That’s Just Not Done Yaar
(Yaar is the Hindi equivalent of ‘dude’)
Today was… and experience. But through the day, I also discovered how comfortable I am in India, with how well I am able to handle situations that are less than convenient or amiable.
As I wandered around my room preparing for my tour to North India (for anyone who doesn’t know, I am leaving on Monday) when Minni comes in to tell me I have been called to the school… I was confused. I hadn’t gone to school in almost a month. Grade 11 was over and I was supposed to be done. The dean of activities called me in… but would not explain why. After i hurried to get ready, I rushed downstairs where Johney told me there was a package in the back seat of the car I was to give to the dean, that the driver would take me, and I would take the bus back… okay.
I get to school where promptly a lady in the office has the package taken from me for gift wrapping, and then I am ignored. As I stand awkwardly in the center of the office, she tells me ‘It’s okay.”
“Ma’am, what’s okay? I’m sorry but I don’t know why I have been called to the school, can you explain this?”
“We just needed the package, that’s all. You can go”
“…That’s it?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, thank you ma’am.”
I proceeded to head towards the cafeteria and met up with friends who were happy to see me, and I them. I was then informed by a student that I had not been called to give the package, I had been called to talk to the inspector. The Round Square Exchange program inspector….
But I am not in RoundSquare… that’s all I could think of. Apparently they didn’t currently have any Roundsquare students in their school, so I would have to do. During my introduction to the inspector, I learned I was infact a RoundSquare student, I have been at the school for an entire year, and I have from Colombia… who knew?
I told her about my experience in the school, my experience in India, why I chose to do exchange, why i though India was good for exchange, and what my plans for returning to ‘Colombia’ were. (in case you are wondering, I am hoping to attend the University of Washington, in Washington State… Colombia…) Regardless of my repetition in saying Yakima, United States, Washington State, America… I was still from Colombia. Oh well.
The whole thing didn’t bother me much as I actually found it more comical than anything else.
However, I did find something that bothered me immensely when I went in search of my paintings. I found one painting, the one of RadhaKrishna (the woman, man, and dog (that is supposed to be a cow I found out later)) playing the flute. As I looked and looked for my other painting (the one of the blue man and the ‘white’ man, brothers), the teacher asked to help me. I described in and was then dutifully informed that the painting was no longer at the school. It had been framed and given as a gift to a guest…
“I wanted to take my painting home to America though. As a souvenir of Indian art that I had created. I worked for over a week on that. It was really important to me. No one asked my permission. What guest?”
“Any guest it could have been. It was nice to see you again. Take care.”
And that was it… all over. No painting. Gone to some stranger I don’t know who probably with throw it with the rest of their child’s paintings.
I asked Minni about it. She told me that wasn’t done. That what they did wasn’t right, and she didn’t agree with them, but nothing can be done. I guess that is just how it ends then. I least I got one painting. As just in time too. The painting I did save had already been framed, ready to be gifted as well…
The was pretty much the whole day, and then i got home to find one more thing that upset me a bit. I had worn my elephant pendant and earrings that day to school. They are silver and I had bought them during my South trip. They are/were my favorite piece of jewelry from India. Possibly my favorite souvenir of all. I love/ed them. As I removed the jewelry for the end of the day, I discovered that the side of the elephant pendant that lies against my body was no longer shiny… because he wasn’t real silver…
I know it is/was only a necklace, but it really meant a lot to me and I only wore it rarely when i wanted to look nice. It is/was really my favorite… and now I don’t know what to do because if I wear him he turn into whatever not silver color is underneath is oxidized coating… and if I don’t wear him it’s a waste.
just curious, it means that much to me, does anyone know if I can take him to a jeweler in America and have them make another one… in real silver…? Maybe it’s desperate, maybe it won’t be the same memory… but I really like him… my elephant… and I don’t want him to ‘go away’.
Panda to India 
Hey Yaar-ette,
Seems like you are learning that a good part of the world, including our own, unfortunately) are liars, cheat, and thieves. Sorry state of affairs, isn’t it. The only saving grace is to not be a conformist and remain your good old honest self, preserve your integrity, and go against the grain. This, of course, is being called “Individualistic”. So, continue to swim upstream and your Karma may save you yet. AN individual you have always been, and that is a good thing. BTW, I have saved pictures of your paintings to iphoto, so when you get home, you can print them out and reproduce your painting. The good side of this – you won’t have to pack it and have it ruined in your luggage.
FYI, I have always been a little suspicious of people who believe that cows are gods, but that doesn’t mean that I have to be the same. This doesn’t meant that I think badly of Indians, but the same goes for many other ethnic/religious beliefs that worship some pretty strange things – like rocks, statues of saints, medals of saints, trees, chickens, crows, etc.. Thankfully, in our country, you can believe what you want and say what you want – almost, (Unless they decide to charge you with a hate-crime, according to the ultra-libs). In many ways, that makes us just a little teensy-weensy bit better than most countries.
Keep the faith and enjoy your trip North. Remember to lock up all your stuff.
You bet you can. I will help you pay for it!!