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Something Unexpected: Discoveries in India & Egypt

Kelly Pflaum

I took this photo when I was in India in May 2010, somewhere between Delhi and Agra. This is a fairly typical Indian street, but I think it really shows signs of globalization and Western influence. The clothing that the two men in the foreground are wearing is very Westernized, especially with button-down shirts and plaid patterns. Although some men wear more traditional clothing, it is common to see them wearing styles like this with nice khaki or black pants. Also, if you look closely, you can find English writing on signs, and even American brand chips and snacks displayed for sale in the shops. I remember buying Oreos and Ritz crackers at one point when I was there. The world is clearly becoming more globalized, and even if some people worry that American culture will take over the globe, I do not believe this will happen. Although India has adopted certain Western influences, they take them and make them their own. A street i India will never look like a street in America.

I took these photos from a bus window in India, when we were driving somewhere between Delhi and Agra. It shows an impoverished slum community on the side of the road. They live in those straw huts and collect the animal dung cakes that are drying along the path to use for fuel. The woman appears to be working and providing for either her family or the community, and the children showed a particular interest in our bus that drove past. Living in poverty, as these people do, is such a contrast to our own lifestyle. The bus we were on was air-conditioned and they were stuck in the boiling 120-degree heat. Their clothes are dirty and worn, while ours were clean and fit properly.

I took this photo when I was in Cairo, Egypt in May 2010. It is from the Garbage Collectors’ District. The people who live in this area have taken it upon themselves to be the informal garbage collectors for the city. Going door-to-door throughout Cairo, they pick up people’s trash and bring it back to their homes, where they dump the trash on the ground level below their living space on the second level. These people make their income from sorting and recycling the trash that they collect. This photo shows two men who have collected an incredible amount of garbage and piled it into the bed of their truck. In our society, we do everything we can to get rid of trash, and these people bring it back to their homes. It is their only way to make money so they do what they have to do. It really shows a creative, entrepreneurial way to make a living, and also helps to clean up trash from the city.

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