No matter where you are in this world transportation is a key element of society because we all have to get to work, to school, to the store, to soccer practice or etc.  That said, this key element varies drastically from place to place.  In America many families have multiple cars but this is unique compared to the rest of the world where citizens rely on public transportation more often than not and thus, transportation becomes a defining component to culture.  Anywhere I have been, I make it a point to experience the local transportation mechanisms and let me tell you,  in India it has been quite a ride!

Just to give you an idea of the comparisons and the contrasts, below are some local forms of transportation that I have had the luxury of experiencing from across the globe:

Pittsburgh: PAT bus

You have probably either seen this bus riding around town or taken a ride on it at some point but here in Pittsburgh mass transportation is happening less and less as cuts in budget affect local citizens who depend on this common mode of transportation. 

Ghana: Trotro

While buses, trains, and private cars can also be found in Ghana, the trotro is a popular form of transportation that feels a bit hectic the the average American such as myself.  The Trotro is a shell of a van that sometimes has seats and sometimes doesn't but always crams in as many riders as possible. You may have to stand on your head to fit in the trotro you need but drivers won't turn citizens away and they travel EVERYWHERE in the country which is what makes them a very valuable resource. 

Peru: Combi

 

In Peru Combis rocket around cities charging much less than taxis or buses for passengers to get from point A to point B.  When I was teaching in Peru, I rode a combi everyday from the city of Huancayo to the village of Wardi.  While Combi drivers will recognize their seating limits, they certainly utilize every inch of space on their combis.  On one Wednesday the combi was very busy and I had to ride both inside and outside of the van right behind the gentleman holding the sign.  Talk about a wild ride!  I certainly don't recommend doing such a thing at home but when you trying to indulge yourself in another culture sometimes its OK to be a little adventurous :)

India: The Rickshaw

I saw many more taxis and buses in India than I did in Peru or Ghana and India is even developing subway systems in their big cities like Hyderabad and Bangalore (New Delhi already has one) but I primarily depended in the rickshaw to get around.  The rickshaw is a covered and motorized bike that will carry as many passengers as it can fit but is usually limited to 2-4.  The original rickshaws were simply two wheeled bikes with a carriage attached and can still be seen around town, especially in New Delhi.

Can you imagine carting me all the way from my hotel to the Red Fort in this? Do you think you could pedal me 6.5KM on very busy roads?

Europe : bikes

In Europe, bikes are a very popular mode of transportation and are much better for the environment than cars are.  Just look at all the bikes parked here!  It appears that everyone in Copenhagen owns there own bike!

Washington DC: Metro

When I lived in DC, I used my bike a lot, even to and from work but if it was raining or I had a meeting that I needed to dress up for then I would depend on the Metro.  If you ever visit Washington DC, don't be afraid to try the metro, it is very easy to use, very safe and very clean!

There are many similarities and many differences among the transportation possibilities that cities offer but the biggest contrast that I found was organization.  In the foreign cities I have visited, traffic laws are much less organized or don't exist at all.  As an example of this, I attempted to take you all on a rickshaw ride with me.  You can hear the way drivers communicate with each other using horns as opposed to lanes or turn signals.  It is by far NOT the best example of how wild a rickshaw ride can be (especially since sometimes they have to dodge cows who care very little about traffic patterns) but it was the best I could do without insulting the culture that embraced me so kindly. 

I have to admit that I enjoy the adventure of riding local transportation so let's go for a ride and then you can compare and contrast experiences yourself! Have fun!

This one is for the girls.

From my perspective, One of the biggest differences between being in Southern India (Bangalore) and where I am now in north / central India (Hyderabad) is the religious presence. If you paid attention in social studies class then you already know that India is rich in history and culture dating back centuries. It's the birth place of some of the worlds major religions and those religions are still practiced here today. I personally appreciate how India has established harmony among so many different religions including Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Christianity and Muslim. That said, in Bangalore most of the Indian people I met practiced Hindu, Christianity, or Buddhism. There were a few Muslims identifiable by the burqa which Muslim women wear to conceal their bodies and faces but since I have come to Hyderabad I've seen many many more burqas and I'm finding myself conflicted by this. The materials used to create burqas are beautiful. They are soft, flowing and adorned with jeweled details yet they are so restrictive, masking the true identity of the individual beneath the garb. I'm also conflicted because I believe in a person's right to religion but as a teacher I can't help but question the potential lost by a woman who isn't permited to chooses wether or not to veil her face. While I recognize there are many forward thinking Muslims who live all over the world, my experience here in India has been different so while I am conflicted, I am also thankful.  I am thankful because we have been given a gift in being born in a culture that is making strides toward equality. Where, historically, women like Gloria Steinem, Mae Jamison, and Georgia O'Keefe have paved a path for us to continue building on and I wonder.  Where you will take your path? What will you do with your unveiled potential? What do you want to be when you grow up? A doctor? A neurologist? An engineer? A policy maker?

Moving on...

     So, as you know, I've spent the last few days in Bangelore which is in Southern India. The temperatures were warm but mild (usually in the low 80's), there was a constant breeze, and my hotel was very comfortable! I learned  A LOT while I was in Bangelore but boy was I tired!  If you follow the Propel Montour Instagram, you may have seen some pictures of me dabbling in some of India's culture.  For example, new friends and  I visited a Dodda Ganeshana Gudi (Bull Temple) which is over 500 years old. To be respectful to the Hindu religion I had to remove my shoes upon entering the temple.  Inside the temple was an enormous statue of a sacred bull. People place offerings at the temple regularly and once a year hold s nut festival to  cover the bull in oils  and celebrate offerings. As I exited the temple a religious fellow placed a red dot on my forehead. This dot is not to be confused with a bindi. Instead, this dot represents "Devine sight" and could be compared to the marking Catholics wear on their forehead on Ash Wednesday. Then, since I was indulging in the culture, I bought a string of jasmine to wear in my hair as so many Indian women do. 

     Now I am in Hyderabad which is easiest to explain as being in the middle of India. The difference in temperature when I stepped off my prop plane further north was immediately detectable and the monsoon season is clearly in effect. My hotel is comfortable but not as clean as most Americans would prefer and the TV isn't even a flat screen! But despite the differences I am very excited now that I'm in Hyderabad preparing for my field experience. I am looking forward to meeting the host teacher who will be helping me learn more about the culture here in Hyderabad, the school system, and Jubilee Hills School! I can't wait to try new foods now that I'm in the north because cuisines change as you travel through out India influenced by resources and ancient civilizations.  So stay tuned all, there is plenty more adventure to come!

Same or different, what do you think?

http://youtu.be/8yQRNCcPmQ4

Its my turn to learn!

There was little time to blog about all of the things I have learned today but keep checking back for answers to your questions!  Until then, here is a little teaser about my day:

http://youtu.be/djkcdhWaKSg

Lunch time!

The food here in India looks different than what we are used to in Pittsburgh and across the rest of America but it is REALLY REALLY good!  It is mostly vegitarian fare but they do offer a few meat dishes although I didn't try any of those.  To answer a question from Mrs. Dunn`s class, yes some of the food is very spicey but not all of it is.  I tried six different dishes at lunch today and only two of them tasted hot so the current ratio of spicey food verses non spicey is....... (insert answer in comment field below).

Out for a walk

I took a short walk this morning.  It was 11:30 AM here in Bangalore but it was only 2:00AM in Pittsburgh (more dojo points to the first person to comment the correct diffence between time zones).  On my walk I passed a few cows, watched a gentlman press sugar cane into a juice, and learned a little bit about the game of cricket.   I didn't get any pictures of the cows but you can see the batting cages below that are used for cricket practice.  Luckily, most people here in India speak two languages, Hindi and English, so communication has very easy.  Did you know that cricket is the worlds second most popular sport?  This is why talking with people who live differently than you is so much fun, because you are always learning something new! Has anyone at Propel Montour ever played cricket?