photos!!!!
greetings all!!! finally have access to internet at Verite and i'm able to post some photos... be sure to click on MORE below to see them all! We survived our first week! Everyone is in good health with minor things like sunburn or a mild stomach pain, but overall doing well. Most of us made it to the beach on our day off yesterday (Sunday) and got to splash around in the large (compared to what I'm used to) waves, test our feet on the hot hot hot sand, attempt a bit of body surfing, relax in the nearby hammocks, and learn our lessons about sunscreen!! The repos beach is about a 30-45 minute cycle ride out of Auroville and onto the tar rodes. By the time we arrived...
MORE...
the almost too warm Bay of Bengal was a refreshing treat!
Kyle, Liz, Brendon, and Aaron -- just arrived to the beach!
Jules, Aaron, Kyle, Liz -- enjoying the beach and getting too much sun!
The day prior, we ventured to Pondicherry! What a trip! I fell in love with the city in all its filth and glory. Shiva, our driver, transported us safely to the city!
Highway to Pondi -- taken from inside the bus!
Once we arrived we visited the Sri Aurobindo Ashram and then the Ganesh temple -- just outside the temple is a real elephant. Handing him (Ganesh) a rupe-coin via his trunk will get you a blessings also via his trunk on your head. Grass will do if coins are sparse.
Here is Andy with Ganesh
We stopped for sweets at a French bakery and then went our ways shopping for necessities and lovely punjabi's (dress/pants/scarf outfit). The scarf for women symbolizes modesty, but we've learned that it is also quite handy -- you can dry your hands when there is no towel in the bathroom, cover your face when a large bus kicks up dust as it passes you while walking or cycling, wipe sweat from your brow, tuck under your ankles when sitting Indian-style on a concrete floor, or cover your nose when you pass a stinky section on the street. The aroma of piss and other non-identifiable odors fill the air. But the beauty of India is the sweet Jasmine flower -- the Tamil word for flower is poo (it is actually one of the Tamil words for flower as they have 7 different words for flower from bud to full blossom -- what does that say about culture and worldview, eh?? but I'll save that for an essay on sapir-whorf hypothesis!). The women wear Jasmine and other flowers in their hair... so everywhere you go, the sweet smell often outdoes that of a filthy urine-smelling sidewalk. In the city are upscale shops,street vendors, peddlers, families living and cooking on the sidewalks... the whole gamut. The difference here compared with the States is that it is transparent. Where we turn a blind eye to our poverty, the sheer number of individuals in India (1/5th of the worlds population) you can't hide from it. But if you cannot see past it, then you will never be able to experience India. We are all dealing with our own internal struggles about our priviledge and wealth (even if we aren't considered wealthy in the States, we are like Millionaries here). Necessary and real -- I will never again look at the homeless individual standing at the intersection of Highway 36 and Baseline (in Boulder CO) the same again.
Bindu and Rajaveni guided us with ease through the city... so much so that I felt a false sense of confidence as I walked through the city. However, when I reflected on my trip, I remember Rajaveni holding my arm quite tightly as we carefully crossed the chaotic streets filled with beeping horns. Moreover, Rajaveni was my translator as I sought to find specific items in the shops. Many of the people in the shops speak English, but many do not! So it is interesting that I felt so culturally competent but wonder how different my experience might have been going to the city on my own. I'm sure I'll have the chance to find out!
So I'll add a few more photos... enjoy and there will be more to come!!! Surely you will want to see how beautiful us gals are in our punjabis!!!
on the way to Pondi
The group - minus Jules who's behind the camera - at the gate of our community Verite
Amy and Kyle enjoying some ice cream 'Our Town' Style. We are discovering that power outages, although frustrating, when in the midst of trying to send an email or make a phone call, can have satiating surprises too! no power means ice cream can't keep cold -- thus free ice cream for all!!! One of the Auroville kiddo's heard about it, made a phone call on his cell phone and soon the solar cafe was overflowing with kids! Us "older" kids got in on it too! YUM YUM!!!
okay more pictures to come soon!!!! sending love to all our friends and families!!!
your trusty blogger, Jules
Posted by: Jules Berner on Sep 12, 05 | 1:23 pm
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