Global Adventures UA - India

Homeward Bound

2009-09-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

Oh what an adventure these last weeks have been. I feel like I have been away forever so I am very excited to return home and to our daily adventures at our happy academy. Thanks for accompanying me on this journey with your reading, comments and emails. Staying connected helps the weary traveler....

So, in my last few UK moments, I find myself in the American Airlines Lounge at Heathrow - this time the lounge is very dark and old - kind of depressing compared to the very shiney duty free shop outside. There is a big sign to let us know that the new lounge is being remodeled and so we should be patient (ok). It's raining in London, Mumbai and Dallas today - so I guess I'll have to be glad to be home despite the lack of sun - no problem. I had a wonderful visit with Cecile and her family - spent much of last evening comparing jewelery with Cecile's daughter, Caroline. Apparently she is interested in me because she doesn't "have much time for putting on necklaces." Priceless - there's nothing like the 9 year old perspective to keep you humble!

I am now going to inspect the sad looking snacks on the Admirals Club table and I may go out to Duty Free to see what's happening in perfumes globally (I have a Duty Free addiction problem ever since the smell of Cartier Panthere wofted over me back in 1989 when I worked at Duty Free - more good times).

So, thanks a million for all of your untiring love and support - see you in Big D!

Until the next global adventure,

cmn

Ursuline High School Wimbledon

2009-09-14T13:27:00.000-07:00

What a joy to visit Ursuline High School in Wimbledon today!! This school is a government designated lead school for talented and gifted students. The high school specializes in business and languages as well. It was founded in 1882 and has 1360 students ages 11-18.

I had the great pleasure of meeting with Mr. Matthew Oliver, International Coordinator and English teacher extraordinaire. We had a very fruitful conversation about how we might continue to link our schools together - He was very "keen"on the idea. Some possibilities are virtual conversations, joint projects and teacher exchanges (and perhaps student exchanges in the future). Most immediately, I have agreed to film a short video greeting from our school in Dallas to share with the Ursuline Wimbledon community. So, stay tuned for more news about Ursuline Wimbledon and look for their school newsletter to be displayed next week in the Global Village at UA.

Do we love these uniforms?

Compare & Contrast

2009-09-14T13:20:00.001-07:00

Victoria Station in Mumbai and Waterloo Station in London ..

My friend Cecile & her children

2009-09-14T13:06:00.000-07:00

Here are the pictures from today when Cecile and I went to pick up her cute children from school. The picture of Cecile alone is actually on the train from Waterloo Station to Wimbledon - I felt VERY Harry Potter taking the train ...

You also see Caroline and William with their scooters. Scooters are a HUGE trend among English school children.

London Greetings

2009-09-14T12:05:00.000-07:00

Hello from England!! I thought you would like to see a few photos that I took around London today. It was a gorgeous day - temperature was in the low 70's with a breeze - lovely!! How nice it is to be back in England, land of scones, gardens, fish & chips (still trying to get some) and, most importantly, my dear friend, Cecile, who many of you will remember from UA Class of 85 (good times).

I adore Cecile - always have, from the minute she landed in our Humanities class with her fabulous flowing red hair and ultra sophisticated British accent, I knew we had to be friends. And being with her, it's like no time has passed since we were last together. Today she was waiting for me while I was doing my make up and she said "This is just like when I waited for you when we were teenagers"- hahahaha. She's so right - I spent some of my favorite high school moments with Cecile (and Kathy V. who many of you know in UA technology) floating around in her pool and eating all of her delicious gourmet cuisine. This custom endures as I have raided her fridge yet again in my desperation for meat having been a vegetarian these last two weeks (prosciutto has brought me back to life).

So Cecile and her family are living here in London for three years (away from their home in Seattle) while Jim, Cecile's husband, works as the Associate Director for Ocean and Undersea Science for the US Office of Naval Research Global. Cecile, being a PHD in Biology herself, is also quite the scientist but she is taking a break from teaching and research while they are here in London and she attends to her 2 small children, Caroline (9) and William (6). I am having a real blast being in this scientific and international household (Cecile's family is from Alsace and the children attend a bilingual school - French & English). Cecile sends a big hug and hello to all of her former teachers and friends back in Big D - she claims she's coming for a visit so let's hold her to that!

Oh - note the pictures of the "Smarties"candies - Cecile has introduced me to this British cousin of the American M&M - brilliant (as they say in the UK)!! You'll also be interested to know that Cecile's very "posh" London apartment is just "round" the corner from Abby Road and the Beatles recording studio - splendid indeed!!!

Will soon publish pics of Cecile and family and I also want to tell you about my excellent school visit to Ursuline High School Wimbledon today...

A final glance at India...

2009-09-12T23:48:00.000-07:00

Here are some images I wanted to share with you - My pal, Matt & me, The Taj Hotel, street scenes, my banana leaf plate, the best mushroom & spinach soup in the world and a really cool art work in the Delhi airport ...

Farewell India!!!

cmn

Farewell India!!

2009-09-12T23:12:00.000-07:00

I have made it to the British Airways lounge where I have been "upgraded" (my very favorite thing to be) to a superior economy seat where I am told I will have more leg room and more "peace" - WOW - if the lounge is any indication, it will be a very quiet flight - I am slowly recovering from all of the honking. Getting here was not horribly stressful since I was near the airport - but I was still ruffled having packed and unpacked way too many times in the last two weeks (and it's not over yet). By the time I get to Dallas, I will have been on 7 flights in 2 weeks - 4 of them international and over 9 hours each - UG!! Note to self (or to my mom if she's reading this) : Make appointment with Dr. Howard, chiropractor asap - I am a human pretzel... By the way, I checked 2 bags to London - woo hoo - forget carrying everything- That DID NOT work (see Matt Nink's Travel Blog for his complete apology - Thank you, Matt)!!

I'd just like to mention that there are about 25 businessmen in here and three women (businesswomen?) - interesting ratio....

I think that I am suddenly looking more Indian because today everyone thought I was Indian (which has not happened too much before today). I had a long chat with the Immigration officer (so much nicer than the one on the way in) who asked me what I had seen and learned in India. He also wanted verification that I am not of Indian origin because I "look very Indian." I take that as a huge compliment that I am looking relaxed and adapted.

So, a few random final observations (some profound, some not so much):

There is a disturbing trend among Indian men to dye their hair red - this is NOT a good look. What are they thinking??
I am really shocked at the lack of recycling and the massive amount of packaging used everywhere (this almost killed Matt). I never saw any recycling bin or message or anything. Even Matt's laundry came back in a cardboard box with paper in between items - lots and lots of plastic packaging is used on everything - things are usually wrapped twice, once in paper and once in plastic. Scaffolding is ALL WOOD, no metal - even on high rise buildings! I can't imagine what is going to happen here if some real social consciousness is not developed in terms of resources...
I loved visiting the elegant Taj Hotel here in Mumbai. It was beautiful but also very, very sad given the terrorist events of last year. Bullet Holes are still visible in the walls and much has been boarded up to protect the workers in shops, etc. - So many of them were killed. Shonal explained so much to us about those horrible events and about how personal it was for her - Having grown up in Mumbai going to celebrations at the Taj (including her own wedding), Shonal knew at least 20 people who died. Being here has given me a very clear picture of how horrific those days were and of the human toll ... I admire the Taj and all who work there for carrying on in the face of such trauma.
It has been a little nuisance to be asked constantly to give customer feedback - This is a huge trend in hotels, restaurants, etc - I have never filled out so many comment cards. At the Shalimar, I practically had to beat off a housekeeping manager who was stalking me wanting feedback - I assured him that he didn't want to hear what I had to say ... It's interesting though because it's obvious that businesses are desperately wanting to be excellent and to improve.

Well, it's about time to head to my plane and my extra leg room (I hope!). What a fantastic adventure India has been and how privileged I am for the opportunity - How grateful I am for all of those who made this possible for me and for UA. Thank you!!! All life is a journey and, of course, the most important journies are the ones that take you deeper within yourself. I have benefitted tremendously from both the interior and exterior journey while in India and I am excited to have shared the events with you! A whole new adventure coming soon from the UK where I will visit UA Wimbledon!!

cmn

Some (almost) final reflections

2009-09-12T19:51:00.000-07:00

I am filled with so many thoughts and impressions as I prepare to leave India. I have been wanting to visit this mysterious and complex land for some time and , now that I have, I find it more mysterious and complicated than I ever imagined. I don't think I have even scratched the surface of the many layers of India... so many languages, people, spices, colors... The cities are labyrinths, with endless winding, unnamed streets filled with people and animals and more people and more animals.

This trip has not been easy because it is hard to face the unfamiliar everyday - I have been pushed way, way beyond my comfort zone in countless ways (from trying different foods to walking through giant crowded markets to giving up control and trusting that virtual strangers will take care of me).

The contrasts and disparities in India are more extreme than I have ever experienced. The poverty is mind-numbing and completely overwhelming. I will not soon forget the people pounding on our car doors asking for money / food. Even though intellectually I know that giving money to beggars is not a good social solution, I still feel a deep guilt for every person I turned away - especially children who I know will never get a chance to rise up from their situations and go to school. I have certainly cried about some of the things I have seen - you just can't help it because so much is hopeless- Still, I believe that the work that we are doing with students will impact real social change in the long run and I remain committed to working with as many NGOs as possible because, again, that's where the real progress will be made.

As I have said, the contrasts are extreme - I think the Taj Hotel is among the most beautiful, comfortable places on earth. Inside the Taj, you can shop at Mont Blanc, Louis Vuitton, Prada and more of the finest Western stores. There are polo clubs and cricket clubs (British legacy) and country clubs (had a wonderful time there myself). The women here win the global fashion competition, hands down - The colors, textures and designs of the gorgeous, lush, sparkling clothes are infinite - I can't stop gawking at the clothing - the women are adorned so beautifully - it almost looks like they are floating as the colorful scarves everso casually flow behind them as they walk..

Well, of course I have more that I'd like to share but I must run to British Airways ... will try to report from the airport ...

cmn

Images of Gandhi

2009-09-12T12:11:00.000-07:00

As I reflect on my time in India, I must mention the many images of Gandhi which we experienced everywhere - in public and private spaces, in schools, on the money, in art , on advertising ... the legacy of the father of modern India endures and his presence remains with the people.

My last day in India

2009-09-12T11:40:00.000-07:00

So it's my last night in India and I am enjoying a wild evening of blogging and charging my many electronic devices before my flight back to London tomorrow (please do keep reading as I have one more important school visit in the UK before I head home to Dallas). My jovial travel companions have left me (sniff) and now I am all alone in Mumbai ..

Last night was a real blast with Shonal - we had dinner at the country club where she has enjoyed many of the best moments of her life. She drove us all around (at great speed I might add - I am thrilled to be alive) and gave us an awesome tour of Mumbai by night. Matt and I laughed so much with her because she has a remote controlled radio in the car - why would one need a remote in the car??? It would be very hard not to love Shonal as you can imagine...I was very sad to say goodbye to this dear friend who I feel that I could call upon for anything - I can't wait to see her again!

So today, Matt FINALLY agreed that we could do something cultural as well as some shopping (YEAH!!!). We packed up from the Shalimar (seriously, that place was very shady palm tree as the young people say) in order to move me back to the lovely Leela which is super close to the airport - I did not want to risk being all the way across Mumbai tomorrow given the massive traffic issues (and yes, I was glad to leave my musty room at the Shalimar). Anyway, I am posting some pics from our sightseeing today - Can you see me in front of the Gateway to India?

Well, Matt has just left this evening and we agreed that we will have a bond forever. Just before he left, Matt ordered some water in the hotel lounge and the very sophisticated young woman server replied "Sir, we don't serve tap water here." hahahaha - good times up until the end .. This has been my favorite quote of the trip other than when Shonal shocked us by using the word "peon" to refer to her office assistant - WHAT??? We had a very lively discussion about how that word would never, ever be used in this context in the USA!!!!

Well, I will blog a bit more in the morning before leaving India... goodnight from Mumbai!!

cmn

Step by Step School in Delhi

2009-09-12T10:29:00.000-07:00

I want to be sure to highlight the new Step by Step school in Delhi which Matt and I think could soon be the very best school in India. This school is an Indian school - not an international school. The mastermind behind the school is its foundress, Abha Adams. She is a renown educator in India - so much so that when she opened the school last year, people came running to enroll their children. the school today is only one year old and already has 1025 students!! She is the petite woman on the left of the picture below - don't let her small stature fool you - she's a real force (I had to race to keep up with her school tour)!!

Currently, the school is k-8 but plans to grow to 2500 students in k-12. The campus is still under construction but will soon fill the 10 acre site with state of the art facilities, athletic areas and a center for Faculty Professional Development. It's such a happy space which encourages creativity in children- note the slide in the picture which goes between two floors. We had a fascinating conversation with the school administrators about how India is such an exam driven country and how teenagers are under terrible pressure to do well on the national exams. This school embraces a much more inquiry-based learning philosophy and encourages children to be independent thinkers who realize the importance of giving back to their communities. It's a very new methodology in India but Mrs. Adams and her team are convinced that students should enjoy learning and that education must change because our world has changed (sound familiar?). It was SUCH a dynamic conversation! I recommended the documentary 2 Million Minutes to the administrators and asked them to let me know their thoughts (we'll be watching it at UA soon with our Global Book & Movie Club).

I so appreciated Mrs. Adams talking about the challenges of helping her faculty embrace a totally new and alien teaching style. The fact that the school is building a faculty development center on the campus speaks to the commitment to faculty learning - so excellent!!

One last thing to mention about Mrs. Adams is that she has been very involved with a program to build global understanding through music. The Carnegie Foundation (& Carnegie Hall) sponsored this project which linked 16 classrooms in New Delhi (which is btw, the same as "Delhi") with 16 classrooms in New York. How cool is this school???

The American Embassy School

2009-09-12T09:07:00.000-07:00

One of the most interesting schools that we visited was the American Embassy School in Delhi. The campus is absolutely beautiful and is, of course, in the very green area of Delhi where all of the embassies are located. Massive security surrounds the school and it feels like you are entering an oasis when you walk through the gate because it is such a dramatic difference from the outside urban challenges of modern Delhi.

During our visit, we met with the principal, Tim Boyle (so warm and friendly), and with Vera Garg, Social Studies teacher (so enthusiastic and scholarly). From our conversation, we learned that AES places emphasis on student led projects. They firmly believe that the high school student should take responsibility for his / her education so students always attend parent / teacher conferences.

AES has 1400 students, 383 in high school. There are many student clubs which do lots of community service including a project where the AES students tutor and host children from the slums.

Another impressive fact about AES is that the students are from 48 different nationalities and 40% of the students are American citizens. Global Citizenship is a major part of the school's mission and each lesson must include multiple cultural perspectives. In fact, all Social Studies essays must include views from 3 different historians with 3 different cultural perspectives.

All in all, this school is superb - I am bringing back a copy of the student newspaper to share with our UA students because it is very festive.

cmn

Mumbai by night

2009-09-11T11:44:00.000-07:00

Good Evening from Mumbai where we have had another night of fun and surprises. Here are a few of the photos I took from the car. Mumbai has some gorgeous areas - This is South Mumbai, the area where all of the big and famous hotels are located. It really reminded me of Miami and Rio with the scenic drive along the beach. Shonal pointed out the Hanging gardens, the Taj Hotel and the famous monument "The Gateway to India." Lovely!!

The Mallya Aditi School in Bangalore

2009-09-11T04:38:00.000-07:00

Another awesome school visit occured at the Mallya Aditi School in Bangalore where we had a tour and spent some time talking with Kalpana Suryanarayan, School "Administrator." We asked her what exactly she does in the school and she mentioned scheduling, coordinating professional development for teachers, student discipline & student life, overseeing the international programs and, by the way, teaches English. WOW! Then we learned that the principal also does all of the college counseling - So, we joked that between the two of them, they do the work of about 10 of us at UA.

Of course, the school is very different from UA. They have 540 students in k-12. The school is 25 years old this year and is particularly proud of its awesome student / teacher ratio which is 8:1 - quite unheard of in Indian schools. The school is so vibrant and cheerful as you can see in a few pictures here. They also pride themselves on innovation, use of technology and international programs such as exchange programs with a school in Germany as well as a school in California.

One interesting thing that Kalpana told us is that all Indian schools are required to give 30 scholarships to girls in order to help with the issue of girls not being educated in India at the same level as boys. So, they do have students who receive scholarships.

We were only at the school for a few hours but I loved the warmth and the joyful vibe that I felt there - let me know what you think of the uniforms and more...

cmn

PS - That's Shonal with the little girls - she showed up all gorgeous in her traditional clothing - Did I tell you that she was also a clothing designer at one point in her life?

Highlights from Bangalore Int'l School

2009-09-11T01:47:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures from our time at the Bangalore Int'l School where we visited with teachers and administrators and Matt gave a workshop on cultivating Student Leadership. This is a great k-12 school of 300 students and their principal, Anu, is one of the leading educators in India. Students are 15% International and 85% local.

We even met a friend of our own Mrs. Escamilla (see pic w/ Matt) - They met last year in Costa Rica at the Global Youth Leadership Institute (which is how Matt learned of Bangalore Int'l School)! What a small world!!

cmn

Thoughts on Water, Traffic & more

2009-09-11T00:48:00.000-07:00

Good Afternoon from Mumbai where I am feeling so much better after sleeping in a bit and organizing my life (including some pictures to share soon). In the light of day (it's not raining today - yeah!!), I can appreciate a few more things about my hotel including the excellent water pressure which I haven't had in a while.

Water is a topic I've been meaning to address here. It's a major issue as I had heard. Hotels make gentle requests of guests to be mindful of the water (as they do in most places now) but here the request is made with much more detail such as "turn on only the hot water while you are waiting for the water to warm so as not to waste the cold water." We always have bottled water everywhere (hotels, restaurants, etc.) so all of that plastic is a major issue as well. At the Leela, our first hotel, we received a detailed letter about how the monsoon season has been unusually dry this year (clearly before our arrival) and so they asked that guests please shower rather than bathe as that takes less water.

Traffic is another big topic. In Delhi, we went to Shonal's house for dinner. It should have taken us about 10 minutes but it took us over an hour going literally inch by inch- it was HORRIFIC. If we'd known how to get to her house, we could have walked much more easily. The honking never stopped. At that point, Matt decided to serenade me by singing some unknown-to-me Rod Stewart song so I knew he had really lost it - I think we were both delirious from the stress. We finally just had to laugh and joined in singing of Elton John's "Rocket Man" and we emphasized the line about how it's going to be a "long, long time"- which is exactly how I was feeling at the time! I cannot imagine having to face driving in that kind of traffic daily but I know hundreds of thousands of people do so everyday ... Driving in Big D has never looked so good..

So Shonal, our refined and complex companion, is taking us to the Mumbai Yacht & Country Club for dinner - wow! Shonal blows my mind everyday - the layers of my new friend are slowly revealed. She is from an upperclass family and her father had a stainless steel business. Her father had a very forward-thinking philosophy and he made sure that his daughters had opportunities to work and travel the world before they got married. Shonal had an arranged marriage and her husband's family has a business of mustard oil, the main ingredient in eastern Indian cuisine. It's obvious that Shonal could stay at home and never work on anything at all if she were so inclined. However, she is so, so committed to education and to working for a better future for the younger generation and those less fortunate. I really, really admire her because she knocks herself out everyday - her cell phone NEVER stops ringing as she tries to balance home and work. She is a mover and a shaker - and what fortitude to be dealing with me and Matt. AND, by the way, in addition to her teacher professional development company, she also oversees her family's committment to sustaining a rural school for 110 deaf impoverished children - Oh my goodness, WHAT an inspiration!!

Well, my two travel companions are soon to arrive so that we can set out on another day of adventure. I'd like to send a special "shout-out" to the students of Spanish IV at our Academy who I hear are following this blog with great enthusiasm - Thank you!! (BTW, I've learned that the study of Spanish is really growing in India - !Que felicidad!) I will be beyond excited if a few members of our student community register as as official "followers" - it will make me feel very "in" and modern which is important to me as you know.

Hasta Pronto from Mumbai,

cmn

Back in Mumbai

2009-09-10T14:00:00.000-07:00

Greetings. Well, I am having one of those challenging global evenings... We had an ok flight back to Mumbai on Kingfisher Airlines - yes, the same company as the beer company. The best thing I can say about flying on Kingfisher is that it is better than flying on "Spice Jet" which we experienced the other day. At any given time, there are at least 70 Kingfisher employees standing around when you fly on the airline (in addition to those actually working) so there is always someone around (wearing bright red) in case you need anything.

So we have arrived at our hotel - The Shalimar. I'm sure it was a nice hotel once upon a time. Perhaps we'll leave it at that - Mumbai is a city where so many have so little (or nothing) that I can't allow myself to complain too much (as tempting as it may be). And speaking of Mumbai, this city perplexes me ... When we were here last time, we only experienced our lavish hotel (near the airport) and then we just saw one shanty town after another as we left the city for Pune. Tonight, we are in a completely different part of the city, the south. The marine drive (along the Arabian sea) is nearby but we couldn't really see any water as it was dark (will report on the view later). There were some buildings that look quite fabulous and modern so I think we may be near a Bollywood hotspot. We also saw a brand new Rolls Royce driving along the freeway which seemed like the most decadent and absurd reality yet...

Well, it's very late (or very early) and we have another big day tomorrow. I will publish more info and pictures from our school visits asap - part of my issue this evening was that the internet does not work in my room and so I am using the business center which they were kind enough to open for me in the middle of the night.

For those of you who know Matt (and even if you don't), you'll be happy to know that his Student Leadership workshops have been a huge hit, especially the one today at the Sanskriti School in Delhi - so, even though our pace has been somewhat brutal, we are enjoying some success and kind attention.

Good night from Mumbai!
cmn

Quick note from Delhi

2009-09-09T23:42:00.000-07:00

Hello! I just wanted to send out a quick word as I depart from my Delhi hotel for a school visit where Matt is giving a workshop and then we are off to Mumbai again this evening.

I have really enjoyed Delhi, the city where Shonal resides by the way. This is also the capital of India and the area where the embassies are is very green and beautiful. There is a huge park area with gardens and museums but our schedule won't allow us a visit this trip (yes, I have been whining about our non-cultural schedule). So, I hope to explore it closely one day in the near future (perhaps with teachers and students?? - we shall see).

Well, my "driver" has arrived so I will shut of the 10,000 different light switches in my hotel room (very confusing) and I'll be on my way...

Best from Delhi,
cmn

The Canadian Int'l School - Bangalore

2009-09-09T11:44:00.000-07:00

Here are a few images of our brief but very pleasant visit to the Canadian International School in Bangalore. As you can see, the architecture of the campus is very colorful and open. They have been at this location for four years and the school is 14 years old. We had only a quick chat with Lynda, the Head of School, but we did discuss how much the school has grown - 5 years ago, they had 50 students and today they have 380. We also talked about how Australian schools are very forward thinking and how we can learn much from schools all over the world. How do you like the pic of Shonal and me??

A few minor challenges

2009-09-09T06:31:00.000-07:00

Hello from Delhi!! Still have LOTS to go back to say about Bangalore (a city with the lovliest breeze ever) but for now I just want to share a couple of challenges - I always tell kids that the middle of the trip is the most challenging because you get tired and it lacks the excitement of the beginning and end of an adventure - So, that's where I am - in the middle ...

One thing that is just ringing in my ears is the incessant honking - it never, ever, ends. Drivers honk almost as a greeting - to the 10 million people and the other drivers all around. Things are very loud - lots of noise from cell phones, cars, speakers, shouting and more - it is stressful!!

Also, the service is so excellent that it is almost suffocating. There is someone perched outside my hotel door at this very minute in case I need something, or anything - I have already asked the housekeeper gentleman to PLEASE not worry about turning down my bed. The minute I get out of a car, someone is right there. Waiters and shopkeepers hover VERY closely - I made the mistake of trying to move a hanger in a store and I was rushed by a group of salesladies who did not want me to bother myself with moving the hanger. I appreciate the hotel bellmen not allowing one single drop of rain to fall on me but it is almost exhausting to have to give instruction on how many ice cubes I would like plinked into my glass... Well, I KNOW I should be grateful - I just need a little space - a little "organizational moment" as I tell the kids.

My last and final "complaint" is that every snack that we have bought has been really, really ancient and WAY passed expiration. I can't even describe my disappointment at the hotel mini-bar snickers - it was "white"and it was NOT white chocolate. AYYY

Matt is here telling me that my organizational moment is over - THANKS SO MUCH.. I know we are going to have a delightful evening with Shonal and her family so I will go for now - Thanks for listening!!

cmn

United World College, Pune

2009-09-07T20:22:00.000-07:00

I want to be sure to tell you about United World College in Pune where Matt and I were hosted last weekend. Also, I wanted you to see how gorgeous I looked (NOT) in the pouring rain in this fun picture of us.

United World College in Pune (check out their website) is part of a system of schools located on 13 different sites around the world including India, Costa Rica (where we at UA have sent two student groups), Italy, New Mexico and more. Their mission is simple but profound: UWC makes education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future. I love this statement because it really goes to the core of what we are trying to accomplish with Global Education.

UWC students come from all over the world and reside at the school- they apply to the system and are later assigned to a particular campus. All of the schools follow the IB curriculum and have only 10th and 11th grades. At this school, students come from over 50 different countries. Our student guide (who was brilliant) is from the Himalayas and she shares a dorm room with another girl from India as well as a girl from Spain and a fourth from Botswana. I can only imagine how much global perspective those students will gain by living together! We also had a young man as our tour guide and he is from upstate New York. His dream is to attend Middlebury (where his sister studies) so you know I really enjoyed talking with him.

While at UWC, we toured the facilities in order to get a feel for how next year's Institute for Student Leaders (ISL) will be organized. The facilities are excellent in terms of classrooms, wireless, etc. Matt and I stayed in rooms at the guest house which was very much like being in a retreat center in the US. The school has extensive land and even has numerous biodiversity trails and a bio-dome (see pic above). We hiked along one somewhat slippery trail (it was raining) and learned all about the medicinal properties of the plants courtesy of our very well-informed student guides.

In addition to the students, we met with several teachers and particularly enjoyed meeting Nandita, Matt's contact at the school, who made all of our arrangements. We had a meeting with the very charming Head of School, Dr. Jonathan Long. He has just arrived at UWC from Scotland and has also lived all over Africa including lots of time in Ghana. He is going to be visiting TCU in Ft. Worth this year so I invited him to visit us in Dallas. We agreed that I will teach him the "proper way" to say "What are ya'll fixin to do?" and he is going to help me perfect my British "riiight".

All in all - a very successful visit!

Random tid bits & observations

2009-09-07T09:16:00.000-07:00

Hello from Bangalore where I have a somewhat sketchy electricity situation in our moderate 19th century historical hotel- must write somewhat quickly as my adaptor (which is connected to my computer plug) started "sizzling" a few minutes ago - That can't be good. In case any members of the UA Technology department are reading this blog, please be impressed to know that my first concern upon hearing the sizzle was for my precious laptop and not for my own safety - we are on battery power now...

So, before going on and on about more school visits (which have been so, so interesting), I want to share a few random pieces of information & observations - forgive the list form but I am trying to write quickly in order to conserve the battery..

The Pune airport is not somewhere you want to be when you are hungry. We were served some very stale potato chips and then Matt accused me of trying to kill him by offering him some M&Ms which seriously must have been produced in 1974
Also of note in the Pune airport are the separate security areas for men and women - I'm not sure if this is religious sensitivity at its best or if it's just a way for gals to have a little frendly chat as they are being screened in a little curtain-surrounded booth - my guard wanted to know all about me, my heritage, family etc. It was a lovely social encounter but not the most efficient security check I've seen..
Our American size carry-ons were way larger than the carry-ons allowed by the Indian airlines so, guess what?? We HAD to check our luggage which means there was NO POINT in my having only carry-on bags!!!! AY DIOS MIO - All I can say is that Matt has apologized and has admitted that he was all wrong on the luggage requirements. He is also now carrying all my bags of treasures..
Motorbikes are everywhere - millions of them! There are lots of women (many college students) who ride them in Pune and they are known as the "female masked bandits of Pune" because they wear scarves to protect them from the dust - they are way cool and today I saw a bright pink motor bike (very Hello Kitty bandit) and nowI kind of want one
We have seen many random cows walking in traffic - unaccompanied - I am so curious - where are they going???
Today we had to stop the car for a giant SNAKE crossing (slithering across) the road - I really freaked out on that one
I also saw a monkey walking across the road the other day in the mountains near Pune - who knew??
Monsoon season is a bit depressing - today we saw the sun for the first time since our arrival - all this rain also encourages mosquitos which are all after me - let's hope I made the right decision in not taking malaria pills

Well, these are the thoughts on my mind in addition to the fact that my laundry disappeared today and hasn't been returned - Matt's came back but I'll be sleeping in a blouse tonight due to my extremely limited wardrobe and the fact that I need to be somewhat covered as mosquito protection - Oh what an adventure!!! Hope all in the USA are enjoying the holiday as we labor away (in a good way) here in India.

cmn :)

Cultural thrills and new friends in Pune

2009-09-06T11:13:00.001-07:00

So last night, we decided that we had better take advantage of the little bit of free time that we had because the upcoming school visit schedule is really full - So, we asked Vishwas (Matt's local friend and potential collaborator for next year's student conference) if he might take us shopping at a local market. He said that he doesn't like to shop but that his wife, Jotti, would be the ideal person to accompany us.

Jotti was THRILLED about taking us shopping and she informed Vishwas that he would be coming along as well. The local market district was madness in terms of crowds, sounds, vehicles, etc. Jotti told me that it was "empty" by Indian standards. I can only compare the experience to shopping in the mega crowds of Shanghai but even there we were surrounded by tourists. The area in Pune was definitely an area for the locals - Poor blonde Matt caused quite a sensation!

Well, you know that I found many treasures including jewelery, scarves and purses. After we totally exhausted Matt & Vishwas, we headed over to Jotti & Vishwas' apartment for a home cooked meal of basmati rice and vegetables. After dinner, Jotti very generously offered to paint my hand with henna - an ancient Indian art form. Since I have been DYING to have henna tatooed hands, I eagerly agreed. You have a photo of her work here. She tells me all Indian women know how to do this - WOW! So, I'll be sporting this masterpiece for a few weeks until it fades away...

I'll soon get caught up and will tell you about the unique and marvelous place that is United World College - but it's really late and I can hardly keep my eyes open AND, I'm getting a sore throat from all of the climate changes (from really hot & humid to strong air conditioning etc.). Tomorrow we visit two schools in Bangalore!!!

Any comments out there???

The ride from Mumbai to Pune yesterday

2009-09-06T10:35:00.000-07:00

Hello from Bangalore! The last two days have been non-stop for us as we went from Mumbai to Pune, from Pune to United World College and now from Pune, by air, south to Bangalore. I have much to share but first wanted to post pictures from the road trip yesterday... It was raining but I managed to get a few interesting shots...

American School of Bombay

2009-09-04T09:10:00.000-07:00

Here are a few photos from our day at the wonderful American School of Bombay. What an awesome experience and what a warm, welcoming community! I could feel the happiness of the students in the halls - and it felt like home being in an independent school.

So, "ASB" is a co-ed k-12 school of 670 students of 50 nationalities. They've had massive growth in the last five years - they had less than 300 students 5 years ago. Their school building was built on a large expanse of land and, during the monsoon season (this time of year), they were pretty much surrounded by a lake. In the last five years, construction has built up all around the school and they have high rise buildings in every direction. We at our academy have no reason to ever complain about space- This school has less than 2 acres and has had to be super creative - they have built up rather than out and every inch of space has been studied to maximize use.

I took 9 pages of notes during my visit to ASB, primarily about student leadership - I can't convey all that impressed and interested me but here are a few tidbits:

they have a faculty intern, Raj, from Andover in Massachusetts - turns out I had attended one of Raj's sessions at an NAIS conference where he talked about taking students to India and having them live with Indian students while working on a service project - SUCH a small and interconnected world!!
the diversity of the student body and the faculty is tremendous - Diana, one of the administrators, is originally from Venezuela - we hit it off immediately and she was delightful in her sincere enthusiasm at the chance to speak Spanish with me
So many of our goals and concerns are the same - how to get students to take responsibility, to think broadly and to take risks... they struggle with scheduling, planning meaningful advisory activities, making service a life-long philosophy rather than a duty to be checked off a list and finding space for the whole school to gather as a community (sound familiar?)
They have moved away from elections such as for student council - students "self-select" their leadership roles
a unique challenge is the transitory nature of an international school - every year maybe 25% of the faculty and students move away
every year, the school has a "week without walls"where each grade (grades 6-12) goes on a field trip or class trip and the trip becomes part of the curriculum

Two more items of note: One, I was touched and saddened to know how this lovely community has been impacted by the horrific terrorist attacks of last year. Not only did they lose a family (both parents were killed in the attacks) but they also had to change much of their school in terms of security - They have very high walls and numerous guards in addition to many other measures. Secondly, I was humbled and honored by the warm welcome I received so very far from home - what a great school!!!!

I cannot end this blog without telling you about my new Indian "BFF"(that's "Best friend forever" for some of our non-teenage-aware readers). Her name is Shonal and she is the woman in the picture above. Shonal is the owner of a company that specializes in bringing Professional Development for teachers to India from all over the world. We have a cosmic connection - She instantly understood me, my hopes for a global future and, very importantly, all of my glamour challenges and about how it's all Matt's fault. When I asked her about buying some sparkly clothing she said that she will take me to her tailor to get some clothes custom made. I almost cried from joy and you know I could not stop hugging her. She is the person who actually arranged for all of our school visits and workshops and I know that we could not be in better or more capable hands. She has gone home to Delhi for the weekend (sniff) but we'll meet her again on Monday and I will be thrilled to be in her charming company again.

Wow - I am really flattered if you are still reading along... Tomorrow we will leave our palace in Mumbai for a dorm at United World College in Pune. Matt and I will go on a 4 hour car ride which will surely be eventful - hopefully the internet connection will remain fabulous...

cmn

First impressions

2009-09-04T05:26:00.000-07:00

Hello from Bombay (using the Portuguese name for Mumbai today in honor of our visit to the American School of Bombay). I have so much to say and have seen so much today that I am dividing my blog into 2 parts.. Part 1 - First Impressions and Part 2 - The American School of Bombay.

As you can see, I am doing my best to absorb the culture. What a sensual place this is - Music is everywhere, smells from incense, spices and more fill the air, vehicles and animals rush by in every shape and color, fabrics are ornate and lush, the foods like bhaji with basmati rice are artistically prepared with sprinkles of coriander ... I could float away...

Still, Bombay is not an easy city to navigate. There is a need for more infrastructure evidenced by flooding and unpaved roads. There are countless stray dogs and countless people in need everywhere. I also saw one cow in the road just relaxing along with many chickens and one goat. But, for every difficulty or challenge that I saw, I could name another sight which evidences hope and growth and tremendous energy. There is construction everywhere as well which obviously provides lots of opportunity for work, commerce, etc. Business people, women in gorgeous clothing, schoolchildren, etc. also line the streets. It is truly a mega-city - reminds me much of Mexico City in the pace of the people and the millions of stories they could tell.

One thing that has really surprised me is the extreme security everywhere. Perhaps because we are in a western-style hotel and we visited a western school - I'm not sure. But the number of gates, check points, searches, armed guards and overall surveillance of our every move has made a strong impression on me. Matt bought a sim card for his phone and had to be all but fingerprinted - he was photographed, had to produce a photo ID and had to fill out countless forms - all security measures in order to monitor the phone. I would say the USA is not the only land with an elaborate Homeland Security.

The excellent service continues to make an impression as well. In India, it seems, when you ask for more coffee, you get a whole new cup - so your coffee / sugar / milk ratio is never ruined - genius!!

More about our school visit and new friends coming soon...

cmn

Hi from Mumbai - India Day 1

2009-09-03T11:44:00.000-07:00

Hello from India where I am already filled with wonder and astonishment at the colors, architecture, multitudes of people and extreme humidity - WOW - My glasses fogged up immediately upon arrival!!

My flight from London was uneventful (thankfully) and not too full (yeah) but arrival here was not exactly easy. Coming off the plane, I was hit, hard, by a humidity so thick and intense it literally took my breath away. I was an instant ball of perspiration. Fearing that I would look unwell to the swine flu inspectors, I put on a happy face and just kept going, weaving my luggage through a small herd of pretty confused people. I passed the swine flu inspection and went through immigration & customs. The immigration agent who stamped my passport was really grouchy, glared at all of us and took forever with each person. Still, he let me through after making a very careful study of my passport. Since I have no checked bags, customs was no problem (half a point for Matt). Once out of the secured area, I set out through the dark, dingy halls of the airport wondering if the driver would really be there to meet me.

Of course, I didn't know that you have to walk all the way out of the airport in order to meet the person waiting for you but, as an act of faith, I just kept walking until I reached what can only be described as a gorgeous veranda decorated with palm trees. Then, through my fogged glasses, I saw the "Ms.CNipp" sign held by a charming (and very fast moving) little man in an all-white tropical suit. My driver was sent from our hotel which turns out to be 5 minutes from the airport. So, I haven't exactly seen the city yet.

But I have seen a wonderful street festival - a celebration of some kind - from my window. There were lots of colored lights lining the street (neon in a Shanghai-esque way) and people playing drums, dancing, etc. There were also many firecrackers set off along the closed-off street - most festive!

To say that our hotel is "nice" and that the service is "good" would be the understatement of a lifetime. This hotel, per our Indian travel agency, is "moderate" and "ok" as we requested. Well, at this moderate, beautiful palace, I was met by at least 20 people, standing at attention and welcoming me by name to the hotel. I was then walked to my room by my personal attache, a beautiful and refined (and accessorized!!) young woman named Ankita, dressed in a sparkling golden sari which made me feel like the princess of frumpy in my leggings and eco shoes. Ankita processed all of the necessary documentation for me so that I would not have to be bothered by anything as common as checking in (thank you). The service has been so superb that I actually decided to turn on my "privacy" sign after a young man came by to "change out" my apples and cookies.

So, on my first day in India, I am enchanted. I have rested, Matt has arrived and we have made a plan for our first school visit bright and early tomorrow. I won't mind getting up early because my body has lost all sense of time and place.

Goodnight from India!!
cmn

A dramatic moment in the UK

2009-09-02T09:50:00.000-07:00

Well, just as I sat down with my Peppermint tea and shortbread cookie, my attention was captured by a loud confrontation just a few meters away between a very composed female British Airways agent and a very hostile flip-flopped Frenchman named "Mr. Jean Marie." I know his name because the agent kept repeating it - each time more loudly and more firmly.

It seems that Mr. Jean Marie is flying on Quantas and he is, in fact, NOT a British Air passenger. Apparently, he does not think that the rules apply to him because he feels entitled to the free wifi and free refreshments in this lovely lounge. The agent was beyond unimpressed when he "flicked" his non-British Air boarding card at her and then he just scoffed at her with profound condescension when she told him that he needed to come with her and leave the lounge. She sounded quite like an excellent mother giving him "one last chance" before calling the police.

After he mocked her, she did call the police and then he suddenly felt like leaving - too bad for him that she stuck with him and delivered him to the officials waiting outside. WHAT a loon!!

Anyway, the excitement has livened up the lounge with comments like "jolly good" and "well done."

Ok - unless I have more lunacy to report, next stop: Mumbai!!
cmn

Half way there - Cheers from London!

2009-09-02T07:58:00.000-07:00

Hello from terminal 5 at London Heathrow where I have been confined a la Tom Hanks in that airport movie I never saw. I had hoped to perhaps go out and about during my 13 HOUR stay or, even better, to nap in the airport "Yotel" (a new concept in hotels - very cool). However, being in transit, I ended up in a secured (and I mean SECURED) area and now I can't escape beyond this terminal. Of course, as terminals go, it's quite nice and I am grateful to be allowed in the British Airlines lounge thanks to their friendship with American Airlines. This partnership also entitled me to a lounge shower for which I (and I'm sure all around me) am forever grateful. Despite my superior (lol) status, I am not so superior that I could have a massage in the extra-special lounge which is reserved for only the very most exclusive of British Airways passengers. On well, such is life ...

Are you noticing my british accent? I just can't help it. Everything about being here is encouraging me to say things like "cheers" and "riight" and "mind the step." I wish someone had reminded me to "mind" the vehicles coming from the left - The DODGE was almost taken out by a luggage cart during our "secure" transfer. Anyway, I am enjoying everyone calling me "Madam" in an everso distinguished way - this formality is particularly absurd given that I am wearing the floppiest of clothes and my earthy eco-Yucatan sandals (recommended by Samantha Brown of the Travel channel).

BTW, my flight over was unusually excellent (other than the 3 times the over-zealous flight attendant came charging down the aisle with the beverage cart and I got seriously sprinkled). It was a completely full plane but I had a great seat (31 H on a 777 - highly recommend it to you). I had endless leg room which I obviously don't need but it was wonderful to not feel like a sardine in a can. I also had a very pleasant travel companion, an executive at Nokia originally from Mexico and now living in Finland. It was a true global encounter so you know I was excited.

As for the carry on situation, I am so far not a fan.. I have walked miles and miles (ok kilometers) through this airport with much more than I normally cart around. I am also mourning the loss of a couple of toiletries and travel bottles which did not make it through security because they were "unlabled." Security here is probably the most intense that I have encountered anywhere (very NOT Bahia)!

Well, I think I'll seek out some tea and "biscuits" - if I find some lemon curd, i will do the happy dance. I'm sort of hallucinating from lack of sleep so i will also take some Advil and snooze a bit.

Next stop: MUMBAI!!

cmn

On my way!!!

2009-09-01T13:36:00.000-07:00

hello from the DFW Admiral's club - a recent investment (well, membership was a b-day gift from the familia - very nice). I can see why people hide out in these clubs away from the airport chaos - I am currently enjoying two complimentary beverages in an effort to be hydrated on the airplane ...

I managed to not check in any bags!!! WOW - that's news!! We'll see how long I can go but I'm proud of myself for now.

Despite my lack of toiletries, accessories and clothing, I am fully wired for this trip - more techno than ever. In addition to the laptop, I have a camera, a flip video camera, my ipod, my new kindle (woo hoo - was highly recommended by a certain technologically advanced presidential nun - you know who you are - thank you!!), my cell phone & my "global"cell phone. So, I am feeling connected even as I travel alone. AND, thank you all for the lovely farewell emails and good wishes - I feel the love and support!!

I can document my first impression of India having received a HUGE pile of rupies at the currency exchange. I received about 3 bills in British lbs. for my $100.00 and about 3000 bills in rupies for not that much more - I almost had to go back and check my bags because of the weight. The money is a work of art - Gandhi's picture is on every bill and it's orange and green - lovely really - but I did have to request an office envelope to carry it - what if I had thousands? I would tip over!!

Well, soon it will be time to board and I would hate to miss the pre-boarding for those like me who have the superior priority status - Airlines are the last great hold of hierarchy in the USA, don't you think?

Talk to you later from the UK..

cheers!
cmn

Packing panic ..

2009-08-31T20:28:00.000-07:00

So it is now 10:28 pm and I am confronting the reality of only taking carry-on luggage with me on this great adventure. My travel companion, Matt N. (Mr. Global youth programs), informed me a few weeks ago that I couldn't check any bags because we would be taking so many flights, trains, etc. that it wouldn't be practical or manageable. My reply was not a friendly one.. "Have you met me?? - I am NOT a low-maintenance girl" to which he was all calm and "you can do it." The thing is, I really do not want to do it - India strikes me as a place where a woman should be seriously accessorized. Has Matt not heard of Bollywood? I am mortified....

Nevertheless, I am going to make this effort in order to do something WAY beyond my comfort zone since I am always obligating others to go beyond theirs. My mother has been of no support on this issue pointing out that Mother Teresa never traveled with more than a little shoebox. I think it's very safe to say that no one has ever or will ever mistake me for Mother Teresa so I really don't see my mother's point other than to traumatize me in my last few USA hours.

Ok - must hug dogs and must invite a few friends (you are so kind) to read this blog - counting down to Londonbound...

cmn

Getting ready to go test message...

2009-08-31T15:11:00.000-07:00

Greetings. I have less than 24 hours to go before I depart for London - am very excited but don't know quite how I am going to get everything done... more postings (of a more interesting nature) coming soon - Thanks for reading my blog!!

cmn