Saturday, January 30, 2010
The adventure down under!
After a short couple of weeks back at home (literally two), I find myself in Sydney. We have been here for almost three weeks now (since the 9th), and it has been incredible. The people have been interesting and friendly. The scenery is absolutely amazing. We have had the opportunity to have lectures from professors who specialize in a range of studies from biology, ecology, history, law, anthropology, and more. Learning about his sometimes harsh natural land and its sometimes harsh history of violence has been intriguing. Just as I am starting to get used to Sydney, I find that we are taking off to an aboriginal camp, where we will be doing a week of experiential learning from a group of Indigenous Australians. I am looking forward to learning from descendents of what is often believed to be the oldest living culture on earth. Oh, the Places You’ll go!
With no time to really process the past few months of wonder, I took off with a friend for a few days in Nepal to fulfill a lifelong dream of standing toe to toe with the Himalayas. As we made our way through the capitol city of Kathmandu, we made arrangements to get Pokhara, a starting point for many hikers through the Annapurna Himalayan Mountain range. We quickly learned the next day that a strike shut down the entire country and had to reschedule a flight. We finally made and began our hike to Poon Hill at the elevation of 10,500ft. While we did it a little quicker than I would have liked it was still amazing to see the sun wage war with the stars against the back drop of the Annapurna Himalayan Mountain range. It was truly an inspiring feeling that I will never forget. Seeing true beauty like that is a rare privilege and a distinct honor that I can never really recreate, but will always keep etched easy into the forefront of my memories.
After spending another day in the city by myself, I made my way back to Delhi to meet up with a couple of friends as we did some last minute shopping and made our way to the airport. We boarding the plane and flew back into Chicago. We couldn’t believe our eyes and ears. Had we really done it? How could we make sense of it all? Before we all knew it, we were back in Portland, going through yet another culture shock.
After spending another day in the city by myself, I made my way back to Delhi to meet up with a couple of friends as we did some last minute shopping and made our way to the airport. We boarding the plane and flew back into Chicago. We couldn’t believe our eyes and ears. Had we really done it? How could we make sense of it all? Before we all knew it, we were back in Portland, going through yet another culture shock.
Vacation!
After finishing up with another day or two in Bangalore, I drove with some other students North West towards a huge Hindu historical site. It’s was noted as a Hindu site because of the importance it holds for the history of the Hindu kingdoms of old. The main Hindu strong holds of the ancient India were indeed centered in Hampi, the town I spent the first few days of my second vacation. It was wonderful to take a self guided tour around the town and see the ancient ruins. After, my friend Keletso and I made our way to Mumbai on a flight that was upgraded to first class for free. We touched down in Mumbai on the one year anniversary of the Terrorist attacks on their city. To them, the November 26th, is what 9/11 is to those of us in the states. As we made our way to the center of the site of the terrorist attacks (Taj Mahal Hotel), it could not believe my eyes. There were news vehicles stretching down 4 or so city blocks. There were tons of people everywhere. It was truly exhilarating and chilling at the same time. As we felt waves of people brush against us, we couldn’t help but think silently to ourselves about what must have gone down there. What were the people thinking at the time of the attacks? Where would they have run or hid? What anger must have compelled someone to open fire on such a massive crowd of people? And then just as there are people shouting, chants being repeated; some angry and some somber, and the army people march by in their uniforms I will never forget what I saw next. Just then, a huge crowd of kids ranging in age from 6 to maybe 18 marched down the street in absolute silence most of the time as they let their silent footsteps and painstakingly white t shirts speak for them. I looked directly at one and read the blue lettering on the front as I whispered to my friend, Keletso, “make peace, not pieces”. As the chills literally ran down my spine and arms I got choked up as I looked around at the children leading the charge for peace through the absolute presence of justice and realized that people from all over India had come together for this. In this moment, there were no racial divides. In this moment, there were no Punjabis, Muslims, Hindus, or Buddhists. There were no kids or adults, and there were no haves or have-nots. In this moment, there simply were people who were hurt by an unnecessary attack on their city, on their souls, on their collective spirits. And it was in this moment that I saw humanity make hope for itself for the first time in a long time.
I will also never forget the man that carried a huge Indian flag and waved it valiantly through the air as high and hard as he could possibly wave it. I looked up and saw the green of the flag crack the breeze and the entire surrounding crowd broke out into the national anthem. After that rally, we lit candles for the fallen, and made our way to the shops nearby. As we started talking to another shop owner we got into the topic of the attacks. When I asked him what he did when the shooting started, he said “we stayed right where he was. He said it was his shop, this is his city, and these are his people, how could I abandon them in their most dire time of need?”
The next morning, we went to lunch at Leopold Café (a popular tourist site that was one of the main targets of the attacks. As I sat down at the table that was up against the half wood and half mirror wall, I noticed a crack in the corner of my eye about half way through the meal. As craned my heard to see the entire mirror, I saw a large bullet hole in that glass, and goose bumps populated my entire body. Just then, I realized that in order for the bullet hole to make it to that spot in the mirror, it would have to pass through the person who was sitting in my very chair. Can you imagine the pain? Can you imagine the horror the person sitting across the table must have felt?
After a couple days in Mumbai, we made our way to Goa, a popular beach town and hung out for a few days. It was lovely to chill on the beach and just relax before returning to our home in Delhi to meet up with the rest of the group for the final week of the program. We all met in Delhi, had final presentations of our projects that we did in Varanasi, and had final dinners and celebrations.
I will also never forget the man that carried a huge Indian flag and waved it valiantly through the air as high and hard as he could possibly wave it. I looked up and saw the green of the flag crack the breeze and the entire surrounding crowd broke out into the national anthem. After that rally, we lit candles for the fallen, and made our way to the shops nearby. As we started talking to another shop owner we got into the topic of the attacks. When I asked him what he did when the shooting started, he said “we stayed right where he was. He said it was his shop, this is his city, and these are his people, how could I abandon them in their most dire time of need?”
The next morning, we went to lunch at Leopold Café (a popular tourist site that was one of the main targets of the attacks. As I sat down at the table that was up against the half wood and half mirror wall, I noticed a crack in the corner of my eye about half way through the meal. As craned my heard to see the entire mirror, I saw a large bullet hole in that glass, and goose bumps populated my entire body. Just then, I realized that in order for the bullet hole to make it to that spot in the mirror, it would have to pass through the person who was sitting in my very chair. Can you imagine the pain? Can you imagine the horror the person sitting across the table must have felt?
After a couple days in Mumbai, we made our way to Goa, a popular beach town and hung out for a few days. It was lovely to chill on the beach and just relax before returning to our home in Delhi to meet up with the rest of the group for the final week of the program. We all met in Delhi, had final presentations of our projects that we did in Varanasi, and had final dinners and celebrations.
India, the south
Dear Friends,
I apologize for the delay in updates. It seems time really does slip away with more and more swiftness than I can sometimes process. I can’t believe how long it’s been since last we spoke, but I will try to do my best to catch you up over the next few posts.
I ended the India program with another week of vacation after finishing up our exploration of the South of India. After moving through Bangalore, Mysore, the BR Hills, and a few more places, you could imagine that we were pretty tired. While we all were exhausted, we were truly grateful for the things we had learned. Nothing can ever compare to digging through a field in order to learn about the Employment laws through the eyes of the government workers in rural India. And sitting with college students to discuss environmental degradation theory and ways that we can come together to care for our planet is a mental sensation that cannot be put onto paper. Walking through the jungle of the BR hills and learning about the land and its people by living with local tribes for a few days was truly heartwarming. Learning about their unwavering need to “develop sustainably” by availing themselves of modern health care while still holding true to their tradition is a lesson that we could all learn. For example, they have had agriculturalists come through and study their ways of cultivating the land and compare them to the “modern” way and have found that the tribal way is really the best for their health and for the longevity of the land mainly because they don’t take more than they need and replace it after they are done. Who would have though, the fair, but highly criticized rule of reciprocity (give back as much as you take) can actually work in our modern world. I will also never forget the bon fire the tribes threw us at the end of our stay there. They regaled us with traditional tribal dance and song just before suppressing the midnight flames in order to spread the coals. Just then, children half my age and size waltzed across the hot coals as if it were their form of relaxation or yoga. Well, me being me, I raised my eyebrow, scrunched up the legs o my pants, and did what any Tacoma boy would do; I walked across the hot coals. You will all be glad to know that no scars were acquired and it was truly an amazing experience. It really is something that I shall never forget. The only thing I could say at the end was “Oh the Places you’ll go”
I apologize for the delay in updates. It seems time really does slip away with more and more swiftness than I can sometimes process. I can’t believe how long it’s been since last we spoke, but I will try to do my best to catch you up over the next few posts.
I ended the India program with another week of vacation after finishing up our exploration of the South of India. After moving through Bangalore, Mysore, the BR Hills, and a few more places, you could imagine that we were pretty tired. While we all were exhausted, we were truly grateful for the things we had learned. Nothing can ever compare to digging through a field in order to learn about the Employment laws through the eyes of the government workers in rural India. And sitting with college students to discuss environmental degradation theory and ways that we can come together to care for our planet is a mental sensation that cannot be put onto paper. Walking through the jungle of the BR hills and learning about the land and its people by living with local tribes for a few days was truly heartwarming. Learning about their unwavering need to “develop sustainably” by availing themselves of modern health care while still holding true to their tradition is a lesson that we could all learn. For example, they have had agriculturalists come through and study their ways of cultivating the land and compare them to the “modern” way and have found that the tribal way is really the best for their health and for the longevity of the land mainly because they don’t take more than they need and replace it after they are done. Who would have though, the fair, but highly criticized rule of reciprocity (give back as much as you take) can actually work in our modern world. I will also never forget the bon fire the tribes threw us at the end of our stay there. They regaled us with traditional tribal dance and song just before suppressing the midnight flames in order to spread the coals. Just then, children half my age and size waltzed across the hot coals as if it were their form of relaxation or yoga. Well, me being me, I raised my eyebrow, scrunched up the legs o my pants, and did what any Tacoma boy would do; I walked across the hot coals. You will all be glad to know that no scars were acquired and it was truly an amazing experience. It really is something that I shall never forget. The only thing I could say at the end was “Oh the Places you’ll go”
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