Today I took my first bus. Mr Edwin came with me to show me the way so that from tomorrow I will be able to travel around alone - wish me luck.
Traffic here is so chaotic but in the same time absolutely brilliant. There is no real rule, barely traffic lights and people cross the streets at random - I am surprised there's no dead body laying around every couple of meters or some car crashes every now and then. I am actually more surprised that that dead body wasn't me today.
It's crazy also the use of horns, as if they have to signal their presence to every car/motorbike/pedestrian they encounter. Some vans and taxis even have written in the back 'Sound/Horn OK'.
The buses as well follow their own rules, so much better than in London! First of all, there are at least 3 rows of seats at the front reserved only for women. Then the bus does never really stop: it just slows down, so people get off and up at their own risk and hoping to make it (well that was me at least) and making the whole process much faster. Finally, the doors are always open, so whenever one wants to leave he or she can do it! That's without having to pull that red emergency handle on top of the sliding doors, like some kids like to do in London. Ok, I'm kidding, although I do think there should be some seats reserved for women also in our buses!
This morning I asked my future former driver Mr. Edwin what was the meaning of those white and black stripes painted on the road surface (commonly known as 'zebra crossing'). The ones I was pointing to though were just over a speed hump, and although for me it shouldn't have made any difference, he replied that the aim of those stripes is to alert the drivers of the hump... Right.
Ok talking about something a bit more serious, yesterday and today I went to see the two creches in Bangalore, where the children of migrant construction workers receive informal education.
They are both in very rural areas just off the main roads, I would define them as something like 'nice slums', if there's such a thing. The houses are called Ashraya mane, just blocks of cement with asbestos sheet as a roof.
The two creches are just the same, in the middle of these areas, with the only difference that they have a couple of windows. The one I visited today was bigger and more 'livable', with two big windows as well, than the one I saw yesterday. Besides that, inside they are just the same: a couple of chairs and a desk for the teacher, some posters on the wall depicting some white kid washing his teeth properly or the English and Kannada alphabet, and a blackboard. Children sit and eat on the floor, sometimes with some rugs underneath.
The children are just amazing, they go from about 1 to 12 years old and are completely unaware (luckily) of their situation, at least the youngest ones. They follow the teacher instructions and the elders help with the various activities and in taking care of the youngest, often their own siblings.
What struck me the most is how much difference just a small amount of money could make in their lives. With the same price of a H&M top, a CD or even a drink, one could buy months' supply of food and new clothes. It's not new to me, in the end we are always bombarded in the West with some charity that tries to tell us the same thing, but seeing it first hand has a quite different effect.
It's very hard to explain in words, it would be much easier to upload the photos and videos I have taken! I was a real idiot not to bring my laptop...
I see the gap between the riches and poor on a daily basis now. Going from the creches to the house where I am staying, host by a well-off family with a 4 years old child who is yes very nice, but so spoiled as well. Also, the other day I ended up not taking my nap but instead going for a walk around the area where the house is. It is all literally divided from the outside world by a cement wall and guards all over to protect it and make sure that those kids playing around in the fields on the other side won't get in.
I am at the Sampark office now, will ask soon if I can upload the photos here - although I doubt because this computer seems loaded with stuff and very slow.
Will update you soon,
C
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