As my 3rd year as a student at Humboldt State University commences, I will be studying abroad in South India for the Fall 2011 semester. It's going to be an scary/exciting 4 months so follow along with me on my journey!
As much as I love writing on this blog, I have three ten page papers to complete by the 20th so this page will be pretty empty until then. The next post will be an explosion of epic adventures, pictures, and possibly a veena performance!
Until then, here are some pictures so you can pretend you're right here with me!
We have been here for an entire month! Where did that month go?
Saturday we visited a waste management plant, which was vastly different than the one that I visited in Encinitas, CA. There were trash heaps everywhere and flies galore. At this plant the workers spray microorganisms into the organic materials to make it into compost. The septic tanks were filled with similar organisms that removes the need for electricity in the process.
Next we visited the National Institute of Engineering- Centre For Renewable Energy & Sustainable Technologies (NIE- CREST). There were numerous contraptions like solar cookers, bikes used for pumping well water, and my favorite: Tippy Tap (Click for the website) Honestly, it's a brilliant technology, so check it out!
Today we went to one of our professors house and had the best meal since we've been here including SALAD and GOOD ICE CREAM with STEAMED PUDDING. There would be pictures but we were too busy stuffing our faces to remember to take any.
Instead here's a different food picture...
Chocolate bar with tape?
It was a pleasant Sunday and I'm looking forward to the week. How's your week going?
It is Tuesday night and the day has treated me well. Actually, it's been an over all good week.
Going on weekend trips seems to be a continuing thing so I will try to make these trip updates and reoccurring thing.
Here's a bit of what you missed:
This last week we went to Shravanabelagola which according to everyone we asked told us that it houses the tallest monolithic statue ever.
(It's censored for your viewing pleasure by a very convenient part of the wall)
More pictures from Shravanabelaoga:
Monkey!
Dad requested/demanded photos of me doing stuff. Here's proof that I'm actually in India.
Mancala (the ancient Indian civilizations knew what was up)
From left to right: Our guide, Somu, Joseph, Jake, and Brie
Jake walking into the great abyss
There was an amazing view at this temple.
Some people in our group had to sneak away from our guides to find it, but it was worth it.
There were views of a small pocket of the world but seemed vast with the morning fog creeping in. The photo to the left shows the rock platform that some of us laid on.
It was a truly special place that I hope to visit again, possibly for a picnic.
Maybe not with all of these stairs we had to climb to get there...
Later that day we visited a restaurant featuring a buffet that all of the students indulged in gladly.
We haven't been able to serve ourselves since we've been here (seriously though, sometimes the lunch servers at the hostel won't even let us put our own toast in the toaster).
The day followed with visiting a couple more temples which have similar patters: star shape, Hindu gods and goddesses, elephant sculptures that represent strength so they are placed at the bottoms of the temples to "hold up" the structure etc. Also each temple boasts of having India's largest/oldest structure. Even if the 8th largest in all of South India they are still proud.
Thumbs up guys (I'm practicing sarcasm here, but not good at expressing it).
After a long day it was nice to go back to the hostel. On the way home we had to wait for a train to pass. The wait for the train to arrive was around 10 minutes. The train systems seem to be really careful about the safety of travelers. By that time people might forget that a train was even coming in first place.
We knew that we are were almost back at the hostel by the amount of potholes the bus trampled over.
Then again, South India is never short on potholes. In fact, I've created this game called "Pothole or Destination?" and it goes like this:
The drivers in India drive fairly quickly except when there is:
1. an actual speed bump
2. a cow
3. a pot hole
4. your destination
After a long day of travel all we want to do is get home, and when we slow down I think it's because we're back, but on the occasion that the driver slows down it fools me almost every time when its 1-3 listed above.
Hopefully that made some sense.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Today was very productive: yoga, veena practice, went for a run, bought some pink head phones, bread, kinder joy chocolate eggs, and while shopping it was apparent that the Ganesha festival is not a one-day type of event. Lights strung up across the streets and around Ganesha shrines. It seems that at night the shrines become a boom box of sorts. The one featured below was blasting some Eminem. As youthful Americans, Kate (student in the program) and I couldn't help but dance and rap along.
Yesterday was the India-wide celebrated Ganesha Festival. We went to three different houses and were served much food, consisting of chickpeas and man fruits. We also sang traditional Indian songs celebrating the well known elephant god (and some American ones too). Not much else to report, except the veena lessons are being kicked into high gear now- we're learning a new song three times a week.
Below are some more pictures of the events of the festival
(remember you can click on the pictures to make them bigger):
Before there was a Ganesha
After Ganesha was added: At our professors house:
If the pictures and words aren't enough, one of the students on our trip- Victoria Harding- is a film major and has been making video documentations of our trip:
