Day 5

So before I recount the day's events I think its time to reflect on what I've learned from this experience so far. Less than a year ago I was in my Critical Cultural Competency Certificate Program professor's office talking about what I could do to fulfill my cultural immersion experience requirement and he suggested I go on the India trip and I gave him a look like he was asking me to go on a weekend trip to Mars. I hadn't been abroad ever and had only been on a short plane ride once. I knew nothing about India except what he had described to us in class that the food was so spicy that some of the students couldn't eat it at all and they visited people who literally lived in a garbage dump. Let's just say I've come a long way since then. As a homebody and a germaphobe this has really put me out of my comfort zone. Here are some things I've learned already about myself and I'm sure I'll add to the list several more times since its over:

1. I can spent 14+ hours on an airplane without going crazy.
2. I can use a public squat toilet... barefoot! (as she reads this I'm sure my mother is having a minor heart attack at the thought).
3. I can eat spicy foods and survive. Even the pickled lime which is my least favorite thing I've tried here.
4. I can tell a man who is extremely insistent on selling me sunglasses to get the hell away from me.
5. I can spend a whole week with my boyfriend and not want to kill him.
6. I can pull off an Indian tunic.
7. I can go an entire week without texting (I know, I didn't think it was possible either).

I'm proud of myself for braving these new situations and hope to come back to the US with many more. My major goal is to have a successful haggle before I leave. Oh and ride an elephant!

Today was a pretty interesting day. We listened to several lectures at Costford about ecosensitive building methods. After we went next store to a small building which houses SEWA, the self employed women's association. They are an organization in which they make their own paper from scraps of cotton textile scraps, other used paper scraps, and some local plant sources like pineapple and banana leaves. It was really interesting to see how they make it and to learn about how being self employed empowers women in society. 

We also went to a building Costford designed for the International Institute of Social Entrepreneurs. This nonprofit houses Braille Without Boarders and is designed specifically with the needs of the blind people who will be using the space in mind. This does not mean making it blind friendly to navigate in because that would not prepare them for the real world. Instead it has special acoustics so that they can navigate better by clapping and getting sensory input from the soundwaves. The organization also trains people from around the world to create projects to be advocates for people with disabilities. It was very inspiring to see such a successful nonprofit organization and interesting to learn about how the building was both low cost and eco friendly.

Night all! Still got a paper to write :/ Have great days.