Yesterday we met our contact at JSS, Jacob, for the first time. He is on the younger side of middle aged, with greying hair that looks like it is still youthfully dark underneath and a mischievous smile. He knows a lot of people working on SRI, and has been doing agricultural work in the rural areas for many years, and we will be working with him closely and learning what he knows. He seems to be an experienced and light traveller, arriving with just large laptop bag, which contains everything he needs, including the laptop. His train arrived at 2 in the morning, and he didn't think twice about sleeping in the train station (apparently there are simple accomodations for travellers, so at least he wasn't sleeping on the platform). He came to meet Dr. Gujja of the WWF, along with us, and other than that he was calling people he knew on his cell phone and setting up meetings shen he could. His mannerism and habits reminded me in some ways of a vagrant, travelling without a care with minimal possessions. His default expression is a sly smile, and in the short time I've spent with him I haven't seen any negative emotions like anger or being upset.
Our return to ICRISAT was to find if we could work with them. Short answer, no - long answer yes. ICRISAT is a large, multinational organization, and there are a myriad of procedural hurdles to clear to get an ICRISAT employee badge, so it is not feasible to work for them. However, they do have a budget, and discretion to partner with other organization and fund certain projects, and it was clear that they were very open to that possibility of funding us through Jacob and JSS. So, we will be going into the field and getting our bearings and putting together a specific proposal. JSS does not have the resources of ICRISAT, and the supplemental income will be very welcome. JSS is looking for a place for us to set up house in their neighborhood, and until then we will be staying at Jacob's house.
We leave tomorrow night - a bus to Nagpur, and then a train to Bilaspur. It will be over 24 hours of travel, and I have mixed feelings about it. On one hand, we are here to experience India, which we will be doing, but we are novices at Indian bus and train stations, and will have as much luggage as we can carry as we set out to establish our new home. And the travel time is as long as it took to get from Boston into Bilaspur, so our butts might just fall asleep.
We will have Internet there, but it will be dial-up, so posts may come more infrequently from here on out... but I will keep posting.
Our return to ICRISAT was to find if we could work with them. Short answer, no - long answer yes. ICRISAT is a large, multinational organization, and there are a myriad of procedural hurdles to clear to get an ICRISAT employee badge, so it is not feasible to work for them. However, they do have a budget, and discretion to partner with other organization and fund certain projects, and it was clear that they were very open to that possibility of funding us through Jacob and JSS. So, we will be going into the field and getting our bearings and putting together a specific proposal. JSS does not have the resources of ICRISAT, and the supplemental income will be very welcome. JSS is looking for a place for us to set up house in their neighborhood, and until then we will be staying at Jacob's house.
We leave tomorrow night - a bus to Nagpur, and then a train to Bilaspur. It will be over 24 hours of travel, and I have mixed feelings about it. On one hand, we are here to experience India, which we will be doing, but we are novices at Indian bus and train stations, and will have as much luggage as we can carry as we set out to establish our new home. And the travel time is as long as it took to get from Boston into Bilaspur, so our butts might just fall asleep.
We will have Internet there, but it will be dial-up, so posts may come more infrequently from here on out... but I will keep posting.
That train ride sounds like a blast. Not as fun as our train ride through Philadelphia though. Godspeed old friend!
Interesting. So at least you'll have an income. That's good news. Plus you'll have internet, beit slow. After all of that travel you'll settle down soon and be able to unpack and spread out a little. Hang in there! Safe travels!!! :)