Friday, Dec. 30, Copenhagen
Grethe was off work today. The sun was out, and everything was beautiful with about 30-40 cm (12-16 inches) of snow everywhere. We stayed inside during the morning and watched the film Frida which we had recorded. Then we left at 11:30 for the rest of the day.
We went first to Nørrebrogade, a street where many immigrants live and work. We went to my favorite shawarma place and each ate TWO sandwiches (pita stuffed with shaved meat, lettuce, tomatoes, and sauce). I put lots of hot pepper sauce on mine! UMMMM!
We proceeded downtown from there and went to the bookshop to use my gift certificate Grethe had given me for Christmas. I got two books I had considered buying in India--Salman Rushdie's first novel that made him famous, Midnight Children, and the current Indian best seller throughout the world, Shantaram by Gregory David Robetts, his life story about being a criminal and drug addict in Australia, escaping from jail, fleeing to India, becoming a Bollywood actor, leaving to fight in Afghanistan, etc. Here are links to both books:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0140132708/qid=1136028366/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-5166609-4721752?s=books&v=glance&n=283155
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312330537/ref=pd_bbs_null_2/102-5166609-4721752?s=books&v=glance&n=283155
Grethe wanted to go to Tivoli. It was the last day of the Christmas season there, so we spent about 1 1/2 hours wandering through the park. I took some good snow pictures. Grethe looked for sales and was disappointed to find there weren't any that were worthwhile. We got good close-up views, however, of the animated Christmas scenes and enjoyed the winter landscape.
http://www.tivoli.dk/composite-2450.htm
From there, we went to a next-door cinema to see Brokeback Mountain. It's very popular here. The former TV film critic (retired now) for Danmark Radio TV was in the audience with us. It was nice to see the film outside the U.S. I'm sure there were gasps in the audience in the U.S. when the guys had their kissing and their sex scenes. Here, it is considered a natural part of life.
http://www.brokebackmountainmovie.com/splash.html
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/brokeback_mountain/
I had a surprise at 6:20. Grethe and I were at Føtex to find some flowers to take to Jens' and Robert's when I heard someone say, "Randy?" I knew it was likely to happen, since I know so many people here. It was Stig from WHO and his partner Harry. How nice it was to be recognized and to see them briefly. I told Stig I hope to go by WHO on Tuesday of next week.
We had dinner with Jens, Robert, and thier friend Claus. It's so nice to be in their new, roomy apartment with them. We were so comfortable. And with its dishwasher, Robert no longer gets upset about being the one responsible for cleaning up. We had drinks with rice chips. T hen Jens brought out a beautiful 4 kg (9 lb) roast turkey. It was served with his fantastic potato salad (sliced boiled potatoes, sliced cherry tomatoes, chopped chives, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper) and a bread dressing he made. We all stuffed outselves and drank a nice Italian wine. Later, we had sacher torte with coffee and drambuie. Grethe and I stayed until 11:45, the latest I have been out in ages, before leaving to walk with Claus to the stop where he caught the metro and we got a bus. It was a great day and evening.
Saturday, December 31, 2005
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Winter in Copenhagen
Tuesday, Dec. 27, Copenhagen (Part II)
It snowed off and on all day. Sometimes it was quite heavy with huge flakes. The temperature hovered just above freezing so that the roads stayed safe and clear. It was fun to watch it fall, however. An even biger storm is expected on Thursday with the temperature staying below freezing.
The dinner went well, although Grethe was nervous about it in advance. She kept worrying that things should be started earlier than necessary. Helle was sick and couldn't come. But Morten, Ejgil and Preben were here. I made guacamole, chips, and bloody marys as a beginning appetizer/drink. Then we had duck-vegetable soup as the first course with Italian bread. For the main meal, we had roasted chicken seasoned with paprika, garlic and butter which was servecd with basmati rice, green beans, and a white basil sauce. Afterwards, we had chocolates, cookies, and coffee. Because E & P live about 1 1/2 hours away by train, they had to leave at 10:00 to make the last train home. Morten left about 30 minutes later, since tomorrow is a work day for him.
Wednesday, Dec. 28, Copenhagen
I took the bus at 10:00 to Evy's and Arvind's apartment. Oh, it was cold outside with a blowing wind! Then we all took another bus to Café Kronborg where Anita was celebrating her 50th birthday. It's a basement restaurant with thick walls, old pictures, a fireplace that had a live fire, and lots of atmosphere in general.
Many people were there. I saw Annie and her son Tony who I hadn't seen for two years. I sat with Poul and Birte who usually take care of me at these events. Birte has finished law school and is now an assistant to one of the judges in a court. Poul's friend Bo was there and sat with us with his girfriend who is originally from Austin.
I returned to the apartment and napped during the afternoon. Then Grethe and I prepared dinner for Jens and Robert. It was almost the same menu as last night, except that she made fruit salad for dessert and we had vermouth rather than bloody marys for the before-dinner drink. They arrived on time. It was good to see them. They stayed until 10:00, leaving then due to Grethe dhaving to get up early for work and out of fear that the snow storm everyone is expecting might arrive at any time.
Thursday, Dec. 29, Copenhagen
There's been a major snow storm today. Snow has fallen all day and is thick on the ground, the cars, etc. I'm so glad I could stay inside and just enjoy watching it through the windows. Evy called to cancel the trip to their summer house saying it would be too dangerous to go.
I stayed indoors and read both a book and on the Internet. I researched hotels where I might stay inh Lisbon and found 4 possibilities ranging from $43 to $63 per night. I'll decide on one in a day or two and make a reservation.
I also made some phone calls today. I reached several people and was able to catch up on what is happening in their lives.
Grethe got home at 3:30. We had coffee and pastries and watched the 3rd part of Angels in America. We had leftovers for dinner--the chicken with a curry sauce, potatoes, etc. I'm gappy we didn't have to go out into the snow storm tonight.
It snowed off and on all day. Sometimes it was quite heavy with huge flakes. The temperature hovered just above freezing so that the roads stayed safe and clear. It was fun to watch it fall, however. An even biger storm is expected on Thursday with the temperature staying below freezing.
The dinner went well, although Grethe was nervous about it in advance. She kept worrying that things should be started earlier than necessary. Helle was sick and couldn't come. But Morten, Ejgil and Preben were here. I made guacamole, chips, and bloody marys as a beginning appetizer/drink. Then we had duck-vegetable soup as the first course with Italian bread. For the main meal, we had roasted chicken seasoned with paprika, garlic and butter which was servecd with basmati rice, green beans, and a white basil sauce. Afterwards, we had chocolates, cookies, and coffee. Because E & P live about 1 1/2 hours away by train, they had to leave at 10:00 to make the last train home. Morten left about 30 minutes later, since tomorrow is a work day for him.
Wednesday, Dec. 28, Copenhagen
I took the bus at 10:00 to Evy's and Arvind's apartment. Oh, it was cold outside with a blowing wind! Then we all took another bus to Café Kronborg where Anita was celebrating her 50th birthday. It's a basement restaurant with thick walls, old pictures, a fireplace that had a live fire, and lots of atmosphere in general.
Many people were there. I saw Annie and her son Tony who I hadn't seen for two years. I sat with Poul and Birte who usually take care of me at these events. Birte has finished law school and is now an assistant to one of the judges in a court. Poul's friend Bo was there and sat with us with his girfriend who is originally from Austin.
I returned to the apartment and napped during the afternoon. Then Grethe and I prepared dinner for Jens and Robert. It was almost the same menu as last night, except that she made fruit salad for dessert and we had vermouth rather than bloody marys for the before-dinner drink. They arrived on time. It was good to see them. They stayed until 10:00, leaving then due to Grethe dhaving to get up early for work and out of fear that the snow storm everyone is expecting might arrive at any time.
Thursday, Dec. 29, Copenhagen
There's been a major snow storm today. Snow has fallen all day and is thick on the ground, the cars, etc. I'm so glad I could stay inside and just enjoy watching it through the windows. Evy called to cancel the trip to their summer house saying it would be too dangerous to go.
I stayed indoors and read both a book and on the Internet. I researched hotels where I might stay inh Lisbon and found 4 possibilities ranging from $43 to $63 per night. I'll decide on one in a day or two and make a reservation.
I also made some phone calls today. I reached several people and was able to catch up on what is happening in their lives.
Grethe got home at 3:30. We had coffee and pastries and watched the 3rd part of Angels in America. We had leftovers for dinner--the chicken with a curry sauce, potatoes, etc. I'm gappy we didn't have to go out into the snow storm tonight.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Snow and Arne's Birthday
Monday, Dec. 26, Copenhagen (Part II)
I like Jens' and Robert's new apartment. Their things fit well together in it. Also, it is so roomy and airy compared to their previous apartments. There's lots of light coming in.
Old Grethe looks good. She is healthy other than her problems with macular degeneration. She seems to be adapting to that. She gets talking books on CD from the library sent to her and has a special machine for playing them. And she has begun to limit her life to the area very near her apartment.
It was the first time for Nurse Grethe and Old Grethe to meet, although they had both heard about each other from Arne and me before. They liked each other. I thought they would. Nurse rethe had a good time looking at all the paintings on the walls. And both of them shared their experiences related to visiting Texas.
It was a night of tradition and memories for me. Grethe served her homemade cake and cookies which she usually serves. And for dinner, we had her Danish matballs with potatoes and parsley sauce. She made an apricot-apple compote for dessert which we ate with cream. It was both an enjoyable and a sad evening--enjoyable being there, seeing Grethe again, eating her traditional foods, etc. And, of course, it was sad because we can never be together without missing Arne.
Tuesday, Dec. 27 (Arne's Birthday), Copenhagen (Part I)
Grethe recorded the first segment of Angles in America and we watched it this morning. The other two parts will be on TV tonight and tomorrow, so we will see them, too.
My nose is slightly better. Maybe the snow has settled the allergins from the air. It snowed much of yesterday and is still snowing today. It's a light snow, so it isn't deep. I could breathe better while sleeping last night, though. For some reason, however, I have an upset stomach today. I just can't seem to be well while here. I've taken imodium for my stomach.
Today is Arne's birthday. I went to the cemetary and dusted the snow off his wreath and the ceramic angle. I miss him greatly and being here makes the feelings and memories be even more immediate.
Grethe and I have company coming tonight, so I have also been out shopping this morning. I'll prepare most of the meal, so I'll be busy all day. Of course, every day seems busy while I am here. I wish I could have 2-3 days with no commitments, but that's not possible.
I like Jens' and Robert's new apartment. Their things fit well together in it. Also, it is so roomy and airy compared to their previous apartments. There's lots of light coming in.
Old Grethe looks good. She is healthy other than her problems with macular degeneration. She seems to be adapting to that. She gets talking books on CD from the library sent to her and has a special machine for playing them. And she has begun to limit her life to the area very near her apartment.
It was the first time for Nurse Grethe and Old Grethe to meet, although they had both heard about each other from Arne and me before. They liked each other. I thought they would. Nurse rethe had a good time looking at all the paintings on the walls. And both of them shared their experiences related to visiting Texas.
It was a night of tradition and memories for me. Grethe served her homemade cake and cookies which she usually serves. And for dinner, we had her Danish matballs with potatoes and parsley sauce. She made an apricot-apple compote for dessert which we ate with cream. It was both an enjoyable and a sad evening--enjoyable being there, seeing Grethe again, eating her traditional foods, etc. And, of course, it was sad because we can never be together without missing Arne.
Tuesday, Dec. 27 (Arne's Birthday), Copenhagen (Part I)
Grethe recorded the first segment of Angles in America and we watched it this morning. The other two parts will be on TV tonight and tomorrow, so we will see them, too.
My nose is slightly better. Maybe the snow has settled the allergins from the air. It snowed much of yesterday and is still snowing today. It's a light snow, so it isn't deep. I could breathe better while sleeping last night, though. For some reason, however, I have an upset stomach today. I just can't seem to be well while here. I've taken imodium for my stomach.
Today is Arne's birthday. I went to the cemetary and dusted the snow off his wreath and the ceramic angle. I miss him greatly and being here makes the feelings and memories be even more immediate.
Grethe and I have company coming tonight, so I have also been out shopping this morning. I'll prepare most of the meal, so I'll be busy all day. Of course, every day seems busy while I am here. I wish I could have 2-3 days with no commitments, but that's not possible.
Monday, December 26, 2005
First Christmas Day Luncheon
Sunday, Dec. 25, Copenhagen (Part II)
I went to Evy's and Arvind's at 1:30. It was so nice to see everyone again. Gitte, Carit, and their daughter Sascha were there. Neils, his partner Helle, and his twin children Teddy and Sabrina were also there. I've been a part of their family for so many years that I think of them as family. And I know they think of me that way, too.
As usual, Arvind had made a Christmas centerpiece for me. Over the years, he has always done this only for their children and for Arne and me. And Evy had a jar of her homemade pickled herring for me. They updated me on all the happenings in their lives and showed me photos of the new campground where they now have their caravans as summer houses. Arvind has built a small guesthouse, and Evy suggested that Sue and I should come in the summer and stay there with them.
The Christmas luncheon was a huge feast. There was brown (rye) bread and Evy's homemade white bread for making smørebrød (Danish open-faced sandwiches). Among the toppings, which were so numerous that I can't remember them all, were: pickled herrings with onions, herring in wine sauce with onion, herrings in curry sauce, smoked eel with scrambled egg, gravlax and smoked salmon with honey mustard and dill, meatballs with pickle, boiled eggs with caviar (red and black), paté with fried bacon, shrimps with lemon and mayonnaise, etc. We had beer and snaps (akuavit) to drink. Then all of that was followed by a cheese tray (brie, cram cheese with garlic, Norwegian sweet cheese, typical Danish cheese, etc.) and various kinds of crackers. Next came rice-almond pudding with cherry sauce. Then we left the dining table (after 2 1/2 to 3 hours of eating and visiting) to move to the living room where we had coffee with Danish Christmas cookies (klejner, Finskbrød, cocos kranse, pepper nuts, etc.).
For the first time every, Sascha felt comfortable enough to visit with me in English. And Teddy, who is 13 and has been in a gifted and talented program for years, visited with me quite a bit. He's matured so much since I last saw him two years ago. He has a very outgoing personality and sweet facial expressions.
I excused myself at 7:30 and caught the bus back to Grethe's. She had shared a Christmas luncheon with her brother Morten and his wife Helle and then had done laundry. I now have clean clothes! We tried to watch a movie, but I was just too tired. I went to bed at 9:00.
Monday, Dec. 26 (Second Christmas Day), Copenhagen (Part I)
I was quite miserable all night with my stuffy nose and irritated eyes. Grethe thinks I have a cold, but I'm pretty sure it is allergies. My nose is drippy and the mucous is clear when I blow into a tissue. I wish I had some Claratin; I think it would clear up immediately if I did. I may try taking a part of an antihistamine tablet that I have with me to see if it will help. I 'm just worried about it making me sleepy all day.
I also forgot to take my melatonin last night at bedtime. I usually take it the first 3-4 nights to help me adjust to the time zone changes. Since I didn't take it, I awoke earlier than usual this morning. I still slept about 9 hours, however.
Today is still a holiday here in Denmark. People branch out to spend this second Christmas day (third day of holidays here) with friends. I'll see Jens and Ro ert this morning, then Grethe and I will go spend the late afternoon and evening with Old Grethe.
I went to Evy's and Arvind's at 1:30. It was so nice to see everyone again. Gitte, Carit, and their daughter Sascha were there. Neils, his partner Helle, and his twin children Teddy and Sabrina were also there. I've been a part of their family for so many years that I think of them as family. And I know they think of me that way, too.
As usual, Arvind had made a Christmas centerpiece for me. Over the years, he has always done this only for their children and for Arne and me. And Evy had a jar of her homemade pickled herring for me. They updated me on all the happenings in their lives and showed me photos of the new campground where they now have their caravans as summer houses. Arvind has built a small guesthouse, and Evy suggested that Sue and I should come in the summer and stay there with them.
The Christmas luncheon was a huge feast. There was brown (rye) bread and Evy's homemade white bread for making smørebrød (Danish open-faced sandwiches). Among the toppings, which were so numerous that I can't remember them all, were: pickled herrings with onions, herring in wine sauce with onion, herrings in curry sauce, smoked eel with scrambled egg, gravlax and smoked salmon with honey mustard and dill, meatballs with pickle, boiled eggs with caviar (red and black), paté with fried bacon, shrimps with lemon and mayonnaise, etc. We had beer and snaps (akuavit) to drink. Then all of that was followed by a cheese tray (brie, cram cheese with garlic, Norwegian sweet cheese, typical Danish cheese, etc.) and various kinds of crackers. Next came rice-almond pudding with cherry sauce. Then we left the dining table (after 2 1/2 to 3 hours of eating and visiting) to move to the living room where we had coffee with Danish Christmas cookies (klejner, Finskbrød, cocos kranse, pepper nuts, etc.).
For the first time every, Sascha felt comfortable enough to visit with me in English. And Teddy, who is 13 and has been in a gifted and talented program for years, visited with me quite a bit. He's matured so much since I last saw him two years ago. He has a very outgoing personality and sweet facial expressions.
I excused myself at 7:30 and caught the bus back to Grethe's. She had shared a Christmas luncheon with her brother Morten and his wife Helle and then had done laundry. I now have clean clothes! We tried to watch a movie, but I was just too tired. I went to bed at 9:00.
Monday, Dec. 26 (Second Christmas Day), Copenhagen (Part I)
I was quite miserable all night with my stuffy nose and irritated eyes. Grethe thinks I have a cold, but I'm pretty sure it is allergies. My nose is drippy and the mucous is clear when I blow into a tissue. I wish I had some Claratin; I think it would clear up immediately if I did. I may try taking a part of an antihistamine tablet that I have with me to see if it will help. I 'm just worried about it making me sleepy all day.
I also forgot to take my melatonin last night at bedtime. I usually take it the first 3-4 nights to help me adjust to the time zone changes. Since I didn't take it, I awoke earlier than usual this morning. I still slept about 9 hours, however.
Today is still a holiday here in Denmark. People branch out to spend this second Christmas day (third day of holidays here) with friends. I'll see Jens and Ro ert this morning, then Grethe and I will go spend the late afternoon and evening with Old Grethe.
Sunday, December 25, 2005
Jule Aften (Christmas Evening) and First Christmas Day
Saturday, Dec. 24 (Jule Aftens Dag/Christmas Evening Day), Copenhagen (Part II)
The cemetaries were full of people. It is always nice seeing so many people remembering those who are gone. When we arrived at Arne's grave, there was a small ceramic angel and a candle there. I'm sure they were left by Annette, our neighbor who has always appreciated and remembered Arne. I'll call her after Christmas and thank her for being so kind. I placed the candle inside my wreath and the angel on the edge of the wreath. It looked very nice.
I bought a calling card to use while I am here. I called a couple of people yesterday, but the timing wasn't good for finding most people at home. I'll call more people after Christmas is over.
Grethe made a wonderful traditional Danish Christmas dinner for us.æ We enjoyed the meal and then opened gifts while still at the table. She gave me a ticket for an opera at the new opera house, a gift certificate for a bookstore, and some Lubeck marzipan. I gave her some sandalwood soap, an Indian wrap-around fabric, a bag of cashew nuts, and a 2006 leather-bound journal.
My sister Sue called us in the evening. She told us about her Christmas plans in Texas, and we told her about our evening. Grethe received some other calls, but essentially we just had a nice, quiet evening together after dinner.
Sunday, Dec. 25 (First Christmas Day), Copenhagen (Part I)
Grethe and I were up by 8:00. We had a nice, quiet breakfast at her coffee table. She left to go to Hillerød to visit an aunt in the hospital. I made soup using the bones and leftover meat from our duck. We'll add some potatoes and leeks to the soup and serve it as a first course when we have guests on Tuesday night.
I have spent much of the morning remembering how Arne and I always spent our Christmas mornings. I miss them. He made a very special breakfast with treats we normally didn't eat. And we opened gifts we had bought for each other, alternating turns until the 10-20 gifts each had all been opened. Christmas with him was always as special as it was when I was a child.
The cemetaries were full of people. It is always nice seeing so many people remembering those who are gone. When we arrived at Arne's grave, there was a small ceramic angel and a candle there. I'm sure they were left by Annette, our neighbor who has always appreciated and remembered Arne. I'll call her after Christmas and thank her for being so kind. I placed the candle inside my wreath and the angel on the edge of the wreath. It looked very nice.
I bought a calling card to use while I am here. I called a couple of people yesterday, but the timing wasn't good for finding most people at home. I'll call more people after Christmas is over.
Grethe made a wonderful traditional Danish Christmas dinner for us.æ We enjoyed the meal and then opened gifts while still at the table. She gave me a ticket for an opera at the new opera house, a gift certificate for a bookstore, and some Lubeck marzipan. I gave her some sandalwood soap, an Indian wrap-around fabric, a bag of cashew nuts, and a 2006 leather-bound journal.
My sister Sue called us in the evening. She told us about her Christmas plans in Texas, and we told her about our evening. Grethe received some other calls, but essentially we just had a nice, quiet evening together after dinner.
Sunday, Dec. 25 (First Christmas Day), Copenhagen (Part I)
Grethe and I were up by 8:00. We had a nice, quiet breakfast at her coffee table. She left to go to Hillerød to visit an aunt in the hospital. I made soup using the bones and leftover meat from our duck. We'll add some potatoes and leeks to the soup and serve it as a first course when we have guests on Tuesday night.
I have spent much of the morning remembering how Arne and I always spent our Christmas mornings. I miss them. He made a very special breakfast with treats we normally didn't eat. And we opened gifts we had bought for each other, alternating turns until the 10-20 gifts each had all been opened. Christmas with him was always as special as it was when I was a child.
Saturday, December 24, 2005
Glædelig Jul/Merry Christmas!
Thursday, Dec. 22, Last Day in India (Part II)
I went to the cyber cafe I used when I was in Mumbai in September. Then I took a train to see the Victoria and Albert Museum. Unfortunately, it was closed (and has been since 2003) for repairs. I considered going to the zoo next to it, but instead I walked back along a long route. I passed a huge outdoor laundry area. Then I walked down Desai Road and through Kemp's Corner, areas with lots of fancy shops.
I stopped at a bookstore, but they didnøt have the cookbook I wanted. I figure I can probably find the recipes I want on the Internet. Next year, I'll look for the cookbook when I am back in southern India.
I ate a delicious lunch at a Muslim restaurant near Kemp's Corner. I had Chicken Afghani. It was two pieces of chicken wrapped in an omelet and covered with a very tasty curry sauce that had spinach in it. I had two chipatis (like flour tortillas) with it and drank the water they served at the table.
I've spent the afternoon in the hotel. I napped for about 30 minutes. Then I watched a movie on TV. It's 6:30 now. I'll stay in the hotel until 8:30 or 9:00.
_____
It's 9:45 and I am at the airport. It went well getting here. The biggest problem was all the people in the streets. People go out at night here. I left the hotel at 8:30 and had to fight both crowds and traffic to go the 3-4 blocks to the train station. Two lanes of cars were parked leaving only 1 1/2 lanes for all the moving cars and the people who were walking.
I got in the last car of the train. It was always full, but it was never crowded. I did not feel I was in anyone's way. I stood with my legs stradling my suitcase and my backpack directly above the suitcase. The people on the train were friendly and helpful. They let me know when to position myself to exit and which side it would be.
The crowds outside Andheri Station were worse than the ones in the Grant Road area. People were stumbling over my suitcase, but I never lost hold or control of it. The first trishaw driver said his meter was broken. Whether it was or not is questionable. The second, who had seen me leave the first said he would use the meter. It worked out well the way I came. The train was 7 rupees and the trishaw was 33 + 8 for luggage, so I gave him a 50 making the whole trip to the airport cost only $1.31 U.S.
Before leaving the hotel, I went to the same place as last night and got 3 of the spicy potato+pea samosas and two of the sweet ones. It made a perfect snack to tide me over until they feed us on the plane.
Now all I have to do is wait two hours until check-in begins. It's hard to believe I will be in Copenhagen tomorrow. Wish Arne were going to be there to meet me as I exit customs control.
Some final thoughts about India (some of which I have written before):
1. People don't seem to see dirt here. Even in nice places, window panes and the window sills never seem to be cleaned. At the school, it would be days between cleaning the top of our dining table, and even then a DRY cloth, rather than a wet one that would have been much better and more effective, was used. Oh, switches for lights are ALWAYS caked with dirt!!
2. In general, there is no danger to tourists here. I have walked through terrible slums, down streets lined with homeless people, on crowded buses and trains, etc., and there have been no attempts to attach me or to try to steal from me. Indians tend to be honest. Their one fault is to think that westerners have an obligation to pay more than others because it is assumed we are wealthy.
3. The dowry system is a horrible burden on Indian society. Families with girls go into deep debt to pay for a man to marry them. It's a form of social security system providing money for the retirement of the groom's family, but it has terrible consequences. When sonograms were developed, women pregnant with girls started choosing to abort the fetus in many cases. It has led to there being many more men than women now, so that maybe 20% or more of the men may never be able to find a bride. It's now illegal to tell the prospective parents the result of a sonogram, but this is a country where even doctors are happy to make a little extra money from bribes. Bribes are much cheaper than dowries, so the problem with abortions continues.
4. Traffic is a problem here for two reasons. First, there is so much honking. It's irritating, and some of the horns are too loud creating a problem of hearing loss. Second, Big Man rules when it comes to traffic. Trucks and buses come first followed by cars, trishaws, motorcycles, bicycles, and finally, pedestrians. Legally in an accident, however, the bigger party is considered at fault her. Theorhetically that makes everyone have to watch out for those smaller than they are. In practice, though, it's the small man who is having to constantly give way.
Friday, Dec. 23, Mumbai to Frankfurt to Copenhagen
It's 00:39 (12:39 a.m.). I had a very easy time getting checked in and my luggage screened--no wait at all. I'm now at the gate with 2 hours 15 minutes to go until boarding. I was surprised there was no airport tax; my guidebook had warned to have 300 rupees for a fee. Actually, I have about 7000 rupees left, but that's no problem. I'm coming back next year and can spend them then.
_____
The flight went well. No one was in the middle seat, so I could stretch and lean. Also, the man in front of me never reclined his seatback. After the dinner service, I inserted earplugs and slept about 3 1/2 hours.
I had a surprise in Frankfurt. For some reason, I was thinking that my flight to Copenhagen wasn't until 11:40 or so, and we arrived at 8:00. I saw an abandoned US Today newspaper, so I sat and read it casually. At 9:15, I decided to look at my boarding pass for Copenhagen, and it showed 9:20 as the boarding time! I had to go through customs, through the main check-in lobby, through security again, and down another concourse past 25 gates to get to mine. Fortunately, there were no lines either at customs or at security. I arrived at the gate just in time to fall in line behind the last person handing over his boarding pass to board!
The man sitting beside me was unshaven, so I asked if he had traveled all night. He said he had come from Houston and was going home in Norway north of Bergen. He's in the oil business and just took the job in Houston. I gave him my card and told him to contact me if he made a trip to San Antonio some weekend.
Grethe was home when I arrived at 1:30. We had a nice lunch of Danish open-faced sandwiches with snaps and beer. I took a quick shwer and shaved, and we left for town to enjoy the atmosphere. Today is the last shopping day here, since tomorrow is a holiday. We went to Hviid's Vinstue and had two glasses of gløgg. We watched the ice skaters at Kongens Nytorv. We walked through Magasin, Illus's, and Illum's Bolighus, the big department stores. We walked down Strøget, the walking street with its lighted garlands of live greenery and red hearts. We saw the Christmas tables at Royal Copenhagen done this year by restaurantuers. For me, it was all a trip down memory lane of the best moments of my life.
It began to rain, so we caught a bus home. It brought us by Town Hall Square, by Evy's and Arvind's apartment, down Frederiksberg Alle, past the Frederiksberg Have skating rink, and back to Valby. The memories just kept returning.
Grethe made rice porridge for us in the evening. I called Evy and Arvind, Jens and Robert, and Old Grethe. Then I spent some time at the comptuer in an effort to stay awake until 9:00. At that time, I took a melatonin tablet and went to bed. I slept until 7 a.m.
I had a slight sore throat most of the day. It went away at night, but my nose was stuffy. I'm thinking it may be allergies rather than a cold. I'm just sorry to have it at this time when I would like to be on the top!
Saturday, Dec. 24 (Jule Aftens Dag), Copenhagen (Part I)
Glædelig Jul! (Merry Christmas!) This is the day for celebrating Christmas in Denmark. Grethe has been cooking much of the morning--potatoes, roast pork with crispy skin, roast duck stuffed with apples and prunes, stewed apple halves to fill with jam, and rice-almond pudding. While she did that, I wrapped gifts, unpacked, got on the Internet to transfer funds, etc. All the time, Christmas music has played in the background. Now I must clean up so we can take wreaths to put on Ander's and Arne's graves.
I went to the cyber cafe I used when I was in Mumbai in September. Then I took a train to see the Victoria and Albert Museum. Unfortunately, it was closed (and has been since 2003) for repairs. I considered going to the zoo next to it, but instead I walked back along a long route. I passed a huge outdoor laundry area. Then I walked down Desai Road and through Kemp's Corner, areas with lots of fancy shops.
I stopped at a bookstore, but they didnøt have the cookbook I wanted. I figure I can probably find the recipes I want on the Internet. Next year, I'll look for the cookbook when I am back in southern India.
I ate a delicious lunch at a Muslim restaurant near Kemp's Corner. I had Chicken Afghani. It was two pieces of chicken wrapped in an omelet and covered with a very tasty curry sauce that had spinach in it. I had two chipatis (like flour tortillas) with it and drank the water they served at the table.
I've spent the afternoon in the hotel. I napped for about 30 minutes. Then I watched a movie on TV. It's 6:30 now. I'll stay in the hotel until 8:30 or 9:00.
_____
It's 9:45 and I am at the airport. It went well getting here. The biggest problem was all the people in the streets. People go out at night here. I left the hotel at 8:30 and had to fight both crowds and traffic to go the 3-4 blocks to the train station. Two lanes of cars were parked leaving only 1 1/2 lanes for all the moving cars and the people who were walking.
I got in the last car of the train. It was always full, but it was never crowded. I did not feel I was in anyone's way. I stood with my legs stradling my suitcase and my backpack directly above the suitcase. The people on the train were friendly and helpful. They let me know when to position myself to exit and which side it would be.
The crowds outside Andheri Station were worse than the ones in the Grant Road area. People were stumbling over my suitcase, but I never lost hold or control of it. The first trishaw driver said his meter was broken. Whether it was or not is questionable. The second, who had seen me leave the first said he would use the meter. It worked out well the way I came. The train was 7 rupees and the trishaw was 33 + 8 for luggage, so I gave him a 50 making the whole trip to the airport cost only $1.31 U.S.
Before leaving the hotel, I went to the same place as last night and got 3 of the spicy potato+pea samosas and two of the sweet ones. It made a perfect snack to tide me over until they feed us on the plane.
Now all I have to do is wait two hours until check-in begins. It's hard to believe I will be in Copenhagen tomorrow. Wish Arne were going to be there to meet me as I exit customs control.
Some final thoughts about India (some of which I have written before):
1. People don't seem to see dirt here. Even in nice places, window panes and the window sills never seem to be cleaned. At the school, it would be days between cleaning the top of our dining table, and even then a DRY cloth, rather than a wet one that would have been much better and more effective, was used. Oh, switches for lights are ALWAYS caked with dirt!!
2. In general, there is no danger to tourists here. I have walked through terrible slums, down streets lined with homeless people, on crowded buses and trains, etc., and there have been no attempts to attach me or to try to steal from me. Indians tend to be honest. Their one fault is to think that westerners have an obligation to pay more than others because it is assumed we are wealthy.
3. The dowry system is a horrible burden on Indian society. Families with girls go into deep debt to pay for a man to marry them. It's a form of social security system providing money for the retirement of the groom's family, but it has terrible consequences. When sonograms were developed, women pregnant with girls started choosing to abort the fetus in many cases. It has led to there being many more men than women now, so that maybe 20% or more of the men may never be able to find a bride. It's now illegal to tell the prospective parents the result of a sonogram, but this is a country where even doctors are happy to make a little extra money from bribes. Bribes are much cheaper than dowries, so the problem with abortions continues.
4. Traffic is a problem here for two reasons. First, there is so much honking. It's irritating, and some of the horns are too loud creating a problem of hearing loss. Second, Big Man rules when it comes to traffic. Trucks and buses come first followed by cars, trishaws, motorcycles, bicycles, and finally, pedestrians. Legally in an accident, however, the bigger party is considered at fault her. Theorhetically that makes everyone have to watch out for those smaller than they are. In practice, though, it's the small man who is having to constantly give way.
Friday, Dec. 23, Mumbai to Frankfurt to Copenhagen
It's 00:39 (12:39 a.m.). I had a very easy time getting checked in and my luggage screened--no wait at all. I'm now at the gate with 2 hours 15 minutes to go until boarding. I was surprised there was no airport tax; my guidebook had warned to have 300 rupees for a fee. Actually, I have about 7000 rupees left, but that's no problem. I'm coming back next year and can spend them then.
_____
The flight went well. No one was in the middle seat, so I could stretch and lean. Also, the man in front of me never reclined his seatback. After the dinner service, I inserted earplugs and slept about 3 1/2 hours.
I had a surprise in Frankfurt. For some reason, I was thinking that my flight to Copenhagen wasn't until 11:40 or so, and we arrived at 8:00. I saw an abandoned US Today newspaper, so I sat and read it casually. At 9:15, I decided to look at my boarding pass for Copenhagen, and it showed 9:20 as the boarding time! I had to go through customs, through the main check-in lobby, through security again, and down another concourse past 25 gates to get to mine. Fortunately, there were no lines either at customs or at security. I arrived at the gate just in time to fall in line behind the last person handing over his boarding pass to board!
The man sitting beside me was unshaven, so I asked if he had traveled all night. He said he had come from Houston and was going home in Norway north of Bergen. He's in the oil business and just took the job in Houston. I gave him my card and told him to contact me if he made a trip to San Antonio some weekend.
Grethe was home when I arrived at 1:30. We had a nice lunch of Danish open-faced sandwiches with snaps and beer. I took a quick shwer and shaved, and we left for town to enjoy the atmosphere. Today is the last shopping day here, since tomorrow is a holiday. We went to Hviid's Vinstue and had two glasses of gløgg. We watched the ice skaters at Kongens Nytorv. We walked through Magasin, Illus's, and Illum's Bolighus, the big department stores. We walked down Strøget, the walking street with its lighted garlands of live greenery and red hearts. We saw the Christmas tables at Royal Copenhagen done this year by restaurantuers. For me, it was all a trip down memory lane of the best moments of my life.
It began to rain, so we caught a bus home. It brought us by Town Hall Square, by Evy's and Arvind's apartment, down Frederiksberg Alle, past the Frederiksberg Have skating rink, and back to Valby. The memories just kept returning.
Grethe made rice porridge for us in the evening. I called Evy and Arvind, Jens and Robert, and Old Grethe. Then I spent some time at the comptuer in an effort to stay awake until 9:00. At that time, I took a melatonin tablet and went to bed. I slept until 7 a.m.
I had a slight sore throat most of the day. It went away at night, but my nose was stuffy. I'm thinking it may be allergies rather than a cold. I'm just sorry to have it at this time when I would like to be on the top!
Saturday, Dec. 24 (Jule Aftens Dag), Copenhagen (Part I)
Glædelig Jul! (Merry Christmas!) This is the day for celebrating Christmas in Denmark. Grethe has been cooking much of the morning--potatoes, roast pork with crispy skin, roast duck stuffed with apples and prunes, stewed apple halves to fill with jam, and rice-almond pudding. While she did that, I wrapped gifts, unpacked, got on the Internet to transfer funds, etc. All the time, Christmas music has played in the background. Now I must clean up so we can take wreaths to put on Ander's and Arne's graves.
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Leaving for Copenhagen
Monday, Dec. 19, North Goa
It was a year ago today that I arrived in Copenhagen for Christmas. It's four more days before I will arrive there this year.
_____
I took a bus to Mapusa this morning. It was a disappointment. Although it's one of the three larger cities in Goa, it was rather dumpy and ugly looking. I was glad I went, however, for two reasons. First, there was an entergainment program being presented by the schools. I watched as various groups did exercises, performed with long strips of cloth, did a dance in Raj costumes, etc. Several boys explained what it was and visited with me during it. Second, the town has a nice market that was alive with people, since today is a holiday here. It was fun looking although nothing really special was being sold. A few women were there in regional native costume. While there, I ate lunch--a fish curry with rice platter.
I considered going to a beach from Marpusa, but I really didn't want to. So I caught a bus back to Panaji and had to stand all the way. I bought a small house gift for Nurse Grethe. Then I went to a cyber cafe. From there, I walked to the waterfront. It's just another day of passing time.
_____
As I walked back to town, I passed a small park set up with a stage and chairs. A school rock band was testing their sound equipment. I stayed to hear them do 4-5 songs from the 60s and 70s and to understand it was a Christmas party for children. They had games for children to win gifts. The first involved standing in circles by age group and passing a large elastic band which they had to pass their body through (head first) before handing it to the next child. When the music stopped, whoever held the elastic band was eliminated. The last person in each group got a prize. It was interesting, but I was hungry and left to find a restaurant.
The place I chose for dinner was somewhat of a disappointment. The prices were similar to the nice place where I ate last night, but the atmosphere was more like a Denney's in the U.S. or a Vips in Mexico. The food was good, however. I had chicken tikka masala (ordered spicy and leaving me with a tingling tongue) and butter naan. On the side were thin sliced red onions, a green pasty mixture, and "pickle" (pickled lemon or lime rind). I was stuffed when I finished it all.
_____
On the way back to the hotel, I bought another small Christmas present for Nurse Grethe. Sue says she is sure she could find lots to buy here in India, but I find it difficult to find anything worthwhile. What I have is not much, but it is usuable in the west and typical of India.
Tuesday, Dec. 20, Goa to Mumbai
I discovered that the house gift I bought Grethe will not fit in my suitcase. I had expected it to lay flat in the bottom of it. Now I have to worry about hand carrying it while trying to avoid it being damaged, since it is fragile.
I have to check out of my hotel at 11:00. I'll go ahead and catch a bus to Margaon then, I guess.
_____
It's 2:10, and I'm at the train station. My train leaves at 6:00, so I have a long wait. That's fine. I'm just glad to be here. And since my train begins here, it will probably be available for boarding around 5:30.
It was a difficult bus trip here. Every seat was filled, and my luggage was in the way. I had to worry the whole hour-long trip about damaging Grethe's gift. I maneuvered to get up fast and grab my things so I could get out of everyone's way as soon as the bus stopped and avoid having people pushing and pressing to get by me.
The bus station is 3 km north of town, and the train station is 3 km south of town, so I had 6 km (about 3.5 miles) to traverse. Since I was in no hurry, I walked. That allowed me to make two stops. The best bookstore in Goa is here, so I stopped to see if I could buy The Art of Cooking. They didn't have it. That may be good, since I've already got too much of a load and no room anywhere for anything else. The second stop was at a restaurant for lunch. I picked out a place on the road to the train station. It's a vegetarian place. I had the thali (luncheon plate) and two fresh lime sodas.
_____
I'm sitting on the train. Although this is the originating station, it's already almost 20 minutes late departing. So far, I'm the only person in my "compartment" which has 6 seats--4 (2 facing 2) on my side of the aisle and 2 others (1 facting 1) on the other side. I could see that all but one of the seats (the one beside me and sleeping above me) are reserved, so the others must be coming on board later. It's the fanciest (and most expensive--$21 with my over-60 reduction of 30%) train car I've traveled in with only two levels for sleeping, privacy curtains, and seats that are still soft (versus the foam having been worn out).
_____
I had a great dinner. It was served in a thermos=like container. It was chicken and basmati rice with a nice curry sauce and half of a boiled egg. Ummm! I ate every bite.
I also finished reading Possession, A Romance by A. S. Byatt. I've taken longer to read it than most books. One reason is that it's my last novel I brought, so there was no need to rush. Another, however, is that it was almost too intellectual for me. It's about two poets, and there are pages and pages of long epic poems as well as many shorter poems. I found myself very involved in the story, but not wanting to read the poetry as carfully as is required to tie it to the story of what was happening in their lives. I gave it 3 out of 4 stars. And now I have nothing to read until I get to Copenhagen where I think I have 2-3 books stowed in a suitcase.
It's 8:30, and I'm still the only person in my compartment. We arrive early (around 5:30) at Mumbai tomorrow, so I should prepare my bed and see if I can get to sleep.
Wednesday, Dec. 21, Mumbai
A couple entered my compartment just after I had gone to bed last night. I was so tired that I went to sleep and never even heard them make their beds. I slept until 5 this morning when there began to be noises in the carriage. It's now 6:00, and we are nearing Mumbai. It's still dark and just about to turn light.
_____
We arrivedat 7:05. It took about 45 minutes to walk to where the map showed the hotel I had picked out to be. Then it took another hour of asking and looking to realize something wasn't right. I went to another hotel and asked if they had a room. Instead of showing me a single (which was available), they showed me a suite for 1675 rupees and a double for 1375 ruppes. The single was priced at 1125 which I could tell was going to be too much based on the appearance of the double. So I told them I didn't want to see it. I had asked for a single and they should have shown it to me first, I told them. Anyway, I walked to where the map indicated my second choice should be, entered, and it was the place I had originally been looking for! How strange.
My room is rather unique. It has a private bath, but it's down the hall. I have the key to it, and no one else can use it. With this type of bath, the room is only 426. With a bath in the room, the rate would be double that.
I went to the Lufthansa office by train to check on my reservation. While there, I saw the World Press Photo exhibition of winners for 2005. Arne and I used to see this exhibition in Copenhagen each year. The photos are always wonderful. Then I walked back along Marine Drive, a waterfront drive lined with nice art deco buildings 7-8 floors high that are in decent condition but with thye potential to be great if fully restored. Along the way, I watched for the SAS office but never found it.
I took the train to Andheri Station (near the international airport) just to explore the way. I'll probably do that tomorrow night for my flight, since I can travel after rush hours are over.
For a late lunch, I had mutton tikka masala and buttered naan at a nearby muslim restaurant. Tonight for dinner, I just had snacks--two samosas filled with a very spicy potato-green pea mixture and two pieces of fried dough shaped like samosas and soaked in honey.
The evening was quiet. I watched TV and watched people out the window both on the street and in the buildings. Almost everyone in the neighborhood is muslim.
Thursday, Dec. 22, Last Day in Mumbai (Part 1)
I had dreaded today. It's going to be a very long day, since my flight is at 3:25 a.m. tomorrow morning. I will be so happy when I am on the plane. But that will be 18 hours from now. I'll just wander the city in the meantime. But I am lucky that my hotel let me pay half the room rate and extend my stay until midnight. That will allow me to go back to the room to rest, to use the toilet, to watch the news, etc. That's far better than having to be outside all day long waiting until time to go to the airport.
It was a year ago today that I arrived in Copenhagen for Christmas. It's four more days before I will arrive there this year.
_____
I took a bus to Mapusa this morning. It was a disappointment. Although it's one of the three larger cities in Goa, it was rather dumpy and ugly looking. I was glad I went, however, for two reasons. First, there was an entergainment program being presented by the schools. I watched as various groups did exercises, performed with long strips of cloth, did a dance in Raj costumes, etc. Several boys explained what it was and visited with me during it. Second, the town has a nice market that was alive with people, since today is a holiday here. It was fun looking although nothing really special was being sold. A few women were there in regional native costume. While there, I ate lunch--a fish curry with rice platter.
I considered going to a beach from Marpusa, but I really didn't want to. So I caught a bus back to Panaji and had to stand all the way. I bought a small house gift for Nurse Grethe. Then I went to a cyber cafe. From there, I walked to the waterfront. It's just another day of passing time.
_____
As I walked back to town, I passed a small park set up with a stage and chairs. A school rock band was testing their sound equipment. I stayed to hear them do 4-5 songs from the 60s and 70s and to understand it was a Christmas party for children. They had games for children to win gifts. The first involved standing in circles by age group and passing a large elastic band which they had to pass their body through (head first) before handing it to the next child. When the music stopped, whoever held the elastic band was eliminated. The last person in each group got a prize. It was interesting, but I was hungry and left to find a restaurant.
The place I chose for dinner was somewhat of a disappointment. The prices were similar to the nice place where I ate last night, but the atmosphere was more like a Denney's in the U.S. or a Vips in Mexico. The food was good, however. I had chicken tikka masala (ordered spicy and leaving me with a tingling tongue) and butter naan. On the side were thin sliced red onions, a green pasty mixture, and "pickle" (pickled lemon or lime rind). I was stuffed when I finished it all.
_____
On the way back to the hotel, I bought another small Christmas present for Nurse Grethe. Sue says she is sure she could find lots to buy here in India, but I find it difficult to find anything worthwhile. What I have is not much, but it is usuable in the west and typical of India.
Tuesday, Dec. 20, Goa to Mumbai
I discovered that the house gift I bought Grethe will not fit in my suitcase. I had expected it to lay flat in the bottom of it. Now I have to worry about hand carrying it while trying to avoid it being damaged, since it is fragile.
I have to check out of my hotel at 11:00. I'll go ahead and catch a bus to Margaon then, I guess.
_____
It's 2:10, and I'm at the train station. My train leaves at 6:00, so I have a long wait. That's fine. I'm just glad to be here. And since my train begins here, it will probably be available for boarding around 5:30.
It was a difficult bus trip here. Every seat was filled, and my luggage was in the way. I had to worry the whole hour-long trip about damaging Grethe's gift. I maneuvered to get up fast and grab my things so I could get out of everyone's way as soon as the bus stopped and avoid having people pushing and pressing to get by me.
The bus station is 3 km north of town, and the train station is 3 km south of town, so I had 6 km (about 3.5 miles) to traverse. Since I was in no hurry, I walked. That allowed me to make two stops. The best bookstore in Goa is here, so I stopped to see if I could buy The Art of Cooking. They didn't have it. That may be good, since I've already got too much of a load and no room anywhere for anything else. The second stop was at a restaurant for lunch. I picked out a place on the road to the train station. It's a vegetarian place. I had the thali (luncheon plate) and two fresh lime sodas.
_____
I'm sitting on the train. Although this is the originating station, it's already almost 20 minutes late departing. So far, I'm the only person in my "compartment" which has 6 seats--4 (2 facing 2) on my side of the aisle and 2 others (1 facting 1) on the other side. I could see that all but one of the seats (the one beside me and sleeping above me) are reserved, so the others must be coming on board later. It's the fanciest (and most expensive--$21 with my over-60 reduction of 30%) train car I've traveled in with only two levels for sleeping, privacy curtains, and seats that are still soft (versus the foam having been worn out).
_____
I had a great dinner. It was served in a thermos=like container. It was chicken and basmati rice with a nice curry sauce and half of a boiled egg. Ummm! I ate every bite.
I also finished reading Possession, A Romance by A. S. Byatt. I've taken longer to read it than most books. One reason is that it's my last novel I brought, so there was no need to rush. Another, however, is that it was almost too intellectual for me. It's about two poets, and there are pages and pages of long epic poems as well as many shorter poems. I found myself very involved in the story, but not wanting to read the poetry as carfully as is required to tie it to the story of what was happening in their lives. I gave it 3 out of 4 stars. And now I have nothing to read until I get to Copenhagen where I think I have 2-3 books stowed in a suitcase.
It's 8:30, and I'm still the only person in my compartment. We arrive early (around 5:30) at Mumbai tomorrow, so I should prepare my bed and see if I can get to sleep.
Wednesday, Dec. 21, Mumbai
A couple entered my compartment just after I had gone to bed last night. I was so tired that I went to sleep and never even heard them make their beds. I slept until 5 this morning when there began to be noises in the carriage. It's now 6:00, and we are nearing Mumbai. It's still dark and just about to turn light.
_____
We arrivedat 7:05. It took about 45 minutes to walk to where the map showed the hotel I had picked out to be. Then it took another hour of asking and looking to realize something wasn't right. I went to another hotel and asked if they had a room. Instead of showing me a single (which was available), they showed me a suite for 1675 rupees and a double for 1375 ruppes. The single was priced at 1125 which I could tell was going to be too much based on the appearance of the double. So I told them I didn't want to see it. I had asked for a single and they should have shown it to me first, I told them. Anyway, I walked to where the map indicated my second choice should be, entered, and it was the place I had originally been looking for! How strange.
My room is rather unique. It has a private bath, but it's down the hall. I have the key to it, and no one else can use it. With this type of bath, the room is only 426. With a bath in the room, the rate would be double that.
I went to the Lufthansa office by train to check on my reservation. While there, I saw the World Press Photo exhibition of winners for 2005. Arne and I used to see this exhibition in Copenhagen each year. The photos are always wonderful. Then I walked back along Marine Drive, a waterfront drive lined with nice art deco buildings 7-8 floors high that are in decent condition but with thye potential to be great if fully restored. Along the way, I watched for the SAS office but never found it.
I took the train to Andheri Station (near the international airport) just to explore the way. I'll probably do that tomorrow night for my flight, since I can travel after rush hours are over.
For a late lunch, I had mutton tikka masala and buttered naan at a nearby muslim restaurant. Tonight for dinner, I just had snacks--two samosas filled with a very spicy potato-green pea mixture and two pieces of fried dough shaped like samosas and soaked in honey.
The evening was quiet. I watched TV and watched people out the window both on the street and in the buildings. Almost everyone in the neighborhood is muslim.
Thursday, Dec. 22, Last Day in Mumbai (Part 1)
I had dreaded today. It's going to be a very long day, since my flight is at 3:25 a.m. tomorrow morning. I will be so happy when I am on the plane. But that will be 18 hours from now. I'll just wander the city in the meantime. But I am lucky that my hotel let me pay half the room rate and extend my stay until midnight. That will allow me to go back to the room to rest, to use the toilet, to watch the news, etc. That's far better than having to be outside all day long waiting until time to go to the airport.
Monday, December 19, 2005
Final Days in Goa
Friday, Dec. 16, Mangalore to Goa
I checked out of the hotel at 9:10. All hotels here have a 24-hour checkout policy. If you check in at 9:10 a.m., then checout is at 9:10 the next day.
I really had nothing to do, so I walked. I went north, then across and back on a different road. Then I went east and looped around the same way. There ws nothing worth seeing, but it passed the time. At 11:45, I stopped at a cyber cafe. At 12:50, I ate a vegetarian plate--soup, papadam, fried flatbread, 3 vegies, rice, lentil sauce, etc. It was very filling. As usual, I had a lime drink to wash it down.
It's now 1:50 p.m. My train is at 2:40 for Goa. I hope it's on time. I'm a little worried about tonight. The train arrives about 8:45 in Goa, and I don't have a reservation. There's an inexpensive hotel near the train station, so I'm hoping they will have a room. Right now, I have no secondary plan, but I will look at my guidebook again. I wish it weren't Friday; weekends are more likely to be a problem than weekdays are.
_____
It's a full train. I'm so glad I was able to get a reservation last week. I'm not sure where everyone is going or why. A muslim family in the next seating area has huge suitcases and boxes. The only places they could have put them is on the bed berths, since they were too big to go under the seats. How will they sleep when it's time for that?
I'm about an hour from my station. In this air conditioned car, the windows are heavily tinted making it impossible to read the station signs. Six men across the aisle from me have said they will let me know ehn my station is coming up. I'd hate to miss it.
_____
The train was 40 minutes late arriving, but at 9:05 I stepped off it and exited the station to a rush of drivers--motorcycle, motorcycle rickshaw, trishaw, and taxi--all pushing and yelling trying to get business. I might have taken one at that hour, but it was all a turn-off for me. Instead, I walked. It was about 3 km to town, and I took a wrong turn at one point and had to backtrack. People along the way, although surprised to see a tourist walking at that time of night, were friendly and helpful. I walked to probably the second best hotel in town and got a room (one of less than a handful still available at that hotel) at 10:30.
Saturday, Dec. 17, Goa
I got COLD last night. I had to turn off the ceiling fan and cover myself with a blanket. The TV showed a low of 18 degrees C (67-68 F). That's the first time I've been cold in a long time.
Then I had a HOT shower and shave this morning. It's been over 3 months since I've enjoyed those. I feel so good and clean.
_____
It's 11:30, and I'm in a hotel a Panaji (Panjim). Both places I checked had rooms available. What a relief. I'm at the Manvin's Hotel. I have a nice, clean and big room with a wonderful view over the Municipal Gardens and past the old tile roofs to the river. Now I can relax and enjoy Goa.
Most people come here for the beaches. I may go to one for part of a day, but they don't really interest me. I'm more interested in the Portuguese heritage--the architecture, the food, etc. It will be interesting also to see if there are any christmas concerts or programs that I can attend.
_____
Panaji is a nice town. There's an old section with narrow streets and the feel of places like the French Quarter in New Orleans; there are churches like those found in Brazil; there are nice shops, bakeries, and restaurants; etc. It seems quite different from the rest of ndia. For one thing, the people look less Indian; there's a strong influence of Portuguese genes, I guess. Second, saris are seldom seen' most women are wearing western dress including pants and jeans.
I had a late lunch--a paper masala dosa t a place where they are a specialty. It was HUGE and tasty. Then I skipped dinner and ate pastries from two local shops. One was a thin dough rolled tightly and sliced and baked. They were soaked in hone and tasted like the special Christmas cookies David Cordova's sister, Josephine Sheppard, used to make. I had two of those and will go back for more tomorrow. From another place, I had two balls--one a very sweet, crumbly treat and the other a coconut-nut mixture with the taste of some type of liquor flavoring.
Sunday, Dec. 18, Panaji
Being a big tourist area, Goa has more touts and beggars than I've experienced in Kerala. They haven't been too assertive, however. In fact, they are rather good natured. I talked with a wallet salesman who seemed genuinely interseted in a conversation and didn't make a final sales pitch when we parted. The encounter that remains on my mind the most was with a man of about 40-45 who said he was from Bangladesh, had his luggage stolen in Kerala (including his passport), had come here thinking there was a consulate where he could get help only to find he must go to the embassy in Delhi, is an engineer, had only his watch that he could offer anyone, and needed help to buy a train ticket to Delhi. I WANTED to believe him, but I had to tell him I've heard versions of this story at least five times over the years (which is true; it's a common ploy). What bothers me is the chance that he was telling me the truth. But the watch looked cheap, and he offered no ID such as a business card. A person really in that situation would think of alternatives to begging on the street--going to a fellow engineer's office and asking for a temporary loan, going to a mosque to seek assistance (assuming hi's muslim, since h's from Bangladesh), begging for 5-10 rupees to telephone his family to wire money, etc.
_____
I went to Old Goa this morning after having an omelet and toast at my hotel. ld Goa is a World Heritage Site and consists of a cluster of churches, convents, and ruins. It was full of tourists by the time I left, but it was rather quiet when I arrived at 10:15. I had rather peaceful visits in the museum and the churches. Interesting in the museum were the sati stones marking the practice of widow burning. In the Basilica of Bom Jesus is the tomb of St. Francis Xavier, an elegant marble and jasper gift of the Medici family.
On my return to Panaji, I went back for more pastries (called Kaja) like the ones Josephine Sheppard used to make. I had them with a mango milkshake. Then I bought 4 mandarin oranges which I ate at the park.
A street salesman had a bag just like the one Evy and Arvind gave me last year--the one I am carrying and using now. I will continue to use the present one, but it has already been repaired once and is showing wear and tear. I bought the new one and put it in the bottom of my suitcase ready for when the present one finally goes.
_____
I went back to Old Goa. I didn't intend to. I wanted to go to Ribandar, a waterfront village of old homes halfway between here and there. I couldn't tell where to get off though, and no one near me knew the place by that name. So I went to Old Goa and then caught another bus back. Both buses were packed. I had a seat in the first one, but people were pushing and leaning against me all the way. I had to stand and push against people myself on the way back. That's the story of bus trips in India.
Panaji has a long waterfront promenade, so I walked the length of it and back while watchign the sun set. Then I went to a nice restaurant for dinner--the Venite. I ordered butter garlic bread as an appetizer. Then I had pork vindaloo with rice and mixed vegetables. I drank a Kingfisher beer with it all. It was a very stylish place--great atmosphere. An Australian man was at a table next to me, and we visited back and forth for 1 1/2 hours while I ate my food and he had his mixed seafood platter. We talked about traveling, Australia, footy, Bangkok, etc.
The church near my hotel was having a Christmas celebration tonight. A choir was singing Christmas carols and there were booths with games and food. (The food looked good; I was sorry I had already eaten.) I got an apple drink and sat with two men from Kashmir who own a fancy gift shop in the next block from my hotel and who also happen to live full-time in my hotel. It was nice to hear christams carols. Also many buildings have lights making it feel like Christmas here. I could feel the spirit of it all tonight!
I checked out of the hotel at 9:10. All hotels here have a 24-hour checkout policy. If you check in at 9:10 a.m., then checout is at 9:10 the next day.
I really had nothing to do, so I walked. I went north, then across and back on a different road. Then I went east and looped around the same way. There ws nothing worth seeing, but it passed the time. At 11:45, I stopped at a cyber cafe. At 12:50, I ate a vegetarian plate--soup, papadam, fried flatbread, 3 vegies, rice, lentil sauce, etc. It was very filling. As usual, I had a lime drink to wash it down.
It's now 1:50 p.m. My train is at 2:40 for Goa. I hope it's on time. I'm a little worried about tonight. The train arrives about 8:45 in Goa, and I don't have a reservation. There's an inexpensive hotel near the train station, so I'm hoping they will have a room. Right now, I have no secondary plan, but I will look at my guidebook again. I wish it weren't Friday; weekends are more likely to be a problem than weekdays are.
_____
It's a full train. I'm so glad I was able to get a reservation last week. I'm not sure where everyone is going or why. A muslim family in the next seating area has huge suitcases and boxes. The only places they could have put them is on the bed berths, since they were too big to go under the seats. How will they sleep when it's time for that?
I'm about an hour from my station. In this air conditioned car, the windows are heavily tinted making it impossible to read the station signs. Six men across the aisle from me have said they will let me know ehn my station is coming up. I'd hate to miss it.
_____
The train was 40 minutes late arriving, but at 9:05 I stepped off it and exited the station to a rush of drivers--motorcycle, motorcycle rickshaw, trishaw, and taxi--all pushing and yelling trying to get business. I might have taken one at that hour, but it was all a turn-off for me. Instead, I walked. It was about 3 km to town, and I took a wrong turn at one point and had to backtrack. People along the way, although surprised to see a tourist walking at that time of night, were friendly and helpful. I walked to probably the second best hotel in town and got a room (one of less than a handful still available at that hotel) at 10:30.
Saturday, Dec. 17, Goa
I got COLD last night. I had to turn off the ceiling fan and cover myself with a blanket. The TV showed a low of 18 degrees C (67-68 F). That's the first time I've been cold in a long time.
Then I had a HOT shower and shave this morning. It's been over 3 months since I've enjoyed those. I feel so good and clean.
_____
It's 11:30, and I'm in a hotel a Panaji (Panjim). Both places I checked had rooms available. What a relief. I'm at the Manvin's Hotel. I have a nice, clean and big room with a wonderful view over the Municipal Gardens and past the old tile roofs to the river. Now I can relax and enjoy Goa.
Most people come here for the beaches. I may go to one for part of a day, but they don't really interest me. I'm more interested in the Portuguese heritage--the architecture, the food, etc. It will be interesting also to see if there are any christmas concerts or programs that I can attend.
_____
Panaji is a nice town. There's an old section with narrow streets and the feel of places like the French Quarter in New Orleans; there are churches like those found in Brazil; there are nice shops, bakeries, and restaurants; etc. It seems quite different from the rest of ndia. For one thing, the people look less Indian; there's a strong influence of Portuguese genes, I guess. Second, saris are seldom seen' most women are wearing western dress including pants and jeans.
I had a late lunch--a paper masala dosa t a place where they are a specialty. It was HUGE and tasty. Then I skipped dinner and ate pastries from two local shops. One was a thin dough rolled tightly and sliced and baked. They were soaked in hone and tasted like the special Christmas cookies David Cordova's sister, Josephine Sheppard, used to make. I had two of those and will go back for more tomorrow. From another place, I had two balls--one a very sweet, crumbly treat and the other a coconut-nut mixture with the taste of some type of liquor flavoring.
Sunday, Dec. 18, Panaji
Being a big tourist area, Goa has more touts and beggars than I've experienced in Kerala. They haven't been too assertive, however. In fact, they are rather good natured. I talked with a wallet salesman who seemed genuinely interseted in a conversation and didn't make a final sales pitch when we parted. The encounter that remains on my mind the most was with a man of about 40-45 who said he was from Bangladesh, had his luggage stolen in Kerala (including his passport), had come here thinking there was a consulate where he could get help only to find he must go to the embassy in Delhi, is an engineer, had only his watch that he could offer anyone, and needed help to buy a train ticket to Delhi. I WANTED to believe him, but I had to tell him I've heard versions of this story at least five times over the years (which is true; it's a common ploy). What bothers me is the chance that he was telling me the truth. But the watch looked cheap, and he offered no ID such as a business card. A person really in that situation would think of alternatives to begging on the street--going to a fellow engineer's office and asking for a temporary loan, going to a mosque to seek assistance (assuming hi's muslim, since h's from Bangladesh), begging for 5-10 rupees to telephone his family to wire money, etc.
_____
I went to Old Goa this morning after having an omelet and toast at my hotel. ld Goa is a World Heritage Site and consists of a cluster of churches, convents, and ruins. It was full of tourists by the time I left, but it was rather quiet when I arrived at 10:15. I had rather peaceful visits in the museum and the churches. Interesting in the museum were the sati stones marking the practice of widow burning. In the Basilica of Bom Jesus is the tomb of St. Francis Xavier, an elegant marble and jasper gift of the Medici family.
On my return to Panaji, I went back for more pastries (called Kaja) like the ones Josephine Sheppard used to make. I had them with a mango milkshake. Then I bought 4 mandarin oranges which I ate at the park.
A street salesman had a bag just like the one Evy and Arvind gave me last year--the one I am carrying and using now. I will continue to use the present one, but it has already been repaired once and is showing wear and tear. I bought the new one and put it in the bottom of my suitcase ready for when the present one finally goes.
_____
I went back to Old Goa. I didn't intend to. I wanted to go to Ribandar, a waterfront village of old homes halfway between here and there. I couldn't tell where to get off though, and no one near me knew the place by that name. So I went to Old Goa and then caught another bus back. Both buses were packed. I had a seat in the first one, but people were pushing and leaning against me all the way. I had to stand and push against people myself on the way back. That's the story of bus trips in India.
Panaji has a long waterfront promenade, so I walked the length of it and back while watchign the sun set. Then I went to a nice restaurant for dinner--the Venite. I ordered butter garlic bread as an appetizer. Then I had pork vindaloo with rice and mixed vegetables. I drank a Kingfisher beer with it all. It was a very stylish place--great atmosphere. An Australian man was at a table next to me, and we visited back and forth for 1 1/2 hours while I ate my food and he had his mixed seafood platter. We talked about traveling, Australia, footy, Bangkok, etc.
The church near my hotel was having a Christmas celebration tonight. A choir was singing Christmas carols and there were booths with games and food. (The food looked good; I was sorry I had already eaten.) I got an apple drink and sat with two men from Kashmir who own a fancy gift shop in the next block from my hotel and who also happen to live full-time in my hotel. It was nice to hear christams carols. Also many buildings have lights making it feel like Christmas here. I could feel the spirit of it all tonight!
Friday, December 16, 2005
Leaving for Goa
Thursday, Dec.15, Mangalore
It was a hot day. I walked down to the old port area where there are many old, tile-roofed buildings. Unfortunately, none of them have been resorted. And, unlike other cities, Mangalore has done Nothing to restore the waterfront and open it to the public.
From there I walked back to the college district where I was yesterday. It's a much nicer shopping area than the downtown is. I stopped at a cyber cafe, ate lunch, and got a haircut. I had a paper masala dosa for lunch. It's a thin, crispy pancake about 18 inches (1/2 meter) in diameter with a center 1/3 of it filled with a mixture of potatoes, onions, mustard seeds, and other spices. It came with two dipping sauces. And I had two lime drinks with it. The haircut included a scalp massage and a shoulder massage and cost only 46 cents. I could go to the barber every day if I lived here!
I napped again this afternoon. Then I watched some young guys doing their laundry on the rooftop across the street. I've seen these guys moving around on the roof (where people here bathe, do laundry, etc.) as I sat on the balcony yesterday and this morning. There are 6-7 of them living there. They would glance my way, but generally they acted as if they hadn't seen me. This afternoon, I awaved at one of them, and that changed everything. They would look at me without being embarrassed, and I watched them without worrying that it was disturbing them. We actually ended up waving back and forth several times.
For dinner tonight, I had chicken biriyani. It was cooked authentically in a copper pot. There were two good pieces of chicken and a boiled egg in the pot with the rice. It came with a spicy mix to put over the rice, and the yogurt-tomato-red onion salad that I like here. I ordered two lime sodas to eat with it. Again, it was a great meal.
It was a hot day. I walked down to the old port area where there are many old, tile-roofed buildings. Unfortunately, none of them have been resorted. And, unlike other cities, Mangalore has done Nothing to restore the waterfront and open it to the public.
From there I walked back to the college district where I was yesterday. It's a much nicer shopping area than the downtown is. I stopped at a cyber cafe, ate lunch, and got a haircut. I had a paper masala dosa for lunch. It's a thin, crispy pancake about 18 inches (1/2 meter) in diameter with a center 1/3 of it filled with a mixture of potatoes, onions, mustard seeds, and other spices. It came with two dipping sauces. And I had two lime drinks with it. The haircut included a scalp massage and a shoulder massage and cost only 46 cents. I could go to the barber every day if I lived here!
I napped again this afternoon. Then I watched some young guys doing their laundry on the rooftop across the street. I've seen these guys moving around on the roof (where people here bathe, do laundry, etc.) as I sat on the balcony yesterday and this morning. There are 6-7 of them living there. They would glance my way, but generally they acted as if they hadn't seen me. This afternoon, I awaved at one of them, and that changed everything. They would look at me without being embarrassed, and I watched them without worrying that it was disturbing them. We actually ended up waving back and forth several times.
For dinner tonight, I had chicken biriyani. It was cooked authentically in a copper pot. There were two good pieces of chicken and a boiled egg in the pot with the rice. It came with a spicy mix to put over the rice, and the yogurt-tomato-red onion salad that I like here. I ordered two lime sodas to eat with it. Again, it was a great meal.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Mangalore
Tuesday, Dec. 13, Kochi (Continued)
I ate lunch late because I wanted to go to the same good place, but they don't serve a good menu until after 3 p.m. They have only a rice plate before then. Today, I had cashew fried rice--rice, carrots, green onions, bell pepper, cashews, etc., stir fried and served with both sweet and hot sauces. I drank two lime drinks, and I had a huge banana free (fritter) as a dessert. It was all delicious.
I waslked to the waterfront park planning to read. Instead, I spent the time visiting. Several men congregated around me asking questions--a young bank executive, another young man who helps in his father's business, and a man closer to my age who has lived in Italy and now serves as a tour guide for Italian tourists. I excused myself from them at 6 p.m., because it looked as if it could rain. I wanted to get my luggage on walk to the station. Just 3 blocks from my hotel, one of the guys from the park came by on his motorcycle. He insisted on giving me a ride to the station. That's good, since I was already feeling the humidity from the short walk I had made.
I visited for 1 1/2 hours with another young man at the bench at the station. He commutes 1 1/2 hours each way from Alleppey to do software development here for mobile telephones. He missed his usual train, so he won't be home until 11:30 tonight. Then he has to be up to return at 7 tomorrow morning. He, like all the others, was a nice, sincere man (a muslim) who said I should visit his home when I return next year.
_____
The last 30 minutes before my 1-hour-delayed train arrived, I visited with another very young and nice man on the platform. He is Rajesh from Kannur (whose family lives here in Kochi). He's a medical student in a special medical college that teaches a form of homeopathic medicine imported from Europe. The emphasis is on herbal treatments. He made sure I got on the right car before going to his own, even though he did not have a reserved seat and might have to stand if the seats were taken by the time he got there. He also surprised me by giving me a quick hug good-bye. I've never had that happen here in India. Maybe there are European professors at his school who have introduced this to him.
Wednesday, Dec. 4, Mangalore
There was an awkward interaction on the train last night. I had a lower berth reserved, and a muslim family of two men, two women, and a girl had other berths. The man asked me to give up the lower berth to one of the women and wanted me to take a top berth. Well, I had no problem ding the former, but it seemed selfish of him to want me to move to an upper, rather than a middle, berth. I asked him where he was going to sleep, and I got no real response, only "Brother, this is my family." Then I said, "You take the upper berth and I'll take the middle." Again, I got the family response. I could see he probably was in his 50s and younger than me, so I asked, "How old are you?" He became upset, so I quickly said, "I'm 60," implying that age should make him the climber. There was no reasoning with him, however. (I'm wondering if he considered it an offense for me to sleep NEAR the women. If so, he should have bought 6 tickets to assure the entire compartment for him and his family.) Anyway, I gave up trying to reason and said I'd sleep in the lower berth or the middle berth--his choice. He said something to his wife and they reluctantly agreed for me to move to the middle berth. No one thanked me then or this morning. And the man ended up sleeping in the lower berth across the aisle! I couldn't believe it. I'm still mad at him for being so selfish.
The train arrived in Mangalore at 8:50. We must have made up time during the night. I'm checked in at a nearby hotel that is one of my cheapest recently. It's fine, though, with cable TV, bath with hot water, clean sheets, and even a balcony for $5.06 U.S. per night.
I've enjoyed a lazy day. I sat on the balcony for an hour or so this morning. Then I walked to Aloysius College and explored the neighborhood there. I had my cheapest lunch EVER, I think. It was a potato-onion mixture with spices and served with two pieces of flat bread (like flour tortillas) for 6 rupees (14 cents U.S.). Then I bought two sweets for another 18 cents. I walked through the campus and looked inside the chapel which is known for its paintings covering all the walls and the ceiling.
It was a warm afternoon, and I was still tired due to not sleeping well or for long on the train. I turned on the ceiling fan, opened the balcony door to let in fresh air, and took a wonderful summertime-type nap for 1 1/2 hours.
_____
I went out for a nice dinner at a good restaurant (fabric tablecloth) tonight. I located a restaurant I never found last time I was here--Lalith's. I ordered chicken tikka (marinated and charco-briled chicken kebab), buttered naan, and in honor of the gorgeous irridescent turquoise bird I saw this morning frrom the train, a 650 ml Kingfisher beer. The lemony chicken came with a spicy marinated tomato-onion mixture. Ummm!
I ate lunch late because I wanted to go to the same good place, but they don't serve a good menu until after 3 p.m. They have only a rice plate before then. Today, I had cashew fried rice--rice, carrots, green onions, bell pepper, cashews, etc., stir fried and served with both sweet and hot sauces. I drank two lime drinks, and I had a huge banana free (fritter) as a dessert. It was all delicious.
I waslked to the waterfront park planning to read. Instead, I spent the time visiting. Several men congregated around me asking questions--a young bank executive, another young man who helps in his father's business, and a man closer to my age who has lived in Italy and now serves as a tour guide for Italian tourists. I excused myself from them at 6 p.m., because it looked as if it could rain. I wanted to get my luggage on walk to the station. Just 3 blocks from my hotel, one of the guys from the park came by on his motorcycle. He insisted on giving me a ride to the station. That's good, since I was already feeling the humidity from the short walk I had made.
I visited for 1 1/2 hours with another young man at the bench at the station. He commutes 1 1/2 hours each way from Alleppey to do software development here for mobile telephones. He missed his usual train, so he won't be home until 11:30 tonight. Then he has to be up to return at 7 tomorrow morning. He, like all the others, was a nice, sincere man (a muslim) who said I should visit his home when I return next year.
_____
The last 30 minutes before my 1-hour-delayed train arrived, I visited with another very young and nice man on the platform. He is Rajesh from Kannur (whose family lives here in Kochi). He's a medical student in a special medical college that teaches a form of homeopathic medicine imported from Europe. The emphasis is on herbal treatments. He made sure I got on the right car before going to his own, even though he did not have a reserved seat and might have to stand if the seats were taken by the time he got there. He also surprised me by giving me a quick hug good-bye. I've never had that happen here in India. Maybe there are European professors at his school who have introduced this to him.
Wednesday, Dec. 4, Mangalore
There was an awkward interaction on the train last night. I had a lower berth reserved, and a muslim family of two men, two women, and a girl had other berths. The man asked me to give up the lower berth to one of the women and wanted me to take a top berth. Well, I had no problem ding the former, but it seemed selfish of him to want me to move to an upper, rather than a middle, berth. I asked him where he was going to sleep, and I got no real response, only "Brother, this is my family." Then I said, "You take the upper berth and I'll take the middle." Again, I got the family response. I could see he probably was in his 50s and younger than me, so I asked, "How old are you?" He became upset, so I quickly said, "I'm 60," implying that age should make him the climber. There was no reasoning with him, however. (I'm wondering if he considered it an offense for me to sleep NEAR the women. If so, he should have bought 6 tickets to assure the entire compartment for him and his family.) Anyway, I gave up trying to reason and said I'd sleep in the lower berth or the middle berth--his choice. He said something to his wife and they reluctantly agreed for me to move to the middle berth. No one thanked me then or this morning. And the man ended up sleeping in the lower berth across the aisle! I couldn't believe it. I'm still mad at him for being so selfish.
The train arrived in Mangalore at 8:50. We must have made up time during the night. I'm checked in at a nearby hotel that is one of my cheapest recently. It's fine, though, with cable TV, bath with hot water, clean sheets, and even a balcony for $5.06 U.S. per night.
I've enjoyed a lazy day. I sat on the balcony for an hour or so this morning. Then I walked to Aloysius College and explored the neighborhood there. I had my cheapest lunch EVER, I think. It was a potato-onion mixture with spices and served with two pieces of flat bread (like flour tortillas) for 6 rupees (14 cents U.S.). Then I bought two sweets for another 18 cents. I walked through the campus and looked inside the chapel which is known for its paintings covering all the walls and the ceiling.
It was a warm afternoon, and I was still tired due to not sleeping well or for long on the train. I turned on the ceiling fan, opened the balcony door to let in fresh air, and took a wonderful summertime-type nap for 1 1/2 hours.
_____
I went out for a nice dinner at a good restaurant (fabric tablecloth) tonight. I located a restaurant I never found last time I was here--Lalith's. I ordered chicken tikka (marinated and charco-briled chicken kebab), buttered naan, and in honor of the gorgeous irridescent turquoise bird I saw this morning frrom the train, a 650 ml Kingfisher beer. The lemony chicken came with a spicy marinated tomato-onion mixture. Ummm!
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Kochi/Ernakulam
Monday, Dec. 12, Kochi/Ernakulam
I'm sitting in the park at Ft. Kochi. It's 2:30 p.m., and I've been casually busy all day. Unfortunately, it's a VERY humid day, so even going slowly, I'm warm and sweaty. Everyone else is, too!
I went to the train station and bought a ticket for tomorrow night to Mangalore with a sleeper berth. The train leaves at 11:15 p.m., so I'll be here all day tomorrow, too.
My hotel had a very nice buffet breakfast with idly (noodle pancakes), dosa (flat pancakes), another flat bread, 3 kinds of vegetable curries, toast, jam, butter, tea, and eggs either scrambled or fried. I had some scrambled eggs, toast and jam which were really my first 100% western foods in 3 months! But I also had some of the other Indian dishes, too.
I checked out and moved to another place (where I stayed two years ago). It has the same facilities (nice bed, cable TV, private bath) other than breakfast and is half the price of where I left. Breakfast can be had anywhere for less than 50 cents U.S.
I went to a good bookstore and found the cookbook I had read about. I didn't buy it, because I'm uncertain. My suitcase is stuffed and too heavy already. Also, I'm not sure if I can buy all the ingredients in Texas. Furthermore, similar recipes are probably on the Internet. I'll think about it until I'm in Goa or Mumbai, then I'll buy it if I can squeeze it into my bag. It's The Art of Cooking, 2nd edition, 2005.
I'm in Ft. Kochi this afternoon. It's necessary to take a ferry here from Ernakulam where I am staying. I'd forgotten how nice Ft. Kochi is. I would suggest it to anyone coming to India. It's quaint with a seaside feel--an Indian Galveston. And it's very old. There are many small guest houses that look very interesting and rent for $18-30 per night U.S. I just walked by the waterfront where it's possible to buy your own seafood from the fish stands and then have it cooked at a sidewalk restaurant nearby. There are several of these places, and the food looked so good. Unforunately, I've already had lunch--vegetable biriyani with two fresh lime sodas. It was good, too.
Several people have approached me as I've been writing. Some men from Mumbai who are also tourists here talked for a while and took a photo with me. Another man who operates a souvenir stand also visited. Unfortunately, I'm afraid he expects something from me. I'll be happy if I can get away from the area without having a bad experience with him, I think.
_____
Of course the guy started pushing me to buy as I walked by his stand. He wasn't the only one to bother me. Off and on, trishaw drivers tried to convince me they should give me tours. Most were not pushy, but it's too bad they wouldn't stop with a simple, "No, thanks," from me.
My return ferry went to a different dock in Ernakulam. I was confused at first and had to figure out how to get back to my part of town. After a false start, I retraced my steps and went another direction that worked.
I returned to the same restaurant where I had dinner last night. The food there is just so good that I didn't want to take a chance eating elsewhere. I had paneer butter masala with naan. Again, it was rich and delicious. And HOT. The first taste was so hot my throat pinched shut so that I temporarily lost my voice. But I must have happened to get a chunk of pepper in that bite. The rest was still spicy, but wonderful. Two lime juices helped, too.
Vegetarian food in India is so tasty, varied, and filling that it's easy to be a vegetarian here. I'm not missing or craving meat. I imagine I'll order a meat dish one day soon, but there are plenty of vegetarian choices that sound just as good or better.
Tuesday, Dec. 13, Kochi (Part 1)
I checked out of my hotel at 11:00. I had hoped to extend my stay by 8-9 hours, but they wanted a whole night's fee. I left my luggage and am wandering.
I just spent two hours seeing a very good contemporary art exhibit at Durbar Hall here in Ernakulam. The artists are from all over India, but most are originally from Kerala. The quality was uite good. I kept thinking about how much better it was than what the local artists at Blue Star in San Antonio tend to produce. There were several documentary films in the exhibition. My favorite was one about a man who realized he was losing his memory. It showed him making pictures of friends and putting them on a bulletin board with attached notes with their names and details for him to study each day before leaving home; creating maps to help him find his way to work and back; posting signs to help him get to the local market and back; etc.; until even none of those worked. It was sad, but I liked the efforts he was making to prolong the approach of total disability. Outside the hall, I visited with a film maker who is the friend of one of the artists with work in the exhibition. We talked about art here versus art in America, compared qualities of such art, discussed artists in America who came to my mind as I saw this exhibit, and talked about the non-art topics that come up in almost every personal conversation with local people in coutries outside America--Bush and Iraq.
If the people I meet are any indication, about 95% of non-Americans dislike Bush and think that the war in Iraq was wrong. They are perplexed over the fact that the U.S. re-elected Bush and they want to know why. The only reason I can give them is that his backers are more than likely scared of the changing demographics (the increasing percentages of non-white ethnic groups and of people believing in non-Christian religions) in America and hope to stop change from occurring.
I'm sitting in the park at Ft. Kochi. It's 2:30 p.m., and I've been casually busy all day. Unfortunately, it's a VERY humid day, so even going slowly, I'm warm and sweaty. Everyone else is, too!
I went to the train station and bought a ticket for tomorrow night to Mangalore with a sleeper berth. The train leaves at 11:15 p.m., so I'll be here all day tomorrow, too.
My hotel had a very nice buffet breakfast with idly (noodle pancakes), dosa (flat pancakes), another flat bread, 3 kinds of vegetable curries, toast, jam, butter, tea, and eggs either scrambled or fried. I had some scrambled eggs, toast and jam which were really my first 100% western foods in 3 months! But I also had some of the other Indian dishes, too.
I checked out and moved to another place (where I stayed two years ago). It has the same facilities (nice bed, cable TV, private bath) other than breakfast and is half the price of where I left. Breakfast can be had anywhere for less than 50 cents U.S.
I went to a good bookstore and found the cookbook I had read about. I didn't buy it, because I'm uncertain. My suitcase is stuffed and too heavy already. Also, I'm not sure if I can buy all the ingredients in Texas. Furthermore, similar recipes are probably on the Internet. I'll think about it until I'm in Goa or Mumbai, then I'll buy it if I can squeeze it into my bag. It's The Art of Cooking, 2nd edition, 2005.
I'm in Ft. Kochi this afternoon. It's necessary to take a ferry here from Ernakulam where I am staying. I'd forgotten how nice Ft. Kochi is. I would suggest it to anyone coming to India. It's quaint with a seaside feel--an Indian Galveston. And it's very old. There are many small guest houses that look very interesting and rent for $18-30 per night U.S. I just walked by the waterfront where it's possible to buy your own seafood from the fish stands and then have it cooked at a sidewalk restaurant nearby. There are several of these places, and the food looked so good. Unforunately, I've already had lunch--vegetable biriyani with two fresh lime sodas. It was good, too.
Several people have approached me as I've been writing. Some men from Mumbai who are also tourists here talked for a while and took a photo with me. Another man who operates a souvenir stand also visited. Unfortunately, I'm afraid he expects something from me. I'll be happy if I can get away from the area without having a bad experience with him, I think.
_____
Of course the guy started pushing me to buy as I walked by his stand. He wasn't the only one to bother me. Off and on, trishaw drivers tried to convince me they should give me tours. Most were not pushy, but it's too bad they wouldn't stop with a simple, "No, thanks," from me.
My return ferry went to a different dock in Ernakulam. I was confused at first and had to figure out how to get back to my part of town. After a false start, I retraced my steps and went another direction that worked.
I returned to the same restaurant where I had dinner last night. The food there is just so good that I didn't want to take a chance eating elsewhere. I had paneer butter masala with naan. Again, it was rich and delicious. And HOT. The first taste was so hot my throat pinched shut so that I temporarily lost my voice. But I must have happened to get a chunk of pepper in that bite. The rest was still spicy, but wonderful. Two lime juices helped, too.
Vegetarian food in India is so tasty, varied, and filling that it's easy to be a vegetarian here. I'm not missing or craving meat. I imagine I'll order a meat dish one day soon, but there are plenty of vegetarian choices that sound just as good or better.
Tuesday, Dec. 13, Kochi (Part 1)
I checked out of my hotel at 11:00. I had hoped to extend my stay by 8-9 hours, but they wanted a whole night's fee. I left my luggage and am wandering.
I just spent two hours seeing a very good contemporary art exhibit at Durbar Hall here in Ernakulam. The artists are from all over India, but most are originally from Kerala. The quality was uite good. I kept thinking about how much better it was than what the local artists at Blue Star in San Antonio tend to produce. There were several documentary films in the exhibition. My favorite was one about a man who realized he was losing his memory. It showed him making pictures of friends and putting them on a bulletin board with attached notes with their names and details for him to study each day before leaving home; creating maps to help him find his way to work and back; posting signs to help him get to the local market and back; etc.; until even none of those worked. It was sad, but I liked the efforts he was making to prolong the approach of total disability. Outside the hall, I visited with a film maker who is the friend of one of the artists with work in the exhibition. We talked about art here versus art in America, compared qualities of such art, discussed artists in America who came to my mind as I saw this exhibit, and talked about the non-art topics that come up in almost every personal conversation with local people in coutries outside America--Bush and Iraq.
If the people I meet are any indication, about 95% of non-Americans dislike Bush and think that the war in Iraq was wrong. They are perplexed over the fact that the U.S. re-elected Bush and they want to know why. The only reason I can give them is that his backers are more than likely scared of the changing demographics (the increasing percentages of non-white ethnic groups and of people believing in non-Christian religions) in America and hope to stop change from occurring.
Monday, December 12, 2005
On the Road Again!
Thursday, Dec. 8, Kumbalam and Tangasseri (Cont.)
It was a busy and tiring day. Joseph and I went to Tangasseri just after lunch. All the children assembled together. Rajesh, the English techer, led the activities. Everyone clapped in unison while slowly going faster and faster as I entered. Rajesh made a speech. Then Nobin, one of the boys I got to know fairly well from 7th Standard made a speech and gave me a binder full of art and messages created by the students of the school. Rosalind gave me a card and told me how much she will miss me and my support. Several more children made brief speeches. It was especially touching, since I didn’t get to spend as much time on that campus as I would have liked.
Joseph and I rushed back to Kumbalam where a similar ceremony was held. In addition to a book of artwork and greetings, I was given a gift of honor—a gold-trimmed linen shawl on which the staff of both schools had wirtten notes and made drawings. They placed me in a chair and put the shawl over my shoulders.
After all that, we had a party here at the hostel this evening. The children did 3 of the activities I will do with the teachers on Saturday. After dinner, I served the milk candy and gave all them their gifts. They seemed pleased with the address books, and Prameela was very happy with the quality of the sari I gave her. Joseph was not aware that there was such a good map of Kerala. The children gave me me small gifts (a finger puppet, a small Christmas star, homemade cards, etc.), and Joseph gave me a thank you card with a very nice handwritten message inside telling me how much my visit had meant to him and the improvement of the school.
After reading through the books and reading the messages written on the shawl, I was exhausted and slept all night for a change!!
Friday, Dec. 9, Kumbalam
Today is my last day with the students at the school. Greeting them each morning has generally been the highlight of each day. This will be my last time to enjoy that.
I spent the morning finishing up work at the school office. Then I spent part of the afternoon printing materials for my workshop omorrow. After that, I sat and read at the school. During their break, many of the students came to me wanting my address and my autograph. Fortunately, it was only a 10-minute break. I can understand how actors get tired of giving out signatures!
It's late afternoon now. Joseph is on his way to the airport, and things are quiet (except for the usuall yelling). I'll gather or print more materials for tomorrow. And Jerry wants me to show him how to burn a CD on the computer. I hope it all goes smoothly.
_____
There are 3 school terms here. the second term exams are beginning Monday, so the children are studying. It's all based on memorization. I hate it! I don't even want to assist them. They don't understand a thing. In fact, they memorize passages in which they speall every third word because they don't know how to pronounce them (meaning they aren't in their vocabulary). I'm so glad Im leaving and won't be here during this two-week exam period. I would be so miserable as they asked me to listen as they recited passages or as they wanted me to ask questions to which they would give memorized answers.
I began my packing tonight. As usual, I have too much. I wanted to buy a few more things, but how woud I fit them into the suitcase?
Saturday, Dec. 10, Kumbalam
It's been raining overnight, and it continues this morning. I hope it won't be like this when I take the bus tomorrow.
The workshop isn't until 2:00 this afternoon. I didn't know that until 5 p.m. yesterday. They've always been in the mornings before. I had planned to get a haircut and go to the cyber cafe this afternoon. Now it's too messy to get out this morning and there won't be time in the afternoon.
I'm a little anxious about heading out on my own again. I guess it's a combination of facing being alone again, dealing with the difficulties of getting around and finding rooms, and worrying about the fact I'll be in some of the more touristy areas of India where touts and beggars are likely to be a bigger problem. I'll be glad, however, to be in control of my own life again, however.
_____
I made a mess this morning. I sit on the side of a plastic table for dining. A raised pastic strip connects the side legs, along the floor, so I can't sit close to the table. Often, I have twisted my body to the side so I could sit closer. This morning, we had dosa for breakfast. They were cooked by the kids, and I had noticed that they dhadn't been cooked long enough; they were a little raw and sticking to the plate. Half-way through breakfast, my plate flipped off the edge of the table. I caught it after just a bobble, but I got yellow curry sauce on my shirt and my shorsts. (I'm glad I wasn't already dressed in my nice clothes for the in-service session.) Anyway, I had to wash them. I'm not sure if the yellow stain will still be seen or not, but it's likely. The big problem is that this is not a sunny day. The shirt may not dry by tomorrow. If not, I'll have to wear it. A wet shirt in a suitcase is an invitation to mildew here!
One of the teachers is upset with me. She asked me yesterday when the session is today, and I told her I thought it was at 9:30. No one had told me otherwise, but I assumed it would be at the same time as the previous two. I didn't tell her definitely. I indicated that I didn't know for sure. It was later (after teachers were gone) that I found out it is at 2:00. Well, she didn't check with anyone else and left school early. She came this morning and is upset with me because she is here early. She's the same teacher who didn't come to the in-service session last time because she had come to school for an hour on the previous day (to ask for an advance on her pay) which was a strike day. On the following Monday, she was upset to see she had been marked absent on Saturday and announced loudly, "But I came on Friday!" I've always found communicating with her to be awkward. She seems to expect too much from others. (Later, at 2:00 when the vice-principal came, she started crying [fake tears, I think] saying how she had come early because of me and that she ought to be allowed to miss the session. Fortunately, he made her stay. She pouted through most of the session, and I didn't try to change her mood. I just ignored her.)
_____
I've been trying to clean my toenails. Indians were sandals that slip on and off, because they never wear shoes indoors. They even take off their sandals to enter shops and supermarkets. Because they are so exposed, their feet tend to look old even on young people. They are dry, cracked, crusty, etc. I haven't been here long enough for that to happen to mine. My big problem is that diirt gets into the cracks along the edges of the toenails, and it is difficult to remove. I work on them, but they never become completely clean. That will only happen, I guess, as they grow out after I am away from here and wearing socks again.
_____
It's 1:30, and I'm waiting for the teachers. As usual at this school, things were done wrongly this morning. Instead of letting (requiring) the children run wild so they would be tired and quiet during the in-service session, they were required to sit still from 10-1 studying English. Now they are noisy and restless and will disturb us, I suspect. The same problem occurred last time, but those planning the day didnt' let it register and plan a different strategy. I had hoped, since I had no say about the 3 hours of switch-enforced sitting still, to force them to play football and basketball to keep them active and far from us, but it has begun raining. Their noise will be disturbing us all afternoon!
_____
The teachers came late. One group was 30 minutes late, and the other almost one hour late. I started the workshop when the first group arrived, so the second group missed the first activity. It went well enough, but these teachers, like the students, don't THINK as much as they should. They are too used to giving memorized responses. They seemed to appreciate and enjoy what I did, however. We finished around 4:45.
There was a minor crisis at the point when the session ended. Something happened to make Abin cry. My guess is that he was already sensitive because of my departure, and something small caused it. He's hugged me several times today. He's been the one who liked me the most from the beginning. I just closed the door and held him until he quit crying. He never would tell me what caused it.
In the evening, I cut Jerry's hair again and helped the students study. Abin gave me a nice "love" note, and I gave him my boat to keep for me. (It was homemade from parts of palm trees and given to me earlier in the day by one of the teachers. It was just too delicate for me to pack.) I gave Jerry his shoes and asked him to keep them a secret until I'm gone ( so the others wouldn't be asking me why I gave them to him). It was obvious that he was touched by the fact that I cared.
Sunday, Dec. 121, Kumbalam to Kochi
On the road again....
Unfortunately, it's raining. And this is froma tropical storm, so it probably won't stop before my bus departure at 9:40. Even worse is that I must get from the main intersection in Kollam to the train station. It's not far, but it means going over a bridge with a rutted trail that makes it impossible to roll the suitcase. Anyway, whatevr has to be has to be.
_____
I was lucky. The rain slowed to a sprinkle by the time I left. All the kids accompanied me outside after I'd given each a hug and a pen. All morning, they had been giving me crds they had made. Jerry and Abin were quiet and withdrawn, although both also gave me cards. Jerrry's said, "Thank you for being a sir and a brother and an uncle to me and for helping me in all my things." I appreciated that. In typical teenage fashion, he signed it, "A bad spirit boy." It was difficult to leave them.
I caught a train only 40 minutes after arriving at the station. And it arrived in Ernakulam at 2 p.m. I got a hotel just 2 1/2 blocks from the train station. Most businesses were closed because of it being Sunday. I stayed in the room watching TV until 4 p.m. Then I went out walking. I found the hotel where I stayed two years ago. I may move there tomorrow since it is half the price with essentially the same services.
I had a great dinner--mushroom parota. It was chopped up parota (flat bread) with mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers, other vegetables and spices. It was delicious. On the side awas yogurt with chopped onions. I also ordered a banana fritter and a lime juice. It was nice to have something different for a change. And it all cost only 81 cents.
"Cider House Rules" was on TV in the evening. It was an appropriate film with the main character leaving all the children at the orphanage behind. It was also a favorte of Arne's (We both read the book.), so it was a rather sad and sentimental night for me.
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Final Days
Monday, Dec. 5 (Continued)
I’m upset and worried tonight. I’ve waited too late to make train reservations. I may have to go to Mumbai several days before my flight. I went to Kundara, and the cyber café was closed. So I took a bus to Kollam. I found only one unreserved berth on a train from Goa to Mumbai on the Internet within 4 days of my flight. I couldn’t go to the train station, because I didn’t have my passport with me. Also, the unreserved berth is a tourist quota one, and I’m not sure if Kollm has facilities for making those kinds of reservations. I will get up early tomorrow morning and go to the train station to see if I can get a ticket. It’s possible that the one unreserved place will be gone by then. I should have made my planning a priority over work here at the school. I’m not sure what the alternatives are for me if I can’t get a seat or a berth on a train.
Tuesday, Dec. 6, Kumbalam
I awoke at 4:30 worried about train tickets. I decided to take an early bus to town to the train station. Joseph and I met in the hallway, and I explained my problem. He assured me something could be done and suggested that I call his travel agent and the manager of his resort. He said I needed to wait until 7:30, however. While waiting, I typed out my preferences for trains and printed it.
The travel agent was no help. He sells only air tickets. The manager said the same thing the travel agent did: The solution is to go to the train station reservation center. However, the manager said he would meet me there at 10:00.
I took the next bus (8:40) to Kollam. It was crowded, so I had to stand the whole way. We were packed like sardines, and the ticket seller kept telling us to move cloer to the front (which, since there was no more empty aisle, means for us to pack ourselves even closer together and lean slightly across people who are seated). We were pressed from all sides. Fortunately, I could stand sideways so that I was pushed against a man who was seated; it wasn’t so claustrophobic, since there was no pressure on my front above the knees. The bumpy ride and the fact that he had a cold and kept dagging his eye with a handkerchief meant that I was bumping his arm and elbow occasionally.
There were 20 people trying to make a reservation at the station. I grabbed four of the forms that must be completed and started trying to fill themout for each of my choices. A man walked up and asked, “Do you remember me?” It wasn’t the manager of the resort; it was a man who registered his two girls at the school two weeks ago. Apparently, the manager had asked him to come there and help me. I didn’t understand at the time how he could do it, but he asked me to come with him and took me to the back through “Do Not Enter” doorways. We sat at a desk and the reservation manager came in and personally helped me. I got exactly what I wanted! (That’s a relief, since the Internet was showing problems with all trains being fully booked.) I was so relieved. Then when we left, Ajith (the man who met me) walked to the parking lot where a government vehicle and driver were waiting. He could do what he did for me because he’s a government official in a higher position than the manager of the reservations center. That’s how things are done in India.
I spent the rest of the day on errands. I went to the cyber café. I stopped at my bakery for a pizza for lunch and to buy sweets (milk candy—like dulce con leche) for the kids’ party Thursday and the teachers’ in-service session on Saturday. I went by the Tangasseri campus to see Rosalind who said she is going to miss me. She said I had been so kind to her, and then she bagan to cry because she again has the pressure of typing tests at night and on the weekend. On the way back to town, I bought leather sandals for Jerry. I went to an ATM for cash. I bought a few Christmas cards at the Catholic Press. Then I caught a bus and was at the campus by 3:30.
I spent the evening writing the cards. The children were so curious. They thought spending 40 rupees (90 cents U.S.) on 20 cards was extravagant. And they are really worried that I will probably have to pay 30 ruppes (69 cents) EACH for a total of 600 rupees (1/3 to 1/4 of a month’s salary for a teacher) to mail them overseas!
In the evening, “Master Freddy” came. He’s the retired principal of the most famous school in Kollam. Joseph is considering hiring him to run St. Joseph’s. Freddy would bring in his own team of teachers and be almost in complete control of the operation—revising tuition, creating a budget, supervising instruction, etc. Joseph would consult with him, manage the continuing construction on campus, come to major events, raise funds, etc. I’m afraid this might be too much of a “no hands on” approach for Joseph, but I’m sure he will be clear about what he expects to be involved in. Freddy wants a 5-year contract. He says he can make St. Joseph competetive with the best.
Wednesday, Dec. 7, Kumbalam
I typed more tests today. Thank goodness there were only 6 of them. Still, it took about 2 ½ to 3 hours. Math and chemistry were the worst with all their formulas requiring special formatting. My biggest problem with doing them is that I resent the fact that either the teachers don’t type them themselves or that Joseph doesn’t hire a secretary to do them.
_____
I tried to mail my cards, but the post office had no stamps. Joseph wasn’t surprised. I was asked to come back tomorrow. I guess they will either bring stamps especially for me or will tell me again that there are no stamps. We will see.
Joseph had dinner with us and he and I talked during it and afterwards. I cautioned him about making an agreement with Master Freddy. He shouldn’t give up too much control to him. What he needs is a principal to work cooperatively with him.
Then we talked about Prameela (and in effect, the state of women in general in India). The woman goes to live with the husband and his family on the day of their marriage. For 18 years, her mother-in-law has lived in the one-room house with her, her husband, and their two daughters. The mother-in-law gets a pension, but she shares none of it with them while expecting them to house her and feed her. The mother-in-law is the ruler of the house. If she gets upset with them, she slaps them (including her son who won’t stand up to her and who says nothing). Joseph says that is fairly typical in India. Also typical is that Prameela’s own family is still in debt from paying a dowry to get her married, so they don’t want her coming back home as an added expense and burden for them. Women get trapped here and are treated almost like slave labor. (I heard the same story two years ago from a woman forced to run a resort while her husband was gone all day. Her family lived far away, and she didn’t get to see them more than once every couple of years.) It wasn’t until Joseph gave her a job two years ago that Prameela realized a woman could work and earn money (and maybe get by without a husband and mother-in-law). Her mother-in-law is upset that she works (but is happy that she gives her husband the money she makes each week). There’s no answer, it seems. Some women commit suicide. The newspaper this morning had the story of a woman setting her mother-in-law on fire because of a long history of disagreements. Women here are a long way from liberation.
Before bedtime we called the Panjim Inn in Goa where I wrote for a reservation but have not heard from yet. They have availability, but I have to call back when the reservations manager is tere. They want advance payment, but the desk clerk isn’t allowed to take credit card information. At least I know I can find a room now! December is the biggest month for tourism in Goa. That’s why I also had trouble getting train reservations.
Thursday, Dec. 8 (Father’s Birthday), Kumbalam
My father is 88 today, I think. Apparently small ceremonies are planned for me today at both campuses, so it will be a special day for me, too. Joseph told me to be ready to leave here for Tangasseri at noon and that we would have to be back to this campus by 3:30 because of things the teachers had planned for me. What I’m really looking forward to, however, is tonight and the small party for the hostel kids. I hope they will like the address books I have bought for them and the activities I have planned. (Some of them asked me to write my address for them two nights ago, so I did. But I have written my address in each address book already.)
I’m upset and worried tonight. I’ve waited too late to make train reservations. I may have to go to Mumbai several days before my flight. I went to Kundara, and the cyber café was closed. So I took a bus to Kollam. I found only one unreserved berth on a train from Goa to Mumbai on the Internet within 4 days of my flight. I couldn’t go to the train station, because I didn’t have my passport with me. Also, the unreserved berth is a tourist quota one, and I’m not sure if Kollm has facilities for making those kinds of reservations. I will get up early tomorrow morning and go to the train station to see if I can get a ticket. It’s possible that the one unreserved place will be gone by then. I should have made my planning a priority over work here at the school. I’m not sure what the alternatives are for me if I can’t get a seat or a berth on a train.
Tuesday, Dec. 6, Kumbalam
I awoke at 4:30 worried about train tickets. I decided to take an early bus to town to the train station. Joseph and I met in the hallway, and I explained my problem. He assured me something could be done and suggested that I call his travel agent and the manager of his resort. He said I needed to wait until 7:30, however. While waiting, I typed out my preferences for trains and printed it.
The travel agent was no help. He sells only air tickets. The manager said the same thing the travel agent did: The solution is to go to the train station reservation center. However, the manager said he would meet me there at 10:00.
I took the next bus (8:40) to Kollam. It was crowded, so I had to stand the whole way. We were packed like sardines, and the ticket seller kept telling us to move cloer to the front (which, since there was no more empty aisle, means for us to pack ourselves even closer together and lean slightly across people who are seated). We were pressed from all sides. Fortunately, I could stand sideways so that I was pushed against a man who was seated; it wasn’t so claustrophobic, since there was no pressure on my front above the knees. The bumpy ride and the fact that he had a cold and kept dagging his eye with a handkerchief meant that I was bumping his arm and elbow occasionally.
There were 20 people trying to make a reservation at the station. I grabbed four of the forms that must be completed and started trying to fill themout for each of my choices. A man walked up and asked, “Do you remember me?” It wasn’t the manager of the resort; it was a man who registered his two girls at the school two weeks ago. Apparently, the manager had asked him to come there and help me. I didn’t understand at the time how he could do it, but he asked me to come with him and took me to the back through “Do Not Enter” doorways. We sat at a desk and the reservation manager came in and personally helped me. I got exactly what I wanted! (That’s a relief, since the Internet was showing problems with all trains being fully booked.) I was so relieved. Then when we left, Ajith (the man who met me) walked to the parking lot where a government vehicle and driver were waiting. He could do what he did for me because he’s a government official in a higher position than the manager of the reservations center. That’s how things are done in India.
I spent the rest of the day on errands. I went to the cyber café. I stopped at my bakery for a pizza for lunch and to buy sweets (milk candy—like dulce con leche) for the kids’ party Thursday and the teachers’ in-service session on Saturday. I went by the Tangasseri campus to see Rosalind who said she is going to miss me. She said I had been so kind to her, and then she bagan to cry because she again has the pressure of typing tests at night and on the weekend. On the way back to town, I bought leather sandals for Jerry. I went to an ATM for cash. I bought a few Christmas cards at the Catholic Press. Then I caught a bus and was at the campus by 3:30.
I spent the evening writing the cards. The children were so curious. They thought spending 40 rupees (90 cents U.S.) on 20 cards was extravagant. And they are really worried that I will probably have to pay 30 ruppes (69 cents) EACH for a total of 600 rupees (1/3 to 1/4 of a month’s salary for a teacher) to mail them overseas!
In the evening, “Master Freddy” came. He’s the retired principal of the most famous school in Kollam. Joseph is considering hiring him to run St. Joseph’s. Freddy would bring in his own team of teachers and be almost in complete control of the operation—revising tuition, creating a budget, supervising instruction, etc. Joseph would consult with him, manage the continuing construction on campus, come to major events, raise funds, etc. I’m afraid this might be too much of a “no hands on” approach for Joseph, but I’m sure he will be clear about what he expects to be involved in. Freddy wants a 5-year contract. He says he can make St. Joseph competetive with the best.
Wednesday, Dec. 7, Kumbalam
I typed more tests today. Thank goodness there were only 6 of them. Still, it took about 2 ½ to 3 hours. Math and chemistry were the worst with all their formulas requiring special formatting. My biggest problem with doing them is that I resent the fact that either the teachers don’t type them themselves or that Joseph doesn’t hire a secretary to do them.
_____
I tried to mail my cards, but the post office had no stamps. Joseph wasn’t surprised. I was asked to come back tomorrow. I guess they will either bring stamps especially for me or will tell me again that there are no stamps. We will see.
Joseph had dinner with us and he and I talked during it and afterwards. I cautioned him about making an agreement with Master Freddy. He shouldn’t give up too much control to him. What he needs is a principal to work cooperatively with him.
Then we talked about Prameela (and in effect, the state of women in general in India). The woman goes to live with the husband and his family on the day of their marriage. For 18 years, her mother-in-law has lived in the one-room house with her, her husband, and their two daughters. The mother-in-law gets a pension, but she shares none of it with them while expecting them to house her and feed her. The mother-in-law is the ruler of the house. If she gets upset with them, she slaps them (including her son who won’t stand up to her and who says nothing). Joseph says that is fairly typical in India. Also typical is that Prameela’s own family is still in debt from paying a dowry to get her married, so they don’t want her coming back home as an added expense and burden for them. Women get trapped here and are treated almost like slave labor. (I heard the same story two years ago from a woman forced to run a resort while her husband was gone all day. Her family lived far away, and she didn’t get to see them more than once every couple of years.) It wasn’t until Joseph gave her a job two years ago that Prameela realized a woman could work and earn money (and maybe get by without a husband and mother-in-law). Her mother-in-law is upset that she works (but is happy that she gives her husband the money she makes each week). There’s no answer, it seems. Some women commit suicide. The newspaper this morning had the story of a woman setting her mother-in-law on fire because of a long history of disagreements. Women here are a long way from liberation.
Before bedtime we called the Panjim Inn in Goa where I wrote for a reservation but have not heard from yet. They have availability, but I have to call back when the reservations manager is tere. They want advance payment, but the desk clerk isn’t allowed to take credit card information. At least I know I can find a room now! December is the biggest month for tourism in Goa. That’s why I also had trouble getting train reservations.
Thursday, Dec. 8 (Father’s Birthday), Kumbalam
My father is 88 today, I think. Apparently small ceremonies are planned for me today at both campuses, so it will be a special day for me, too. Joseph told me to be ready to leave here for Tangasseri at noon and that we would have to be back to this campus by 3:30 because of things the teachers had planned for me. What I’m really looking forward to, however, is tonight and the small party for the hostel kids. I hope they will like the address books I have bought for them and the activities I have planned. (Some of them asked me to write my address for them two nights ago, so I did. But I have written my address in each address book already.)
Monday, December 05, 2005
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: I Have Tickets
This is a special announcement. I have train tickets. I am so relieved. Yesterday, when I got online and checked the India Rail website, there was only one berth remaining on one train from Goa to Mumbai on the day I need to travel. All other trains on that day and several days before were fully booked. I panicked. There was nothing I could do at that hour. I went back to Kumbalam, stayed in my room, skipped dinner, and slept badly. I was up at 4:30 this morning worrying again. Joseph told me to call two people to see if they could help. Both just said to go to the train station, although one told me that he would meet me at the station to see if he could help. When I got to the station, there was a different man there who approached me--a government official who is a friend of the office assistant/bus driver at the school. He had met me two weeks ago when he brought his two girls there to enroll them. He walked me inside the offices rather than waiting at the counter. A man checked and found the one berth still available and booked it for me. Then he found the other train I needed to get me from Mangalore to Goa 5 days earlier and booked me a seat on it. What a relief!!
It's not total relief, however. I still don't have hotel reservations. This is the high season in Goa. I e-mailed a hotel yesterday about reservations, but there is no response today. I probably need to get on the phone and call places directly to see if I can get a room. I won't be able to rest completely until I at least have a reservation in Goa. I don't think that getting a place on arrival in Kochi and Mangalore (my first two stops) will be a problem.
Now it is time to wind down the week. A new volunteer is supposed to arrive today at the school. I have to make copies for my activities for Saturday's workshop for teachers. And I need to buy some materials for the workshop and some sweets for the kids and the teachers. I can now relax while I do those things.
It's not total relief, however. I still don't have hotel reservations. This is the high season in Goa. I e-mailed a hotel yesterday about reservations, but there is no response today. I probably need to get on the phone and call places directly to see if I can get a room. I won't be able to rest completely until I at least have a reservation in Goa. I don't think that getting a place on arrival in Kochi and Mangalore (my first two stops) will be a problem.
Now it is time to wind down the week. A new volunteer is supposed to arrive today at the school. I have to make copies for my activities for Saturday's workshop for teachers. And I need to buy some materials for the workshop and some sweets for the kids and the teachers. I can now relax while I do those things.
Last Week in Kumbalam
Saturday, Dec. 3, Kumbalam and Kollam
I went to Kundara this morning to continue my research related to my travels. I’m making slow progress. I wish I had a faster connection and more time on the computer. I’m worried about running into reservations problems, since I am traveling at a high-tourism time in India.
I finished reading Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson. I gave it 3 stars out of 4, but I was disappointed in it. I had heard such good things about it that I expected more. I felt the criminal aspects were not as tight as they should have been. It was obvious from the beginning which of the two verdicts (guity or not guilty) would occur. Also, I found the newspaper man’s inability to move on with his life 15 years after a failed teenage relationship to be implausable. I now have only one book left of the ones I brought from Texas in August.
_____
In the evening we all went to Tangasseri. A new cathedral was being consecrated. Joseph is friends with the bishop and many of the priests, so all of us piled into his SUV (including Prameela) and went. It was a tight squeeze with Abin having to sit in my lap and one of the girls having to sit in the lap of another girl. But we made it. We arrived after the cremony and mass had ended. That was on purpose so we could see the building well and so that Joseph could visit with everyone. It’s very nice with a carved marble alter, carved wooden doors, many stained glass windows, two stylized towers and a central “dome” fashioned after a lighthouse, etc. We all saw people we knew. One young man from Kundara who I had seen just this morning approached me immediately and introduced me to his friends. Two students from the Tangasseri campus of the school were there. A former teacher at the school was there, too.
Jerry saw the teacher first and told me he wanted to say hello to her. I encouraged him to go do so, but he insisted that I go, too. He’s usually so outgoing and confident, but he became unbelievably shy and nervous when we approached her. He grabbed my hand as we walked that way-something Indian boys and men do, although it’s not common for Jerry to do so. When we got there, I had to do most of the talking. Jerry stood halfway behind me. He squeezed my had tight, pulled my fingers individually, curled my fingers popping the nuckles, etc. I couldn’t believe how nervous he was. Yet he was obviously happy to see her. Finally, he spoke a few words. She was his English teacher, and I was explaining that he speaks English best of all the hostel kids as he kept mum.
Sunday, Dec. 4, Kumbalam
It’s 2:00 a.m., and I am up. The past week I’ve been waking up in the middle of the night. My mind races, and I can’t go back to sleep immediately. I don’t know why. I was so tired last night that I fell asleep just after returning from the cathedral at 8:45. The others were still in the dining room having dinner which I skipped. I didn’t even hear them going upstairs which is usually a noisy procedure with everyone saying good night to everyone.
One reason for my waking up initially is that my nose is stuffy with the passages swollen almost shut. I could hardly breathe. It’s probably allergies. It’s definitely not a cold. I don’t know what I could be allergic to right now. This is the first night for it to happen, and I haven’t noticed anything different in the air.
_____
While sitting on the porch reading the newspapers this morning, I heard fireworks going off-LOTS of fireworks. It sounded like too many too close together to be planned. My guess was that the fireworks in a small shop must have all gone off. I watched the sky for smoke, but I didn’t see any. Even Prameela came out to look, thinking it wasn’t right. When the kids returned from church, however, they said it was part of the celebration of a saint’s day there.
The front page of the Express newspaper has a scathing editorial today about U.S. congressmen touring India-Dan Burton in particular-“talking wildly about how India should behave.” They call him “loud-mouthed Burton” who claims to be an authoirity with a simple, instant solution to every problem in India. “Ignorance is a bessing. It frees you from the moderation that knowledge imposes. When ignorance is combined with arrogance, it ‘frees’ reckless minds to the extent of their running amok.” U.S. Congressmen and others of the American Establishment “have exaggerated notions of their own importance and the importance of their military-economic power.” “Ill-qualified experts like Burton constitute the pool of America’s international wisdom. That is why any country that has been guided by that wisdom has ended up in dictatorship and worse…. The dangerously slanted minds of the present helmsmen-the President, his ‘Vice-President for Torture,’ and his Secretary for Offence-have made the record bleaker than at any time in the past. They have given meaning to Bernard Shaw’s words: ‘An asylum for the sane would be empty in America.’”
_____
I’ve been doing trip planning today. I have to go back to the cyber café to check on night train schedules, then I can make hotel reservations for Goa and Mumbai and train reservations for Mangalore to Goa and Goa to Mumbai. I also have planned my route through Chile. Somewhere in Chile or Argentina (probably the latter) I need to cut back by 4-5 days or change my date of travel (no cost) from Argentina to Mexico. I’ll wait and see. The main reason for all this planning, in addition to needing to select the best places to see, is that I will be traveling at the height of the tourist season in Goa, Argentina, and Chile. I will have to make some reservations for hotels, trains, and ferries in advance to avoid problems and delays. Therefore, I need to determine when I will be where.
_____
Joseph has left and Prameela is on another rampage. I am so tired of it. I don’t think he understands what things are like when he is away from here. Right now I would like to pack up and leave! And what set it off was something I think Joseph would consider to be a good teachable moment. One of the boys, while cutting grass with a sycle, found a cocooned butterfly pupa. He brought it into the hostel attached to the leaf and showed it to me. It was a beautiful silver colored one. I was excited, and suggested that we keep it in a window so we could try to see it hatch and fly away. Prameela yelled at the top of her lungs when he showed it to her, made all the children sit and start doing school work quietly, and continues to yell off and on an hour later when something bothers her. She’s locked the front door. In other words, she’s taken over in a mad fit and I’m miserable.
_____
I’m worried about leaving Jerry and Jinny. They are nice kids. It must be difficult for them to be the poorest of all the children. Neither has decent shoes. Both wear clothing that is tight and wearing out. I know Joseph will watch out for them, but I also know he can’t do much for them. He has to expect the mother to provide for them, or she might just abandon them to him. I’m thinking of buying each of them a pair of shoes and leaving them as gifsts to get when they return to school in January. (They will go stay with an aunt over the break. I don’t want them to have the shoes earlier, because I don’t want the aunt or the mother to know that someone has relieved them of the burdon of providing things for them.) Jerry has only a rubber pair of flipflops and a cheap pair of cleated football shoes. I’d like to buy him some leather slip-on sandals. Jenny has a pair of plastic shoes. I think I can buy leather sandals for both of them for about $6-7 total.
_____
Well, the day finally passed. Joseph was gone until about 7:30 and then went straight to bed. He no longer eats with us more than 1-2 meals per week. Jerry came to me and talked a long time. Among his questions: What is envy? How can you tell if a person is happy? How can you tell if a person likes you? Among the topics discussed were: What constitutes enough income. Costs of loans. Delayed gratification. Psychology. Importance of saving no matter how much is earned. Importance of living on a budget within your means. Etc.
Monday, Dec. 5, Kumbalam
I had trouble sleeping again last night. Almost every night I awkan, and my mind starts racing with various thoughts and plans. Eventually, I turn on my light and read a while. Then I can relax and fall asleep again. I hope the pattern ends when I begin traveling again.
I’ve started reading Possession, A Romance by A. S. Byatt. It won the Booker Prize in 1990. I’ve only read 30 pages so far, but I’m not impressed yet. The main character is a dull academic, an English Ph.D. doing postdoctoral research for his major professor who has specialized in an obsure poet. Whether it gets better or not, I’ll have to keep reading it; it’s my last book. The local bookstores have nothing I want to read, so I’ll have to get to Kochi next week before I can find a good bookstore.
Life is getting busy. I have a to-do list for this week and have started another for when I am in Denmark. This week’s list includes more research on trains, making hotel and train reservations, buying train tickets, buying rope for my workshop, photocopying materials for my workshop, buying resfreshments for a party on Thursday and the workshop on Saturday, etc.
Saturday, Dec. 3, Kumbalam and Kollam
I went to Kundara this morning to continue my research related to my travels. I’m making slow progress. I wish I had a faster connection and more time on the computer. I’m worried about running into reservations problems, since I am traveling at a high-tourism time in India.
I finished reading Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson. I gave it 3 stars out of 4, but I was disappointed in it. I had heard such good things about it that I expected more. I felt the criminal aspects were not as tight as they should have been. It was obvious from the beginning which of the two verdicts (guity or not guilty) would occur. Also, I found the newspaper man’s inability to move on with his life 15 years after a failed teenage relationship to be implausable. I now have only one book left of the ones I brought from Texas in August.
_____
In the evening we all went to Tangasseri. A new cathedral was being consecrated. Joseph is friends with the bishop and many of the priests, so all of us piled into his SUV (including Prameela) and went. It was a tight squeeze with Abin having to sit in my lap and one of the girls having to sit in the lap of another girl. But we made it. We arrived after the cremony and mass had ended. That was on purpose so we could see the building well and so that Joseph could visit with everyone. It’s very nice with a carved marble alter, carved wooden doors, many stained glass windows, two stylized towers and a central “dome” fashioned after a lighthouse, etc. We all saw people we knew. One young man from Kundara who I had seen just this morning approached me immediately and introduced me to his friends. Two students from the Tangasseri campus of the school were there. A former teacher at the school was there, too.
Jerry saw the teacher first and told me he wanted to say hello to her. I encouraged him to go do so, but he insisted that I go, too. He’s usually so outgoing and confident, but he became unbelievably shy and nervous when we approached her. He grabbed my hand as we walked that way-something Indian boys and men do, although it’s not common for Jerry to do so. When we got there, I had to do most of the talking. Jerry stood halfway behind me. He squeezed my had tight, pulled my fingers individually, curled my fingers popping the nuckles, etc. I couldn’t believe how nervous he was. Yet he was obviously happy to see her. Finally, he spoke a few words. She was his English teacher, and I was explaining that he speaks English best of all the hostel kids as he kept mum.
Sunday, Dec. 4, Kumbalam
It’s 2:00 a.m., and I am up. The past week I’ve been waking up in the middle of the night. My mind races, and I can’t go back to sleep immediately. I don’t know why. I was so tired last night that I fell asleep just after returning from the cathedral at 8:45. The others were still in the dining room having dinner which I skipped. I didn’t even hear them going upstairs which is usually a noisy procedure with everyone saying good night to everyone.
One reason for my waking up initially is that my nose is stuffy with the passages swollen almost shut. I could hardly breathe. It’s probably allergies. It’s definitely not a cold. I don’t know what I could be allergic to right now. This is the first night for it to happen, and I haven’t noticed anything different in the air.
_____
While sitting on the porch reading the newspapers this morning, I heard fireworks going off-LOTS of fireworks. It sounded like too many too close together to be planned. My guess was that the fireworks in a small shop must have all gone off. I watched the sky for smoke, but I didn’t see any. Even Prameela came out to look, thinking it wasn’t right. When the kids returned from church, however, they said it was part of the celebration of a saint’s day there.
The front page of the Express newspaper has a scathing editorial today about U.S. congressmen touring India-Dan Burton in particular-“talking wildly about how India should behave.” They call him “loud-mouthed Burton” who claims to be an authoirity with a simple, instant solution to every problem in India. “Ignorance is a bessing. It frees you from the moderation that knowledge imposes. When ignorance is combined with arrogance, it ‘frees’ reckless minds to the extent of their running amok.” U.S. Congressmen and others of the American Establishment “have exaggerated notions of their own importance and the importance of their military-economic power.” “Ill-qualified experts like Burton constitute the pool of America’s international wisdom. That is why any country that has been guided by that wisdom has ended up in dictatorship and worse…. The dangerously slanted minds of the present helmsmen-the President, his ‘Vice-President for Torture,’ and his Secretary for Offence-have made the record bleaker than at any time in the past. They have given meaning to Bernard Shaw’s words: ‘An asylum for the sane would be empty in America.’”
_____
I’ve been doing trip planning today. I have to go back to the cyber café to check on night train schedules, then I can make hotel reservations for Goa and Mumbai and train reservations for Mangalore to Goa and Goa to Mumbai. I also have planned my route through Chile. Somewhere in Chile or Argentina (probably the latter) I need to cut back by 4-5 days or change my date of travel (no cost) from Argentina to Mexico. I’ll wait and see. The main reason for all this planning, in addition to needing to select the best places to see, is that I will be traveling at the height of the tourist season in Goa, Argentina, and Chile. I will have to make some reservations for hotels, trains, and ferries in advance to avoid problems and delays. Therefore, I need to determine when I will be where.
_____
Joseph has left and Prameela is on another rampage. I am so tired of it. I don’t think he understands what things are like when he is away from here. Right now I would like to pack up and leave! And what set it off was something I think Joseph would consider to be a good teachable moment. One of the boys, while cutting grass with a sycle, found a cocooned butterfly pupa. He brought it into the hostel attached to the leaf and showed it to me. It was a beautiful silver colored one. I was excited, and suggested that we keep it in a window so we could try to see it hatch and fly away. Prameela yelled at the top of her lungs when he showed it to her, made all the children sit and start doing school work quietly, and continues to yell off and on an hour later when something bothers her. She’s locked the front door. In other words, she’s taken over in a mad fit and I’m miserable.
_____
I’m worried about leaving Jerry and Jinny. They are nice kids. It must be difficult for them to be the poorest of all the children. Neither has decent shoes. Both wear clothing that is tight and wearing out. I know Joseph will watch out for them, but I also know he can’t do much for them. He has to expect the mother to provide for them, or she might just abandon them to him. I’m thinking of buying each of them a pair of shoes and leaving them as gifsts to get when they return to school in January. (They will go stay with an aunt over the break. I don’t want them to have the shoes earlier, because I don’t want the aunt or the mother to know that someone has relieved them of the burdon of providing things for them.) Jerry has only a rubber pair of flipflops and a cheap pair of cleated football shoes. I’d like to buy him some leather slip-on sandals. Jenny has a pair of plastic shoes. I think I can buy leather sandals for both of them for about $6-7 total.
_____
Well, the day finally passed. Joseph was gone until about 7:30 and then went straight to bed. He no longer eats with us more than 1-2 meals per week. Jerry came to me and talked a long time. Among his questions: What is envy? How can you tell if a person is happy? How can you tell if a person likes you? Among the topics discussed were: What constitutes enough income. Costs of loans. Delayed gratification. Psychology. Importance of saving no matter how much is earned. Importance of living on a budget within your means. Etc.
Monday, Dec. 5, Kumbalam
I had trouble sleeping again last night. Almost every night I awkan, and my mind starts racing with various thoughts and plans. Eventually, I turn on my light and read a while. Then I can relax and fall asleep again. I hope the pattern ends when I begin traveling again.
I’ve started reading Possession, A Romance by A. S. Byatt. It won the Booker Prize in 1990. I’ve only read 30 pages so far, but I’m not impressed yet. The main character is a dull academic, an English Ph.D. doing postdoctoral research for his major professor who has specialized in an obsure poet. Whether it gets better or not, I’ll have to keep reading it; it’s my last book. The local bookstores have nothing I want to read, so I’ll have to get to Kochi next week before I can find a good bookstore.
Life is getting busy. I have a to-do list for this week and have started another for when I am in Denmark. This week’s list includes more research on trains, making hotel and train reservations, buying train tickets, buying rope for my workshop, photocopying materials for my workshop, buying resfreshments for a party on Thursday and the workshop on Saturday, etc.
Friday, December 02, 2005
Making Final Preparations in Kumbalam
Thursday, Dec. 1, 2005, Kumbalam
I went to the cyber café and found it closed this morning. I needed to be online, so I caught another bus to Kollam. I still didn’t get what I wanted, since the connection there slowed down to where pages weren’t loading. It’s frustrating! I need to plan for my travels, because trains and hotels can be booked up during the days just before Christmas in Goa where I am going.
While in town, I bought a few more things I needed before leaving. Now, all I need to buy while still here are some pastries for the going-away party we will have at the hostel next Thursday night and for the teachers to have at their in-service session on the 10th.
It was 2 p.m. before I got back to school. I missed lunch, so I bought some snacks (a samosa, some spicy doughnut-looking pastries, and a sweet) and ate them while walking home. It was a HOT walk, and I was very thirsty from the snacks and the heat.
Joseph has been out tonight, and Prameela has been in a bad mood. I get so tired of all the yelling that occurs when she is alone with the kids. I don’t think Joseph is aware of it, although I mentioned it in my report to him. I’ve decided to stay here this weekend, so I hope he will be around so she want me yelling so much!
I had an e-mail from another volunteer who said he would be arriving today. He didn’t make it, however. He was in Varkala, so I imagine he decided it was too nice a place to leave. It would be fun to have another volunteer here for the last few days I have. He has to leave India and return again to get his visa renewed, so he just plans to stop for a few days. Then he will fly to Sri Lanka for a visit and return to here for the next term beginning after Christmas. Joseph says he thinks he is American and about 25 years old.
Reasons I’m Glad I Came and Stayed:
1. I feel like I have actually lived in India.
2. I really like most of the kids including those at the hostel and the others at the school.
3. I feel my presence and the work I have done is appreciated.
4. I’ve learned so much about Indian society I would never have known otherwise.
Reasons I’m Glad I’m Leaving:
1. I’m so tired of all the yelling at the hostel.
2. I’m tired of feeling trapped and isolated all the time.
3. I’m frustrated with how difficult it is to make change occur in India.
4. I’m bored now that most of my work is finished.
5. I look forward to having good rice again; the rice here in Kerala is boiled twice (in the hull and again for cooking before eating) and is too puffy with no flavor!
Friday, Dec. 2, 2005, Kumbalam
Joseph told me my time here has made a big difference. He’s happy to have the scope and sequence charts and is proud to show them to everyone. But he seems happier that I have helped him clarify his vision for the school and put it in words for communicating to the parts and the government. He also told me he thinks he has recruited his first teacher through my Spy Program.
Young teachers all hope for a government job due to higher pay, a pension system, and the fact they cannot be fired (meaning they can take off work anytime they want). Therefore, they are not permanent employees or very dedicated ones. But a government test is required for getting a government job, and they won’t let anyone over the age of 34 take the test. Another problem with getting teachers and losing those who are already here is that they don’t like the commute from the city to this small out-of-the-way village. My Spy Program calls for Joseph to find a way to determine who are the GOOD teachers over 34 years old in the nearby schools. I suggested that if he can find them, he can recruit them by paying 500-1000 rupees ($11.50-23.00) more per month over the pay at their present schools. That’s a significant amount, since most teachers of that age and experience are still only making 2500-3000 rupees per month at private school. Commuting won’t be a problem for them, since they are already in the area. My suggestion made him remember a teacher he knows who is on maternity leave from a nearby school. He saw her at her home. She said she would be willing to change jobs if he can increase her salary above heer present 2500 ruppes per month. So he probably has her. If he can find 4-5 others like her, he’ll have one of his major problems (teachers coming and going too often and even in the middle of the school year when they get an offer of a government job) solved, because no one else will have the money to compete with the level of salaries he will be able to pay.
Since St. Joseph’s is a non-profit organization (registered both here and in the US), I’m going to suggest to him that he consider establishing endowed chair salary supplements to help in the above endeavor. If he could find people willing to donate $10,000 U.S., he could create named endowed chair salary supplements (The Sunjay Gupta Endowed Chair of English Teaching, The Rajish Chadra Endowed Chair of Science Teaching, The Bill and Brenda Gates Endowed Chair of Computer Teaching, etc.) for positions that would guarantee 1000 rupees per month above the normal salary (at an anualized rate of return of 3%). That would remove the budget pressure on him in terms of paying the extra money to get the good teachers. The school could pay the 2500 that is normal, and the chairs would supplement that with 1000 rupees per month. There will never be more than 25 faculty positions here at this school. (There are 12 now.) Surely, he could find 20 or so successful Indians and others in the U.S. who would be willing to donate that much money to have their name attached to a position at this school.
Thursday, Dec. 1, 2005, Kumbalam
I went to the cyber café and found it closed this morning. I needed to be online, so I caught another bus to Kollam. I still didn’t get what I wanted, since the connection there slowed down to where pages weren’t loading. It’s frustrating! I need to plan for my travels, because trains and hotels can be booked up during the days just before Christmas in Goa where I am going.
While in town, I bought a few more things I needed before leaving. Now, all I need to buy while still here are some pastries for the going-away party we will have at the hostel next Thursday night and for the teachers to have at their in-service session on the 10th.
It was 2 p.m. before I got back to school. I missed lunch, so I bought some snacks (a samosa, some spicy doughnut-looking pastries, and a sweet) and ate them while walking home. It was a HOT walk, and I was very thirsty from the snacks and the heat.
Joseph has been out tonight, and Prameela has been in a bad mood. I get so tired of all the yelling that occurs when she is alone with the kids. I don’t think Joseph is aware of it, although I mentioned it in my report to him. I’ve decided to stay here this weekend, so I hope he will be around so she want me yelling so much!
I had an e-mail from another volunteer who said he would be arriving today. He didn’t make it, however. He was in Varkala, so I imagine he decided it was too nice a place to leave. It would be fun to have another volunteer here for the last few days I have. He has to leave India and return again to get his visa renewed, so he just plans to stop for a few days. Then he will fly to Sri Lanka for a visit and return to here for the next term beginning after Christmas. Joseph says he thinks he is American and about 25 years old.
Reasons I’m Glad I Came and Stayed:
1. I feel like I have actually lived in India.
2. I really like most of the kids including those at the hostel and the others at the school.
3. I feel my presence and the work I have done is appreciated.
4. I’ve learned so much about Indian society I would never have known otherwise.
Reasons I’m Glad I’m Leaving:
1. I’m so tired of all the yelling at the hostel.
2. I’m tired of feeling trapped and isolated all the time.
3. I’m frustrated with how difficult it is to make change occur in India.
4. I’m bored now that most of my work is finished.
5. I look forward to having good rice again; the rice here in Kerala is boiled twice (in the hull and again for cooking before eating) and is too puffy with no flavor!
Friday, Dec. 2, 2005, Kumbalam
Joseph told me my time here has made a big difference. He’s happy to have the scope and sequence charts and is proud to show them to everyone. But he seems happier that I have helped him clarify his vision for the school and put it in words for communicating to the parts and the government. He also told me he thinks he has recruited his first teacher through my Spy Program.
Young teachers all hope for a government job due to higher pay, a pension system, and the fact they cannot be fired (meaning they can take off work anytime they want). Therefore, they are not permanent employees or very dedicated ones. But a government test is required for getting a government job, and they won’t let anyone over the age of 34 take the test. Another problem with getting teachers and losing those who are already here is that they don’t like the commute from the city to this small out-of-the-way village. My Spy Program calls for Joseph to find a way to determine who are the GOOD teachers over 34 years old in the nearby schools. I suggested that if he can find them, he can recruit them by paying 500-1000 rupees ($11.50-23.00) more per month over the pay at their present schools. That’s a significant amount, since most teachers of that age and experience are still only making 2500-3000 rupees per month at private school. Commuting won’t be a problem for them, since they are already in the area. My suggestion made him remember a teacher he knows who is on maternity leave from a nearby school. He saw her at her home. She said she would be willing to change jobs if he can increase her salary above heer present 2500 ruppes per month. So he probably has her. If he can find 4-5 others like her, he’ll have one of his major problems (teachers coming and going too often and even in the middle of the school year when they get an offer of a government job) solved, because no one else will have the money to compete with the level of salaries he will be able to pay.
Since St. Joseph’s is a non-profit organization (registered both here and in the US), I’m going to suggest to him that he consider establishing endowed chair salary supplements to help in the above endeavor. If he could find people willing to donate $10,000 U.S., he could create named endowed chair salary supplements (The Sunjay Gupta Endowed Chair of English Teaching, The Rajish Chadra Endowed Chair of Science Teaching, The Bill and Brenda Gates Endowed Chair of Computer Teaching, etc.) for positions that would guarantee 1000 rupees per month above the normal salary (at an anualized rate of return of 3%). That would remove the budget pressure on him in terms of paying the extra money to get the good teachers. The school could pay the 2500 that is normal, and the chairs would supplement that with 1000 rupees per month. There will never be more than 25 faculty positions here at this school. (There are 12 now.) Surely, he could find 20 or so successful Indians and others in the U.S. who would be willing to donate that much money to have their name attached to a position at this school.
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
The End Is Near
Saturday, Nov. 26, Kumbalam
I took Jerry to the cyber café with me this morning. He’s been wanting to know about the Harlem Globetrotters. I told him about them when he was trying to spin a basketball on the tip of his finger. So I searched for websites and showed him videoclips and still photos of them. India uses PAL rather than NTSC, or I would mail a DVD to him after getting back to the states. It wouldn’t play on their systems here, however. Besides, there’s only a VCR at the hostel and not a DVD player and none of the computers have DVD players on them at school.
It’s been a slow day otherwise. I napped, read, and visited with the kids. Weekends seem so long here. I may go back to Varkala next weekend just to make it pass faster.
Sunday, Nov. 27, Kumbalam
It’s been a quiet Sunday. I was disappointed that there was no Sunday outing. Although it’s in the schedule, an outing seems to occur no more than once every two weeks. Not having one makes the weekends seem SOOOOOO long! All I’ve done is relax and read.
Monday, Nov. 28, Kumbalam
The entries to the blog are shorter these days. There’s no reason to write the mundane. I will put only what seems significant for the next two weeks. After that, I will be traveling again and there should be longer entries.
Today is the beginning of my last two weeks here. I have a long list of things on my to-do list for these two weeks. Most of them are personal things rather than ones for school. I need to get cash from an ATM; buy gifts for the cook, the kids, and Joseph; get my train ticket for Dec. 22 from Goa to Mumbai before reserved places are sold out (due to Christmas and this being a Christian area of India); plan my itinerary from here to Goa; etc. For the school, I need to plan the in-service session for Dec. 10, parepare the materials for it, help interview some job applicatns, finalize a letter for Joseph to send out about the goals of the school and changes that will occur for next year, etc. I will also go with Joseph to Trivandrum on Wendesday to invite the Minister of Education to a program the school will have in January. I’ll probably go to Kollam tomorrow to start working on my list of things. I need to transfer some final files to the computer on the Tangasseri campus anyway. And I can be on the Internet there for a couple of hours to research info for my travels and maybe to make a reservation or two since this is now the prime tourist season in India.
Monday, Nov. 28, Kumbalam
Today is the beginning of my last two weeks here. I have a long list of things on my to-do list for these two weeks. Most of them are personal things rather than ones for the school. I need to get cash from an ATM; buy gifts for the cook, the kids, and Joseph; get my train ticket for Dec. 22 to Mumbai before reserved places are sold out; plan my itinerary from here to Goa (my last stop before going to Mumbai for my flight); etc. For the school, I need to plan the in-service session for Dec. 10, prepare the materials for it, help interview some job applicants, finalize a letter for Joseph to send out about the goals of the school and changes that will occur for next year, etc. I will also go to Trivandrum with Joseph on Wednesday to invite the Minister of Education to a program the school will have in January. I’ll probably go to Kollam tomorrow to start working on my list of things. I need to transfer some final files to the computer on the Tangasseri campus. And I need to be on the Internet there for a couple of hours to research some things related to the in-service session and my travels.
Tuesday, Nov. 29, Kumbalam
I went shopping today with Joseph and Prameela. We went to Kollam right after lunch. I bought address books to give to the kids, since they have so many volunteers here. I thought they should keep contact information in case they want to write letters or e-mail some day. I also bought a sari for Prameela for cokking and serving my meals and for keeping the toilets, shower stalls, floors, etc., clean. Joseph picked up his air ticket to go home and had an appointment with his lawyers. Prameela bought brooms, a mop, and other household items.
I'm worried about Jerry and Jenny, but especially about Jenny. I can see she is depressed. She showed me her journal tonight, and it's related to her mother who lives and works in Dubai. The mother didn't come home to visit them last summer. Now, she has changed her plans about coming at Christmas. Even if she does come some day, esentially these kids have been abandoned by her. She lives with their uncle (the brother of their foather) and there are questions about how the father died, since she and the brother began living together immediately. In the meantime, Jenny's journal professes her love for their mother, questions why the mother won't come to see them, and tells about how she keeps praying to God, yet he won't listen to her for some reason.
Wednesday, Nov. 30, Kumbalam and Trivandrum
The weather has been different this week. We're getting rain in the morning hours for the first time. It's due to a low pressure system that has turned into a cyclone according to the paper. Anyway, a man in Kollam yesterday said that the weather is not following the normal pattern this year. This should be the sunny season here, yet rain continues almost every day. Fortunately, it has been mostly good weather during the daytime.
I hope the rain stops before Joseph and I leave for Trivandrum. His driving is scary enough in good weather! Yesterday, I found myself hoping I will survive the next 1 1/2 weeks without being in an accident as he drove to Kollam and back!
_____
What an exhausting day. I'm tired mainly because of Joseph's driving. It was a long trip with me on the edge of my seat much of the time. The rain stopped, but his driving was still bad.
We went to several government offices in Trivandrum. The high minister's office waived a new law so that Joseph could offer summer programs this year. We missed the Minister of Education, because he had left town to see his brother who had been in an accident. We got back to Kumbalam at 9 p.m., and I'm going to bed!
Saturday, Nov. 26, Kumbalam
I took Jerry to the cyber café with me this morning. He’s been wanting to know about the Harlem Globetrotters. I told him about them when he was trying to spin a basketball on the tip of his finger. So I searched for websites and showed him videoclips and still photos of them. India uses PAL rather than NTSC, or I would mail a DVD to him after getting back to the states. It wouldn’t play on their systems here, however. Besides, there’s only a VCR at the hostel and not a DVD player and none of the computers have DVD players on them at school.
It’s been a slow day otherwise. I napped, read, and visited with the kids. Weekends seem so long here. I may go back to Varkala next weekend just to make it pass faster.
Sunday, Nov. 27, Kumbalam
It’s been a quiet Sunday. I was disappointed that there was no Sunday outing. Although it’s in the schedule, an outing seems to occur no more than once every two weeks. Not having one makes the weekends seem SOOOOOO long! All I’ve done is relax and read.
Monday, Nov. 28, Kumbalam
The entries to the blog are shorter these days. There’s no reason to write the mundane. I will put only what seems significant for the next two weeks. After that, I will be traveling again and there should be longer entries.
Today is the beginning of my last two weeks here. I have a long list of things on my to-do list for these two weeks. Most of them are personal things rather than ones for school. I need to get cash from an ATM; buy gifts for the cook, the kids, and Joseph; get my train ticket for Dec. 22 from Goa to Mumbai before reserved places are sold out (due to Christmas and this being a Christian area of India); plan my itinerary from here to Goa; etc. For the school, I need to plan the in-service session for Dec. 10, parepare the materials for it, help interview some job applicatns, finalize a letter for Joseph to send out about the goals of the school and changes that will occur for next year, etc. I will also go with Joseph to Trivandrum on Wendesday to invite the Minister of Education to a program the school will have in January. I’ll probably go to Kollam tomorrow to start working on my list of things. I need to transfer some final files to the computer on the Tangasseri campus anyway. And I can be on the Internet there for a couple of hours to research info for my travels and maybe to make a reservation or two since this is now the prime tourist season in India.
Monday, Nov. 28, Kumbalam
Today is the beginning of my last two weeks here. I have a long list of things on my to-do list for these two weeks. Most of them are personal things rather than ones for the school. I need to get cash from an ATM; buy gifts for the cook, the kids, and Joseph; get my train ticket for Dec. 22 to Mumbai before reserved places are sold out; plan my itinerary from here to Goa (my last stop before going to Mumbai for my flight); etc. For the school, I need to plan the in-service session for Dec. 10, prepare the materials for it, help interview some job applicants, finalize a letter for Joseph to send out about the goals of the school and changes that will occur for next year, etc. I will also go to Trivandrum with Joseph on Wednesday to invite the Minister of Education to a program the school will have in January. I’ll probably go to Kollam tomorrow to start working on my list of things. I need to transfer some final files to the computer on the Tangasseri campus. And I need to be on the Internet there for a couple of hours to research some things related to the in-service session and my travels.
Tuesday, Nov. 29, Kumbalam
I went shopping today with Joseph and Prameela. We went to Kollam right after lunch. I bought address books to give to the kids, since they have so many volunteers here. I thought they should keep contact information in case they want to write letters or e-mail some day. I also bought a sari for Prameela for cokking and serving my meals and for keeping the toilets, shower stalls, floors, etc., clean. Joseph picked up his air ticket to go home and had an appointment with his lawyers. Prameela bought brooms, a mop, and other household items.
I'm worried about Jerry and Jenny, but especially about Jenny. I can see she is depressed. She showed me her journal tonight, and it's related to her mother who lives and works in Dubai. The mother didn't come home to visit them last summer. Now, she has changed her plans about coming at Christmas. Even if she does come some day, esentially these kids have been abandoned by her. She lives with their uncle (the brother of their foather) and there are questions about how the father died, since she and the brother began living together immediately. In the meantime, Jenny's journal professes her love for their mother, questions why the mother won't come to see them, and tells about how she keeps praying to God, yet he won't listen to her for some reason.
Wednesday, Nov. 30, Kumbalam and Trivandrum
The weather has been different this week. We're getting rain in the morning hours for the first time. It's due to a low pressure system that has turned into a cyclone according to the paper. Anyway, a man in Kollam yesterday said that the weather is not following the normal pattern this year. This should be the sunny season here, yet rain continues almost every day. Fortunately, it has been mostly good weather during the daytime.
I hope the rain stops before Joseph and I leave for Trivandrum. His driving is scary enough in good weather! Yesterday, I found myself hoping I will survive the next 1 1/2 weeks without being in an accident as he drove to Kollam and back!
_____
What an exhausting day. I'm tired mainly because of Joseph's driving. It was a long trip with me on the edge of my seat much of the time. The rain stopped, but his driving was still bad.
We went to several government offices in Trivandrum. The high minister's office waived a new law so that Joseph could offer summer programs this year. We missed the Minister of Education, because he had left town to see his brother who had been in an accident. We got back to Kumbalam at 9 p.m., and I'm going to bed!
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