- Now Online
2008
- 06/10/08 Look ma, no Typhoid!
- 06/05/08 Heavy Research
- 06/04/08 I travel light (just ask Gunns...)!!!
- 06/03/08 I got my Volunteer Placement!
- 06/03/08 Typhoid in my fridge....
Posts: 11
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Look ma, no Typhoid!
10.Jun.08, 01:50 EDT
That was my typhoid vaccine! 4 pills... all done!
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Heavy Research
05.Jun.08, 00:32 EDT
Some VERY SPECIAL people decided to treat us to dessert at my 'night before i leave for india dinner' -- gogo and i decided on (surprise!) cupcakes... So, we had to test 5 flavors to determine the best for the dinner. Yea - hard work.
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I travel light (just ask Gunns...)!!!
04.Jun.08, 23:03 EDT
One bag!!!
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I got my Volunteer Placement!
03.Jun.08, 12:38 EDT
Your Volunteer Placement- Heidi Minx
Organization Name -Sahyog
Organization for Women and Youth Empowerment
General Information
Sahyog India Trust is an organization dedicated in developing social consciousness and inspiring people to create the type of world that enables all to live with dignity. Their vision and efforts have translated into the development of a Computer Learning Centre/ PSB Youth group/ English coaching centre for Youth/ Women and Teenage Girls - Project Dharamsala summer of 2007.
Website:
Details of the group you will be working with-
Age Group- 10yrs to 50 yrs
Gender- Male/ Female
Socio Economic Level- Middle- Lower Middle – Lower
Volunteer Activities / Duties
• Support the community in their pursuit for healthy
and sustainable livelihoods.
• Engage in discussion and exchange
ideas on issues such as family health,
women’s rights, access to resources, income generation, etc.
• Collaborate and support the teen, youth and women on ongoing projects.
• Teach Computer Basics and Advance Courses according to the needs of the students.
• Be a positive role model.
Goals of the Partner Program
Long-Term
At an organizational level, they are committed to working in a close, cooperative relationship with their partners to achieve specific, time-bound, measurable goals that lead to an overall improvement in the quality of life for the members of their host community. It is their belief that the ultimate measure of their success is a host community that has acquired the confidence, the competence, and the capacity to provide a continuation of the services that Sahyog initiates—independent of their involvement
Short-Term
For your first few days you should spend time getting to know the students. When you understand the needs of the placement and start to get comfortable with it you can suggest activities, lesson plans, etc.
Useful Supplies
• CCS provides plenty of supplies for arts and crafts activities (i.e. - crayons, paints, paper, glue, etc.).
• As people will be very interested in learning about you and your life, please bring “Show and Tell” items, including photos of your family and things representative of your daily life.
• Please begin brainstorming ideas for recreational activities / games / lessons for the students and children.
• Special materials* are welcome, but not required. In the past, volunteers have found the following materials useful at this placement:
* If you are not sure if some special materials or supplies are appropriate to bring with you in-country, please review CCS’ Donation Policy (located in your Participant Handbook) and address your questions directly to your Program Manager.
Work Attire / Dress Code
• Jeans or khakis (No shorts) for male volunteers.
• For female volunteers- Salwar Kameez (Traditional Indian dress) if you feel comfortable
• Otherwise, trousers or skirts that goes down to your ankles and loose tops which cover your arms.
• Sturdy shoes such as tivo sandals, sneakers or hiking shoes
• Clean clothing without stains, tears or pants that drag on the ground.
• Hair should be tied back and out of your face, jewelry should be left at home.
• Please be sure that all tattoos are covered.
• Please refrain from smoking while working at this placement or around its premise.
* Please keep in mind that the way you groom and dress represents and indicates to the local people how people from your country generally dress for work.
Other Notes
• Please refrain from smoking while working at this placement or around its premise.
• Additional volunteer hours are available at this placement during the afternoons. Please speak with in-country staff if you are interested.
Partner Program Staff
Name Position
G.P.Saxena Director
Ms. Yamini Centre in-charge
CCS Alumni who have volunteered at this placement
You are the first volunteer at this placement
Things to Remember
• Keep a positive, open-mind – the culture is very different in India and things that are obvious at home are often very different in India.
• Be flexible – know that things change on a daily basis, giving up your pre-conceptions and adapting to ‘Indian ways’ are part of the enjoyment of the program!
• Interact with the children and staff.
• Maintain a good sense of humor.
• Give yourself some time to settle in and get to know the routine.
• Take initiative – Plan activities in advance and ask how you can help.
• Please be sure to read and review CCS’ Donation Policy (located in your Participant Handbook).
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Typhoid in my fridge....
03.Jun.08, 03:05 EDT
Haha! No, seriously...
Dose one down, no icky feeling, phew!
3 more doses to go.....
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Protests in Delhi
30.May.08, 00:52 EDT
Tribesmen try to paralyse Delhi
The protestors are demanding inclusion in affirmative action quotasThousands of protesters from India's Gujjar tribe have burnt tyres and blocked key roads into Delhi in support of their demand for better treatment.
Tens of thousands of paramilitary troops and policemen have been deployed to maintain order.
Over the past week, at least 41 people have died in clashes between police and Gujjars in Rajasthan, western India.
The Gujjars are a large and politically influential tribe spread across the north of the country.
Meanwhile, in protests elsewhere, a member of the Gujjar community has been killed in Samalakha village in the state of Haryana.
Police said the man was killed when police fired rubber bullets at a crowd of protestors.
Protests have also been continuing in the state of Rajasthan.
Earlier this month the Rajasthan government announced an aid package worth $60m (£30m) for the community but this was rejected.
The Gujjars say they want to be placed on an official list of disadvantaged tribal groups that benefit from preferential recruitment to government jobs and educational institutions.
Traffic blocked
Thousands of Gujjars have gathered on the outskirts of Delhi, chanting slogans against the chief minister of Rajasthan, Vasundhara Raje Scindia.
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"They fired at Gujjars in Rajasthan. But it hurts Gujjars all over the country. We all stand united on the issue," a Gujjar leader, Joginder Singh Awana, told the BBC.
"We want a case registered against the Rajasthan chief minister. She is a murderer. Forty of our people were shot and killed on her orders," said an angry protester.
"When a terrorist is killed in an encounter, the human rights groups come out in his support. Dozens of unarmed Gujjars have been killed, but how come no one has come out in their support?" asked another.
On the outskirts of Delhi, traffic has been blocked by hundreds of Gujjars on the highway that connects the suburbs of Noida and Ghaziabad with Delhi.
Traffic jams have also been reported on the Mehrauli-Gurgaon highway that connects Delhi with Gurgaon.
Noida and Gurgaon are home to hundreds of call centres and IT offices.
The authorities have put Delhi and its suburbs, which make up India's National Capital Region, on high alert.
Additional police have been deployed at all entry points and police check posts have been erected across the city.
The Gujjars have also threatened to stop essential supplies, including milk and vegetables, from coming into the city.
The violence began last Friday when police opened fire on Gujjar demonstrators in Rajasthan.
Ever since, the protesters have blocked rail and road access between Rajasthan and Delhi, and a major highway linking the Rajasthan capital, Jaipur, to the city of Agra, which is home to the Taj Mahal.
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Rail Travel
26.Apr.08, 23:12 EDT
Booking in advance is recommended, trains can sell out weeks in advance. I have a feeling it might be one of the first things I do when I get there, though there IS a quota for tourists so they can buy tickets closer to dates of travel. I've done about 3 hours of research tonight, and I believe the train from New Delhi will be about $54USD for 1st Class Air Conditioned. After scouring Lonely Planet, I've figured out that an Upper Berth is preferred if you want to stretch out to sleep.
Otherwise, looks like the train ride is about 11 hours. I've found one that gets me in around 9am, seems safest. The other all arrive at about 4am. From what I've read so far, it's best not to be out b y yourself as a western woman after about 9pm.
The trains site alone took about 1.5 hours to decipher. I've found hotel sites that don't list prices... all sorts of odd things, but this is the oddest to date. This is just one screenshot of classification codes for discounts on the rail system. There wa a whole section of discounts for circus workers, and my favourite, FREE fare to unemployed youth going to a job interview.
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Travel Warning: Areas of Conflict
26.Apr.08, 22:56 EDT
I have to figure this out. Two areas I'm thinking of going to are on this alert list. I was doing some further research, and I think I may have to do more when I am there. I've heard there's a beautiful area about 2 hours north of where I'll be based, but i have to travel thru Jammu. The other area Bodh Gaya, is in Bihar. It's also on the list with alerts for kidnapping. I just have to figure out how to do this safely.
Travel Warning: Areas of Conflict Several Indian regions are prone to occasional conflict; Jammu and Kashmir (as distinct from Ladakh) are subject to political violence and travellers should seek consular advice before entering any area bordering Pakistan.
Similar advice should also be sought before travel to Assam, Nagaland, Tripura and Manipur in northeast India. There are militant groups operating sporadically in some rural areas of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Orissa.
Travellers should remain alert wherever they travel in India, particularly in big cities and when attending large public gatherings. Deadly bomb attacks have occurred in Mumbai, New Delhi and Hyderabad over the past couple of years, with a series of bombings killing 13 in Uttar Pradesh in November 2007.
Political and sectarian tensions occasionally boil over into street violence. Check out Safe Travel for updated government warnings or the Thorn Tree travel forum for some good advice from travellers. severity: High-level alert -
Visas
20.Feb.08, 23:30 EST
Well, I finished all the forms for the program, then for my visa. Honestly, I think I should take pictures of my first-born (2, 2 inches x 2 inches, black and white) and attach them with my pictures, my forms, and almost every other bit of personal information I can think of. (Yes, if I get head-butted by a cow, some of you on here will be getting a medical emergency -- or an 'inciting a riot' - call. Guess it can go both ways, huh.)
I am literally cross-eyed, but this is going to be so worth it! For all the traveling I've done, I've never had to procure a Visa. -
Bodh Gaya
18.Feb.08, 23:17 EST
Looks like it is several SW of Dharamsala.... I'm investigating trains.
That would be a rad fieldtrip!
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Yea, technology!
12.Feb.08, 10:51 EST
Yea for tMobile, yea for Blackberry...
No silly sim cards to switch, no ridiculous roaming charges...
Yippee! Unlimited email on my Blackberry in India for $19.99 a month!!!!!
Seeing as I'm not taking a computer, I'm very happy about this.
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