Saree Part Two

The first Saree I ever bought, Completed!
The Girls all Fancy

Scott's Idea to make a Triangle Formation _ The Guys
*Scott is a cheerleader for VA Tech

Summer SIP 2011 Group = Family

Finally got the saree pieces back in one piece and I was anxious to try on this decorative tablecloth. So my next door neighbor, Meg, and I decided we would give it a shot. Upon first try I could barely move. I stumbled upstairs to my resident area director and she stifled a giggle while ushering me to the corner to help me put it on properly.

The time came where I had to seriously wear the Saree and this was during our cultural night/goodbye dinner to the Nordic students. All of us crowded in one of the international girls' rooms while my resident director with pins in mouth and hand, waded through the vast amounts of cloth on each girls' dress.

In the end I think it turned out pretty nicely, and we enjoyed a nice night of jokes, storytelling, great food, dressing up, and going out afterwards in the city.

And the Mummy Returns

Warangal Ruins

TAJ Mahal Tomb

King Akbar's Tomb in Delhi

Each picture denotes a 1000 words I will never know the full story behind. Tombs. I don't even know how to linguistically describe the astounding beauty of all the tombs I have seen on this trip. They are so elaborate. Every time I see a shocking piece of architecture and lean out the window to take a picture, I find out it is someone's gravestone.

It is a way for the memory and grandeur of these noble beings, kings, great leaders, hypothesized gods/goddesses to live on. It is a way for their actions and legacy to live on. It is a way for them to continually return to be a part of Indian and Hindu culture/society. So while the mummies' remains may be long decomposed, it is believed the spirits of these people stand guard and can hear your prayers or wishes when you enter into their tomb rooms; a place considered sacred.

While I am no king or noblewoman, I aspire to have such love after my death.

Fairy Tales

Do you believe in Fairy Tales? Well I like pina coladas, and going out in the rain.
India has its own version of Mythology, Aesop's fables, Cinderella's, etc.

There was a storytelling book for younger children that had tales of all kinds, meant to teach moral lessons. There was the tale of the Magic Tabla or drum, the tale of the Unlucky coconut, the smart princess, the two theives, the lady who had the lucky bag, silence is golden, and many more. I read all these stories in my free time on the roof of our international hostel and realized that while they were adapted to fit the cultural norms of India, many of the stories were very similar to American and British tales.

The below three books are Sacred Texts which build the foundation for Hinduism faith and spirituality.

Mahabharata.

It is a historical account of how Hinduism faith came to exist. It denotes tales of Gods and Demons fighting, birth of other great kings or celestial beings and the battle of the cosmic forces. I actually got a copy of this in a condensed form to take home.
My favorite story was about the woman goddess who was from the river. She would appear every now and then to either born a celestial being that would grow up to be great, or to inflict her wrath upon the evil ways of men.
The other two books also tell of heroic tales and the principles to living. I did not get a chance to read these, but was introduced to their ideas briefly in my Contemporary India course.

Ramayana.

This text tells about India during the time period 1000 BCE and offers models in Dharma. There is a main hero to the story, Rama, who lived his whole life by the rules of Dharma and is also the reason why he is revered so much. His exemplary life as the perfect son and ideal husband has impacted the way many Indian men reflect upon their own characters.

Bhagavatam.

This is one of the most important classics in Indian history as it recounts the story of Lord Krishna. As an important source of ancient Vedic Wisdom it is easily referred to as the Hindu-Bible.

Tall Tales
The tour guides would also tell us stories of how certain temples or architectural masterpieces came to exist or what Gods they were dedicated to.

Out with the Old in with the New

Oh Delhi Belly....

The fall students are here and taking things by storm. They have already fallen ill, pined at going out and about, and started their own semester flings. Regardless, they have 5 months here so they better get used to it. Although we are fighting each day to see who gets the last seat in the cafe or the last chair in our one common lounge upstairs, we are all making an effort to get to know each other, even if it is only for a few more days. Last night was a great example of bonding with students we probably won't hear from for half a year or more. The summer ISA and Fall ISA group got together to have a light snack before the movie Delhi Belly.

We went to a nice eatery on a balcony in Jubilee Hills Andra Pradesh, India. It had bungalows and sweeping curtains with low couches.


The movie itself was hilarious. It was all in Hindi, with a few words in English. It was like India's version of the Hangover but with a different plotline. There were three friends and they got themselves involved in the craziest drug war scandal with a side of the insanely tall strong ex-husband/bathroom problems/affairs and blackmail/ and an unwanted marriage.

We all were rolling on the floor with tears even with the language barrier. From taking hindi I could understand some of the commands and basic introductions, but beyond that I had to employ the help of our program director or his girlfriend for the rest of the jokes. Most of the movie was action and funny occurences so that we could understand it easily enough.

Even now I wonder how my fall counterparts in the ISA program are doing. Have they gotten to watch any more Bollywood (India's name for their cinema entertainment) films? Have they traveled? Are their classes as easy as ours were? Are they playing with my angel and keeping her company everyday? Are they making weekend trips to the boulders on campus overlooking the lake and having bonfires with a Kingfisher in hand and some smores? Are they doing all the things we did as Summer SIP students or more? One thing I do know for sure- they are having a blast! Studying abroad is easily one of the best decisions one can make.

The Golden Triangle - A Treasure indeed

Golden Triangle Excursion- Delhi, Agra, Jaipur - June 8-13

Standing tall at Jaipur Palace on the Mountains

The TAJ MAHAL _one of the 8 wonders of the world Agra, India

Balcony in Delhi eating Kababs

Lodhi Gardens with our new friend - Delhi, India

Great Archway or Wall of India - no not the one I mention seeing in Jaipur- this one is a national Landmark in Delhi

So now that I am officially back in Miami, I mustered up the willpower and creativity to write about my experience during my Golden Triangle Excursion. It is still a wonder that I can remember the exact emotions and awe I felt as we were traveling through these first few days. When I think about it, it is almost as if this happened last week, not three months ago.

I remember thinking how lucky I was. I remember all four of us in the ISA group just marveling over the fact that we were in India and experiencing it all. Our driver was great and very patient. He took us over miles of plains, but these plains included elephants, monkeys, dogs, lots of cows, the occasional farmer or family on motorcycle, and of course huts strewn about the landscape like trees. There were very few trees in fact, and when we passed by Rajasthan, we saw many mountains, which was a sight to see because at least where I am from its flat ground or BELOW sea level.

Of course, first was Delhi, where we arrived. My first impression of Delhi was that it was very city like, very bustling, but that there was also a significant amount of men out, not women.

Delhi was also the first place I saw immense poverty in India; this included people living in garbage bins, lying in the ditches by the roadside next to the sewage waste and dead animals, and so many undernourished people, children, babies. I knew right then it was completely different from anything I had imagined, saw on tv, or witnessed in the US. There is nothing more blatantly overwhelming than witnessing an injustice firsthand, and poverty among millions was that injustice.

A paradox to the heartfelt, civic minded individual is that you can't just give money to any one person on the street as much as you may want to, because then you become the target for the rest of the homeless to overtake you and this can be dangerous. As much as it pains you, we were advised to just keep walking or only give out food items. Many times, children who beg for money never get to keep their earnings and have to give it to some kind of overpowering master or "pimp".

Besides the poverty, there were also positive aspects to Delhi, such as the beautiful Lodhi Gardens where one could get lost in the maze of adventure. We all climbed upon ruined ancient buildings watching the sunset prey over the old tales of grandeur. It was a sight to see. We got to mingle with locals, three young friends who regularly came to the roof of one such artful construction to work out and jump rope, while listening to Backstreet Boys!

Afterwards we made the trek to some really good Kababs eatery where we enjoyed the spicy taste of this new food with mango juice on a balcony overlooking the starlit city.

The next day we were off to Agra (a five hour drive). Our plan was to hit the hotel at night and then wake up early the next day to see the Taj Mahal _ the main attraction of India and what I thought would be the highlight of my trip then, but now I know there are too many attractions in India to even count or rate which one would be the best. All of the places I visited were unique and astounding in their own ways.

The Taj was surreal. The sun was rising over a quiet sky with blue birds chirping and water gurgling in the fountain extending from the Taj's entrance to the outer wall. The children were playing and running. The tourists (us) were looking around wild-eyed and snapping a dozen pictures. It was amazing. Our tour guide told us so much about the tomb and its motivation behind the construction. Basically this Moorish King had been married to three wives, but out of all of them only his third gave him such a promising heirloom of a total 17 children. She died giving childbirth, so it is out of remorse, guilt, and maybe a little obsessive awe that this King felt obligated to give her the best memorial in all of India. He spent away numerous funds of the kingdom so that his own son had to imprison him in the Agra Fort so as to control his unresponsible actions. The King had all the workers' hands cut off, or killed after the Taj Mahal was completed so that the design would not be replicated; however a few months later he wanted to construct a Black Taj in honor of his own death and he realized he needed new workers. AT this point his son said "enough is enough" and threw him in one of the rooms_not an unpleasant space, but nonetheless he was in prison.

After Agra it was another 5 or 6 hours to what will be known as one of my favorite cities, Jaipur_The Pink City. It is such a beautifully antiquated little place. There is an old part of the city and a newer part and both have their charms. I remember the window palace with hundreds of glass windows where women used to look out at the proceedings of the day. The entire building was impressive. I remember the fort palace on the mountaintop where one of the most beautiful women used to live. There was the water palace, still being guarded by soldiers, just lying half in and half out of the water; and yes there are rooms underneath the water. It was really a unique city. We were greeted by mountains and elephants as we went further and then I saw it; The GREAT WALL of INDIA. It looks exactly how I named it. We got elephant rides up to the top of the palace and got to explore this thousand year old regime on the mountains, it was amazing.

It is pretty obvious why they call this the Golden Triangle. It is like you hit some of the most magnificent treasures in India all in this little triangular region in the north. After playing tourist, we were ready to go to Hyderabad and become civilians, students, integrate ourselves into Indian life and culture.

A Time to Reflect..in the City that Never Sleeps

Welcome to NEW YORK! (Where everything is larger than life-literally)

I and Elmo in Times Square--good ol' buddies

The Busy streets of NY on a bustling morning

Im typing this from behind an orderly desk in an orderly fourth floor in an eloquent building in the middle of Manhattan in New York City. Yes I am in the New York Public Library but my mind is still in India. I just arrived this morning and while I had a 11 hour layover in Newark I decided to hop the airtrain to New York City just to use their library so I could write this blog...not really. I wanted to see New York while I was here well because its new york. It is the city that gives you inspiration, great ideas, and its a great place for me to grab a coffee from one of the numerous starbucks that have hour long lines and just look up at the empire state building while I reflect about my time in India. I am touring all of this grandeur city's sites in a salvar kamis (which is an indian traditional dress suit girls wear) with henna on my hands. I look fresh off the boat from India. I guess you could say, I don't really look that American anymore.

I still miss her (India) very much. It hit me a little while we were taking off in Delhi and I was listening to some bluesy jazz song that seemed to fit the mood. I just kept thinking about all those people and especially the lil angel/rascal (my resident director's three year old) and if I will ever see them again, and if so, when?

At this point many people had already made it back to the states so I had a whole flight alone to reflect but I didn't wish to sit 13 or 14 hours sulking at how much I would miss the amazing life I had in India so I read books and watched movies instead. I actually slept a good 8 or so hours on the plane, very surpised at this feat. When I got to Newark, with coffee in hand and chocolate danish crammed in my purse, I just knew I had to go for it and see New York. So you can imagine me bustling about to get a train ticket and riding in a fit of excitement to the center of broadway, singing out loud "I'm in New Yoooorrrk" as if I am a glee cast member.

Then I trek through the many street having no idea where I am going or what I will find, just spontaneously moving forward and looking at street signs and occasionally asking someone where such and such is (i.e the library so I can write my blog, Times Square of course, where they film the Good Morning America Show, which I passed by and got to be on tv for a good second, and Central Park). Yes I visited all these places and some. I was about to go shopping until I remembered I am in America again and it isn't as cheap as India was, where I was almost living like the well off doctor I aspire to one day be. The cheap cost of everything in India is going to dissuade me from shopping here for awhile or worse I will try to bargain a price on everything.

Thus I headed back to Newark Intl Airport to check into security with a smile on my face and a tiredness seeping in since after all it is now night time in India. But I have much to do when I get home, besides finish all my other blog posts that I started but never quite had the time to finish while in India. I must also distribute gifts like Santa on Christmas, probably eat tons of American food- which I don't mind because I missed it sooo much, talk about everything to everybody countless times, and I know my brother wants to watch Harry Potter so I best make good use of that three hour plane trip home because the next few days will be full of family/friends that I have neglected in the US while making newer friends overseas.

I must also get to writing the people I became close with in India, keeping in touch with them in case I do one day return, along with planning my trip to CALI- yes the other side of the continent! I have never been on the west coast, the farthest being Tennessee. But now I have a reason; five of my study abroad friends live in Cali, and one of them lives in Puerto Rico. She will be traveling with me hopefully when we visit.

So was studying abroad worth it? I don't even have to reflect on that. It is more than an experience. Sometimes we get caught up in our daily "busybody" lives back home, but when we get the opportunity to go somewhere completely different and experience and learn new things, you realize how much bigger LIFE is.

Pearl of the Orient

Goa when it's not monsoon season

Romance, Espanol, Portuguese Indians, great Mexican food, monsoon, swaying palms, motorbikes, cliffs, beaches, Baskin Robbins, shark, and wet everything. Yes this just about sums up my time in Goa - West Coast of India. Alot of these words seem to have nothing in common, more like a discombobulated mixture of everything good and bizarre.

It didn't feel like India. This much was for sure. No women in sarees, the men looked different (more spanish, more exotic), the seafood was superb, there were signs I understood (in Spanish), there were lots of churches, and there was the beachside which reminded one of Hawaii.

So besides the 12 hour bus ride and random hindi movies, our trip there wasn't so bad. We left at night on a sleeper charter bus which allowed us to fall asleep and almost wake up when we arrived. Upon arriving, clouds and rain greeted us, but we didn't let that dampen our spirits like it dampened our clothes.

That first day we actually made it in time for the continental breakfast! Afterwards I did heena on myself and two other girls. We napped and while everyone else decided to bounce and explore, we decided us girls would have our own adventures.

We walked around the little neighborhood area not far from our hotel, the Castle House (amazing, I rate it 5 stars). We stopped at a little cafe and bar called Infantaria. I had amazing prawns (shrimp) and some peach iced tea. We went window shopping along the market trying to see if we could gain bargains for some of the cute sandals and rompers hanging in the doorways. One girl convinced me to buy this corn that they grill and douse in lime and masala. It was hands down the best corn on the cob I have ever tasted. (It stopped raining enough for us to do all this. )

That night, as a group we decided to have dinner on the famous Calagunte Beach at Souza Lobo and hookah aftwerwards in candelit benches in the sand facing the sweet ocean's spray.

It rained a little and then I got on the motorbike with a friend and we had a lovely desert of Baskin Robbins on the quieter mystique Baga Beach. The next day my roomate was sick, yet she still toughened up to go out with us. I had gotten a motorbike for the day with gas (guess what, just about 9 US dollars). I had my first accident in the first two seconds without even getting on the bike. Basically my hand was on the accelerator and I ran the bike into the wall and scraped it along with my arm. No serious injuries, but everyone laughed at my clumsiness. Afterwards we would end up pushing our motorbikes miles upon miles (approx. 300 km) around Goa in torrenting violent rains, which I survived unscathed.

Riding around on motorbikes was definitely a highlight to my weekend, regardless of the rain and wetness everywhere. We explored some of the beaches, temples, and beautiful scenery apparent everywhere in Goa. We went back and got ready in the little remaining dry clothes we had left for dinner at Infantaria and desert at Souza Lobo (consisting of Flan).

At Infantaria, we had the best pasta I have ever tasted. That night I went exploring in the vast Jungles on motorbike to discover an old fort with a lighthouse guarding its trenches. If you went around the backside there was a lovely view of Goa, the city lights, the beaches hugging the oceans slapping waves and rocky sides, and this hillside of moss trees. Everything was serene and romantic. I believe Goa is a place for the honeymooners. We went down to another beach that started with an S near the Villanova Taj, which is apparently the king of all hotels. It extended several acres and looked like a 5 star resort only celebrities would stay in. There was a brick walkway border that had a path extending into the ocean and the private beaches with palm tree walls gave it an added touch.

The next day was our last day so we ate at an awesome Mexican Restaurant where I had tostadas and excellent Chai. We then all split up so some of us could see the lighthouse and others could see the cliffside and Anjuna Beach/Fort. The cliffside was lovely, you could see each green hillside jutting out into the ocean like fingers. We went down and took a few pictures and by the time we climbed back up the hillside it started to rain. There was a little market facing the ocean on that hillside where I purchased elephant tusk necklaces with different animals carved intricately in the material.

We traveled back, fully satisfied, maybe a little sick, and ready for dry weather after an unforgettable amazing 3 days in Goa. I loved it all because I got to explore, get closer to my friends in the summer program, and eat richly delicious food.