the whys and hows...

howdy!

on to the analysis part of it all... i have become enlightened with rationale for much of the craziness i see, and wish to share with you, patient reader.

the dogs: my fellow Yorki, Grahammallen, has made me aware of social and legal policy in Bangalore that not only ensures the protection of street dogs but monitors their even distribution across the city, allowing for a harmonious coexistence between man and beast. that's pretty awesome. though they want to eat me after dark, they're just little pooches! what this speaks to, though is the spirituality within people here, and the legitimacy of it at the government level. i think this is commendable.

cockroach roomate: i fixed the drainage pipe behind my sink, aka his front door. i came home today and looked for him, with a smile, but he did not appear. to my pals at home, and the Yorki's who remmeber that thing that i love: bugs... yes, i still love bugs, and yes, i still won't kill them. even in India. maybe strange and absurd to a few, but i feel bad that i've restricted his entry into my home. these things are resilient, so i'm sure he'll be back. :)

traffic: i don't know about this one yet. sorry, but this, i just don't get. i love every terrifying moment though. i think i've mastered crossing the street too. i even yelled at a tuktuk driver when he stopped honking.

garbage, pipeage and drainage: the NGO i intern at, Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy, is concerned with the development of urban India, in a Bangalore setting. i am in an environment that discusses the nature of various city services and their impact on the citizens of Bangalore, and can offer some insight into the 'problems' here. these are detailed in an official training session that i will attend in 10 days, but from what i understand, infrastructure development and/or maintenance is dependent upon a highly decentralised government structure. for example, the water pipe repair services are not in communication or coordination with the road laying services, or the private/public (??) garbage pick-up services. this means that if a new road has been laid, and a water pipe bursts, the water people will rip up the new road, without clearing it with the road people. this means that the road people may or may not know that their new road has just been ripped up. the garbage man sometimes can't enter streets because of these issues, leaving garbage to be collected by the poor, or left on the side of the road. unsightly, yes, but more importantly, a clog in the city's drainage system (that's what the gaping holes are under the sidewalk! sewers!). a ripple effect is felt here when the monsoon rains arrive and flooding is rampant. what complicates matters is there is little clarity on the appropriate avenues through which citizens can address their concerns: who do they complain to, the road, water, or garbage people?

my point here is that, as i make Bangalore my new home, and for many of us in the 'developed' world who see the news reports of dirty and developing world 'backwardness', we often fail to think about the fundamentals behind these infrastructure differences. the intricacy is incredible.

i've also learned a little bit more about Indian religion and culture. a vast network of different values and practices within India, to learn even a small amount is an undertaking in itself. i can't wait.

some have called me brave; some have suggested i come home. please don't get me wrong... my dry and direct picture that i've painted does not convey the permanent smile on my face and the utter joy i feel every moment i am in this beautiful place (except for those pesky tuktuk drivers). four months is nowhere near enough time here.

this weekend we're going to rock out in Mumbai. 20 million people. 40 degrees. bollywood. oh boy.