Pictures from last Sabbath. Man… haven’t worn a “uniform” since high school :)
My first meal at the college cafeteria. On my tray, dahl, rasam, bitter gourd, curd, salad, and a donut-like dessert. Not bad lah :)
And finally… the best shot of the day! Me, flanked by a couple of 6-footers :D
Sunrise at Old Sanghvi. Woke up just before 6AM and ventured into the already peopled streets. I always enjoy morning walks. It’s the time of day when everything looks fresh, calmer and more peaceful. I, for one, enjoy the uncrowded streets and the crisp coolness of the morning air.
I waited till 6PM to take the following shots. Just before the sun sinks into the man-made-like horizon because of the apartments and buildings, I manage to take these shots.
Sunrise, Sunset
Sunrise, Sunset
Swiftly fly the years
One season following another
Laden with happiness and tears…
The final examination started today. My first exam was on Philosophy of Education. Man. One interesting class with an equally interesting teacher/instructor. Mr NEK is witty but unfortunately a lil “deaf”. He asks questions but does not have the ability to listen which is sad cause we have plenty of things to say. By the end of the semester no one says a lot anymore out of frustration :) Oh well. To say the least the class has whet my appettite to learn more and better. Which is a good sign despite… nevermind.
Anyway, I have four more exams to finish before the semester really concludes. I can’t wait to do some travelling but wonder if I will be able to do so with the money I do not have right now. (Did I mention that I lost my ATM card a few months ago? Sigh.) Well. For now I make do with begging on streets on alternate days and selling sigup in between classes to meet the daily expenses… But seriously, my life will never be the same again.
OK. Back to the books.
This entry has nothing to do with the title of the post. Just feeling a little surreal the last few days scrambling to finish up writing projects and the fact that I still have half way to go with two projects due Sunday. I’m having another oh-I-wish-I’m-somewhere-else feeling again. But I know now what kind of trouble I’d be in if I unbuckle even just a little again… Woe am I. Woe am I.
Anyway, I need a dog to keep me sane. A cow is too big too keep in my kaki lima.
Miss my folks.
Three projects – due Wednesday, Friday and Tuesday next week.
Final exam – beginning Oct 28.
Memory power – weak.
Bad dreams – that manage to terrorise my waking hours.
Home – is where I belong.
Piano – come to mama…
It’s my fourth month living here. And I must admit I haven’t had the guts to take many shots of life and living in the vicinity because I didn’t think the locals liked the idea of a total stranger taking their pictures. Then last Friday I had the chance of making friends with several kids living across from our apartment.
It reminded me how friendly, innocent and trusting kids are at their core. And because of them I was “introduced” to the ladies (a.k.a. housewives) whom till now I was only able to see from afar doing their daily chores. I was delighted that they didn’t have the qualms to pose for me :)
We live about 5-minute away from the river. Coincidently, back home my house wasn’t very far from Tamparuli River. While taking picture of the river this morning, I was reminded of home… Pak, pak, kangku do sumunsui do jambatan… Well, unfortunately, the river condition here is much poorer because there are still people emptying their rubbish bin into the river despite having the rubbish pick-up truck making rounds around the neighborhood.
The pic below is Tamparuli River from taken from the famous (but new) hanging bridge.
Oh, by the way something happened on the way to the river. I was approached by two young girls asking for rupees. I shook my head and walked away. Well, one of the girls reached out and pinched my arm as I walked past. It wasn’t a hard one but I was caught by surprise. I refrained from reacting and just walked on. Poor kids… It’s really sad that at such a tender age, they’ve been taught to beg. Now, I don’t normally give money to beggars but if they are disabled, limbless or unable to do anything as a means of living, then yes, I would most probably give. However, it’s tragic that young children who should or suppose to have the opportunity of bettering their future have been taught that their minds are “disabled”, their bodies “limbless” and the only way to survive is by depending on others at the risk of including people who might take advantage of their helplessness. Anyway, I’m talking as if I know everything about them. Who knows, maybe they are without parents or guardians, and that they really did not have any other way but to beg but unfortunately didn’t find any luck from a cold-hearted, selfish *toooot* like me.
Finally, here’s my favourite animal, again :)
Finally, the day for the students to show off those perfected dances! Every year the Cultural Emphasis Day falls on October 2 to coincide with Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday. I for one was very much looking forward to finally get a glimpse of the different cultures in India. By 8:30AM people were already flocking to fill up the places as closely as possible to the “stage”. Well, the stage was actually the road at the roundabout, whereas the real stage was a raised seating area for the college administrators and invited dignitaries.
The program started off with representatives from different countries and states of India lining up to usher the VIPs.
While waiting, I managed to capture a few shots of the participants. (Thankfully a mate was also there to help me take pictures when I was too busy!)
Representing the state of Jharkandh
Representing the state of Bihar
Representing the state of Manipur
Representing Thailand
After all speeches were over, the real thing began! Of the 16 groups I think I like the Punjabi dance the best ‘cause the rhythm is so hypnotically lively and the dancers are pulsating with energy! It was also a feast of colours.
Alright, I’ll share a bit of our Tari Badindin (literary means dance of a thousand hands). Compared to the rest of the groups, I think the Far East was the simplest both in choreography and costumes. It was plain (because we didn’t have proper attires) but we had a lot of fun! Can’t say it was fun kneeling on a wet floor though… It was almost noon and the heat was enough to bake our feet and so the only way was to wet the asphalt road.
I must say watching the variety of cultural dances was very refreshing. The colours, the movements, the rhythm that sets your heart to pump blood at the same pace as the beating drums – they were all invigorating. There were some very dramatic moments too that made me smile non-stop.
A Mizo dance
A Gujarati dance
A dance from Maharasthra
A dance from Myanmar
Group from Andra Pradesh making an entrance
Well, the spectators were also something of an interest.
At the end of the programme (by 1:30PM), my head was throbbing from the heat. But I can safely say, it was worth it!
No other excuse lah.
Been quite busy and will continue to be busy until end of October when the semester ends. Since August, almost every week there is always some odd assignment that we’re involved in. Two weeks ago there was Geoscience Seminar held at the college by several Christian scientists from California. Nothing to complain there except my unscientifically-trained brain was forced to think about and digest scientific issues and matters. Basically it was a series of presentations from a scientific perspective to support the existence of an Intelligent Being behind every design of life, even the very minute, on earth. Some things that were discussed were quite mind-boggling that at the end of the three day seminar I could almost feel my head tilting to one side because of the undigested information in my left ear.
In three weeks all five major projects will need to be completed. I have not done much since my head is still tilting to one side. But maybe if I pray hard enough God will mercifully endow me with superhuman brain powers so that everything I touch will turn to A :) Ha! If wishes were horses…
Well, as if the class projects are not enough tomorrow we have a cultural emphasis day at the college. And we’ve been giving 2 1/2 hours of our time almost daily for practice since last week. Initially the student group from the Far East (us – Malaysian, Indonesian, Thai, Cambodian, Korean, Chinese) were asked to perform a lion dance – which was really an ambitious, impossible task considering our unferocious background. Not even the Chinese students from China dared to do it. Especially after seeing the Barney-look-a-like lion head that the Indonesian boys made from paper mache. Anyways, we eventually decided on an Indonesian dance – Tari Badindin. Something like Dikir Barat of Malaysia. Will try to put up pictures later.
Oh ya. Lemme torture myself further… Next week, I will have a daily music practices with the girls from the college hostel. They’ve been asked to take charge of Friday night’s programme.
Hmmm. No-rest-for-the-wicked is an overused term but maybe I’m getting wicked-er coz I’m getting less and less rest.
Anyway. I shall be back.
