The background noise of India has become not enough for me lately. I feel a little like something is missing in my Indian life, but there is no way to explain it. We just got back from our trip to Mahabaleshwar, which was a really great project weekend that we could all share together, and Goa was amazing, but now it is almost that there is nothing left to look forward to. We have less than a month left with the program, and there is a lot to be done, but there are few events left.
Sulu’s “sister-in-law” is visiting again. Now I use quotations, because Kusum is just another unidentified Indian family member. Actually she is Sulu’s husband’s cousin. Anyway, that constitutes sister-in-law in India, and she is such a lovely person that I accept it openly. She keeps coming to Pune because her brother is in the hospital. He has undergone angioplasty, and is not doing well. When Kusum is here, she and I share a room, which I am growing to look forward to. She has the most calming presence, and although she does not talk much, she is always gentle and smiling. Her eyes are the most riveting thing about her. They are deep-set, dark and glassy, and appear to hold a lot of secrets, not just her own, but secrets of the world.
Anyway, things with Sulu could not be better. She has made me feel so at home—so much so that she gave me my own set of keys—and she likes me. That is just a wonderful feeling. The other day I brought Haley home unannounced, and Sulu was so kind, and was not put out at all. I made us all tea (since I am allowed to touch things in the kitchen now) and we talked about sewing and knitting. Sulu also talks to me. We have real conversations aobut her family and her life, and my life, and human rights, and the world, and Barak Obama. I just love her!
When I got back from Mahabaleshwar, she was so happy to see me, and wanted to know what work I had done on my project. The weekend was a work weekend for project consultations. It reminded me a lot of Writing Center staff retreat, but with different objectives. I think everyone made a lot of head-way on their stuff. I am really excited to keep working. This was also a really great weekend for the ten of us. I feel like we all bonded and understand each other better. I have to say that there are some people I have not spent much time with since orientation week, and it has been fascinating to witness how people have grown and changed over the past months.
Anyway, my Independent Study Project is really a study and analysis into how youth participate in politics and see their role in the future of Indian politics. I have been working with the Maharashtra Institute of Technology (abbreviated MIT) and their school of government along with some people from the Pune University, and am making some big strides I think. My only real problem is source material since this topic has never really been written about before by anyone.
