Jan 6, 2010
After many hours in the office this morning, I felt only slightly more accomplished. We had made a plan for our money exchange, we had printed our return tickets for our files, we had turned in our passport pictures, and signed up for our liberal arts classes, and had finally switched classes. This took a few hours, however, and by the time I was able to leave the office, I was headed to a completely new room of people, new professor, new subject… and all of this 45 minutes late.
The classroom was cool and dark, a nice change from my other classroom, and there were groups of students working on different projects. The different project ideas were explained to me and the option for a personal project. Immediately assuming that everyone in the class knew a lot more than I about User Interface Design, I almost immediately signed myself over to work with a group. I was given a few hours, however, to explore and brainstorm in case I should change my mind, which I did. I browsed the FWA sites, Hook, and links our professor had put up, and talked it over with Aaron. I thought I would do a website dealing with photo streaming, and then realized it is not the function of photostreaming that I am so drawn to, it’s the emphasis on the visual instead of the textual/informational that I am so interested in. I shut the computer and went outside to think and talk it over with the girls from my visual literacy class.
While back at my computer, i thought it over some more- I am studying for a minor in the programs for the environment, and I love learning about all the crazy, terrible trouble our world is in, I am constantly complaining about not being able to fix anything, so why would that not be the FIRST thing to pop into my head upon receiving a very open project? Excited, I got to work.
We have been told to dream big, and have fun- I am doing both. I am very excited, and very scared to eventually try and learn to build this site. I have a lot of information that I need to organize and a lot of details to work out, which is why I will have to cut this a bit short.
I was very nervous to be switching into a higher level class, (James has been complaining about how hard his 4th year class is, and is actually switching out) but right now I am just so happy to be learning something I actually want to learn. We are in a google group, which allows easy sharing of information, resources, and discussion, and the other students are very helpful and friendly.
I am excited to actually start sketching these things out and working through how this system is going to work. I need to write up a number of questions to begin asking others about as well as start sketching.
Tonight we go to the city! We leave at 5:30 and will be attempting to fit 8 people in a… 5 person little car… we may have to get an autorickshaw. We got an autorickshaw this morning, five of us- which was a crunch, but it got us to class in time to sit on the couch for an hour and wait for the faculty we needed to show up. We ate fruit this morning, fruit we bought last night in the market! Fruit that the man had wrapped up in a basket with colored paper, a blue basket and a bow! Everything was mini compared to home, considering it is real… delicious!
James and I got delicious coffee and cookies while we waited, it made things much nicer. We have a short walk from the old campus to the new every day. It is busy, on the side of a street, it is dirty-my feet turn black and I am constantly surprised I am not impailing my feet with shards of glass, and it is… getting easier-to avoid the stares, and ignore the clarity of our distant home.
Jan 5, 2010
day two of classes
This class, although interesting, is like CFC and you know what? I have taken way too many credits, hours, and classes of cfc for anyone’s liking. I was glueing together trash I had picked up on the way home. The teacher is german and enthusiastic. The students are great, they have all been very welcoming and kind. We eat lunch and get coffee together, both are in quantities probably 1/5 of a small lunch and small coffee at home. We return to class to work- searching for a song about resistance…
After class James and I went back to his house and chatted with Auntie Sunja who is incredible. She has a greyhound which is about twice her size. She was asking about America and what foodstamps are and why we are all obsessed with sex, and credit cards. We had a really lovely chat. She is always upbeat and incredibly welcoming.
We returned to my house and hung with emma and benny for a bit before going to the market. We bought flowers and adaptors and fruit!!! Fruit that the man wrapped up in a ridiculous outfit, it was great. I constantly wish I had a camera even know I know I couldnt be snapping pictures. I need to start drawing with all the free time I have on my hands…ha
We had dinner and took naps which turned into sleep. A new girl moved in, but we didnt see much of her… I slept the best I have this entire trip, I even woke up an hour before the alarm rang.
Jan 3, 2010
Today I showed Benny everything Umesh and his really cool dad had showed me. Locking the door, leaving the key, signing the form, and such. We napped, and Mahima called and said she could take me to the market, but she would be here in two minutes. I got up- out of my quit, peaceful, dark room and ran out the door into the sun. We drove a bit, and the girls in the front seats were telling me, “oh you need a jacket, you cant wear that shirt to the market, okay you walk this way, you act this way, talk this way…”. They looked at each other and asked if they should be dropping me there alone, and then I popped outa the car- into a bustling, hot, market. Mopeds and trucks zooming passed, honking like crazy to let the others know they are there. People hustling up and down the streets, places to go. Amazing carts of flowers, all colors, beautiful. Beautiful, the contrast between the saturated display and the cart that holds them.
Jan 2, 2010
The last days were pretty hard in that, I slept all day, getting up only to go to the meals-where I sat alone- and would return to go back to sleep, while I stayed up all night- unable to sleep. No one was around, and I really couldn’t go anywhere. I couldn’t call anyone, I couldn’t use my computer since I did not have an adaptor… it was lonely. By day 3, however, Mahima called and said she was in town. She picked me up in the afternoon, we said goodbye to Umesh and went to the city. Parked the car valet, and met a number of her friends on a stoop of a coffee shop- Java City. We wandered the city a bit, and drank beer at temptations, this small, open, dirty bar. I spent a lot of time with her and a girl named Kris, who I really liked. These two tried to explain the schooling system of India, and they both seemed less than satisfied with it. They talked a lot about the family pressures regarding school and career choices. It sounded extremely stressful, but even through their frusteration, they remained pretty upbeat.
I heard a lot about LGBT in Bangalore, and was introduced to a new catchy tune to that of the Barney song, “I love you, you love me, homosexuality, and the whole world thought that we’re just friends, when actually we’re lesbians”. How great. Haha. Many hours later we went for food. Indian street food… pretty sure that would be a terrible idea, since it was my third day there, and I have heard many stories about the illness which has taken those who have indulged. I drank this green thing… which apparently was a mix of spices and water. It made your whole throat and mouth tingle for a very long time. We had indo-chinese food, “fride rice” and chat. It was delicious, and for a huge plate, it cost 25 rupees (50 rupees is apx. 1 dollar). We ate well and then went to Pebbles.
Every time anyone I was with would talk to someone, they would tell them about the green thing I drank and then all laugh as if I were about to be REALLY ill. Hilarious, and a little concerning…
Pebbles is an open air huge, super classy dance club. Candle lighting, tons of vegetation and trees. It is incredible. There are little hide away nooks with tables, and platforms to dance on. It was a really cool place, and the music was great, although I was jet-lagged and exhausted, so the dancing was kept to a minimum. I met more people here, and got to hear funny stories about call stations. Eventually, I got dropped off at home, but was wide awake, and fell asleep only briefly before the door rang. Expecting to see emma, I got up and looked through the peep hole, Umesh, security, and an Italian girl named Benny waited. Benny is from Italy, shes my roommate studying fashion design. She speaks mainly Italian, and has been studying English.
We stayed up most of the night talking and such, eventually falling asleep.
the peep hole is actually a hole. Whenever I would stick my head up to it and look out, the smell would hit me hard. Not a bad smell, I don’t exactly know of what the smell came from, but it was very distinct.
a really long flight later 