E-mails from home and interesting people.

An e-mail can be painful. One morning, I turned on my computer, to find an e-mail from dad and a message from a friend in the states. The worst pangs of home sickness are set off by just reading such things. For instance, my dad informed me that my grandpa needed a walker, after hurting his artificial hips trying to lift a 50 lb bag of sunflower seeds. Or, that a friend was enjoying herself in Maine, which reminds me that I missed the family trip to weld, for the first time in years, perhaps the second in my lifetime.

The realization that one is thousands of miles away from home is a sobering thought.

Thankfully, people here are very interesting, fascinating in some cases. I have 2 roommates, a Korean named Tae Heng and an Indian named Aarit. Both are great roommates. Many of the teachers come from far away, (particularly from the states.) Just the other day I did an interview on a new teacher, for Journalism (a class I actually just dropped due to not having any free blocks in an 8 day cycle) Turns out, Mr Pesavento is probably one of the most fascinating people I have ever met in person. He began his story saying how he spent 2 years of high school in Spain, and continues to tell me that he has a degree in mathematics and astrophysics. His first job right out of college was working for a think-tank company, where he and a group of guys basically invented new technologies. one, was the use of a particular particle to basically cat scan the earth, up to a mile down. Apparently the government bought the patent, and told Mr. Pesavento never to speak of it again. He and his wife also started a private school, for two kids, and taught them from 5th and 7th grade, all the way through high school. they brought the kids to France, Costa Rica, and other places, where they were immersed in different cultures. Mr. Pesavento put huge amounts of emphasis on his belief that a global, or international education is essential. Then there are his outdoor exploits. He's led two expeditions up Mt. McKinley in Alaska, was once a nationally ranked hang-glider (2nd in the US apparently), he's taken kayaks over 30+ ft waterfalls, Hiked, Ice Climbed, Rock Climbed, Kayaked, Canoed, got his Pilots licence, etc. If an activity involves being outside, this man has most likely done it. So that was how I got a lot more than I came for out of a single interview for the school paper.

I guess I should talk a little about the bazaar too. you walk at least a mile into town, then even further down a hill through the streets. there are stores on all sides, selling fruit with flies buzzing around them, drinks, chips, snacks. The main bazaar is basically the downtown shopping center. A Reebok store, Adidas, (not pronounced adeedas here, rather, addedas) and all kinds of clothing stores, blanket shops, a Dominoes, and the Indian version of Starbucks, Cafe Coffee Day, or CCD for short. Things are ridiculously cheap compared to American prices, for example, I purchased a 8.5 X 8.5 foot blanket of high quality, for about 6 $ (300 rupees) so shopping here is quite economical for a citizen of the US.

MONKEYS. they are everywhere. This very morning, a trio of brown Rhesus monkeys were "monkeying" (haha I know right) around on the patio outside hostel. two were fighting, while the biggest was just lounging around looking dominant. Later, one of the scoundrels went swimming in the pool, only to be chased out by a guard. They are fun to watch here, as they are constantly causing trouble. The Rhesus are the troublemakers and will open doors, steal food, attack people on occasion, and so on. Handlers actually bring tamed Langur monkeys around to keep Rhesus monkeys away. The Langurs, are big white, and powerful, but relatively mild tempered. Wild ones, will rarely bother you (or so I'm told.) The only time the regal white/gray langurs actually lose their composure, is when they see a Rhesus monkey. They will go crazy, and not rest until the area is clear of the brown nuisances. This is basically why you see tamed ones on long ropes, hanging around with handlers, at various places on campus.

So far I've had a grand time. My stomach is starting to be agreeable with the food, and I am sleeping quite well. I guess this is about it for now, more posts will undoubtedly follow. sitar is probably one of the coolest instruments ever as well. haha more from that later.

-Thom (थोम) 

Visuals

this is the view from a Dominoes in the Bazaar... who says you can't have pizza in India.

this is Hostel... my current home.

the inside of the Centaur hotel.... where we stayed after arriving in Delhi.

sunrise on the other side of the world. comes up fast.

now some pics.                           houses +buildings on the side of the mountains...

hostel, my dorm, next to the pool... ridgelands, Alter ridge, and the furthest, Midlands, following

            Ridgelands, and the Round building, Alter Ridge, which contains the dining hall (for guys, dinner only, Hostel has its own dining hall as well) and at the top, Midlands. the girls dorm.

                another view from above, Hostel, what I now call home. along with Olympic sized swimming pool.

               just a view from the road to the Bazaar.


so thats about it for visuals so far...enjoy!

-Thom.

anxiety pills.

We arrived at the airport in Delhi around 4:45 or 5, after a 13 1/2 hour flight. I slept about one hour or less on the plane and watched several movies, along with The Office Season 3 on my computer. We were served three meals, each one worst than the last, until we finally got a rubbery omelet, with sliced potatoes that were rather hard. It was strange to watch the sun set and then rise on the other side of the world, while on the plane, I actually took video of that particular event. what started on the horizon as a light behind the clouds, quickly became a glowing orb that rose ridiculously fast.

when we got off the plane, I asked for my guitar, telling several airport workers at the gate that I had checked a guitar on as carryon, but it was not with me. It took us awhile to get our bags, and even longer for me to locate a baggage assistant who spoke comprehensible english, who directed me to a smaller carousel, which eventually disgorged my guitar after a while of looking for it. We then went out, and met with several teachers who were from the Woodstock school. Because of all our luggage, half of us had to wait behind as the driver was only able to fit so many bags, and persons. On the drive to the hotel, me and a teacher were fit on the passenger seat, while I held a seatbelt loosely across us, to make it look like we were wearing it. my rear end was quite uncomfortable, as it was resting on a corner of the center console.

After observing a strange landscape, we arrived at the hotel. the entrance to the airport, was mostly under construction. After trying to sleep at the hotel, which seemed strangely posh and superfluous in commodities, including nice elevators, in an area where power outages occur regularly, we awoke at 4 am, to tea and toast. then off to the train station in a bus, that smelled suspiciously of urine. As the city of Delhi passed by, it was all I could do but watch, a dark strange landscape pass before my eyes. People sleep on the streets, it was strange to see so many bodies littering sidewalks and to think they are but sleeping. The cityscape is one of constant construction, a common thing being sold was cement. A stark contrast, between large buildings, and huts made out of scraps, prevailed. The train station was chaotic, and crowds pushed through and around a single metal detector that was placed in the passageway to the tracks. It was ridiculously hot and humid and all of us were sweating buckets.

On the train ride, which was about 6 hours, I saw many different scenes. Small villages, where buildings seemed to be falling apart, ox carts being led on by handlers, then clean looking suburbs, (if you could call them that) and one area, where it seemed nothing but crazy fireworks, or something along those lines were being sold along the train tracks, and streets of the town. Finally we reached our destination and disembarked off the train.

From there we climbed on buses, and began our drive into the mountains. At first I thought that the drive would not be too steep. I was wrong. Before long, we were hurtling along roads that would be one way traffic sized, in the U.S. Unlike the U.S. however, these roads where two ways, with anything from motorcycles to large trucks passing us with inches to spare. At times, as I looked out the bus window, I found myself staring down thousand foot drops. *gulp*. Before on the train a teacher asked students if anyone had motion sickness from traveling, to determine if they needed medication for their stomachs. A fellow sage student, commented as the bus traversed such perilous roads, "they should have asked if we needed anxiety pills." Finally, after several hours it seemed of insane drops, cliffs, turns, and sublime views, we arrived at school. I collected my laptop bag, guitar, and backpack, and descended to my new home, Hostel dorm.

(I will fill you all in more in the days to come, need to finish some AP US reading at the moment, tales of the Bazaar, and the monkeys I've seen.)