Privilege and New Experiences
Blog 2 – My First Two Weeks in India
The past two weeks have been surreal, with so many ups and downs. Honestly, though, on the surface, nothing has truly surprised me. Through my trip and work in India, I aim to immerse myself in Indian culture, refine my mother tongue, enhance my global awareness, and most importantly, embrace a more adventurous and risk-taking spirit – I’m confident I will! However, my parents have done everything they can to shield me from the outside world (as they always do).
They’ve reached out to every relative in the vicinity – it’s gotten to the point where I’m receiving calls from people I’ve never heard of daily. I’ve received calls from my dad’s cousin’s parents one day and my grandmother’s cousin the next, all amidst a family tree where each grandparent boasts 8+ siblings. It’s been a bit overwhelming, connecting with so many strangers. My parents also arranged someone to negotiate my hotel stay, which mysteriously involved the local police reducing the rates… I have no idea how that works, but I won’t complain :0
While I understand and appreciate their concern, and know it’s all for my benefit, I’ve always been the type to figure things out myself. Still, I can’t help feeling privileged every time I’m chauffeured by someone’s driver, treated to dinner at upscale restaurants (though every high-end place I’ve tried has paled in comparison to the local restaurants in Kanchipuram), or visit with relatives.
Moreover, without access to a kitchen or homemade food, I’ve resorted to ordering all my meals via delivery apps like Zomato. I’ve bought a gym membership at what you’d expect to pay in the US – a prohibitive price for most in India. It often feels like I’m exploiting the purchasing power disparity, but it has also heightened my awareness of the stark economic contrasts between the US and India.
However, to say my experience has been solely defined by familial privilege and the might of the U.S. dollar would be misleading. There have been plenty of challenges, as well as eye-opening experiences, as I attempt to navigate daily life in Kanchipuram.
I’ll address the downs first so we can end on a high note. For starters, my skin has been rebelling. Is it the humidity, the heat, or the stench? Compounded by allergies to bug bites, it’s been a struggle. Just last week, a swollen bug bite left my left eye shut for over a day.
Drinking only boiled or bottled water to avoid typhoid has led to some awkward moments. I felt particularly awful when I had to decline rose milk generously offered by a coworker :/
Furthermore, the widespread use of GPay and other online payment methods has turned basic transactions into challenges. In the first week, I struggled to break a 500-rupee note with each meal or auto ride, but by using a relative’s bank account to buy a gift card for food delivery, I’ve cut my cash struggles in half. Now, it’s just the auto change dilemma that continues :p
I’ve also ruined my shoes walking on the streets – if I don’t put my entire focus on watching where I’m going and not getting run over, I inevitably step in something in something disgusting. RIP my ultraboosts :/ take the poo to the loo has a newfound meaning for me.
On the upside, my work has afforded me glimpses into India’s remarkable facets and cultural differences. Time to geek out – India’s public health system is fascinating. Compared to the US, where the healthcare is top-tier but insurance and accessibility fall short, India’s challenges include a scarcity of healthcare professionals and facilities. Yet, the government provides cover of up to 5 lakhs in medical expenses per family, and even ambulance services are free. Public and community health centers focus on disease prevention, despite their dire need for more funding – an area my NGO aims to bolster. Although India’s medical system faces serious challenges, they’re distinct from those in the US.
On the second day of my job, I visited a renovation at a public health center in Panruti, about 2 hours from Chennai. Witnessing the high patient turnout managed by just a single doctor and four nurses was eye-opening. That day, a bhumi puja kicked off the project aimed at enhancing sanitation and access to medication and equipment.
My tasks have deepened my understanding of India’s health issues and the government’s efforts to tackle them. My first draft proposal supported Anemia Mukt Bharat, designed to fund anemia screening and treatments. Anemia, a serious concern for children and pregnant women, affects over half the population in Tamil Nadu – a stark contrast to the US, where severe cases are rare and typically addressed.
After designing IEC (information, education, communication) posters and flyers for a child mental health initiative, I had the chance to visit a children’s hospital in Egmore, Chennai. I witnessed the stark differences between private and public hospitals, and the struggles public hospitals face. Everyone with sufficient money goes to private hospitals, while public hospitals struggle for funding and are overwhelmed by patients. I was glad to have made at least a small difference, as the flyers I made were handed out to the families present at the event.
After visiting the hospital in Chennai, I stayed with my relatives nearby for a few days. I visited the beach in Neelankarai, met a lot of relatives I did not know, and walked around Pondy Bazaar with a friend, meeting the goat himself Ronald McDonald in the process :3
I’ve also been going to the gym consistently here. I’ve met a few of the regulars who are from a medical school nearby, although it seems like everyone questions or doesn’t know many of the basic exercises I’m doing (specifically RDLs). Every time I go I get some comments, but everyone is still friendly regardless. I’ve also been adding some great songs to my Tamil playlist from what they play at the gym.
The food has also been great. I love spice, and the food so far has been meeting my expectations. I’ve been rating all the restaurants on beli, and so far the highest rating is an 8.9. KFC, unsurprisingly, is the worst restaurant I’ve had here, sitting at a 4.0. Eating healthy has been difficult, but I’m starting to prioritize my idli and sambar intake.
I had a chance to visit one of the temples that Kanchipuram is famous for, although the perumal(Vishnu, main god of the temple) was ‘sleeping’, so I couldn’t see the main idol. There’s a huge festival coming up soon, so they’ve been blocking the streets every day to conduct festivities.
So yeah – I’ve had my fair share of eye-opening, and eye-closing, experiences. Sure, there’s more than a few struggles, but I’ve already learned and experienced so much in my first two weeks. While my inherent privilege remains a backdrop, it certainly doesn’t dampen the spirit of adventure, respect, and joy that shapes my journey here. Stay tuned to see the big festival coming up!
