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badlaav meri zindagi me (changes in my life)
So my daily life has changed a lot over the past few weeks. When I first returned from India, I was rather unproductive and idle. I had difficulty concentrating on grant applications, etc. I spent quite a lot of time either at Seido for karate training or watching TV on Netflix ( Read more... ) -
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So, I've been back in the States for 2 weeks now--got back September 2nd-- and am basically recouped and recovered and back on schedule. It's been difficult transitioning from being surrounded by people (albeit people in a foreign culture speaking a foreign language) to being considerably less social. In India I had a host mom that I lived with and ( Read more... ) -
home again
I know this is a (very) belated post, but I am back in Chicago. The last week (+) in India was quite eventful but I didn't have affordable access to computers til the end. R and I together flew to Leh, Ladakh (the state of Jammu and Kashmir). My mountain sickness wasn't nearly so bad as last time. I was able to walk up and down the hills by the 3rd ( Read more... ) -
Raksha bandhan and the Cultural performance
So Raksha bandhan is apparently a *much* larger 'festival' in India than I thought. It celebrates siblings, but it's a pretty big elaborate thing where everyone goes to visit their siblings, exchanges gifts and ties this mix between a bracelet and a protection cord over the other person's wrist. Mostly women tie it on their brother's wrist to ( Read more... ) -
final weekend in Jaipur
So now that my fever's gone, I can (slowly) resume schoolwork and prep for Monday's cultural performance. I have a series of exams for next week, which in total may require me prep maybe 4 hours. But I have 3 songs to finish memorizing by Monday too. Our whole intermediate class is singing (and doing group choreography to) "Yeh Dosti", the most ( Read more... ) -
Indian Classical Music
Now That I've updated on illness, I can write a bit about my Indian classical music training. So, it has been an amazing experience. The styles are organized into different modes (here called "Rag"s). So for each new piece I have to learn a new Rag, which is awesome. I've been through 4 different Rags I think in the past 2 weeks. The whole ( Read more... ) -
second round of illness
I was planning for my next entry to be about my Indian classical voice lessons, but my cold came back in force...and brought a nasty fever along with it, so I've been bedridden and un-inclined to write (102 degree fever makes it hard to do anything). But I think my fever just broke this morning at breakfast. Whenever I check my temp now its under ( Read more... ) -
Weekend in Delhi
I returned to Delhi last weekend for Seido karate training but had a slightly more interesting weekend than I anticipated. The bus ride to Delhi was normal. Nothing to report. And Senpai Rahul and his family graciously welcomed me into their home for another day. So after a 66 1/2 hour bus ride, I arrived at the bus stop in Delhi at 1:30pm. After ( Read more... ) -
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So to things I have done for the first time since coming to India this time ( Read more... ) -
reflections on funerals (warning: content slightly morose)
Anyone who thinks that people who have arranged marriages don't love their spouse has never been to a an Indian widower's funeral commemoration ( Read more... )