Since November........

Today is just 2 days away from Christmas but it doesn't really feel that way. I have been at my permanent site for exactly a week and think I am adjusting well. It has been very interesting, very hard, and very rewarding all at the same time. I arrived last Friday in Singida town, to two current volunteers who came to town to meet us. The following day I met my mwalimu mkuu (principal of the primary school), my WEO (Ward Executive Officer) and Village Councilor. The three of them came to town to escort me to my new home. When I arrived, I was greeted by what seemed like the entire village. Everyone carried all of my belongings to my house, as the Woman’s Empowerment group wrapped me in their khangas, while singing and dancing around me. From there I was able to briefly look at my house before I was to attend a welcome ceremony at the primary school. I was introduced to the village, given WONDERFUL gifts made by the Woman’s Empowerment group and told to give a short speech. I was also given the Nyaturu (the tribe of my village) name Mwam-bura (which means sent from God during the rain season). So to say in the least I was well received and my village was excited is an understatement. After the ceremony we all had soda and I was allowed to go home to shower before dinner. For dinner, and 2 days since I have had to stomach CHICKEN!! I did it to say Thank You the first day and now even though I explicitly say I don't like meat and I don't like to eat animals I have been served fish and chicken. I am looking forward to returning to my village after Christmas after having gone to the market, able to cook for myself. However, I feel comfortable in the friendships already made and I know any day I don't want to cook I am free to “piga hodi” (knock) and my neighbors will feed me :)

It took me a few days to truly appreciate the warm welcome and the food provided. After coming from America where we have personal space and time to ourselves, and immersing ourselves into the Tanzanian culture, you find personal space and time alone don't exist. Therefore it's something that you look forward to when you finally move to your own home. Once I got here, and still had my neighbors tell me when to wake up, when to eat, when to shower, etc. it was slightly annoying. But once I was able to look past the action and see that they just wanted to help and welcome me, I have been more open and able to appreciate it. And now I appreciate (slightly, haha, I can't lie!) the ugali and makunde (bean and corn mixture), even though I wouldn't mind staying in my home and eating peanut butter out of the tub (because that's all the food I have right now!) Though my village doesn't have electricity or running water, they actually have a great system set up at both the primary and secondary school to catch rain water. The headmaster of the secondary school has solar, and that is the only means of electricity outside of the few people that have generators. I don't mind however because I have been without running water and electricity since I arrived. That's a least one transition that isn't new to me! (I did however buy a solar lamp in Dar es Salaam that charges my cell phone and illuminates my two bedroom house.)

For Christmas I'll be going to town, and then to the village of a volunteer that has been here over a here. So Merry Christmas! I am doing well trying to manage the boredom by writing letters and studying Swahili. My job for the next three months is to fully learn Swahili and assess the needs of my village by conducting a Village Survey Analysis (with villagers, the zahanati (health clinic), village leaders and both the primary and secondary school, and meeting the people I will live amongst for the next 2 years. I must say the kids here help me the most and it is slowly progressing. Tanzanians speak so fast that I am still able to pick up a few words but somehow understand what was said! I am going to the post tomorrow so a few of you can be on the look out in about 10 days! That's all for now! HAPPY NEW YEAR TOO!

Lesson Learned and to BE Learned

As I wrote a letter to my dear friend Jenna, I thought this instance is something I wish to share with not just her, but everyone. As a volunteer, one of our goals is to share and educate Americans about Tanzania, and vice versa. Being African American, I am finding something as simple as the color of my skin will be a great teaching tool here in Tanzania. Not only do I have the opportunity to educate many Tanzanians who don't understand the concept of an African American, but to also share this experience with many of my friends in the United States, who may not otherwise realize being “black” in Tanzania is not “easier.” My first encounter with this was upon arrival in Tanzania. At this point the only Kiswahili words I knew were yes and no. Therefore when approached by Tanzanians who assumed I was also Tanzanian, I was unable to communicate. At that point I didn't even know how to say I'm American, let alone I am learning Kiswhaili. During my first encounter with the issue of race, I was having a conversation with two people who were helping me learn simple swahili words and I informed them of America. What they were unable to grasp was that my roots, for as far as my family is able to trace is American. Unwilling to accept this as my race, they told me all “black people” come from Nigeria or Tanzania. Teaching moment number one. The next was unbelievably with Americans. Not only were they surprised to see an African American in Tanzania but assumed although I was with the entire group of Americans that I must be from Africa, but not Tanzania because “my English was pretty good.” Teaching moment number two. The next stemmed from what I imagine to be a common situation to come in the future. While I do look Tanzanian from the color of my skin, and that is my assumed race, “once I speak, it is clear I'm not.” As one Tanzanian has already told me, “I thought you were one of us until you started to talk.” From here he proceeded to tell me I made it to America during the slave trade, and then asked me about slavery. While these instances will be reoccuring, and slightly bothersome, I have learned that it is only ignorance that perpetuates things like this. Instead of taking offense, I will do my best to use these constant interactions as teaching moments, and as my Kiswahili increases, I will be able to do so. I'm putting up this blog just to showcase many challenges that I face are far beyond the rats, the sanitation, and even lack of water. While it is something so simple, it is such a great teaching moment. So many people, as I realized from also traveling to India in developed countries have rarely/never seen African Americans, and along with the projects we have come here to do as volunteers, I feel those of us of color have an additional cultural lesson of America in which we can provide to many who don't know.

My First Wedding

My sister got married today!  It was definitely a great experience.  I learned Muslim weddings are quite different than any other I've seen thus far.  The actual ceremony was very private (and simple as my mama called it) where we did not attend.  I did however go to the celebration last night, and it was wonderful!  It was so nice to be a part of a cultural tradition.  When I arrived, everyone in the family was sitting on mats, helping sort rice, to prepare for the food to follow.  After we finished helping, all my sisters lined up, and danced around my sister getting married.  Briefly I want to highlight the best part of the experience: the children who helped celebrate.  They marched through the village playing drums, and dancing.  They ended under a tent, and sat in rows, doing various dances, and singing several songs, paying tribute to my sister getting married.  It was the cutest thing I've ever seen!  (I wish I could've taken pictures, pole sana!!)  I have about 15 minutes left of internet, I just wanted to put up all these blogs and this quick paragraph.  On Saturday I find out my SITE! get excited, because I am.  Happy Birthday to ME!!! (and HAPPY THANKSGIVING, I love you all!!)

Mud Roads and a Tanzanian Bus Don't Mix

We have been here for 4 weeks (or so my friends say about 33 days)!! Peace Corps Tanzania acknowledges how intense language training is 6 days a week, 8 hours a day and gave us a weekend of relaxation on the beach. And by gave I mean allotted for the weekend in our schedule, we did have to pay for it :) With the luxury of internet this weekend I am able to post the few blogs I typed on my computer. I am currently in the most beautiful place, with the ocean as my view from my bed. I laid in my hammock all day, undisturbed by mosquitoes because it has a net, and watched monkeys play! I took advantage of the warm salt water and have been swimming numerous times. The best was the first night when everything was luminescent from the full moon! No man made lights needed....just the moon :)
The only update I have is that life is good! I am looking forward to making an American meal for my family next Sunday and my birthday gift, which will be site announcements on November 26^th. I have not even the slightest idea of where I will be but I am sure of this: it will be beautiful! Tanzania is the most beautiful place...there are coconut and orange trees galore, and each day I wake up to see mountains in the horizon. I have freshly squeezed orange juice from mama every morning so have no worries, I'm getting my Vitamin C. Sadly oranges are almost out of season, but then it will be PINEAPPLE time :)

Last bit of news is about language. Swahili is kind of difficult for me. I have been doing pretty well learning and being able to write is pretty simple. But when it comes to forming sentences orally it is a little difficult for me. But no worries, I'm where I should be according to Peace Corps...I just want to be better so that I can communicate! Like I said earlier, “pole, pole.” Well that's all I've got for now. I'll probably post again right before swearing in, when I go back to Dar.

Although I typed a blog earlier today, I had to tell this story before the details faded from my memory (although it is pretty unforgettable). We left our mini vacation 30 minutes late meaning we had 30 less minutes of sunlight to travel. We thought nothing of it until the roads were so muddy from rain that we couldn't get through. The first hill we slid around, the second, we didn't quite make it. We were on two buses, and we watched the first go up and slide back down. It was quite possibly the funniest thing I've seen thus far. After it reached the bottom, so many Tanzanians came from the village to help. The plan was to continue to give it gas but the end result was everyone getting off, giving it a push, and then it was a race to the top. We all walked in front of the bus without thinking in order to make it to the top, the bus couldn't stop once it got started; we began running to try and beat the bus to the top, but it was pointless. We all had to quickly jump into the shrubs to avoid being hit. Once we made it through the first few hills with a combination of gas, sliding tires (hands in the air like it was a roller coaster) and pushing we met our next hurdle. Not only did one of the buses get stuck, but the battery died. We had to take the battery from our bus out, and give it to the other bus. Needless to say in the best way I can describe, our journey home took about 4 hours and it should've taken no more than 2. It was quite an experience and we all were able to first hand see why Tanzanians don't travel during the rain season. Paved roads are far and few between. It was definitely a welcome home, welcome back to real life experience, haha. Vacation finished! (My friend took video so hopefully I can steal it or pictures to share!!)

Side note: Responsible Tanique went into the ocean with her Ipod (probably a lost cause but it's in rice), lost her neck pillow (sign 123210 it was not meant for me to have one, and lost a pair of shorts! I only brought 2 pair with me so I'll have to be extra careful with the remaining pair! However, all in all it was a VERY successful weekend with the monkeys and the Indian ocean.

Today, November 14^th I made chapati!! I was pretty happy because everyday I just watch and today I actually made it. My mama told me now I have Tanzanian food to take back to America and that made me smile. So now I have to share a little bit of Tanzanian culture with my family when I come back home and make you all chapati, haha! Look forward to it, it's tasty!

Indirect Communication at Its Finest!

Today was a very interesting day for me and I could not wait to write about this experience. I am currently living in Bagamoyo where there are three other Peace Corps Trainees, not including myself. We live in a pretty conservative village, where those of us who are women have strict, protective mothers. Considering these things, we probably shouldn't have stayed in the village over, Mkanyagene until 6:30, but we did. In our village we don't have many amenities and we decided to take advantage of that after getting out of class at 5. We all knew getting home right before dark could go over well or not, but to what seemed our knowledge, our families were excited to see us that evening. Going to sleep thinking everything was fine, and my mama was pleased with me, I woke up the next morning, continuing on as if it was another normal morning. However, to my mama, she could not wait to tell my mwalimu (teacher) in the morning of my late arrival the previous night. Unknowingly to me, my mama expressed her frustrations with me with my teacher, and proceeded to wave me off to school, telling me to have a great day, acknowledging I would see her later. However, as soon as we began to walk to the dala dala stop to get to the next village, my mwalimu informs me of her frustrations. To say in the least I was shocked was an understatement. While it has been expressed to us in so many ways that Tanzanians are indirect, this was my first experience with such. Instead of saying anything to me, my mama went straight to my teacher. My first thought was instead of smile and talk to me like everything is normal, why not tell me? Then I realized the culture is completely different. However the next hurdle was this, and that of my own culture: when I return home after school, now that mama knows I know she is frustrated, will she smile and talk to me like it is all fine or will we talk about it? I was at conflict because in America we are blunt. If I'm not happy with you, I'll let you know and vice versa. I was unsure of how to receive my mamas response to me when I returned home. This time was she still frustrated or was she being genuine. I had no idea and after thinking this through all day, I asked my mwalimu. He told me because she knows he addressed it with me today that she would be fine. That the situation was finished. And from then I realized that while being indirect with other people won't be difficult for me because I can be passive, having people be indirect with me is going to be a lot more difficult than I thought. I am the type of person that wants/needs to know if there is a problem so that it can be solved.

Aside from this small difference however, my mama and more importantly my family is wonderful. On Saturday I will be taking my dada (sister) with me to teach a local primary school to perma-garden. I am excited to be able to pass the valuable lesson of gardening to youth who can hopefully pass it on to parents, friends, relatives, etc.

Where am I Again?!?

It's been about 19 days exactly since I left Virginia to start this crazy Peace Corps journey. I'm not sure if I can sum up the past 19 days, but I'll do my best. I should start by first off saying I have had access to internet 2 times in the past 19 days for 30 minutes. Maybe that will give you an idea about how frequent my blogging will be. When I initially landed I was quite excited. So excited I listened to Storms in Africa by Enya as the plan landed. Youtube it :) My initial feelings were happiness, anxiousness, curiosity, and slightly whole. I was anxious and excited to experience the daily routine and life of a true Tanzanian, looking forward to staying with my host family, and I must say, quite excited to sleep under my mosquito net. Little did I know my mosquito net would become my best friend and the next best thing here in country. During my first few days at Msimbazi Center, which is where we were lodged for 6 days before heading to home stay in Muheza, I experienced my first bit of anxiety no one could relate to. No matter where we went, until I spoke and people heard my accent, they assumed I was Tanzanian. While different from India in that Africans have seen African Americans, after speaking to two Tanzanians in the internet cafe, it is not known to all that an African Americans heritage can be unknown and trace extensively in America. When asked where I was from “originally” my new friends were not able to understand that for as far back as my family could trace, my heritage lies within America. The final comment was “all of us are from Nigera or here!” This was an interesting moment because since birth I have always wondered my heritage and since being here am comfortable with being American.

From Msimbazi we headed to Muheza. We all live in different villages with a small group called our CBT. I am in a village with three other FANTASTIC trainees who are like my family! I love them :) My village is Bagamoyo and it is really close and small. In less than 10 minutes of starting to wash clothes or even walk somewhere other than your house, everyone, including the other trainees hear about it before you can tell them :) Our village is unique from all the rest because we have sand while all the others are the infamous red clay. This is where I am currently staying, studying Swahili all day (8-5) from Monday to Saturday. (School is at my house!) It is quite the intense day and I have from 5 to 6:45 before the sun goes down to bucket bathe, help with dinner, and study. Yea right? I don't miss electricity until I think about all the things I could be doing after the sun goes down with a little bit of light. But the funny thing is Tanzanians generally take things, “pole, pole” which means “slow, slow” and I'm slowly starting to learning I don't have to do a million things in one day. Time is no issue here. (Although my mama wakes me up a 6am to start the day every morning). We get together as a large group (there are 41 of us!!!!) anywhere from one to three times a week :)

I have intensive Kiswahili training, but also do training for my technical job as a health educator. I am really looking forward to it. Yesterday I learned from a brilliant guy, Peter Jensen, how to build a perma garden. It is so rewarding to not only learn, but I will be teaching it to primary school children next weekend, building one at my home and hopefully teaching it to villagers. It is a method intended to provide a sustainable structure for gardening in this climate with dry, humid seasons. It captures and allows you to control water. If we as volunteers are able to share this with villages, we have the potential to have a direct impact on nutrition, specifically PLWHA (people living with hiv and aids).

Quick message about my homestay family: I have a million kakas and dadas (brothers and sisters). It seems everyone that comes to the courtyard or house is my brother, sister, aunt or uncle. I have two bibis (grandmothers) who are always here, and a wonderful mama and baba. My mama is so protective of me, won't let me walk to the end of the road without Jamesi (another volunteer) if no one familiar is in sight. I am slowly adjusting to my new rafikis (friends), ie creatures around here. You see something new and sometimes a little more scary every day. Interestingly enough, I think last night I received more ant bites last night than mosquitoes the entire time I've been here. Without looking in my can before dipping in my bucket, I unknowingly dipped my can full of ants in water, and then poured over my body. I reached to my back because I felt a bite, and looked at a hand full of ants! Me screaming MAMA followed, and without realizing I put all the ants in my clean water, we used the water to remove them. (Reason number 918203 as to why electricity at night is slightly beneficial, lol). Needless to say we finally removed them and I took another bucket bath. I have also befriended the rats living around my room, and luckily I have seen no buibui (spiders).

I can't wait to put up pictures. I haven't taken any because they tell us to get to know the family before pulling out electronics. I will however take many before leaving, and will post them. My house is cement although most in my village are clay. The front room is one of the village dukas (stores) and there is a short hall that leads to my room and outside. Outside is the choo, bucket bath area and kitchen. I try to help my mama cook almost every day. Mostly I just watch and study at the same time. We have a jiko charcoal stove. Its like 6in x 6in and about 6in in height. It sits on the ground; most days my mama also cooks on a stove made from stones and wood. Wood and corn cobs provide the heat to cook but that method smokes A LOT! I wash my clothes every Sunday and because my mom only lets me wash when I don't have school, I find myself recycling the same few shirts. I don't want to hand wash more than 3 skirts and 3 shirts at one time. Haha!

4 Days and Counting!

It's Wednesday.  I leave for Tanzania very soon and I'm not quite ready.  I have little things I still need to buy, I haven't packed a thing, but at the top of my priority list is getting this blog together.  This one will be a little more intricate than the previous ones as I will be gone for longer and have much more information to relay.  My current address will be included on the page, along with instructions to send things and the best way to do so.  I am not putting up a wish list because I don't wish for anything except for those I love to keep it touch.  A letter from you is all I need.  Don't waste your money sending me things, just send me your love!  I hope to do a better job of updating this blog...it should be easier because while in India I had this unrealistic goal of blogging everyday.  I think while in Tanzania the goal will be to blog monthly.  That's all for now, make sure you all KEEP IN TOUCH!!!

January 5. 2011

We toured Mithraniektan Vellanad, a school built by Laurie Baker, and one I found a connection to.  The school was built in 1956 as a center for supplemental education.  Students attend regular school and there they would be provided extracuricullar activities.  The importance of education inspired them to extend regular school to standard 10, but could not include 11 and 12 because of finances.  The school follows the state curriculum and provide students the opportunity to learn trades such as agriculture, carpentry, electrician, ceramics and baking to name a few.  The school also uses trades such as the Bakery, which are considered economic viable units to increase funds by selling products.  The students were nice enough to share delicious lemon cake with us!

Their students come from tribes who otherwise wouldn't receive an eduction.  Coming from tribes, they are unable to afford fees, and everything is provided for them.  However, Mithraniketan is recognized as a school by the government but does not receive funding.  Orignially they received funding from the Danish government but this too stopped in 2006.  Being around people with such good intentions and large hearts compelled me to donate.  My friend and I have been looking for a non-profit to commit to, and here I am sure our money will go a long way (as American money is worth more AND they follow cost effective principles). 

Hearing the hardships of maintaining teachers also drove my desire to support.  Teachers are difficult to hire at Mithraniketan and once they are, hard to retain.  Because Mithraniketan is a non-profit their teachers are recent graduates or of the elder population.  The recent graduates stay until they find more comparable pay for their education and skills, many times leaving the students without a teacher mid year. 

This place was extraordinary and I am excited to help, even if in very small way.  As stated by Reghu, "it takes a special kind of person to work here" and those are the people I wish to support.

January 4. 2011

An interesting day to say the least, filled with tours.  However one was special.  We were given the chance to tour Laurie Baker's home.  While touring, we were surprised to see his wife, Mrs. Baker of 94 years sitting upright on her bed.  Her age surprised me, especially in a developing country.  It was quite an honor as she practiced medicine and opened clinics in the slums to serve the underpriveleged population.  If nothing else, we have met both outstanding scholars and genuine people who care about humanity.

It was unique to walk through his house and learn the reasoning behind his designs.  I should note, prior to attending his home and Merle Kindred's home, tradition is for the family to sleep in one room, and to succeed as the elsest move out.  Therefore Laurie Baker and his children all shared one room.  Touring the rest of the home, we were taken to the fourth floor, the top, and saw an amazing view of Kerala.  His home has been turned into COSTFORD offices and provides a studio for architects. 

Note the way Laurie Baker built AROUND the tree (and this is prevalent in many structures).

Artwork from stone imprinted in the wall.

Laurie Bakers bedroom.

The tour of Laurie Baker's home was followed by a tour of Merle Kindred's home.  She had a COSTFORD home built as well.  Merle is a scholar looking at energy issues solved by technology and communication.  She is now living six months in India, the other six in Canada, doing research and advocating for COSTFORD.  She presented a powerpoint on COSTFORD housing matching Ghandian ideals, particularly their utilization of natural resources.  She included in her powerpoint a quote from Ghandi that really stood out to me "The Earth is for every man's need, not every man's greed." and I believe COSTFORD models support that.  Ghandi believed building materials should come from a 5 mile radius, which COSTFORD also models by using local resources.  Ghandian ideals are incorporated by COSTFORD as they do not misuse natural resourcse which Ghandi considered violence against nature, and do not overconsume, which Ghandi considered violence against humanity.  Lastly, many COSTFORD structures contain benches which Ghandi (and Laurie Baker) deemed vital for successful personal relationships and social interactions.

Below you can see pictures from the Aryand Panchayat.  A Panchayat is similiar to a district in the States; a governing body for localities, and in India, the village.  However, it is run by the people, and provide services area specific, such as schools, diabetes clinics, co-operatives.

These pictures illustrates a co-operative running inside the village of Aryand, which cultivates and sells rice and bananas.  The co-operative consists of five women and their families who rent this land. The woman below responded to the call from the village Panchayat Bank to rent the land for two years becuase she knew agriculture.  These women are able to provide a supplemental income to their households and pass the trade of agriculture and food security to future generations.  Although they cannot own the land, they are encouraging women to partake in the local economy and demonstrating women can have control.

We also visited the school inside the Panchayat.  The children hadn't gone home yet, awaiting our arrival.  Notice my friend teaching the kids head, shoulders, knees and toes!

January 3. 2011

Originally I combined January 2 and 3 because I had limited words but after editing my pictures, these were too great to not share. 

We were in line by 7am to make the first ferry to  Vivekananda Kendra, the Hindu temple. 

As previously noted, these are the fisherman boats at shore.

The line for the ferry was separated by gender, and then women placed at the back of the boat, men at the front.

We visited the temple to the left.

They are dressed in black because of their Hindu religion, all on a one month break from everything but their spirtual journey.  They invited us foreigners into their picture!

The temple from a distance.

January 2. 2011

After breakfast we checked out of the hotel today, to venture further south to Tamilnadu and then Kanyakumari.  There we would visit the Palace in which the royal family of India resided, full of history. 

There were so many components to the Palace, all centered around the Queen Mother.  To describe the experience at the Palace, I am going to post pictures with captions as they serve the most justice.

The name of the Palace was Padmanabhapuram and below are pictures I will use to illustrate different rooms.

This was the room we entered first, after walking up wodden stairs.  The room was used a meeting area, to make judicial decisions, and discuss importat issues pertaining to the area.

Here you can see an opening in the floor which was filled with water to keep temperatues cool.  It was also used as a method to transcend fresh scents throughout the Palace by placing roses inside as well.

This was the King's bed. 

Here note where the women stayed.  The windows are designed so that they can see out, but cannot be seen.

 These two pictures were windows on the side of the house that provided ample space for the Royal Family to watch parades and activities on the street.  Note the size difference of the one to the right, as that was the King's space.  The photo below is a view of the streets today.

 These two illustrate a bench for kneeling and small windows in the wall used for women to watch events in the dance hall as they were not allowed to be seen by the public.  To the right, you can see the dance hall.


                                                                                               After touring the Palace, many people enjoyed sweet coconut water sipped from a fresh coconut. 

We arrived in Kanyakumari with time in the evening to explore, and decided to walk to "the beach."  As we walked to the beach, I was able to see an acutal informal settlement.  It was similiar to homelessness in the States as these individuals possessed few items and lived on the streets.  However, they camped in open, public spaces and they were not displaced (at least not the same day).  We also encountered beggars which I hadn't seen before in Kerala.  Not only had I not seen them before, but NEVER, even in the States have I seen children beg.  It was difficult for me to walk past, and I sense the children could tell because I allowed eye contact. 

We make it to the non existent beach which consisted of a small portion of sand filled with fishing boats.  However, this trip wasn't completely unsuccessful.  Friends and I had seashells engraved!  It was actually a neat process.  The shells were painted and then dipped in a hydro-chloric acid which made the shell erode, but the surface under the paint remained.  Here are two pictures but the final product is a gift and an element of surprise must remain!

January 1. 2011

Happpyy New Year!  I enjoyed writing the date today.  1.1.11.  Today was a humbling day where I felt honored to be here.  (Well everyday I am, but today because of the people we met).  I am posting a wonderful, wonderful video I encourage everyone to watch.  If you don't read anything else, listen to that (it's about 17 minutes long but worth every bit). 

Another busy day, another long blog.  The agenda consisted of visiting the Laurie Baker Center, a paper making place, and IISE which stands for the International Institue for Social Entrepreneurs and is  aschool for the blind.  I had no idea we would also be experiencing a three course traditional Keralan meal; I didn't take enough pictures because my hands became messy but my descriptives will serve justice.

The road leading to the LBC and the first building we approached.  Also a picture that sums up the dymanics of our group.

The Laurie Baker Center was constructed meticulously and beautifully from brick, clay and cement.  His designs were artwork and displayed by not only the shape, but mango decoratives and use of natural resources.  We attended lecture at the top floor which was used for that purpose, and below a dormitory for people attending LBC to be trained as masons and such.

Note the recycled bottles used to create shapes in the wall, along with cement.

Lecture was presented by Padmakumar, informing us of the technology and various techniques used to construct these structures.  He described how the process included more than architecture, but making the right choices based on need, while incorporating environmental and social costs.  The construction process begins with excavation, and is preceeded by foundation, structure, finishes (wall, roofs, flooring), electrification, plumbing, sanitaiton and external touches (boundary and landscaping).  He also described the usefulness of bamboo, which is used to replace some properties of steel, and to also provide a foundation.  Below soil level, bamboo will remain intact, but can only be used in water log or clay conditions.

After lecture, and learning about ways to manipulate stone, shifting soils, damp roofing, mud walls and flooring, we were able to tour the entire Laurie Baker Center.  I observed the same circular patterns, providing many 3 dimensional shapes. Laurie Bakers philosohies aslo transpired into his designs, as you can see with the mago but also below in this symbol made from stone.

The bathroom inside the dormitory.

Padmakumar shown from the outside looking up.....

And the view from the top, looking out and down.

The tour was concluded with a brief narrative from Keith Saldanha, who had the pleasure of befriending Laurie Baker, and now lives at the Center.  He describe Laurie as an architect who designed by nothing that could be gained from textbooks, but with pure creativity and thought.  He took an interest in his clients with a sense of wonder, and never compromised his values.  I appreciated his use of local resources, and also his way of incorporating the clients personality into the structure built. 

Keith was wonderful enough to join us for lunch and we were all so gracious.  He taught us the proper etiquette when eating a traditional Keralan meal.  I will begin by saying the chefs at LBC began prepearing this meal in the morning, to ensure spices and currys were well made; a lot of effort was put into this meal.  We were served rice and curry, as you can see below, and began eating.  It was delicious, and my best meal in India.  I particularly enjoyed eating with my hands and the banana leaf was quite efficient.  We also learned from Keith at the end of the meal, after folding it upwards, it would be given to the cows.  I had eaten all of my food, plus a friends picklem minus the yogurt when more rice came.  I was almost full but considering the effortss of the meal and this was a Kerala tradition for only special occasions, I acepted the rice, followed by more curry.  Words can't describe all the flavors, from coconut to spice, to tangy.  To our surprise, out came a desert dish which Keith instructed us not to eat until finishing both curry dishes, and only after peeling and mashing the banana and pouring it on top.  Deserts I have found to be too sweet, but the banana made it wonderful. I thought, finished, that was great!  But no.  Out came more rice!  Keith informed us of the third course that would soon be coming, but before that, we were served 2 soups which we slurpped from our hands.  The third rice was preceeded by one last curry, and we did our best to eat it all.  After eating as much as possible, I folded my banana leaf forward and had multiple conversations before preparing to witness paper being made by hand.

We walked down the road, to meet several women working with SEWA (Self Employed Womens Association).  These women advocate for the employment of women as it is important they work.  As told by Sajan, and even described in Joys of Motherhood as a trend in Lagos, many times the money earned by men used for the needs of the family but to other things such as alcohol.  Many of us were impressed with their work ranging from hand made pens, to cards, to staionary and bought many of their products.

The products used to make the paper.

Our last destination today was IISE, which as stated was a school designed for the blind, by COSTFORD.  The school illustrates every aspect of sustainability from the solar water heater to their reuse of human waste for biogas to the water channels around the dormitorys to prevent bus from getting inside.  The school is for blind students from all over the world, and during the last semester, 22 countries were represented.  It was at IISE that I heard the most inspiring and motivating words from the minds of the creaters of IISE and Blind without Borders.  Here my words cannot truly potray his, and therefore I recorded them.  His words were very enriching, so if you have the time, please listen. 

The logo for Blind Without Borders, placed in their auditorim stage in stone, similiar to the mango work.