Pictures

Pics from around India and Thailand

Where laundry gets done in Mumbai

A clay pot kiln in Dharavi slum, Mumbai

Dharavi slum in Mumbai

Elephanta Cave, on an island off Mumbai

Vegetable market in Bangalore

Global group pic at Soukya Healing Center

Global group pic with Karnatak Classical Dancers at the ECC

Silkworms being fed mulberry leaves at a rural farm near Bangalore

Cauliflower ready for market

Silk cocoons being unravelled into thread

Weaving silk into fabric for saris

Global group pic at a rural Mar-Thoma Church

Julia bedecked in her sari for Diwali

All the beautiful Global women ready for a celebration

Diwali, A Festival of Lights, at the ECC

Sparklers!

The Hodel family decked out at the ECC

Artist Jyoti Sahi at his art ashram outside Bangalore

How many people can you fit on a moped?

Beautiful lotus blossoms

A typical entry decoration in a temple: large brass bowl filled with water and flowers

The Art of Living ashram (or some might call it the "art of selling")

Julia and the monkey

Holy man on a holy mountain in Tiruvannamalai

Monkeys at the ashram

Marty, the Hindu high priest, and Rev. Dr. Cherian Thomas at the temple

Our Global group at the same temple in Tiruvannamalai

Sweeping up the flowers in the yard at ECC

A friend from the bus in the lane next to ours during a traffic jam

Beautiful friends at the ECC

Diwali!!

Jain statue in Shravanabologula

Bird of paradise

Shana with the head of housekeeping at the ECC, Susheela

Shana with children's books that we donated to the ECC library, with Marjorie and library assistant

Marty and Shana with the director of ECC and his wife at our farewell

Shana, Christoph, and Julia at the Taj Mahal

Global Semester 2013 at the Taj Mahal

Shana with her anniversary gift (for the next couple of years) in Agra at the marble inlay workshop

The doorman at our lunch stop in Agra

Beautiful flowers at the Agra fort

Contemplative monkeys

The memorial to Mahatma Gandhi in New Delhi

 The Global group (with Sara's parents) at the Grand Palace in Bangkok

Reclining Buddha in Bangkok

Monks chanting at the temple of the Reclining Buddha (below, fruit stand in Bangkok)

Pics from around Greece.

Pics around Geneva and the United Nations

Getting Ready to Fly

It's almost impossible to believe that we only have 3 days left in Bangalore.  Sunday we fly to New Delhi for 3 days and then on to Bangkok where we begin our 10-day fall break. These last several days will be full of ECC community events, like Culture Night tonight, where we share elements of our culture in story, dance and song with members of the ECC community, who will share as well.  Should be fun!  We have a farewell ceremony and dinner scheduled Saturday evening before leaving bright and early Sunday morning.
The last couple of weeks have been so full!  On Oct. 30 we threw a Halloween party for the kids (or mostly the kids) from ECC.  The students did a great job of  planning games and activities, including transforming our classroom into a crazy haunted house followed by trick-or-treating down the main hall of Dialogue House, our "dorm".  We all had costumes.  There were even several small carved jack-o-lanterns.  It was great fun!
The following night the ECC community threw a Diwali party for us.  Diwali is an Indian Festival of Lights.  All the women in the group had purchased saris and the guys had purchased traditional long tunics and cotton pants.  We looked pretty good I must say.  Walking in a sari is clearly a skill one must develop over time.  I ended up resorting to borrowing a huge diaper pin from the director's wife to secure mine since I couldn't shake the feeling that I could easily unravel at any time.  Most of the students had also gotten henna designs drawn on their arms and feet so we were really looking the part. We played games and set off LOTS of fireworks and lit sparklers.
We have had several field trips to various places south, east, and west of here.  While the bus rides over extremely bumpy roads can be tiring, the countryside is very beautiful here, especially the fields and various plants and tress.  We've seen lots of coconut and banana trees, rice paddies, vegetable fields, temples and large rock outcroppings.  Granite seems to be in abundance here and the boulders and rock formations are unlike any I have ever seen. Many farmers still use oxen to till land and pull wagons to market.  Around holidays, they paint the horns of the oxen and decorate their cars and trucks with banana leaves, flower garlands, and other strung bits of fruit, leaves and spices.  My face is usually plastered to the window as we drive down the road because there is so much to see!

I have also found that, while Minnesotan mosquitos are not very fond of me, Indian mosquitos find me quite delicious!  I now have much more sympathy for people who have complained of itchy bites.  Those mosquito nets on all our beds are not just for looks.
Yesterday we took a day trip to visit an Indian Catholic Center in Bangalore.  A priest talked to us about the process of "inculturation" that they are fostering to bring about a more authentic Indian experience in the Catholic mass.  Some of their changes have been officially approved by the Vatican, others not yet.  For instance they had to get permission to allow participants to sit on the floor for the duration of the service.  This is traditional for Indians, but not Westerners.  We attended mass there, which was very different in some ways from a 'western" mass, yet many similarities were still apparent.  Since there were a couple of different groups in attendance, the priest took time to explain what they were doing which was helpful since the songs and prayers were often in Hindi. Passing the peace was not a handshake, but a traditional nod with hands held palms together at the chest. The art work at the chapel came from Jyoti Sahi, an artist whose studio we had visited last week so it was nice to see continuity from another visit. In the lecture we received, the priest commented that inculturation is possible with Christianity because unlike Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam, Christianity is not tied to any particular culture. He said that even though Jesus was himself Jewish, his message was specifically intended to reach anyone, anywhere. Seeing how Indians have adapted Christianity to forms and customs that they are familiar with (bowing vs. a handshake) was another opportunity to see my own faith practices in a different way.
So, having only scratched the surface of a small piece of India, off we go to explore another new place.  The adventure continues.

Life at the ECC

It's hard to believe we have been here for over a week, but then again, it is starting to feel more like home. After spending three days in the bustling, noisy metropolis of Mumbai coming to the ECC was like driving into a tropical retreat center, complete with beautiful flowering trees, tropical plants, birds and other critters too numerous to count.
The Ecumenical Christian Center is located in Whitefield, which is essentially a suburb of Bangalore located just east of the city.  After driving down a narrow two-lane dirt road and through the gate, we found ourselves on the campus of this center which has been hosting St. Olaf College students for 40 years now.  We have very comfortable single-story dormitory style housing in a building called "Dialogue House", which includes a classroom and a lounge.  A short walk across the campus takes us past the library, past the sports field and to the dining hall.  Each day I encounter lizards, toads, sweet smelling trees and flowers, fruit trees, and hear so many different bird calls it's like living in an aviary.
Most days include three class session, two in the morning with a tea break. And another late afternoon, culminating in a tea break at 4:30 that keeps us going till our 7:00 dinner. In-between the class session and on the occasional afternoon off, we all have been enjoying games outside with members of the ECC community. Most staff live here with their families so there are lots of children and teenagers to participate in group games like soccer, volleyball, and badminton. Today some of the group is learning how to play cricket. The rest are shopping for saris. The only downside to the ECC is that we are rather isolated from access to the greater town (which can also be an asset depending on what you want to do). Shopping and finding other activities requires a bit or organizing and time.
Last week we took a three-day field trip to Tiruvannamalai, which is about a 7 hour bus ride southeast from here. Actually, we didn't know it was that long. We were first told 4 1/2 hours, then 6... We are beginning to refer to things happening on "Indian time". A 30 minute hike? Plan for 90 minutes.
Actually I am not complaining. The trip was well worth the effort. We stayed in a hotel there, but were hosted by the staff at Quo Vadis, an interfaith dialogue center run by a group of Christians from the local Lutheran Church. Their facility was marvelous, especially well-created to suit their mission, which is to foster dialogue between people of different faiths and to promote understanding and build relationships and cooperation across religious lines. They have a three-story building which houses a tea-drinking area with wifi, a library, and their offices. Behind that is a small meditation hut, a thatched roof gathering spot, and a cafe built with reclaimed materials. They are especially interested in using art to facilitate dialogue, so there are sculptures and paintings from artists of different faiths scattered around. The whole place is so beautifully done we were happy to spend time there reading and meditating in our free time between tours.  The town itself is known for the mountain it sits next to, which is a sacred place for Hindus. There is a very large temple compound there that is 1800 yrs old, which we visited and toured. The relationship of respect that has been fostered between the priests of the temple and the pastors at Quo Vadis was evident because we were given access to some places most Indians aren't even taken to. We were given flower wreaths to wear (think Hawaii), and both red and white bindis(the dots between the eyebrows).
Other places we visited were ashrams and yogic centers where guides showed us how these communities live and stay faithful to their guru. One of our tour guides was a 70-year old German woman who moved to India permanently 6 years ago to be at this particular ashram. It would have been great to get a little more of her story! We also climbed the mountain part-way to get a glimpse of the trek that the faithful Hindus take. Actually, most of them circumambulate the mountain since it is so holy they don't even want to walk on it. The ones who hike up do so without shoes just as they would enter a temple.
We also visited a school network run by the Lutheran Church.  We saw a building being built there that is being sponsored by the Bethel Lutheran Church in Northfield. Their schools are set up specifically for children rescued from situations where they've been sent to work rather than attend school.  Classes for their parents are also available, especially mothers who head single-income households.  Most of these come from the lowest castes and it is probably their only chance to get education and improve their situation long-term.
There are so many experiences here I can't get them all down, but India is quite a fascinating place and the more I see, the more I realize how complex it is! There are things I just can't quite wrap my head around, like the caste system (some people aren't allowed to wear shoes or ride bikes because of their caste. Really?) and the amount of garbage everywhere.  Watching cows in traffic is hilarious. The head bobble is still disorienting.  I've been told it means, "Yes, okay, that's right." but it still looks like "I don't know" to me.  If you've never seen it, think bobble-head doll.  It takes practice to do it right.
One last note, for those of you wondering about the rabies shot ordeal, Christoph received the last of his 5 rabies injections today!  We are very glad to be done with that.  He had three shots in Turkey and the last two in India for a cat bite he received in Turkey.  One benefit is that we haven't had to remind anyone (except Julia that is) to stay away from the monkeys here. One set of shots is enough! Except for a few reactions to funky food we are all healthy at the moment.
I'm off to be fitted for a sari.  Diwali is coming next week and I want to be appropriately dressed! What is Diwali?  All I know for now is that it is a big Indian festival involving fireworks and dressing up.  I'll figure out the rest all in good time.
Note: Although there are now laws prohibiting the grossest forms of inequality that the caste system fosters, we've been told that culture and society are stronger influences and that most times the laws are not inforced.

Dharavi Slum, Mumbai

We spent three very full days in Mumbai recently.  We spent one afternoon walking through a very large slum. It was an eye-opening and sobering experience. Here are some thoughts I jotted down as we left on the tour bus.

Smiling children
     blowing kisses, shouting "Hi!"
Running barefoot over ground littered with
     piles of garbage
     razor blades, shard of glass
     goat hides from animals slaughtered for a religious festival
     Barbie doll legs, flower petals
     shed from altar wreaths

Can you even take it in?
Is it awful?
Are the children charming?
Is it depressing?
Surprising?
Numbing?
Encouraging to see how people survive when provisions are so meager?

At this moment
     I can't decide
Whether to let loose the tears that
     well up even as I write
or simply smile and wave
     at the still-smiling children
     outside the tour bus window.

Oct. 5, 2013 An introvert in an extroverted market

Before we even landed in Istanbul, I had heard about the Grand Bazaar here.  I had formulated an image in my mind of endless booths filled with wares and treats, a vast array of things to see and taste, loud and crazy, fun to explore. This is, in fact, how I have found it.  The Grand Bazaar and the Spice Market are two separate markets in Istanbul frequently visited by tourists.  There is an almost endless list of things available: jewelry, leather goods, scarves, shoes, teas, dried fruits and candies, lamps, toys, and musical instruments. I didn't expect to do a lot of shopping, but it's a fascinating place to visit and great for people watching, which is one of my favorite things to do while traveling.  What I didn't anticipate was how I would respond to the aggressive sales tactics that are unavoidable here.
I can't decide if it's because I'm older or because I'm such an introvert that the markets here are so stressful for me. Julia and I have walked through one market or another almost every day this week and we've started a list of all the calls we hear.  The standard is "Hello! Yes, please!"  To which we mumble under our breaths "yes please what?!" or sometimes out loud a "no, thank you."  Other lines get much more creative.
 Here are a few of our favorites:
"Prices better than Wal-Mart, quality better than K-Mart."
"I have everything here but customers..."
"Next carpet shop is 10 miles!"
"Hey Mama, I have more colors inside." (directed to me)
"Hey beautiful ginger lady. Where you from?" (directed to Julia)
"Hey, who's in charge? Are you in charge? If you let me be in charge, you eat dinner here!"
" Hey, you want to spend money? I'll help you spend money!"

Other store owners just resort to loud noises to get your attention, like clapping or banging.  By the time I have reached the opposite edge of the market, my ears are ringing and Julia and I are clinging to each other in the center of the aisle, hoping we can check out a few more things without catching anyone's attention. Julia has perfected the art of the blank stare, either pretending that she doesn't understand what they are saying, or clearly communicating that she holds no promise as a customer. She seems to dismiss the attention and aggressive sales tactics with the shrug of her shoulder.
For me it is not so easy.  I get annoyed.  I find myself resenting the fact that I can't look for 2 seconds at any merchandise without being forced to hear an aggressive sales pitch.  I think,  "they should understand how unappealing their sales tactics are and figure out how to make people like me more comfortable as a customer".  I ignore all of them and lose the nerve to inquire about things I really am curious about.   This probably has something to do with the fact that conversation with strangers does not come easily to me, but it also has to do with the fact that I know I like to keep people happy.  In many areas of my life, I work to make sure that the people around me get what they need.  If I'm honest, it's hard for me to repeatedly say "No". And I would be just as happy not to interact with store owners at all until I have determined that I am ready to purchase.  Then I wonder, how badly do they need my business? It is then that I realize that I have identified myself as a rich foreigner who can "help" a poorer Turkish merchant. There is guilt at both ends of that one.
But as I listen to some of the other college students we are traveling with,  I realize that maybe it's a lot more simple than that.  These sales tactics are the norm here. Joining in the fray is just another way to experience life in Turkey.  Sometimes they make a sale, sometimes they don't.  Maybe they are as curious about all the foreigners walking their markets as we are about them and want a chance to interact, while at the same time making a living.  It's a way of life. They are doing their best to make a sale and it's not about hurt feelings or oppression or aggressive tendencies.
One of the treats of this trip is having our two youngest children along.  They are helping me to remember what it was like to travel when I was younger and more flexible, to see the places where I have become rigid.  Watching them and the college students I can let myself breath a little easier.  "It's all good" as they say. Julia found a nice pair of "genie pants" that she wanted and in the process of buying them, we were invited to sit down for tea with the store owners.  They introduced us to candied chestnuts as a means to sweeten the taste of the very strong black tea people drink daily here.  You take a spoonful of candied chestnut into your mouth and eat it.  Then, when you drink your tea, the sweet taste of the chestnut is still on your tongue, softening the taste. It was delicious.  The store owner talked about his shop in Japan and how his sister was born in Germany so his nieces speak German. I truly enjoyed making that purchase. I got a lot more than a pair of pants.
This afternoon all the women in the group are going together to visit a Turkish bath.  I'm not sure I'd have the nerve to do it on my own, but I'm looking forward to it and grateful for the reminders of how much fun travel can be when you make the effort to extend yourself.