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Discovering Chennai
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They want to learn, not judge. Meet a group of students from the U.S. on a visit to the city...
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PRACTICAL LESSONS Students from Erlham College, Indiana are experiencing the Indian way of life PHOTO: R.RAGU
You could discover Chennai in many ways. As a tourist, as an artist, as someone casing its markets for goods and biz ideas or picking its products for export. You could also unearth its charms through a stint of education - in arts, science or in plain living. Eleven students of Erlham College, Indiana, U.S. led by their programme leader Rajaram Krishnan are doing just that.
"The philosophy behind off-campus programmes is `people need each other'," explained Rajaram. "You don't see the good side alone, see the warts too." A viewpoint he has taken to heart going by his reports on the college website www.earlham.edu. "They don't bring this "Wow" or "Oh my god!" attitude. Other cultural mores are not good or bad, they're different. They want to learn, not judge. They'll write tests and get credits."
During the four months of this programme, his students can hope for a kaleidoscope of cultural contacts in India and Sri Lanka. They homestay with Chennai families, an experience in itself. They listen to lectures at WCC in art, heritage and world relations. They try cooking South Indian dishes (pronouncing the names is more difficult) in the kitchen of the college's Home Science Department. In splinter groups they take lessons in music, dance and painting in Kalakshetra and Stella Maris College. They have been to Tanjore and Rajaram's place nearby for a day with village kids and a night on a jamakkalam. They have stopped to eat at wayside stalls. They plan to travel independently during course-breaks.
Erin, Jessica, Hannah, Alexandra, Chris, Naomi, Jamie, Meredith - they are like any fun-loving 18 - 20 year-olds grappling with a variety of subjects to get a degree.
It could be the Quaker tradition of their college, but these Earlhamites deserve a politeness prize. Left bewildered by a contra-culture, they have learned to cope, very quickly. How is life? "Experimental". Teaching? "Uniquely intensive, particular (no American clothes in Kalakshetra, please!)" Been to a concert? "It was like, will the songs ever end? We'll learn to appreciate it." Commute? "There are no lanes at all!" Crowds? "Nothing about India is empty or bland!" Shopping? "Sales assistants interact with you!" Why India? "The most discussed country in the U.S."
All their training in diplomacy fails when talking of family life. "One of the weirdest things is that they all eat at different times! But families are a lot closer, like geographically. Relatives stay in the same house! You have a different sense of space and privacy." "I was so nervous I was doing wrong, but appa and amma were very nice." "You guys have a driver! Having a maid is the weirdest thing." "It feels very different not to do dishes."
They are baffled by the rules in college and home. "You can't leave the campus all day. Completely boring to us." "In the family with which we stay, boy friends are a no-no. You are expected to spend a lot of time with relatives." "For the woman it's complete submissiveness and sacrifice." "The level of poverty is hard to get used to."
They all want to come back. To visit more places, to learn more about Indian life, to do more shopping, to take part in more festivals, to enjoy the colours, to get mehendi-ed, to do makkolam, to wear a sari and bangles.
And definitely to research "how you are supposed to fall in love after an `arranged marriage'." And how, a lot of these marriages work!
GEETA PADMANABHAN
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