My toilet officially broke today, which means that I now have to use the Indian WC (look at photo below). This is ok, my thigh muscles will be nice and tone when I return to the US! So when I left for work this morning, it was raining harder then I have ever seen. Yesterday was nothing, my suit was literally soaked by the time I reached work. People couldn’t even make it into work because of the flooding – yet I somehow managed!
I observed the buffet in the restaurant and learned a lot more about the unions, even more then before. Not only are their threats real, but they also do not work well and the management has no way of firing them. Which means that employees who are rude to customers and not willing to give their best efforts end up working for the Hotel for 10-20 years!
Once I finished in Citrus, I went back to the training office and learned so much about the cast system in India. My friend, who’s birthday is tomorrow!, named Rahul was telling me there are four types of cast in India: NT (Nomadic Tribe), SC (Schedule Cast), ST (Schedule Tribe), and OBC (Other Backwards Cast). These are the cast that were formed while the British were ruling, better known as the untouchables to Westerners. These people only started to become a part of normal Indian society in the last 1940’s to 1950’s.
The final category that Indians are placed into is “General” meaning that they were seen as normal Indians – not untouchables. The Indian government has decided to react to the past acts towards the lower casts the way that Americans treat modern day Native Americans: they are given special privileges. Now I am not saying it is exactly the same, but from the two hour lesson I was given, it was the best parallel example I could think of. The lower cast (NT, SC, ST, OBC, and any handicap person) have to consistently show that they are of a lower cast (even though technically there are no lower casts anymore, more that they were related to a lower cast). For example, when apply for colleges, students must put their name, high school, grades, date of birth, and cast. If the student puts that they are in any cast but general they are given special consideration. Around 40% of all spots in Universities are help specifically for lower casts – meaning more then 40% can get into the school but a minimum of 40% must go. The lower casts also get discounts on airline tickets, passport prices, visa, price of homes.
After learning about all of this, I asked why you wouldn’t want to be of the casts? The two boys burst out laughing. They told me while spots in school and job opportunities were easier for the lower casts, the General cast was much better. Not only does the General cast make fun of the other cast (physically pick-on), but also once at the school or job the lower cast is not treated well by authoritative figures. I was then told that even by your last name you can tell what cast someone is. I asked want a typical lower cast name was: the boys both said Singh. I then asked if you could marry out of your cast – again I caused major laughter.
The boys explained that by law you can, but it is very rare. Families will either disown you or strongly look down upon you forever if you marry outside you cast (as in a lower cast). So then I asked, what IF you do marry outside, like a General and a OBC get married, what is the child? The answer: whatever the father is. Which as a woman, I find very unfair, but it makes sense (the last name showing what cast you are in). So then my final question was if you could legally change your last name to get rid of your ancestry – once again I caused laughter. I was told that many have tried, legally and illegally, but it never works.
Basically, because the lower casts were suppressed for so many many many years, the Indian government wanted to make up for it by giving them an advantage on the high class. But in turn, they only segregated the classes more and made everyone angry! It’s like you made 60% of the US population Native American, would the other 40% be happy? I don’t think so.
I then started to ask about the street people, what cast are they in? About 90% of the street people (slumdogs) are of a lower cast, but about 10% CHOOSE to live on the street. The 10% own homes, but rent their homes and live on the street to make money. I just cannot believe it, that they make their families live out on the street, especially during monsoon season, just to make more money – get a job!
So then I wanted to learn more about the 90% that live on the street because they have to. Now these people are not educated in anyway and they are the ones overpopulating India. These families have 6-8 children that they see as a form of income rather than a child. They send their young children (as young as three I was told) into the streets asking for money. If the child dies, it’s ok have another – they are seen as disposable. The parents themselves even do the terrible deformities to the children to get more money. Some parents even sell their daughters into prostitution. Recently, there have been a high number of kidnappings reported throughout the slums of young girls – but because it is in the slums the police cannot even do anything about it.
On a lighter note, since I have arrived in India I have been constantly asked if I would compare Cornell to Howard University. Each time an Indian asks me, I respond no! I haven’t even heard of a Howard! Again and again and again people keep asking me, Howard? Finally, today a man spelled it: “H-A-R-V-A-R-D.” I burst out laughing. Indians have trouble pronouncing “R” and “V,” so the combination of the two in Harvard is impossible.
Fun fact: more people in India have cell phones then indoor plumbing – 220 million people in India have cell phones. Because of this, as many could guess, personal hygiene is not very common. I have NEVER smelled body odor like this before.
Also, because Indians drive on the wrong side of the road, they also walk on the other side. For example, when walking down the street you instinctively go to the right. In India, it is the other way around! Needless to say, I confuse many people.
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