14:30 Hrs. Forest Trails, BNP, Karnataka, India.
I could really go for a burger right now. Maybe some cheesecake. Chocolate; something cold. As each day presses on, I start to wonder if I'll have the energy for two more months of this. Still we walk on. I'm shocked to go through each day and find there's still so much more to experience in India.
When we returned to the campsite after a long day of data research and work, our musical guests were preparing. The owner of the campground facility's daughter and son-in-law were a dancer and flautist respectively and had kindly agreed to a cultural performance for us. An incredible experience I couldn't possibly put on this page, the instrumental and dance concert was mystifying. A double-sided drum, flutes, and traditional south Indian dancing, and authentic dress and style made for an evening I will never forget. After purchasing some CDs and bidding goodnight to all, we turned in ready to sleep in.
Yesterday began with the return of Ramu during breakfast. June 1st, as it was, was the first day of classes in much of India. We briefly returned to the field station to reunite with Skanda and Kavitha, and made our way to the school where Kavitha frequently worked. The small primary school (approximately grades pre-5) was a major beneficiary of ATREE's outreach activities. ATREE was helping them and numerous other schools develop sustainable practices. A group of about twenty-five or so school children, all clad in uniform sat patiently while the education system in India and ATREE's role were explained to us. Finally the kids were asked to sing a song for us. A small song and dance ensued, performed by three girls that I'm sure is replicated throughout schools in Karnataka. We took turns singing and dancing to small songs from our respective countries including Old MacDonald, a pretty awful rendition of Lean on Me, and a phrase and half of Day-O. We ended with a joint round of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and bid them farewell. For a group that sings together all the time on our bus rides, we sure weren't prepared for that.
We arrived back at the campsite where our next guest expert, a Dr. Gururaja (herpetologist) was waiting for us. We had a pretty eventful outing to the nearby lake where we caught, indentified, and re-released a few different frogs and returned to Vishnu, an owner of Forest Trails, who had generously provided us with a Unviersity of Kansas-size amount of Kingfisher beer. I think I shall end my description of the ensuing evening here. It is better off forgotten.
More field work the next day, and discussion of research, including a trip to Rock Hill. I haven't seen Scout in a few days...
Gururaj has left us and an entomologist arrives tonight. As my endurance wears thin, so notably too do these journal entries. My sincerest apologies to the reader.
~Why am I here?
- David
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Monday, May 31st, 2010 - Day 9
14:45 Hrs. Forest Trails, BNP, Karnataka, India.
Pre-monsoon is long gone now. As fear of the impending storm rose, we made our way down from 'Rock Hill' (as the mountain spot is now dubbed), the clouds having cheated us out of a sunset. We discussed for awhile our future field projects based on the wealth of new info we had. The goal is for each of us to perform a research project in the area and upon our return, compile them in a professional, scientific manner. Then the notebook can be used by future EVRN-India students to replicate or build from (we are the first; the guinea pigs), creating potential long-term studies.
After dinner our guest arrived, Dr. Ganesh (not the same as from ATREE), an expert botanist and taxonimist. During introductions, the Indian monsoon season kicked in the door and demanded attention. Apparently India wasn't pleased by our scoff at its drizzle Saturday. The wet season had arrived. As we struggled to hear Ganesh over the immense torrent, we pulled out our sweatshirts, ponchos, and umbrellas for the first chilly night. We turned in earlier, trying to sleep to a chorus of frogs, in preparation for another early morning.
During our walks around the hill the next day, we stopped at various viewpoints to see the stunning beauty of India's deciduous tropical forest land and the Ghats shooting up in the distance. As the days press on and the sights, tastes, smells, and experiences become second nature (such as eating with bare right hands and cleaning with the left, gashed though mine may be), I must stress that they never lose their impact. The beauty of this country, both in its land and in its people, is vast and magnificent, and ever present. Every meal we sit down to is an experience in and of itself, as we consume unknown, delicious morsels, struggling to remember the names that Geeta rattles off.
Every member of our group has wonderful traits to bring to our trip and experiences, as well as their own knowledge base, interests, and humor. I'm considering introducing them here in a later chapter perhaps when I know them all better.
~Falling into a pleasant rhythm,
- David
Pre-monsoon is long gone now. As fear of the impending storm rose, we made our way down from 'Rock Hill' (as the mountain spot is now dubbed), the clouds having cheated us out of a sunset. We discussed for awhile our future field projects based on the wealth of new info we had. The goal is for each of us to perform a research project in the area and upon our return, compile them in a professional, scientific manner. Then the notebook can be used by future EVRN-India students to replicate or build from (we are the first; the guinea pigs), creating potential long-term studies.
After dinner our guest arrived, Dr. Ganesh (not the same as from ATREE), an expert botanist and taxonimist. During introductions, the Indian monsoon season kicked in the door and demanded attention. Apparently India wasn't pleased by our scoff at its drizzle Saturday. The wet season had arrived. As we struggled to hear Ganesh over the immense torrent, we pulled out our sweatshirts, ponchos, and umbrellas for the first chilly night. We turned in earlier, trying to sleep to a chorus of frogs, in preparation for another early morning.
During our walks around the hill the next day, we stopped at various viewpoints to see the stunning beauty of India's deciduous tropical forest land and the Ghats shooting up in the distance. As the days press on and the sights, tastes, smells, and experiences become second nature (such as eating with bare right hands and cleaning with the left, gashed though mine may be), I must stress that they never lose their impact. The beauty of this country, both in its land and in its people, is vast and magnificent, and ever present. Every meal we sit down to is an experience in and of itself, as we consume unknown, delicious morsels, struggling to remember the names that Geeta rattles off.
Every member of our group has wonderful traits to bring to our trip and experiences, as well as their own knowledge base, interests, and humor. I'm considering introducing them here in a later chapter perhaps when I know them all better.
~Falling into a pleasant rhythm,
- David
Sunday, May 30th, 2010. - Day 8
15:30 Hrs. Forest Trails, BNP, Karnataka, India.
We decided to go for a bit of bird-watching before our guest, Dr. Krishna, arrived. Armed with binoculars and few bird books we traipsed around pretending to know what we were doing. I truly have a new respect for birders with the skill and patience they must have to retain such a hobby.
While staring through the binocs at nothing in particular, Dr. Krishna arrived. The only way I can think to describe him is as a sixty year old Urkel. In fact I think he solely defined the term 'old geezer'. Nonetheless the man truly is brilliant, with the most profound passion for knowledge I've ever seen. We walked around the area and discussed many a topic, from botany, to behavior, birds, riligion, intelligence, physics, music, monitoring, and so much more. The man truly understood the link between all subjects and matters.
We learned various methods of survey, and even how to trace a leaf rubbing. After a hot day, we turned in early to rest for a very early morning.
We woke up around six in the morning on Saturday to go bird-watching some more. After breakfast with the Doctor, we ventured out once more this time travelling far uphill. A beautiful brown dingo-looking dog had been milling around us for awhile (not that we hadn't encountered many dogs before) and even ran ahead of us on the trail, scouting the way. We made our way with Krishna to the top of the large hill of modified granite to a most beautiful site. The top of the hill was the highest point in the nearby area and allowed a stellar view. Our first sight was the granite quarry on the side of a nearby mountain. It is from here that the booming dynamite blasts that have become a nightly ritual originate from. From there, it is taken and used all over. Granite is everywhere in this place, making it all the more beautiful. As I near the top of the hill, (also capped in granite) the most beautiful sight came into view. Stretching for hundreds of miles in front of us, India's natural beauty reached out to the misty mountains of the Western Ghats in the distance. Scout (the dog had been given a name) led us to a rickety old tower to get a better view. We remained up there for quite some time enjoying the view, until the trumpet of a wild Asian 'elephas maximus' was heard in the valley beneath our feet. The mood instantly shifted as we raced to get down the hill and back to our site before the elephants reached our area.
After bidding farewell to Krishna, we lounged yet again before preparing for the bonfire we had discussed at length. In the process of collecting and breaking firewood, I managed to accquire my first permanent souvenir of India. While breaking a stick, the left side broke and gashed my left hand quite severly. I sit even now with a large piece of gauze taped to my hand. Our next gues, Dr. Arvind, whom you may recall from earlier at ATREE, arrived and began a lecture on monitoring a speicies through the transect method. In addition to an interesting way to gather and analyze diversity, the man was an expert on butterflies and gave many examples of his work with them. Before dinner, we rushed to remove our bonfire preparations, as lightning and thunder was merely a prewview of a twenty minute downpour warning of the monsoons to come. We are definitely seeing more and more cloud cover. Hardly deterred by a brief rain, we enjoyed a decent bonfire anyway, swapping stories late into the night thinking reluctantly about another early start the next day.
Today was data collection and transecting like crazy. Shannon Diversity and Jacard's index, and many other ecological terms later, and we were exhausted. We said bye to Arvind once more and again are enduring the bug-ridden heat of pre-monsoon India. The plan is to return to our 'mountain' spot this evening to watch the sunset and return before our next guest, a botanist I believe, arrives later.
~Already missing family and friends,
- David
We decided to go for a bit of bird-watching before our guest, Dr. Krishna, arrived. Armed with binoculars and few bird books we traipsed around pretending to know what we were doing. I truly have a new respect for birders with the skill and patience they must have to retain such a hobby.
While staring through the binocs at nothing in particular, Dr. Krishna arrived. The only way I can think to describe him is as a sixty year old Urkel. In fact I think he solely defined the term 'old geezer'. Nonetheless the man truly is brilliant, with the most profound passion for knowledge I've ever seen. We walked around the area and discussed many a topic, from botany, to behavior, birds, riligion, intelligence, physics, music, monitoring, and so much more. The man truly understood the link between all subjects and matters.
We learned various methods of survey, and even how to trace a leaf rubbing. After a hot day, we turned in early to rest for a very early morning.
We woke up around six in the morning on Saturday to go bird-watching some more. After breakfast with the Doctor, we ventured out once more this time travelling far uphill. A beautiful brown dingo-looking dog had been milling around us for awhile (not that we hadn't encountered many dogs before) and even ran ahead of us on the trail, scouting the way. We made our way with Krishna to the top of the large hill of modified granite to a most beautiful site. The top of the hill was the highest point in the nearby area and allowed a stellar view. Our first sight was the granite quarry on the side of a nearby mountain. It is from here that the booming dynamite blasts that have become a nightly ritual originate from. From there, it is taken and used all over. Granite is everywhere in this place, making it all the more beautiful. As I near the top of the hill, (also capped in granite) the most beautiful sight came into view. Stretching for hundreds of miles in front of us, India's natural beauty reached out to the misty mountains of the Western Ghats in the distance. Scout (the dog had been given a name) led us to a rickety old tower to get a better view. We remained up there for quite some time enjoying the view, until the trumpet of a wild Asian 'elephas maximus' was heard in the valley beneath our feet. The mood instantly shifted as we raced to get down the hill and back to our site before the elephants reached our area.
After bidding farewell to Krishna, we lounged yet again before preparing for the bonfire we had discussed at length. In the process of collecting and breaking firewood, I managed to accquire my first permanent souvenir of India. While breaking a stick, the left side broke and gashed my left hand quite severly. I sit even now with a large piece of gauze taped to my hand. Our next gues, Dr. Arvind, whom you may recall from earlier at ATREE, arrived and began a lecture on monitoring a speicies through the transect method. In addition to an interesting way to gather and analyze diversity, the man was an expert on butterflies and gave many examples of his work with them. Before dinner, we rushed to remove our bonfire preparations, as lightning and thunder was merely a prewview of a twenty minute downpour warning of the monsoons to come. We are definitely seeing more and more cloud cover. Hardly deterred by a brief rain, we enjoyed a decent bonfire anyway, swapping stories late into the night thinking reluctantly about another early start the next day.
Today was data collection and transecting like crazy. Shannon Diversity and Jacard's index, and many other ecological terms later, and we were exhausted. We said bye to Arvind once more and again are enduring the bug-ridden heat of pre-monsoon India. The plan is to return to our 'mountain' spot this evening to watch the sunset and return before our next guest, a botanist I believe, arrives later.
~Already missing family and friends,
- David
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Friday, May 28th, 2010 - Day 6
15:00 Hours. Forest Trails, BNP, Karnataka, India.
After a breakfast that easily topped UTC, we got back in the van and traveled to Bannerghatta Biological Park. A zoo! Finally, something I could completely identify with. Well..., identify with. The basic setup appeared quite the same and it was certainly a popular attraction. With primarily Indian animals, the zoos population contained what Geeta told us were mostly wild caught animals.
Lions (Asiatic), tigers, chital, sambar, sloth and black bears all appeared to have decent, yet not great accomodations. We took a speedy bus through a safari route and saw many of the afore-mentioned animals in very natural habitat.
The route back was uneventful. Beautiful scenery to be sure, and conversation amongst us that is making most of us start to miss family, friends, pets, and the luxuries of home. But hey, we're about one-sixth of the way done and already have had so many unforgettable memories.
I must continue to return to asking myself why I'm here. Perhpas I'm become less and less sure. Or, perhaps I need not to ponder it in order to figure it out. I have seventy plus days left in Asia so I'm not too concerned quite yet...
During lunch, Geeta shared a number of life stories and stressed the importance of Indian ideals in her life. We are lounging around for much of the afternoon and plan on discussing our studies and guest lecturer who will visit this evening.
~Wandering nature,
-David
After a breakfast that easily topped UTC, we got back in the van and traveled to Bannerghatta Biological Park. A zoo! Finally, something I could completely identify with. Well..., identify with. The basic setup appeared quite the same and it was certainly a popular attraction. With primarily Indian animals, the zoos population contained what Geeta told us were mostly wild caught animals.
Lions (Asiatic), tigers, chital, sambar, sloth and black bears all appeared to have decent, yet not great accomodations. We took a speedy bus through a safari route and saw many of the afore-mentioned animals in very natural habitat.
The route back was uneventful. Beautiful scenery to be sure, and conversation amongst us that is making most of us start to miss family, friends, pets, and the luxuries of home. But hey, we're about one-sixth of the way done and already have had so many unforgettable memories.
I must continue to return to asking myself why I'm here. Perhpas I'm become less and less sure. Or, perhaps I need not to ponder it in order to figure it out. I have seventy plus days left in Asia so I'm not too concerned quite yet...
During lunch, Geeta shared a number of life stories and stressed the importance of Indian ideals in her life. We are lounging around for much of the afternoon and plan on discussing our studies and guest lecturer who will visit this evening.
~Wandering nature,
-David
Thursday, May 27th, 2010 - Day 5
21:41 Hrs. Forest Trails, Bannerghatta National Park, India.
I couldn't begin to describe this day on this page and do it justice. It was a day I will most certainly never forget.
Our day was to start early this morning and a few of us were delaying breakfast in order to help load the van with our stuff. I waited on the steps of the ERCF guest house as many new Indian arrivals relaxed outside. With them were many children, mostly boys, probably ages 6-13. All smiling and grinning at me as I sat there, I called a young boy over and offered my hand. He shook it gently. His older brother (I assume) did the same. I would later discover that handshakes are meant to be a very gentle thing in India. As a few more boys gathered around, I managed to teach them how to do a high five, with a bunch of 'too slows' mixed in. The boys then proceeded to identify my as Peter Parker, Spiderman. Apparently this is how Indians perceived the Tobey Maguire movies.
As the news passed around the camp that Spiderman was present, I received more and more grins and episodes of laughter, from adults and children alike.
The bus arrived and as we began hauling bags there, the boys became unsatisfied with one handshake, or one high five. Eventually I got roped into a few pictures, including one posing as the web spinner, as well as a few 'autographs' on notecards. When all was said and done, the van was loaded and I had some new penpals...
Our first stop of the day was quite literally in the middle of nowhere. We walked a little ways and arrived at the cusp of a dam. To our left, a beautiful reservoir with a gorgeous background. To our right, as the water poured over the dam, solid, frothy white soap appeared to form like a bathtub filled with far too many bubbles. Pollution. All from Bangalore city, and all serving as the surrouding villages' drinking and irrigiation water. We stood for awhile as our guide Kavitha explained the situation. Skanda, the masters student elaborated that the people knew the water was bad, but were unaware of any means to solve it, or even who to complain to.
We continued on and stopped next at a small rural village. (I think it's safe to say Bangalore with it's lighhts, traffic, and pollution was behind us.) This village had tremendous evidence of the caste system alive and well in India. We had been earlier in the day to an ATREE field station briefly where Kavitha discussed the geopgraphy of the surrounding Bannerghatta National Park, Bilikal Reserve Forest, and Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary areas. The whole stretch is now the remnants of a once much wider slephant corridor. We also learned about ATREE's research work in the field, examining demographics and making communities aware of their environment. The village we were now at had large woven panels similar to the concentric circle ball game at many arcades. Inside each level, were many large white silk worms, hard at work crafting cocoons for their hibernation. The cocoons will eventually be boiled, and the silk extracted for weaving.
Our next stop would be at another piece of ATREE land, used for agriculture (sustainable and efficient) for the adjoining village. Trekking down below the plot's bund, we sought shade under a very large tamarind tree (sucking the hydrating sour leaves) and began assisting the locals in preparing day's lunch. Cucumbers, nan, pickle, sambar, rice, curds, Ragi (millet) balls (at which I tried a hand at making myself) were all prepared over an open fire we made ourselves. While lunch cooked, I and a few others got pulled into a game in the field by the kids that had gathered. With everybody in a line facing opposite directions, it is essentially a game of tag, meets a game of duck, duck, goose. After a delicious meal, the freshest of it's kind, and a fairly successful attempt to teach these kids OUR duck, duck, goose as well as many pictures (at the children's request), we climbed the bund and were taught and showed the manual plow and growing process used in most rural villages. And of course, each tried a row ourselves, including Lisa and Geeta! If that doesn't get us on the cover of the KU website, I don't know what would. Exhausted after a 'hard day's work' cooking and farming, we loaded back up and returned to the field station for a short rest. Well that was the plan anyway. The roads became far more narrow in the country and a large bus was headed our way...We began to pull over the the left (that's where they drive) but apparently not slow enough. A flat. Out of the van everybody. Fortunately we had a spare and Ramu went right to work replacing it.
After our rest, we continued through granite country for over an hour, through the national park, to the forest trails campground. This place knocks the socks off of UTC, no offense. Permanent tents in a circle, western toilets with TP, and incredibly delicious food (can you say mango puree?), we are falling asleep under a full moon and bright starry sky far from the pollution of Bangalore. After some adventures trying to ride some random horses meandering around and a violent game of cabardi with Ramu (the odds seemed stacked in his favor) of course...
~Enjoying the night air,
-David
I couldn't begin to describe this day on this page and do it justice. It was a day I will most certainly never forget.
Our day was to start early this morning and a few of us were delaying breakfast in order to help load the van with our stuff. I waited on the steps of the ERCF guest house as many new Indian arrivals relaxed outside. With them were many children, mostly boys, probably ages 6-13. All smiling and grinning at me as I sat there, I called a young boy over and offered my hand. He shook it gently. His older brother (I assume) did the same. I would later discover that handshakes are meant to be a very gentle thing in India. As a few more boys gathered around, I managed to teach them how to do a high five, with a bunch of 'too slows' mixed in. The boys then proceeded to identify my as Peter Parker, Spiderman. Apparently this is how Indians perceived the Tobey Maguire movies.
As the news passed around the camp that Spiderman was present, I received more and more grins and episodes of laughter, from adults and children alike.
The bus arrived and as we began hauling bags there, the boys became unsatisfied with one handshake, or one high five. Eventually I got roped into a few pictures, including one posing as the web spinner, as well as a few 'autographs' on notecards. When all was said and done, the van was loaded and I had some new penpals...
Our first stop of the day was quite literally in the middle of nowhere. We walked a little ways and arrived at the cusp of a dam. To our left, a beautiful reservoir with a gorgeous background. To our right, as the water poured over the dam, solid, frothy white soap appeared to form like a bathtub filled with far too many bubbles. Pollution. All from Bangalore city, and all serving as the surrouding villages' drinking and irrigiation water. We stood for awhile as our guide Kavitha explained the situation. Skanda, the masters student elaborated that the people knew the water was bad, but were unaware of any means to solve it, or even who to complain to.
We continued on and stopped next at a small rural village. (I think it's safe to say Bangalore with it's lighhts, traffic, and pollution was behind us.) This village had tremendous evidence of the caste system alive and well in India. We had been earlier in the day to an ATREE field station briefly where Kavitha discussed the geopgraphy of the surrounding Bannerghatta National Park, Bilikal Reserve Forest, and Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary areas. The whole stretch is now the remnants of a once much wider slephant corridor. We also learned about ATREE's research work in the field, examining demographics and making communities aware of their environment. The village we were now at had large woven panels similar to the concentric circle ball game at many arcades. Inside each level, were many large white silk worms, hard at work crafting cocoons for their hibernation. The cocoons will eventually be boiled, and the silk extracted for weaving.
Our next stop would be at another piece of ATREE land, used for agriculture (sustainable and efficient) for the adjoining village. Trekking down below the plot's bund, we sought shade under a very large tamarind tree (sucking the hydrating sour leaves) and began assisting the locals in preparing day's lunch. Cucumbers, nan, pickle, sambar, rice, curds, Ragi (millet) balls (at which I tried a hand at making myself) were all prepared over an open fire we made ourselves. While lunch cooked, I and a few others got pulled into a game in the field by the kids that had gathered. With everybody in a line facing opposite directions, it is essentially a game of tag, meets a game of duck, duck, goose. After a delicious meal, the freshest of it's kind, and a fairly successful attempt to teach these kids OUR duck, duck, goose as well as many pictures (at the children's request), we climbed the bund and were taught and showed the manual plow and growing process used in most rural villages. And of course, each tried a row ourselves, including Lisa and Geeta! If that doesn't get us on the cover of the KU website, I don't know what would. Exhausted after a 'hard day's work' cooking and farming, we loaded back up and returned to the field station for a short rest. Well that was the plan anyway. The roads became far more narrow in the country and a large bus was headed our way...We began to pull over the the left (that's where they drive) but apparently not slow enough. A flat. Out of the van everybody. Fortunately we had a spare and Ramu went right to work replacing it.
After our rest, we continued through granite country for over an hour, through the national park, to the forest trails campground. This place knocks the socks off of UTC, no offense. Permanent tents in a circle, western toilets with TP, and incredibly delicious food (can you say mango puree?), we are falling asleep under a full moon and bright starry sky far from the pollution of Bangalore. After some adventures trying to ride some random horses meandering around and a violent game of cabardi with Ramu (the odds seemed stacked in his favor) of course...
~Enjoying the night air,
-David
Wednesday, May 26th 2010 - Day 4
22:00 Hrs. Bengaluru, India.
The avid travel bug many of us had upon arriving is slowly wearing down. I certainly wouldn't say culture shock quite yet by any means. We are still abosrbing everything we can, food included. Jet lag, and our 'hit-the-ground-running' itinerary however has started catching up to us. Today we were to return to ATREE for three lectures and lunch followed by some shopping. So where we were given a much needed physical break, our brain capacity was stretched like maternity clothes...
Another employee at ATREE, Harisha, and his wife and 9-month old son, Himanshu, joined us this morning for breakfast at UTC. Many pictures were taken of the chubby youngster with light-up shoes. We were told Harisha had invited us to the naming ceremoney of Himanshu (an elaborate event in India), but as you can tell we missed it by about a week. It's too bad Geeta didn't use it as an excuse to get us out of exams last semeseter. They have also invited us to their home when we visit the MM Hills later next month. A truly compassionate and generious family, like so many others we've met already.
Today we trekked (took our bus, with our old driver and new friend Ramu) back to ATREE for a series of three lectures. I'd like to mention that Bangalore's roads are practically all main roads with walls on the side much like Mexico City. Many of the walls however have beautiful elaborate art of images and symbols of primarily India, but all over the world as well. From wildlife to landmarks and national symbols, to multi-colored, multi-limbed deities, the city's roads are incredibly decorated.
Our first lecture at ATREE was by a man named Arvind and covered the NGO itself. Mission and goals as well as research and education. The next covered some of the types of research work they do, particularly the pollination work of our lecturer, Dr. Ganesha. After a brief lunch, we returned to the classroom to meet the director of ATREE. The man was a brilliant, well-traveled humourous gentelman with excellent English. He sat down and asked us (11 + Lisa) to introduce ourselves! He continued to ask questions: where we were going, what we were studying, our upbringings, our reactions to India. Next he told us a little about the ways ATREE works to go green, particularly architecturally. Eventually it morphed from question and answer to an open dialog about environmental issues in India and their methods all in comparision to other nations.
Next we were asked to return to the terrace four floors up (where we've been eating) and write our first essay summarizing what we'd learned. After racking my brain, and finishing the schoolwork, I sat on a seat on the edge of the terrace and stared at the city sprawled out on a hill in the distance. Being back in the rural village, so high up, staring at this third-world city, I'd never felt so on top of the world, yet so miniscule at the same time. So many people, so different from others, yet struggling for the same thing as everyone else, survival.
Why am I on this trip? It seems I've forgotton. I squish on the floor aisle of the van between two seats as we leave since we're taking a few extra people (India-sardine can style of Geeta says). We stop in a market and half of us go shopping while the rest of us go to a cyber cafe. Waiting for the others to finish on the computer, we soak in our last evening in Bangalore until the end of June at the end of this program. We head out to the field, the forests of Southern India early tomorrow.
~Walking on, and following blindly,
-David
The avid travel bug many of us had upon arriving is slowly wearing down. I certainly wouldn't say culture shock quite yet by any means. We are still abosrbing everything we can, food included. Jet lag, and our 'hit-the-ground-running' itinerary however has started catching up to us. Today we were to return to ATREE for three lectures and lunch followed by some shopping. So where we were given a much needed physical break, our brain capacity was stretched like maternity clothes...
Another employee at ATREE, Harisha, and his wife and 9-month old son, Himanshu, joined us this morning for breakfast at UTC. Many pictures were taken of the chubby youngster with light-up shoes. We were told Harisha had invited us to the naming ceremoney of Himanshu (an elaborate event in India), but as you can tell we missed it by about a week. It's too bad Geeta didn't use it as an excuse to get us out of exams last semeseter. They have also invited us to their home when we visit the MM Hills later next month. A truly compassionate and generious family, like so many others we've met already.
Today we trekked (took our bus, with our old driver and new friend Ramu) back to ATREE for a series of three lectures. I'd like to mention that Bangalore's roads are practically all main roads with walls on the side much like Mexico City. Many of the walls however have beautiful elaborate art of images and symbols of primarily India, but all over the world as well. From wildlife to landmarks and national symbols, to multi-colored, multi-limbed deities, the city's roads are incredibly decorated.
Our first lecture at ATREE was by a man named Arvind and covered the NGO itself. Mission and goals as well as research and education. The next covered some of the types of research work they do, particularly the pollination work of our lecturer, Dr. Ganesha. After a brief lunch, we returned to the classroom to meet the director of ATREE. The man was a brilliant, well-traveled humourous gentelman with excellent English. He sat down and asked us (11 + Lisa) to introduce ourselves! He continued to ask questions: where we were going, what we were studying, our upbringings, our reactions to India. Next he told us a little about the ways ATREE works to go green, particularly architecturally. Eventually it morphed from question and answer to an open dialog about environmental issues in India and their methods all in comparision to other nations.
Next we were asked to return to the terrace four floors up (where we've been eating) and write our first essay summarizing what we'd learned. After racking my brain, and finishing the schoolwork, I sat on a seat on the edge of the terrace and stared at the city sprawled out on a hill in the distance. Being back in the rural village, so high up, staring at this third-world city, I'd never felt so on top of the world, yet so miniscule at the same time. So many people, so different from others, yet struggling for the same thing as everyone else, survival.
Why am I on this trip? It seems I've forgotton. I squish on the floor aisle of the van between two seats as we leave since we're taking a few extra people (India-sardine can style of Geeta says). We stop in a market and half of us go shopping while the rest of us go to a cyber cafe. Waiting for the others to finish on the computer, we soak in our last evening in Bangalore until the end of June at the end of this program. We head out to the field, the forests of Southern India early tomorrow.
~Walking on, and following blindly,
-David
Tuesday, May 25th, 2010 - Day 3
23:00 Hrs. Bengaluru, India.
Where to begin? This day was filled to the brim with India. Around six-thirty this morning, most of us gathered outside the Ecumenical Resource Center (ERC) guest house where we are staying to be taught Sun Salutation yoga by one of our fellow classmates who offered. Deepak, our resident group Indian (besides Geeta of course)is from the US but his parents are from Hyderabad and he's traveled all around southern India a few times. After an exhausting workout, from which I'm still sore, we sat down to yet another delicious breakfast.
Next we were joined by Skanda, the masters student who was with us at the University, and a bus. We headed to a local market area to do a little shopping. There was nothing little about it. Still more masses of people, chaos (organized though it may be), and many of us got lost multiple times. Geeta bought us all some very delicious peanut brittle and somehow I ended up with a large chunk nobody else wanted. While the rest waited at some store, I jaunted across the street, (my life flashing before with the traffic) and tried to hand the rest to a small boy sitting on a table with a few elderly women working with fabric. The boy didn't seem to understand I was offering it, and shook his head. After some exuberant persuading from the women, the young lad finally understood it was food, and happily took it from me.
On another occassion three women in beautiful sarees and crouching on the sidewalk staring at us (who wouldn't?) seemed to be enjoying our presence. Their grins grew as I snapped their picture. After many purchases and hours, we boarded the bus for ATREE and lunch.
The Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, or ATREE, is a major NGO in Bangalore working for conservation. Their office is located outside of Bangalore city proper, in a very colorful rural community. Lunch was had on the roof terrace with a stunningly beautiful view of the city in the distance with its ever present layer of smog hovering just above the city. Another delicious lunch was made for us as we sat on the roof at the level of the palm/coconut tree tops and their raven-looking inhabitants greedily eyeing our lunch. We had a bit of time before our lecture so Kavitah, an amazing employee at ATREE and new friend of ours (long-time friend of Geetajee) and wife of Dr. Nagaraja, the asst. professor who guided us at the University Bio park, suggested we walk to get coffee.
As we left the office gate, our lecturer, Dr. Josingh, a celebrity of sorts, arrived and joined us. All of us instantly became star-struck. Here was the man who had mentored our mentor, who's articles and book we had read in preparation for this trip, and who was a leading scientist in environmental studies and the expert on conservation in India. So we walked to a small shop in the village and had tea and coffee at the counter.
Most of the village was out and about carrying on with daily activities. One young girl, in a beautiful red dress, was dancing by as a dog pranced at her heels. She went into a small shelter and returned with her mother who began fixing her up. I walked over the them and as they smiled politely, I asked if I could take their picture. Both ladies smiled and the woman began fixing up her daughter (who couldn't have been more than seven)for the picture. As I snapped the picture, showed it to them, and began walking away, the dog came running out of the house and barking at my heels aggressively as I walked back up the hill, clearly upset that I had done something demonic to his young companion.
Our two-hour lecture with Dr. Josingh followed and while I shall save the details of its contents for my academic notbeook, I will say that his lecture was enthusiastic and knowledge-filled. A truly brilliant man who we were very lucky to have with us.
Afterwards, we bid farewell to all the afore-mentioned, (they'll pop up again in later chapters...) and returned to our dorms for a short rest. After pulling ourselves together, we ventures out on a VERY LONG walk to dinner. We traveled through much of downtown Bangalore, barreled through markets, high-rises, a predominantly Muslim Quarter, and some extreme child-hagglers, I got labeled as Peter Parker (Spiderman) by a shopkeeper and his son, and arrived at a delicious high class, Pan-Asian meal. Tomorrow we are returning to ATREE and later do some collaborative work with each other to clarify this new wealth of info.
~Miserably full on amazingly delcious food, Nan, and a few banana milkshakes,
-David
Where to begin? This day was filled to the brim with India. Around six-thirty this morning, most of us gathered outside the Ecumenical Resource Center (ERC) guest house where we are staying to be taught Sun Salutation yoga by one of our fellow classmates who offered. Deepak, our resident group Indian (besides Geeta of course)is from the US but his parents are from Hyderabad and he's traveled all around southern India a few times. After an exhausting workout, from which I'm still sore, we sat down to yet another delicious breakfast.
Next we were joined by Skanda, the masters student who was with us at the University, and a bus. We headed to a local market area to do a little shopping. There was nothing little about it. Still more masses of people, chaos (organized though it may be), and many of us got lost multiple times. Geeta bought us all some very delicious peanut brittle and somehow I ended up with a large chunk nobody else wanted. While the rest waited at some store, I jaunted across the street, (my life flashing before with the traffic) and tried to hand the rest to a small boy sitting on a table with a few elderly women working with fabric. The boy didn't seem to understand I was offering it, and shook his head. After some exuberant persuading from the women, the young lad finally understood it was food, and happily took it from me.
On another occassion three women in beautiful sarees and crouching on the sidewalk staring at us (who wouldn't?) seemed to be enjoying our presence. Their grins grew as I snapped their picture. After many purchases and hours, we boarded the bus for ATREE and lunch.
The Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, or ATREE, is a major NGO in Bangalore working for conservation. Their office is located outside of Bangalore city proper, in a very colorful rural community. Lunch was had on the roof terrace with a stunningly beautiful view of the city in the distance with its ever present layer of smog hovering just above the city. Another delicious lunch was made for us as we sat on the roof at the level of the palm/coconut tree tops and their raven-looking inhabitants greedily eyeing our lunch. We had a bit of time before our lecture so Kavitah, an amazing employee at ATREE and new friend of ours (long-time friend of Geetajee) and wife of Dr. Nagaraja, the asst. professor who guided us at the University Bio park, suggested we walk to get coffee.
As we left the office gate, our lecturer, Dr. Josingh, a celebrity of sorts, arrived and joined us. All of us instantly became star-struck. Here was the man who had mentored our mentor, who's articles and book we had read in preparation for this trip, and who was a leading scientist in environmental studies and the expert on conservation in India. So we walked to a small shop in the village and had tea and coffee at the counter.
Most of the village was out and about carrying on with daily activities. One young girl, in a beautiful red dress, was dancing by as a dog pranced at her heels. She went into a small shelter and returned with her mother who began fixing her up. I walked over the them and as they smiled politely, I asked if I could take their picture. Both ladies smiled and the woman began fixing up her daughter (who couldn't have been more than seven)for the picture. As I snapped the picture, showed it to them, and began walking away, the dog came running out of the house and barking at my heels aggressively as I walked back up the hill, clearly upset that I had done something demonic to his young companion.
Our two-hour lecture with Dr. Josingh followed and while I shall save the details of its contents for my academic notbeook, I will say that his lecture was enthusiastic and knowledge-filled. A truly brilliant man who we were very lucky to have with us.
Afterwards, we bid farewell to all the afore-mentioned, (they'll pop up again in later chapters...) and returned to our dorms for a short rest. After pulling ourselves together, we ventures out on a VERY LONG walk to dinner. We traveled through much of downtown Bangalore, barreled through markets, high-rises, a predominantly Muslim Quarter, and some extreme child-hagglers, I got labeled as Peter Parker (Spiderman) by a shopkeeper and his son, and arrived at a delicious high class, Pan-Asian meal. Tomorrow we are returning to ATREE and later do some collaborative work with each other to clarify this new wealth of info.
~Miserably full on amazingly delcious food, Nan, and a few banana milkshakes,
-David
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