Well. I've left India, and arrived in England, specifically, Oxford. The first thing that popped into my head stepping off of the plane from India and into the West was: "It's COLD." England is, to put it mildly, FREEZING. : ( When I left Delhi, it was 38 or 39 C. Hyderabad was around there, a bit warmer (40?). Here, in England, it's (ready? ready?!) THIRTEEN DEGREES. And it's strangely quiet. And no one stares at me. And everyone wears jeans. And the signs are all in only one language, and that's English. And everyone is WHITE. Basically, I'm completely disoriented, I don't know what to do or say anymore, and I miss home and people in India. The minute I sat down on the plane I wanted to run off it and jump on the nearest train back to Hyderabad. Specifically, 9 Lakshmi Enclave...
Okay, I'm done complaining. Oxford is actually a beautiful town. I'm staying with one of my close friends from Columbia, Caitlin. And it has been SO GOOD to see her again! It's been great to catch up with her. : )
But, how to update you on everything that's happened since I last wrote? I think that's kind of impossible. But some say that a picture is worth a thousand words. So, I'm going to post some pictures here (next post) from my travels around south India after the semester ended. I actually only have pictures from my trip to Munnar, where I went with a lot of people from my host family (whom I feel I should refer to as just "family" because that's what they are to me). I only have pictures from Munnar because, as I wrote in an earlier post, my camera broke...so these pictures are actually pictures I've stolen from the camera of good friends : ). (Thank you Viroop, Sowmya and Andrew).
I'm home in nine days. New York, here I come....for better or for worse : )
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Post Scriptum
PS. to yesterday:
After writing that entry I went home, and on the way out to the edge of campus to catch a bus home (Andrew came with me to pick up his bike) we spontaneously decided to climb the water tower!! The water tower on campus is an old structure which it is quite exciting, and by exciting I mean dangerous, to climb. The steps are inside but they are just a skeleton of a stair case that goes straight up the inside of the the tower, with no sides (there's empty air on both sides of you as you climb) and only one small rusty railing to cling to on the left side. Then, when you've climbed this (it's pretty high at the top so it's difficult to not feel dizzy even if you're not scared of heights), there's another, even scarier ladder that goes all the way up to the top that's inside the place where the water is itself...so this ladder is swaying and threatening to come loose and the air is humid and dank from the water, but then....when you finally get to the top....BREATHTAKING VIEWS. It's incredible. One of the best spots on campus. : ) A scenery worth dying for : )
Amazing.
In the spirit of scenery, here's a great snap taken
from the CIEE excursion to Bangalore. I'm on the far right, in the white t-shirt. We had just climbed up a HUGE flight of stairs to reach the top where an enormous statue of a deity whose name I no longer remember awaited us. But this view was better, and the picture doesn't do it justice.
After writing that entry I went home, and on the way out to the edge of campus to catch a bus home (Andrew came with me to pick up his bike) we spontaneously decided to climb the water tower!! The water tower on campus is an old structure which it is quite exciting, and by exciting I mean dangerous, to climb. The steps are inside but they are just a skeleton of a stair case that goes straight up the inside of the the tower, with no sides (there's empty air on both sides of you as you climb) and only one small rusty railing to cling to on the left side. Then, when you've climbed this (it's pretty high at the top so it's difficult to not feel dizzy even if you're not scared of heights), there's another, even scarier ladder that goes all the way up to the top that's inside the place where the water is itself...so this ladder is swaying and threatening to come loose and the air is humid and dank from the water, but then....when you finally get to the top....BREATHTAKING VIEWS. It's incredible. One of the best spots on campus. : ) A scenery worth dying for : )
Amazing.
In the spirit of scenery, here's a great snap takenfrom the CIEE excursion to Bangalore. I'm on the far right, in the white t-shirt. We had just climbed up a HUGE flight of stairs to reach the top where an enormous statue of a deity whose name I no longer remember awaited us. But this view was better, and the picture doesn't do it justice.
These Days and Nights
Today was quite the day. Among other things, I went to Google India for lunch, was reported to the police, and met the director of an orphanage in Kerala. So Google first, Kerala last : )
My host sister Sowmya works for the AdWords project for Google India. Basically Adwords controls and reviews the ads that show up on your browser when you're searching for something with Google. It's pretty interesting, but actual work aside, their food is AMAZING. Let me explain: Google lunch is famous throughout Hyderabad. There's something called the "Google 15" which is the fifteen kilos you're required (it's not optional) to gain when you first join Google. This is why: Google lunch consists of regular Hyderabadi food, AND all the juice you can drink, all the ice cream you can take, REAL lettuce, and UNCOOKED vegetables, hard boiled eggs, a stand where Subway makes you any sand which you want, a "breakout room" where you can go for snacks all day with free chocolate, drinks, FRUIT, biscuits, chips, etc. Okay, maybe that doesn't look so amazing to your American (or Western) eyes, but that's only because you don't understand how amazing fresh vegetables and free fruit juice and unlimited ice cream and fresh fruit are here. YUM : )
Okay, enough with food, haha. Maybe you're wondering how/why I was reported to the police? Well, let me enlighten you! On the way to the Google office (in Silicon Towers) I caught an auto-rickshaw from campus with Gabriel and Leslie, two awesome people in the SIP program. When we got into the auto, we asked him how much to HiTech City (Silicon Towers is right before HiTech City) and he didn't respond, so we just climbed in and went. Once we got there, I handed him Rs 40, which is what I've usually paid to get to Google from campus. He complained as some auto drivers do when they want to get more money from us, but we kept walking to the main gate where I proceeded to sign us in for Google. While we were signing in, the auto driver came up to us and gave the money back to Gabriel, explaining in Telagu/English that he wanted more money. When we said no, and tried to give the money back, he wouldn't take it. After trying three or four times, Gabriel just took the money and we went inside the building.
We were there for lunch at least an hour if not more, when we came out, the guards signaled to us to come over and told us the driver had reported us to the police for not paying him Rs 60. While we were explaining to the guard what had actually happened, the auto driver came back even angrier and madder (thank God Gabriel was with us, haha) and demanding his money. We explained to the guards that we had only come from Gachibowli, and upon hearing that they agreed with us that Rs 60 was quite excessive and that Rs 40 was more reasonable (and even at that rate, he was still making money). They called the police and told them not to come, and then tried to help us talk with the driver. We ended up having to pay him Rs 50 because he wouldn't leave. Just when you think you've seen everything in an auto, something new happens that proves you haven't : )
Finally: about the orphanage in Kerala: I went to the humanities library to return Snow (I've raved about it in an earlier post if you're interested) and while the book was being entered back into the database, a guy sitting in the library asked me where I was from. After preliminary introductions (I'm from New York, I'm doing my BA in English at Columbia University, etc etc) I ended up getting into a conversation with him. He explained that he works for an orphanage in Kerala that is looking for any college students interested in teaching to come and volunteer for a few weeks. He's particularly looking for international students with good English skills. He gave me his card, I gave him my email ID (not CU but gmail) and he's going to send me more brochures. It looks pretty awesome. (Haha, any takers?) I'm merely relating this because I love chance encounters like these. I think that I am most definitely coming back to India, and so I'll keep this place in mind, and of course if it seems legit, recommend it to anyone who's coming as well.
Speaking of chance encounters, and this didn't happen today, but last week I met Mr. Andhra Pradesh (as in, Ms New York in the US). He's friends with one of my friends in the CIEE program, and so that's how I met him. Haha funny, right?
Last pieces of news: I'm leaving on the 5th of may to travel down to Munnar, in Kerala. Munnar is called the "Himalayas of the South." It's basically a lot hills, a lot of tea plantations, and (hopefully) a lot of fun! I am travelling with Bharat, Sowmya, Shriya, Alok, Steve, Andrew and Viroop. The first four are all from my family here, the last two are fellow international students. Alok's brother lives in Munnar on a tea plantation, and has generously offered/agreed to host all eight of us for a week. YAY!!
On typing out who is coming I realized I haven't said anything yet about Steve: Steve is the newest arrival to the Ramanans. He studied here through a study abroad program two years ago, and since then has been travelling/teaching in South Asia. So now you know who Steve is! On a side note, he's been to Cambodia. I'm not sure what that means exactly for our friendship, but it's definitely a good thing : )
My last two finals are Thursday and Friday. If I haven't replied to your email (and I'm almost 90% sure I haven't replied to any emails over the past two weeks) it's because I've been studying/running around like crazy/working around Internet problems at home & school. After Friday, I leave for Munnar, but I'll be coming back on the 10th and will get to back up email replies then!
Finally, before I end this entry, you should check out the Bengali poet Jibanananda Das. He's amazing. I picked up a slim volume of his poetry at a bookstore, and really really like it. I was going to post the poem that I've been ruminating over for the past three days, but the mood is a bit dark, and I didn't want anyone to be in a funk after reading it. So instead, here's a poem I've also enjoyed. (The title of this entry comes from another excellent poem by J. Das)
Evening Comes
It is evening. There is quiet everywhere.
Wisp of hay in its mouth, a sparrow flies quietly home;
A bullock cart winds its way down the village path
The courtyards are full of tight piles of golden hay.
All the world's doves
Are cooing among the clumps of hijal trees;
All the world's beauty
Has spread itself on the grass;
All the world's love is in our two hearts;
The sky has spread its peace out among the skies.--'Sandhya hoy', Rupasi Bangla
My host sister Sowmya works for the AdWords project for Google India. Basically Adwords controls and reviews the ads that show up on your browser when you're searching for something with Google. It's pretty interesting, but actual work aside, their food is AMAZING. Let me explain: Google lunch is famous throughout Hyderabad. There's something called the "Google 15" which is the fifteen kilos you're required (it's not optional) to gain when you first join Google. This is why: Google lunch consists of regular Hyderabadi food, AND all the juice you can drink, all the ice cream you can take, REAL lettuce, and UNCOOKED vegetables, hard boiled eggs, a stand where Subway makes you any sand which you want, a "breakout room" where you can go for snacks all day with free chocolate, drinks, FRUIT, biscuits, chips, etc. Okay, maybe that doesn't look so amazing to your American (or Western) eyes, but that's only because you don't understand how amazing fresh vegetables and free fruit juice and unlimited ice cream and fresh fruit are here. YUM : )
Okay, enough with food, haha. Maybe you're wondering how/why I was reported to the police? Well, let me enlighten you! On the way to the Google office (in Silicon Towers) I caught an auto-rickshaw from campus with Gabriel and Leslie, two awesome people in the SIP program. When we got into the auto, we asked him how much to HiTech City (Silicon Towers is right before HiTech City) and he didn't respond, so we just climbed in and went. Once we got there, I handed him Rs 40, which is what I've usually paid to get to Google from campus. He complained as some auto drivers do when they want to get more money from us, but we kept walking to the main gate where I proceeded to sign us in for Google. While we were signing in, the auto driver came up to us and gave the money back to Gabriel, explaining in Telagu/English that he wanted more money. When we said no, and tried to give the money back, he wouldn't take it. After trying three or four times, Gabriel just took the money and we went inside the building.
We were there for lunch at least an hour if not more, when we came out, the guards signaled to us to come over and told us the driver had reported us to the police for not paying him Rs 60. While we were explaining to the guard what had actually happened, the auto driver came back even angrier and madder (thank God Gabriel was with us, haha) and demanding his money. We explained to the guards that we had only come from Gachibowli, and upon hearing that they agreed with us that Rs 60 was quite excessive and that Rs 40 was more reasonable (and even at that rate, he was still making money). They called the police and told them not to come, and then tried to help us talk with the driver. We ended up having to pay him Rs 50 because he wouldn't leave. Just when you think you've seen everything in an auto, something new happens that proves you haven't : )
Finally: about the orphanage in Kerala: I went to the humanities library to return Snow (I've raved about it in an earlier post if you're interested) and while the book was being entered back into the database, a guy sitting in the library asked me where I was from. After preliminary introductions (I'm from New York, I'm doing my BA in English at Columbia University, etc etc) I ended up getting into a conversation with him. He explained that he works for an orphanage in Kerala that is looking for any college students interested in teaching to come and volunteer for a few weeks. He's particularly looking for international students with good English skills. He gave me his card, I gave him my email ID (not CU but gmail) and he's going to send me more brochures. It looks pretty awesome. (Haha, any takers?) I'm merely relating this because I love chance encounters like these. I think that I am most definitely coming back to India, and so I'll keep this place in mind, and of course if it seems legit, recommend it to anyone who's coming as well.
Speaking of chance encounters, and this didn't happen today, but last week I met Mr. Andhra Pradesh (as in, Ms New York in the US). He's friends with one of my friends in the CIEE program, and so that's how I met him. Haha funny, right?
Last pieces of news: I'm leaving on the 5th of may to travel down to Munnar, in Kerala. Munnar is called the "Himalayas of the South." It's basically a lot hills, a lot of tea plantations, and (hopefully) a lot of fun! I am travelling with Bharat, Sowmya, Shriya, Alok, Steve, Andrew and Viroop. The first four are all from my family here, the last two are fellow international students. Alok's brother lives in Munnar on a tea plantation, and has generously offered/agreed to host all eight of us for a week. YAY!!
On typing out who is coming I realized I haven't said anything yet about Steve: Steve is the newest arrival to the Ramanans. He studied here through a study abroad program two years ago, and since then has been travelling/teaching in South Asia. So now you know who Steve is! On a side note, he's been to Cambodia. I'm not sure what that means exactly for our friendship, but it's definitely a good thing : )
My last two finals are Thursday and Friday. If I haven't replied to your email (and I'm almost 90% sure I haven't replied to any emails over the past two weeks) it's because I've been studying/running around like crazy/working around Internet problems at home & school. After Friday, I leave for Munnar, but I'll be coming back on the 10th and will get to back up email replies then!
Finally, before I end this entry, you should check out the Bengali poet Jibanananda Das. He's amazing. I picked up a slim volume of his poetry at a bookstore, and really really like it. I was going to post the poem that I've been ruminating over for the past three days, but the mood is a bit dark, and I didn't want anyone to be in a funk after reading it. So instead, here's a poem I've also enjoyed. (The title of this entry comes from another excellent poem by J. Das)
Evening Comes
It is evening. There is quiet everywhere.
Wisp of hay in its mouth, a sparrow flies quietly home;
A bullock cart winds its way down the village path
The courtyards are full of tight piles of golden hay.
All the world's doves
Are cooing among the clumps of hijal trees;
All the world's beauty
Has spread itself on the grass;
All the world's love is in our two hearts;
The sky has spread its peace out among the skies.--'Sandhya hoy', Rupasi Bangla
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