first morning in new home (late)

Namaste,
-the past three days of orientation were very eventful. I will never get over seeing all the donkeys, horses, camels, cows, and dogs roaming the streets. India is like a different world. The people are all so friendly and proud of their culture. The beautiful colored saris, the jewels, the incense, the music, the dancing, the spices, the smells! It is all so overwhelming. During orientation I met with many experts on Indian development work in Udaipur, many of whom had over 30 years of experience in the field. It was weird that these people who knew so much were actually asking my opinion about community development. I feel like I am gaining so much more from this experience than I could ever hope to give. Many of the experts I met with have a lot of pride in traditional Indian culture and values, and some of them also disagree with efforts to Westernize India. There is a saying here that India has enough for everyone’s need but not enough for anyone’s greed. That is so true. 1/6 of the world’s population lives on the relatively small subcontinent of India. If India is going to continue to thrive, it has to stop trying to westernize. The people of India have been sold the American dream but they are chasing it at the expense of their culture, and it is just not sustainable. But who am I to say this? I have experienced the benefits of full economic development my entire life and now I want to deprive others of the same opportunity? I feel so conflicted about development in India because everyone I meet seems so happy here. I have met people with a level of personal fulfillment that is unheard of in the states, so why am I here trying to change their way of life. I hope to come to terms with these thoughts and learn more in my remaining weeks here.
- I moved in with my host family last night and I love our house/apartment. There is a garden/terrace that is beautiful for sitting on early in the morning and late at night. I share a room and bed with Radha, an intern at Seva Mandir in Udaipur. My host mother, Geeta, does not know much English but she is a very sweet woman. Last night she made my favorite dish, vegetables fried in curry starter. This dish is usually cooked after a rain for good luck and is very delicious. Geeta is an excellent cook and she has promised to teach me to cook many traditional Rajasthani dishes. Yay!