I've finished 6 days of field work, and am I glad for the experience. Living in a city all my 24 years, my only impression of villages is what I garner from books and newspapers. And I needed to get away from the incessant horning of cars, the pollution and the hordes of people I have grown accustomed to in Hyderabad.
I love the village set up. Special mention goes to Jalikaikinada, a village in West Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh. People there are so warm; they keep feeding me with coconuts, mangoes, soft drinks, snacks and tea. In addition, the tranquility of the place is fantastic, a much needed break away from the hustle and bustle of the city and traffic. Life slows down there, and one can sip coconut and whilst the afternoon away listening to the rustling of leaves in the wind, watching the cocks chasing the hens, and village children playing in the mud.
It was so hard to say goodbye, and although I spent only 3 days here, I have made some friends, even with the language barrier. Warmth is something you see in the eyes and feel through the body language, and in my short time here, I have received more than in 2 years in college. It's much more than being friendly, it’s... I can't explain it, but it moves me. If I ever come back to India, I will make it a point to come back to this village with pictures of Singapore and gifts. Cause I have received more hospitality than behind the fake smiles of receptionists and bell-boys in posh 5-star hotels.
In 7 hours time, I will be heading back to Hyderabad by train, to a life I am more familiar with, boozing with the South Africans and playing games on my laptop. But those activities will never be the same again; I have tasted a piece of paradise, and experienced how human relations ought to be. It was a mere 2 centuries that people did not need to lock their gates and fence up their compounds. Where is all the trust we have in one another? As I drift off in my thoughts, a nagging thought remains etched in my mind. Is this the price we have paid for development?
I love the village set up. Special mention goes to Jalikaikinada, a village in West Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh. People there are so warm; they keep feeding me with coconuts, mangoes, soft drinks, snacks and tea. In addition, the tranquility of the place is fantastic, a much needed break away from the hustle and bustle of the city and traffic. Life slows down there, and one can sip coconut and whilst the afternoon away listening to the rustling of leaves in the wind, watching the cocks chasing the hens, and village children playing in the mud.
It was so hard to say goodbye, and although I spent only 3 days here, I have made some friends, even with the language barrier. Warmth is something you see in the eyes and feel through the body language, and in my short time here, I have received more than in 2 years in college. It's much more than being friendly, it’s... I can't explain it, but it moves me. If I ever come back to India, I will make it a point to come back to this village with pictures of Singapore and gifts. Cause I have received more hospitality than behind the fake smiles of receptionists and bell-boys in posh 5-star hotels.
In 7 hours time, I will be heading back to Hyderabad by train, to a life I am more familiar with, boozing with the South Africans and playing games on my laptop. But those activities will never be the same again; I have tasted a piece of paradise, and experienced how human relations ought to be. It was a mere 2 centuries that people did not need to lock their gates and fence up their compounds. Where is all the trust we have in one another? As I drift off in my thoughts, a nagging thought remains etched in my mind. Is this the price we have paid for development?
