Back from Delhi

I had a trip to Delhi this week, only the second time I've been out of Koraput since I arrived here in August.  I went to a VSO conference to discuss ongoing VSO strategy but it was great to be able to meet most of the other volunteers, many of whom I only new by name and email, catch up with some of the people who arrived in India at the same time as me and to meet the new group of volunteers who are currently attending the in-country orientation.

It was lovely to meet everyone and spend a few days comparing notes, enjoying luxuries like hot showers and having food cooked for us.  The trouble with Koraput is that it's such a long way from anywhere it's easy to feel pretty isolated but getting together with other volunteers occasionally helps to remind me that I'm not alone.  It also gave me the opportunity to do a bit of shopping and buy a few essentials, like more malaria tablets. soya sauce, decent vinegar to replace the stuff on my shelf mouthwateringly described as "glacial acetic acid" (sounds delicious doesn't it?).  Oh, an copious supplies of toilet paper as my local supplier had failed to make the promised delivery materialise.

The conference was really interesting and came up with some scary statistics.  Some of them I'd heard or read before but it is good to be reminded of the reason we are working in India.

• The Indian government spends around 1% GDP on public healthcare.  Compare that to around 5% spent by the US or over 8% spent by the UK.
• 28% of the Indian population are officially below the poverty line (total population over 1.1bn)
  
• 80% of Indians live on less than 20 rupees per day
• 35-40% of Indians can't read or write
• 50% of Indians are less than 25 years old and many are disconnected with the realities of the country and unaware of the issues faced by large sectors of the population.  There are also many who are passionate about doing what they can to improve things in India - part of our discussions revolved around what VSO can do to encourage and support youth volunteers, using their energy and innovation to address some of the issues here in India.

There were many more statistics and we had some inspirational speakers and it was a privelage to be able to listen to some of them and take part in the discussions.

The journey to Delhi was a long one.  15 hours on the overnight train from Koraput to Bhubaneswar, a couple of hours waiting for the train to Delhi, arriving around 24 hours later, getting to the VSO office around midday Monday feeling distinctly crumpled and somewhat smelly wearing the same clothes I'd put on Saturday morning.  I was in 3 berth sleeper coaches, allocated to the bottom tier.  The guy in the middle tier was obviously tired and asked me if he could make up his bed during the afternoon.  It didn't feel right to say no, he looked so shattered but this meant that the back of the bottom tier was raised to become the bed of the middle and I was hunched up underneath, unable to sit properly for the rest of the day and my back started to seize up into an attractive, uncomfortable hump.

Later in the evening, a man asked me if I'd mind moving to the adjacent coach so that he and his wife could both be in the section that I was in with the rest of their family.  This was no problem for me as I was travelling alone and it did at least mean I might be able to sit up properly.  The man's companion grabbed my bag and carried it through to the next coach and then demanded baksheesh from me.  I don't mind tipping staff on trains and in restaurants if they've done a good job but didn't feel much inclined to pay out any money when it wasn't me that wanted to move.  A bit of an argument ensued but the 7 young men in my new section of coach came to my aid and saw him off.  Unfortunately one of them rather spoiled my gratitude by dropping a rather large backpack off the top tier which came crashing down on my head.  A good aid to an already aching neck and shoulders.

The  trip home was easier as I flew back to make sure I got to Koraput on time to set out on a field trip on Saturday.  Unfortunately this meant I had to get up at 4am to get a taxi to the airport for my early morning flight.  Another taxi was waiting for me at Vishakapatnam  airport, sent by my NGO to whisk me back to Koraput, only 4 hours away.  It was probably pretty easy for him to spot me and M, the only 2 white women coming out of the airport but he carried a sign so that we could spot him among all the other waiting drivers.  I've seen a few variations of the spelling of my name but this was the first time I'd come across this one:  "Hellary".  I'm not convinced it will catch on.