Welcome.
[New disclaimer: Here I am, finishing my research on the Political Ecology of organic agriculture in the state of Kerala, India. I'm currently a PhD candidate in Geography at UC-Berkeley, and this blog represents a snapshot of my PhD life. The views and opinions on this blog are not those of any organization, but are mine alone, and reflect the brain of my 20s. I decided to leave this blog public for now, because I hope it will be a repository of information for the alternative food movement and for PhD students.]
Everyday I learn new things (both good and bad) about the place where my parents are from. My perceptions and awareness about my family and myself are quickly and radically changing –this is overwhelming for me, as I thought I already went through the phase of growth, questioning, and earth-shattering discovery during the awkward years of 15-20.
I need a place to digest and reflect, which is why I started this blog. I am not even going to pretend that I am or will be the expert in the topics I discuss, most of which will be very personal –sometimes exciting, sometimes upsetting, sometimes not very interesting. What I do profess is this: I was born and raised in the United States, and I am living in foreign country doing field research for over a year. While I may look like the people I am working with and studying, I am acutely aware of my different life experiences. What hardships will I face? Will I enjoy myself? Will I end up hating my culture? What does culture even mean? Will I eventually grow into a respected scholar and practioner? Will Kerala be a dream or a nightmare???*
My mind is obviously racing. I’m looking forward to tackling some of these issues. While this blog was initially geared towards family and friends, I welcome everyone to join me as I ruminate on food politics, environmental issues, and India — and the hardships of grad school life and fieldwork in general. Maybe this blog will even turn into a useful repository of information on environmental matters in Kerala.
*”Sapna” in Malayalam (and Hindi; it’s a Sanskrit-derived name) means “dream.” It can also mean “nightmare.”
ham… you are doing great job….congrats!!! most of the people willing to fly away from the native….. saw something different in you. Do not forget your native…do something for it.
All the best
I really enjoyed your blog and identify with many of your musings… except that I’m 48 years old! I hope to read more about your personal experiences there and to learn more about your work/research. I’ll look for you on facebook. Good luck!
Sapna!!!!
Me coming from Texas to Kerala; I so am going through the same transition. The answers you seek agonize me too. I would be happy to join you on your exploration. Hope im not too late!!!
“Everyday I learn new things (both good and bad)…”
Can you tell me more about the “bad” things you have learned/encountered? Sorry to come at this in a “cup half full sort of way” but I like to start with the bad then work on over to the “good”. I’m a malayalee born and raised in the states too, and in many ways ignorant of the motherland.
Perhaps I should rephrase this old page to indicate that I have a complicated relationship with my research, Kerala, and personal background — much of which comes out in my blog posts, so just keep reading!