1. The bureaucracy here makes the American system, of doing pretty much anything, look incredibly functional. The Indian consulate in New York stamped our visas incorrectly, which meant a visit to the immigration office (India's version of Homeland Security) yesterday (and will mean a subsequent visit later this week). So interesting. People from all over Asia were queuing to extend their visas, or immigrate, or register. For political reasons, India is encouraging Afghans to immigrate, so there was a separate section for Afghan nationals and refugees...creating more confusion. There were a lot of people, multiple, slow moving, lines, a black out, chaos about where to stand, and a number of maimed/injured people milling around.
2. Transportation, and getting around in Delhi, is a subculture. Auto rickshaws (pictured here) are the main mode of transportation in the city, though there are many motorcycles (drivers wear helmets) and bicycles (riders don't). Auto rickshaws are sort of like golf carts, only they go faster. (They also run on natural gas, which means that while pollution is still pretty bad, it's not nearly as toxic as it could be). There are no real road rules, and I had to close my eyes a couple of times, just because whatever the driver was doing seemed impossible/dangerous/crazy. But, somehow it feels safe; people communicate with their horns, and with their sheer physical presence. Having an address to give the driver helps, but it's such a huge city, and several drivers didn't seem to be able to read a map (which makes sense; not everyone speaks English). But, when they don't know where they're going, they pull over to ask for directions. Which leads me to...
3. People are connected. The disparity between wealth and poverty here is as great--maybe greater--than I imagined. It's hard to tell at times which buildings are under construction (which is encouraging), and which ones have fallen into dangerous disrepair (which isn't). I don't think I'm ready to write much about Delhi's poor yet, but what I can say is that people seem to depend on each other. Auto drivers depend on people who can afford the fare (I've been haggling, because it's the custom); the managers and employees of Coffee Day (the Indian version of Starbucks) depend on the growing middle/upper middle class to drink their chai and coffee drinks. Servants (many people have them) depend on their middle class employers a living wage. All of the above, means that there's very much a culture of asking someone else to do something for you (even if you're perfectly capable of doing it yourself). The very poor and destitute, the women who use their children to attract attention, don't really fit into this scheme; they depend on someone noticing them, and therefore, do all they can to be visible.
4. Housing...is various, and as interesting as transportation. It was great to see residential neighborhoods today. People live in 'colonies' and 'enclaves' here--those are the words for neighborhoods--mostly in apartment buildings. I'm hoping to visit a friend's aunt and uncle soon, and to befriend teachers at my school (who hopefully will invite me to tea). :-)
5. Explosive development, responsible development: both seem to be happening here. The hotel where I'm staying, which overlooks one of the busiest roads in Delhi, hardly feels sustainable or ecologically sound, but I saw this sign today, which was sort of awesome:
I remember when we all came back from our various JYA adventures we had several discussions about what it means to travel like a tourist vs. traveling like someone who wants to really let a place get under your skin. There are lots of places I want to go that feel impenetrable to me, due to culture or language gaps: India, China, maybe even the Middle East. But I think I've decided that I want to go to those places either with a native, or someone who really really knows the place to help me with crossing the tourist line.
ReplyDeleteMy point is, it's interesting to read this post, knowing that your eyes are open to the life around you, cultures and subcultures of bureaucracy and transportation and trade (broadly speaking). Do you find it visible, but impenetrable, or are you finding ways to work yourself into the cracks?
It's early, I know. You've probably just had time to get over the jet lag, but I'd be interested to know what it feels like to work your way in. Good luck wrangling those invitations to tea!
Elizabeth
I think I'm finding it penetrable, but that's in part because I'm not really a tourist (though I feel like one in some ways; it's hard to escape being so white, and so western), and have a reason to be here which will locate me, at least in part, in those cracks. And we have a mentor; my friend Bree who lived in Delhi for a year, so knows a lot about being a resident here.
ReplyDeleteThat's not the experience I had that summer in Prague, for example, where I never really got to know anyone Czech.
More later. :-)