. To me, it is crucial while on my exchange, that I make bonds with those around me and those that I meet. I hope to stop negative stereotyping of Americans and other people. I want to create a lasting connection with my host family so that I know I will always be welcomed in their home and they are welcome to come to mine. Along with this, I want to increase understanding of world views and assists, which is definitely crucial in today's global classroom. Or perhaps playground is a better word. hmm it's your pick.
Well, this has become a rather serious post o.o I wasn't expecting my first entry to be like this. Oops! I'm not always this serious, trust me! ahaha If you have any questions about the process I've been going through so far, please ask!
So a little about me: I have wanted to go to India for quite a long time, although I'm not sure when. I love elephants, they are my favorite animals mostly because their memory is way better than mine (just kidding!). Some of my favorite films are bollywood, and if you have never seen one I suggest Marigold first (it stars Ali Larter and Salman Khan, a big bollywood star. It's in english and gives some basic groundwork that is in all bollywood films). After that, see Jab We Met, means When We Met, starring Karina Kapoor, which is cute with some more culture thrown in. If you really just want to throw yourself into it, see Om Shanti Om, starring Shah Rukh Khan, and is, essentially, an homage to bollywood.
Ah that got a little off track... Anyways, I hope this becomes an informative and true representation of my exchange abroad. I don't know about the picture situation yet. I have an idea to buy 100 kodak disposable cameras and use those instead of my digital camera. Really nice and old school, and when I come back, I could just post them all up on here... well tell me what you think, hmm?
Sorry this post is so long and pointless especially being the first one in a hopeful series. I will keep you updated!
Annah
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
