i'm alive!

Sorry guys. (if anyone reads this anymore)

I have come to realization that I really dislike blogging. talking about myself to no one in particular is uncomfortable for me. so anyway here is an update because I refuse to abandon this: it will probably be a long one.

Basically, about 2 weeks ago colleges all over the state of Tamil Nadu were shut down indefinitely due to conflict between militant Tamils and Sri Lankans over the later's treatment of civilian Tamils in Sri Lanka. Anyway, its not easy to explain nor am I particularly qualified. But basically a Tamil student self-immolated (set himself on fire) to show support for the Tamils in Sri Lanka. So after his suicide the government shut down colleges to avoid further actions of student "unrest" or riots, etc. I guess there is a history of that sort of thing happening during political conflict. SO we didn't have class for about 10 days or so. i decided to travel to Kerala which is another smaller state in southern india on the western coast. Tyson and I went to Fort Cochin, which was really nice--there was a lot of colonial influence from portugal, etc. It was really nice and so nice to be out of the city. Anyway then we went down to Alleppey which is about 2 hours south via bus to get on a houseboat to "tour" the backwaters. We spent roughly 22 hours on the boat drifting around and then docking for the night. There were men "manning' the boat who also cooked for us, etc. Which I felt was a bit awkward. But it was really amazing and gorgeous for lack of better words. The backwaters go through tiny villages lined along rice fields. Then Tyson took the train back to Chennai for the wedding of our favorite rickshaw driver, Govan's cousin...So I then took the train to Varkala which is further south. VERY touristy in the sense that everyone is european unless they work there, but also extremely quiet in the sense that few people go there. At least compared to other beach destinations like Goa (which I really hope to make it to.) Anyway it was really nice to do nothing but lay on the beach (actually acceptable here,) eat, sleep, read and shop. It was perfect. I then took the train back to Chennai which was kind of ridiculous but ridiculousness doesn't phase me so much these days. The ride from Varkala to Trivandrum was spent on top of bags of rice among 15 or so sleeping men in the aisle area between train cars at 3 am. The the train from Trivandrum to Chennai went back the way I came for about 8 hours before another 10 actually in the direction of where I was going, none of which I could really sleep because there are rules about the hours you can pull down the beds in the sleeping cars (because people have to sit there.) Not to complain or anything! I didn't actually mind it so much. But I am still feeling the affects of train jet-lag. School started back up again on thursday (yesterday) and I wasn't really ready for that. Especially since classes are confusing enough to have to make up for time and have assignments I don't understand how to do or when they are due and asking people only usually increases confusion. Fun. So, Valentine's day is tomorrow and many indians are really against it (who knew?) So I was told to expect card burnings and violence. Whaat? I thought it was about chocolate and stuffed animals holding hearts...or at least a day to remember you are bitter and all that. But certainly not a threat to monogamy or something along those lines as it has been explained to me. Weird. But ironically!! I am spending the weekend at an international sexology seminar. Don't ask me what that is going to be like...Also apparently people are wearing pink underwear in protest tomorrow. Which I am still trying to understand. It doesn't seem too effective...Anyway, I'll post some of the more scenic pictures. And maaaybe I'll try to update again soon. 

D!shoom!

This past weekend I went to a cultural festival at IIT, Indian institute of Technology. There was music, food, games, crafts, etc. I worked both days behind the peta booth with a vegan friend from school, Niranjin. (I am trying to spell names the best that I can assume but they will be wrong.) It was really surprising to meet him--he is in all of my classes-because most indians have never heard the term "vegan." I also met Arun and Shriram among others, who asked me thousands of questions about America but knew much more than I did about our culture and our politics. I should be better informed...Anyway so many are vegetarians here but still have a diet heavily influenced by dairy.  we set up the stall with signs, pamphlets and on sunday I brought my laptop to play videos. It was pretty slow because the festival was all day 10 to 10 basically and most people were sort of meandering. But sometimes we would have quite a few people come by. Most would look around and then say "what is all this?!" Then I would explain and their next question was often "well what can we do?" I can't tell you how refreshing that was! So nice. I think because so may people are already vegetarian due to religious beliefs and their diet isn't meat-based, they don't necessarily get defensive. Of course their were many people who were "non-veg" as they refer to it here, and certainly had opinions but were so respectful about giving us a chance to explain ourselves. I just can't believe how much better it felt to talk to people about vegetarianism and animal rights who were open to consideration. Many of them would tell us they still had more thinking to do but took many pamphlets and thanked us for our help. Amazing! Peta is relatively new here, it is call D!shoom, so many people haven't heard about it. I think in the US people have attached a stigma to peta because of some of their more extreme antics. They groups us as "crazy,""liberal," or "extreme" and rely heavily on their own religious beliefs as an argument. When your diet is primarily meat-basted it is hard for you to think about eating alternatively. And certainly more difficult to tell someone that you recognize that you are participating in the abuse, torture, and death of massive quantities of animals every day but still really don't care because steak tastes soo good. And come on, cheese?! Can't give that up. I will add pictures soon.

more pictures

School has been going well especially since I have only been to a total of 3 1/2 classes. It was  holiday last thursday and I don't have classes on friday. Then this week it was a holiday (Pongal-harvest festival) from wednesday through friday. So I have have a lot of downtime. I have been reading a lot but maybe a little too much because I can't afford to buy a new book every 3 days. I need to find a good used book store nearby. Also I've taken up yoga classes monday through friday which has been good/interesting. Men and women are on different sides of the room and everyone is at their own pace. So the teacher just walks around and teaches each person individually. Kind of awkward, especially since I'm a little rusty and it is just me and two other men and two 10 year old boys who just kind of jump around. But the timing will be different next week since it isn't Pongal anymore so I may be with other people. Also on wednesday Kara, Tyson, and I (the two other exchange students at Madras) went to Dakshina Chitra - a little craft village/folk museum south of Chennai which was good. There was lots of costume and dancing for Pongal. I was disappointed because my camera's memory card broke somehow and wouldn't let me take pictures. I also bought a coconut that they chop open for you and stick a straw inside which was exciting for a minute but the liquid was actually really warm and not particularly tasty. Then we headed to Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram) where there is a beach and hindu shore temple. There were also all these boulders and carvings of gods and elephants. It would have been a lot more interesting if we weren't being stalked by this boy and older man who were giving us a "tour" we repeatedly told them we didn't want but also trying to sell us things at the same time. It was really cool to find out that when the tsunami hit it actually uncovered areas that they couldn't afford to excavate and ultimately they discovered some caves and artifacts, etc. But the day was so long and hot that I kept falling asleep in the car and our driver (yes we have a driver everywhere we go it took a little while to get used to it) would try to get us to stop and shop places where he gets a commission for bringing people. Anyway the next day I go to the immigration office to register my time in India and I get really really sick. Turns out I'm dehydrated from the day before so I have basically been sleeping for about 18 hours every day these past few days. But I feel much better now and I am actually getting used to spicy food! Miraculously I am starting to be ok with my mouth being on fire at all times. Anyway, here are some pictures--not too recent but as I said my camera wasn't cooperating. I'll post more relevant pictures when I am able to steal them. 

Finally an update...

Alright I have been putting off updating this because everyday I have been so exhausted. Honestly just getting around the city and doing preliminary type things like getting a cell phone have been really frustrating and tiring. But the longer I am here the more I like it. It is very HOT and humid and tropical which is nice for right now. The University is right next to the beach which is the longest in the world (and is PACKED with people on the weekends.) I stil haven't started classes though, because it is so unorganized. Class is whenever and wherever so that is going to take some getting used to. The pscyhology department has been a bit unwelcoming based on the experiences I have had. But I think tomorrow all the bureaucratic--if you can even say that--things will be finished. But its all so unofficial! Proffessors are notoriously lazy and often cancel class. And my psychology of addiction proffessor doesn't understand my accent so we can't communicate at all. Except that i know what he is saying, luckily. He thought I wouldn't be qualified so he kept asking me questions that he didn't understand the answers to. Then pulled out a post-it note sized paper from his wallet and read the syllabus to me. Which didn't really sound all that difficult since we spend a third of the course on signs of addiction--specifically alcohol and caffeine? What? Anyway I have already learned so much about the culture that I think it will all be worth it. It took me a day or so to feel comfortable walking around by myself. The city is impossible to navigate because everything looks so similar - which I assume will change. But also the city is very run-down and there are slums everywhere and so many people missing limbs. I've never seen so many people just naked sleeping/dying? on the sidewalk. And you can't sit in traffic without an old woman coming up and motioning that she needs food. Everyone just ignores it and I am trying to learn to do the same without getting upset. But don't get me wrong-the city is beautiful in many ways. The Hindu temple has been one of my favorite places so far. Anyway more later...

I'm going to India!

Tomorrow! I am flying through Germany and then to Chennai which is where I will live for roughly 4 months. It is on the south eastern coast on the Bay of Bengal. I am volunteering--probably at an orphanage or women's rights organization--studying at the University of Madras and hopefully doing a lot of traveling both during school and after it ends.

I'm using this blog to update people more efficiently since I will have limited phone capabilities. Though I will post contact information such as my phone number and address once I find out for those who are interested. Until then, email me! 

slc@lclark.edu