A day in the Life

The other day I was standing outside my apt complex waiting on a friend when I saw an elephant walking down our street towards the highway. Now don’t be confused, I do live in the city, I’m on a paved street, fairly busy, that is directly off one of the main roads that runs throughout the city. This was a work elephant that was coming from further down my street where more houses are (they are doing construction on some big apt buildings farther in the neighborhood so I’m guessing it was working on one of those buildings) going towards the main street! As I watched, there were a lot of motorcycles, cars, and rickshaws that were all honking and going around this un-phased elephant just walking along. Sometimes he would stop and eat some leaves from a nearby tree but mostly he just walked along the side of the street with two men riding on his back. They didn’t have any means of controlling the elephant that I could see, probably just their legs putting pressure on the side they wanted him to turn.  Anyways, the elephant walked right past me, within touching distance. I didn’t want to whip out my camera since no one else seemed shocked to see the elephant, I didn’t want to lose my street cred!

That same day the streets were pretty flooded due to some intense rain the past couple of days. When I say the streets flooded I mean the sewers from the side of the roads were now in the road… up to your calf. You have to visualize this from the beginning, when there is not water covering the streets, you have to be careful not to step in the cow poop littering the street and to step to close to the side of the roads where the gutter filled with sewage water is (and this is in the city where they have a semi sense of plumbing) so once it is covered in brown water, you have an idea of what’s making it brown… let’s just agree that it’s not just the mud. Even though it was pretty flooded, we still went out to visit some nearby villages. I was wearing my new Toms which meant that even after I had escaped the block of flooded street, I was still sloshing around in the poop water stuck in my shoes…  the people just accepted it and went on with their business, so I had to too- I tried not to think about what I was actually walking through. Some people (mostly kids) accepted the flooded courtyard and street so much so that they went ahead and saved the trip to the bathroom by stepping outside their door to pee from their front step. Honestly this fact did not endear me to the water I was walking through much. Can you imagine living in a flood zone and having to accept the poopy water coming into your house and invading your kitchen/bedroom?! I only had to endure the water for a few hrs until I came home and took a good shower, they had to stay in the wet mud/poop (at that point you can’t tell which is which). It definitely gave me something to think about.

Moi Pabu- I Feel

I feel like some days I am confident and excited to be here, learning the language and meeting people to practice with. Then other days, I cocoon inside myself hoping the day will pass swiftly so I don’t have to face anyone… these feelings lead me to believe that I am the only one or thing in my way of fully enjoying my time here thus far; self-esteem. I am learning who I am; who I thought I was, who I think I am, and who I am turning out to be. I have never questioned these aspects of myself this much before, and there are definitely times when my brain bulks at the effort of self-evaluation. I am obviously my worst critique. But I think right now, that is mostly a good thing. It is helping me to learn and grow. I think those days when I am encouraged and confident; I have stepped back and let Him handle my day. The rest of the time, it’s usually because I am wrapped in a book and don’t want to think.  My posts so far have been mostly a reflection focused on one aspect or thought for that day/week/hour. This is mostly because I am not doing nearly enough to entertain anyone for more than one min, and also because it is easier for me to do that than try to edit my thoughts enough to say what I’m thinking without getting in trouble for saying too much, if you know what I mean. Some of you probably don’t; don’t feel bad, I’ll let it go. I am not used to writing for people to read- my only experiences thus far were school papers (which I did well on but I have no idea how- they were crap) and my journal throughout 6^th and 7^th grade (which I still get made fun of by anyone who has read them- more people than you would think.) all that to say, I don’t feel like I have a lot to update on.

                I am doing well, I get lonely sometimes- but I think that is to be expected for someone who comes from such a close knit group of friends and family. I am enjoying the new experiences I am having here and my dreams of learning other languages are coming true. Well I guess it’s not plural- I’m only learning one; but if we include the Spanish from school (which I don’t remember) and perhaps piglatin I will fit right in with the people here who speak at least three languages…

I am learning the language and they say the best way to do that is to talk and practice with people who speak that language. Thus I am thrust out into the big city with a few phases and more than enough willing helpers. The end of my intense language study is at the end of next week- first week of sept. I am really looking forward to that time; I will still be expected to keep up with language and practice daily, but I will also get to work more hands on with the research project I came out here for. The more I look ahead the easier it is for me to push past my discomfort and really practice the language. I am encouraged daily by the people I am working with, both national partners and the company workers. Hopefully once I’m doing something beyond myself and my language I will be able to give better stories and not ramble so much.

Books I’ve read recently: from most recent back: Mockingjay, Breaking Dawn, Twilight, the Grapes of Wrath, Blink of an Eye, Adam, Namesake, the Portofino, and Little Bee.

Music I’m listening to the most: Sufjan Stevens, Dirty Projectors, Adam Randall, Andrew Peterson, Yeasayer and a lot of others.

Neighbors

Update List

If you would like to be added to my email updates about how i am doing and sometimes a more specific view of what I'm doing, give me your email address- you can contact me at arehn510@gmail.com

Culture Clash

The area I am in is interesting because it is like a cross between the Jungle Book, Grapes of Wrath and LA. Sometimes I feel like houses grew up out of the forest just like the tree next to that house. Not only does it look like the city and the jungles are jumbled all together into one new environment but the people are the same way. The city here is one of the fastest growing cities in the country with more people pouring in all the time; this is creating a new way of developing and interacting that I have never experienced before. I live in an apartment building and my neighbors live in a long bamboo hut that houses at least 6 families. On the other side of that hut is a house that is in the middle of being built- the cement frame of the house is done but the roof isn’t complete and no one is living there yet, beyond that house is a small field some more one or two story houses then another 8 story building that is half finished. And we are not far off one of the main roads of the city. It’s like, if you can find some land, you can build on it- however much you can afford at that time. I feel like everything is half completed and people are always working on construction. Almost nothing is done by machine- everything is completed through man power. People, cars, animals, nature… they are all a part of the city in their own right and they are all a force to be reckoned with here. When I look out my window from the fourth floor, I see mountains on all sides trapping us or protecting us, and I see a round valley full of trees with houses popping up here and there. I don’t want you to get the wrong idea, yes it is very crowded here, there is not a lot of open land, but what land there is, you can be sure there are as many trees as possible in that space.  To me, it looks like an abandoned city that the jungle has overtaken. What is really happening is that the jungle is being overtaken by the city; its just that the new buildings look about 50 yrs old- they don’t paint the outsides (or insides for that matter) so everything look solder than it is.

Language

I am starting to adjust... well a little.

right now my time is centered around learning the language. i have been given the charge to spend 30-40 hrs a week on learning/practicing/ and studying the language. i have a tutor who is working with me five days a week for an hour or two each day. when we are studying together i feel like i've got it. i understand the sentence structure and i understand the words when i look at it.... then i walk out the door and my mind goes blank. i wish i could just know the language without having to go through so much work. but i am also learning- which my mind already knew- that i am appreciating the people and the language more by putting in the effort. As a part of my language study i have to go out in the city to practice with locals. i can practice with my taxi driver, the shop keeper, this wonderful woman who runs a beauty shop near my house and any of her patrons. it sounds all good and well but it is the most nerve racking thing i do everyday. i get anxious every morning i wake up when i think about having to go out and talk to some strangers today. once i get out-its not that bad. the people are really nice, and they genuinely want to help. but still i get scared every morning. at night i think about the next day with big plans... "tomorrow i am going to get up early, hang out with L today for a little while in her beauty shop then i'm going to the market to get some eggs and talk with the shop keepers. if i meet anyone on the way- i will say hi and practice with them too. then i will go to my tutor and speak with her and learn even more!..." then when i wake up, i lay there.. then i eat something.. then i think about what movie i could watch today. its very discouraging... but my body and my mind will not cooperate.

i enjoy spending time with the people, and meeting people that can help me learn the language. its just the going out that i cant mentally prepare for.

i am doing well and i dont have a lot to update on. i'm learning the language- that my soul mission right now.(i spelled soul that way on purpose)

i love all you guys back at home- and other places. please Pry that i can get outside myself and learn the most possible.
over-n-out.

Arrogance

in order navigate the roads here you have to have a certain amount of arrogance. if you are walking or driving you have to act like you own the road; this is my road and i will walk were i like. you can not be timid or hesitate at all; otherwise you will surely get into an accident. if you are in a car you go where need to and at your own speed (whether that is fast or slow) if someone is in your way, you honk and go around them... this system would never work in the states, but it seems to work really well here. even though there are people, animals, holes and cars all using the same road, they all navigate around each other. i have yet to see anyone get hit; which is a miracle in and of itself. if you are walking- then you have to walk with confidence like you own the road- much like the students on the FSU campus. you just have to trust that the cars will see you and either stop or swerve around you- yes they may honk a lot but they always honk so dont take it personally.
that's another thing- honking. In the states if someone honks at you, you get offended and probably get some road rage... but here they honk all the time. a honk can mean "careful. I'm right behind you" or "hey, just wanted to let you know I'm about to pass you" or "watch your left side, I'm coming up and i don't want to splash you" or even"don't move out to the road unexpectedly because I'm coming up behind you" they honk at cars, people, animals or to the empty road if your coming up on a curve- you want to warn people coming from around the corner... it definitely makes for a loud experience.
i'm starting to learn the language and getting to know some of the people near my apt. everyone is so helpful and encouraging.
that is all.