The Royal Treatment

Here is why I'm beginning to feel the appeal of living in a third world country where the dollar is king. 

A Tale Told in Two Acts.

Today, New Years Eve, we have not touched academics. It's been about relaxation. This morning the girls went down our street to the Plum Salon spa treatments. The guys went to a barber shop for head massages at a hole in the wall place. A few still smell like coconuts.

Attention Guys Reading this Post: You can stop now if you want. Even a summary may bore you.

Act I. Scene I

We walked into the salon. They had everything - haircuts, manicures, facials, the works. All the guys had matching suits of pink shirts and navy trousers. All the girls had navy suits, too. Fast paced hip hop music played in the background. I thought I was in New York.

I ordered an oil hair massage and a "Gold/Pearl' facial. This was incredible. After methodically applying hot oil to my hair, I received at least a 35 minute massage on my head including neck and shoulders. All of that stress that has been accumulating due to cramped plane rides and the Dehli cacophony drifted away. I haven't felt this good in a year.

Scenes 2: The Facial 

Then a girl whisked me back into a little room for the facial. Never having had a facial, I expected a 10 minute mud mask and some moisturizer. Oh no, no, no. Au contraire, mademoiselle. This whole process ended up lasting an hour (or so it seemed).

Not speaking Hindi really made the treatment a little more interesting because I was in complete ignorance about what she had planned and couldn't ask questions about being left unattended for long periods of time with cucumbers or ice packs on my eyes. The only Hindi I remember so far is ney (no), shukrinya (thank you) and ack-ya (good). This doesn't go too far in conversation, especially when follow up questions are asked.

First, the girl made what can only be described as a lotion lasagna on my face. There were layers upon layers upon layers of lotion. At least nine. And they all had to be rubbed in. Some smelled sweet. Some smelled spicy. They all smelled like Indian seasonings. I was worried animals would flock to my face.

I sat with a hot towel on my face for awhile before the facialist attacked my face with a metal instrument. She went straight for the pores and started extracting who knows what, but it hurt!

Then, she applied a second lotion lasagna and countered with an icy cold cold towel. And the big finale was a mere lotion sandwich (only 3 layers).

Scene 3: But Wait, There's More!

You may think that must be all. Isn't that enough? Last, the stylist washed and dried and fixed my hair.

So. How much did all this cost? What poor student can enjoy this two and a half hour spa extravaganza? Au contraire mes amis. The grand total, after a generous tip, cost about 1200 rupees.

THAT'S 30 DOLLARS. Holy canoli. We're all plotting return visits.


Act II: They Purchase Even More At Rock Bottom Prices
After this, we went shopping at a haggle-free consumer paradise and emporium of handmade Indian goods from all over the country.

Some of you may be getting presents...

Now we're getting ready to go out to celebrate New Years Eve.

I will message you from the future to let you know how 2011 is 12 hours before you know!!!

Transportation

In India you can transport things by burrow

Pedicab

Auto rickshaw (affectionately know as a tuk tuk)

(these have three wheels and the same steering wheel as a tricycle)

Crowded city bus

And little trucks with red and yellow spray paint decorations and signs requesting 

"Stop" "Keep Distance" "Please Honk"

I guess those little mirrors aren't so great...

Barefoot in Dehli

We were barefoot for 2 hours today!

Why take the risk? Our group visited 3 different temples today. First, we went to a Baha'i Temple known as the Lotus Temple because it's shaped like an opening flower (or the Sydney Opera House).

Inside, it was all white marble, even the benches, and the atmosphere was so so quiet.

[Comment: Everywhere in Dehli is raucous with people and cars and dogs and children selling things. But the loudest of all is honking. Cricket is not the national sport, honking is. Cars honk when they're passing. Cars honk when they're cut off. Cars honk when they want to squeeze 4 cars in a 3-lane road. Cars honk to let you know the bus is too big. There is probably a language of honks, just like at home two short honks are friendly but two long honks are angry. End Comment.]

Anyway, the interior was quiet and pure white and such a welcome relief. It would be really beautiful if it was filled with Indian women wearing colorful saris.

We had a new kind of sandwich... It had meat and egg inside with a spicy green chile sauce on top.

- 2 - Theeeeeeeeeen we went to the Akshardham Temple. It's a Hindu temple built in 2005, and it's just massive. Rumors put construction costs around $100 million. It has a very intrusive security screening process... we weren't allowed to bring in any bags or electronics. I wish I could have taken pictures of the comprehensive list of items banned. (It included notebooks, notepads, diaries, metal chains, guns, alcohol, tobacco, and drunkards) Frisking was mandatory. We had to get frisked, go through a metal detector and get frisked a second time.

At first I thought this was a marketing scheme to prevent us from taking our own photos (like inside castles in Europe)... then I realized it was to guard against suicide bombers. Noticing that you're in a place that a suicide bomber might actually target is a bit chilling.

So I couldn't take any pictures inside, only this one from the gate...

There was a giant golden idol in the middle of a massive temple complex. My favorite part was the 3-D carved elephant relief running along the bottom of the main building. The interior was white marble, and every surface of it was carved with vines or patterns or gods.

Afterward, our professors explained part of the Hindu legends and stories about their gods. Do you know the reason that cows are sacred? Because they were Lord Krishna's favorite animal. He was their version of god incarnate. So as a result, cows roam around Dehli and no one can touch them.

- 3 - We went to a Sikh shrine called Bangla Sahib that was built to commemorate the second copy of the holy book in their religion. Sikh branched off of Hindu in the 1600s. This one was my favorite. We all had to cover our heads, even the guys. After we went in, and we got to hear part of the service of them putting the book to rest.

Clandestine footage from inside the temple

I didn't know much about how to tell different religions apart until today. But here it goes. Hindu women have red dots on their foreheads. Sikh men wear turbans. Apparently they can't cut their hair or beards. The little boys with turbans on are so cute! One of the fundamental values for Sikhs is service. Each temple has a food kitchen that gives away meals. The one in Dehli gives away 20,000 meals a day.

What the most amazing is how tolerant the Indian people are of religious diversity. They all can even joke about each other casually. My professor said Sikh jokes are the best, like Texas jokes.

Did my head hurt all day? Yes. Did I feel slightly nauseated all day? Yes. But was it worth it? Definitely.

The Amusement of our Hotel

We're staying in one of the most upscale neighborhoods in Dehli. Real estate prices are the highest in the world. Within a few blocks, there is a Bennigan's and a Ruby Tuesday. There are also lots of shops and businesses.

Here is Melissa and I's room. The guest house we're at is like a home for our program because we occupy all of the rooms. There are 22 of us now (the A&M Kingsville students arrived last night) and at least 6 employees to help us. Apparently they run errands, do laundry, bring us midnight snacks and keep every surface sparkling clean.

There are several funny things including a travel poster for Kashmir

... and a bucket in the shower. A resource-poor country, the Indian way to shower is to fill up a bucket. I feel no compulsion complete the Indian cultural experience by using this method.

There are also 2 clocks in the room, both reading different times. I'm never quite sure what time it is because my radio-wave alarm clock is wrong by several hours and 15 minutes, my computer clock is inexplicably late by 28 minutes, and my phone is off by 10 minutes. This probably explains why "Indian time" has a 20 - 30 minute window of flexibility.

Microfinance 101

75% of people in India don't have a bank account. 

Yesterday, two people from Basix Microfinance came to brief our group on their company and initiatives in India. Basix is one of the premier MFIs that gives micro loans (say $50 - $200) to very poor entreprenuers to invest in equipment that will help them start a business. They also offer micro pension plans and micro home loans.

They pair financial services with development services to help ensure that the borrowers make a profit and are able to repay a loan. They have a 99% repayment in almost all of the states - only in one state has the rate dropped from 90% - 15% following political pressure on people from the Maoist Communist party.

These are really great, sustainable programs that can change the lives of the poor. Over 30 million households in India have taken out microfinance loans. Basix is a private company, not a non-profit, that makes a return of around 9% for its investors.  One of the ways they maintain such a low default rate is by forming Joint Liability Groups of 5 borrowers or so. The group is liable for paying the debt of each member. This means that borrowers will only band together with individuals they trust, and it helps the company with the vetting process. They charge an interest rate of 2% per month, compared with traditional money lenders who charge 10% per day.

We went to visit 5 women who had received multiple micro-loans in a resettlement colony in southern Dehli. It was incredible to hear about what these women had done. One, a 26 year-old named Reky particularly inspired me. An orphan at the age 3, she had been working since age 8. Today, she runs a garment business that employs 4 people.

With her first loan, Reky bought 2 used sewing machines. She used later loans to buy a machine that can put elastic waistbands in pants. She buys bundles of used clothing (usually from the US), deconstructs them, and makes them into more fashionable clothing items. Because she adds a label on the jeans pocket, they have the appearance of being western. 

What's really amazing about this story is that she had no education or help planning her business or help creating designs. She just took out a loan at the age of 23.Now, she has invested in a micro pension plan where she and her husband invest 400 rupees a month (around $10) and have taken out a home loan. She dreams of further expanding her business and moving to a different colony. With that raw skill, just imagine where she would be if she had been born and educated in the U.S.

The other women were also interesting - one had a business making coils to put in speakers and another had a wedding photography business. It was just so fascinating to hear about how they were able to move out of poverty with tiny investments and a lot of hard work.

After the interview, she let us visit her 2-room home which is next door to her work space. It was so amazing to see the colorful interior and their possessions. She was so happy to meet us and talk to us and gave us all hugs on the way out. The women couldn't believe that we were there to learn about their program and that there was poverty in the U.S., too.

There is one downside to microfinance. Sometimes when borrowers know they'll default on a loan, they feel there is other alternative than to commit suicide. There has been a spate of 80 suicides in the past 3 months. This is mostly confined to the state where the Maoist party has been encouraging borrowers not to repay their debt. If you're interested in learning more about microfinance, here are a few links.

After the meeting, we took the long bus ride back to our hotel. The cook at the hotel had packed us a lunch of sandwiches. These were interesting because the filling wasn't in between the bread. It was in the bread. There were potato and onions and garlic and spices chopped in tiny pieces inside the round flat bread. We put ketchup and spicy chutney on top.

When we returned, everyone was completely exhausted, but we tried to stay awake in order to adjust to the new time zone. I made it until around 8 pm... only because we visited a sari shop called Nelli before dinner. The silks were so gorgeous and intricate. What's amazing is that this is one of the nicest sari shops in Dehli, and the most expensive ones cost around 3000 rupees or $90.  (41 rupees = $1)

 

Dinner at the hotel was good: chicken curry, dahl, rice and cauliflower. It will be weird not having fresh produce for the next few weeks or drinking the water. So far, I'm awful at brushing my teeth with bottled water. At least 4 times I have forgotten and rinsed my toothbrush under the tap. 

Delivery!

The view from my hotel room includes one fat pigeon and this

Count the War Zones: A Fun Plane Game

So it's 5 am and this post comes to you from our hotel in New Dehli. Our flight arrived late and breakfast is at 8am tomorrow, so this is going to be a quick highlights reel of my top 3 favorite moments of the day:

- 1 - We had time for a pain aux raisins and cafe au lait in Paris.

- 2 - I counted our air flight going over 3 war zones and narrowly passing by 2 others.

- 3 - I love Air France. Their food is amazing and champagne is served before meals. Plus they have french movies in the media player. I saw a funny one about all the catastrophes that happen at an SOS hotline on Christmas Eve in Paris.

Okay lets make it -4- because none of those are actually about Dehli. India is great so far. We got to take an awesome bus... which stopped for 5 minutes or so in the middle of a 5 lane road to wait on another car. There is a Domino's pizza under neath our hotel (not recommended by the professor).

Tomorrow we're going to a microfinance company all day!! Busy busy start.

Au Revoir!

So now it's sadly time to say good-bye to my family... I wish they could go with me. If they came to India, too, here's what I imagine would probably happen within a few days.

My grandpa would charm them all with stories, poetry and basketball.

My grandma would make them laugh, cook amazing meals and then try to iron everyone's clothes while they sleep. My brother would provide legal counsel, spirited debates and then end up getting the people to do whatever he wants. He could create some sort of trivia quiz bowl about U.S. Presidents and Texas history.

My mom would read the kids stories about America, and India would be much cleaner after she left. My dad would know how to fix whatever happens to be broken and teach them all the words to The Pirates of Penzance.

I'll sure miss them on the trip...

Bade Din ki Mubarak!

Or Merry Christmas ;) 

In India, Christians represent 2.3% of the population, but 2.3% of 1 billion means at least 23 million revelers celebrate. 

People decorate with stars, oil lamps and banana and mango trees. 

Santa Claus is known as Christmas Baba. 

I can't wait to arrive and discover more traditions!

More stories

While we're in India, my class will be updating another blog. Each of us will write two posts. If you're bored or curious, here is the other link:

http://india.diminishedreturns.com/

The title is an economic joke. About half of the students going on the trip are on the "International Economic Development" track in school.

All My Bags are Packed?

Four days before departure? This is definitely the earliest I've ever been packed for a trip! And only half of that bag is full.

Fredericksburg Photos Part Deux

Before leaving for Christmas with grandparents, more photos from our trip to the Hill Country

The goodbye note is so touching and sad...

Fredericksburg, TX

Dad, Mom, Patrick and I have spent the last two days in Fredericksburg relaxing. We've got to LBJ's ranch and the Texas White House, Becker Vineyards, and Enchanted Rock.

Hiking up Enchanted Rock

Puuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuush! 

Shadow Photo Series I 

Merry Christmas from the farm!

Yesterday was the best day of my life. As if it wasn't amazing enough just to see my family and enjoy an enormous meal together, my cousin drove us with a John Deere tractor on a hay ride to a world famous farm of fainting goats. We got to play with the baby kids!!! Apparently goats tend to be born around Christmas.

Not even my tough, lawyerly brother could resist the charms of a softly baaaaing baby goat.

Santa greeted us upon our return, and unsurprisingly, every kid requested a baby goat. I want one that can will either (1) stay a baby forever or (2) automatically produce goat cheese.

Now we're off to Fredricksburg, where Iwill remain on high-alert for vineyards and goat farms.

Butterscotch aka Agent Orange

My roommates and I adopted a kitty cat from a professor! This brings our house total up to 5 females including Lola the rabbit! I love this cat soooo much. She makes the funniest noises. And she likes to sleep all day, stay awake at night and shuffle papers on my floor while breathing loudly, and eat lasagna.

I'll miss them over Christmas break...

Wordle!

Wordle is a website that makes a picture of words that come 

up on your blog based on frequency.

This is mine! The software must only process the most 

recent posts... My number one word from Austria 

    would have been ART 

    and from France, CRAZY!  

What will the weather be today?

Winter weather in New Dehli is exactly the same as winter weather in College Station. Highs in the 70s. Lows in the 50s. Sunny. Does anyone else find this funny and surprising? 

Another pre-trip issue to ponder: electricity accessibility. Admire India's electrical outlets... they resemble a constellation of stars. This seems very mystical and elaborate like Hindu itself. 

 

I bought an all-in-one adapter and fingers crossed that some combination of prongs will work!

P.S. A classic joke series my Dad once told me for anyone who may have accidentally forgotten:

"What's a Hindu?" Lays eggs. "What's a Hinway?" About 8 pounds.

New Dehli Here We Come!

 In just a few short weeks, classmates and I will be leaving for New Dehli to learn about India's Government and Politics. Yay!!!