Gendered Work and Play

In this week's reading, Barbara Pocock talks about unpaid work in Australia (such as child care, cleaning and cooking among other work that occurs mostly in the private domain of the house) and describes maternal guilt as how "many women feel criticized for their choices (whether in paid jobs or at home, whether with children or without)." (p. 47) Pocock describes women at home as being seen as "loving, selfless care-givers", while those who work carry the stigma of a "selfish career woman". Yet, women are still pressured to work, and to become educated before having children. In the current system it seems that women can't win. They will be criticized for not pulling their weight as dependent house wives, however if they have a career they are seen as selfish. Greater recognition needs to be given to unpaid work so as to limit the suffering that comes about from "maternal guilt". Children are still brought up with gendered expectations that reinforce their roles in the workplace. Here is a link to an article that looks at the increasing gendering of children's toys:
http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/4617704

Just Politics

I just heard Ruby describe us as study machines. It's true. We have been breathing lectures by day and readings by night. I've never studied this much in my life. And what for? All we will get when we return to La Trobe is a pass or fail. I shouldn't be stressing.

Politics always used to have boring connotations for me. When I was a kid I would ask the grown ups what they were talking about.
"Oh.. just politics" they would say.
The first time I asked them "what is politics?"
And they told me that I wouldn't be interested or that it was "adult stuff".
So for the majority of my life, my understanding of politics has been that it is just boring stuff that wouldn't ever interest me. Only now, at the age of 21, I am beginning to shake this understanding.

Meanwhile, back at the Chruby Mandir, as we have named our new home, Ruby has learnt to fly. LSR really is magical.

However this magic doesn't seem to begin until later in the day, as every morning is a struggle and often the simple act of standing seems impossible.

Being electrocuted is also becoming a part of daily life. This sign carried a certain humour for us.

Even though we have zero spare time, we still have time to practice and perfect our hide and seek skills. Here is Ruby figuring out how to fit herself into the cupboard.

Finally, we are making the most of the mango season as mango prices have begun increasing exponentially...

Ruby

As Ruby is my roommate here at LSR, I think she deserves a proper introduction. I just looked over at her to see water dribbling down her grinning chin.

Sometimes Ruby is a peacock.

Sometimes Ruby is an old style movie star.

Sometimes Ruby is an artist.

Sometimes Ruby is a champion arm wrestler.

Sometimes Ruby is upside down.

After living together for only two weeks she has already inspired me to make up a song about her. Unfortunately I can't write it here for two reasons. Firstly, the lyrics change each day. Secondly, it would  be incomplete without my off key singing voice.

Luckily for me, we share the same passion for lassi.

Luckily for Ruby I was in a good mood while writing this.

A Tour of the LSR Campus

As promised to my soulmate: a tour of the LSR Campus.

Let's follow Ruby and Emma from the International Programs Office past red walls on our left...

 ...and a wall of green on our right...

 ...past the auditorium and the main hall...

...with an expanse of lush green grass on our left. I am yet to see a "don't walk on the grass" sign, but I also haven't seen anyone walking on the grass. Note the statue of some dude who isn't upside down. I don't know who he is as I can't see the plaque from all the way across the possibly forbidden grass.

 Over the forbidden grass and behind the forest of green, the saffron walls are hidden neatly. But what lies beyond the walls, no one knows!

 Just kidding, behind the walls is a completely different world: the crazy busy street of Lajpat Nagar 4 and above the trees and the road you can see the train line.  With the main hallway on our right, looking left you can see the main gate:

 Just keep walking, just keep walking...

 Having passed the gate there is even more of the grass with some benches that I have never seen anyone sit on, and a statue of the college logo which seems to be a popular photo destination.

At the end of this road you can turn right to the bookshop, the phone credit shop, the nescafe shop, the back lawns and the basketball courts.

Or you can turn left to the café!

 "Check this out!" Ruby's body language tells us.

 I think we should definitely follow her past the "café ruins"...

 ...through some more gates...

 ...past some more green and red stuff...

 ...and step right in to the college hostel!

"It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like "What about lunch?"" - Winnie the Pooh