Shoshanablank’s Weblog


Say Goodbye to Chennai
September 28, 2008, 4:31 pm
Filed under: Uncategorized

 

Rebecca D. and I with Sankariswani, one of the girls living at ICSA and also one of the hardest names to pronounce!
Rebecca D. and I with Sankariswani, one of the girls living at ICSA and also one of the hardest names to pronounce!
Me and Poomani being silly in the girls dormitory
Me and Poomani being silly in the girls dormitory
Tony and I at Mahaballapuram (Lots of Hindu temples with rock carvings)
Tony and I at Mahaballapuram (Lots of Hindu temples with rock carvings)

Krishna's Butterball (this god loves his butter)
Krishna’s Butterball (this god loves his butter)
silly girls playing with my camera
silly girls playing with my camera
Parimela, originally from Sri Lanka, had to leave the country as a baby because of the violence there. This is us after our revolutionary war skit that I helped direct and Parimela starred in as the main narrator. She speaks such great English!
Parimela, originally from Sri Lanka, had to leave the country as a baby because of the violence there. This is us after our revolutionary war skit that I helped direct and Parimela starred in as the main narrator. She speaks such great English!

With Irene, our director at ICSA, on our last day in Chennai. Her laugh sounds like "Ohhohohoho"
With Irene, our director at ICSA, on our last day in Chennai. Her laugh sounds like “Ohhohohoho”
Then we went to a rural village for 5 days. Here I am after trying to plow with the oxes and failing miserably at a rice paddy.
Then we went to a rural village for 5 days. Here I am after trying to plow with the oxes and failing miserably at a rice paddy.
At a government school in the village. I believe this is third standard (third grade)
At a government school in the village. I believe this is third standard (third grade)

At a Government (public) School in the village we stayed in, This is the thrird standard I think (3rd grade)
At a Government (public) School in the village we stayed in, This is the thrird standard I think (3rd grade)
A pottery maker in the village. Pottery making is something his family has done for generations because it is their caste. However, he doesn't think his kids will be in the business since the world is kind of phasing out his profession
A pottery maker in the village. Pottery making is something his family has done for generations because it is their caste. However, he doesn’t think his kids will be in the business since the world is kind of phasing out his profession
A monkey nearby as we ate lunch before our trek to a waterfall in Andhra Pradesh. First time outside of the state of Tamil Nadu
A monkey nearby as we ate lunch before our trek to a waterfall in Andhra Pradesh. First time outside of the state of Tamil Nadu

Matt on a motorbike with Amalan, our director for rural orientation.
Matt on a motorbike with Amalan, our director for rural orientation.
Group picture on a sun dial at an agricultural research center
Group picture on a sun dial at an agricultural research center
This is what happens when you squish 12 people into a small SUV.
This is what happens when you squish 12 people into a small SUV.

These are some friends Rebecca Rand and I met on the trainride to Kodaikanal (our first research site) where we will be until October 30th.
These are some friends Rebecca Rand and I met on the trainride to Kodaikanal (our first research site) where we will be until October 30th.
More friends from the train. The little girl in Sowndarya, in the 4th standard. She wants to become a doctor in America.
More friends from the train. The little girl in Sowndarya, in the 4th standard. She wants to become a doctor in America.
Us on the train, about to get off in Dindigul. Too bad we would end up paying 1800 rupees for a taxi to Kodaikanal (about 50 dollars)
Us on the train, about to get off in Dindigul. Too bad we would end up paying 1800 rupees for a taxi to Kodaikanal (about 50 dollars)

Rebecca in front of our train with ALL of her luggage. Including her guitar
Rebecca in front of our train with ALL of her luggage. Including her guitar
P.S. I have already had to run to catch a train in India and ended up missing it. Long story, but it all turned out OK.
P.S. I have already had to run to catch a train in India and ended up missing it. Long story, but it all turned out OK.
Beautiful Kodaikanal. This place is in the Palni Hills and is about 70 degrees during the day and 40 at night. But there's no heat, so it's really cold inside. And remember, our bodies were used to a hot and sweaty climate so this is quite a shock to see everyone wearing sweaters and hats.
Beautiful Kodaikanal. This place is in the Palni Hills and is about 70 degrees during the day and 40 at night. But there’s no heat, so it’s really cold inside. And remember, our bodies were used to a hot and sweaty climate so this is quite a shock to see everyone wearing sweaters and hats.

Rebecca in Kodai (this one's for you mom and dad Rand!) We went to the farmer's market today and got lots of veggies to cook in our little cottage.
Rebecca in Kodai (this one’s for you mom and dad Rand!) We went to the farmer’s market today and got lots of veggies to cook in our little cottage.
At a Kashmir rug store in Chennai. Really expensive, but really nice rugs.
At a Kashmir rug store in Chennai. Really expensive, but really nice rugs.
At a Buddhist Temple. We all thought that Buddha was always fat, bald, and jolly, but that's only the laughing Buddha. I believe this one is the standing Buddha. The monk that explained Buddhism to us spoke "English" but we had no idea what he was saying the entire time.
At a Buddhist Temple. We all thought that Buddha was always fat, bald, and jolly, but that’s only the laughing Buddha. I believe this one is the standing Buddha. The monk that explained Buddhism to us spoke “English” but we had no idea what he was saying the entire time.

Ian is teaching some adult students about America and wearing a "doti", a male skirt that a lot of Indians wear in hot weather.
Ian is teaching some adult students about America and wearing a “doti”, a male skirt that a lot of Indians wear in hot weather.
This is me on St. Thomas mount. You can see the city of Chennai behind me. It is really a spread out city, with no real center or skyscrapers.
This is me on St. Thomas mount. You can see the city of Chennai behind me. It is really a spread out city, with no real center or skyscrapers.
A beautiful picture of the cathedral at St. Thomas Mount. This is the site where St. Thomas (the guy that brought Christianity to India) was martyred.
A beautiful picture of the cathedral at St. Thomas Mount. This is the site where St. Thomas (the guy that brought Christianity to India) was martyred.

Celebrating Rebecca Dyer's 21st Birthday at Cakewalk, right by where we were staying. The chocolate cake was delicious and was a nice break from rice.
Celebrating Rebecca Dyer’s 21st Birthday at Cakewalk, right by where we were staying. The chocolate cake was delicious and was a nice break from rice.
The Kapaleeshwarar Temple in Chennai. A Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva, the destroyer. The other two main Hindu gods are Brahman the creator and Vishnu the protector. Although many people think Hinduism is an polytheistic religion, many Hindus believe it to be monotheistic since they combine all three gods into one whole god, kind of like the trinity.
The Kapaleeshwarar Temple in Chennai. A Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva, the destroyer. The other two main Hindu gods are Brahman the creator and Vishnu the protector. Although many people think Hinduism is an polytheistic religion, many Hindus believe it to be monotheistic since they combine all three gods into one whole god, kind of like the trinity.
Rebecca Rand, me, and Chelsea trying to pose outside of the temple. Even though we're not all with it, I still think it's a great picture.
Rebecca Rand, me, and Chelsea trying to pose outside of the temple. Even though we’re not all with it, I still think it’s a great picture.

A cow. These guys are EVERYWHERE. On the roads, stopping traffic to cross the street, holy in the religion of Hinduism (which by the way makes up 80% of India).
A cow. These guys are EVERYWHERE. On the roads, stopping traffic to cross the street, holy in the religion of Hinduism (which by the way makes up 80% of India).
A woman selling flowers= commonplace in India
A woman selling flowers= commonplace in India
Field hockey game. One of the team wears turbans. We also went to a cricket game in Chennai; not as fun too watch as baseball but maybe it was the lack of a crowd.
Field hockey game. One of the team wears turbans. We also went to a cricket game in Chennai; not as fun too watch as baseball but maybe it was the lack of a crowd.

Kate, Deanna, Kayli, Rebecca Dyer, and me in our fancy saris.
Kate, Deanna, Kayli, Rebecca Dyer, and me in our fancy saris.

Rebecca D. and I with Sankariswani, one of the girls living at ICSA and also one of the hardest names to pronounce!

Rebecca D. and I with Sankariswani, one of the girls living at ICSA and also one of the hardest names to pronounce!

Me and Poomani being silly in the girls dormitory

Me and Poomani being silly in the girls dormitory

Tony and I at Mahaballapuram (Lots of Hindu temples with rock carvings)

Tony and I at Mahaballapuram (Lots of Hindu temples with rock carvings)

Krishna's Butterball (this god loves his butter)

Krishna

silly girls playing with my camera

silly girls playing with my camera

Parimela, originally from Sri Lanka, had to leave the country as a baby because of the violence there. This is us after our revolutionary war skit that I helped direct and Parimela starred in as the main narrator. She speaks such great English!

Parimela, originally from Sri Lanka, had to leave the country as a baby because of the violence there. This is us after our revolutionary war skit that I helped direct and Parimela starred in as the main narrator. She speaks such great English!

With Irene, our director at ICSA, on our last day in Chennai. Her laugh sounds like "Ohhohohoho"

With Irene, our director at ICSA, on our last day in Chennai. Her laugh sounds like

Then we went to a rural village for 5 days. Here I am after trying to plow with the oxes and failing miserably at a rice paddy.

Then we went to a rural village for 5 days. Here I am after trying to plow with the oxes and failing miserably at a rice paddy.

 

At a Government (public) School in the village we stayed in, This is the thrird standard I think (3rd grade)

At a Government (public) School in the village we stayed in, This is the thrird standard I think (3rd grade)

 

A pottery maker in the village. Pottery making is something his family has done for generations because it is their caste. However, he doesn't think his kids will be in the business since the world is kind of phasing out his profession

A pottery maker in the village. Pottery making is something his family has done for generations because it is their caste. However, he doesn

A monkey nearby as we ate lunch before our trek to a waterfall in Andhra Pradesh. First time outside of the state of Tamil Nadu

A monkey nearby as we ate lunch before our trek to a waterfall in Andhra Pradesh. First time outside of the state of Tamil Nadu

Matt on a motorbike with Amalan, our director for rural orientation.

Matt on a motorbike with Amalan, our director for rural orientation.

Group picture on a sun dial at an agricultural research center

Group picture on a sun dial at an agricultural research center

This is what happens when you squish 12 people into a small SUV.

This is what happens when you squish 12 people into a small SUV.

These are some friends Rebecca Rand and I met on the trainride to Kodaikanal (our first research site) where we will be until October 30th.

These are some friends Rebecca Rand and I met on the trainride to Kodaikanal (our first research site) where we will be until October 30th.

More friends from the train. The little girl in Sowndarya, in the 4th standard. She wants to become a doctor in America.

More friends from the train. The little girl in Sowndarya, in the 4th standard. She wants to become a doctor in America.

Us on the train, about to get off in Dindigul. Too bad we would end up paying 1800 rupees for a taxi to Kodaikanal (about 50 dollars)

Us on the train, about to get off in Dindigul. Too bad we would end up paying 1800 rupees for a taxi to Kodaikanal (about 50 dollars)

Rebecca in front of our train with ALL of her luggage. Including her guitar

Rebecca in front of our train with ALL of her luggage. Including her guitar

P.S. I have already had to run to catch a train in India and ended up missing it. Long story, but it all turned out OK.

P.S. I have already had to run to catch a train in India and ended up missing it. Long story, but it all turned out OK.

Beautiful Kodaikanal. This place is in the Palni Hills and is about 70 degrees during the day and 40 at night. But there's no heat, so it's really cold inside. And remember, our bodies were used to a hot and sweaty climate so this is quite a shock to see everyone wearing sweaters and hats.

Beautiful Kodaikanal. This place is in the Palni Hills and is about 70 degrees during the day and 40 at night. But there

Rebecca in Kodai (this one's for you mom and dad Rand!) We went to the farmer's market today and got lots of veggies to cook in our little cottage.

Rebecca in Kodai (this one

It has been such a long time since my last blog! Why you ask? Because after creating a fabulous blog that encompassed all of my wonderful experiences in Chennai, I accidently deleted it all and this website autosaved my changes. It absolutely sucked. I vowed never to go back to that hole in the wall internet place in Chennai ever again, and thus I have not been able to blog at another computer since.
Anyways, we were in the big and hot city of Chennai for 3.5 weeks and a lot of experiences and stories racked up. I tried to highlight some things with the pictures above. Basically, in Chennai we had various lectures each day on various Indian topics of culture and current issues. Some of the many subjects were diabetes in India, social disparities, poverty and development, the caste system, the education system in India, and my personal favorite: women’s issues. In the city we really got used to India, learned how to haggle for an autosickshaw ride, to ask directions using minimal Tamil, and to bobble our heads like real Indians do to mean yes or I don’t know.
Then we went to a rural village named Thiravanur,  I think. Spent five days there doing country Indian stuff. Planted rice in a rice paddy, went to government and private schools, went to meet a pottery maker, a sari embroider, and a leather weaver. That was a erally great experience, since about 75% of India lives in villages.
So then the group of ten split up. It is now me an dREbecca Rand in Kodaikanal. Words to describe this place: beautiful, cold, hills, international, not like the rest of India, did I mention cold?
More on Kodaikanal later. Sorry this was rushed, but I have to go read some articles about water quality as I started determinign my research project here tomorrow morning.
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shosh, you did a great job catching up your blog. I really enjoyed the pictures. love mom

Comment by esther September 29, 2008 @ 1:51 pm
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