Today was my second day at the Women’s Empowerment center in the Pahar Ganj neighborhood of Delhi. It’s students are young women from about 18 to 24, although a few are younger. They choose one or more courses with different job skills being taught by expert teachers, with the goal being to help them get a job to make money (and also to be eligible to marry a better man – a very real issue in their lives). In the morning there are classes like handicrafts (sewing, embroidery, etc). And a “Beauty and Culture” class (which I attend), where they learn skills to work in a salon – hair, nails, makeup, mehndi (henna tattoos), but also health & food/diet, yoga & meditation, and also arts & crafts. Today they were making gorgeous yellow paper roses (a bit like origami, but soft & realistic). There is a benefit / function coming up for donors, for domestic violence victims. Each of the guests of honor will be given a bouquet of these roses. The girls are very creative & talented artists! One girl was practicing “threading” on another girl’s eyebrows, and one girl gave me the henna tattoo on my hand (hopefully the photo shows up in here!)

In the afternoon I go to the computer class. There are about 12 computers in various stages of disrepair… The fact that the power cuts out about every 2 hours mean their harddrives are probably screaming for help! They’re working on Excel at the moment – basic formulas & sums. And some are working on typing (2 hands, in “typing” positions, etc). Their ability to truly use the computer is hindered by their English skills – there is no typing Hindi characters, the menus & commands are in English, their verbal English skills far outweigh written ones. Their education has been mostly rote, so they just model what they’re shown. It’s going to be a challenge to get them to think out of the box & try new things.

But MOSTLY, more than anything, they are young women who are funny, talkative, silly and just want to hang out! They insist their English is terrible, but we talk for 5 hours non-stop. I feel like I’m being on display. I’m surrounded by them, inches from my face, playing with my hair & grilling me with questions.

What’s your favorite Indian food, American food, bollywood actor, song, dessert, movie, color. What’s your birthday, every member of your family’a name, their occupation, their birthday. How much you make, how much you pay for things in india (they are appalled), how much things cost in america. Why I don’t wear 2 inches of eye liner. Can they try on my earrings, can they henna my hands. Name everyone in the class. How do you say xyz in english. I won’t even get into the questions about my boyfriend… THIRD DEGREE!!! (most important: “what is your mother in law like?” – “I haven’t met his mother.” ….. Blank stares. No frame of reference.)

It’s exhausting. It’s ceaseless. But they are SO funny about it, and I make them laugh. I make faces alot & make jokes & basically act like I’m 16…. And they seem to love it. They call me Didi Katie… Didi means “big sister”. So darling.

But it’s 8pm and I could pass out! They do such great work… I don’t know how the teachers & administration finds the energy!