quinta-feira, 18 de dezembro de 2008

Working as a Volunteer


As this part of the amazing journey comes to an end [today], I want to explain to you all briefly what I have been doing as a Volunteer Project Manager for Lalita Shivaram Ubhayaker Foundation for the Arts, where I was very happy:

Ashvasan Foundation (senior citizen welfare) - http://www.ashvasan.org/
• Conception and management of innovative projects; • Fund-raising; • Reporting, optimization and participation in current projects; • Update and management of website and newsletter.

Smriti-Nandan Cultural Centre (art & culture centre and auditorium) - http://www.smritinandan.org/
• Event conception and management; • Communication design and management; • Technical assistance for programming.

22nd Devnandan Ubhayaker Young Music Festival - http://www.smritinandan.org/dusu.html
• Communication design and management; • Merchandising and media management; • Backstage assistance.

Check some pictures below. :)

I am leaving to Thailand today.
I am wishing all of you a lot of peace, faith, tolerance, health, love, ineer and outer discovery, realization, happiness, positive thinking and worthy investment in 2009.







terça-feira, 9 de dezembro de 2008

Latest news from the heart

MY CHOICE!
My Choice! has been a life-time experience. Actually building something from scratch especially a social responsible initiative is a great feeling, sharing it with people you love and admire even greater. But then seing the happiness in the children, the actual impact you had on their awareness, the ammount of lives that you touched, the social momentum that you created together with friends just because you'll believed, faught and dedicated... is something out of this world.
Right now we're preparing winning children's trips and the passing of the contents for a company who wants to take our project all over India to as many schools as possible. How incredible is that?

CONCLUSION from 6 months of VOLUNTEER work with Seniors, Art & Culture and Children: IT IS VERY SIMPLE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. IF YOU GENUINELY WANT. It's not a matter of time, but of commitment and belief.

DANCE
Getting back to dancing and teaching was great. I rediscovered my passion for teaching, while the passion for dance was never forgotten. I had decided to leave that part of my professional life aside during this experience, but I guess when you really love something and when that thing and those partaking in it love You in It, it just chases you wherever you go. And that is good. Because WHEN DANCING THAT'S WHEN I FEEL MORE MYSELF.

* By the way: should there be something like I and MYSELF? I am working on this sense of oneness with myself and with all that is.
COUNT-DOWN
The feeling of count-down is in me as my internship is about to finish, my dance classes, my immersion in My Choice!, my basing in Bangalore and with my best friends and myself leaving.
With my Thailand trip coming, meeting Johan in 10 days, Christmas away from family, packing having started, spiritual and natural experiences ahead of me, antecipation of separation from the daily sharing with my new Indian family, strong decisions to be made in face of India's unstable situation, more and more trips being planned and an increasing feeling of SENSE IN LIFE, I am nostalgic about what's about to end but also excited about the new stage about to start.
I am sure to be in the right path and happy to have my parents' support, as always, in whatever I decide. I love you, mãe and pai, for that and for all.

quinta-feira, 4 de dezembro de 2008

After Mumbai Attacks

AFTER MUMBAI ATTACKS

... shock, sadness, revolt agains those responsible and those in charge...

AND THE LIFE OF THE COUNTRY, AND MINE... CHANGING.

I was going to teach for the biggest Festival here - Bangalore Habba (check the last line of the poster above). It just got cancelled.

THIS WAS THEIR LETTER to the artists:

At the outset, on behalf of the Artistes' Foundation for the Arts (AFFA), we would like to thank you for your support towards Bengaluru Habba.

The Government of Karnataka – the prime stakeholder of the property - has taken a decision in the cabinet to postpone the event due to security reasons. As the Bengaluru Habba is spread over numerous venues and public spaces over a span of 18 days, with a potential audience of over 7 lakh people, we felt that our prime responsibility was to ensure the safety of our audiences.

AFFA, Airtel and the Government of Karnataka have thus decided to unanimously postpone the Bengaluru Habba. We will let you know the probable dates and schedule of events soon.

We hope that you would understand the situation and that we look forward to associating with you in the years to come. Please accept our humblest apologies for any inconvenience caused to you.

Thank you.

segunda-feira, 17 de novembro de 2008

Is it really like that there? - Pedro asks

Is it really like that there? - Pedro asks
Yes. Everyday. Everywhere.
Driving and Traffic in India:

Findings


In such little time, I feel an unexplainable bond with the Ubhayakers. I feel as part of the family and I feel a deep respect and privilege, happiness and security but most of all a tremendous blessing for being embraced among them, share their life stories, learn from their wisdom and be inspired daily by such honourable, accomplished, socially active, warm-hearted, forward-thinking human beings whom I will forever take as role-models in so many senses of my life. I am greatful forever to Life and Mrs. Lalita for this opportunity that made me grow so much especially on a personal level, and I reinforce my sense that nothing comes coincidentally, and certainly not this experience, and also that some bonds are cosmic and independent from age, race, religion, upbringing, information... I shall honour my new revered God-Mother and the moments we lived and will live together.


......


I went to Goa last month.

More than a Portuguese heritage hunt, it was a beach life trip where friendships were reinforced and the wonders and baths of Nature striked all of us.

Together: Raquel, Maria, António and Afonso from Portugal, Mariana, André, Ricardo and Evandro from Brazil, Pauline and Anne-Sophie from France, Ahmed from Egipt and Nataly from Colombia.

The best-kept memories are: that of a sunset at Vagatore beach, where the forest meets the beach, the rain met the farewell of the sun and gifted us with two simultaneous rainbows, rocks were climbed with the help of Andre to see the dawn from "the middle of the ocean" while all the friends watched it from the water (I did it the following day); and still that of ridding a scooter for the first time; dancing my spirit out at Mambo's; savouring fish and portuguese influenced savouries still with sandy feet; and shopping for clothes at the locals' tents. These and still some more of love, sharing and new experiences with every day more brother-alike friends.


Also last month: travelled back to Pondicherry as Auroville needed to be revisited.

Out of that trip with André, Mariana, Evandro, Ricardo, Pauline, Neeraj from India and Svetla from Bulgary... I took the great luxurious relaxed beach life at Mahabalipuram, the comfort of travelling in private or rented vehicle with a driver, the apparent easy-living at Pondi - that coastal city colonized by the french, sharing care and love with my best friends here, meeting Kurt in Sri Aurobindo's Ashram in a totally sinchronized non-coincidental happening, but mostly the certainty that I'll go back to Auroville to live the concept and the truth - check http://www.auroville.org/. This time I had the privilege of going inside the Matrimandir and meditate for 15 minutes in the most profound silence in 25 years of existence in a white room enlighted by a cristal. Some truths reveal, the atmosphere and intents, I totally identify with them >> have to get back. Will in the beggining of 2009.

terça-feira, 11 de novembro de 2008

Still Blessed… Just check this week’s news

Tuesday, 4.Nov.08
Ø Started working with the biggest Salsa Company in Bangalore – Lourd Vijay Dance Studio (
http://www.lvds.in/)- with African workshop for the dancers 8 a.m to 9.30 – even though the sound system didn’t work, it was a success to be continued the following 3 mornings. This day: general Hip and Arm Work with Tribal sound, Batuko, Kolá San Jon and Mazurca.
Ø Attended Satsang – Hour of Good, the Spiritual session I frequent at my centre on a weekly basis. We are reading “The Power of Now”, by Eckhart Tolle. Probably the book that will provoke the second spiritual turning point in my life (the first was “Celestine Prophecy”, by James Redfield, many years ago). Kurt and André, my friends from My Choice! project were there too.
Ø Mrs. Lalita’s niece was helding a private classical indian music concert in her hall/ living-room. We were invited to join and sat on the carpet watching this transe-inspiring voice singing a classical recital. I felt that I got out of this world and came back: the emotion and vibration of the singing, tabla, harmonium and tampura together made that one of the most emotioned musical moments of my life. In the end Mrs. Lalita cried looking at me, as she hugged me saying: “the way you were feeling the music, my God!!” – I really was, somehow, even without understanding any technicality of it.
Ø Had nice dinner with Kurt, speaking of trips, My Choice!, healing technics, plans and unplans.

Wednesday, 5.Nov.08
Ø Dance Company applied last days’ learning in music: Hip Work, Batuko, Kolá San Jon, and we added Ragga and Soucusse.
Ø Had my Odissi Dance Class – Odissi is a classical Indian form of dance that has its origin in Orissa, in northern India. I feel drastic improvement in exactly the three things I specially needed to work on my fitness: flexibility, balance and discipline/ persistence.
Ø My Choice! – it’s more then time to tell you all about this project me and 3 other expatriates lauched in Bangalore – we are bringing sustainability issues to Bangalore school children. This happens in 3 stages: 1 – inspirational and interactive classroom sessions conducted mostly by expatriates; 2 – live simulation where some of the kids from the classrooms come together to learn more about sustainability through experience and games; 3 – teams of students build projects trying to reach Zero Waste in there school, be it on the level of energy, food, water consumption, waste, etc. And 4 – we will do a final Fair and Awards night where media, principals from other schools who may take the programme up, parents, etc, will see the projects, a jury will evaluate them and the documentary we will have filmed during this pilot of My Choice! will be showcased as a best-practice case. PLEASE DO CHECK
www.mychoicebangalore.org AND http://mychoice08.ning.com FOR MORE DETAILS on this initiative. So this day we gave our second training to the expatriates who will be mentors in class-room sessions and for the sustainable projects realization by the students’ teams.

Thursday, 6.Nov.08 – DEFINITELY ONE OF THE BEST DAYS OF MY LIFE
Ø "Como se dice? Como se llama? Obama! Obama!"

Ø Couple work started with Lourd Vijay Company: back to Mazurca, introducing Kizomba individual and in couple and finishing with Kuduro.
Ø Was invited to give workshops and dance for the biggest festival in Bangalore – the Bangalore Habba.
Ø Was invited to be interviewed by one of the upstream newspapers in the city, The Hindu
Ø Received a Yes from a personal contact (through Mrs. U) in a wild-life sanctuary to sponsoring an Award for one of the winning teams in My Choice! Project Awards, the prize being a 3-day retreat in this sanctuary in Coorg –
www.saisanctuary.com
Ø Confirmed the presence of My Choice! Team in Chinnara Habba on the 20th of November, in Palace Grounds, SPEAKING ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY TO 100.000 CHILDREN through a quiz my team is developing.
Ø AND MOST IMPORTANTLY: MY MENTOR, MRS. LALITA UBHAYAKER, NAMED ME HER GOD-DAUGHTER. I couldn’t feel more blessed and fortunate.
Ø Called my mother and André and SMS’ed Johan and Pedro: had to tell them how happy I was.
Ø Came home to a great sharing moment with Katherine, good friend, great non-coincidence in my life who is just about to leave back to San Francisco, USA.

Friday, 7.Nov.08
Ø Finished the workshop with Lourd Vijay Dance Company having taught the basics of 10 african-originated rhythms (ending with Semba, Funaná, Kuduro and a revision of the other rhythms), with great response and invitations to give private lessons to the choreographer and the main dancer.
Ø Was invited to dance at a Media Seminar and a Flee-Market in Bangalore.
Ø Was very tired and again saw how I found myself one more family, two more parents, in the Ubhayakers, as they worry for me and take care of me.
Ø Held a movie screening of “11th Hour” film-documentary, produced by Leonardo Di Caprio, followed by a discussion on environmental issues. This initiative was promoted by Smriti-Nandan and me and conducted by an already good friend and fundamental piece in My Choice! creation: Kurt Archer, Canadian Eco-traveller and environmentalist, currently travelling Asia raising awareness around sustainability issues (
http://www.globaldamu.org/asia/). It was a success, the movie – I knew it already – is much more impacting and positive then An Inconvenient Truth even: you should see it. The discussion that followed and the commitment of some of the audience led Mrs. Lalita to start a series of initiatives around Environment and a discussion circle that will gather some of the people present that day: “What can we do about it?”.
Ø My Choice! Team had had the privilege of being invited to stay for dinner at the Ubhayakers after the movie. And whom else stayed and inspired us all dinner-long but two of the greatest environmentalists of Karnataka? Lovely Awe-like evening, ending with Mr. Hiblekar accepting to be Chief Guest at My Choice! Award Ceremony.

Saturday, 8.Nov.08
Ø Started teaching private Sevillanas lessons at her place, to a Bharatanatyam dancer and singer, Mrs. Susheela, the niece of the Ubhayakers who had hosted the classical concert on Tuesday. Great experience working with dancers again, as they catch everything so fast that we don’t have to worry but with the perfection details (I mean as much as I can correct them, of course, not being a professional in Spanish Dances)
Ø In the afternoon, the second of my World Dances Workshop sessions was even better then the first. Both kids and adults had a blast – I could tell by the clapping, laughing and rising energy: Salsa, Mambo, Bachata, Cha Cha Cha and Merengue lifted their soul for 1h30 hours (x 2).
Ø Had many friends surprising me at the centre and joining the last fun dance moments of the class. Our photographer and My Choice! documentary-film-maker Arvind also came to cover my workshop.
Ø Was contacted by a photo-journalist coming from the States who wants to do a photo-essay on me.
Ø Was contacted by the same Salsa Company to held a workshop for their students the following Sunday - check the page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=39749890094
Ø Had dinner at my favourite place, Empire, with friends.

Sunday, 9.Nov.08
Ø After sleeping 15 hours as never in India as I needed to recover from such an energetic week, went to Opus (where the Salsa Company has their studio) and attended an advanced salsa class as an invitee. In the end, I did an energetic 5 minute Demo of what the African Dance workshop will be the coming Sunday to attract students into attending it.
Ø Got invited by the owner of the company to give a Kizomba workshop at Chennai Salsa Festival on the 23rd of June.
Ø Went to have tea at Mrs. Deepti’s house, an Indian dancer, journalist, architect, painter and spiritual guru/ yogi who lived in the States for 14 years and had attended my Spanish Dances Workshop the prior weekend.
Ø After coming home to change, went with Katherine, Alexandra, Andre, Kurt and other 3 new international friends to Casa del Sol for my first Salsa party in Bangalore where I found again everyone from the Dance Company and other schools and danced in a couple as I didn’t for almost half a year. Great!
Ø Was offered regular work as a dance teacher across India, in Thailand, Singapour, etc, by this Dance Company - in case I want to stay longer I definitely will have means of sustaining myself.

Monday, 10.Nov.08
Ø Back to my Odissi Class, am noticing technical improvements. The coordination of movements and the persistence necessary for the fitness work is great challenge and non-comparable to any other dance class I ever went to.
Ø Came home to an experience with Galvanic Spa provided by Katherine, that refreshed my face and face-lines in an incredibly drastic way in just 20 minutes – following came a great Indian dinner with Kat, Thripthi and Roshin.
Ø And then the so-expected photo-shooting: great session with Katherine on the camera and me on the modelling, Rodrigo Leão on the laptop, candles and a scarf over the light in the room. For a long time I wanted to try to have my pictures taken: again India is going beyond my expectations even in things that I didn’t establish as goals.

Tuesday, 11.Nov.08
Ø Richard Seshie, the Coordinator of My Choice!, gave us the news that someone from AIESEC is contributing with 100 euros for My Choice! Our first financial aid: a lot of happiness, very welcome: again a renewal on the good-will of many people in this world.
Ø Meeting with Ashvasan member who will intervene on the kick-off session of my Youth Programme at Mount Carmel College on the 13th: “Ashvasan Cares: Bridging Old and Young Hearts!”. I’m trying to get my senior citizen foundation some young blood, some young volunteers to work with the elderly. We are also wanting to raise awareness among youngsters on the situation of the senior citizens in India.
Ø One hour later, meeting with Mrs. Lalita, Kurt and Mrs. Sughatta, an organic farming promoter – subject: what our next steps should be on initiatives promoted by Smiri-Nandan on Environmental issues.
Ø One hour later, Satsang and again the tremendous words of Tolle in “The Power of Now”.
Ø One hour later, interview at The Hindu newspaper for a column on foreigners in Bangalore. Great interview: outcome to be published on Saturday.
Ø One hour and a half later, dinner at Coconut Groove with expatriates from 6 countries.
Ø Two hours alter, hearing from Roshin and Thripthi, in the house, about the cast system in India and the Malu weddings.
Ø Half an hour later, starting to write this as such a great week had to be shared with my precious family and friends.

segunda-feira, 20 de outubro de 2008

Dancing Passion in Words OR Bio Dancing Data

I was asked to write my bio-data because of the Workshop I'll be conducting. And this is how they do it here...

Raquel Lemos is a Portuguese Dance Lover, Teacher and Performer who is now in India working as a volunteer for Lalita Ubhayaker Foundation for the Arts.
Raquel was born in a family that shares the passion for Dance. Since early age, being the daughter of a Cape-verdean (African) father and a Brazilian mother, Raquel started dancing as a pass-time, a hobbie and a way of expression, as dance was an essential part of her family’s life.

While as a child she attended Ballet classes, from the age of 12 she started dancing Hip Hop. At 15, she was very active in the world of Fitness and started receiving training in Dance Monitoring. By the age of 16 she was conducting Hip Hop & Cardio-Funk classes both to Children and Adults on a regular basis. It was the beginning of her proficiency in dance.

During High-School Raquel got involved in a Theatre Group, which gave her a different insight into performing arts and stage creations. Her studies led her to do a college degree in Communication & Culture, but her life-time passion kept calling for her dedication.

Having contacted with the Latin Dance World, the community quickly and enthusiastically embraced her as a fast learner and a dancer from the heart. Few months later she was invited to become a dancer for Sabor Tropical Dance Company, which gave her personal training on the rhythms, moves and techniques of dances like Salsa, Cha Cha Cha, Merengue among others. She also received private lessons from the best Dance Masters in Portugal and overseas in the areas of Salsa, Zouk and other Latin and African dances.

With her dance company, for 3 years Raquel Lemos travelled Portugal giving classes, workshops and animations in many sorts of events and venues, having performed in the most notorious Latin dance congresses in the country including some TV shows. During this period she created, together with a dance couple, an original unprecedented methodology for the teaching of Zouk (couple dance style original from former Portuguese colonies in Africa and the French Antilles), which is now being used by many masters a little bit all over the country.

For the following years, she took training and traineeship in Show Production and contacted with some of the best practices in Hall and Cultural Management. In 2006, as she started her professional career as a Communication and Events Manager at the biggest private bank in Portugal, her time to teach and perform became limited. But as she took executive post-graduations in Events Management and Business Management, she still managed to use her spare evenings to perfection and diversify her dance skills, having attended several courses and regular classes in Sevillanas, Flamenco and Tango.

Raquel is nowadays an accomplished and multi-style dancer who does occasional performances and workshops under request. During her stay in India where she came to do volunteer work, she performed four times already, mostly for clubs and associations like Ashvasan, and she’s taking classes in Odissi classical Dance. Raquel Lemos loves plastic and performing arts, and she has long decided to take up Art and Culture as a producer and a managing facilitator rather then as an artist. It is in this scope that she joined Mrs. Lalita Ubhayaker in her endeavours in Smriti-Nandan Cultural Centre, Yuva Sangeet Utsav and Ashvasan Foundation. She is now invited to do a recollection of all Dances she learned throughout her life and present a World Dances Workshop for Children and Adults at Smriti-Nandan.

quinta-feira, 16 de outubro de 2008

World Dances Workshop

Dear friends,

During the month of November, I am conducting a WORLD DANCES WORKSHOP at my workplace, Smriti-Nandan Cultural Centre.


World Dances Workshop will be basically a practical overview of the rythms, dance styles, moves and some choreographies from a little bit all over the world: from Flamenco to Samba, from Hip Hop to Rumba, from Salsa to African Tribal, passing through many others... it will be a fun, healthy, learning and interactive cultural experience!


The level of difficulty is adaptable to each student, and in the end everyone who wants will participate of an open performance. The workshop will take place on saturdays, and the programme will be as follows:


WORLD DANCES WORKSHOP

A Journey through the Rythms and Dances of 3 Continents

By: Raquel Lemos, Portuguese Dance Lover, Teacher and Performer

Saturday, Nov. 1st '08: SPANISH

Saturday, Nov. 8th '08: LATIN-AMERICAN

Saturday, Nov. 15th '08: BRAZILIAN & AFRICAN

Saturday, Nov. 22nd '08: NORTH-AMERICAN

* Children: 2pm - 3.15 pm * Adults: 3.15 pm to 4.45 pm

* No special shoes or attire are demanded for the classes, you should just feel comfortable and in the mood for DANCE :).

Venue: Smriti-Nandan Cultural Centre www.smritinandan.org

Map: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=109499249516994058062.0004475e089e952955d63&z=15

'Not Bad' and the Temple City

“Not bad” – many say to my travelling.
“En fait” (comme diraient les français), I’ve been travelling quite a lot within South India and I feel happy and realized because of that.
Staying in Bangalore for the weekends is almost depressing – this city is too busy and too stressful.


I hadn’t travelled since August 24th. Too long I know... But that’s when I went to Hampi... :
Hampi (in the same state as the recently renamed Bengaluru – Karnataka) was an amazing experience.
The momentum is gone though... A month and a half has gone now without me telling you anything about it, so I won’t come on to many details.
... So much has been happening that I haven't been managing to 'stop' living to actually tell my friends and family about life :) Apologize me for that.
So 'here comes the sun... txu ru ru ru... here comes the sun... I say: It's alright txu ru ru ru ru ru ru........."


Hampi is the place in India that I visited where SCALE is more obvious and striking.
You’re driven past dozens of temples through majestic piles of round rocks that only an Olympic God could have disposed in such a wonderful way over each other.
You reach peeks where the view invites you to meditate as your eyes get lost in a horizon measuring 360º. The air thickens but feels purer and the hot rocks burn your feet while you jump your way to the promise of an even greater landscape.
At the temples, they put red ink marks on your forehead as you visit and honor the God to which it is dedicated – the mark on your forehead signifies that you’ve been blessed for paying visit to this holly place. You’re invited to leave donations if you want, and also in some places you can buy sweets inside - especially when the God represented is known to like sweets in Hindu Philosophy (like Ganesha, the elephant faced young man).


Hampi is there where on one side of the river, you can find guest-houses, eat meat, drink alcohol… and on the other one, you can’t.
There where you find the smiling same children wanting to take pictures with you anywhere you go.
There where you have to take your shoes off, roll up your trousers, and walk through stopped waters and 'unidentified' mud until you reach the boat that will bring you to the other shore (only until 6 pm!).
There where shopping and sleeping is cheap.
There where you go up hundreds of stairs up a mountain to reach Monkey Temple and find it more than worth it, and then spend hours just amazing at the rocky greeny orangy never-ending landscape... and probably find hardly any monkeys. Others say that they’ve seen dozens of monkeys there, some that they were even followed by them: don’t lose hope! ;)
There where you see how society worked in the East much before any Romans civilized our global village or our Western Jesus started preaching.
(By the way, did you know that Jesus Christ spent more than a decade of his existence in India? – “e esta, hein?”).
There where temples are made out of rock – sometimes you can hardly disguise them in the horizon as they melt into the natural rock mountains.
There where you take sun baths in a deserted lake surronded by the huge round and polished rocks Hampi is made of.
There where you bargain until the end and have five drivers (at a time! :P) making you promise not to forget them - as in any touristic place in South India, actually.


Hadn’t seen old temples as yet. Here you have one at each corner, differently shaped, beautifully carved both on the inside and on the outside.
So so hot! If you go do book a full-day rickshaw to drive you around.

Gonçalo, Me, Jacky, Maria and Ahmed left out of Hampi wanting to come back.
We didn’t know what was expecting us though.


On the train back I lived my biggest challenge in India: but I’ll spare you the details and tell you only that we had literally no seats on a 1000 people train and occupied the worse 2 square meters in Sleeper class.
Having overcome that and its ‘nuances’ in a 10 hour train trip in India (and still avoiding any specifications as they tend to disgust listeners), I feel ready to sleep almost anywhere, with almost any discomfort, smell, ‘company’ or hygiene level.


'Tenho dito.'

quinta-feira, 25 de setembro de 2008

Sonnet and Acrostics - Gal Raquel Lemos

When a couple of weeks ago you heard from your mentor: "We're so glad to have you as part of this family"...

... And after lunchtime yesterday you've heard from her husband: "You know you're like a child to us"...

... When in the afternoon one of the senior committee members of the senior citizen welfare organization you work for ('Ashvasan') comes to you with such a 'gift' to be published on the foundation's newsletter...

... Then you are just thankfull, emotioned and feeling gratified, and any little trouble is automatically erased (again life is answering the slightest of my feelings of doubt with no delay)...

... And you just know you have to share it with your loved ones.

I had no words. I just cried and cried while she read it out loud.....................

SONNET & ACROSTICS

GAL RAQUEL LEMOS

Glamour and youth entered Ashvasan with your arrival
Amidst all of us veterans
Lofty, loving thoughts of the young will be incorporated with your presence
Robust and radiant your looks and your dancing ability immaculate
Always a smile on your face
Quietly you accomplish your work to perfection
Under the protective canopy of Ashvasan
Energizing your activities and experiences
Lasting love and affection, we shower on you
Loving tales of Portugal and its life there you’ve told us
Eager we are to learn more about your country
Marvel, we do at your ability to learn and absorb
Older people like us welcome you in our midst
Sweet and simple person like you can definitely teach us a thing or two

By Indu Subramaniam
24.09.08

* 'GAL' stands for 'Girl' (american slang/ accent)

sábado, 20 de setembro de 2008

What is it about Art that...?

What is about ART that moves so many? Artists, aspiring artists, art promoters, art lovers (so called 'rasikas' in India), creatives, donors, investors, even occasional appreciators...

My mentor has been telling me about it... And I've been thinking... And it makes sense. I guess enough to finally have some understanding on why I myself wanna nurture Art throughout my life and - at least middle term most surely - devote myself professionally to it.

In this scope, allow me to refer you to the words I wrote for my mentor's speech yesterday, after another of many inspiring/ profoundly orienting talks. Contains also some insight into the concept of the space that I work in - www.smritinandan.org (please bear in mind that it's a non-profit organization, an essencially family funded hall); also beware of the spirit of this 'un-aged 83 springs' person of reference for whom I work...

Friends, Rasikas,

Be very welcome to this journey through the evolution of Kathak Dance, by Dr. Vaibhavi Joshipura.

I am very happy to see such a gathering of artists and art lovers to see Vaibhavi’s programme. I am sure I speak in the name of both of us if I say we’re very honoured to have you all here this evening.
Because --- you see --- rasikas can’t be without artists and art itself would lack its purpose if there were no rasikas. But for an artist it is something even more appreciated to have fellow artists as expectators; to have the chance to perform also for actual artists, as will happen here today, is something very rare and valuable. We think this should happen more often, I mean --- having artists supporting each other, so we are very thankful for your presence today.

This space where we’re sitting, Smriti Nandan Cultural Centre, has been created with that exact purpose: we see it as a small intimate place that artists should regard as their own, a space for artists and rasikas to meet, and a space for experimentation like the programme happening here this evening. I will be circulating the Membership form where you can see the kind of programmes we have been presenting bearing this concept in mind.

I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate all these people who are here today – NAME, NAME, NAME, NAME, NAME… -, who have created institutions and nurtured them throughout the years, disregarding any hurdles.
I know what it takes to keep an institution going, how much effort and perseverance it demands - because I’m doing it myself -, so I would like to express my most sincere and fratern word of appreciation.

Also, allow me: as artists should support one another, also institutions like ours should help each other’s efforts.
It is on everyone’s best interest, and above all our public’s, that we cooperate, that we share an understanding, don’t you think?
I am thinking of matters such as clash of major events on the same day, punctuality, sound levels in halls --- There are many ways in which we could benefit from joining together.
Let us hope we can seat together, all of us, one of these days --- or, I dare to say, even periodically --- and work out ways in which things could be modified in order to make our halls more cohesive.

I invite you all to participate in the programmes that happen in Smriti-Nandan; I invite you to treat this as your own space (a space for creativity to soar, as I like to call it) and give us a helping hand. I will naturally be very happy myself if I can be of any help in your projects and endeavours.
After all, we all aim to the same, we are all working to facilitate art lovers’ access to art.

And --- have you ever stopped to think why is that? Why is it that we sticked to Art irrespective of all the challenges artists and art promoters face?
What is it about ART that moves us?
---------
I believe that it is the fact that Art allows us to transcend ourselves. Art gives us a unique insight into what there is to life beyond the pragmatism of our daily living. It provides us with a taste of the extase the spirit can achieve, and what could be more valuable than that?

The truth is art gives us a lot, but it also demands a lot of effort.
That is why I would like to take the occasion to pay tribute to all artists who take up this activity that demands them to give so much of themselves.
I especially would like to pay tribute to Women such as Vaibhavi who, apart from being a qualified dentist, a home maker and a mother that spends quality time with her children, at the same time she finds the strength and the spirit to nurture art and creativity, achieving excellence in the Dance field.
As a dancer, Vaibhavi has --- (BIO-DATA)---
--- and I am marvelled at her ability to do so many things with such devotion.
I believe Women have this special quality of multi-task, but the fact that they manage to do all these things in our country, and still dedicate to art, is something truly remarkable, so to finalize my already so long introduction, I pay tribute to all women artists.

Thank you.

By the way... Kathak Dance performance/ lecture was amazing and a true success! 100 people attended, aplauded and complimented. Our efforts compensated.

quarta-feira, 10 de setembro de 2008

Small little details

Again I must first of all refer to the fact that I don't mean to convey any sort of prejudice in these facts, but simply to make a note of my observations in a totally random order and with completely arbitrary choice of words.

I am FOR Cultural Diversity. That's one of my biggest passions in life. That's what I'm here for. So... :

Did you know that here in India they...

  • have uneven stones (moving ones, sometimes) building most of the sidewalks?
  • have all sorts of litter all over many sidewalks, roads and water flows?
  • have a tremendous amount of traffic polution, that makes me wear a scarf in my mouth and nose while travelling (even policemen wear it sometimes!)?
  • (those who are Hindus) have many gods they pray to (each person or family having their favourite) but consider them all as being different manifestations of the same God (God as in supreme Being, father to all existence)?
  • put flowers in women and children hairs and tikas (little variously shaped dots) in their forehead on a daily basis?
  • (being men) many times won't even speak to women ('cause they're women)?
  • have lower water tap, a bucket and a little cup in every bathroom (often instead of toilet paper)?
  • have a film production industry [Bollywood] that is bigger than Hollywood?
  • tend to have 5, 10, even 15 times more staff for any task than western countries do as there is overpopulation and salaries are very low?
  • have someone outside stores and supermarkets keeping your bags and back-packs as you're going in, someone as cashier, someone putting your groceries in bags, then sometimes another counter to pay and then you have to have your bill stamped by a guard on your way out - how practicall is this (remember in the two last parts you're already having heavy bags all over your hands)? and this is when you, having ordered a juice or anything else two meters far, don't have to bring yourself the ticket showing your order to the hands of another employee, who will then give it to the one who's actually making the juice for you. Ah, and don't forget it!, specially if you're a woman, you'll most likely have to come back yourself and meet your drink in the counter where it was being prepared instead of having it being brought to you
  • call "hands" to the whole arms?
  • may ask you for more than 4 times the value of something just trying their best change to cheat you and make profit?
  • have the best technological intelligence, the best Management and Computer Science universities in the world, the best software and 3rd generation technology being developed, the best adaptation to different language accents - this being also why so many crucial international company services are being outsourced in India?
  • prefer having boy childs than girls (namely because girls imply that you'll have to get them maried, and as parents you'll be obliged to giving a big financial sum to the broom added many times to offering house, car, etc) - "prefer" being a very light word in many cases?
  • usually have even the strongest of women, the most accomplished ones, 'bending' to the word, presence and authority of their husbands?
  • have to be maried by 25 y.o. (being a girl), or otherwise you'll most likely be considered to be disgracing yourself and your life?
  • from upper-middle class up, specially educated people: even among themselves tend to mix their local language or hindi with many occurences of english expressions? and some simply speak english 90% of the time, and always in official ocasions, like events and meeetings?
  • seem to have the most varied cuisine in the world and find the most incredible and delicious ways of presenting and working over vegetables?
  • are in their biggest majority vegetarians?
  • are not supposed to eat cow as this animal is thought of as being god? (have you ever heard the expression "holy cow!"? currently it stands for the same as "holy mother of jesus" - even for american adopters already :) )
  • have a significant cristian community, who for the past week has been wearing a bright pinkish orangy colour in all of their clothing (men to women, children to seniors) as last week it was Saint Mary's day?
  • don't use that much of "please", "thank you" or "sorry" and even find it weird when we make too much use of it?
  • in many cases have to be insisted with many times in order to get things done?
  • have a hard time saying they "don't know" so you have a problem with knowing if they really understood you, or if they are in the same wave length as you; or if in fact they're just saying something for the sake of answering your question, even if they're indicating you the exact opposite direction to the one you needed?
  • (specially when they are service providers) are usually too optimism (or should I say deceiving?) when it comes to TIME(ings), which makes them say "in 2 minutes" or "in 5 minutes" too often? - Me and friends immediately say or think: "yeah, 5 INDIAN minutes!". While they do this, they often perform this particular circling movement with a closed wrist and fingers in a pinacle - that corresponds to the " 'more-or-less'-also-non-assertive-same-type-of-feeling" as in their NODDING of the head... Read about it below:
  • have an assertivity problem in many cases which may be highly related to this nodding of the head that is supposed to mean "yes" but is too similar to "maybe" or even "no"? - I ACTUALLY CAUGHT THIS FEATURE and I'm being mocked by friends all the time for this :D
  • (the auto-drivers) often don't even answer to you when you say where you wanna go - they just drive away (if they even stopped the vehicle to talk to you, that's for a start) if they're not interested in taking you there? they also often have their meters truncated so that they go faster than the actual distance you're covering? they charge (officially) one and a half meter after 9.30 pm? often don't have their license updated and still they're driving on the roads?
  • know they can bribe their way out of a traffic police fine?
  • have various items of food being cooked and sold on the street, among traffic smokes and all sorts of city smells and passer-bys? and that this food is many times very good and even deserves an american tv show totally dedicated to Indian Street Cuisine? and that the the same (street exhibition) goes for vegetables, whose sale is announced in characterisitically nosy-sounding moving screams as they are transported in bikes supporting a platform?

To be continued as I experience it. ***

segunda-feira, 8 de setembro de 2008

Kerala - 'God's Own Country'

Days go by full of experience, joy and fulfillment...

... and I tell you nothing about them! Ups!

NOW IS THE TIME.

August 14th brought me to a wonderful experience: Kochin, in the State of Kerala - a.k.a. "God's own country". I could tell why. From the cosy low built streets to the profound greenery, everything invites you to stay in Fort Kochin.

I reached my first touristy destiny in India in a boat departing from Ernakulam Town. We ate well, did some shopping, had some mango milkshakes, walked around town and made sure we experienced fish as we were in a costal city.

Going through the longest of my trips here (5 nights including two in the train), I could tell you all about my naked Ayurvedic massage made by two women in a shadowy room with never-ending oil; about a sinagogue that had the store next-door renting pieces of clothing to cover your elbows, legs, chest... for Rs.10, so that we would go in the holly place; about the dirty rooms where I was lucky to have Mariana's sheet to put over the hotel's stained ones; about the portuguese historical heritage a little bit all over Kochin's monuments; about the train trips where I easily decide to sleep 12 hours in a row so I sleep the journeys through (not without some amusement on my trip mates' part - jealousy, I'd call it! :P) (also, not without having Andre waking me up gently every once in a while to eat, shift beds, give my passport to the controler, etc :) *** ); about the fish we bought in the market and brought to be cooked in a restaurant...

But I'll tell you about what amazed me the most: Backwaters in Alleppey and Kathakalli Dance. Not that many words to describe it though.

Kathakali was simply the most colourful dance I've ever seen and most definitelly the most expressive facials I think I'll ever experience. A mixture of theatre and movement, telling a story with no spoken lines, loads of clothes and accessories and facial make up that takes 1h30 to be done... Kathakali surprises you from the beginning. Almost everything happens in their faces, so for that you're first given a thorough demonstration of the lexic that will be used in the play. I could never imagine face could combine so many movements and convey so many different emotions having support of no words! The drums, tabla and classical vocal only help the environment. Amazing actors, amazing expressive technic - very demanding, very precise, very communicative.

Now backwaters was a dream come true! Travelling in a boat through a river: great conditions, great food, great music, great environment, great staff, great shrimp (king size!) bought in an island on the way, stopping only to have lunch and dinner, and to sleep... it seemed really like God had decided to gift us the bestest of moments. Me, Mariana, André, Ahmed, Eduardo and Michelle... we just staggered at such never ending beauty as Palm Trees, bushes, rice plantations, women washing their hair in the river, children running and asking you for pens, and many many other backwaters... pass by you though as if they were a painting: I mean, one perfect painting after the other. Great neaty rooms and leaving room, and a maitress with sheets and cusheons just at the edge of the boat - where we relaxed, gave ourselves to sun, sleep and talks, enjoyed music, games, snacks... and that moving beauty life gifted us with. Undescribable.

Hampi - the ultimate landscape experience, and everything that followed... I shall leave to another post. LOVE YOU!! ***

quinta-feira, 21 de agosto de 2008

Some things never change... Others...

Some things never change...

(although I believe I can change the ones I really decide I should - not without some effort though: try to guess which ones I'm refering to...)

  • I listen to Kizombas practically everyday
  • When I talk to my closest of friends (just like yesterday ;) ), it seems like no time has passed and no distance is there - some things are simply eternal and overcome any judgement, wording or traceable limits
  • I still have trouble going up in the morning and tend to stay in bed a little bit too long
  • I still don't know how but always find myself entertained until too late in the night (I wonder: could this have anything to do with the waking up part of it? :P Trust me, I tuck in a little bit longer even if I've slept for 12 hours - owl style? What can I do? That's just me ever since I remember: at night, that's when I'm creative, energetic, with time for myself :) ...
  • Lately, lacking dancing - DANCING HAS BEEN FORBIDEN IN BANGALORE CLUBS FOR THE PAST 3 WEEKS!!: can you imagine me living in such a city if this wasn't about to change in a matter of weeks?... - at night (among other things, namely domestic tasks), I dance and sing to both my years and sometimes the girls sleeping upstairs' - ups! have been trying to control, I swear! :P
  • Have my yoghurt with cereal almost every day
  • Have been being asked to write texts and to revise scripts

... On others I am fortunate to get confirmation checks...

  • Love colour! Love travelling! Love nature! Love smiles! Love international friends! Love speaking other laguages! Love dancing! Love people! Love cucumber! Love scarfs! :)
  • Ages flatten down when souls - the true Beings - and not bodies connect

... The rest changes in you for good and is simply destined to make you grow within!

  • Started liking to eat with my hands (the most unconceivable thing in my culture of origin: the first times, you feel like you're doing something wrong as this is what would be told if you did the same while you were being brought up)
  • No bugs or ants or dirt or smell around me disgust me to any level of real disturbance at this point
  • Love indian food with all its exquisitness, SPICES (!), never-ending colous, textures and tastes
  • I am now carefull with night time, don't take transportation alone at those hours either, walk with my eyes down as I don't want to cross the eyes of men, and whenever posible hold my brother-friends' arms or simply stand behind them as some kind of psichological shield (specially when travelling) - Gabiru, Deepak, you guys are the best protectors ever - luv'u!
  • I cherish now what before I had never thought of because I took it for granted: the possibility of allowing yourself to feel (most of the girls and boys here will see their spouses only once to thrice before the day of their marriage...)

Also to be continued...

segunda-feira, 18 de agosto de 2008

Olive oil: gods' nectar

To tell you the 'lightest' of my examples, but maybe the most obvious at least for tendencially pragmatic minds:

Olive oil is a very rare and hence very expensive thing in India (being imported namely from Spain). To give you a comparison, a 1 liter bottle may cost me an amount corresponding to 13 travels home-work.

Another fact that most of you know: olive oil is essencial in european cooking, namely portuguese, and me personally I use it for practically everything.

So of course I bought a bottle, but obviously kept it saved for a controled use.

Last week, while bringing the bottle back to my room after cooking, it was slippery so it fell off my hands to become an oil lake and dozens of glass pieces in my room floor.

For a minute, I was pissed off and thought only that 300 ruppees (3/4 of the content) were there lying on the floor - not to speak of the inconvenience and the mess. I commented this with my friends, the fact that what had gotten broken was exactly the ingredient that I cherished the most and had spent money on because "I couldn't live without olive oil".

But then, as lately with everything, I decided to accept what had happened and believe, also as always, that it had happened for a reason (one of them being clearly that I should have been more carefull and next time, I will). The hidden reason, there'll always be some, was yet to be discovered.

Well, what I am wanting to tell you is that, as always, life got back to me with the greatest of answers to such a simple thing. Acquaintances have been calling me "lucky". :)

The following day, I was in the supermarket and had almost forgotten that I had already decided that, irrespective of money, of course I'd buy a new bottle. But Rumzie was taking longer with her shopping and I ran into the olive oil shelf.

The truth is that, not only they were selling olive oil in a plastic bottle.... :), as a 1 liter cooking olive oil bottle (worth 400 rupees) was in offer if you bought an extra-virgin one. I loved the again non-coincidence and put both in my basket regardless of price. Still in the supermarket I commented with Rumela that answer life was giving to me. And it was happening unintentionally and in the day right after an event that I had considered a sad waste.

This was enough to again leave me with a feeling of thankfulness. But when I got home for some reason I noticed the price on the extra-virgin oil bottle. Then I noticed that there was no 720 Rs. registered in my receipt. For mistake, the cashiers at 'Spencer's' had registered 400 Rs., the price of the bottle that was in offer, and not the correct one. They made me pay the cheapest one and ended up offering the most expensive, saving me 320 Rs., precisely the money that I had let slip out of my hands the day before.

......

'Course my good-will made me feel like I should go back and tell them, but who would? And anyway, we're always being overcharged for everything here. So - ethical or not - here I had my little excuse.

.......

Coincidence? Most surely not. It's just life communicating clearly with me, as every day here in the most unexplainable of details.

Plus, my friends are starting to know me so well here that Deepak actually intended to offer me a bottle of olive oil yesterday, as he had seen me sad over that waste the week before (thank you dear!*). So life had already such a nice alternative reserved for me if Rumz hadn't taken longer that day at our grocery shop... :))

sexta-feira, 8 de agosto de 2008

Magic days

- picture at 9.40 pm - local time = 5.10 pm in Portugal, my birth time.

One special day happened 2 weeks ago: I was 25 on the 25th.
It's once in a life time, as well as today's day: 08.08.08.

The day was filled with joy from 23.55 pm on the 24th.
My already big indian family spoiled me so much I felt like a little girl! My heart felt big, and pampered, and privileged, as so many remembered me, and such good surprises happened.
My portuguese FAMILY... the whole day enlightening me too. I feel [healthy] SAUDADES of you all...!

The night came and - 'lucky me'! - I went to do what I like the best, and among my companions - guess who? - my nuclear family in Bangalore: Andre, Camilla, Deepak and Rumela. Have I told you I love you? It's Youll and TRAVELLING... :)

So there we went to a 2 days extension of my birthday celebration in Tusker Valley, in Kalhatti Park, on the Nilgiri Mountains.
We went for relatively challenging trekking journeys twice, reached waterfalls and moutain peaks, saw plantations, and stood in the middle of some bear cages and the all-mighty white clouds. Almost tripped once or twice, climbed many many rocks and listened to the sound of silence and to the wisper of echo. My mates spoted foot-prints of bears, bisonts and other sorts of wild life that didn't dare to come near us.
The nights were coronated with music, bath with hot water served in buckets, eating around bonfire, playing Uno, teeling mind-cracking riddles, finding mouse poop all over your bed sheets and... Night Safari!!, where the most thrilling experiences were the raining outside the open jeep, the bang of the head on the ceiling, and the expectation to see more then one rabbit, one bisont and a couple of dears that in the end were the only ones who let themselves be spoted. (explanation: the rain makes elephants have easy access to water which makes them not need to come close to the road as they were expected to in the TUSKER valley).

Sunday brought us to a hillarious happy jeep journey, dancing our brains off towards a pleasurable chinese dinner in Ooti.
On our way to Bangalore, 1h30 hours after departure, a land-slide: sand and a tree blocking the road. Only six hours later - morning already - did a caterpiller come to remove it. Close to Bangalore, again a truck riot to delay us... Summary: 16 hour bus trip!! (was suppose to be 8 tops) HEHE! With my friends just laughing at me afterwards as I just woke up to check on the overall situation maybe 3 times during all that time. :)) God bless the sleep in these circumstances! (jealous, uh?) :P

Everyone has been telling me about me having experienced the weirdest most uncommon things in Bangalore since I got here. Uncomfortable as they may have been sometimes, again I look at them as life experience.

THANK YOU ALL FOR (close and from afar) MAKING ME FEEL HOME.

quinta-feira, 31 de julho de 2008

An insight of Life and the Potential of Humankind


I have been visiting the Slums where the foundation I work for offers a daily meal, to supervise on the justice of the distribution of the food and ensure that it reaches our target.
I come out of there with the ultimate confirmation of the blessing in my life, and again more grateful for it.
I feel bigger as I feel smaller. I feel more conscient: of what I am/ have, about what there is that is effectively essencial to life...
My bear-feet on their floor, the contrasts hit me, I suffer in comparison, but I manage to come out of there peaceful as I see at least there there's something being done. And wherever else it is feazable.
Somehow I feel serene also (is that posible? serene as in confident of human potential! = capacity for adaptation, reaction, relation, kind giving, humble acceptance, survival, community strength - does it make any sense?)...
... Confident as in the middle of the greatest lack of everything, SMILES and HUMANITY aren't missing in any of their faces. Also for this I feel deep respect for these people that I greet back with Nasmaskar and wholehearted smiles.
CHILDREN IN THE SLUMS ARE HAPPY, they're more alive in their eyes and smiles than any I have ever seen in my mostly european/ touristic aproach to travels... They play with me and they compliment the beauty of my name.
People respond to smiles, greetings and eye connection.
Humanity works. No need to speak the same language. We already speak the same language.
You see, if we take the right look the world couldn't be simpler.
Again, I don't know how to put into words how thankfull I am for the fact that LIFE is giving me never-ending oportunities of appreciating its ESSENCE and simplicity.

quarta-feira, 30 de julho de 2008

A Fresh-View: Ashvasan welcomes a new trainee

At the moment I am preparing a Newsletter to be issued by one of the Associations that I work for (first one mentioned below). Today I'm sharing the article I was requested to write as an introduction of myself, to be included in that publication.

For those of you who are wondering where I am working, I send the links below, promising to give some details on the work I am developing soon:
"Greetings to all Ashvasan members and friends!
My name is Raquel Lemos, I am 25 years-old and I come from Lisbon in Portugal.

I arrived in India in June 17th 2008 and joined Lalita Ubhayaker Foundation for the Arts on the 1st of July, for a 6 months internship from which I expect great results.
Back in Portugal, I finished my 1st university degree in Communication & Culture in 2006 and since then I’ve been working as an Event and Communication Manager at the biggest private bank in the country.
Having initiated my career path, I still didn’t want to give up studying, so for one year I was studying Image, Protocol and Event Management, and just before coming to Bangalore I finished an Executive Masters in Business Administration.
Parallel to this, my lifetime passions remain being Arts, Cultural Diversity and Traveling. Actually, since the age of 16, the scope of my work has been Dance and Fitness as a teacher, performer and producer, with my most favorite hobby being summer traveling and making Friends a little bit all over the world.
Also, for many years now, I’ve been wanting to volunteer and for the first time in my life really understand the meaning of learning by giving (and not solely by absorbing).
Thus, based also in my past experience, but wanting to learn every day more, it is with all my heart, will and commitment that I hope to be able to give a contribution worthy of the wholehearted commendable work developed by Ashvasan, Smriti Nandan Cultural Centre and Devnandan Ubhayaker Yuva Sangeet Utsav.
It was with great pleasure that I met and just started working with part of the Ashvasan Family. I feel part of It myself already and I am thankful for that.
I am looking forward to meeting you all."

terça-feira, 22 de julho de 2008

How my life has changed

My life has changed in many ways, but there are some few logistical details that I'd like to share with you:

  • I eat with my hands (right hand!) every day;

  • I have had cold showers for 2 weeks;

  • I sleep with ear tampons and the fan on;

  • I am constantly being bitten by mosquitos, irrespective of prevention;

  • The washing machine (for clothes) works with cold water only;

  • My room (as I wanted a single one) was stolen out of the living-room space - having pre-fabricated plastic walls, the insonorization from house, front-door and street sounds is none; the front-door of the house doesn't open or close unless I have my room's door closed;

  • Although this house is much much better than the previous one, you'll find them anywhere, it's unavoidable... in the past two days I've had 1 lizzard and 2 cochroaches in my room and bathroom;

  • I've been being transported in motorbikes in India for the first time, sitting normally or with my legs to the side, holding hardly anything and carrying no helmet - but hey! that's how everyone does it! 4 times I've done it by now;

  • I carry my backpack with my laptop everyday to and from office. I like the ritual, but maybe this'll be changing soon as a new computer just arrived;

  • I usually don't walk alone in the streets after 7 pm, and most definitelly don't after 9 pm. Two girls together walking in the street at 11 pm proved to be challenging enough;

  • I have to bargain for prices practically everyday;

  • I got back to my old times: am eating mostly vegetarian;

  • I tried driving an indian car, with the wheel on the right, the gears on the left, and driving on the left side of the road - but, don't get scared!, it was just for a few yards in a quiet alley. Liked it though!;

  • I am working at my Mentor's house (only one other person works for the Foundation: the secretary, on the lower floor, Manjula is her name) and I am invited to have lunch with Mr. and Mrs. Ubhayaker every day;

  • I am given tea with milk (!!) and sugar every day at 11.30 am and 4.30 pm - now I like it;

  • I live with 7 other girls and I never know who's been in my house, and who'll be coming by as the Paying Guesthouse (PG) male managers are always running around for some reason, some fixing, something - summary: privacy: reduced;

  • I've been having what everyone told me I shouldn't: when you're in some place for a long time, and specially when you share habits, meals and rituals with locals... you can't avoid it, and of course your system adapts to it, which also makes your daily life much more mingled and easier. So, I'm having: filtered water (not only bottled), fresh vegetables, fruit with skin, yoghurt, and I'm brushing my teeth with tap water - only once did I feel sick, and after that everything is fine. Actually, I feel like my body likes the habits I have here, it has been happy :) ;

  • Going out here means starting at 8.30 pm (if you can, but you never...) and finishing dancing precisely at 11.30 pm - everything closes at this hour, there's no way!;

  • I work alone, bear-feet, in a peaceful environment and in almost total silence (picture: the entrance to the Ubhayaker's residence, my workplace - how amazing is that?);
  • It's Monsoon season, so everyday it rains cats and dogs for about one hour, and then it stops. Meaning: you should always be carrying an umbrella.

quinta-feira, 17 de julho de 2008

Recording Difference


FACTS that my eyes capture everyday:

* Although my frame is unavoidably that of a European, with these statements I mean nothing but to record differences (after all that’s what I came here for). I hereby honestly declare no intention of conveying criticism or prejudice in none of the following (anyway, the order in which the facts are placed is by the way totally arbitrary):

· Children are carried in motorbikes holding to the wheel or squeezed between 2 or 3 other bodies – and this is while other vehicles pass speeding 2cm from them, each vehicle issuing tons of gazes right at their nose level
· You can see single shoes spread all over in roads – and not all are in bad shape. I wonder…? : )
· Horses carry goods on their own in the roads
· Many policemen cover their mouth and nose because of pollution, and they whistle (as others horn) all the time, for no reason
· The traffic lights are rare and not always respected
· 16.07.08, 18h35 – Saw a man grab a mobile out of another man’s car as this had the window open in the middle of a traffic jam
· Many children and adults walk in the streets bear-feet
· There are no bins for the litter in the streets. And still people don’t think twice before throwing garbage away…. It is hard to find bins in the houses too
· The malls and movie theatres are the more luxurious I’ve ever been to. E.g., they sell a variety of food and beverages inside, and the seats are always “convertible”
· You see cows all over: in the traffic – standing or moving with it (being just avoided, but sent away or pushed by no one!), lying down, eating out of trash in bus station, just about anywhere!
· Have seen camels being rid in the road once in a while. And of course, many many bikes
· Vehicles are more important than pedestrians – absolute priority, they don’t even break if they see that you want to cross the road, not even if you’re already in the middle of a thousand of moving vehicles and animals, right in the middle of the road, spinning and dancing in the hurdle of trying not to get hit by a car’s side-miror or any bike
· The rules for driving: honk, squeeze and occupy any free space you may find
· Men urinate anywhere in the street, without even caring to hide, although they do give their back to the crowd
· Men spit on the floor and out of moving vehicles quite often
· In some movie theatres, the Indian Himn plays before the show starts. Everyone stands, sellers stop selling, incoming people stop their march, some place their hand in their heart, some get emotional, but no one dares to talk or look anyway other than the screen – although no one seems to sing along with the Gurus that interpret the song
· This is the most colourful country I’ve ever been to: religion is colourful, dressing is colourful, state announcements are colourful, buildings are colourful, cars and trucks are colourful, food is colourful….

· It rains almost everyday by dust (when it’s serious the streets look like authentic river flows), and power goes off one or several times for anything ranging from 10 minutes to 4 hours. From today on I’m expected not to have water in the house for 4 days
· Bangalore seems to be all and always under contruction


LESSONS that I’ve learned mostly from my Mentor and her Husband, Mr. and Mrs. Ubhayaker*:

* everyday at least one new teaching by the table, during a blessed lunch (this is just one of the few reasons I feel blessed around here)

* actually today I spoke of starting to bring my beloved notebook to the table as I forget such important notions I learn just because hindi, kannada or sanscrit don’t sound like anything familiar – I have to write down in order to memorize, as I do with anything already anyway even in Portugal!)

* all of the below mentioned lessons are Their responsibility - except for one: the most materialistic maybe, the last one - you have to learn how to deal with auto-rickshaws by yourself!):

· Give things to others with your right hand
· Eat with your right hand only
· Don’t wet your hand beyond 2/3 of your fingers when you’re eating
· Go straight home and don’t leave if a religious ofense took place in town
· Always bargain (insistently) if the price isn’t fixed

Promise to keep on with this exercise.
**********

terça-feira, 15 de julho de 2008

BLISS


If before I felt already that I am blessed, that I am lucky (meaning necessarily faithful also), that there's a little star insistently standind over my head...
Here in India this feeling of non-coincidence, of bliss, of sinchronicity... has built up to be the biggest ever.
No day passes by without Someone making a difference in my life... Every day amazing happenings occur, in each corner there's amazement, teachings, and life ready to be absorbed. I guess it's just a matter of being open to signs.

One 'just' has to say YES to life and live up to it.
I know this sounds like those self-help books we criticize, those pseudo-spiritual guru teachings that seem to be nothing but romantic ready-to-sell theory.
But you know what? Positiveness has proved right in many lifes, and I dare to say mine is one of them.

Dare to try and SMILE at all things, embrace life, make sure you take something positive out of everything that occurs to you (instead of sticking to the worse of everything as us portuguese so much like to do!), think of the actual reasons why you do or endeavour in a task or relationship, fight your fears, work on your flaws if you want (with no prejudice or self-pity though) or just live in peace with them...
Smile, thank, open your eyes, project good energies!!! SMILE and Life will smile back at you in little details, grand things, anything, just name it and believe it!

You guys know me and you know I have my feet on earth, I am reasonable, I have common-sense, but still: I believe.
I aim to be no preecher here, I just felt like sharing my happiness and my faith in Life.
If you take anything out of these words, or even if you don't, care to comment, care to share with me? 'Cause in the end one knows nothing, one's always learning, each case is a case, each feeling is a feeling.

Mine is just a feeling of BLISS.
I THANK.
NAMASTE. ;)