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January - February 2008, Jodhpur Project
Final impression by Gernot Rohrmoser
Well, what can I say? Now, as my stay here comes to an end, it’s time for a short summary.
In the beginning, one of my greatest concerns was whether the participants would accept or reject a male volunteer. The most important task during this early phase was to find an appropriate level on which to interact with the girls. Due to the traditional gender separation in Hindu custom they naturally become shy and distant in front of men, a trait which, from a Western perspective, could easily be misinterpreted as impoliteness or rudeness on their part. For all intents and purposes, they ignored me. Only Monica and, to some extent, Sonya made efforts to brake the ice. Communication, as you might expect, was difficult, not so much because of any language barrier but rather due to the girls’ insecurity regarding the new situation they had to face. “No English!” was the main response I got at the beginning. They would even turn their heads away while talking. Teaching seemed to be impossible, so I was forced to think about alternative ways in which to reach the girls. What were their interests in the project? Academia, embroidery, languages, games, improving social skills? Or was it simply a desire to be recognized? So I started to observe them carefully, but in an open way in order to make them curious. How? Should I just gaze at them, should I draw them? Would they feel embarrassed to be watched? I had to experiment with different approaches. Finally I decided to draw their eyes, which meant they had to give permission for me to watch them. And of course they supported that idea, for as I have already mentioned, they had never before had attention of this kind. And guess what happened? They suddenly started to open up; they slowly began to have an impression of themselves, of their individuality and of their self-worth and dignity. So that’s what they were asking for. And they were narrating their incredible stories through their deep, dark eyes. Some of the girls are sanguine and spirited, some are a little crazy in a positive way, some are acutely sensitive to emotional circumstance, some are pensive, some of them always cry inwardly. And some of them will invite you to share in their lives, in joy or in suffering. Among this latter group there is a huge anxiety to be recognized. That’s the key to their souls. In spite of the language barrier, it became apparent that if one was observant and attentive one could nevertheless gain a meaningful understanding of their true character. This meant, however, that one had to be prepared for the great emotional impact. Gaining an understanding of the girls leads naturally to a better understanding of oneself; they were all extremely sensitive to my own thoughts and feelings, often more so than I was.
Anna, a very experienced teacher and volunteer, left some very interesting and helpful ideas regarding structural amendments (class timetable, daily routine, etc.). By the end of my work at Trust it was also high time to shift some responsibility to special girls like Pammy and Sonya. Sonya, one of the best English speakers, will be responsible for a basic English group. Pammy, meanwhile, will lead her own arts and crafts group in the future, with the hope that she might one day become a specialist and teacher. From my point of view, the Trust itself will succeed, especially when the older members are empowered to expand their specific talents and skills and to share their capabilities with other younger or less experienced participants. They need to be encouraged to discover their hidden aptitudes and to work hard to achieve their goals. It should be a high priority for the future to support this generation to carry on the philosophy of empowerment. And that, of course, means believing in them.
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