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Monday, January 31, 2011
Meditations on meditation
One of my goals here was to learn how to meditate. We have meditation practice at 8 every morning.
The first week we focused on following our breath, which is supposed to help you concentrate. I have difficulty not thinking, but it is an interesting experiment and definitely calming. It also helps me to feel disciplined.
This morning the nun led us through analytic meditation, which differs in that instead of releasing your thoughts, you think about specific things. For the first session, we focused on thinking about the suffering felt by all beings.
She started by having us imagine the suffering an insect must experience, then a dog or a monkey, then a starving or cold person (physical suffering), then a blind, deaf or paralyzed person (which to me represented the combination of physical and mental suffering, because you cannot fully experience the world or express yourself), then a mentally ill person and someone who only grasps for material possessions (which both seemed to represent mental suffering). Then we were supposed to think about how lucky we are to live comfortable lives.
I found this really difficult for a few reasons. Firstly, I have no idea what the suffering of an insect feels like. I tried to imagine a dog's suffering or a monkey's suffering, because hunger seems the same in all species. But then I started thinking about the monkey that stole my popcorn yesterday and got caught up in thinking that he was a selfish monkey. Clearly I am not yet good at the Buddhist way of thinking, because when I brought this up after the session one of the guys on the trip said he imagined how hungry the monkey must have been to steal my popcorn. Maybe this is true, and it's definitely a good way to think about it for meditation on suffering, but this was a fat monkey and they just steal food from everyone. (Just To clarify, I sound really angry about the monkey. I kind of am, not because I wanted the popcorn but because the monkey so blatantly stole it while I was right there. Also because the monkeys do things just to scare us.)
Secondly, much of the reading talks about how the ultimate truth is that the entire world is actually empty. This is a difficult concept, but part of it means that there is no distinction between me and you or me and a rock or whatnot. So while we were supposed to be thinking about how lucky we were to be born into a relatively good life, I started questioning why I should be thankful and why there are different levels of beingness (I.e. Insect, dog, people) if we are all ultimately the same. The Buddhists call this the conventional world, and the actual world is the empty one, but why should we all agree to live in the conventional world if there is inequality and whatever? Mostly meditation was frustrating.
Also a monkey just stole Claudia 's bananas. The most frustrating thing about india: meditation and monkeys.
The first week we focused on following our breath, which is supposed to help you concentrate. I have difficulty not thinking, but it is an interesting experiment and definitely calming. It also helps me to feel disciplined.
This morning the nun led us through analytic meditation, which differs in that instead of releasing your thoughts, you think about specific things. For the first session, we focused on thinking about the suffering felt by all beings.
She started by having us imagine the suffering an insect must experience, then a dog or a monkey, then a starving or cold person (physical suffering), then a blind, deaf or paralyzed person (which to me represented the combination of physical and mental suffering, because you cannot fully experience the world or express yourself), then a mentally ill person and someone who only grasps for material possessions (which both seemed to represent mental suffering). Then we were supposed to think about how lucky we are to live comfortable lives.
I found this really difficult for a few reasons. Firstly, I have no idea what the suffering of an insect feels like. I tried to imagine a dog's suffering or a monkey's suffering, because hunger seems the same in all species. But then I started thinking about the monkey that stole my popcorn yesterday and got caught up in thinking that he was a selfish monkey. Clearly I am not yet good at the Buddhist way of thinking, because when I brought this up after the session one of the guys on the trip said he imagined how hungry the monkey must have been to steal my popcorn. Maybe this is true, and it's definitely a good way to think about it for meditation on suffering, but this was a fat monkey and they just steal food from everyone. (Just To clarify, I sound really angry about the monkey. I kind of am, not because I wanted the popcorn but because the monkey so blatantly stole it while I was right there. Also because the monkeys do things just to scare us.)
Secondly, much of the reading talks about how the ultimate truth is that the entire world is actually empty. This is a difficult concept, but part of it means that there is no distinction between me and you or me and a rock or whatnot. So while we were supposed to be thinking about how lucky we were to be born into a relatively good life, I started questioning why I should be thankful and why there are different levels of beingness (I.e. Insect, dog, people) if we are all ultimately the same. The Buddhists call this the conventional world, and the actual world is the empty one, but why should we all agree to live in the conventional world if there is inequality and whatever? Mostly meditation was frustrating.
Also a monkey just stole Claudia 's bananas. The most frustrating thing about india: meditation and monkeys.
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Sunday, January 30, 2011
guest post 4
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guest post 3
The monkeys may have won this battle, but the war is definitely not over.
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guest post 1!
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Friday, January 28, 2011
The mindfulness step
The program dining hall, classroom, and library are on the first three levels of the college guest house, and if you take the stairs all the way up you can sit on the roof in the sunshine and look at the mountains.
Because there are no western building codes here, one of the steps is a little bit taller than the rest. Since we walk up and down the stairs so many times a day, it's easy to notice the difference, but it's often hard to remember exactly where the step is. People stumble sometimes.
Tonight we had a program meeting to share our thoughts on things we were thankful for and things that blindsided us so far. Ed, one of the guys on the program, expressed his gratefulness towards the one step that's a little bit taller than the rest. He called it the mindfulness step because it forces him to think about what he's doing: walking up or down the stairs. I decided that's a beautiful way of looking at a stair I would otherwise trip over.
It also reminded me of two things I want out of this trip: I want to be fully present and involved in whatever I'm doing, and I want to look at situations in the best possible light. They're lofty, but it's better to remind myself all the time to get into that mindset. So I'm happy that the stairs are a little uneven, because it means I can pay attention to them.
Because there are no western building codes here, one of the steps is a little bit taller than the rest. Since we walk up and down the stairs so many times a day, it's easy to notice the difference, but it's often hard to remember exactly where the step is. People stumble sometimes.
Tonight we had a program meeting to share our thoughts on things we were thankful for and things that blindsided us so far. Ed, one of the guys on the program, expressed his gratefulness towards the one step that's a little bit taller than the rest. He called it the mindfulness step because it forces him to think about what he's doing: walking up or down the stairs. I decided that's a beautiful way of looking at a stair I would otherwise trip over.
It also reminded me of two things I want out of this trip: I want to be fully present and involved in whatever I'm doing, and I want to look at situations in the best possible light. They're lofty, but it's better to remind myself all the time to get into that mindset. So I'm happy that the stairs are a little uneven, because it means I can pay attention to them.
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Thursday, January 27, 2011
Fun facts
Tibet has almost no roads because until the 20th century, the country had prayer wheels but no regular wheels.
My philosophy teacher is a nun, originally from germany, who completed sixteen years of study.
She says things like, "the Buddha said to test his words as you would gold. That was the standard then. Now you should test his words as you would a laptop."
A monkey ran down the length of a dorm hallway directly towards me today. It was one of the scarier moments of my life. I jumped out of the way and he turned to go up the stairs.
The resident dorm dog looks like the Grim.
My philosophy teacher is a nun, originally from germany, who completed sixteen years of study.
She says things like, "the Buddha said to test his words as you would gold. That was the standard then. Now you should test his words as you would a laptop."
A monkey ran down the length of a dorm hallway directly towards me today. It was one of the scarier moments of my life. I jumped out of the way and he turned to go up the stairs.
The resident dorm dog looks like the Grim.
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Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Mail!
I keep forgetting to mention this: my mailing address is at the top of the blog. Supposedly, the mail actually comes, but I have the worst luck ever with the postal service, so don't send me anything too special.
On a related note, if you would like to receive mail, please email me your address. CMC kids, send me your box numbers, since when I was last in the mailroom they posted scary signs about not delivering things without numbers. The only box I know is 1201 so if this is not yours please email me.
On a related note, if you would like to receive mail, please email me your address. CMC kids, send me your box numbers, since when I was last in the mailroom they posted scary signs about not delivering things without numbers. The only box I know is 1201 so if this is not yours please email me.
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How cold is it in India?
Really cold.
I promised this entry would be about bucket showers, and it will be, but first you need some background on the weather and lifestyle here.
Stereotypically, India is always hot. Sometimes wet, sometimes now, but always hot. This is untrue.
Northern India gets cold. It's so cold that the schools have their three month break in the winter, while schools in the south have the break in the summer.
It isn't absolutely freezing all the time. When the sun comes out during the day it warms up, and it feels nice to be out in the sunshine, especially when the clouds burn off and you can see the mountains.
The buildings don't have heat. Going inside during the daytime is often colder than standing outside. You can never go inside to warm up.
Instead, everyone wears a base layer of long underwear that stays on all the time. Tibetan women sometimes wear three pairs of long underwear underneath their skirts. Then you wear between three and five layers on top. Because the classrooms aren't heated, I sit in class with a scarf and a hat and a blanket. Some people wear gloves. In one classroom you must remove your shoes, so we bring slippers or extra socks.
The dorms built out of concrete, and also don't have heat, so you sleep in your base layer (of course) and pajamas on top. I sleep in my sleeping bag, under a huge comforter. I made the mistake last night of touching the wall in my sleep. The iciness woke me up.
I should also mention that the dorms are completely open. We have a cats living under the first floor stairs, dogs and monkeys wander the halls at all times, and one day we had to chase out goats. Living here is a trip.
In addition to living without heat, solar energy heats the water in the dorms. Since it only gets warm when the sun shines, the water is
Always cold at night and sometimes doesn't work in the morning because the pipes freeze overnight.
Knowing all this, none of us expected much from the solar heated water. Yesterday, Julia and I decided to have a shower party after lunch to take advantage of the sun's maximum potential (using our trusty buckets, of course, I should probably throw in a picture of my bucket soon. We're thinking about decorating them).
We filled our buckets, and noted the steam rising from the water. Julia decided that it probably came from the difference between air and water temperature, which was a fair guess, so we proceeded.
Incorrect! To our delighted surprise, the water was deliciously hot. Hot enough to scald us and we ended up mixing it with cold water from the shower tap.
Using our smaller pails (also vital) to pour water over our heads, we created salon hair washing conditions crouched over buckets in concrete showers in the middle of northern India. Who would have thunk?
When we reported our findings at dinner, even the boys got excited at the prospect of hot water. That's when you know it's really cold.
I promised this entry would be about bucket showers, and it will be, but first you need some background on the weather and lifestyle here.
Stereotypically, India is always hot. Sometimes wet, sometimes now, but always hot. This is untrue.
Northern India gets cold. It's so cold that the schools have their three month break in the winter, while schools in the south have the break in the summer.
It isn't absolutely freezing all the time. When the sun comes out during the day it warms up, and it feels nice to be out in the sunshine, especially when the clouds burn off and you can see the mountains.
The buildings don't have heat. Going inside during the daytime is often colder than standing outside. You can never go inside to warm up.
Instead, everyone wears a base layer of long underwear that stays on all the time. Tibetan women sometimes wear three pairs of long underwear underneath their skirts. Then you wear between three and five layers on top. Because the classrooms aren't heated, I sit in class with a scarf and a hat and a blanket. Some people wear gloves. In one classroom you must remove your shoes, so we bring slippers or extra socks.
The dorms built out of concrete, and also don't have heat, so you sleep in your base layer (of course) and pajamas on top. I sleep in my sleeping bag, under a huge comforter. I made the mistake last night of touching the wall in my sleep. The iciness woke me up.
I should also mention that the dorms are completely open. We have a cats living under the first floor stairs, dogs and monkeys wander the halls at all times, and one day we had to chase out goats. Living here is a trip.
In addition to living without heat, solar energy heats the water in the dorms. Since it only gets warm when the sun shines, the water is
Always cold at night and sometimes doesn't work in the morning because the pipes freeze overnight.
Knowing all this, none of us expected much from the solar heated water. Yesterday, Julia and I decided to have a shower party after lunch to take advantage of the sun's maximum potential (using our trusty buckets, of course, I should probably throw in a picture of my bucket soon. We're thinking about decorating them).
We filled our buckets, and noted the steam rising from the water. Julia decided that it probably came from the difference between air and water temperature, which was a fair guess, so we proceeded.
Incorrect! To our delighted surprise, the water was deliciously hot. Hot enough to scald us and we ended up mixing it with cold water from the shower tap.
Using our smaller pails (also vital) to pour water over our heads, we created salon hair washing conditions crouched over buckets in concrete showers in the middle of northern India. Who would have thunk?
When we reported our findings at dinner, even the boys got excited at the prospect of hot water. That's when you know it's really cold.
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Monday, January 24, 2011
Kora
On Sunday all the program kids went with our roommates to McLeod Ganj, or upper dharamsala. The town has the main IBD campus and the Dalai Lama's temple complex, along with a really big market.
It's about a 45 minute jeep ride up really winding, twisting roads, but the view is fabulous. We arrived at the top and made Kora (I am unsure how to spell this in english, but oh well) around His Holiness's complex. Kora translates to ritual circumambulation, which translates to walking around important things. There is a path around the outside of the temple where you walk with the mountains in the background and prayer flags hanging everywhere. There are also mantras carved or painted into the rocks along the path.
I really like the concept of prayer flags. The principal of the Sarah campus (who happens to be a monk and a very learned man, so we call him Geshe-la) came with us and explained that prayer flags put mantras into the wind so every time you inhale good wishes for the universe. The path also has Tibetan prayer wheels everywhere. You are supposed to spin the prayer wheels, which contain more mantras, and send them out into the universe. Most of them you just turn with your hand as you walk past, but some are huge and so heavy that you have to use your whole body to get started.
on the path there are stupas (this is apparently an english word, although I had never heard it), around which you do more Kora, which is a trip because you stop walking in circles to walk in smaller circles. The program director and I had a long discussion about the meaning of devotion because I have trouble accepting dictionary definitions and also because I feel like I have a lot of different associations with words that don't correspond with what they're supposed to mean in Tibetan or Buddhist thought.
We then entered the main complex and wandered around. I liked the outside better than the temple spaces, but I think it's a matter of personal taste because I like simpler spiritual spaces better and Tibetans like to dress up their prayer rooms. Also people leave chips ahoy offerings on the altar.
The second monk had everyone for lunch on campus (which is also inside the complex). Emory is seriously well connected here, because lunch was in a really fancy room with sweeping views of the town. We all sat cross legged on three inch thick rugs and had a huge spread.
After lunch our roommates took us shopping. Most of the girls went to get chupas, which is the traditional dress. It's pretty much a wrap skirt/top with no sleeves, and then you buy a shirt to wear underneath.
Today we were supposed to register at the foreigners' office, but like everything else in India it's a little slow. The man who has to sign our papers wasn't there, so we're going back on Friday. In the meantime, we start class tomorrow! Strange.
I have to go to tea now, but my next piece will be entirely about the bucket shower. Get excited.
It's about a 45 minute jeep ride up really winding, twisting roads, but the view is fabulous. We arrived at the top and made Kora (I am unsure how to spell this in english, but oh well) around His Holiness's complex. Kora translates to ritual circumambulation, which translates to walking around important things. There is a path around the outside of the temple where you walk with the mountains in the background and prayer flags hanging everywhere. There are also mantras carved or painted into the rocks along the path.
I really like the concept of prayer flags. The principal of the Sarah campus (who happens to be a monk and a very learned man, so we call him Geshe-la) came with us and explained that prayer flags put mantras into the wind so every time you inhale good wishes for the universe. The path also has Tibetan prayer wheels everywhere. You are supposed to spin the prayer wheels, which contain more mantras, and send them out into the universe. Most of them you just turn with your hand as you walk past, but some are huge and so heavy that you have to use your whole body to get started.
on the path there are stupas (this is apparently an english word, although I had never heard it), around which you do more Kora, which is a trip because you stop walking in circles to walk in smaller circles. The program director and I had a long discussion about the meaning of devotion because I have trouble accepting dictionary definitions and also because I feel like I have a lot of different associations with words that don't correspond with what they're supposed to mean in Tibetan or Buddhist thought.
We then entered the main complex and wandered around. I liked the outside better than the temple spaces, but I think it's a matter of personal taste because I like simpler spiritual spaces better and Tibetans like to dress up their prayer rooms. Also people leave chips ahoy offerings on the altar.
The second monk had everyone for lunch on campus (which is also inside the complex). Emory is seriously well connected here, because lunch was in a really fancy room with sweeping views of the town. We all sat cross legged on three inch thick rugs and had a huge spread.
After lunch our roommates took us shopping. Most of the girls went to get chupas, which is the traditional dress. It's pretty much a wrap skirt/top with no sleeves, and then you buy a shirt to wear underneath.
Today we were supposed to register at the foreigners' office, but like everything else in India it's a little slow. The man who has to sign our papers wasn't there, so we're going back on Friday. In the meantime, we start class tomorrow! Strange.
I have to go to tea now, but my next piece will be entirely about the bucket shower. Get excited.
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Sunday, January 23, 2011
Temples, buckets and Michael Jackson
Remember when I said this was like camp? It is.
Firstly, we got a tour of the temple on campus. Normally Buddhist temples have statues of the Buddha on the altar, but the one here has a beautiful wall sized fabric applique hanging. This is so when the people can move back to Tibet they can roll it up and take it with them. The founder of the college was an optimist, they like to say.
As we entered the temple we learned how to fold our hands and bow as we cross threshold, which wasn't required. I decided to do it anyway to see what it feels like. I was uncomfortable prostrating myself on the ground, given that Judaism pretty much forbids that, but hey, going abroad is about being uncomfortable.
Later, the girls on the program ventured down the road to Gagal, where we bought shampoo, sweats, and various other things. Most importantly, we all bought buckets. And the story really gets camplike.
Here, you need buckets to shower, wash your clothes, and occasionally carry random items. I have never thought so much about buckets in my life. Needless to say, we came back stoked about our purchases. And then had shower parties.
After dinner there was a variety show (which corresponds to the camp talent show. Do you see where I'm going? ). A bunch of Tibetan student preformed traditional songs and dances. On our end, the boys played and sang a song by the animals, while the girls danced to Thriller. We were unsure if the monks got the joke, but we had a lot of fun.
Quote of the day:
Liz: "I can sip tea like a genius."
Firstly, we got a tour of the temple on campus. Normally Buddhist temples have statues of the Buddha on the altar, but the one here has a beautiful wall sized fabric applique hanging. This is so when the people can move back to Tibet they can roll it up and take it with them. The founder of the college was an optimist, they like to say.
As we entered the temple we learned how to fold our hands and bow as we cross threshold, which wasn't required. I decided to do it anyway to see what it feels like. I was uncomfortable prostrating myself on the ground, given that Judaism pretty much forbids that, but hey, going abroad is about being uncomfortable.
Later, the girls on the program ventured down the road to Gagal, where we bought shampoo, sweats, and various other things. Most importantly, we all bought buckets. And the story really gets camplike.
Here, you need buckets to shower, wash your clothes, and occasionally carry random items. I have never thought so much about buckets in my life. Needless to say, we came back stoked about our purchases. And then had shower parties.
After dinner there was a variety show (which corresponds to the camp talent show. Do you see where I'm going? ). A bunch of Tibetan student preformed traditional songs and dances. On our end, the boys played and sang a song by the animals, while the girls danced to Thriller. We were unsure if the monks got the joke, but we had a lot of fun.
Quote of the day:
Liz: "I can sip tea like a genius."
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Saturday, January 22, 2011
why we are here, according to Nellie and Julia
"Because every time you see a picture of a Tibetan monk, they are always smiling. Don't you want to just giggle all the time?"
Fair enough.
Fair enough.
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My Tibetan roommate
We left this morning from Pragpur, an Indian heritage village (more on this to come if I can upload photos) and arrived in Sarah at the College for Higher Tibetan Studies around lunchtime. The drive up was beautiful with the mountain range in the background. A lot of the landscape looked like the Land Before Time movies.
Instead of living at camp Claremont this semester, I feel like I'm going to real camp in the woods. More later, as my phone is about to die.
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Friday, January 21, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Orientation in Photos
We arrived at this fabulous inn in Pragpur, which is my new favorite place because we saw the Himalayas on the way up, and also because it has lovely rooms and wifi. Thus, photos.
This is me standing in front of a 600 year old well. We had orientation here on the first day. It used to fill up above the last row of what looks like windows, and people would jump in from the top.
The view from above. I was too nervous to get any closer to the edge.
The inside of a rickshaw.
My friend Julia holding the honey-butter dessert (which turns out to be only made of gee)
Me in front of the Sikh temple and purifying water
Huge piles of food on the Sikh complex (there is always food, medical help, and shelter available at Sikh temples for anyone who needs it)
Nellie, me, and Julia after blessings inside a Hindi temple
A monkey!
This is just fun
Old Delhi
See what I mean about the narrow streets and the difference in light?
a slightly wider street
The view of the Muslim part of Old Delhi from the mosque steps
The front of the Red Fort
Super cool tree
Inside the red fort
Packing up to leave Delhi
On the road
Time I woke up: 515 AM
Time we hit the road: 7 AM
Number of jeeps: 3
Types of roads on which we drove:
One lane
Two lane
No lanes, just wide swaths of concrete
Paved roads
Gravel roads
Dirt roads
Big highways
Windy hilly roads
Number of times we went off-roading because a huge tanker had toppled onto its side while taking a turn: one
Kinds of animals we saw:
Horse
Dog
Cat
Goat
Sheep
Cow
Monkey
Camel
Times our jeep almost hit a dog: 3
Times our jeep REALLY almost hit a dog, to the point where the driver hit the brakes and swerved and our program director gasped and covered her eyes: one
Number of stops for lunch: zero
Number of stops for roadside chai: two
Philosophers discussed while in the jeep:
Kant
Hume
Singer
States we drove through: 3 (I think)
Number of times our driver honked the horn: too many to count
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
earthquake
For those of you who've been watching world news, I felt the quake centered in Pakistan last night. It felt like my bed was on top of a washing machine.
According to my TA was a 7.4. So we are heading out on the road later but it may be slower going in northern India if the roads were wrecked.
According to my TA was a 7.4. So we are heading out on the road later but it may be slower going in northern India if the roads were wrecked.
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A list of good things
This entry was going to describe all the parts of my day that made me angry or uncomfortable, like visiting a sexist Jain temple or getting leered at in the street, but then I remembered that I was here to study Buddhism, which is all about the middle path and also that if you focus on happy things, you see more of them.
Commencing:
This morning all of us took the metro. Firstly, Delhi metro makes you go through security- a pat down and a bag scanner. While this did not slow us up significantly, one of the TAs and I got into a debate about whether or not more subways should adopt security measures.
Secondly, the metro was packed. When I say packed, think rush hour times a lot. Surprisingly, between the first and second stops the car was totally silent, which was strange.
We got off the metro and walked to old Delhi, which a Shah and his daughter built in the 1600s. Walking around the market was crazy. It was colorful, loud, and the alleyways were so narrow that you couldn't tell if it was day or night until you looked up. The sliver of sky I saw was always bright and blue, but I couldn't tell the time on the ground since many shops had florescent lights.
About eight of us squeezed into a tea shop along the road to have chai, which was my first here. Squeezed in the literal sense, since the space was probably six feet in width and not very deep. Four of us crammed onto a bench on one side and the rest stood while the proprietors fired chai and other things in the front of the shop facing the street.
The market also had random deities or mosques in stalls in the middle of shops selling scarves and tea and whatnot. One of my favorite things about India is how people don't let others get in the way of worship. For example, at every religious site we've visited, people are praying while we tour and little kids run around screaming. That is impressive but also functional, and I want to incorporate the ability to remain unfaded in the face of distraction.
Eventually we turned off a busy market street to a side street where people apparently live. The houses were old and rickety and painted in colors that made me think of the Mediterranean. At the end of the road was the aforementioned Jain temple, which lost points because the priest only wanted to show things to the three boys but gained them back when a second priest answered our questions and even rang the bell they use for the call to prayer. The temple had an onyx statue of one of the gods and an elaborate gold and colored glass mosaic upstairs. It was also over 1000 years old.
In the afternoon we visited the largest mosque in India, which can hold over 20,000 people. The main part had Korans for public use with brightly colored covers and shiny silver bindings, which looked absolutely amazing when contrasted with the old red stone.
The best part, though, was going up to the top of the highest pillar. I am a firm believer that the best way to see a city is from above, and from here I had a really good view of the bazaar below and the red fort in another direction. Delhi has really poor air quality, though, which made it a little less picturesque, but there is nothing like walking up a 400 year old tiny spiral staircase in bare feet.
Finally, for the last part of the day we split from our chaperones, aka the staff. some of us went to the market, then one other girl and I went to the red fort. Its unclear to me exactly what it was built for, but a shah used to give public audiences there, and it has cool old buildings and open spaces, which Delhi, or at least the parts I've been, lacks.
Getting home definitely was the highlight of that adventure. I hired a rickshaw to drive us back to the YMCA for only 50 rupees. For comparison, our TAs got quoted 180 rupees for a much shorter ride. Seriously proud of that accomplishment.
Tomorrow I get to wake up super early and drive for somewhere between 9 and 14 hours. While that is not really a good thing, pretty much everything else is.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Delhi from the top
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View from the top of India's largest mosque
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First Day in Delhi
My introduction to India happened at night, with hazy skies, white scarves, and lots of traffic. Unfortunately, I was also pretty fogged with travel and the time change.
Today we woke up (My program has 11 students and 4 staff members), had breakfast, then ventured to an ancient well, where we had orientation. It was built in the 1400s and is gigantic (pictures to come). I climbed to the top and looked down, shaking a little bit. There is no safety net anywhere here, whether it be crossing the street or hanging around huge stone structures. Your can pretty much do whatever.
Anyway, orientation was basic, except for the part where we all wrote down our hopes and fears and anonymously read them aloud. I took this concept literally and wrote down concrete things that I want to achieve (I.e. meditation) and that I fear. Other people really stretched the boundaries and wrote about their hopes to freely accept whatever comes along the path. At this point I realized that my mind has been trained to answer the question rather than work around it, and I'd like to discover the other side.
We had lunch somewhere local. I had spinach curry and naan and then rice pudding for dessert. Then the guys at the restaurant decided they liked us so much and were so appreciative of our business (foreigners don't usually go there) that they made us fresh desserts on the spot. It looked and tasted like fried honey (picture to come -- it's late and I don't feel like messing around with the USB here). Apparently it's made with ghee (clarified butter) but I have no idea what it's called. I'm sure this will become a theme.
After lunch, we took rickshaws to a Hindi temple. Rickshaws are these little, green and yellow motorized carts that transport you around town. We squeezed three people in the back of each and took to the road.All the cars/motorcycles/bikes/rickshaws/etc. drive very close together on the roads. Which means I cold probably put my hand out and touch another car. No one seems to go super fast, but everyone uses the horn.
We went to the monkey temple, who is also the god of students, to offer flowers in exchange for blessings for a good semester. When you enter a Hindi temple, you ring the bells hanging from the ceiling so the gods know you're there, which I think is symbolic and also interesting, because if the gods are actually paying attention to your life, wouldn't you just speak to them and they would know you're there? I can tell this whole semester will be the part of me that thinks spirituality is really cool fighting against the part of me that thinks it's totally ridiculous.
We went to a smaller Hindi temple as well done in the South Indian style (the previous was in the northern style) and were all individually blessed by the priest there. For those of you keeping track at home, that's two blessings in three days (my mom gave me the child's blessing before I left) and three religious ceremonies in that time.
Walking home from the temple our program director led us through back alleys, since many people were nervous crossing the streets in the morning. Traffic moves quickly and you have to remember to look the opposite way, which is still confusing, but it's honestly not that much worse than New York. At least, so far it's not. Anyway, on the way home we walked by a building that was probably only six or seven stories high, but I felt much more overshadowed by that than by any skyscraper I've ever stood under. We decided that seeing every single brick makes the building more real than glass and metal, and there were people working on the building, which makes the scale seem larger, even if glass and metal are actually taller. It was a very strange effect.
All in all, I'm doing well. We stay in Delhi a few more days, then leave to make the trek north.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
epic win
I am sitting in the seat I will be in for the next 13 hours, with only my kindle and lots of old movies to keep me company.
Actually, I have two new friends on the flight and no homework as of yet. Win. Less win: crying baby. See you on the other side!
Actually, I have two new friends on the flight and no homework as of yet. Win. Less win: crying baby. See you on the other side!
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Saturday, January 15, 2011
My family is seriously nerdy
My parents took me and my brother out to dinner tonight to celebrate (?) my impending departure. We went to The Charthouse, a restaurant on the Hudson that overlooks the New York skyline. We sat at a table right across from the Empire State Building (which was lit up green and white to wish the Jets good luck - gross).
The view was absolutely gorgeous and it seems fitting to have my last real dinner while staring at New York. We also pretended it exceedingly fancy and got dressed in business casual, which allowed me to transition smoothly from DC to NJ to India (clearly needs a two letter abbreviation).
The food was really good too:
 |
| I sat facing midtown |
The view was absolutely gorgeous and it seems fitting to have my last real dinner while staring at New York. We also pretended it exceedingly fancy and got dressed in business casual, which allowed me to transition smoothly from DC to NJ to India (clearly needs a two letter abbreviation).
The food was really good too:
During dinner, my parents presented me with a going away card, since Hallmark now makes these. Both my mother and my father quoted Star Trek in their notes to me. They did not allow my brother in on the fun beforehand, so he stole the card, flipped it, and wrote "I have no Star Trek analogy to give you, so here's a Toy Story one: To India, and beyond!"
My brother is super witty. And thus named my blog.
The pile of clothing below is now entirely in the bag on the right, thanks to my mom. Thanks, Mom! I started packing, but left the sleeping bag out, so we redid it.
The pile of clothing below is now entirely in the bag on the right, thanks to my mom. Thanks, Mom! I started packing, but left the sleeping bag out, so we redid it.
Tomorrow I get to pack my carry on, eat a bagel, get some traveler's checks, and peace out.
testing
As I prepare to leave I'm working on setting up mobile blogging (given the possibility of a precarious internet situation).
This is a test. This is only a test.
This is a test. This is only a test.
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Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Beginnings
My flight leaves in four days and I have yet to begin packing. There will be time for that later, probably in the hours just before I leave for the airport. Things that are essential to bring:
my passport
my camera
my sweet multicolored converse (which conveniently slip on and off)
Most of the other things I use on a daily basis don't seem right for abroad. I attend a lovely school in Southern California and am currently at home in suburban New Jersey, both of which have very different climates and cultures from Dharamsala, India, home of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan exile community.
Emory University's Tibetan studies program provides classes on Buddhist philosophy, Tibetan culture, and language. I am most excited for Buddhist philosophy and practice (typical, given that I study philosophy at school), especially learning to meditate, and least excited for the language courses, although they will probably be helpful to speak to my Tibetan roommate and host family at different points in the semester.
Given the rural location and my personal interest in learning to quiet my mind, it's unclear how much I'll update the blog. However, I am now the owner of an international smartphone (thanks, Mom and Dad!) and could probably figure out how to publish posts over email if I really tried. When I do write things, expect them to be completely self-interested, egotistical, and full of overwhelming joy/Zen mellowness/snarky angst, depending on how I feel that day. You've been warned.
my passport
my camera
my sweet multicolored converse (which conveniently slip on and off)
Most of the other things I use on a daily basis don't seem right for abroad. I attend a lovely school in Southern California and am currently at home in suburban New Jersey, both of which have very different climates and cultures from Dharamsala, India, home of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan exile community.
Emory University's Tibetan studies program provides classes on Buddhist philosophy, Tibetan culture, and language. I am most excited for Buddhist philosophy and practice (typical, given that I study philosophy at school), especially learning to meditate, and least excited for the language courses, although they will probably be helpful to speak to my Tibetan roommate and host family at different points in the semester.
Given the rural location and my personal interest in learning to quiet my mind, it's unclear how much I'll update the blog. However, I am now the owner of an international smartphone (thanks, Mom and Dad!) and could probably figure out how to publish posts over email if I really tried. When I do write things, expect them to be completely self-interested, egotistical, and full of overwhelming joy/Zen mellowness/snarky angst, depending on how I feel that day. You've been warned.
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