A Few of My Favorite Things

I've decided that the very best way to begin concluding my India interlude is to post various clips and pictures of some of my FAVORITE memories, people, and things I’ve gathered during my time here. 

So without further ado, click on the link below to see one of my favorite memories in India...

Dadi's Poem

What you have just seen is something actually quite incredible. My friends' grandmother, Dadi, has just recited the only English she knows in the form of a poem she learned in primary school. During the time Dadi went to school; women in rural areas generally were not allowed to advance in education beyond the primary level. Education was deemed as frivolous because the societal expectation for women was simply to marry, have children, and tend to the household. So Dadi was taken out of school completely by around thirteen years of age and given away in marriage by the time she was fifteen.

While still attending school, Dadi was so eager to learn that she stood outside the door of a classroom to learn English even though it was forbidden for women to study. All these years, she has remembered the simple lines of this little poem:

“I have two hands and I can see;

The book that is in front of me.

The wall, the ceiling, and the floor…

She trails off on the last line of the poem, but this is unforgettable nonetheless. 

Dadi had an amazing impact on me in the way she loved each of her children, grandchildren, and other family members. The entire family doted on her like a queen, showering her with kisses and care. She worked hard throughout her lifetime with very little opportunity in education, but she has raised a family of men and women who are making incredible strides in education and business. To me, it all began with her tenacity to learn by standing outside the classroom as a little girl. 

She is simply unforgettable.

Dadi