tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335641547706776802011-11-16T20:08:33.803-08:00This is to log my experiences in India.Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.comBlogger611100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-89181526541388367702011-11-01T19:02:00.000-07:002011-11-01T20:28:36.356-07:00

The village documentary is now on Amazon! YAY!!! Feel free to check it out and spread the word if you like it.("Leaving home is never easy.")It's been two years since the last post. Time flies! Since then, my new friends have turned into "old" friends and everyone has gone their separate ways, while keeping in touch of course. Life in California is way easier aka less challenging than in

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-71885616283533284612009-08-03T22:29:00.000-07:002009-08-03T23:43:04.816-07:00

(Looking towards the road ahead.)Dear Loyal Readers,The time has come to finish the Tangent Journeys India blog and to start on a fresh adventure. I have been back in the United States for 5 weeks now and have spent most of my energy re-adjusting to American life and finding a job. Despite my efforts in trying to move to Portland, OR, I ended up with a job in "northern" California teaching

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-84737131832448361092009-03-26T07:50:00.000-07:002009-03-26T10:10:18.895-07:00

(Reena gets married) It's been a while! The weeks are flying by and there are less than 3 months left in India for me! Which means there are only about 2 months to finish editing the documentary, ahh!!!!Since school started in mid-Feb, it has snowed and people have gotten married. Here is a recap of the past month. First, two dedicated documenary students and I spent a week couped up in my

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-1152675445521392502009-02-05T03:38:00.000-08:002009-02-05T09:43:42.514-08:00

It's been a while! I have a feeling I'll only post 3 or 4 more blog entries before I leave India. My time is consumed with the documentary now, and we are editing non-stop every day. Classes start in a few days.But yes, I've been gone for over a month -- zigzagging all over India!!! It's been really fun! First, Heather (my friend and former roommate) joined me for adventures in Rajasthan, Agra,

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-3874261812568244832008-12-18T04:09:00.000-08:002008-12-19T19:38:28.864-08:00

(LA River) This blog entry is a bit unrelated to everything else, sort of. In my endless amounts of spare time this past week, now that school is done, I have been reading, watching movies, and doing endless research. I'm starting to think about the USA again. (my apartment with a new monstrosity adjacent, picture taken 2008)Above is a picture of my apartment where I lived from 2001-2006. I

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-9879961743945299612008-12-13T00:24:00.000-08:002008-12-13T00:57:21.104-08:00

(scroll to bottom to see a few more)These past few weeks have been so busy! Final exams are over and it's time to go on vacation soon! Here are two of the highlights in the past month, or more like, places that I've actually brought my camera!In late November, my friend Tamara brought a bunch of us Woodstock teachers to Sainji Village, another village in the Jaunpur area. We attended a double

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-28844314843058453862008-11-13T07:02:00.000-08:002008-11-14T05:11:06.416-08:00

(at the temple, top of the hill) (3 cool chaperones)Activity Week happened again this year! Last year was the first time I had ever gone to Sarab Talla village, and that is where the idea of the documentary was conceived. Since then, I have visited ST countless times to the point of being called Didi or older sister every time. I know the little kids are yelling to me though because they say "Hi

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-13602166679619055732008-10-25T05:07:00.000-07:002008-10-25T05:59:11.638-07:00

(Village Forum attendees and filmmakers)I finally have something exciting to talk about! Today, nine members of my documentary team gathered to host a Village Forum for 17 villagers from neighboring villagers. Many were current and past Pradhans (village mayor/leader) and three women also came! ("Pros and Cons of Village vs. City Life" moderated by Happy Guy)The students ran the show! They

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-13283318312443791932008-10-02T09:21:00.000-07:002008-10-05T06:09:47.651-07:00

(documentary brainstorming session)It's taken me a long time to get back to blog writing! I have a feeling that that's how it's going to be this year, since the sites and sounds are pretty "normal" now and I don't feel the desire to bring my camera everywhere I go. I do feel the desire to bring the video camera to a lot of places though. The "Jaunpuri Villages" documentary is charging full steam

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-24234178524867156592008-08-30T22:35:00.000-07:002008-08-31T06:14:31.425-07:00

(our trusty Ambassador taxi)On Friday, school was canceled because of a silent protest against violence occurring against Christians in the state of Orissa. Here is the cnn article. Meanwhile, I had been planning on taking a trip to Khas Kudoan village that day. My students had slowly dropped out of the trip one-by-one due to different personal reasons, and I finally managed to recruit two

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-49904486959154990242008-08-17T08:52:00.000-07:002008-08-17T09:45:15.624-07:00

(Emily helping us all out!)We had Independence Day on Friday August 15! Emily was brilliant in getting us all assembled, and thus we were able to graduate from MC Hammer pants! I braved my aversion towards dressing up and wore a sari, so you will see a lot of pictures of this rare event! (last year's 2007 MC Hammer pants)The rain paused long enough for us to go outside this year. Independence Day

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-22715300889349317142008-07-24T21:05:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:26:25.652-08:00

What are we doing in Thailand? Six teachers (including me) were sent by Woodstock to attend a teacher's writing workshop in the city of Pattaya. Yay! But first, Christina and I decided to spend a few days in Bangkok, the land of shopping. So that's what we did! Well, more like, I drank fresh juice and ate fresh roasted nuts, while she perused. Phwew, that will meet my shopping quota for the year!

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-53991812140761576292008-07-10T07:11:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:26:28.262-08:00

Above is the teaser for the documentary that my students and I are working on, and that I have intermittantly been mentioning in these blogs! We are super excited about it, and I know there are technical problems and areas of improvement, but can you believe that we were able to put together these 4.5 minutes from all our random village trips? Student "Bumblebee" worked so hard editing this.

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-89583607690015086762008-06-22T01:36:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:26:39.634-08:00

This is a rush effort blog. My parents and cousin recently came for a 2-week vacation where we toured Northern India, mostly in the state of Uttarakhand. It was a lot of fun! And it was great to have my family finally see what I've been experiencing! I will just list the places that we went:RED FORT IN DELHI -- of course, a fort that is red! INDIA GATE -- looks like the Arc de Triumph QATB

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-42380758650120100022008-06-03T04:42:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:26:44.722-08:00

The students are gone! The teachers are leaving! I never imagined my first year at Woodstock would go by so quickly. Soon, my parents and cousin will be here for more adventures!In the meantime, here is a recap of the last few weeks. Karen, Kyle, and I hiked up to Witch's Hill using up the last few hours of sunlight before the clouds rolled in.(We passed through Dhobi Ghat, the laundry village.)

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-34235400836331468162008-05-11T09:15:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:26:48.825-08:00

(relief from stress: knowing that you have a drawer full of American contraband)Hello! Final exams are in a week, and stress is in the air! How do you make final exams, input advisor comments, grade tests, teach classes, help students, and visit villages at the same time? Answer: well, plan very carefully, rely on the competency of others, and save some time for forced breaks. But after I think

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-78183552082049569862008-04-20T04:01:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:26:54.379-08:00

(my neighbor, taken by Sanjeev) Why did I stick this picture here? Well, I thought it was more interesting and eye catching than some mountains. So, six students and I were graciously allowed the day off (thank you, high school principal!!!) to go to the village mela which occurred on Friday April 18. Only the young and physically fit attended the mela due to the strenous hike. In these 2 weeks,

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-57415641463255737562008-04-15T07:53:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:26:57.246-08:00

It's been a while! There are so many people reading this blog now, and I feel like I should write mostly about the documentary. But oh well! (rhodadendrons)These past few weeks have had sprinklings of events here and there. Above are the blooming rhodedendron trees, that are not exactly like the small bushes that we had in our front yard growing up. It's been so long, I think all the flowers

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-74720384902434333302008-03-24T04:28:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:27:05.622-08:00

Holi turned out to be Holi after all! This past weekend was a combination of 4 important celebrations: Holi for Hindus, Ede for Muslims, Easter for Christians, and Quarter Break for Woodstock people! Karen and I had been so excited to spend our 4 days off at Sarab Talla, but a few days before departure, someone at the village had died. It was not a good idea for us to go. We were bummed. But

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-40637509331105615502008-03-08T08:57:00.000-08:002008-12-09T10:27:08.888-08:00

Well, this weekend was full of people! A number of teachers and some students went to the Women's Mela (Festival) at Kempty Bazaar about an hour away. There, vendors sold toys, trinkets, jewelry, and food, while the women sang, dance, and showed their village culture. I was pleasantly surprised to see our friends from both Khass Kudoan and Sarab Talla there! (N aka "Igley Dosa", M, Christina,

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-49521179825959804582008-03-02T01:58:00.000-08:002008-12-09T10:27:12.998-08:00

(Karen took this picture above)(AR look this last picture)This weekend, we started our real filming. After battling a dirty lens and scratches that I caused, we boarded a jeep and headed to Khass Kudoan -- Sanjeev's village. We arrived on Friday night and stayed until Sunday morning. This weekend was particularly auspicious according to hindu astrology and so many villages were preparing for

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-32758217277265017152008-02-27T03:29:00.000-08:002008-12-09T10:27:16.887-08:00

On Saturday Feb 23, Karen, a student R, and I scouted out the village "Mujh Goan". Goan means villages, so I won't call it Mujh Goan Village anymore. This reconnaissance was in preparation for Feb 27, the day of the high school hikes at Woodstock. Every single high schooler would have the day off and be assigned to a hike. The documentary team got our own hike to this village!!! So take a look at

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-79969438112781452112008-02-10T05:50:00.000-08:002008-12-09T10:27:19.649-08:00

(the kings or maybe raj's?)This weekend, a number of students, Karen and I headed to both Sarab Talla and Khass Kudoan villages. We picked Sanjeev up along the way, and we all headed on our mission of the getting the permission of the villagers to shoot the documentary.I was so afraid that something would go wrong -- like what if nobody showed up in the village or what if they didn't like the

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-20189585691068099242008-02-02T05:26:00.000-08:002008-12-09T10:27:26.635-08:00

(couple and groom's mother)This weekend was spectacular! Darab drove us 3 hours, and took Sanjeev, 2 students, and me to Sarab Talla Village for a double wedding!!! We brought our new video camera and recorded everything!There were over 1000 people there from Sarab and neighboring villages. Sarab Talla has about 250 population. The prior evening, the brides had their ceremonies at their home

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-27479482495549561412008-01-27T04:03:00.001-08:002008-12-09T10:27:28.536-08:00

(ordinary scene now) The honeymoon phase is over. Things are ordinary and familiar now. I know where the hot spots are now, and I know where I can find my favorite chow mein, mushroom mutter, and omelets. The school cafeteria meals are no longer exciting, but now I can look at the menu and either rejoice or complain. So what do I do now? Well, I guess I can research the best sequencing of my many

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-44217814546012903302008-01-04T22:34:00.001-08:002008-12-09T10:27:31.175-08:00

What the heck, I'll post a blog from the USA! These past two weeks have been filled with fun, family, friends, and food! I've been lacking in the photo department while my camera has been in the repair shop. But here are a few pics!(Westside!)Above are my awesome students who showed up at Dollar Tacos to share a meal and chat. They each have so many passions and great things ahead of them. (

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-18400046159327200902007-12-09T03:41:00.000-08:002008-12-09T10:27:32.744-08:00

(Grandma making puree's)This weekend, Meenu and I went to my activity week village Sarab Talla for my third time. Meenu's grandparents came from a village and her parents' generation branched out; Meenu is the quad librarian. Anyhow, we stayed at Grandpa's house and had some really good chats with Grandma, Rita, Rina, Nagendra, and his wife. Grandpa was away on family obligations, since the

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-72300371441928066012007-12-04T06:50:00.000-08:002008-12-09T10:27:38.628-08:00

First, here is a sunset from this week. So, the highlight of my experiences in India have definitely been visiting the villages. This weekend, I was lucky enough to visit a third village -- Gaird. This is the village that Rachel went to for her Activity Week, so a bunch of us joined her in seeing her new friends and bringing scarves and goodies. It was Rachel, Christina, Kyle, me, and 2 students,

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-29641137160843719702007-11-25T19:18:00.000-08:002007-11-25T09:25:49.160-08:00

This year, the members of my family were scattered around the world for Thanksgiving. My father was in the OC, my mother was in Taiwan, my sister was in Boston, and I was in India. We all celebrated Thanksgiving in our own ways.Being abroad gave me the opportunity to celebrate Thanksgiving in a very unique way and also to think about the meaning of the holiday from a different perspective. My

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-1600153114516328512007-11-18T17:55:00.000-08:002008-12-09T10:27:42.209-08:00

(Khaas Kudoan) The experiences continue to be amazing! I am in love with the villages! This Saturday, 3 students, Darab "The Man", and I visited a second village called Khaas Kudoan. Sanjeev who organized the ninth grade Activity Week for four villages comes from Khaas Kudoan and was there to greet us. Everyone one was so friendly and I became nostalgic for my "own" village Sarab Talla -- I want

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-51185614155720251152007-11-11T20:00:00.000-08:002008-12-09T10:27:44.366-08:00

It's been two weeks since the last post. I feel like my weekly adventures are continuing, but are not quite so novel anymore, which is good. Things are starting to make sense. And some things are starting to make less sense. These blogs will probably be posted less often now because there's less to report and because my camera is starting to break down.Last weekend, Chris, Kyle, and I took a hike

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-3000033129253073942007-10-28T04:37:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:28:06.628-08:00

One of the Woodstock students stated at the end of the trip, "How could Mr. Nagarwalla do this to us? First, he made us go on a trip that I was ready to hate. And then he made me leave a village that I love." Though we went to different villages, I feel the same way. Activity week was almost like a dream come true. Maybe because the reviews had been so horrendous. I had fully been expecting to

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-50747578212426694712007-10-20T09:39:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:28:09.657-08:00

This is my attempt to blog quickly, the night before a week long stay at a local village, chaperoning 15 ninth graders who will sometimes complain about not showering or using a dirt trench as a toilet. I'm looking forward to the experience, but at the same time, am also apprehensive about camping out for a week. I don't think this is how the villagers live, but since we are guests asking to stay

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-31920171218679678152007-10-16T08:25:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:28:13.307-08:00

Life is getting easier at Woodstock. All the new teachers are settling in and getting over their 6-week blues, since it's been about 12 weeks now. I heard some snortling (is that a word?) again last night and didn't even bother to get up. That is my fourth rodent now. This past weekend, on Saturday was the Interhouse Sports Day, where everyone divides into their respective houses, sort of like

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-79926486804573537602007-10-07T09:20:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:28:16.416-08:00

(Walking back from eating omelets. This is the same view from my front yard.)(This false horizon is apparently called a Winter Line, which is some kind of thermal layer. People say you can only see it for two months per year in two places in the world: Mussoorie and Switzerland. But I can't even seem to google it, except for like some tourist sites, so I don't know what it's really called. Maybe

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-14584739459885321732007-10-03T04:48:00.001-07:002008-12-09T10:28:23.710-08:00

(evening)Pictures do no justice. I cannot begin to describe the magnificent walk that we took for hours through the sunny valley between snow capped peaks. Everywhere, we were surrounded by gigantic rocks, the winding source of the Ganges River, yellowing aspens, and just space. The Himalayas. This was more of the foothills of the Himalayas, 10 hours away from my "home" Mussoorie during our 4-

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-90710501311188989442007-09-23T09:18:00.005-07:002008-12-09T10:28:25.483-08:00

This weekend was supposed to be a relief from my rat infested nights. Yes, that's true, that it was, but what I did not expect was an immediate attack of GI (gastro intestinal problems -- aka um, being friendly with the toilet). And so I stayed in my apartment all Saturday, which was probably the first entirely sunny day since being in Mussoorie. I stayed close to my bathroom and slept half the

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-35049936249990453372007-09-21T06:54:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:28:25.668-08:00

(trap that never sprung. cheese is missing.)It's a rat.This blog entry was originally posted on 9/20/07 Thursday morning, but now I am updating it. Below is an online chat I had with my high school friend Mark Miller (ultimate frisbee extraodinaire, of course he probably doesn't want to be defined by just one thing) during a mouse incident on Wednesday night. The next morning Thursday, I wasn't

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-18176695316298233872007-09-16T09:22:00.002-07:002008-12-09T10:28:31.003-08:00

(mountain ridge)How's it going? I want to hear from all of you, who are reading my blog! Many of you are my friends in Los Angeles and around the world who are taking the time to share my adventures but then run out of energy to send a hi! I miss you! (Of course, I can email you too! And of course, I want to hear what's going on in your lives too.)Anyway, during the week, I work like mad. On the

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-38440404025543925622007-09-08T04:11:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:28:34.840-08:00

(Karen and I are the in way back.)This week was pretty fun. On Wednesday, we had a shortened day in order to have the Interhouse Cross Country Day -- where three teams within the school compete. My team is the Eagles, which I personally think is way cooler than a Merlin (whatever that is) and better looking than a Condor. It's like in Harry Potter, you get points for your "house", and try to win

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-11783829020070409222007-09-03T08:25:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:28:36.916-08:00

This weekend was a relaxing one. I'm feeling better now, and have accepted more the fact that I'm going to live at Woodstock for the next two years. This is my life. It's strange, being so used to selection and ease -- the stocked shelves of Costco and driving to Trader Joe's if I need chicken. Here at Sister's Bazaar, they might have one can of Ragu and a couple packages of cookies to choose

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-36234283323992115232007-08-30T21:40:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:28:38.939-08:00

(awestruck introspection) (source of inspiration)Every few days, I fluctuate between an awestruck daze from my new experiences and adventures to a depressed question mark from my crash from the highs. Below is a diagram that I made before I came to India, leaving my nine-year Los Angeles life behind. (Life is like a math equation)Only a geek would try to look at the diagram, and only a true nerd

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-40974029443441074352007-08-26T07:19:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:28:42.024-08:00

(Karen, Kyle, Jeanne, Chris)Well, we didn't exactly run into Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart Club Band, but we did have a lot of fun wandering around Rishikesh. This is where the Beatles went to get "enlightened" and came back with better music. Sarah and Peter did trek through rivelets of polution to find the legendary ashram where John, Paul, George, and Ringo went, but it was eerily abandoned and

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-25513985288926191642007-08-19T08:52:00.001-07:002008-12-09T10:28:43.688-08:00

(Tibetan place in Happy Valley in Mussoorie)Today we went to Happy Valley which truly was happy. After a major down pour yesterday and then fog all day, all we had to do was drive at 15mph for about 45 minutes and then we arrived in a dip in the mountains where the sun always shines. Or so we believe.My new Mt. Herman neighbor Sarah, piano teacher Karen, and I hitched a ride with fellow chariot (

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-2150691756522242932007-08-17T10:01:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:28:45.437-08:00

(can you tell what it says?) (that's a likely story)I find myself craving American food right now – anything: potato chips, cheese, etc. Just now, I was nibbling on some Trader Joe’s trail mix that I brought over from the States. Then, a carpenter ant plopped down from nowhere, and I thought “f-you, ant” and I crushed it with my index finger. What I really think about every day is the crunchy

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(cow in my front yard)We have had three days of teaching now. It’s so exciting teaching here, in that my students are super motivated and hard working, and are from all different countries. Most of my students seem to be from India, Korea, United States, Nepal, and Bhutan. I totally can’t pronounce their names. My reputation seems to be that I’m nice and good at explaining the math, but that I

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-10055075522435776672007-08-09T18:15:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:28:49.055-08:00

Today, we finished our work early and decided to try out the local roller rink at “Star World” in the bazaar. It was still wet from the rain, and quite slippery slimy looking. At least they had cleared the pile of debris from the corner. Instead of trying on the probably fungal roller skates, we wandered over to the “amusement park”. I was not crazy enough to try it, but Kyle, Anna, Kirsten, and

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-55459416065124748842007-08-05T18:03:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:28:49.713-08:00

The last Sunday before the school year was pretty relaxing. Here are a few pictures from today. Just hanging around, walking to the bazaar, going to a sing-a-long potluck at Pete and Dot’s. I’ve posted a lot of pictures. CLICK HERE to see my “First Two Weeks of India”. (langur monkeys - the nice kind) (peacock orchid plant) (another orchid)(orchid close up)

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-38311218716551294622007-08-04T20:00:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:28:51.485-08:00

(taken at Flag Hill) This is the last weekend we have before the students arrive and time is spent teaching, planning, and grading. I am actually looking forward to it though! Anyway, today was gorgeous! A bunch of teachers, including me, met at the Hanifl Center, a state of art center for environmental education. The building is solar powered, etc. It’s awesome! Chris, Kyle, Casey, and I then

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-89899146978234750692007-08-03T05:04:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:28:52.441-08:00

This past week has been spent going to teacher development and training meetings. Fun and adventurous, not! But it has also been a chance to get more settled. I love having new two neighbors, Anna and Kelsey, at Mt. Herman, even though they’ll only be here for the semester. On August 15, I’ll be getting a hopefully longer term neighbor. Fingers crossed! On Wednesday, Anna and Kelsey hosted a

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-24884715413886633702007-07-31T20:57:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:28:52.817-08:00

(this was taken in my front yard)(this is just to get your attention. please scroll down to the previous blog entry which has way more interesting content and pics!) Over a week has gone by now in India. We started our second full week today with a day of teacher development and training workshops. This is also the first day that I’ve felt completely slammed in terms of being sick. I caught a

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-24042887753736829482007-07-28T22:09:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:28:55.175-08:00

(view of Mussoorie houses while walking to the bazaar)Today, my friends and I spent a day going to the local Mussoorie bazaar, an hour down the hill. The Indian food was great! I purchased an iron to dry my clothes, since they don’t dry independently due to the moisture from the monsoon season. I also bought some slippers, two rugs, a broom, rope, laundry detergent, cleaning supplies, an

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-10352623924414403572007-07-27T22:49:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:28:55.958-08:00

(Chris took this picture. Sunset from the dorms.)Again, things are getting easier. Yesterday, we had another day of meetings, and then my buddy teachers Pete and Dot invited me and my friends over for dinner. They were so nice! I’m realizing that there is a difference between the desire for convenience and the need for survival. My anxiety since getting here has been that of adjustment, but also

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-60104833453243587322007-07-25T21:35:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:28:58.109-08:00

Things are getting easier. Besides the fact that I’m getting more and more accustomed to the place, the school continually gives us helpful information. For example, in yesterday’s lectures, they told us how to make children more comfortable with their new surroundings, like decorate the room and lively it up. Use familiar scents and make some home cooked meals. Well, not like I had time or

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-70664053038770553902007-07-23T21:54:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:28:59.856-08:00

The train ride to Dehra Dun was rambunctuous and filled with wonder. Everyone pulled out their cameras at our first monkey sighting, and we sat aboard in first class watching the countryside go by. Strangely enough, much of our conversation in India has not been about the election of the first female president, or anything like that. Rather, that Harry Potter just came out! A good number of

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-88970610735837526142007-07-21T21:20:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:29:00.560-08:00

I’ve spent 2 nights and 1 day in the outskirts of Dehli now. We go to the train station tomorrow at 5AM and then ride the train for six hours to Dehra Dun. From there, we take a one-hour taxi to Mussoorie where Woodstock School and our lives await. I am excited.In the past one day, I’ve been bonding with my new friends and as usual, groups have formed. My particular posse would look like a venn

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-60245412274687794942007-07-19T08:11:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:29:01.044-08:00

(4:00AM!!!) Is it possible to have too much fun? Heeeeeell, no! Bring it on! For the past month, every day has been a new and fun experience. Tacos and sushi twice a day, with the occasional new hole-in-the-wall discovery thrown in. Friends have come out of hiding (me too!), and we’ve been going to all sorts of cool places! Did you know that Los Angeles has an Aboretum? That’s where you go to

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-23748473484415699142007-07-19T08:07:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:29:02.063-08:00

Hangin’ out with FRIENDSChillin’ with FAMILYCracking jokes with former STUDENTSWatching the waves at El PortoSurfing at San OnofreDoing hapkido at Bong Soo Han Hapkido studioBicycling and jogging along the LA River/Strand Falling asleep on Lovella’s couch while doing laundryWatching movies in movie landRecycling with the big blue binsTaking long, hot showersDrivingChicken and fish tacos from “

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-65688279351504811682007-06-25T17:55:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:29:02.419-08:00

The Hollywood Bowl was awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I thought it would be sad, but instead, it was wicked fun!!! We started off with a rip roarin' picnic and ended with a kick ass concert by DJ Shadow & Cut Chemist, Carlinhos Brown, and the Sierra Leone Allstar Regufees. Thanks for coming! Click here for the photos. Watch as Mark L. and Henry bop to the music:

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-71324134271986942082007-06-25T17:42:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:29:02.636-08:00

Here is a school newspaper article by one of my favorite students. I love my students! Ugh, boring?!!Corrections: I found out about Woodstock School through my car mechanic, and then found out that my former landlord's sons also went there! I have only worked in the film industry. Math is definitely one thing I love, but there are many other true passions too! My class is always exciting, just

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833564154770677680.post-85216669428210328242007-05-27T23:54:00.000-07:002008-12-09T10:29:03.672-08:00

("It is time. Look within yourself.")They say you get out of an experience what you are looking for. My trip to India could easily be a two-year tourist trap where I taste all the sights and sounds and come back adorned with souvenirs. Or it could be a wicked fun adventure where I meet new friends and great students. Or it could be a mind-blowing, life changing metamorphosis where I gain a new

Tangenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08945149213096284890noreply@blogger.com5