One week out!!

Vivek is on top.

I'm leaving India in less than a week- and it's definitely begun to hit me.

I'm going to miss my volunteermates, a lot. I can't imagine my life without them right now. Especially Jess and Peter, my workmates.

Vivek
Vivek is a sweet 10yr old orphan at the center. Well, he was at the center anyway. We almost lost Jitender and I believe that we now we have lost Vivek. Apparently, according to Yogen, he has abandoned his studies/school and has gone to work for the landlord as his servant. For this service, he receives Rs500 a month. That's TEN DOLLARS. Granted, he could buy about 485 pieces of bread for this money...but damn. We don't know what to do. Every time we bring it up to Yogen, he seems to change the subject. I want to intervene- but how? Getting money is the ultimate for kids so low in the social strata- plus we don't know enough Hindi to proper explain how crucial his study is.I'm not sure if the coordinators are planning an intervention, b/c their philosophy seems to be that they will support those who wish to put forth the effort to learn, and he was definitely lacking motivation. He skipped school for days at a time since I've been around. I guess if you could, please cross your fingers or pray that he returns. I already miss him dearly.

Eve-teasers
This is the Indian term that is used to describe some men/boys in India and the uncomfortability you feel as a woman- especially a foreign woman- here. It has been a major problem for many female volunteers, but fortunately I have avoided any sort of serious encounter. In addition to the general "eye-rape" that goes on on a daily basis, some volunteers have been actually followed, physically approached, molested. One volunteer was in the bathroom when a man opened the door on her and approached her- she managed to elbow her way out before being physically violated any further. Another volunteer was stalked from a park to a coffee shop over 10 minutes walk away. She saw a police car, discussed it with them and they chased the man away. Another volunteer was sitting next to a rickshaw driver in the front seat (rare, but was doing so because the back was full- we had more than the max. amount of people allowed in.) and he touched her under her dress. On the night-tour a volunteer was grabbed on her bottom more than once. On the local buses, they are packed so tightly that you are sometimes forced to literally be up against someone fully and volunteers have complained of being violated in this situation (i've never been on a local bus). Anyway, it has unfortunately caused me to be much more apprehensive of people and mistrustful of men, But it has also caused me to be generally more aware of situations happening around me.

And, in accordance with everything else I have experienced, I feel that once you have done India, you can really do anywhere.

Erin

OFF TO PUSHKAR !