Watch out India. . . Here comes Mary!

My arrival in New Delhi was full of warmth --both the weather and the people. Dhirendra Sharma, a physics teacher at Bal Baharti Public Schools (BBPS) who has designated himself as my Unofficial Mentor (He was accepted into the Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program for the fall of 2010, but very unfortunately a match in the US was not found. The same place I was in last year. I know how profoundly disappointing that is!)
A driver took both Dhirendra and I to 14 Anandvan, Paschim Vihar, my home for the next five and a half months. Barely had the door been opened and I was greeted with a "proper Indian" welcome: red powder on my forehead and a very sweet, round ball that was scrumptious. I met Madhu, Neena, and Menaka who all live in the same society (the appartment complex of Marathi Indians). I was shown how to use the airconditioner, the television, and the stove.
The next morning Madhu stopped by on her way to work to see how I was doing, my neighbor Shweeta came over to meet me and invite me to go out on Sunday to buy Indian clothes, and then I had lunch at Neena's. Kunda, Rashmi's sister had a mobile phone and international calling card delivered to me, and that night Madhu walked to the market, Reliance, with me so I knew how to get there. At the door security takes bags and checks receipts before leaving.
Sunday the 15th of August was Independence Day. The society had a celebration in the morning with the National Anthem, dances, and snacks. I met more people in the society, all very welcoming.
Shweta and I took a pedal rickshaw to the TDI shopping complex: air conditioned and security checks before entering. She picked out three outfits for me steering me away from my usual choice of blue and blue and blue. I bought kurdas and churidars (leggings) and one salwar kameez with a scarf. We browsed a book store and another shop before lunching at Pizza Hut which had extremely attentive service and a different menu than the US ones. I had a salad and Shweta had garlic bread for appetizers before sharing a pizza. Sunday afternoon I took a taxi to the Park Hotel for my USIEF (United States India Educational Foundation, the Indian counterpart of Fulbright) two-day training. The driver took me to the wrong hotel! Thankfully, the City Hotel, which is where I was delivered, called the Park to confirm my reservation as well as arranging a taxi to take me to the correct hotel!

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Indian Maids

Almost everyone I know has one or two maids that work six days a week. Their hours vary: two to eight hours daily. The maids usually live in slums or lower income areas, and their pay is obviously low as their services are so available. I was told that residents of South Delhi have no maids right now because the police cleaned up the slums for the Commonwealth Games. I believe this because my tour last Saturday of the slum children of Delhi was void of children due to the police cleaning the streets and taking the children to home outside Delhi for the Commonwealth Games.

Maids are typically undependable: frequently they come late, leave early, or simply do not show up. This is tolerated as people both need them and regard this as the culture of maids. My maid, Manju, is a typical example of this lifestyle. She is paid 1300 rupees a month, which is about $30. She is supposed to work 2 to 6 p.m. She is only twenty-one and a very slow worker. She spends a lot of time on the phone, sneaks cat naps, comes late, leaves early, and delays doing most tasks I request except cooking. She eats one meal during her shift, and I supply quality grains, pulses, and vegetables. She is an excellent cook, and honestly, I do miss an outstanding meal and fresh chapatis those days she bunks (skips). Many times she will sit down and talk with me instead of working. The first month she worked for me she did not show up seven days, and she cut off about thirteen hours from other days due to tardiness or early departures. Four days I was not home, so I do not know if she came those days. So far during the three weeks of the second month, she has been working for me, she has not shown up seven days and has cut off four hours from other days. I have been asked for a raise and an advance for medicine. She was very unhappy when I followed through with my clarification of expectations in September when I said I would not pay her for the days and hours she did not work. "My pay is very low," she tells me. I reply, "No work, no pay."
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