Holy Cow

All The Best

2008-05-01T06:53:00.001-07:00

We are hours away from departing India. A common goodbye wish here is, "all the best," so, while there are plenty of blog entries left to post — many more photos to put up — we thought it would be appropriate to write one last entry while sitting here in India, to wish, "all our best," to those we're leaving behind.

The Taj Mahal

2008-04-15T00:26:00.000-07:00

Click on the above image to view more.

This was our last time traveling in India (well, as far as we can tell). I guess we decided to save the best for last and see the Taj Mahal just a few weeks before we leave India. Maybe it's because we're cheap, or maybe it's because we must be somewhat masochistic, or maybe it's a little of both, but we decided to travel again by train. From Bombay to Delhi an express train is overnight and seventeen hours. I can't say it's the most comfortable I've ever been; I'll just leave it at that.

We spent the first day in Delhi and wandered around a few more sights that we had missed in previous visits. The next day, we took the 6am train south to Agra.

The Taj Mahal is actually in Agra, one of the many, many Indian capital cities. Agra is almost entirely supported by tourism, which usually makes for an easy time for tourists, but here it is just the opposite. A foreign traveler cannot walk two feet without being harassed or solicited for something; perhaps a ride in a rickshaw, a ride on a camel, a cold drink, a precious geode rock, a handcrafted miniature Taj snow globe, the ubiquitous, "come look at my shop." There are also a dozen scams that exist here so, as a traveler, you always feel on edge. I already know that we paid way too much for some ice creams that we got off a street cart, suckers.

Our first day in Agra we went to the Agra Fort and left in time for a sunset view of the backside of the Taj Mahal. The Taj backs up against the Yamuna River and on the other side of the river there is a viewing garden. We reached the garden and were stopped by guards who told us that we were not allowed to go beyond a certain point because VIPs were inside the Taj and photography was prohibited. The shots we did get were apart of what I called a "covert operation."

The next day we woke up early to visit the Taj at sunrise. For those who don't know, the Taj Mahal is actually a memorial tomb built by Emperor Shah Jahan for his second wife who died during childbirth. The contrast of serenity to what exists just outside the complex walls is unbelievable. It was truly an amazing sight to see.

Later in the day we took a car out to another former capital city (1500s), Fatehpur Sikri. We only spent a few hours here, but it was enough to completely drain us. That night we headed back to Delhi, and the next day back to Bombay. It was a whirlwind trip.

Holi 2008

2008-04-07T00:18:00.000-07:00

Click on the above image to view more.

Last year we celebrated the Holi festival within our neighborhood, but this year we decided to go over to Bal Anand, an orphanage where Hannah has been volunteering (click here to read last year's post explaining the festival). It is crazy to think that for a few of these kids, this will be their last Holi experience; they will be adopted and brought up in a totally different country.

View last year's Holi photos

Urban Wildlife Sighting No. 3

2008-04-06T06:19:00.000-07:00

Click on the above image to view more.

We were really wondering if we were going to be able to complete the Urban Wildlife Sighting series with a number three, but here it is… monkeys. Monkeys invaded the trees in front of our windows today. Crazy. We've seen monkeys on our travels around India before, but never on top of our roof.

View Urban Wildlife Sighting No. 1
View Urban Wildlife Sighting No. 2

McDonald's Made Our Day

2008-03-30T12:31:00.000-07:00

A little over a year ago, we were asked by a McDonald's (Mumbai) employee to fill out a customer comment form. We have been asked so many times to fill these things out that we had little expectation that things would change. Despite this, we decided to comment on the fact that Chicken McNuggets were not on the menu. This seemed to us an obvious crossover menu item from the US since they don't allow any beef products. Why these things hadn't made it to the menu here is beyond us.

Finally, our foresight had paid off. We walked into a McDonnald's yesterday and sure enough, a bright new sign read: "Introducing Chicken McNuggets." The barbeque sauce leaves quite a bit to be desired, but hey, we now have an alternative to "Maharaja Macs"!

Hua Hin

2008-03-29T02:11:00.000-07:00

Click on the above image to view more.

Our next stop in Thailand was the small beach town of Hua Hin. Besides the beach, the best part of this town was the night market. This was a street devoted to knock-off clothing stalls, kitschy craft stalls, and an assortment of food stalls. We spent every night wandering up and down the street, looking, smelling and tasting; the food was incredible — we felt a little like Anthony Bourdain.

Bangkok Part 1

2008-03-04T12:13:00.000-08:00

Click on the above image to view more.

A few weeks ago Hannah and I took a trip to Thailand and Malaysia. It was an amazing trip. We started in Bangkok, traveled down to the beach town of Hua Hin, and went further down to the extremely beautiful Thai island of Koh Tao. We crossed the border into Malaysia and landed in Penang, then down to Kuala Lumpur for a few days, and then back to Bangkok.

Stepping off the plane from Mumbai, Bangkok felt like stepping into the future. The new airport in Bangkok was clean, super modern and — god bless them — totally efficient. We spent our first day wandering around the area surrounding our hostel and then attempted to find our way to Chinatown. We are still not entirely sure if we made it, but the buildings were definitely decorated with chinese writing and there were roast ducks hanging in windows — who knows. Bangkok had some really great public transportation and we utilized just about all of them. We took taxis, buses, rickshaws (tuk-tuk), boats, and even the two-level sky train.

Our second full day in Bangkok we spent going to the various religious sites. We went to the Wat Phra Kaew home of the Emerald Buddha; the entire complex was unbelievable. Before entering the complex we were stopped by the king of Thailand's motorcade leaving the Grand Palace. We walked to the Wat Pho where the Reclining Buddha was, and after some wandering around lost a bit we found the Solid Gold Buddha. That night we made our way to Siam Square which is basically Bangkok's shopping mall epicenter. There must be something like eight, hyper-modern malls in this little area of the city, it's crazy. Let's just say, we enjoyed the air conditioning, a few Starbucks drinks and beef (finally!)cheeseburgers. Later that night we walked around our hostel and snacked on, what we think was the best thing about our trip: the street food.

Ganpati 2007

2007-09-26T07:02:00.000-07:00

Click on the above image to view more.

The Ganpati celebration almost passed us by this year. We had seen a few of the statues throughout the city but hadn't taken the time to get a closer look. Ganpati is 10-day celebration in honor of the deity, Ganesh. On the second, third, fifth, seventh and tenth day of the festival, the deities are taken to the water to be immersed and sent out to the open sea.

On the evening of the last day, Seth decided to go out and capture a few of the statues making their way to the water as well as the processions of music and dancing. Along with the processions, men usually set off fire crackers in front of the trucks. One interesting shot we witnessed but missed to capture was that of a cop using his match to light the explosive.

Click here to view last year's Ganpati festival post.

Video: Dahi Handi

2007-09-16T09:49:00.000-07:00

Click on the above image to view video. [2.59MB]

We took some short video for those who want to see the festival in full swing. Enjoy.

Rats!

2007-09-12T11:34:00.000-07:00

This post is for my dad. This is a great article found in yesterday's newspaper on the rats in this city and those who catch them.

To view the article click here

Dahi Handi

2007-09-11T11:07:00.000-07:00

Click on the above image to view more.

Last week was the first festival in Bombay since we have been back in India. The festival is called Dahi Handi and is celebrated in honor of the god krishna who was apparently very mischievous as a kid: aren't most gods? Groups from all over the city compete by building human pyramids, sometimes even 6 people high. Once in the pyramid, the people will stand so each of the 6 tiers of people is standing full height with someone else on their shoulders.

Last year on the day of the festival it was raining pretty hard and we were only able to see some of the pyramids from a rickshaw. We were a little timid about getting out in the rain and taking some photos, we said, "there's always next year."

The day begins by people packed densely into the backs of trucks or on the tops of buses coming into the city cheering and yelling. They land at spots throughout the city organized by local politicians. The spots have a stage where the politicians and panel of "judges" sit along with photo and video crews. Some of the spots are small, but some are quite large gathering together thousands of people.

We decided to walk down to one spot not far from our house to take some photos. We stayed on the periphery until we were spotted and asked by a guy if we would like to get a better view from the stage. We were a little reluctant but eventually said yes. Seth went up on stage and grouped up along with the other media photographers. After a few minutes we noticed that the gentleman on the microphone motioned for both of us and asked our names. This led to us being introduced to the hundreds of local onlookers as well as given one rose each. We humbly accepted the nice flowers while being posed for photographs and tried to play it "cool" even though we were quite embarrassed. Seth finished taking a few more photographs and we diplomatically left the stage.

Later that day we made it to another festival gathering. This one was about twice the size as the one before and we're pretty sure was sponsored by a rival political party. Again, someone volunteered to take us to the stage for a "better view." How could we pass up another great opportunity for a closer look, you ask? Well, I'll tell you: we knew — from previous experience — this was just a ploy to get the couple who obviously don't belong and put them on stage, where they can effectively become the center of attention for what seems like hours.

Of course we did go up on stage again; it is a better view for your information. This time they introduced us to the crowd as, "Mr. Seth and Mrs. Hannah." The gentleman on the microphone also felt it was necessary to say a few more things about us in a language we don't understand while the crowd cheered and laughed. We were offered chai to drink and the thrones to sit in. Again we were posed for photographs but this time we were actually handed one of the prizes to give away! Unbelievable! We may as well have been asked to throw the first pitch at a baseball game or something.

All this to say this was our year to not only take some photos of the Dahi Handi festival but participate as well. And it didn't rain.

Mandu

2007-08-24T10:27:00.000-07:00

Click on the above image to view more.

About a month ago we went on our first trip since being back in India. We took a fourteen and a half hour train up to the northern state of Madhya Pradesh to the town of Mandu. Mandu is known for its relaxing plateau setting and many scattered Moghul ruins. It was told to us that this would be a perfect place to visit during the monsoon season because of the flowing rivers, waterfalls and lush green landscape. Luckily it didn't rain during the days and it was very green and peaceful.

In contrast to many of the other Indian cities that we've visited, Mandu was very quiet with virtually no cars or rickshaws. As we walked through the town, the people were very friendly and it seemed as though we were the only foreigners in Mandu. There was a small town center, and most the of the people lived in huts with mud walls and thatched roofs. Every time was passed a house someone from the inside called to us saying, "bye bye."

Because of the limited number of cars and rickshaws, we decided it was the perfect (and safest) opportunity for us to rent some bicycles to take us from one set of ruins to the next. There were a few small hills that put our lungs to the test, but it was a lot of fun and worth the adventure. Seth was happy that his bike came with a bell, which he liked to ring every time he passed some kids.

Jodhpur

2007-07-02T05:39:00.000-07:00

Click on the above image to view more.

By this time in our trip through Rajasthan we were tired of budget traveling and our only priority was to get to our next destination comfortably; so we purchased deluxe bus tickets from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur. Now there are probably many times that we have been cheated while traveling through India, but this time we were undeniably taken advantage of. We had enough sense to be cautious of the legitimacy of the bus stand so when buying the tickets we asked three, very specific and direct questions: 1 Will the bus make any stops between here and Jodhpur? 2 Will there be people standing in the aisles of the bus? 3 Will we be picking up locals along the way? The guy answered "no" to all three questions.

Five minutes into the trip, we stopped and picked up some locals who filled up the remaining seats on the bus. Five minutes later, we stopped and picked up some more locals who began filling up the aisles. Five minutes after that, we picked up even more locals who piled on top of the bus and squeezed into the cabin with the driver. This went on for the entire 8 hours and we're pretty sure none of those guys paid the "deluxe/tourist" rate. About halfway into the trip, we called the reservation office where we bought the bus tickets and complained to our man. He answered the phone immediately saying, "is there a problem madam?" After explaining our problem, he assured us that our bus would not be making any further stops. We hung up the phone knowing that indeed there were many more stops to be made.

We finally arrived in Jodhpur exhausted, irritated and hungry. After checking into the guesthouse, we made our way up to the roof top restaurant for a late dinner. By this point in the trip we were not only irritated with "the cheater" and everyone else around us, but we were also on edge with each other. A waiter came up to take our order and about five menu items that Seth wanted to order were not available. Unbelievable!

We are not sure why we were even handed menus. Everything we ordered was unavailable. After many attempts at picking off the menu, the waiter finally suggested the mashed potatoes and baked beans and we couldn't help but wonder if these were recommended simply because they were the only thing available.

The next day was much better for both of us. We took it easy and walked around the busy, narrow lanes of the city. We didn't try to fit in all of the sites of the city but just took in what we saw as we walked. On our second day, we spent the entire day roaming around the Mehrangarh Fort. We really enjoyed wandering through the ancient fort while listening to a very helpful and interesting audio tour, and the views of the city from the ramparts were incredible. All the places we had visited so far in Rajasthan were significant, but it makes such a great difference in our attitude toward the place we are visiting when it is clear the people from there also understand its value and worth. In comparison to the fort in Jaisalmer, which was overrun with hawkers and crumbling from decay, the Megrangarh Fort was very clean, well maintained, and treated with respect from the locals. Everyone we met in Jodhpur was very proud of their fort — which is representative of their past. It made us also feel very proud and privileged to be able to experience it.

Jodhpur is known as the Blue City. Throughout the entire city, the houses are washed with indigo dye. Originally, only the homes belonging to Brahmins (the highest caste of Hindus) were painted blue to set themselves apart from the rest of the population, but then others began painting their houses with the dye as well because they believed it repelled insects. Standing at the fort looking down you see a valley filled with blue; it was an impressive sight.

It's Raining

2007-06-30T00:34:00.000-07:00

Click on the above image to view more.

There used to be a highway here. Our neighbor, Suhas, measured that it rained about 4 inches in 2 hours.

Indian Journalism Has Sunk To A New Low

2007-06-12T01:54:00.000-07:00

On the front page of the Times of India newspaper this morning was a headline that read, "7/11 Victims Want Govt To Lend Them A Hand." Below the headline was a photograph of a survivor of last year's July 11th train bombing in Mumbai. The survivor was an older man with an amputated arm just below the elbow, holding a prosthetic hand.

I think the concepts of political correctness or personal sensitivity are not in use in this instance. This is a very sober topic, but how can I take this poor man seriously with such a clever headline? Where was the editor on this one?

Local Bus Fiasco

2007-06-06T12:28:00.000-07:00

Tonight we went to a friend's house across town for dinner. It was about midnight when we left our friend and headed for the local bus station. We took a local bus home as always when we are coming from this part of the city. A little more than half way into the trip, Hannah turns to me and says, "look what's coming out of the bus!" I turned, a little alarmed, and noticed some white smoke bellowing out of the rear, right side of the bus (of course the exact spot under which we were sitting).

Immediately upon noticing the smoke absolute pandemonium broke out amongst the passengers on board. The entire rear of the bus was filling up with the white smoke and everyone began standing up and scurrying for the exits. The bus was probably doing about 60 MPH at this point and came screeching to a halt. Everybody began trampling for the doors and jumping off the bus — it was chaos.

We made it safely off the bus after much franticness, pushing and shoving. I even saw one fellow running stiffly, with fingers in his ears anticipating a great explosion. In reality, the act of de-boarding the bus was — I am sure — much more dangerous than the actual smoke, or whatever was causing it; but even we got caught up in the fear and frenzy of it all.

We took a rickshaw the rest of the way home.

Khuri

2007-06-01T22:27:00.000-07:00

Click on the above image to view more.

We are back in India after our little vacation to the US. A post about our reactions on coming back will be posted soon. But before writing about that we wanted to get back to posting photos from our trip to Rajasthan Hannah and I took back in February.

Our last post from the trip left off with photos from Jaisalmer. From Jaisalmer, we took a jeep to Khuri, a small village in the desert about 2 hours outside Jaisalmer. It was extremely beautiful and quiet. We had our jeep drop us at Mama's Guesthouse; "Mama" turned out to be a real pushy, big, loud, tobacco-chewing man who turned us off immediately. We decided to stay despite our obnoxious host and left our bags in a room/hut. We went for a walk and later ran into a tourist who was staying at another guesthouse which she highly recommended. We looked at the facility and knew we had to back out of our current lodging situation. Hannah and I walked directly back to our room/hut and grabbed our bags without any confrontation with "Mama".

Our new guesthouse host was probably the most warm and friendly guy we've met in India. He was very soft spoken and kind. This was quite opposite from our experience at the earlier guesthouse. We had lunch with our host and his family and later in the day Hannah and I went on a camel safari which took us to the desert sand dunes only about a mile from the village. We opted for the sunset safari which was only a few hours and it was plenty. About a half an hour into the ride I was ready for a break from the camel, these animals aren't the most comfortable to ride. I must say the entire experience and the unbelievable skies made the discomfort of the camel well worth it. The landscape was so vast and the sunset was incredible.

Even though we took a jeep to the village we took a local bus back to Jaisalmer. This bus ride will go down as one of our many interesting travel stories in India. Hannah got a seat up front and was immediately handed a stranger's baby to sit on her lap, while i stood, smashed in the back for the entire 2 hour trip. The bus left no local commuter behind, they even piled on top of the roof. Experiences of a lifetime… definitely.

Know Your Swastikas

2007-03-14T10:45:00.000-07:00

In India, the swastika is a common Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain decoration. It can be found virtually everywhere: entrances to buildings, doorways to apartments, and windows of rickshaws or taxis. When we first arrived in India I was intrigued with this icon as I seemed to run into it everywhere. Yesterday, I saw someone's personal car with the Nazi swastika sticker on the back; red rectangle with a centered white circle containing the tilted black swastika. It took me a few minutes to realize that this was strange because the symbol is so ubiquitous here. I think this person needs to reeducate themselves about which swastika is appropriate. In the West, the swastika graphic is an immediate red flag (no pun intended), a definite no-no.

Casteless Society

2007-03-13T01:41:00.000-07:00

"Caste has thus become a major obstacle in the establishment of a casteless society."

Indian Government And Politics
A.T. Philip, K.H. Shivaji Rao
Sterling Publishers Private Limited
1987
p. 323

This is a quote that Hannah has come across in one of her textbooks while studying for her exams. For all of you who are fuzzy on the whole caste system thing and how it functions in today's Indian society, please refer to the above statement. Trust me, this will clear up much of your confusion. Maybe I'm reading it in the wrong context and it is simply a little haiku poem. How about: "the [sun] has thus become a major obstacle in the establishment of a [sun]less [galaxy]."

Jaisalmer

2007-03-10T03:11:00.000-08:00

Click on the above image to view more.

Jaisalmer, our second stop in Rajasthan, was much more subdued compared with Jaipur. It was quiet, friendly, and walkable. Jaisalmer is the Golden City since the entire city was constructed with beautiful desert sandstone. At the center of the city there is an amazing yellow fort, raised about 100 feet above the houses. Admission to the fort is free, but unfortunately it is inhabited with people, informal shops and cattle. Apparently, the fact that people live in the fort is taking its toll on the structure — it is sinking. Poor plumbing and seepage are contributing to the fort's decay. On one of our visits to the fort, we even witnessed a guy pissing on the fort wall. I guess you could say "conservation" is not much of a priority here.

Our first day, we walked through the city's bazaars to reach the fort. We took our time looking in some of the shops for good bargains on gifts. Walking through the fort, it felt like we had travelled back in time. It felt good to just wander through the narrow lanes. From the fort, we were able to capture some beautiful views of the city and found some intricately carved jain temples.

The next day was dedicated to the Havelis, which are palaces built by rich merchants. The intricate carving in the soft sandstone was unbelievable. There was a shady courtyard directly across from the Havelis where we enjoyed resting on a bench, admired the artwork of the building, and made friends with a young, local puppet seller. What we saw as a fruitful, enjoyable conversation was surely translated by him as a waste of time, as we did not purchase any of his puppets. However non-lucrative it may have been for our little man, we did enjoy sitting with him and practicing our Hindi.

Holi (yet another festival)

2007-03-05T11:28:00.000-08:00

Click on the above image to view more.

Over the weekend, India celebrated Holi: a two-day festival ushering in spring and celebrating the triumph of good over evil. Holi is more commonly known as the festival of color. It started Saturday evening with a bon fire, burning of puja, and a few other rituals (we did not quite catch all of them). The real fun begins on day two, when Holi is celebrated by throwing brightly colored powder and water on one another. We had so much fun playing Holi with our neighbors. The best part was meeting a lot of our neighbors for the first time. By "meeting" we mean dousing them with water and smearing colored chalk all over their faces. We can't wait for next year.

This is India

2007-03-04T08:39:00.000-08:00

"American detained for Puri temple visit"
Times of India
Friday, March 2, 2007
p. 15
Read the follow up story

This is an article we found in the Times of India newspaper a few days ago. We are so baffled by the actions of the Indian people and authorities. Here are a few snippets that we found interesting:

"Roediger, a Christian, was handed over to the police, after an embarrassed temple administration took a fine of Rs 209 from him even as some shrine priests insisted that the 'bhog' for the day be dumped as it had been defiled by the presence of a non-Hindu inside the temple."

What? The temple priests collected the fine? Why not make it 210 rupees? There must be something auspicious about 209.

"'I am innocent. I wasn't aware of any restriction. The signboard announcing the restriction may have been in a corner of the entrance and hence escaped my notice,' Roediger told TOI. He was still in detention till the filing of this report."

This foreigner sounds dangerous. I'm sure glad he's under the surveillance of the Indian police.

"The police did not know what to do with Roediger as there is no legal provision barring a Christian or foreigner from entering the temple."

The solution seems pretty obvious to me: release him. If no laws exist barring a foreigner from entering the temple then he is innocent and shouldn't have been arrested in the first place, right? Not even the police know what to do with a man that hasn't broken the law, this is embarrassing.

Jaipur Food

2007-03-02T11:19:00.000-08:00

Click on the above image to view more.

Aside from Jaipur being a somewhat disappointing city, we did enjoy some really good food. Not just one meal, but Hannah and I enjoyed two damned tasty restaurants. Our first pleasant culinary experience was at a nicer restaurant famous for its dal makhani (butter lentils), which instantly became a favorite dish. Finally, we discovered another butter-loaded, vegetarian alternative to murgh makhani (butter chicken).

The second meal worth noting (and documenting in photos) was consumed at a small, four-table, hole-in-the-wall restaurant with a full view kitchen. The cook top was essentially a large stone slab with pot-sized pits containing hot coals. Here, we had paneer makhani (butter cottage cheese — that's right, bring on the cholesterol), and plain naan (unleavened bread). The naan here was hands down the best we've had in India.

Jaipur

2007-02-28T02:27:00.000-08:00

Click on the above image to view more.

On our trip through Rajasthan, Jaipur was our first stop. It is the capital city of Rajasthan and essentially the hub for touring the rest of the state. We decided to fly which at the very least made the first and last travel plans relatively hassle free. After checking into our guesthouse we ventured over to the train station. This was our first mistake, looking at our map we thought that we could simply walk to the station and take in the scenery along the way. Fooled by our many miscalculations, our trip to the train station became a wandering nightmare. We did finally purchase some overnight train tickets that would take us to Jaisalmer the following night.

Still thinking it was a short distance to some of the sights from the train station we planned to walk. It soon became clear that we were lost, tired; but we did witness some quite bizarre things (see Roadside Dentistry below). It was twilight before we reached the Old City wall. The Old City, also referred to as the Pink City because of its pink paint job, was a grid of bazaars and trinket stalls. Hannah and I wandered around a little, got lost again and decided to head back to our guesthouse (we ventured on a bicycle rickshaw this time).

Our second day, we took an auto rickshaw to the Pink City and went straight to the City Palace. Nested at the center of the Old City, the City Palace houses several museums, a palace once for visiting dignitaries, and the residence of the current maharaja. The majestic entrances, and intricate carved marble work were very impressive.

When we left the City Palace, we stumbled upon another pretty cool sight. I guess we hadn’t paid very good attention to our Lonely Planet because we almost missed the Jantar Mantar, an astrological garden created by an ambitious and brilliant architect. Here, we wandered among the various larger-than-life sundials, and other instruments that were built to map the heavens. We still remain confused about how it all worked, but the entire complex was fascinating.

Hannah and I really can’t decide if we liked Jaipur or not. The city was big and crowded and lacked the intimacy we were expecting. Just walking down the street, we were constantly harassed by people and rickshaw wallahs fighting for our attention and money. We found the best way to avoid the hollering was to commission one rickshaw to take us rather than walking. But unlike Mumbai, even the transportation in Jaipur requires some bargaining — no one uses their meters. After only a day in Jaipur we were ready to move on.

A Desert is a Desert

2007-02-27T01:06:00.000-08:00

Click on the above image to view more.

It’s funny how Hannah and I were in the middle of the desert in India and thinking how similar the landscape in Rajasthan was to California. In some places we could have been driving through Ramona or on our way to Death Valley. The dry, dusty land was the same; the small, rocky mountains were the same.

It reminds me of all I take for granted having lived all my life in California. In California, we can drive one or two hours and be in a completely different environment, and look over a wonderful new landscape. California is so geologically varied.

In a village in Rajasthan, Hannah and I met a girl from Ireland who had never seen desert sand dunes. This really shocked me at first, but then I realized how I’d taken for granted my trips to the Californian desert or even the beach. The dunes themselves didn’t seem to impress us as much as they did our friend. But for Hannah and I, it was more the thought of how far we were away from home. Although it was familiar, I guess you won’t find people in bright saris and turbans walking camels down the road in California.

Roadside Dentistry

2007-02-23T03:14:00.000-08:00

Click on the above image to view more.

We recently made our way up to Rajasthan and discovered many new things in India. One of our discoveries, which must be shared on the blog, is the roadside dentist.

If you are walking down the street in Jaipur, and happen to be in need of some dental work, you are in the right place. Here, you can find many street side places to get fitted for dentures or countless other oral procedures. The tools include: pliers, scrapers, picks, metal wire, and pre-fab artificial teeth. As if dental work isn't scary enough, India has kicked it up a few notches. I'm surprised we didn't run into any back alley plastic surgeons.

Shimla

2007-01-30T06:16:00.000-08:00

Click on the above image to view more.

Shimla is a hill station in the Himalayan foothills. It was one of the retreats for the British government during the incredibly hot summer months and the little town has maintained most of its European colonial charm. It is nestled along the high mountain peaks and ridges and the scenery was really beautiful.

We didn't stay very long, but it was a nice and relaxing place to recoup for a day. Just before arriving here, Seth twisted his ankle making it very difficult to do much exploring. One good thing about Shimla was that many of the streets were free of cars and rickshaws. It was nice to finally visit a town where we didn't have to watch out for rickshaws veering at us. We were able to slow our pace, sit on benches or in coffee shops, and just enjoy the scenery.

Barbecuin' in Bombay

2007-01-26T09:31:00.000-08:00

Click on the above image to view more.

It has been in the works for a few weeks now, and last weekend Suhas and I finally completed our mission of making a barbecue. We set up a few bricks, purchased some charcoal and coconut husks, marinated the meat and went to town. We built two stations, one was set up as the main grill station where I was in charge of cooking chicken and beef (that's right we had barbecued cow), the other we burned the coconut husks and "smoked" some fish. It turned out to be a success and made it into quite an event; our neighbors invited a friend over and we ate and hung out for a few hours. Here in Bombay it is all about slow cooking.

McLeod Ganj

2006-12-29T09:02:00.000-08:00

Click on the above image to view more.

The majority of time on our trip up north was spent in McLeod Ganj, a little town in the foothills of the Himalayas. It is the site of the Tibetan Government in Exile and the official residence of the 14th Dalai Lama. In 1949, after the Chinese government invaded Tibet, many refugees crossed the Himalayas and came to India. The Indian government set aside this land for them to settle. To this day, refugees continue to make the dangerous cross into India and Nepal to escape the oppressive presence in their homeland. The entire town is built along ridges overlooking dramatic valleys. In many directions we could see the great, snow-capped Himalayan mountains. The atmosphere was relaxing, the people were friendly, and the landscape was unbelievable.

This town was such a contrast to the previous cities we had visited. Although it was a holy center for the Tibetan Buddhist religion, the architecture and people were decidedly simple. The temple complex was a very basic structure. Emphasis was placed on practice and relationships rather than sculptural masterpieces.

There were many opportunities to interact with Tibetan culture and nature. There were meditation and yoga courses, cooking classes, and hiking trails; not to mention people who were always willing to share their incredible stories of how they crossed into India. One night we happened to arrive at the temple as the Buddhist monks were initiating an evening chant. They sat in rows facing each other, while a leader directed the monks through the session. Continuing the theme of simplicity, it was amazing how seemingly simple utterances could have such a profound impact on us.

We were very sad to leave McLeod Ganj, and this is definitely a place we hope to return to.

Amritsar

2006-12-13T07:19:00.000-08:00

Click on the above image to view more.

One of our favorite places we visited on our trip up north was the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The Golden Temple is a major spiritual place for the Sikh religion but is open to everyone. The temple has been destroyed and rebuilt many times but now stands fully restored and beautiful. The two-story structure is built out of marble but the top dome — an inverted lotus flower — is supposedly gilded with 1,653 pounds of gold. Seemingly floating within a giant reflecting pool, the temple is both serene and spectacular.

The overall feeling of this place was peace. Visitors must wash their feet in small pools and cover their head before entering. We enjoyed walking barefoot on the cool marble, taking our time and feeling each step. The entire complex was exceptionally clean (a real rarity in this country), the pilgrims and visitors even volunteer to wash it every day. Buckets that are filled from the reflecting pool are distributed to everyone and splashed over the marble walkways. This may sound chaotic, but it was actually quite organized; it was amazing to witness.

Not only was the temple an oasis of cleanliness, but it was also quiet. It was the first time we were able to walk around without our senses being overwhelmed. Everyone was kind, and accommodating. They even have a kitchen that serves free meals to anyone, 24-hours a day, and an on-site hostel where anyone can stay for free.

We have to admit, the Sikhs almost won two converts after we got a taste of their "communion". They take unleavened bread to a whole new level; their communion is a warm ball of dough made from clarified butter, sugar and flour. We almost went back for seconds.

Indian Wedding

2006-12-09T03:46:00.000-08:00

Click on the above image to view more.

One of our goals while living in India was to experience an Indian wedding. Last week we had our chance when we attended a traditional Hindu wedding. It was very colorful, full of rituals, and long (and we were only there for one out of the four days).

It was fascinating to observe the different traditions being carried out. There was a Hindu priest that officiated the entire event. Unlike American traditions, in India the entire family is central to the union, not just the bride and groom. Throughout the entire ceremony, both sets of parents and siblings participated in many of the rituals. Although we did not understand any of it, visually we were able to take it all in, and It was beautiful.

There was hardly anyone there to observe the rituals, but the crowd grew ten-fold for the reception and dinner that followed. The irony is that nothing significant happened at the reception. Indians do not take the "bride and groom mingles while guests enjoy the meal" approach that is popular in the US. Instead, during the reception all 200 guests sit in rows and watch while, one by one, people join the bride and groom on stage to wish them well and pose for a photograph. After everyone has had their turn, we all moved to the next quadrant where the food was being served. The food stations were right out of a miniature golf course. Including flashing lights, waterfalls, plastic animals, and lots of bright colors.

The entire day was filled with tradition, symbolism, excitement, color, mysticism, and beauty. This was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Note: two red, upholstered thrones appear in many of the photographs. These were never used. I did notice at one point the videographer sit in one to get a better angle.

Varanasi

2006-11-21T22:53:00.000-08:00

Click on the above image to view more.

Varanasi was a very exciting place to be. The entire city is built along the banks of the Ganges river, which by Hindus is regarded as a river of salvation and healing. Hindu pilgrims come here from all over India to bathe in the water. It is believed that dying here releases you from the cycle of reincarnation. There was activity at all hours surrounding the river. At night we could hear groups chanting at the water's edge, and during the day people bathed and made offerings.

The river banks of the Ganges is full of temples and ghats. Ghats are the steps that lead down to the water, but to Hindus they represent the place where they can gain access to the holy river. The stone steps seemed to emerge from under the water and lead to buildings that looked aged and auspicious.

Our first morning there, we took a boat ride at sunrise along the river. The experience was amazing. It was peaceful to watch the sun brighten the buildings as well as be a spectator to the rituals going on along the ghats. Some devotees would simply pray sitting on a step; some would descend the steps and sort of bob in the water; some would swim; some came to dip their body and receive healing. We saw many puja offerings (a religious offering made with an oil candle, flowers and a floating vessel), drifting along the river; they were beautiful.

The holy Ganges river, like everything else in India, is a complete paradox. We cannot talk about the river's beauty without also mentioning that scientists have declared the water septic. Along the city's 7km stretch of river, there are 30 sewers that feed into it. According to our Lonely Planet travel book, "no dissolved oxygen exists in the water. Samples from the river show the water has 1.5 million faecal coliform bacteria per 100 mL of water. In water that is safe for bathing this figure should be less than 500!" Let's just say, fish was not on our menu during our visit to Varanasi.

At Least It Only Cost Me $2

2006-11-15T11:05:00.000-08:00

Hannah and I returned from a two-week trip in the north of India about a week ago. Since we've been back, I've been sick and completely out of commission. At first I thought that it was minor fatigue given our many sleepless nights on trains and buses on our travels. It didn't seem to improve and our downstairs neighbor volunteered to take me to see a doctor. I was horrified. Not only am I absolutely afraid of going to doctors in the States, I couldn't imagine how the experience could unfold in India.

Suhas, our neighbor, phoned ahead and made sure that we would be seen right away. We shared a rickshaw and arrived to the doctor's office to find a full waiting room. Actually, the waiting room was more like a covered entrance to the building, with benches against the two walls. To pass the time, Suhas and I chatted about our trip up north (we'll save that for another entry). After about eight patients, I was allowed inside.

The doctor's office was no larger than my bedroom and I had never seen so many stacked papers in all my life. The decor was simple: dark woods, a desk here, a stool there, an examination table, and a haphazardly hung curtain. I sat on the stool and shared with the kind doctor my symptoms. After spelling out some ailments I'm sure he's heard a few times before, he asked me to go to the back of the room and lay on the examination table. I couldn't help but notice that as soon as I laid down, the doctor leaned his chair back, put his hands behind his head and started a conversation with my accompaniment, Suhas. Albeit, he is Suhas' family physician, but cut the chit chat man, let us not forget the task at hand. "How's life," the doctor questions Suhas.

After a few minutes of discussing things, the doctor decided it was time to regain his duties and slowly scuffled over to me. He lifted my shirt, pressed a few places on my belly, slapped his stethoscope around, and looked at my tongue. "You're dehydrated," he said. "That's it?" I thought, I've only been in here 30 seconds. I sat up, slipped my shoes back on and sat back on the stool at his desk. He told me I had an intestinal infection and scribbled some notes on a piece of paper. Sometimes his pen didn't even make it to the note pad, but he kept it writing. Before leaving, I paid the doctor 100 Rupees for the consultation. At least my visit only cost me a little over $2.

Later in the rickshaw back home, Suhas told me about a time when a doctor prescribed two pills for him to take for an ear infection. He was told to take one pill in the morning and the other in the evening. Suhas went to the Chemist (the Pharmacists in India are called Chemists) to pick up the prescription. He curiously read the ingredients of each medicine and it turned out they were the same exact pill, just two different brands! Its good to know even the locals get half-assed diagnoses.

Panjim

2006-11-15T04:02:00.000-08:00

Click on the above image to view more.

Panjim is the capital city of Goa, the only state in India colonized by the Portuguese. For the most part, the city has maintained its European feel through the architecture, narrow streets, and brightly painted buildings.

One of the highlights was an eclectic, hillside temple. We walked through the empty complex, but our camera's battery ran out so we couldn't capture all of the temple's chaotic architecture, and features.

Goa

2006-11-11T06:09:00.000-08:00

Click on the above image to view more.

For the first week of Hannah's mid-term break, we traveled down to the beach state of Goa. It's beautiful: warm water, whitish sand, and palm tree-lined beaches. We had a really relaxing time.

It wasn't all perfect, it is still India after all: stray dogs and cows on the beach, persistent hawkers, and the occasional foul odors. Even still, we plan on making Goa a regular get away spot, as many other Indians and Germans do.

Takeshi's Castle

2006-10-05T02:22:00.002-07:00

So far, the one redeeming value to Indian television is the reruns one network plays of Takeshi’s Castle. This is an outrageous and hilarious Japanese game show originally aired in the 1980s. Basically, volunteers perform ridiculous challenges to try to overtake the castle.

Our personal favorite is a test called "Bridge Ball". One contestant attempts to walk across an unsteady bridge. Once they get to a designated spot, their partner launches a ball to them. After catching the ball, the bridge partner must finish walking across the bridge and dodge other cannon balls shot at them by the Castle's henchmen. Coupled with Hindi/English commentary, not many things are more absurd and comical than a person getting hit in the face or genitals with a ball while trying to cross a wobbly bridge.

Ellora Monkeys

2006-09-17T10:46:00.000-07:00

Click on the above image to view more.

One of the coolest things about India is the wild monkeys. Luckily, we haven’t had our cell phones taken or our belongings stripped from our hands yet. Watching them run around and behave like little humans is quite entertaining.

Vegetable Guy

2006-09-15T04:43:00.000-07:00

Click on the above image to view more.

Our vegetable guy (who is also the newspaper recycling guy) showed up today with an unexpected surprise. As I surveyed the carrots to get a few, I noticed that there was a carrot airplane on top of the cauliflower. After that, the three carrots I ended up purchasing showed incredible potential. Who knows, an F-16 fighter jet, maybe a B-1 bomber?

Ellora Caves

2006-09-13T05:34:00.000-07:00

Click on the above image to view more.

The Ellora Caves were the second set of caves that we visited. They were our favorite. Jains, Hindus, and Buddhists were excavating these temples side by side at one point. It was interesting to see how the architectural styles changed from one religion to the next but also shared many of the same features as well. The sheer volume and detail of carving with such rudimentary tools made these temples so spectacular. The Hindu temple has been carved in a way that makes it appear as though it was “built” there. But in reality, the entire mountain side has been removed and what’s left is the temple.

Tombs & Temples

2006-09-11T02:25:00.000-07:00

Click on the above image to view more.

Coming back to our trip to Aurangabad: we visited a few impressive tombs and temples. There were Muslim places, Hindu places and secular places, and all were very beautiful and spectacular in their own right. With such a variety in places of worship spread around a small little city, it goes to show how India really celebrates its spiritual practices. The eight-hour trip to Aurangabad from Mumbai travels through some seemingly remote farmlands. Even there you will find a brightly colored temple on a hillside, along a river or even in the middle of a farmers’ crop.

Ganpati

2006-09-06T11:13:00.000-07:00

Click on the above image to view more.

Today was the last day of the Ganpati festival. Ten days ago temporary "temples" were constructed on nearly every street corner all over the city and Ganesh idols — both large and small — were placed inside. Since then, people have been visiting these different Ganesh "temples". The destiny of every Ganpati idol is to be immersed in the sea on the last day of the festival — today.

It has felt like a city-wide carnival over the last week and a half. Elaborate entrances to the "temples" are strung with flashing lights and colorful fabrics. Lines of people stand outside each one waiting to get in while others sell noisemakers, candy, and anything else one can make a rupee on. Today was the grand finale when the idols were placed on trucks and taken to the sea for immersion. The streets were lined with millions of people waiting to get a glimpse of the idols as they went by. All day long there has been one procession after another of people yelling, dancing, throwing colored dust, setting off firecrackers, and pounding drums.

Daulatabad Fort

2006-09-05T00:48:00.000-07:00

Click on the above image to view more.

This fort was definitely one of the highlights of the tour. Much of it is in ruins and has been destroyed at different points in history, but the views from the top are amazing. The fort still comes complete with cannons, spiked doors, bat-ridden caverns and a moat.

Around Aurangabad

2006-09-04T00:22:00.000-07:00

Click on the above image to view more.

Aurangabad was a nice break from Bombay. For the first time we felt some dry air and it was significantly more quiet. We visited a Himroo factory which makes woven fabrics on manual looms. We met some interesting people from all over the world both on our tours and relaxing on the terrace of our hotel at night.

Ajanta Caves

2006-09-02T01:10:00.000-07:00

Click on the above image to view more.

Last weekend we took our first trip out of Bombay. We visited Aurangabad which is an 8-hour train ride away. From there, we went to some of the most incredible cave temples. The first caves we visited were in Ajanta. They were carved from the side of solid basalt rock and nested in a breath-taking ravine. The caves were carved in two periods (2nd-1st century BC, and 6th-7th century AD) and reflect two distinct sects of Buddhism. It was amazing to think that with only a hammer and chisel humans were able to carve such vast areas and with such elaborate detail.

We also visited other caves and sights on our trip but have organized them into other posts. Stay tuned…

Recycling the News

2006-08-22T11:54:00.000-07:00

Click on the above image to view more.

Today we turned in our old newspapers to be recycled for a little extra cash. Click on the photo to see how it works in India.

Worli Seaface

2006-08-18T03:10:00.000-07:00

Click on the above image to view more.

Worli is an area of Mumbai just north of downtown and has a great, walkable seaface. It was misting and a little windy, but really fresh and open.

Independence Day

2006-08-16T07:02:00.000-07:00

Yesterday India celebrated its 59th year of Independence from Britain. So I figured this would be a good time to reflect on some of the things I have been learning as a student of politics. India's struggle for, and successful acquisition of freedom is best described with a single word; peaceful (for the most part). Gandhi was a key figure in the Free India movement, which eventually persuaded the British to leave the Indians to govern themselves. It was the completion and adaptation of their own constitution, not a military effort, that marks the end of British rule in India. Rather than "war heroes" or "freedom fighters", Indians attribute their independence to teachers and advocates like Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. The constitution was written in a time when Gandhi's ideals of solidarity, peace, and equality were believed in by most people; after all, those ideals had just successfully gained them their independence. India's peaceful means of attaining freedom sets it apart from any other nation.

Unlike the US constitution, which was written to unite many separate and independent colonies, the Indian constitution took one unified nation and organized it into separate functioning states. The identity of the Indian people and their belief in their own political and social authority, which at that time must have felt so grand and intrinsic, was compartmentalized and rationed. By its very nature, the written constitution created boundaries on what was believed to a basic human characteristic. Looking around India today, I can't help but wonder if the act of dividing what was already united, and applying regulations to universal notions has left a legacy of division and struggles for power within the people and their government.

Today, India may be celebrating Independence from Britain, but I wonder when it will be free form terrorism and corruption. We have been in India for less than two months, and have already experienced riots, train bombings, and flooding. These floods, a result of heavy rains and poor infastructure, have killed more people than the train bombs. The government's poor planning, misuse of public funds, and procrastination may be just as criminal as planting bombs on trains. In the past year, 47 farmers have committed suicide because of irreconcilable debts to loan sharks. The government has promised these farmers subsidies for pesticides, fertilizer, and water; the farmers have clearly lost hope that these will ever be delivered.

So instead of celebrating India's freedom, I have decided to celebrate its potential. A country whose independence is marked by its commitment to peace and justice, must have a greater destiny than this. With over 1 billion people, India is the largest democracy in the world, and I believe its people will regain their freedom through unified, peaceful displays of their perseverance and power. They have already done it once.

Some Cravings Part 1

2006-08-11T06:17:00.000-07:00

This list is sort of a "part 1" of our craving saga. I'm sure the items we miss most will change over the time that we are here and it will be interesting to see which ones will stand the test of time. We have placed our desires into 2 categories: Food and Other. We both agree that Cheeseburgers must top out list at Number 1 — other than that there is no priority to the rest.

FOOD:
Cheeseburgers
Lattes
Ice Cream
Coke with ice
Cold softdrinks from a can
Chipotle
In-N-Out
Starbucks
McDonalds
Taco Bell
Carl's Jr.
Old Town Mexican Cafe (San Diego)
Sal's Mexican Restaurant (Fresno/Selma)
Sushi
Dark beer, micro brews

OTHER:
The sun
Fresh, clean air
Dry air
Proper traffic laws (especially the use of lanes)
Clean water
Bathtubs
The beach
Sidewalks
Balboa Park
Music shops
User-friendly websites
Respect for personal space

Our Visit to the Village

2006-08-01T23:29:00.000-07:00

Click on the above image to view more.

After The Movie…

2006-07-30T00:29:00.000-07:00

Last night we went out for dinner and a movie. We saw Pirates of the Caribbean. After the movie, we walked outside of the theater and onto the street and tried to decide where we wanted to eat dinner. I spotted an elephant up ahead and was anxious to see it up close. We came up to it and noticed a handful of people standing around watching it and feeding it. This elephant was smaller than the one we photographed earlier, but had a tail and a trunk that wouldn't quit.

Two young guys tried to slip past it but the second guy fell prey to the elephant's trunk which we think hit him in the crotch. The event startled him and he fell a little off balance and leaned on a car. We all began to laugh as he was embarrassed, but laughing as well. I was intrigued by this huge animal and had been daring myself to touch it. I noticed a fellow coming towards us who petted the elephant as he walked past. Just as I was about to tell hannah about this brave guy, he was whipped in the face with the elephant's nasty tail, startling him and knocking him back a little. He didn't even see it coming and neither did we. It was the funniest thing i've seen since I've been here. I was nearly on the ground laughing. There were several guys around who were also laughing and we all came together in that moment. It was the first time since we arrived that I felt like one of them. I became just another guy on the street rather than a white guy to be stared at. We may as well have been handing out high-fives to each other.

University of Mumbai

2006-07-27T09:01:00.000-07:00

Click on the above image to view more.

Gateway of India

2006-07-25T10:41:00.000-07:00

Click on the above image to view more.

Urban Wildlife Sighting No. 2

2006-07-24T06:45:00.000-07:00

See if you can count the NFL football-sized bats in this tree outside our kitchen window. Watching them fly around, they have about a 3-foot wingspan.

For more information on our new neighbors: check this out...
It's just our luck that the worlds largest bats would live right outside our window. At least they don't crave flesh.

A Day At Juhu Beach

2006-07-23T00:45:00.000-07:00

Click on the above image to view more.

Urban Wildlife Sighting No. 1

2006-07-22T02:06:00.000-07:00

We first spotted this guy standing outside the grocery store. We were dissappointed that we forgot our camera at the house. Luckily, we caught up to him on our walk back to our apartment. We ran inside, grabbed our camera and got a few photos of him as he walked past our apartment. We thought the flash might disturb him, but thought otherwise when we noticed the traffic that whizzed by didn't phase him a bit. This photo was taken as his "owner" led him across the street and stopped in two lanes of traffic.

Where Are We?

2006-07-01T03:35:00.000-07:00

After many months of not posting anything, yet much happening, I decided that we should at the very least announce that we have made it to India. It is far too much to write about in just one post, or even express in words what it is like. It is probably better and more coherent that we break it up a bit and dissect as we go. So here goes a first crack at our first week in Bombay: it's chaos.

I mean, many roads aren't finished, buildings are left empty (of furniture but not people), people are absolutely everywhere, and there are NO traffic laws. After being here for a week, we attempted to take our first walk outside. We have walked around before, but always with the intent on getting to some destination and always with the guidance of an Indian chaperone. This was our first trip purely for adventure and purely alone. It wasn't raining (much) and we thought we would just step out for a stroll. Difficult to do when you risk life and limb just to walk around a few blocks. Cars weave towards you, floods and puddles are everywhere (hiding uncovered manholes), and who knows what you will step in or on.

India is a complete sensory overload. It is full of contradictions and life doesn't seem to make sense. It is filthy and gray, yet vibrant and full of color all at the same time. People are rude and pushy but also have tolerance and patience for one another. The infrastructure and buildings are falling apart, yet everyone is speaking on their mobile telephones and using wireless technology. It seems a very spiritual and quiet place but birds are squawking, rickshaws are honking, and mosques have loudspeakers! Time to rethink our definition of "harmony."

San Diego, May 1, 2006

2006-05-01T20:14:00.000-07:00

Currently there are yells, honking, whistles, and cowbells outside my window. A part of the street is blocked off and a crowd has overtaken a few lanes of traffic. Protesters chant "USA." This is of course a response to taday's walkout for illegal Mexican workers in California.

US Open

2006-04-15T23:59:00.000-07:00

Today I had a conversation about art that really disappointed me. It felt like it was a tennis match between me (never plays) and someone who plays once a month, or at least they can fake it really well. Needless to say, I resorted to semi competent name-dropping and a weak back hand, and lost: 30–love.

After the conversation I discovered my lack of knowledge of art as a way to "evangelize" it. There are people who can talk about art-making in a way that makes even a novice want to practice. I, on the other hand, a person who is perceived to be a professional, continually ran after the ball instead of being able to anticipate it's bounce.

I think I might begin a daily practice routine of looking and thinking about art and it's thin line shared with design. I hope that this will produce in me a McEnroe of an art/design thinker; someone who passionately throws water cups, towels, rackets if necessary to share my enthusiasm.

Cultural Differences or Beurocraitc Strongholds

2006-03-26T21:29:00.000-08:00

If any of you are wondering what it is like to try to apply to the university of Mumbai, there are two ways to find out. You can either (a) step outside and run around in circles until you feel like you need to either puke or punch someone in the face or (b) you can read the rest of this blog entry.

For those of you who chose option (b), here is a recount of what has happened so far:

November 15, 2005 — receive word from Rotary International that I have received a scholarship to study for two years at University of Mumbai in Mumbai (formerly Bombay) India.

November 17 — Send e-mail to University requesting admission application and instructions (since there is nothing of the like to be found anywhere on the website).
No Response.

November 22 — Send second e-mail to University. No Response.

November 30 — Send third e-mail to University. RECEIVE A RESPONSE! None of the information I requested is included in the response.

December 2 — Phone call to India. Told to call a different number. Called different number, told to call another number. Called that other number, told to call yet another number. Called that one, told to call a different one. Called that one, told to call the original number I had called. I give up.

December 6 — E-mail a professor at the University. Professor responds and GIVES ME PERTINENT INFORMATION! I am told the application process does not start for a few more months. I am encouraged to contact the registrar and request a NOR (whatever that is) and am informed I need to be granted permission from the registrar to apply to the University.

December 7 — Send e-mail to registrar requesting a "NOR" (still do not know what it is) and humbly ask their permission to apply to the University.
No Response.

December 15 — Call Registrar's office. I am directed to a different number. Woman who answers says:
"Just come".
" Just Come?" I ask to clarify I heard her right.
" Yeah. Just come."
"I don't need to be chosen? Or take a test? Or send you any papers that show I am eligible?"
"No. Just come."
Then she puts the phone down, and a gentleman picks up. I give him the same sales pitch I gave the very welcoming woman, and he says "you can't come. You need permission". So he takes down my e-mail address to send me all the pertinent information I will need to apply.
E-mail never comes.

December 20 — Call Rotary club and inform them it is impossible to apply to this school to see if they have any ideas. I am told to wait until I attend my Rotary training in February, and not to worry about anything until then.
So I gladly throw in the towel for a few months.

February — attend Rotary training. I find out I am the first scholar to go to India on a two year Masters scholarship. In other words, no one has any bright ideas for me…I am on my own in this jungle.

End of February — Frantically begin where I left off in December. Send an e-mail to the same professor who has proven to be the most helpful of everyone so far. She informs me there is an American currently studying there in the same program I want to apply for. I am given his e-mail. I am so thankful for this, it does not even occur to me to feel annoyed that it took this long for anyone to share this wonderful news with me. My new American friend is named Alan.

February 26 — E-mail Alan. ALAN RESPONDS. I learn that classes start in July (wow - way sooner than expected) and am told what things to start gathering together to send to him, so he can apply for me. At this point I am still feeling unsettled that there is no standard application form I need to fill out. So I ask Alan exactly what he did when he applied. His answer was exactly what I should have been expecting, "It doesn't matter. This is India. Nothing is ever done the same way twice."

March 1 — I receive contact information for my host family in Mumbai. I e-mail immediately and solicit their help in this ambiguous application process. They reply with completely new and different information; unlike anything I have been told so far. But then again, I guess in a way, that is totally consistent with how everything has been so far. So I guess their response was in true Indian fashion.

Now it is the end of March. Still no news from Alan, or anyone else. Classes begin in a little over three months, and I feel I am no closer to applying than when I started. But for some odd reason, I feel like this will all work out. I guess that is the Indian in me.

Our first post

2006-03-19T18:27:00.000-08:00

This one is for John Sloas. Can you believe it? We're finally in the blogosphere.