colonial collapse or my thoughts on culture shock

the headline in wednesday's local paper, the tribune, read of a collapsed pedestrian bridge which injured 23 workers in delhi. the bridge in question connected parking garages to nehru stadium, where the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2010 commonwealth games are scheduled to take place. the article used this incident to further explore issues surrounding the games, namely international displeasure with the state of certain venues and athlete's accommodations. foreigners (in this case english, canadian, and scottish delegates) have spoken out, for example, against "filthy and disgusting" toilets, stray dogs, and administrative details. the article reports that "sources said that some of these teams [are] so upset that they are toying with the idea of pulling out of the Games altogether."

reflecting on the article i am frustrated and saddened. i am confused and confuddled (is that a word?). i am a ball of conflicting emotions as this story aptly recapitulates my 140hour relationship with india.

let me explain:

rich, "western", athletes arrive on the scene to partake in an event solely for their benefit, and immediately see fit to dictate their standards. in this self-centered discourse these individuals forget that the realities which so offend them are facets of daily existence here which will not be rectified in a matter of days because they so desire them to be. the pouty "make it better" syndrome seems to deny the complex factors which have brought to fruition the current state of affairs, not least of which is the colonialism of their respective and shared motherland (after all, this is the commonwealth games).

this hits home because i am the foreign athlete. although i am not here to compete (run, jump, swim, etc.) i am here for me - to partake in a new culture and new activities; a medal of my status as a middle class young canadian. and like the athletes in the article, i am continually confronted with wanting to have things my way. while i haven't vocalized my opinions in the way they have, i am mired in an internal battle of judgment and material ethnocentrism; that is, i cannot help but think that canadian/english way of ordering roads, buildings, and so forth, is better than that which presently surrounds me. indeed, this culture shock has, in its most intense moments, led me to think i would be better off at home.

indian streets are filled with garbage. fires burn at random. animals meander highways, whilst rickshaws, transports, cars, bikes, and pedestrians scramble to their destination. road-lines are merely decoration and signs urging obedience to traffic laws are (ostensibly) comedy. people stop and use the washroom where they see fit. questionable construction abounds, with bamboo and twine as scaffolding. the smell of propane, exhaust, and spice cannot be escaped: the air is heavy with pollutants and the sky is visibly hazy, in urban and rural areas alike.

but, thanks be to god, i know that these realities are but apart of what is to exist: so my desire to flee is put at rest, temporarily. i take a moment to remember that relationships, spirituality, and self reflection are not lost admits the noise and haste (and smell). yet, i still find it difficult to see past what i have deemed to be unclean. what i have deemed to be unsafe. what i have deemed to be unsatisfactory. why is it that i am so shocked by india?

i think it has to do with the tangibility (or lack thereof) of my experiences. when my experience is simply physical - that is, experience which engages solely the senses - i am prone to see difference, perceive error, see that which makes my way better. when i experience something behind mere physicality, something more personal, be it interacting with a stranger, enjoying a conversation with dr kang, or observing the interplay between indian communities, i am reminded that despite the otherwise noted difference their is something common at play: namely, the human experience. 

(as a side note: i know that separating physical/personal is a fallacy as physical realities both perpetuate, create, and expose personal realities; likewise, personal realities both perpetuate, create, and expose material realities. it is this incredible symbiosis which leads me to reflection on how and why things are the way they are here - and if i am to be fair, in turn how and why things are the way they are at home. i am particularly interested in how religious belief/spiritual manifestations rear themselves in this interplay).

moreover, a healthy dose of critical thought puts into perspective that things aren't as different as they seem on the physical plane. we still use brick and mortar, we still consume food, dispose of waste, drive cars, go to work, etc. it's just done in a less than familiar way. this awareness, coupled with the beauty of the human experience, does not always take away my culture shock, but it slows me; ' reminds me that my response should not be to boycott the games, as it were; but rather i should revel in the way in which a new place, new people, can bring me to reflect and appreciate the complexity which is life. i pray that this lesson will remind me that of the selfishness which thinks that i, by myself, can ever comprehend this great theater and my role therein.

i am deeply thankful for the opportunities i have had thus far. i have already learned so much and have been enriched thoroughly by what i have seen, what i have explored in conversation, and what i have been modeled by the overly hospitable indian people. i hope to post about these adventures, as they have been plentiful even in 6 days, but for now i leave you with my ramblings above, as i attempt to process what this journey is all about.

godspeed to new perspectives,
robb

live from punjab...it's monday morning!

hello folks!
i have arrived, safe and mostly sound, and i must admit, it feels oddly comfortable to sit down to the keyboard: this is my longest computer-fast in many years and my first connection to most of you (actually, all of you except shaminder) since arrival.

the coles notes version:
the last five days have been a whirlwind of travel. from toronto to delhi -on time and in style (complete with tasty matar panar on the plane); from delhi to nawanshahr -in one of the most overwhelming, yet surprisingly relaxing drives of my life; nawanshahr to a small indian village somewhere two hours away (more to come on this); small indian village to, first, ludhiana, an incredibly busy and populated city center: the largest in punjab, and back; then from the village to chandigarh, the capital; returning last night to nawanshahr.

the mentioned village is home to the lineage of shaminderjot singh and his father dr bs kang; where the formers parents and siblings still reside with their progeny. this is rural india at its finest. fresh dairy products daily from the buffalo whom share the confines of the complex; tasty indian food made by the women in the traditional, partly underground kitchen, and hospitality out of the ying-yang. in fact, i have been so welcomed that i need a break. the service i have received is nothing short of amazing. from being given one of the best beds in the house, to constant attention (and translation) care of shaminder's cousin (a nice young man who wants to come to canada), and having all expenses paid for, at all times. i look forward to finding some nice pottery or a rug to buy for them in thanks.

there is so much to be said that i need not begin now. this is a post to let you know im here and in very good hands. i hope to write someday soon on the amazing juxtaposition of this country; of its sites and sounds...and smells. of the ways in which i am reflecting on culture and the ways in which i have been growing. but to keep this brief, i will post on these reflections over the next few weeks. stay tuned. until next time.

lots of love, now and always.

twenty four hours

well folks, welcome to my blog!
i didn't intend to create an account (for numerous reasons including, but not limited to: my past failures with blogs - i think i've had at least two; my past dismissal of other's blogs - even close friends whom i care much about: forgive me; and finally, my lack of commitment) but here it is! thanks to those of you who encouraged me to do this. i hope to update it from time to time as i traverse india and nepal.

this is slated to be my first "beyond-north america" journey.

by twelve noon tomorrow i should be on route from kingston to pearson international airport in toronto. my flight leaves at five forty five pm. i fly first to new jersey; i can already picture the new york city skyline in the east as the sunsets in the west: beautiful in my mind's eye. after a forty five minute lay over (quick eh? i hope my bag gets out in time) i take off once more - this time direct to delhi. we travel for fourteen and a half hours and land twenty three and a half hours after we took off; due to time zones of course.

from delhi international i will be escorted by car in the care of dr. b.s. kang, father of my dear friend shaminder, to punjab - noted by some as the punjab (i think that's a colonial hangover. not unlike the sudan)
this trip, lasting approximately 8 hours, will, in the words of shaminder, "scare me to death". hopefully not.

once grounded, after almost two days of travel, i have only a broad outline: a week or two in punjab, a week crossing india headed east, a few weeks in nepal, then back to punjab to meet shaminder in november so we can explore the sights of india together for a month. may god bless my journey. i hope to relax; take a needed vaction; and learn how to appreciate life again without constantly deconstructing every single action and thought. i am very grateful for this opportunity and would like to acknowledge those fine folks who have helped me in my preparation. your support means a great deal and i couldn't have done it without you.

here's to the interconnection of life; new experiences; and a beautiful world, filled with beautiful people, brimming with potential to love fully. may we all learn something new from this. may god be glorified; and may i learn more fully what i mean by that. that's all for now, by grace alone,
robb