Maya Ravan

Newsflash....the internet at Flat #2 Sheetal, BLOWS! Sorry for the delay in postings, but between power outages and slow internet, I really want to stab myself 1 million times with a spoon!
Anywho....last night Shyamala, my culture guru, and I went to see the wonderful Indian production of Maya Ravan. The story itself is based on Hindu mythology and was told through narration and movement. It was a very well-done, creative show. The dancers told the story of Rama and his beautiful wife Sita defeating the envious Ravan. The lead dancer is, I guess, a well-known actress in India and the narrations that moved the story along were voice overs by other well-known Bollywood stars. The play itself was staged downtown at the Nehru Theater.
During the intermission, I stood up to walk outside for a few minutes, and as I was leaving all these camera/papparazzi types came flying through the doors and headed for the front row. Shyamala then pointed out that seated in the front row were mostly well-known Bollywood stars of today and from the past. Could of fooled me, I am not up on the Bollywood scene...I guess they were there for opening night. I did try to get myself into some sort of picture. It would be a dream come true to end up on the Mumbai gossip page....alas, no such luck.....but, no worries, I still have time!
In other news, not a lot going on. I am helping to grade the exams from last week, continuing to lecture on a daily basis, eating a lot of great food (love dosas), and going to the gym (my social life, sadly). This week is a huge week in Mumbai as the festival of Ganesha (patron god of Mumbai) kicks off on Wed. Sept 3rd. They whole town is getting ready. There is much decorating and baking going on. The temples are brightly decorated with lights and flowers. I am excited to be a part of this festival. We are off on the first day of the fest. On the first day, the idol of Ganesha is brought into the home, or if an idol is not brought into the home, you would go to another home to worship Ganesha. There will also be huge statues of Ganesha around the city that people will stand in long lines to see. I will keep you all posted on this festive event. Until next time, pray for better internet and look for me in the Mumbai tabloids....!

Found the beers, the Brits, and the shopping in downtown Mumbai!

I knew it was all here, I just had to find it, and I did! Taking advantage of my sudden time off, Shyamala took me to infamous downtown Mumbai, postcard Mumbai. The downtown area is so different from the northern suburbs. Though I appreciate the 'burbs for offering the true Indian experience, I can't help but enjoy what downtown has to offer. We started our adventure early in the morning, traffic here is fierce and it took about two hours to travel less then 40k. As we entered the downtown area, we drove down famous Marine Dr. This stretch of road reminded me so much of Lakeshore Dr. in Chicago. The high rise hotels and condos were on our left and the beautiful Arabian Sea was on the right. This area, known as Chowpatty Beach, is a well-known tourist attraction, not for sunning, more for strolling along the promenade.

Once we arrived, we stopped at a sort of artist colony/gallery where some local artists were having an exhibition. We then stopped briefly at another museum, formerly known as the Prince of Wales musuem, (Shyamala wanted to sign up for a class) that houses historic treasures from India, Thailand, and the like.

Ok, enough museums, where is the shopping? At least that is what I was thinking anyay! We then went to lunch at a south Indian "joint," (restaurants are often called joints, fyi) for some amazing treats, and again, super cheap. Lunch for two ran about $3! After lunch, we then strolled all through the Colaba Causeway area. Shopping and hostels/hotels galore. From high-end stores to street vendors, jewelry, art, shoes, anything Indian, or otherwise, was available! I was mostly looking yesterday, but did score an amazing hand-painted pendant, sterling silver for about $30! Had to have it people, had to....We also stopped at an amazing stationary/paper store. There, you could find beautifully made cards, wrapping paper, gift tags, etc. for practically free. I did pick up a ton of cards, five card packs with envelopes ran less than a dollar per pack! Crazy....!

The downtown area looks an awful lot like London with palm trees and sans gray gloom. The architecture is very much influenced by the English and there is even a clock tower that so resembles Big Ben. The flavor of India is still quite present with temples jammed in between towering universities, street-side food vendors, fruit stands, etc., but considerably less slum in the Colaba area. All throughout the day, I saw tourists from Canada, UK, etc. and plenty o' beer joints, finally!

After our shopping, or looking rather, we headed toward the Arabian sea to check out the Gateway to India, built by King George V and Queen Mary in 1911 as a ceremonial entrance. Ironically, the last Brit troops to leave India in 1948 exited through this gateway as well. We also checked out the world famous Taj Mahal Palace and hotel (not that Taj, this one is different!) Lastly, a little more shopping, and then, the worst traffic grid-lock ever....sigh...in all, I enjoy staying in the suburbs for the true India feel, but for anyone planning a trip to India, the south end of Mumbai is the way to go. I plan to spend more time there, and have already booked a room for when Andrea arrives during the Ganesha festival. On the last day of the festival, day 11, the idols of Ganesha are submersed in the sea for his return home. It seems staying near the Arabian Sea is the perfect place to watch this famous event, and to drink a beer....or two.

Rollin' in the Rick and Rock Star Haircut

So, my mentor Savita, who has been escorting me to school each day in her air-conditioned car, complete with driver, has decided I am to be on my own now. It isn't convenient for her to come all the way into Mulund, but she wanted to make sure I knew my way around before she turned me loose. Now, I am an official rickshaw passenger. Riding a rickshaw to work is a bit like riding a lawnmower to work, seriously. And I get to do it for about 35 minutes each way....don't be jealous....! The rick looks like a little pod-type thing, covered at the top, is motorized, and rolls on three wheels. I can't wait to get my pictures up....sigh....always an adventure....and so not my preferred method of transportation...did I mention, no a/c?
On a better note, my principal has decided I don't need to work until Friday this week. The students have exams and there is really nothing for me to do at this point. Better yet, no need to suffer in a rick when I don't have to. Renu, my lovely mentor and I, took advantage of this sudden vacation time with a trip to her salon, new haircuts for both of us. I was skeptical at first because I am a little picky about my hair....but you all already know that. Renu's stylist is also known as stylist to the stars here in Mumbai, Bollywood stars, of course. The salon is in the swanky neighborhood of Bandra, right along the shore of the Arabian Sea. The salon, complete with dj...that is becoming a theme in my world, was full of very trendy hipsters who clearly think like I do when it comes to hair. After much discussion and double checking that they could do what I wanted, I allowed them to take the lead. The result was awesome, total rockstar hair and I am loving it! Ok, so that worry is nixed....the salon was very expensive by Indian standards, but really was a bargain to those of us who are used to paying US prices. I even got to see this alleged hairstylist to the stars when he popped in for a visit. I guess that was a big deal?? Dunno....
All in all, a great few days and an impromptu vaca to boot...I am going to explore more of Mumbai tomorrow and look forward to that. I am finding more very cool neighborhoods with so much to offer. I was also excited to learn that my friend Andrea is coming from Calcutta during the HUGE festival of Ganesha which kicks off on Sept. 3....more on that later!

Happy Birthday Krishna

Today is the festival of Janmastami, or the celebration of Krishna's birth. As the story goes, Krishna was quite a naughty young boy. He would run around breaking the clay pots filled with freshly churned butter that the ladies would hang high in the air outside their homes. To celebrate his birth, large clay pots filled with curds, honey and money are hung high above the streets, sort of suspended across the streets, really. They are very colorfully decorated and strewn with flowers. Large groups of young men, and more recently groups of young women, band together (after practicing at length) all over town to form giant pyramids in hopes of reaching the pots and breaking them. If they are so lucky as to reach the pot, they must break it with their hands and the contents comes tumbling down all over the crowd. I was fortunate enough to be able to witness this festive event. Shyamala invited me to her apartment in Mulund Colony where such a pot was suspended about seven stories, yes seven, in the air. We watched (from the balcony) for quite some time as group after group tried to reach that amazing height. No one made it. You can imagine how nuts this gets as the pyramid gets higher and higher....the base of the pyramid is huge, about 40-50 people and obviously someone very litte, ususally a child, is the one climbing the highest! It was crazy. There is a lot of room for injury especially if the whole thing comes tumbling down. There was one ambulance run while we were there. This event takes place all over Mumbai and often the groups travel in huge buses from one site to the next hoping for success. Apparently not all the pots are seven stories high either. This event goes on well into the night.
After we had our fill of spectating, we decided to go get some chai. On the way, we passed a Jain temple and went in. The temple was amazing, all marble, and there was the most serene feeling throughout. Jainism is an offshoot of Hinduism and Buddhism. They are such peaceful people that they often wear a facemask so as not to harm even an insect. They eat no animal byproducts or even anything that is a root. Amazing. That is obviously a very, very brief overview as I am not a religious expert!
The temples in India really capture the spirit of the country. They are so peaceful and beautifully decorated. I look forward to exploring more.

Thrown to the Wolves...

My lovely, lovely mentor Renu threw me to the wolves today, or more precisely to a group of 12 graders. When I arrived at school, I had a few moments to relax and then Renu walked me to my first class of the day. In India, the students don't change rooms, the teachers do. It is anyone's guess as to where a particualr group of students will be, better yet, they all know, I just can't figure it out?! That is probably more accurate. I was told many 12th graders will "bunk" (cut, skip) lectures at this stage of their school career, not today, however. They all waited outside the door and when they saw me coming, rushed in for a seat. Renu said she had never seen some of these students before, ever! "Let them stay," I said.... Renu said a word or two and disappeared.... Ok, I got this. All the boys were on one side of the room, all the girls on the other. I am not sure why. I started my discussion and the energy level was so high that I could hardly finish a sentence! Turns out the "teacher look" is universal, works every time. I continued, and in walks a young man. If a student is late for class, they wait at the door until the teacher waves them in. So, anyway, he walks in and everyone starts clapping. I stop, feign confusion, and ask the class, "is this boy famous?" They reply in unison, "YES!" "Really?" I say. I then looked at the boy and said, "what exactly are you famous for?" He froze, wide-eyed and said, "nothing ma'am." To which I say, "well then, have a seat famous boy." And so it went, for the rest of the class, I made famous boy answer every question and stand while doing so. It was hilarious and all in good fun. This group was so different than the 11th graders from yesterday. After class, I walked back to the staff room. It was "tea time" so all staff members were present. I stopped in the doorway, looked at Renu and said, "thanks a lot!" Everyone was totally cracking up. She then said, before you arrived in Mumbai, we were so worried about you and how you would interact with the staff, what type of personality you would have, etc. Now, we see that we didn't need to worry at all, you fit right in! So, there you have it, initiation by fire, I suppose.
After tea time, I accompanied Renu to her class of 11th graders. I don't have this group at all and they were feeling slighted, so I went along. They asked wonderful questions about America. They are very interested in how our schools differ from theirs, how the teaching dffers and what the curriculum is like. I said, I know you have other questions not related to school, so let me have it. What do you want to know?? They asked about pubs (bars)...finally, a topic I am a expert in! They also asked about dating, music and prom! They begged me to ask the principal if they could have a prom. "Oh no" I said. I am not going to be the cause of the downfall of education in India! All the students signed up for the "Literary Day," which has now turned into three days. We are going to have a day of drama, a day of poetry, and a day of art. I am to get the students ready for that. My pleasure, really.
My final class of the day was another group of 11th graders. All these students are so wonderfully respectful, kind and genuine. As I was leaving they said, "It is so nice to meet you. We love your accent!" So, there you have it.... Tomororw, I have a new group of students that I haven't had yet. Yes, I said tomorrow. There is school on Saturday here. Education is the biggest priority in India. Even after school hours, many students attend additional prep classes to get ready for state exams, college entrance exams, etc. Impressive. I wonder how I can bring that sort of drive and determination back to the US? Suggestions?

Teaching, Day One

At last, at last, I get a taste of what I came to do! I actually taught my first lecture today! The students were SO excited when I walked in; they couldn't contain themselves. They immediately stood at attention, love that....and we began! The class was large, 11th grade, and from what I was told had limited English speaking experience....you wouldn't know it! I kept the class light. I told them about myself, showed them a map of the US, and told them about my school in Ohio. They were so amazed that my family lives in all sorts of places around the US. That concept is foreign to them. I asked them some general questions. They were all so shy and nervous. They are to stand when they answer, love this too! I asked if they had questions for me, but they were to shy to ask....
I gave them their first assignment which consisted of several questions, mostly about themselves. They were to write a paragraph for each answer. When they were done, I was to come around and check their work. The concept of collecting papers and grading them later is not common. They slowly started to finish, and started raising their hands. I was so impressed with their writing. This was not limited English by my standards. I told them they write better than some Americans...it is true, no? At any rate, as their confidence grew, so did the demand for them to have their papers read. Everywhere I heard, "Ma'am, ma'am, I am finished ma'am!" After this, they started to come around and ask me some more questions. They are all so eager to help me understand their culture and several of them live in my neighborhood as well. I was offered cooking lessons, which I need, dinner at several homes, and henna painting on my hands (that rocks). During the class, three boys came to the door and asked me about the drama club I will be starting. Awesome, word is spreading about that. We all clapped when class was over to celebrate my first official teaching moment in India! It was a great experience....as I was leaving, the three girls in the front said, "Ma'am, we like your hair!" I am relieved, I think this just might be ok!
Aside from teaching I am still learning my way around, more so every day. I have joined a gym, as some of you know already, Gold's Gym, Mulund. It is the most high-tech establishment I have seen in India yet. Of course, there is a DJ that spins while we workout...?? Since I never have to be at school before noon, I can hit the early morning India Techno-House mix special....hey, you gotta make your own fun people! Seriously....
As an aside....Things I have learned thus far....
1.) The left hand issue is not an issue at all.
2.) Western toilets are everywhere, western tp is not...
3.) Towels are napkins, napkins are tissues, and I have no idea what tissues are....later on that.
4.) "It is there" is a stock affirmative answer as in..."Do you have diet coke?" Response, "It is there." "Do you have yoga classes?" Response, "It is there."
5.) Current is the word for electricity, and the current goes out twice a day at least....
6.) Bread is the staple food of North India, rice is the staple in South India. Not that both aren't present everywhere.....
7.) Taking pictures is called taking snaps.
8.) The rickshaw is called "the rick" and most drivers take their shoes off while driving (cars too).
9.) I am taking malaria meds that have been banned in the UK (because they make people insane) and have yet to see one mosquito...??
10.) Even movie popcorn is spicy....
And so much more to come.....

Happy Parsi New Year!

So, Parsi New Year was the reason I was off school today. It is a state holiday, and best I can tell, it really only applies to the Parsi population meaning nothing around here seemed any different! The day started with no power. I am learning that electricity around here is sketchy....mostly it is on, but here and there, not so much. The monsoon season has not produced enough rain which causes planned power outages. They just keep not telling anyone what the plan is!
I spent the day with Shyamala. I needed to go to the grocery again, so we went. This time was a lot less crowded and I could really take my time to find some different types of food to try at home. Cereal and Prego is getting old after only a few days. We then went to some other stores, had ice-cream at a shop that rivals Jeni's for sure, amazing saffron and fig flavors....and lastly checked out the two gyms in my neighborhood. I hate to admit it, but Gold's Gym Mulund was the best deal. It is brand new and state of the art, dj to spin turntables while you run....uh...huh?? Can I get a cocktail too? Anyway, I am going to go tomorrow and suck it up, otherwise this paneer (cheese) that I have come to love is going to do me in quick!
This evening, Shyamala and Aruna, another neighbor, took me to a wonderful cultural celebration native to the state of Maharashtra (where Mumbai is located). The name I will butcher, so I won't even try....but basically for the first five years a woman is married she, during every Tuesday of this month on the Hindu calendar makes an offering to a particular god (having trouble keeping that straight too??) that her husband will live a long life. I guess after 5 years he is on his own. I did ask the husband what they did for the wives and he had no answer....?! The dancing was lovely and of course there was FOOD! I can't get away from it. To not eat is an insult...back to the aforementioned Gold's Gym....anywhoo.....I have learned the three most important questions you will be asked in the course of the day are, what did you have for your breakfast, what did you have for your lunch and what did you have for your supper? To not have a clear answer as to what you ate and when is unacceptable....to say, I wasn't hungry and didn't eat is also unacceptable....I am getting good at making things up on the fly....that was my day in a nutshell. Back to school tomorrow....

KJ Somaiya College Day 1

Ok, so the first day of school is done and over....what a relief, but I haven't taught yet, so we shall see how that goes....I was instructed to arrive at school around 11. Savita and her driver (I am getting used to that concept too!!) picked me up, so no rickshaw today. When we arrived, I waited with the principal while some sort of assembly was being set up. I was escorted to the assembly hall where I was introduced in a rather touching, formal ceremony. I was presented again with beautiful flowers and a gift. The gift was a statue of Ganesh to symbolize education, prosperity and success. Ganesh is also the patron god of Mumbai, every home has a statue. I now feel a little more like a Mumbai resident. I spoke briefly, thanked everyone, and shared my hopes and expectations for this visit. I also shared the 6 Hindi words I now know! After the assembly, the principal said no lectures for me or my mentors today, just a campus tour. We went to all the 11th and 12th grade rooms where I will be teaching. Upon entering, the students stand and greet the teachers, pretty awesome. They are not seated until instructed. They were SO nervous to meet me. It was hilarious! Most of them wouldn't speak, they just stood there sort of in awe....even students in the hallway said, "welcome ma'am." This I am NOT used to! I wonder if I can train the Ridge kids to do the same??? Not so much.....I think after a day or two, I will be restored to plain old teacher when the novelty of all this wears off!
After a long tour and a lot of meet and great, Renu, Savita and I left for, you guessed it, another amazing Indian restaurant....! This place was Thali style. Each person has a large silver platter in front of them with a lot of small bowls around the edges. The waiters come around and fill the bowls with all sorts of amazing stuff and fill the center of the platter with bread....it was SO GOOD! There is no menu, just whatever is being cooked that day is what you eat....I guess this is a pretty traditional Indian style....
At any rate, tomorrow is a holiday, so no school....Wed I am observing and I will actually start teaching on Thursday. The school itself is very hot and muggy....it is also very dusty...this will take some getting used to also.....but I am slowly getting the hang of this!

Renu's House

I am just wrapping up my first weekend in Mumbai. I am, for the most part, settled in...I spent Friday just relaxing. It was the first time I had been alone in a while. On Sat. Renu (my mentor) and her husband picked me up. They took me to another mall close to my place to show me around. I was able to get money changed and the converters I needed for my plugs, but the cell phone attempt did not go well. I need more "proof" apparently?? Like what, I don't know?? They are going to make some calls for me. After the mall trip, they took me to their home to spend the night. Renu and her husband live in a lovely penthouse condo near the college where I will be teaching. They have 2 children (son and a daughter) both in their early 20's, both engineering students and both will be earning their MBA. When I arrived, I met the son first. He was at his computer listening to some American music, 4 Non-Blondes to be exact, and I commented on that, so we started talking music....he loves rock from the 70's & 80's, of course. He asked my favorite, I said Guns and Roses, to which he immediately jumped up and drug me to his bedroom where, you guessed it, he has a giant poster of Axl Rose on his wall! I was dying, we were instant friends. He made me talk about all the concerts I had been to, etc.
Then Renu's daughter came home. She was perhaps the most beautiful girl I have ever seen, no lie, 6 feet tall and absolutely gorgeous. The entire family was absolutely awesome. I felt completely at home and was stuffed full of homemade Indian food...again....(all my favorites and some new favs. as well). Today they took me to see my first official Bollywood film...3+ hours of film and I knew about 10 words....but my Hindi is improving. I know about 5 words now....in a nutshell that was my weekend...tomorrow is the first day of school and this should be interesting....

Mumbai Day 2

After mostly sleeping through the night, I still tend to get up about 2-3am thinking it is morning, I decided to venture back to the mall for some household items I had forgotten. I bravely got an auto rickshaw and headed to Nirmal Lifestyle Shopping Center. It was a holiday, Independence Day, so there were SO many people out. Again, the attention was overwhelming....people constantly stop, stare, follow, etc. I tried my best to ignore it all and continue about my business...I made my way to FabIndia again jsut to look at all the amazing textiles. After leaving there, I stopped at the store to re-stock my Diet Coke supply and get a few more things. Finally, the attention was too much, I had to get outta there. Clearly, I am the only American within miles of this neighborhood, Mulund West. I again found a rickshaw, gave him the address and headed home. He dropped me off on my street, but, of course, I recognized nothing and got all turned around. After walking forever and asking about 10 different people to help me find my apartment, I finally made it. I decided then that I would never leave my apartment again! The neighbor and her son came over for a bit and we talked. They were wonderfully helpful and I appreciated the company. I knew this was going to be a challenge, but I guess I didn't realize how challenging until I was actually living in the situation. But alas, tomorrow is another holiday, Rakhsha Bandhan (see link above) and I will be spending it with Renu at her home, and then off to a picnic on Sunday. I look forward to that!

Arriving in Mumbai

Leaving Delhi, and specifically Andrea, at the airport was tough. When we arrived at the airport, there was still a heavy police presence due to the upcoming holiday. India, next to Iraq, has the highest number of terrorist incidents in the world according to our embassy represetative, just an aside! The airport was crowded being that it was only 5am. By 7am I boarded my flight to Mumbai. The flight was empty and the two hours travel time gave me plenty of time to get nervous. As we descended, I could see Mumbai, surrounded by water. The city itself is vast and endless, even from the air, and is bordered by hills, which I did not expect to see. There were a lot of palm trees giving the city sort of a tropical look. I also noticed the vast slum area that surrounds the city, something that I am now getting used to. After landing I quickly collected my piles of luggage and went to look for the Fulbright representative who was supposed to meet me. However, there was no Fulbright representative anywhere to be found. I waited for awhile and thankfully had written downt he phone number of my mentor in Mumbai. I got ahold of her and she quickly made arrangements to come and get me. I waited in the airport for nearly two hours. The police were first suspicious of me, and then took pity on me. Soon after, Renu and Savita met me with a bouquet of beautiful pink roses. Their welcome was warm and I immediately felt like I had friends in Mumbai. We then left for the school. Renu and Savita told me that the students were excited for my arrival, but I had no idea what was to come. Once arriving at K.J. Somaiya College celebrity status was bestowed upon me at an overwhelming rate. Students followed the car through the gate and surrounded it as I got out. They literally parted the way so that I could walk through the door. I was escorted to the principal's office where I met some other faculty members. I was presented with another amazing bouquet of flowers and treated to a light meal while we all got accquainted. After leaving the school, Renu and Savita drove me to my apartment to help me get settled. I was met there by three other ladies (Shanthala's friends) who were all very eager to help me get settled. They showed me around, introduced me to my maid and helped me become familiar with my surroundings. Then, all five ladies took me to an amazing vegetarian lunch at a restaurant right near my apartment. After lunch, we went shopping so I could get what I needed for the next few days. At the grocery I found Pringles, Prego, and Diet Coke; those were the only items I recognized! By this time I was beat. I returned home and was eager to just absorb all that was happening so quickly. It had been an overwhelming day, but I feel like I have friends here that will make sure my time in Mumbai is memorable. Thanks to Shanthala and all her friends!

Delhi Day 2

Day 2 was organized for us. We were to travel to an orientation at the USEFI house. USEFI is our Fulbright sponsor here in India. The USEFI house is in an awesome location near embassy row. We had a full-day orientation with speakers on Indian education, medicine, and from the US embassy. Following the orientation, the girls headed to shop at the "mall," specifically FabIndia, a store full of amazing Indian gear and way cool home items. After we loaded up on brightly colored tunics and such (great prices fyi!), we headed back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. USEFI hosted a wonderful going away dinner for all the American exchange teachers, us and a group that had been there for five weeks over the summer. The food was fabulous and of course, more Kingfisher beers. Following dinner, we all headed back to pack. Early Thursday morning, we were all leaving for our destination cities with the excpetion of Breanna and Jeff, who will remain in Delhi for their exchange. It is hard saying goodbye. We have all counted on each other for the past week both in DC and in Delhi, but we are all ready to get settled and "get this started!" Best of luck fellow Fulbrighters! See you on our travels!

Delhi Day 1

We woke and decided to explore the city while we had the chance. After meeting in the hotel lobby, we decided two split into two groups at meet at the India Gate near the Indira Gandhi Memorial Statue. Andrea, Hasan and I left in one cab. As we drove through Delhi, it is easy to understand why India is called the land of contrasts. One one hand is embassy row with large brilliant buildings and perfectly manicured lawns, and on the other hand is a poverty like no other. It is all quite overwhelming. There was a heavy police presence at the park due to the upcoming Independence Day holiday (Friday August 15). Hasan, being Indian himself, blended in with the crowd. Andrea and I, on the other hand, did not. We were quite a novelty throughout the day with many people asking to take our photograph, or asking us to pose with them. We decided to hire a car for the next few hours and see all that we could. Thankfully, Hasan saved the day with all his hard-core negotiating. The car took us as far as the Red Fort and from there arranged for two bicycle rickshaws to take us closer. The Red Fort was closed due to high security. We were able to see it from a distance and then at Hasan's request, we moved on to Jama Masjid (mosque), the largest Muslim mosque in Delhi. When we arrived, it was call to prayer so we had to wait to enter. The mosque itself was blissfully peaceful and serene. After leaving the mosque, we went to the market to shop around and eat, Indian food, of course. Total cost of a hired car, sighseeing, rickshaws and lunch?? US $9.00, so cheap!! We then returned to the hotel and joined the other Fulbrighters for an Indian Feast and several Kingfisher beers (I am a fan)!

Orientation in Delhi

We arrived at the Delhi airport at 1am Tuesday morning. The airport was busy, crowded and overwhelming. We effortlessly shuffled through customs and had little hassle at baggage claim. A driver, rather two, was waiting to take us to our first stop, Hotel Sartaj, in Delhi. The ride was quiet as we were all focused on the city and its vastness. We saw sacred cows resting near the underpass of the highway, and some sort of ceremonial celebration, complete with fire and dancing on the street corner. The traffic was heavy and the night was dusty. The sound of a thousand horns blared over and over and over.... We then arrived at our hotel and quickly got to our rooms. We decided to rest for a while and then make the rest of the day ours to explore....

Leaving the Familiar

Every journey begins with a single step, or so they say anyway...mine began in Columbus, Ohio, and ended 8000 miles away, first in Delhi, then on to Mumbai, India. I am a teacher selected, along with eight other American teachers, to spend a semester in India. As a group we cover states from Maine all the way to California, our ages and backgrounds differ, as do our teaching content areas, but we all share excitement, anxiety and enthusiasm for the experience we are about to share. On Sunday August 10th we met in Frankfort, Germany and traveled together to Delhi where our adventure began...