Power Symbols

So this past weekend I went to the Dungarpur District in the state of Rajhistan. They said we were going to the mountains which I thought meant cooler but which actually just meant closer to the sun. Also as with most travel, SEWA provides me with a government SUV and a driver which is a great way to travel. This weekend was no different. However, the conditions of the terrain are best described by Doc Brown in Back to the Future; "Roads? Where we're going don't need roads". But I have already digressed.

Last Fall in Communication class Dr. Standerfer and Dr. Hemphill taught us about symbols and how they derive their power from their meaning. Well as I was traveling out to one of the villages I was greeted by this:






A forty foot high and wide "Hollywood" sign of a swastika. Now here is where Communication class comes into play. This symbol to the people here means, ironically enough, peace and prosperity, while to a large portion of the world it means hatred and destruction. Coincidentally enough, here in Ahmedabad there is a Swastik Road that is adorned with swastikas. It is a little eerie at first but then once you understand the meaning of the symbol it puts all things in perspective.

Here is another symbol:






These children are between the ages of 3 and 5 and are the direct recipients of a project that was fund raised by 1Well and implemented by SEWA. These children are learning how to read, write, and count as I witnessed. Truly positive stuff.



One final symbol:



To some this majestic creature represents the wild, the circus, memory(because an elephant never forgets), and to others, such as myself and a Class 5 member of the Clinton School, it represents the mascot of one the two greatest universities in the academic world. So to LaTrenia Byrd and the rest of class 5 welcome to the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, one of the two greatest universities in the academic world. A special congratulations and appreciation for all the hard work that Alex Thomas did to put together such a talented class.