Anusha, our Tamil translator/teacher, told us that the reason why the kids are fascinated with us and like us so much is because we are so light skinned and to be light skinned is considered more beautiful. The darker skin is undesirable while the lighter skin is considered more attractive. The Brahmins have lighter skin, they have more money and power and therefore it has become desirable to have skin like theirs. I just wish that I could teach these children how beautiful their skin is.
One of my favorite courses in college was Poverty with Professor Bolduc. I loved that class because it was the first time in my whole life when I realized that all these thoughts and ideas that I had for so long were actually thought by other people too. There were people who had written books about it and there were actually people like myself who wanted to sit down and have in depth conversations about poverty. Besides all the shocking statistics and very important literature that I read, the most important thing that I took away from that class was the actual definition of poor and rich. We often think of these terms only in the monetary sense. That course and especially Professor Bolduc helped me to learn that those with a lower socio-economic status are rich and in fact sometimes they are richer than those with a higher socio-economic status. I have seen and experienced that everywhere here in India. Those who have little-have so much. They are rich because they possess such a beautiful happiness-a happiness that most Americans do not have.
Jonathan and I have been talking quite a bit about our role of teaching English in India. At times I struggle because I feel as though teaching English here is indirectly teaching these children that our culture is almost superior. As Jonathan pointed out, it almost feels like an extension of Colonialism. I also ask myself what good does a homogenized culture do? I am a person who loves different cultures. It scares me to think of a world in which a monoculture exists. Along the same lines, I recently read that there are only two languages having the status of classical and one of them is Tamil (the other being Sanskrit), why would we want to begin just teaching these children English? How do we teach them English while teaching them that their own language and culture is extremely important to us and to the world.
One of my favorite courses in college was Poverty with Professor Bolduc. I loved that class because it was the first time in my whole life when I realized that all these thoughts and ideas that I had for so long were actually thought by other people too. There were people who had written books about it and there were actually people like myself who wanted to sit down and have in depth conversations about poverty. Besides all the shocking statistics and very important literature that I read, the most important thing that I took away from that class was the actual definition of poor and rich. We often think of these terms only in the monetary sense. That course and especially Professor Bolduc helped me to learn that those with a lower socio-economic status are rich and in fact sometimes they are richer than those with a higher socio-economic status. I have seen and experienced that everywhere here in India. Those who have little-have so much. They are rich because they possess such a beautiful happiness-a happiness that most Americans do not have.
Jonathan and I have been talking quite a bit about our role of teaching English in India. At times I struggle because I feel as though teaching English here is indirectly teaching these children that our culture is almost superior. As Jonathan pointed out, it almost feels like an extension of Colonialism. I also ask myself what good does a homogenized culture do? I am a person who loves different cultures. It scares me to think of a world in which a monoculture exists. Along the same lines, I recently read that there are only two languages having the status of classical and one of them is Tamil (the other being Sanskrit), why would we want to begin just teaching these children English? How do we teach them English while teaching them that their own language and culture is extremely important to us and to the world.
A beautiful entry. If we could all remember that we are rich in happiness, and not all are as lucky. I love you!
ReplyDeleteErie
XOXO
Kylie, I wish you had been with Jon & his family when they visited us in Cameroon! Your comments are so right-on (and insightful)!
ReplyDeleteFor your last comments, well, maybe think about it as aiding communication across cultures. Tamil is strong enough to stand on its own two feet while absorbing the English medium of communication - something that is now world wide. You can do that without insisting on some sort of cultural hegemony or superiority. But you will be helping these children have the opportunity to be citizens of the world - even as they do so from their perspective.