Walking for Learning
From Nagpur, India to Lansing, MichiganPART II: Colleen Carmody in Lansing, MI. October 2001
(You can read Part I by clicking here)
Punya took us on a journey into India. We watched and listened to what a typical street in a smaller Indian community looked like. The emphasis on this street, in this community, was on education of any/many types. I was surprised at so many advertisements about educational opportunities.
Driving home, I heard a radio ad for educational opportunities in this area. It was then that I got the inspiration for this journal. Forgive me for being a bit unorthodox in this journal.
My experiment: To prepare for this journal, I did read all the journals over from last week. Hoping to shake the need to do this experiment. I found several things in everyone's journals that I agreed with, and could have spring boarded off. But I kept coming back to wondering why a street in India would have that much educational propaganda (for lack of a better word). I just couldn't shake my need to do a little experiment of my own. So if Punya can walk down a typical street in India and from start to end of his walking journey come to a conclusion about Education in that area. Why shouldn‚t I give it a whirl-what could taking a foot stroll down my road tell me?
I pondered where I could walk that seemed similar to Punya's stroll. I live off of Delta River Drive in North Lansing. I am about a five minute walk from Grand River. So late Wednesday afternoon, I laced up my walking shoes, took a drink of water, grabbed by pepper spray, and my voice recorder and headed out my front door. Walking with an investigative pep in my step. If Punya can walk down a road in India and come up with that many images of educational opportunities in a land of only 38% literate women, (Sorry if the % is not right) than walking down a street in Lansing, what could I find? (Note: I don't have a digital camera, or this commentary would include pictures).
Actual typed notes from my voice recorder:
I am turning west on Grand River, I feel a little a little stupid talking into this tape, but the sacrifices we make for education. OK,
observation #1-large abandoned building in need of severe repairs.
Observation #2-yellow construction equipment supply building, help wanted sign.
Observation #3-I think this may be it, it is a flyer oh some sort, for, oh sorry, a garage sale. Right next to it is a sign for someone who needs to lose 30 pounds in 30 days. Ok, keep on walking.
Observation #4-a bus stop, I think I will peek in the shelter and see what is posted. Note-nothing in that shelter worth repeating. (I think the bus stop patrons are a little alarmed by the tall women mumbling into a voice recorder. I touch my jacket pocket to make sure my pepper spray is handy. Did I mention I am wearing my MSU College of Education coat??) I am proceeding down the street.
Observation #5 I hear/see a man and women fighting in a parking lot of a scary looking apartment building. Many people are walking in parking lot with small brown paper bags.
Observation #6 Like ants to their mound-found source of paper bags, PARTY STORE-Special on Busch-dang I forget to bring $9.99. Walk-on. I see a variety of dirty pick up trucks. It is a barber shop. The door is open and a man shouts out. (I think I am making friends) Across the street is a fast food restaurant, then 2 more restaurants. I see an abandoned business and a mom and pop type restaurant. There are very little ads, except for food and drink. A cop just drove by, kind of slow, I wonder my buddies at the bus stop called. I am passing another party store, no specials there. I see a sign in the ground-maybe this is it. . . nope someone forgot to take down their voting sign.
Oh-there is a storefront that has the word Technology on it-it is for pagers and cell phones. I walk on, into the lot of yet another party story connected to a restaurant, and in pulls the police car. I think, maybe is it illegal to carry around this pepper spray. The officer is now rolling down the window. I kind of feel nervous. It is totally a parent of one of my basketball players.
He says, "Colleen, I thought that was you, what are you doing walking around my yourself?" I told him, and he told me to get in the car. Once I was in, he told me it wasn't a great idea to be walking around by myself in this neighborhood. I told him I was doing educational research. He drove me home. (for which I was thankful, as it was started to get a little dark, and I was on the edge of a huge low-income housing project, which employees a full time Lansing Police Officer) I waved at my buddies at the bus stop.
As he turned into my sub-division he asked what was my finding. I said I found, many viable businesses, several broken, abandoned businesses, lots of food and liquor stores, single dwelling homes, three apartment buildings, 4 bus stops-only one with a shelter, 5 garage sale signs, three weight loss/get paid signs, 1 work at home and get lots of money signs, and the big pay off-1 sign for CAREER OPPURTUNITES at Lansing Community College.
As I sit typing this, being home for Thanksgiving with my family, my brother has just asked: "So what is your point?" I guess my point is that I don't question where to go or how to gain further education. I think citizens in our country know through schools, neighbors, radio . . . how to gain information about furthering education. The CIA website lists the literacy rate in America at 97% for both men and women. They define literacy as age 15 and over that can read and write. That information is from 1979, which struck me as a curiously old date. I wonder why there are such differences.
In India where the literacy rates are so low, does it help to have signs all over-especially when the majority can‚t read? I just found that an interesting question. I knew before I went on my walk that I wouldn't find the kinds of signs Punya showed us from India, I just felt the need to look closer.
Go back to the introduction or read Part I.