Movie Watching in India

As we all know I love movies . . . I LOVE movies. I will go to the movies alone several times a week (when I can afford it) otherwise I’m always on the look out for the cheepies or student tickets. And lets not even get started about DVDs and Tapes.

So naturally I was excited to watch movies in a country that has the largest movie making industry. Each region of India has their own mini-Bollywood with movies playing in the local languages. This is in addition to all of the major Bollywood films and the few Hollywood films that come in.

Watching movies in some of the cheaper theaters is much like watching movies with predominantly Black American audiences. For example yesterday when we were watching X-Men III the crowed ohh-ed and cheered when kitty runs through walls and sinks the juggernaut.

There are the same silly commercials and previews, although you do get to see the India Cinema Board sticker before each.

The biggest things that irk me are: 1) the lack of cell phone etiquette (so many cells go off during a good movie and people actually talk to them).

2) Indian Censor Boar- There are some cuts that are just too obvious, especially in movies like Broke Back and Capote where I think they almost wanted to punish the audience for seeing such movies.

3) Most houses don’t show the credits, and actually people will stand up and leave in the last 5 minutes of a movie. I personally (as one who will watch the credits through to the end, especially on good movies) consider this near sacrilege. Though I did manage to see all of the credits to Broke Back Mountain by just refusing to leave the theater (even though there was an usher standing right next to me, people with vacuums cleaning up all around me, and I had to continue to move slowly toward the door so some I didn’t get to see so clearly.)

Still it’s nice to see things like X-Men and Harry Potter on the big screen. And some of the movie houses are just that. Proper old -school movie houses where they still have floor, balcony, and rafter seating. After all the fun part of going to the movies is the experience.

Dreaming in Bangla

My father always said you really know a language when you start to dream in that language. I have never had this experience. I definitely never dreamed in Oshiwambo (though I still slip and throw random words in when I get tired). The closest I probably ever came was the summer I was in Germany and was honestly studying and trying to learn German.

Though I had Bengali lessons. I still don't speak much at all other than to argue with taxi drivers or fruit and veggie-wallas in the market. I know less Bengali than I know Oshiwambo. Though I can understand a fair amount when people are speaking around me and I listen carefully.

Well about a week ago it happened. I had an entire dream in Bengali. The funny thing is, even in my dream I didn't understand it. I just caught the random bits a pieces like I always do. There went Dad's theory.

The longest week since PC training (I think)

When I looked at the schedule for this week I didn't think it was that bad. Bad yes but not that bad.

Monday: Focus Group Discussion (FGD) with Young people in the Poilan area(1 hr travel both ways by bus and auto-rickshaw)

Tuesday: FGD with with Field Workers and Peer Educators at the Poilan CINI office

Wednesday: Evaluation of Outreach workers at the Falta CINI office (1 1/2 hr travel both ways) to test my new evaluation tools for Youth Friendly Services

Thursday: Last *yea* FGD with young people around Falta.

How little did I know that the travel (Calcutta public transport, save the underground/subway system, leaves much to be desired), weather (there's been storms brewing all week that haven't broken & temperatures of around 37 degrees that leave me pretty sleepless & with sinus headaches all week), not to mention the stress of dealing with other people and trying to do work(misunderstandings, miscommunication, poorly planned meetings, and fussy field workers) would leave me exhausted by Tuesday night.

It took all my energy to make myself get up today. I ended up just lying down 1/2 through my 1st sun salutaion (yoga) and dragging my obviously tired behind back to bed. Good thing it's nothing that a good dinner with friends, a pint, and sleep can't fix.

Shower Thoughts

I find the strangest and most profound thoughts tend to occur to me in the shower. The one from yesterday is that I am 10 year older (or will be soon) than I was when I was 16. This is a slightly distressing thought. 10 Years older than 15 or 14, isn't bad. I was just a kid then. But at 16, I was doing things, starting to drive etc. And it's just going to get worse, before I know it I'll be 10 years older than 17, 18 (voting age), 20, soon I'll have been legal for 10 years.

The one redeeming thought is that I'm still 24 years away from being 50.

Random Picture Time

Me leaving the African Continent for the first time in years. About a Year and 2 months ago now.

Stop the Presses. . . or not

So yesterday the major part of my project almost came to a complete stop. Realizing that the translator we got would not be able to conduct the Focus Group Discussions (FGD) and Chandereyee (one of my co-workers) who normally goes out with me would not be able to go, (and maybe not to the others as well) I finally had a meeting with my boss, Laboni, to figure out how these were going to get done.

It started well enough. I explained why the translator we got could not conduct the FGD and asked if this was still important enough to proceed with, and gave my suggestion of what should happen next.

Laboni then proceeded to virtually blow up that after 5 months we could not get 10 FGD completed.

I informed her that those she had placed me to work with did know about this for the last 5 months, however no one did anything until Chandereyee went out with me.

At which she continued to blow up about how this wasn’t a group project, there should be more than 2 people involved, we haven’t made it a priority, where the blame should be placed, yadda, yadda, yadda. And since they hadn’t made it a priority or supported me in a group like fashion the whole thing should be canceled.

This sent Chandereyee, already suffering from laryngitis into a coughing fit. And while Laboni extolled a while longer on CINI deficiencies and how they only do something if it’s connected to a donor or funding (which is pretty true), I tried to calmly remind her that 3 FGD were already scheduled for the next week.

It took about 15 mins to get her to see reason and allow us to continue on with my evaluation as planned. But talk about a stressful 1/2 hour. The major part of all of the stuff I've been working on for the last 9 months almost got permantly shelved. OY!

April Question Answered

Great answers people. Unfortunately I'm pretty out of touch and all of the songs go on my "to listen to and get" list. I also asked Yahoo Answers and got these

So far mine are:
Best of What's Around- DMB
You Learn- Alanis Morisette
Sunday Kind of Love- Etta James
Everyday- Angie Stone & D' Angelo
Find Him- Cassandra Wilson

But I'm sure I'll have more by the end of the year :) Any Suggestions for the next question?

Plans and Preps

After my first 3 months as a PCV I asked one of the older volunteers if one ever stops planning about what they are going to do afterward. She said “No but the plans do get a lot more concrete and closer.”

Similarly it seems like a significant portion of my time here has been spent planning for the next year. From Med and Grad School applications, to acceptances, and of course getting fun things from here for all of my people in the States, the last 9 months (along with having fun in Cal), have been about prepping for the next year.

Now with only about 6 weeks left in country (only about 4 ½ in Cal *eep*). I’ve already planned my first week in the US in so much detail that I’ve asked Mom to meet me at the airport July 2nd Cincy airport at 9:15pm (I have a 3 hour layover in JFK from 3:30-6:50 NY people) with my cell phone so I can let people know I’m back in town.

Yet life in Cal is proceeding as normal; finding gifts, trying to finish my projects, getting pints, dancing, and watching movies. I could probably forget I’m leaving so soon, if people didn’t keep reminding me.

What Did You Say?

Wow, just look at you! Your body is all glistening and there's such a shine to it.
Me: I'm sweaty!
-Chiru to me as I was leaving the dance floor where DD (DJ and alleged choreographer and I had another dance of. I'm pretty sure I won)

I amble with the shuffling gate of an aged clergyman
-Anirudh on walking.

I mean sex is just capitalism of the body.
Me: What?
Nothing ventured nothing gained.
Anirudh: What if she proposes?
I guess that's communism then
Me: More like socialism.
- Patrick over pints on how one of his mates needs to pluck up his courage and approach a bird.

You could do that. No listen we should get someone to paint your body and then you can dance.
-Chiru commenting on a Japanese dance program I missed.

Maybe he was just admiring your form,
No?
Dirty old man?
Me and Sujit:Yes
- Sujit commenting on Chiru's comments.

You Have to Take This One

Random Questions but Spot on (Sans the second comment)

The Keys to Your Heart

You are attracted to good manners and elegance. In love, you feel the most alive when everything is uncertain, one moment heaven... the next moment hell. You'd like to your lover to think you are stylish and alluring. You would be forced to break up with someone who was ruthless, cold-blooded, and sarcastic. Your ideal relationship is lasting. You want a relationship that looks to the future... one you can grow with. Your risk of cheating is zero. You care about society and morality. You would never break a commitment. You think of marriage as something precious. You'll treasure marriage and treat it as sacred. In this moment, you think of love as something you thirst for. You'll do anything for love, but you won't fall for it easily.

What Are The Keys To Your Heart?

Scary and Home

So they finally brought back my laptop from the shop, and it appears to be fixed. But they left my dongle (yes my laptop is that old). And I caught myself telling the delivery guy "I'm not asking you I'm telling you that I put it in there." Which sounds exactly like something my father would say. Isn't it scary when we start sounding like our parents.

Since I'm leaving soon people keep asking me if I'm excited to go home and what I've thought of Kolkata. I've also caught myself referring to Namibia as home recently. Which made me think "What is/where is home?"

Though my HOR (Home of Record) is 6923 Noble Ave. Cincy. That is definitely what I think of when I think of home. I know I felt like home when Kate, Nate, Naima and I all met up in Whitefish last year. Cal is comfortable. I'm comfortable here, but is it home?

Maybe I've elevated to the point that I am at home within myself so I carry home wherever I go. But somehow I feel like I shouldn't get stared-at at home, and I definitely get stared at home (They did eventually stop in Namibia after a few months). Though I'm definitely becoming a regular at my pizzeria and local Pub/Club. I know the DJ's and waiters, and people are starting to recognize me.

I think that's the scary thin about moving to Columbus for me. This is the first city I'll move to where I already feel at home. There will be no adjustment period (other than finding a flat), I know the area, some cool people in the city, and some places to chill. Never before have I moved to a place where I've already felt at home.

Carpe Diem

For Real :)

Forgotten Question or

Just less chatter. Hey people, lets hear some chatter on April's Question. There's only about a week less and I have to admit the number of ansers are kinda depressing. Just to make it interesting I'm going to ask the same question to Yahoo Questions in a bit, and we can compare answers. But I'd like to have a few more answers to compare to.

Singing in the . . . Sun

So, after it didn't happen though my 2 years in Namibia, I've finally done it. I've become one of those people. I now carry an umbrella everywhere.

At first I was against such people, thinking that they were too conscious of their complexion. Then I walked around with an umbrella one day and the decrease in the heat I felt was immediate. It's a portable shade. Though walking with one does require a bit of practice. Knowing which way to tilt it to get the full benefit of it's shade, how high to raise it when on a busy street so that others can pass by or so you don't hit displays, getting used to the gusts of wind and how to keep your umbrella in control, switching hands so that one hand doesn't get too tired all of this takes some practice.

I of course find additional benefit from my umbrella.
1-I can use it to shade/hide my face when I'm feeling too stared at. You should see how far down guys have stooped to try and see under my umbrella

2-I specifically use it to block the view of people who are already staring too hard.

3-It enforces my personal space so that men find it harder to "brush by" me.

4-And even when they try to the metal ends and getting hit by my umbrella (because I will hit them with my umbrella if they are crowding me on my little patch of the sidewalk, as I did to two guys this morning) makes me feel a bit more vindicated.

Of course it has come in handy on those few occasions I've been caught in the rain too.

These Things are Quite Scary

I think this is what kate has been trying to tell me for years

You Are 70% Weird

You're so weird, you think you're *totally* normal. Right? But you wig out even the biggest of circus freaks!

How Weird Are You?

And Robin shall Restore Amends

So I went to see A Mid-summers Night's Dream a very cool Indian version of the play which was done in 7 different Indian Languages. It was all very cool. The troupe of players turned out to be a tailor, tinker, chai-walla and other random guys that you would meet on most any Indian street. The show was amazing including a bamboo frame that the fairies climbed on, suspension rope tricks for flying. The fairies themselves seemed to be 1/2 tribal 1/2 warrior types and I have to say some of my favorite depiction of the fair-folk yet.

After the play we (Su, Claire, Maggie, and Liz -who work for the Hope Foundation here) headed out to Fire and Ice, the best pizzeria in Kolkata (run by a cool Italian Woman) for dinner. Because the place was so crowded and we had a party of 7 (we met Patrick and Fred) we ended up changing tables 3 times before our food was brought to us.

Then we all headed to Roxy were Lily met up with us (she had special passes to chill with the cast) and Nil and Dev were also there. By a miracle of music my favorite DJ was there and he spun everything from classic rock to new Hip-Hop beats I hadn't even heard yet. Nil and I burned the floor, as he's a really good salsa/Latin leader and I can follow fairly well. I also met more expats from the States than I have ever seen in Cal before. Most of them were connected to HBCSC (or something like it) which is one of the banks here. I also met for the first time (passing through of course) another Black American. Where her father was actually Black (her mother was Egyptian) and we had a great time being the only two who got really excited to hear "California Love" and the club remix of Faith Evans "Love like this Before."

As the evening wore on and the club thinned we became plagued by some rather dodgy fellows. One was this guy from the US who was extremely drunk, this kid from the UK, and a really rather cool Japanese guy named Ko. The guy from the US kept going around kissing my hand and trying to dance with me. Ko was just cool, and the UK kid, kept hitting on all the girls trying to find out where we were from and our ages. Others on the dance floor included a rather spry white-haired grandfather who danced with everyone quite enthusiastically including his reflection in the mirror. There were also several random Indian guys who kept insisting that I dance with them, when all I really wanted to do at that point was dance with the crew we came with. Which was difficult as when ever I started dancing I was immediately surrounded by Ko, drunken US guy, dancing grandfather, and the rest of the random Indian guys on the dance floor. By some dance maneuvering and always placing myself next to one of my crew I managed to actually get some dances in without dancing with a stranger. (I think Nil and my earlier performance rather excited people).

Finally around 5:15ish am the club kicked us out (by this point I was talking about life in Cal with one of the HBSC guys who's about to move his wife and kids here for work and had just been bought a bottle of water by one of the Indian guys I hadn't danced with. (originally beer, but I wasn't drinking at that point in time, and was rather startled when he showed up with the bottle). We managed to lose dodgy UK kid who had followed us out of the club by one-by-one going to the loo. Then we all headed upstairs for breakfast, which was unfortunately not served for another hour. So we got coffee and soda and overpriced potato wedges and had great conversation. I got home at 7am (after searching the market for pomegranates), had eggs, honey toast, and fruit salad, and fell promptly asleep.

The perfect ending to a night out, good company, breakfast and coming home by daylight.

2 Weeks Late and Funding Short

I just relieved 3 emails from Johns Hopkins talking about how I've been accepted and school starts July 7th, new student orientation July 5th. Issues: 1- I only land in the US July 2nd. No way I'm going to make it to Baltimore and settled in 3 days. 2- All of the scholarships for the year have already been awarded. 3- I've already accepted OSU.

Not to mention the fact that I wasn't that enthused about going to Johns Hopkins anyway. UMich would've been great or Berkeley, but I really only applied because I was applying to the med-school and I had already finished the application. And OSU really REALLY courted me.

Still nice to know that I could've gone there, if I wanted to. :)

(No offence Kate, I would love to be at the same school as you. But I do have Med School debt to think about.)

More Overheard in Cal

"Wow, who helped you wear a sari"
"No One"- Me
"You wore it yourself?"
Chiru seeing me in a sari for the first time, though it's the 3rd one I've worn that week.

"There are no totties in Calcutta"
"hmm"-Me
"Hot men, there are none in Cal"
"It took you this long to figure that out?"-Me
"You know, I may have to turn bisexual just to stay in this city"
My favorite British Puff over a pint one night on life in Kolkata

"Cal is getting to me, I'm afraid I'm getting a double chin"-Anirudh
"Yeah me too, I try to ignore it, but somehow or another this city is just making me bigger"- Patrick
"Yet somehow, Margarette has managed to stay quite slim"-Anirudh
"Yes, but I also get up at 6am and skip rope, do yoga, and crunches 3 times a week add Pilate's twice a week, and have my Kathak class on the weekend"- Me
"6am !? I don't even know where 6 am is"-Anirudh

"Sometimes I really feel alone, like I'm the only one. It can get really lonely, you know?"
"Who are you talking to? At least there are other French around if you want to commiserate. I've only met one other Black American in India and she was here for the same Fellowship I was"- Me
"Kind of a 'Oh, They got you too' thing"
Francois on being away from family and friends, working in India.

"She is not Indian"-Me
"Of course she's not she has spiral curls"-Sohini
"Uh, that's actually a wig or a weave"-Me
"Oh"-Sohini
Discussing the lead singer of the entertainment group True Colors at the 85 Landsdown fashion show.

"Crash was a great movie except for the ending"
"What about it"-Me
"The ending is all Yay America"
"Did we see the same movie?!"
Kati and I discusing the merits of Crash

Scary

Are we really all that the same or are the tests really that good

Your Love Life Secrets Are

Looking back on your life, you will have a few true loves. You're a little scarred from your past relationships, but who isn't? You prefer a quirky, unique person to be your lover. You're easy going about who you're with, as long as they love you back. In fights, you are able to walk away and calm down. You are able to weather the storm. Break-ups can be painful for you, but you never show it. You hold your head high.

Your Love Life Secrets, Revealed

Murphy's Law in India

When the day started yesterday I was in a bit of a Funk. Just been down about certain things in life, sleepy from going out the night before, and just not my normal peppy self. The day seemed to get better as it went along. Especially when I took a mid-day break to watch the DVD of Omeleshe & Tunigini (my dance groups from Namibia) dance that Nate had sent me.

So it's 5:30- quitting time, and I was thinking of running to my tailors to pick up a shirt and drop some things off as well.

When a delivery guy comes by with. . . TA DA my laptop. I turn it on and it appears okay. My mind suddenly races to spending the evening watching movies, updating my Shuffle and granting myself a new background picture. I read the service agreement (but Prianka the office manager advises me not to pay now).

Other than a strange smudge that was not on my screen before it looked fine. There's actually a new program for watching DVDs on the desktop- Which made me think that they've just kept my laptop to watch movies a few extra days.

I run down stairs to where the spare Internet connection is, unpack and. . . . my dongle is gone. Remember I still have a computer that requires (Naima’s dongle actually from PCOndongwa) one to get online.

Slightly dismayed by not being able to update my files and get new songs on my shuffle (I'm keeping about a Gig of music on the network to save my laptop and my variety). I figure I'll just settle down and check through my files, maybe find a fun new picture or something. Suddenly my laptop says . . . Shutting down, and turns it self off.

I think, “That's odd.” Maybe it was a battery thing (it did say empty) and I hit the power button. It turns on and I start to look through some picture files when . . . the screen goes white again.

Yep nothing has really been fixed apparently, and my laptop goes back to the shop today. It lasted a total of maybe 5 mins.

A bit frustrated, but trying to make the best of the day I head of to my tailors to pick up a top I have been getting made, and drop off more fabric to get fun tops made out of. (The most annoying thing about tailors here is that unless you want to get bitchy, things take 10 days-2 weeks to go to the tailors and get back . . . very annoying). So I go up the stairs and get out my service slip when she says. “Oh I’m sorry it’s not ready yet. Our tailor has been sick, maybe in two days.” Which was only upsetting because I’ve been planning to wear the top and skirt today.

Starting to get down, but trying to keep a stiff upper lip, I figure I’ll buy “A Midsummer’s Night Dream” to re-read it before I go see the play next week. (a very exciting prospect as it is apparently in 8 different Indian Languages and received excellent reviews in Delhi). Though there are a block and a half of Book-Wallas and almost every Shakespearian play and poem one could think of (“As You Like It” came up a lot) there was no “Midsummer’s Night Dream” and the only way I could get it is if I bought the complete works (which I had no intention of doing or sending home).

Really starting to get down I manage to buy peanuts, veggies, and fruits on my way home without issue. I head by the Laundrette where I get my clothes machine washed and dried. Unfortunately because the electricity has been going out my clothes won’t be ready until today.

Well after countless disappointments I decided that it is acceptable to just have fruit salad for dinner, wine, and chocolate. And try to see what lesson I was supposed to learn from that dreadful day. Though I still haven’t figured it out yet, eating fruit and chocolate does make one feel a bit better.