Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
Sunday, January 27
Sunday, January 27, 2008
This morning we all enjoyed our showers—realizing that we might not have them at our next stays. We decided that we had too much luggage to haul around on and off trains, and asked Munesh if we could send back one or two bags with him to Raipur that we could retrieve when we returned back there near the end of our travels. He said that would work fine. We also needed to check out of our rooms, Munesh said that we could store our luggage in the district governor’s room during the day so we moved it into his room. We were a little surprised that his room was much more modest than our rooms. It seemed we were in the largest, fanciest, most western rooms in the hotel—another example of how royally we were being treated (sometimes unbeknownst to us).
We were scheduled to give our presentation at the conference at noon so after moving our luggage we went down to get a vehicle to take us to the conference. We arrived around 11:15 and wanted to make sure that our PowerPoint presentation was working. Another session was in progress so we sat down to listen and wait. We waited, and waited and waited, and finally at 2:00 gave our presentation. There was not a very large crowd at this point, but they were very attentive to our slides on Iowa.
After our presentation we had lunch and then slowly made our way back to the hotel—more photos and exchanging of cards took time. At the hotel we changed into our jeans and went down to relax in the lobby (since we no longer had a room). The coordinator at our next city told us that our train was not leaving until 10:50 p.m. It was a long time to wait, but we went for a little walk around the city streets by the hotel. There are not many sidewalks in India so we had to be mindful of all the traffic—I’m not sure if we will get used to it. When we got back to the hotel, Munesh was checking out and said that we could use their room to wait in until it was time to catch our train—yeah! It gave us a chance to order dinner from room service and to use a nice western bathroom before boarding the train. We also rested a little on the very small twin beds and realized how tired we were—we thought this might make it easier to sleep on the train.
We arrived at the train station around 10:30, only to learn that our train was an hour or two late. It was another experience that we will not forget. We were given glimpses of how poor many in this society are, and the lack of comforts that they have, so many of which we take for granted. One of the most shocking for me was the second class cars on the train that had people so packed in that they were literally hanging out on the steps—I have no idea how they survived the long train ride just hanging on to the handles and one step. Inside it looked like they could not move around at all—I suppose they all just slept standing up because they were all wedged in together so tight. All of a sudden the sleeper cars that we felt were so crowded seemed luxuriously spacious, and extravagantly furnished. The smells were again overwhelming—especially just after a train departed—the toilets drain directly on the tracks and the odor was a little stifling. We noticed that many of the Indian women drape the scarves of their saris over their face to help a little with the aroma.
Finally around 12:20 our train pulled in the station, and we were much more organized and careful getting all of our luggage into the car, and finding our seats. Some people were already on the train so it was not quite as hectic and crowded boarding the train. We are slowly learning how to travel here in India. After stowing our luggage and getting a sheet and pillow we were ready for “bed”.
This morning we all enjoyed our showers—realizing that we might not have them at our next stays. We decided that we had too much luggage to haul around on and off trains, and asked Munesh if we could send back one or two bags with him to Raipur that we could retrieve when we returned back there near the end of our travels. He said that would work fine. We also needed to check out of our rooms, Munesh said that we could store our luggage in the district governor’s room during the day so we moved it into his room. We were a little surprised that his room was much more modest than our rooms. It seemed we were in the largest, fanciest, most western rooms in the hotel—another example of how royally we were being treated (sometimes unbeknownst to us).
We were scheduled to give our presentation at the conference at noon so after moving our luggage we went down to get a vehicle to take us to the conference. We arrived around 11:15 and wanted to make sure that our PowerPoint presentation was working. Another session was in progress so we sat down to listen and wait. We waited, and waited and waited, and finally at 2:00 gave our presentation. There was not a very large crowd at this point, but they were very attentive to our slides on Iowa.
After our presentation we had lunch and then slowly made our way back to the hotel—more photos and exchanging of cards took time. At the hotel we changed into our jeans and went down to relax in the lobby (since we no longer had a room). The coordinator at our next city told us that our train was not leaving until 10:50 p.m. It was a long time to wait, but we went for a little walk around the city streets by the hotel. There are not many sidewalks in India so we had to be mindful of all the traffic—I’m not sure if we will get used to it. When we got back to the hotel, Munesh was checking out and said that we could use their room to wait in until it was time to catch our train—yeah! It gave us a chance to order dinner from room service and to use a nice western bathroom before boarding the train. We also rested a little on the very small twin beds and realized how tired we were—we thought this might make it easier to sleep on the train.
We arrived at the train station around 10:30, only to learn that our train was an hour or two late. It was another experience that we will not forget. We were given glimpses of how poor many in this society are, and the lack of comforts that they have, so many of which we take for granted. One of the most shocking for me was the second class cars on the train that had people so packed in that they were literally hanging out on the steps—I have no idea how they survived the long train ride just hanging on to the handles and one step. Inside it looked like they could not move around at all—I suppose they all just slept standing up because they were all wedged in together so tight. All of a sudden the sleeper cars that we felt were so crowded seemed luxuriously spacious, and extravagantly furnished. The smells were again overwhelming—especially just after a train departed—the toilets drain directly on the tracks and the odor was a little stifling. We noticed that many of the Indian women drape the scarves of their saris over their face to help a little with the aroma.
Finally around 12:20 our train pulled in the station, and we were much more organized and careful getting all of our luggage into the car, and finding our seats. Some people were already on the train so it was not quite as hectic and crowded boarding the train. We are slowly learning how to travel here in India. After stowing our luggage and getting a sheet and pillow we were ready for “bed”.
Saturday, January 26
Saturday, January 26, 2008
This morning I was finally able to get a run in on a treadmill in the hotel’s exercise room. I did not follow the Indian practice of removing my shoes before working out. It felt so good to finally get some aerobic exercise—followed by a shower—a great day already.
After breakfast at the hotel we were taken to the beach by some Rotarians. It was a highlight for us, and so refreshing to be outside in the fresh air, without having many, many people wanting to talk to us, and take our photo. We went out in a boat—where it was 2 km deep a short ways out from the shore. We also walked along the beach, Rishikonda Beach, and sipped some coconut juice (not our favorite)—some of the local young boys trying to sell us shells were happy to finish our coconut juice for us! The water was very pleasant and we noticed that some Indians were swimming—in their clothes. Dani was interested in going in, and after two of our Rotarian hosts went in (fully dressed) Dani decided to join them. She said it was terrific—not at all cold however it was quite salty. The cows were not swimming with them, but they had been in early for their dip.
After drying off a little bit we headed back to the vehicle to return to the hotel, along the way we pulled off the side of the road to watch a nearby parasailer, it was a little difficult to see him since we were all in the vehicle, but suddenly he dropped on top of our vehicle—YIKES! He was not hurt, but he left a very large dent in the top of the vehicle—talk about an up close and personal experience. Yet another thing we all never seen before in our lives!
At the hotel we changed and headed over to the conference for more photos, visiting, and of course food. This time we discovered that there was ice cream—and it was NOT spicy or hot. One waiter we were especially fond of took care of us, always quietly noticing whether or not we had chairs, and plenty of water. The Indian practice seems to be having a small amount of water after eating—whereas we are all used to having water with our meal, and with Indian cuisine, we find that we prefer having a lot of water with our meal to cool our steamy pallets.
Some Rotarians, including Kamal, offered to show us the port that is used for large amounts of commercial shipping, and take a tour of a submarine, that was used in an Indian war in 1971. The submarine has been turned into a museum with tours led by military men who had served on that vessel. There was a charge to tour the submarine and an additional charge if you wanted to take any photos inside.
Kamal, offered to take us to see a large monument of Shiva, the destroyer God of the Hindu religion and his wife Parvati. They were very large statues located at the top of a hill, called Kailasagiri, overlooking the city that we could access via cable cars, or as they call it here in India, via ropeway. Many other Indians were there to see Shiva, a small temple for Shiva, and the beautiful gardens. One of the reasons there were so many visitors to the monument was perhaps because it was a national holiday, India’s Republic Day, celebrating the ratification of their constitution 59 years ago.
The view on the hill was gorgeous—we could see the Bay of Bengal, and the city, from up above where we were surprised to see so many trees that we had not noticed while on the ground. Our timing was perfect because we arrived to the top while it was still daylight, but after walking around, seeing the monuments, and enjoying some popcorn and pop, it was dark and the city lights were out in full glory. What an enjoyable day getting to see the sights of Visakhapatnam.
After going back to the hotel Molly and I ventured out to purchase a larger suitcase with working wheels. It was a new experience with all the haggling that Molly typically only does at garage sales—not stores. Fortunately there were a number of stores selling luggage next to each other so our business was sought after—we felt that we received a fair price—at half their starting price.
We then changed and headed to the conference for—yes more food, visiting, photos, and business card exchanging. The evening entertainment was a disco which they really wanted us to take part in. We were all tired but did feel obligated to join in. Tom was the disco King, and boldly ventured onto the stage. We decided to join him for a little, but we did not dance very long—we were the only women, and many of the men were overly enthusiastic about dancing with us. We finally formed a train and danced off the stage. We were very ready to go back to our beds at our hotel—our last night before heading by overnight train to the next city.
This morning I was finally able to get a run in on a treadmill in the hotel’s exercise room. I did not follow the Indian practice of removing my shoes before working out. It felt so good to finally get some aerobic exercise—followed by a shower—a great day already.
After breakfast at the hotel we were taken to the beach by some Rotarians. It was a highlight for us, and so refreshing to be outside in the fresh air, without having many, many people wanting to talk to us, and take our photo. We went out in a boat—where it was 2 km deep a short ways out from the shore. We also walked along the beach, Rishikonda Beach, and sipped some coconut juice (not our favorite)—some of the local young boys trying to sell us shells were happy to finish our coconut juice for us! The water was very pleasant and we noticed that some Indians were swimming—in their clothes. Dani was interested in going in, and after two of our Rotarian hosts went in (fully dressed) Dani decided to join them. She said it was terrific—not at all cold however it was quite salty. The cows were not swimming with them, but they had been in early for their dip.
After drying off a little bit we headed back to the vehicle to return to the hotel, along the way we pulled off the side of the road to watch a nearby parasailer, it was a little difficult to see him since we were all in the vehicle, but suddenly he dropped on top of our vehicle—YIKES! He was not hurt, but he left a very large dent in the top of the vehicle—talk about an up close and personal experience. Yet another thing we all never seen before in our lives!
At the hotel we changed and headed over to the conference for more photos, visiting, and of course food. This time we discovered that there was ice cream—and it was NOT spicy or hot. One waiter we were especially fond of took care of us, always quietly noticing whether or not we had chairs, and plenty of water. The Indian practice seems to be having a small amount of water after eating—whereas we are all used to having water with our meal, and with Indian cuisine, we find that we prefer having a lot of water with our meal to cool our steamy pallets.
Some Rotarians, including Kamal, offered to show us the port that is used for large amounts of commercial shipping, and take a tour of a submarine, that was used in an Indian war in 1971. The submarine has been turned into a museum with tours led by military men who had served on that vessel. There was a charge to tour the submarine and an additional charge if you wanted to take any photos inside.
Kamal, offered to take us to see a large monument of Shiva, the destroyer God of the Hindu religion and his wife Parvati. They were very large statues located at the top of a hill, called Kailasagiri, overlooking the city that we could access via cable cars, or as they call it here in India, via ropeway. Many other Indians were there to see Shiva, a small temple for Shiva, and the beautiful gardens. One of the reasons there were so many visitors to the monument was perhaps because it was a national holiday, India’s Republic Day, celebrating the ratification of their constitution 59 years ago.
The view on the hill was gorgeous—we could see the Bay of Bengal, and the city, from up above where we were surprised to see so many trees that we had not noticed while on the ground. Our timing was perfect because we arrived to the top while it was still daylight, but after walking around, seeing the monuments, and enjoying some popcorn and pop, it was dark and the city lights were out in full glory. What an enjoyable day getting to see the sights of Visakhapatnam.
After going back to the hotel Molly and I ventured out to purchase a larger suitcase with working wheels. It was a new experience with all the haggling that Molly typically only does at garage sales—not stores. Fortunately there were a number of stores selling luggage next to each other so our business was sought after—we felt that we received a fair price—at half their starting price.
We then changed and headed to the conference for—yes more food, visiting, photos, and business card exchanging. The evening entertainment was a disco which they really wanted us to take part in. We were all tired but did feel obligated to join in. Tom was the disco King, and boldly ventured onto the stage. We decided to join him for a little, but we did not dance very long—we were the only women, and many of the men were overly enthusiastic about dancing with us. We finally formed a train and danced off the stage. We were very ready to go back to our beds at our hotel—our last night before heading by overnight train to the next city.
Friday, January 25--by Kathy (with help from all)
Friday, January 25, 2008
The morning began on the train where we were offered tea, and then ventured to the “bathrooms”. We folded up our beds and prepared to get off at our stop. After getting off the train it was clear that we were in a different climate—further south, on the coast where it was quite humid. After trying unsuccessfully to locate Tom’s missing bag, we followed the porters who were able to carry two to three HEAVY suitcases balanced on top of their heads, to the taxis. After much confusion we were loaded in several taxis and headed to the hotel. During the cab ride to the hotel Dani was thrilled to finally talk to Sydney on her cell phone—yeah for modern technology.
The hotel is very nice—we were especially thrilled that our hotel rooms had the following: i) a hot water shower—no bucket needed, ii) toilet paper was provided; iii) toilets that flushed without a bucket; and iv) wonderful beds with mattresses. We all took showers and felt SOOO much better. After showers we went to get some breakfast and were pleased to see --toast, hard-boiled eggs, and corn flakes--food that we recognized and knew what it tasted like. Of course, there was also a large variety of food that we still did not know or appreciate.
After breakfast we relaxed a little, checked our email and then made our way to the Rotary District Conference—it is right by the bay and a beautiful location. Upon arriving at the conference we again felt like quite the celebrities—many people were interested in having their picture taken with us and to find out where we were from and whether or not we knew their relative who lived in the United States. Even though the English language is used here we still have difficulty understanding what is being said—in part due to different pronunciation and “the emfasis on the wrong syl-lab-bull”. Another very popular activity at the conference is the exchange of business cards—we have decided that we like the cards with their pictures on it since we have trouble remembering their Indian names. There was also lots of food—we tried some and also had some water out of the thinnest cups that feel like holding water in a plastic sack. Susan and Molly watched some traditional dances from Chhattisgarh; and tried a small mouth freshener which had a distinctive soap taste—um um refreshing.
After several hours we went to the opening session and were welcomed by the District Governor and presented with a bouquet of flowers. We were quite tired by this time, so the four women decided to go back to the hotel to unpack and organize the various gifts we brought for hosts, coordinators and others while Tom stayed to visit some more with all the Rotarians. At the hotel we ordered some food from room service and were yet again very happy to discover that french fries, coke (in the old-fashioned smaller glass bottles) and my favorite—diet coke were available for a very reasonable amount of Rupees. Although we all like to try different foods and previously thought of ourselves as fairly adventuresome, we find that we crave some of the tastes that we are used to and comfortable with having.
Tom joined us in the room and was also thrilled to have some Coke. He said that there was going to be some special dancing at the conference. Molly and I decided to go back with Tom to see some of the entertainment program. After tracking down a vehicle (the conference is several miles from the hotel—which made it a little tricky to get back and forth), we arrived back at the conference venue. The dancing was by students in a deaf and blind school that Rotary supports. We enjoyed it very much, although the music was very LOUD, in fact we have noticed that many here speak quite loudly and at most of the sessions and conference meetings all spoke very loudly. Yet another one of our senses that has been a bit overloaded. After the dancers another entertainer, who we gathered is quite popular in India by their enthusiastic response, did some sound impersonations—like a human beat box. It was something we had heard before, but we did not quite share the same enthusiasm that the Indians did. We stayed for an hour and then went in search of a vehicle to take us back to the hotel for some sleep in a wonderful bed!
The morning began on the train where we were offered tea, and then ventured to the “bathrooms”. We folded up our beds and prepared to get off at our stop. After getting off the train it was clear that we were in a different climate—further south, on the coast where it was quite humid. After trying unsuccessfully to locate Tom’s missing bag, we followed the porters who were able to carry two to three HEAVY suitcases balanced on top of their heads, to the taxis. After much confusion we were loaded in several taxis and headed to the hotel. During the cab ride to the hotel Dani was thrilled to finally talk to Sydney on her cell phone—yeah for modern technology.
The hotel is very nice—we were especially thrilled that our hotel rooms had the following: i) a hot water shower—no bucket needed, ii) toilet paper was provided; iii) toilets that flushed without a bucket; and iv) wonderful beds with mattresses. We all took showers and felt SOOO much better. After showers we went to get some breakfast and were pleased to see --toast, hard-boiled eggs, and corn flakes--food that we recognized and knew what it tasted like. Of course, there was also a large variety of food that we still did not know or appreciate.
After breakfast we relaxed a little, checked our email and then made our way to the Rotary District Conference—it is right by the bay and a beautiful location. Upon arriving at the conference we again felt like quite the celebrities—many people were interested in having their picture taken with us and to find out where we were from and whether or not we knew their relative who lived in the United States. Even though the English language is used here we still have difficulty understanding what is being said—in part due to different pronunciation and “the emfasis on the wrong syl-lab-bull”. Another very popular activity at the conference is the exchange of business cards—we have decided that we like the cards with their pictures on it since we have trouble remembering their Indian names. There was also lots of food—we tried some and also had some water out of the thinnest cups that feel like holding water in a plastic sack. Susan and Molly watched some traditional dances from Chhattisgarh; and tried a small mouth freshener which had a distinctive soap taste—um um refreshing.
After several hours we went to the opening session and were welcomed by the District Governor and presented with a bouquet of flowers. We were quite tired by this time, so the four women decided to go back to the hotel to unpack and organize the various gifts we brought for hosts, coordinators and others while Tom stayed to visit some more with all the Rotarians. At the hotel we ordered some food from room service and were yet again very happy to discover that french fries, coke (in the old-fashioned smaller glass bottles) and my favorite—diet coke were available for a very reasonable amount of Rupees. Although we all like to try different foods and previously thought of ourselves as fairly adventuresome, we find that we crave some of the tastes that we are used to and comfortable with having.
Tom joined us in the room and was also thrilled to have some Coke. He said that there was going to be some special dancing at the conference. Molly and I decided to go back with Tom to see some of the entertainment program. After tracking down a vehicle (the conference is several miles from the hotel—which made it a little tricky to get back and forth), we arrived back at the conference venue. The dancing was by students in a deaf and blind school that Rotary supports. We enjoyed it very much, although the music was very LOUD, in fact we have noticed that many here speak quite loudly and at most of the sessions and conference meetings all spoke very loudly. Yet another one of our senses that has been a bit overloaded. After the dancers another entertainer, who we gathered is quite popular in India by their enthusiastic response, did some sound impersonations—like a human beat box. It was something we had heard before, but we did not quite share the same enthusiasm that the Indians did. We stayed for an hour and then went in search of a vehicle to take us back to the hotel for some sleep in a wonderful bed!
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
Thursday, January 24
Thursday, January 24:
This morning we were served the traditional tea (tastes like Chai tea—has milk and sugar in it) served in dainty tea cups and then loaded up for the trip back to Raipur. Molly and I took a “shower”—there was a cold water tap with a fairly large bucket that I crouched over to wash my hair—then I used the small cup to pour clean water over to rinse off—made me realize how much I enjoy the modern comforts and convenience of the showers in the U.S.!! After the “shower” I dumped the water down the “hole”, the bathrooms were equipped with a “squatting hole” and a “western toilet”—and as we have learned is typical—no toilet paper!
On the trip back we made another spot for “tea” at a small “tea stand” on the edge of a small village. We were shocked that we were able to use the phone there (where they have a small wooden shack with a little cook stove) to phone home—what a contrast. The connections were great and it was quite comforting to finally be able to let our families know that we had arrived safely and were having quite the adventure!
After we were dropped off at our host’s home we did a variety of things—some shopped, some visited their host’s businesses, some were able to get online and check email, and of course we were all fed one or two more meals. Our very gracious, generous hosts presented us with gifts (in addition to all that they had already done). Dani was given a beautiful purse hand made by her hostess, Molly was taken to a store to purchase a suit that will be tailored to her size and she will pick up on our return to Raipur, and I was shocked to receive a beautiful Indian suit—hand embroidered (I can’t remember for sure what Tom and Susan received).
In the afternoon our team gathered at our main coordinator’s home, Deepak, we were all in our “official” Rotary attire and Tom had a letter from Governor Chet Culver to present to the governor of the state of Chhattisgarh. Then we drove to the governor’s house where we had to go through fairly tight security! After passing through security we had a private meeting with the governor and were of course served tea and other sweets, and nuts. He was a very gracious, intelligent man (evidently he previously was the head in the India CIA), and visited with us for about a half an hour.
After our tea with the governor we were dropped off at our hosts to pack for the next leg of our journey—a train trip to the District Rotary Conference in Visakhapatnam—south eastern coast of India. On the train there were 19 of us (our 5 team members and 14 Rotarians and their family) along with many other people. As we are learning is typical there were MANY, MANY people at the train station (and lots of other places too). When the train arrived it was very chaotic trying to load our luggage onto the train. Our hosts all wanted to help, and inside it was terribly crowded. Somehow we all ended up on the train; however, we discovered after reaching Visakhapatnam 11 hours later, that one of Tom’s bags was missing.
The train ride was quite uneventful once we figured out how to get the beds all set up, and our luggage all stored—traveling with a month’s worth of luggage is not recommended when riding on a crowded train! We were again fed—boxed meals prepared just for us—hard boiled eggs, sandwiches (I’m not sure what kind), cucumbers, a bean salad, and we all were given food from our hosts for the trip. We also experienced having to use a “squatter” toilet on a moving train—a time when you want to have good balance! The train was a sleeper train—we were stacked three high on each side—the “beds” were not made for very tall or wide people and if you were claustrophobic you would be very uncomfortable. The rocking of the train helped a little, but it was not our most restful night of sleep.
This morning we were served the traditional tea (tastes like Chai tea—has milk and sugar in it) served in dainty tea cups and then loaded up for the trip back to Raipur. Molly and I took a “shower”—there was a cold water tap with a fairly large bucket that I crouched over to wash my hair—then I used the small cup to pour clean water over to rinse off—made me realize how much I enjoy the modern comforts and convenience of the showers in the U.S.!! After the “shower” I dumped the water down the “hole”, the bathrooms were equipped with a “squatting hole” and a “western toilet”—and as we have learned is typical—no toilet paper!
On the trip back we made another spot for “tea” at a small “tea stand” on the edge of a small village. We were shocked that we were able to use the phone there (where they have a small wooden shack with a little cook stove) to phone home—what a contrast. The connections were great and it was quite comforting to finally be able to let our families know that we had arrived safely and were having quite the adventure!
After we were dropped off at our host’s home we did a variety of things—some shopped, some visited their host’s businesses, some were able to get online and check email, and of course we were all fed one or two more meals. Our very gracious, generous hosts presented us with gifts (in addition to all that they had already done). Dani was given a beautiful purse hand made by her hostess, Molly was taken to a store to purchase a suit that will be tailored to her size and she will pick up on our return to Raipur, and I was shocked to receive a beautiful Indian suit—hand embroidered (I can’t remember for sure what Tom and Susan received).
In the afternoon our team gathered at our main coordinator’s home, Deepak, we were all in our “official” Rotary attire and Tom had a letter from Governor Chet Culver to present to the governor of the state of Chhattisgarh. Then we drove to the governor’s house where we had to go through fairly tight security! After passing through security we had a private meeting with the governor and were of course served tea and other sweets, and nuts. He was a very gracious, intelligent man (evidently he previously was the head in the India CIA), and visited with us for about a half an hour.
After our tea with the governor we were dropped off at our hosts to pack for the next leg of our journey—a train trip to the District Rotary Conference in Visakhapatnam—south eastern coast of India. On the train there were 19 of us (our 5 team members and 14 Rotarians and their family) along with many other people. As we are learning is typical there were MANY, MANY people at the train station (and lots of other places too). When the train arrived it was very chaotic trying to load our luggage onto the train. Our hosts all wanted to help, and inside it was terribly crowded. Somehow we all ended up on the train; however, we discovered after reaching Visakhapatnam 11 hours later, that one of Tom’s bags was missing.
The train ride was quite uneventful once we figured out how to get the beds all set up, and our luggage all stored—traveling with a month’s worth of luggage is not recommended when riding on a crowded train! We were again fed—boxed meals prepared just for us—hard boiled eggs, sandwiches (I’m not sure what kind), cucumbers, a bean salad, and we all were given food from our hosts for the trip. We also experienced having to use a “squatter” toilet on a moving train—a time when you want to have good balance! The train was a sleeper train—we were stacked three high on each side—the “beds” were not made for very tall or wide people and if you were claustrophobic you would be very uncomfortable. The rocking of the train helped a little, but it was not our most restful night of sleep.
Wednesday, January 23--from Kathy
Wednesday, January 23:
This morning we were scheduled to have breakfast with a state official at his home in downtown Raipur at 9:30 a.m. In Indian this means anywhere from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. As host explained “it is not so fun to be the first person there”. After our adventuresome drive--I do not know if I will ever get used to the way traffic, people, animals, bicycles, cars, moped, you name it move around—near chaos is one description that comes to mind). I think my kids Sarah and Peter would be shocked that I have not yet died of a heart attach while riding in this traffic. Upon our arrival we were ushered into a seating room and yet again offered more food—most of which we were not able to identify—except for the corn flakes and warm milk. Several reports were also there and wanted to know about our impressions of India, followed questions such as: “What do you think caused the market crash in India? What do you are the biggest problems in the world? Who is your favorite movie star?” and so on. We were not quite sure how to respond to all of these questions. Our initial impressions of India are of contrasts and sensory overload. It is so striking to see modern cars right along side carts pulled by oxen, people walking in elegant suits, and children playing naked in the gutters, and of course the cows and cattle roaming where ever they choose. By some of the more expensive homes there are cattle rails by a gated and walled area to prevent the cows from coming into their yard. The stray dogs are also very prevalent and are seen everywhere.
The sensory overload we are feeling is due to a variety of new smells (both the cities which are not as clean as we are used to in the States and the food which contains many spices and seasoning that we are not familiar with; the sites—most women are dressed in a sari or “suit”—pants with a long tunic—that are exceptionally bright and colorful—how they keep them clean is beyond me; and the amount of people—this has been especially noticeable when we are traveling, and is more of an adjustment for us than we thought.
I digress—back to our “breakfast”, while waiting for all of the team members to arrive, we were shown part of the house, where the extended family all lives. Most homes (at least the ones that we have seen so far) have a special room for daily prayers; these rooms contain statues of the various gods that they worship. After all five of us were there we had “breakfast” (around 11:00), after eating (usually more than we wanted—they are quite insistent that we try the many items that they have prepared) we loaded our bags and went to visit one of the most prestigious private schools in Raipur. I believe about one third of the students board there, the school is for 5 years old – 18 year olds. The grounds are very well kept and include a swimming pool, hospital, along with the usual classrooms and sports areas. We were able to visit a 10th grade math classroom, one thing I noticed immediately was that the girls were all seated on one side of the room and the boys were seated on the other, there was one small chalkboard, small desks with white plastic outdoor chairs. The students were all very well behaved (perhaps due in part to our presence) and according to their teachers work very hard. I asked how many hours they spend studying every day and they said two hours.
After the tour of the school we loaded up the vehicles and head north to archaeological dig, it was about a two hour drive so we stopped for “tea” and lunch at a lovely government guest house. Again we were served more food—some of which we were beginning to recognize. We also went to the bathroom since we have learned to take advantage of clean “western” toilets (i.e. not a hole to squat over). I was waiting for Molly when I heard her squeak and call for me—when I went in I couldn’t believe she had discovered a frog in the toilet when she was getting ready to flush. I was not interested in going while the frog was in the toilet, so Molly—our brave scientist and nature lover convinced it to find some other place to hang out.
Our next stop was at Sirpur, the archaeological site of temples that were 1600 – 2000 years old. An expert, who I believe was the head of the dig, was extremely knowledgeable and passionate. We were all surprised that we were able to walk around and touch the area. We were also able to watch the workers excavating the site—it was quite amazing!
After excusing ourselves from the private tour we continued on to the wildlife reserve, we finally arrive (after a VERY bumpy ride) and then switched to open jeeps, and a park ranger held up a bright spot light—it was quite late (I think around 10:00 p.m.) but we did see a bear, some type of tree cat, bison, deer—much larger than what we have in Iowa, wild boar, a rabbit—but no tigers or lions. Dinner was served at the “lodges” after some traditional folk dancers and musicians performed for us (and other villagers that came to watch and listen). We were all ready for bed after dinner and slept okay. We are not all used to the “firmer” beds.
This morning we were scheduled to have breakfast with a state official at his home in downtown Raipur at 9:30 a.m. In Indian this means anywhere from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. As host explained “it is not so fun to be the first person there”. After our adventuresome drive--I do not know if I will ever get used to the way traffic, people, animals, bicycles, cars, moped, you name it move around—near chaos is one description that comes to mind). I think my kids Sarah and Peter would be shocked that I have not yet died of a heart attach while riding in this traffic. Upon our arrival we were ushered into a seating room and yet again offered more food—most of which we were not able to identify—except for the corn flakes and warm milk. Several reports were also there and wanted to know about our impressions of India, followed questions such as: “What do you think caused the market crash in India? What do you are the biggest problems in the world? Who is your favorite movie star?” and so on. We were not quite sure how to respond to all of these questions. Our initial impressions of India are of contrasts and sensory overload. It is so striking to see modern cars right along side carts pulled by oxen, people walking in elegant suits, and children playing naked in the gutters, and of course the cows and cattle roaming where ever they choose. By some of the more expensive homes there are cattle rails by a gated and walled area to prevent the cows from coming into their yard. The stray dogs are also very prevalent and are seen everywhere.
The sensory overload we are feeling is due to a variety of new smells (both the cities which are not as clean as we are used to in the States and the food which contains many spices and seasoning that we are not familiar with; the sites—most women are dressed in a sari or “suit”—pants with a long tunic—that are exceptionally bright and colorful—how they keep them clean is beyond me; and the amount of people—this has been especially noticeable when we are traveling, and is more of an adjustment for us than we thought.
I digress—back to our “breakfast”, while waiting for all of the team members to arrive, we were shown part of the house, where the extended family all lives. Most homes (at least the ones that we have seen so far) have a special room for daily prayers; these rooms contain statues of the various gods that they worship. After all five of us were there we had “breakfast” (around 11:00), after eating (usually more than we wanted—they are quite insistent that we try the many items that they have prepared) we loaded our bags and went to visit one of the most prestigious private schools in Raipur. I believe about one third of the students board there, the school is for 5 years old – 18 year olds. The grounds are very well kept and include a swimming pool, hospital, along with the usual classrooms and sports areas. We were able to visit a 10th grade math classroom, one thing I noticed immediately was that the girls were all seated on one side of the room and the boys were seated on the other, there was one small chalkboard, small desks with white plastic outdoor chairs. The students were all very well behaved (perhaps due in part to our presence) and according to their teachers work very hard. I asked how many hours they spend studying every day and they said two hours.
After the tour of the school we loaded up the vehicles and head north to archaeological dig, it was about a two hour drive so we stopped for “tea” and lunch at a lovely government guest house. Again we were served more food—some of which we were beginning to recognize. We also went to the bathroom since we have learned to take advantage of clean “western” toilets (i.e. not a hole to squat over). I was waiting for Molly when I heard her squeak and call for me—when I went in I couldn’t believe she had discovered a frog in the toilet when she was getting ready to flush. I was not interested in going while the frog was in the toilet, so Molly—our brave scientist and nature lover convinced it to find some other place to hang out.
Our next stop was at Sirpur, the archaeological site of temples that were 1600 – 2000 years old. An expert, who I believe was the head of the dig, was extremely knowledgeable and passionate. We were all surprised that we were able to walk around and touch the area. We were also able to watch the workers excavating the site—it was quite amazing!
After excusing ourselves from the private tour we continued on to the wildlife reserve, we finally arrive (after a VERY bumpy ride) and then switched to open jeeps, and a park ranger held up a bright spot light—it was quite late (I think around 10:00 p.m.) but we did see a bear, some type of tree cat, bison, deer—much larger than what we have in Iowa, wild boar, a rabbit—but no tigers or lions. Dinner was served at the “lodges” after some traditional folk dancers and musicians performed for us (and other villagers that came to watch and listen). We were all ready for bed after dinner and slept okay. We are not all used to the “firmer” beds.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
The adventure begins--day 1 and 2
India Trip 2008
It is 1:00 a.m. Wednesday, January 22, 2008, and I just got back from our first Rotary gathering where our team gave a presentation about ourselves and Iowa and received many nice gifts and took many pictures.
Our travels began on Sunday, January 20 when we flew out of Waterloo, Iowa. The flight to Minneapolis was short and smooth. We had a four hour layover in Minneapolis where we had lunch in the airport. The next leg of our journey was an 8 hour flight to Amsterdam. Due to a strong tailwind we made it in just under 7 hours—we could choose from a variety of movies to watch on our individual TV. screens and were feed very well—first curry (vegetarian or chicken) and later a breakfast sandwich, fruit and yoghurt. In Amsterdam we walked around the airport, and tried to rest a little. The next flight was to Delhi and there were long lines to stand in to go through the security check, and then upon arrival long lines for going through customs. The flight itself was fine—although it did not have the same features as the flight to Amsterdam (no individual t.v. screens or headsets). We were crowded (the flight was full to the brim) but so tired that most of us were able to sleep a little bit (a couple of hours). Our flight arrived at about midnight in Delhi and after a long time standing in line to go through customs we were able to retrieve all of our luggage. We didn’t loose any luggage, but Molly’s suitcase lost one of its wheels.
Next we got a taxi—actually it was a small, old, VW van, our luggage did not all fit in it (along with the 5 of us and the driver) so about half of it was put on top of the van. We quickly learned that the rules of the road are quite different in India than the U.S.—the most obvious difference is that they drive on the opposite side—however the lane lines that are marked do not seem to serve any purpose as drivers ignore them. In fact it was hard to tell which way everyone was going and whether or not there were any rules governing driving in India. Cars, pedestrians, bicyclers, motorcyclists and other modes of transport all mingle together, turning and going whichever way they want—intersections or round-abouts are particularly interesting. The cows roaming the streets add yet another interesting element to the driving experience. It is definitely not for the faint of heart. Our driver did not know of the hotel, but after stopping and making some calls he was able to find out where it was. Unfortunately when we got to the hotel, they were out of rooms, BUT, they had some rooms in another place—just down the block. When we got to the other place we weren’t sure if we were in an occupied building or not—they had to use flashlights to bring us to our rooms and there was no heat. (Even with our light coats on we were quite cold). The rooms were clean though and the bed and pillow were very welcome!
The next morning we had a late breakfast at the building/hotel that we first stopped at and then loaded our bags onto and into the taxis (this time we got cozy in two small taxis). The trip to the airport was uneventful but we were still not used to the “style” of driving in Delhi—surprisingly we did not witness any accidents but we thought several times that we might—or that we might be in one. Our flight to Raipur was delayed an hour but that was not a problem. It may have delayed our hosts however who were waiting for us at the airport. It was quite the welcome—we were all presented with a beautiful bouquet of flowers and fresh flower leighs (marigolds, and roses I believe). The local press and about 20 Rotarians and their families were there taking photos and holding up a large banner welcoming us with our photos on it! Wow what a welcome! Next we were loaded into our host’s cars or taken to our host’s homes. There we were asked to get ready in formal dress for a joint Rotary Club meeting for us. Many hosts provided traditional formal clothes for the women to wear. My host took me to a wedding reception of one of their friends—what a beautiful, elaborate affair. There was I believe nearly every Indian food dish there and the decorations were gorgeous--fresh flowers everywhere. I will hopefully be able to post some photos to the blog.
Next on to the meeting—we all arrived around 10:00 p.m. (it was scheduled for 9:00 but I’m learning that in India that translates to one hour later). After many pleasantries we gave our presentation, and were then presented with beautiful wooden carvings. Evidently this area is known for its art and culture. Now it’s time for bed—tomorrow brings a visit to a school and a trip to a nature reserve of some sort.
More later….
It is now Wednesday morning and I have a little time before we head out for breakfast and the visit to the school. My host family is a member of the Sick (I’m not sure how to spell it) religious group. Some of their practices include men not cutting their hair and wearing a special turban, they also have their daily prayers and scripture readings that they recite or read.
Last night my hosts put up a mosquito netting to help with any mosquitoes—I saw a few but none of them bothered me. My bed was a wooden platform with a rug and small pad on it.
Yesterday in Delhi it was quite chilly for us all—most of the Indian people there were wearing sweaters and winter coats and hats. We left most of our winter clothes behind so we were quite cool. Our hotel did not have much hot water so I had a cold shower, although the night before there was lots of hot water when Susan showered so I think it was just the time that I was showering. At my current host family, they do not have hot water, nor do they have toilet paper, but fortunately I did bring some. Their house is quite modest, but they own a very large home right next door that they are planning to move to in this next year. The plan is that perhaps their two sons (and their families) will move into the large house with them. My host’s mother lives in a house right next door and they want to be close to her to help her with anything that she needs.
It is 1:00 a.m. Wednesday, January 22, 2008, and I just got back from our first Rotary gathering where our team gave a presentation about ourselves and Iowa and received many nice gifts and took many pictures.
Our travels began on Sunday, January 20 when we flew out of Waterloo, Iowa. The flight to Minneapolis was short and smooth. We had a four hour layover in Minneapolis where we had lunch in the airport. The next leg of our journey was an 8 hour flight to Amsterdam. Due to a strong tailwind we made it in just under 7 hours—we could choose from a variety of movies to watch on our individual TV. screens and were feed very well—first curry (vegetarian or chicken) and later a breakfast sandwich, fruit and yoghurt. In Amsterdam we walked around the airport, and tried to rest a little. The next flight was to Delhi and there were long lines to stand in to go through the security check, and then upon arrival long lines for going through customs. The flight itself was fine—although it did not have the same features as the flight to Amsterdam (no individual t.v. screens or headsets). We were crowded (the flight was full to the brim) but so tired that most of us were able to sleep a little bit (a couple of hours). Our flight arrived at about midnight in Delhi and after a long time standing in line to go through customs we were able to retrieve all of our luggage. We didn’t loose any luggage, but Molly’s suitcase lost one of its wheels.
Next we got a taxi—actually it was a small, old, VW van, our luggage did not all fit in it (along with the 5 of us and the driver) so about half of it was put on top of the van. We quickly learned that the rules of the road are quite different in India than the U.S.—the most obvious difference is that they drive on the opposite side—however the lane lines that are marked do not seem to serve any purpose as drivers ignore them. In fact it was hard to tell which way everyone was going and whether or not there were any rules governing driving in India. Cars, pedestrians, bicyclers, motorcyclists and other modes of transport all mingle together, turning and going whichever way they want—intersections or round-abouts are particularly interesting. The cows roaming the streets add yet another interesting element to the driving experience. It is definitely not for the faint of heart. Our driver did not know of the hotel, but after stopping and making some calls he was able to find out where it was. Unfortunately when we got to the hotel, they were out of rooms, BUT, they had some rooms in another place—just down the block. When we got to the other place we weren’t sure if we were in an occupied building or not—they had to use flashlights to bring us to our rooms and there was no heat. (Even with our light coats on we were quite cold). The rooms were clean though and the bed and pillow were very welcome!
The next morning we had a late breakfast at the building/hotel that we first stopped at and then loaded our bags onto and into the taxis (this time we got cozy in two small taxis). The trip to the airport was uneventful but we were still not used to the “style” of driving in Delhi—surprisingly we did not witness any accidents but we thought several times that we might—or that we might be in one. Our flight to Raipur was delayed an hour but that was not a problem. It may have delayed our hosts however who were waiting for us at the airport. It was quite the welcome—we were all presented with a beautiful bouquet of flowers and fresh flower leighs (marigolds, and roses I believe). The local press and about 20 Rotarians and their families were there taking photos and holding up a large banner welcoming us with our photos on it! Wow what a welcome! Next we were loaded into our host’s cars or taken to our host’s homes. There we were asked to get ready in formal dress for a joint Rotary Club meeting for us. Many hosts provided traditional formal clothes for the women to wear. My host took me to a wedding reception of one of their friends—what a beautiful, elaborate affair. There was I believe nearly every Indian food dish there and the decorations were gorgeous--fresh flowers everywhere. I will hopefully be able to post some photos to the blog.
Next on to the meeting—we all arrived around 10:00 p.m. (it was scheduled for 9:00 but I’m learning that in India that translates to one hour later). After many pleasantries we gave our presentation, and were then presented with beautiful wooden carvings. Evidently this area is known for its art and culture. Now it’s time for bed—tomorrow brings a visit to a school and a trip to a nature reserve of some sort.
More later….
It is now Wednesday morning and I have a little time before we head out for breakfast and the visit to the school. My host family is a member of the Sick (I’m not sure how to spell it) religious group. Some of their practices include men not cutting their hair and wearing a special turban, they also have their daily prayers and scripture readings that they recite or read.
Last night my hosts put up a mosquito netting to help with any mosquitoes—I saw a few but none of them bothered me. My bed was a wooden platform with a rug and small pad on it.
Yesterday in Delhi it was quite chilly for us all—most of the Indian people there were wearing sweaters and winter coats and hats. We left most of our winter clothes behind so we were quite cool. Our hotel did not have much hot water so I had a cold shower, although the night before there was lots of hot water when Susan showered so I think it was just the time that I was showering. At my current host family, they do not have hot water, nor do they have toilet paper, but fortunately I did bring some. Their house is quite modest, but they own a very large home right next door that they are planning to move to in this next year. The plan is that perhaps their two sons (and their families) will move into the large house with them. My host’s mother lives in a house right next door and they want to be close to her to help her with anything that she needs.
Friday, January 18, 2008
The final preparations are being made. It is a great time to be flying off to the warmer climate of East Central India because Iowa is expecting very cold weather the next week. Ha, enjoy everyone.Packing and trying to decide what to take and what not. Do I check it or carry it? Theres a lot to think about. The one thing I will carry on, the Pepto Bismal and Imodium.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Neighbor and his sled dogs
This is a short video clip of our neighbor, Lyle Wendeland with his sled dogs near his house.
Kathy's Final Week of Preparation
One week from today our team will be heading off to India for our adventure. The last few days I have been trying to gather photos of "my life here in Iowa" and gather everything that I want to bring with. I have been advised to pack light--but my pile of items to bring is growing quickly.
I am very grateful for this incredible opportunity, and feel so blessed to have the terrific support of NIACC where I work, the colleagues in my department, my family and the Mason City Rotary Club that is sponsoring me. Thank you to all of you! I wish I could take you all with--but I'm afraid my luggage is already close to the maximum limits.
I wanted to try posting a movie clip that I made yesterday of our neighbor who took up a new hobby this year--working with sled dogs. The conditions were unideal (very icy) so it was a little dangerous for him, but he very graciously did it anyway.
I am very grateful for this incredible opportunity, and feel so blessed to have the terrific support of NIACC where I work, the colleagues in my department, my family and the Mason City Rotary Club that is sponsoring me. Thank you to all of you! I wish I could take you all with--but I'm afraid my luggage is already close to the maximum limits.
I wanted to try posting a movie clip that I made yesterday of our neighbor who took up a new hobby this year--working with sled dogs. The conditions were unideal (very icy) so it was a little dangerous for him, but he very graciously did it anyway.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Saturday, January 5, 2008
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