Partir en mission, c'est quoi?

Anglophones, please scroll down, English version at the end 

Et Francophones, voir autres photos dans le texte anglais) 

     Apres quelques escales et des heures de transport, l'equipe EW est arrivee a Palani. A cette occasion, elle a souhaitee vous faire partager les instants de cette periode de transit ainsi que ses conditions de vie quotidiennes. Difficile de tout retranscrire: les experiences sont nombreuses et les emotions sont fortes! Nous esperons cependant vous transmettre ainsi nos motivations et repondre aux questions qui nous ont souvent ete posees par les membres.

Partir en mission: qui, ou, comment et pourquoi?

     ...Des personnes qui desirent donner de leur temps au service des plus demunis. Toute initiative et tout savoir-faire sont les bienvenus. Nous avons surtout besoin de gens volontaires et prets a mettre la main a la pate!

     Partir en mission, c'est aussi et avant tout s'y preparer psychologiquement (il va falloir faire preuve d'ouverture d'esprit et d'adaptation) mais aussi financierement. En effet, les frais de mission tels que billets d'avion et autres transports, frais de visa, d'assurance et de sante, logement et nourriture, ne sont en aucun cas couverts par l'association dont les recettes (produites chaque annee par la vente d'artisanat et des calendriers) ne servent qu'a financer les programmes qu'elle soutient.

Vie quotidienne: apprendre a vivre ensemble et a s'organiser en tant qu'equipe

     Realiser les taches quotidiennes quand on n'a pas tout le confort de nos maisons occidentales...un peu moins facile mais avec un peu de bonne volonte! Alors on s'y met, chacun son tour: recuperation d'eau (geste essentiel dans une zone qui en manque cruellement) pour les taches menageres, lessive a la main une fois par jour, recup', bricolage et confection diverses (on decouvre notamment la ficelle a tout faire: un etendoir a linge, un porte papier toilette, des supports en macrame...).

Lessive / Laundry

     On amenage, on demenage, on reamenage... car nous allons rendre visite a quatre programmes differents en 3 mois... Ce n'est jamais le travail qui manque, mais les rencontres sont riches et passionnantes.

Sortie de Chennai / Trying to leave Chennai

     On s'adapte aussi au rythme local: parcourir une centaine de kilometres en 4 heures, retirer son argent a la banque hors grandes villes, une demi journee... Un petit travail demande est rarement pret a temps: par exemple, il nous a fallu persister 3 jours durant pour obtenir le gravage des videos a poster sur notre blog sur un CD..."waiting, waiting" ("attendez, attendez", prononce "vaiting, vaiting"), nous repond notre interlocuteur.

Attente - gare routiere Mamallapuram / Waiting - Mamallapuram bus station

Concert -musique traditionnelle / Concert - traditional south Indian music

     Dans toute cette action, il ne faut pas oublier de prendre du temps pour soi, du temps de reflexion et de meditation, mais aussi de divertissement. La culture locale en offre une palette interessante qui ne manquera pas de captiver votre attention: en Inde, concerts et spectacles de danse karnatique, soirees cinema local,  cours de tamoul...et matchs de criquet! C'est la coupe du monde en ce moment. (Finale le 2 avril. Allez l'Inde!) Les prochaines nouvelles? Nos activites avec nos amis de Palani...

Allez l'Inde! / Go India! Upcoming Cricket World Cup

English-Language Version :

     After nine days of work in Chennai, the EW team has just arrived in Palani - a "small town" of 100, 000 in central western Tamil Nadu, up in the foothills of the Ghat Mountains. This took some doing, as it necessitated several stop-overs, 4 different local buses, 3 switches at busy bus stands (with destinations indicated...only in Tamil, of course) and a long, hot, sweaty 2-day journey.

     It is surely difficult to share all of our experiences, but we thought that we might try to answer some of the questions members and friends have asked us over the course of the last few weeks - ie. the nuts and bolts of an EW trip to the field.  Last year the slums of Lima, this year - India.

 

Who ? Where ? Why ? How ?

     EW has 10 foreign programs, with "relay persons" in each one, so the Poitiers team is in constant contact with these reliable intermediaries. But so as to maintain close contact and assess both project implementation and future needs, EW may designate members to carry out a field mission in Latin America, Black Africa, or southeast Asia (India, Vietnam). 

     All of this is volunteer labor as our little NGO prefers to spend 100% of its income on foreign project support and development. Air fare, lodging, transportation, food, supplementary health insurance, etc thus are all auto-financed by individual members themselves. Then it is merely a question of rolling up your sleeves - there is no shortage of work to be done, but all of it is highly enriching. An ability to adapt, great enthusiasm and commitment and a sense of humor are also definite assets.

Daily Life

     The EW team is always warmly welcomed, but just getting around and getting settled in can occasionally be a challenge.  By early February, temperatures here were already in the 90's here.  You have to think ahead to have all the drinking water you might need. Such preparedness is even more essential when it comes to toilet paper or cereal. or mosquito spray... Buckets of hand-washing are necessary with an alarming frequency. Everyone pitches in and shares the responsibilities - there are 4 programs to visit in just 3 months, so we're on the road often. How to get from point A to point B ? When does the local bus to the next destination begin running the following morning ? How do you find someone to ask in that throng of Tamilians ? Unfailingly, we have found help, smiles and answers to these and all other questions that have arisen - such friendliness !

    But it can take some adapting to adjust to "Indian time" - buses are cheap but average only about 40 kms. per hour, making any trip seem like a veritable expedition through rugged yet beautiful territory. Trying to cash a traveler's check in a provincial city can be a half-day operation (and this is with the Bank Manager's personal help and assistance !). And things are not ready when you think they should be, might be, were supposed to have been - you get the idea... The video excerpt posted from Tenali was an ongoing adventure : 3 different trips to Anil's digital shop to get a 5-minute DVD cut, and several afternoons in different cyber-cafes to get the video reformatted and then finally posted, using only a dial-up connection. "Vaiting ... Vaiting..." is an expression we all hear repeatedly, everywhere, in all circumstances.  Frustrating, perhaps, but also a lovely reminder of the essentials in life - taking time to savor the moment.

La lessive / Handwashing...

Transport local / Local Transportation 

     Time out - for ourselves, to avoid burnout, to rest and recoup and to enjoy all of the flavors and savors of just being in India : writing in a journal, reviewing Tamil vocabulary, doing tai chi, or taking in a few of the sights and the ancient cultural traditions, with an evening "off" to  attend a Karnatic music concert or to see a fantastic dance performance. (Notice the Indian instruments and the upside-down violin !)

Spectacle de danse / Dance performance

          The next EW updates will surely include information concerning our work here in Palani, as well as a bit on the upcoming Cricket World Cup. India has qualified in the semi-finals and will be playing neighboring Pakistan on April 30th. Click on soon for more information. Until then, best wishes.