“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go."

Years ago, someone pointed out to me that young people who work in NGOs(Non-Governmental Organizations for the uninitated), particularly those who have recently returned from a stint in an institution of higher learning abroad, have a predictable and uniform look generally involving khadhi, kohl and idealistic stars in their eyes. The other day I looked in the mirror and realized that my reflection bore an eerie resemblance to the word picture formed by that scathing observation but I refuse to apologise for it. And while I may be responsible for the idealistic feelings I'm harboring, the khadhi and kohl are more a result of where in the city I need to go.

My work currently involves working intensively in five, low-end, unaided private schools in the greater Bangalore metropolitan area. Although a few of these schools are quite literally in my backyard, the majority are far removed from my regular beat in the Cantonment area of Bangalore (the term is one of the last remaining vestiges of the British military presence in Bangalore). This, in itself, has led to some interesting adventures from a purely logistical perspective. Armed with a shaky (at best) grasp of Kannada and the tag of being a "localite," I have, in the recent past, found myself navigating narrow lanes in Shivaji nagar, incredibly crowded market places in Yeshwantpur, and have recently been told to find my way around Peenya. The official mode of transport is obviously the ubiquitous auto rickshaw, and I unfortunately find myself constantly haggling with auto drivers who, as a group, have conspired to never go where I need them to at any given time. Not that any of these things are especially odd or problematic on their own, but my chauffeur-driven, denim-clad, English-as-a-first-language self is definitely out of place to say the least.

Apparently only in personal discomfort can there be true growth, and I am sure that I will feel uncomfortable and generally out of place many times in the next few months, but I am equally sure that I will learn a lot in this position. Some of it will be work-related, no doubt. However, I am also learning a lot about my city and myself. Everyday there are people, things and places that challenge my assumptions about what I think I know to be true, generally (and thankfully) amidst much hilarity. It is like cultural anthropology in my own backyard.