The time I spent in the slums in Jaipur, while limited, certainly opened my eyes to a different kind of poverty than I have seen before, even in Africa. Once a stream or river, the picture above is now filled with sewage, feces, trash, and pollution. Children are dirty and use the bathroom on the side of the street or this polluted river. I saw people brushing their teeth with gutter water.
I found myself conflicted and at odds with myself. In some respects I am so lucky, we are staying in a beautiful hotel with spotty internet and I was complaining. Then you see the slums and the streets and it shocks you, but I was still at odds with myself, wanting to share my experiences and stories and information with my friends and family back home.
Nothing can prepare you for walking the streets in the slums, we literally had a following. People wanted you to stop into their house, at the schools they wanted our autographs. It was the closest I will ever be to feeling famous for a day. Mostly it is so unusual for the people in the slums to see foreigners in those places - we are usually at the tourist spots. So they were quite excited I think. I just hope we are able to make a difference with this project!
More soon,
Dana
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