Miranda’s Writing

Hi! I’m Miranda. I am a co-founder, dancer, and program coordinator at Shakti Caravan and I believe fiercely in things like education reform, magical thinking, and using the arts to effect social change. I write about these things here.

It is important to note that these posts are personal reflections and do not represent Shakti Caravan as a whole. However; these essays and stories often come from conversations and experiences that have taken place during Shakti Caravan.

When I first came to India in 2012, I started a blog called “Musings from India” as a way to make sense of my experiences in this incredible place. Since then, I’ve simplified the title, as “Musings from India” implies that I must be IN India in order to, well, muse. Shakti Caravan, as an entity, is not confined to one specific place or medium, so why should I be? This blog has evolved over the years but, whoever you are, sweet reader, I hope you find some snippet in these pages that sparks something for you.

Computer Glitches

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Sigh! As usual, my little computer seems to have crashed again. It boots to a black screen and then… Driving me insane… It stays there… And stays there. And stays there. I can’t say I’m surprised (and neither can anyone that knows me). Technology and I? We have a comically tragic relationship.

I managed to figure out how to use my phone for the time being but— lucky for any one who’s reading this—I won’t be writing a novel this morning.

I will say this: yesterday (thursday) was a good day. I put on my big girl shoes and went into the city. I had a semi-religious experience at the lotus temple of the baha’i faith. I discovered the absurd and thrilling joy of riding in rickshaws (my new favorite mode of transportation). I wandered around magical gardens and markets, through giant ancient tombs and, for the first time since I arrived here, I let down my guard a little bit and allowed myself to feel comfortable and safe. So it looks different and smells different and there are a lot more people here, but it’s still a city and there’s no reason to go around feeling worried and distant ‘cause that won’t get me anywhere, will it?

It is my last morning at the habitat center. I will miss the calm and plushness of this place but I am ready to go out and get my hands dirty. After this, I don’t know much about internet access so this may be my last post for a little while. I think the computer crash was a sign anyway. “ok, Miranda dear, it’s time to unplug.” And so I will.

Goodbye, technology, my horrible friend. I’ll leave you alone for a while—I can take a hint.

Today! Off to Udaipur… ON A TRAIN! The Mewar Express. Not the original plan, actually. There were some logistical issues and, for a worrying moment, I thought I might be stranded in Delhi for 5 days, but instead I found myself internally quoting Blanch DuBois: “I depend upon the kindness of strangers.” Things always seem to work out better than they should with that attitude. Now, I get to take a TRAIN—a real Indian sleeper train—and stay with a kind sort-of-stranger (a teacher from one of the schools I’ll be teaching at) for a few days.

Here I go!

(Please excuse any typos yielded by my chubby thumbs on tiny touchscreen keys.)

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