Alleppey

Alleppey

Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2006--Kumbalam to Alleppey

Well, it was a rush this morning to get off. I wanted to finish the project I was doing for Joseph, but his computer kept going off line as the phone would ring. I finally got the information I needed from his e-mail and got online. I placed three notices on http://www.ideal.org , a website for non-profit organizations seeking volunteers--one for a volunteer to assist in teaching English, another for volunteers in other subjects to assist the teachers, and one for a job opening in which he is trying to hire a retired (or retiring) principal or master teacher from the U.S. to come serve as principal of the school. The latter is an effort to get someone who knows the U.S. system of active learning, development of thinking/reasoning skills, etc. The person would also do lots of teacher development trying to teach the teachers how to change the instructional program to emphasize these. Maybe there will be an Indian from Kerala who will see it and want to do like Joseph--come back and help his former State. If not, maybe a U.S. principal or teacher would like the challenge. It isn't necessary that he/she speak the local language.

I couldn't find Joseph when it was time to leave, so I had to leave without saying good-bye to him. I saw most of the kids and said good-bye to them. They all wanted to know when I would be coming back. I might make another visit in a couple of years to see them. I just have to see.

The bus was late, so I waited on the road for it for about 45 minutes. When it came, it was full. I had to stand up for the first 20 minutes. And my suitcase was in the way. But then I got a seat in front with my suitcase beside the driver. When we arrived in Kollam, there was a fast bus leaving immediately for Alleppey, so I was lucky.

We were slowed down on the way here, however. Today is the 50th anniversary of the founding of the four states in the southern part of India. There were celebration marches in every town we passed. These were big marches with drums, elephants, colorful umbrellas with bangles hanging from the rims, etc. Some of the marches stretched for very long distances and even stopped traffic as they turned to return into town. But it was fun seeing it, and I was in no rush.

I got to Alleppey around noon. I was approached immediately at the bus station by a guy wanting to take me to his place for a room. I took his card, but I insisted that I wanted to look at places by myself. I told him I could come look at his place if the first two places I wanted to try didn't work out. I crossed a canal on a footbridge and couldn't find my first place. I continued down a narrow street, and a guy met me and said he had rooms. It was a new place. I looked at it and really liked it. It is new and clean and bright and private. It has screened wire on the windows and a mosquito net over the bed. (That's important here, since this is the center of two epidemics of mosquito-borne diseases right now.) I got the room with cable TV (which he brought from the office) for $6.50 per night. I immediately fell asleep and napped. Then I watched CNN. Now I am in town exploring.

Alleppey is the center of the backwater tours in Kerala. It's a beautiful area. I've done the tours, though. I would like to take a houseboat trip, but they are too expensive for one person. It's best to have 5-8 people for those. Anyone want to join me?