making the rounds.

School is officially over! This morning we had our final staff meeting, and already the hillside has cleared out. The weeks leading up to the end were as chaotic as ever, aside from finishing grading, proctoring exams and writing comments, I had to prepare for the arrival of Alison. After numerous sleepless nights, I somehow was able to make it through, and have finally found the time to sit down and reflect upon the whirlwind.

I am gearing up to leave for 6 weeks of backpacking around India and Nepal. It will be exhausting I am sure, and it is highly likely that I will never want to take an overnight train ever again, but it will definitely be an experience of a lifetime. 
Leg one of my journey is with my sister Ali. Tomorrow morning we are taking off for Haridwar, and then to Jaipur from there. I don't want to bore you with all the details (just yet)- I am hoping to at least find an internet cafe once to post an update, but odds are that it will not be for a while.

Ali arrived in India last Wednesday and is finally getting over her jet lag. Aside for a bit of a stomach bug I had, we have been keeping busy, exploring the sights of Mussoorie and enjoying the numerous seasonal parties of Woodstock.
The first was the New Crystal Frostapalooza Winterfest Eve, a party cramming all the major holidays of the season into one night, in hopes that we will be able to feel more festive, considering that Christmas is under the radar here in India. The itinerary for the night was as follows:

6:00pm – a Thanksgiving potluck

- bring a dish to share

7:23pm – light a Hanukkah candle and sing that adam sandler song.

7:31pm – We’ll celebrate the Winter Solstice by making paper snowflakes

7:43pm – celebrate Pancha Ganapati by wearing yellow, blue, red, green or orange!

8:07pm – a Christmas "white elephant" gift exchange

- bring a weird/funny gift to exchange

9:17pm – wear a vest with us for Festivus.

9:59pm – Kwanzaa

10:07pm – a New Year's Eve party to preemptively bring in the new year

 Plus we lucked out because we got to see the lunar eclipse as well...Talk about a busy night.

Christmas Gift Exchange

Extremely dangerous sparklers (aka wands) for New Years

Winter Solstice Snowflakes

and in honor of the night, it even snowed a bit (it was more like hail that just stuck on the ground, but still..)

We also attended a Willy Wonka (complete with oompa loompas) themed banquet. Yes, Willy Wonka...like the chocolate man. Now for most people, this probably doesn't seem like a big deal; but Ali loves candy..and I really love tootsie rolls- which they had imported from the States especially for this dinner. So of course, we went a little crazy hoarding all of the candy that we possibly could..these will likely be our staples for the next weeks..

We also went to Rishikesh for a night..it always seems that Rishikesh is quite the interesting occasion, and this time was no exception. I did have a moment when I felt like I was on Fear Factor, having to cross the bridge with Rhesus monkeys far too close for comfort and on all sides. I conquered my anxiety my holding my breath for a full two minutes and walking faster than I ever have before in my life.. and thinking happy thoughts. You will be happy to know that I survived- unscathed, AND was able to do the same thing when recrossing the bridge...

And of course, we have had loads of exploration within Mussoorie. The recent rain/hail/snow has made the peaks very clear, so we have definitely been taking advantage of that, getting to the top of the mountain as much as we can.

The best trash can I have ever seen

I hope you all have a splendid Christmas, be sure to surround yourself with family, friends, good food, and good DARK beer. Sending much love from across the world.

gobbledigook.

Thanksgiving is quite the interesting occasion here, considering that majority of our friends and students are from Asia, and have no idea what the point of Thanksgiving is..

The day was long and I found myself quite homesick which embodied itself as anger; Nan was feeling much the same. To help take out this negative energy, we spent our afternoon violently chopping wood and participating in an epic battle/game with the monkeys, we would shoot rocks at them while cursing, they would disappear in fear, then return ten minutes later ready for the next round. Quite similar to what most people do on the afternoon of Thanksgiving, if you ask me.

Threatening a monkey with a hatchet in hand...

My brute strength lodged the axe into a very difficult situation.
It proved near impossible to remove..
(please note my excellent Thanksgiving day outfit)

We got a little too absorbed in those happenings and found ourselves in an extreme time crunch to make it all the way up the mountain to Mt. Hermon- where Noel lives and where the Thanksgiving feast was occurring. We crammed about 30 of us into her place and as is tradition, had way too much food. While there was no turkey, we did have some pretty tasty chicken, and excellent side dishes including pumpkin momos, heaps of potatoes, stuffed capsicum and quiche. A bit nontraditional, but delicious nonetheless.

 

Nan and I had a second feast on Friday, when we had our Christmas gift delivered early..
Here is an email that Nan received a while back:

From: Abhra Bhattacharjee
Sent: Monday, November 07, 2011 12:30 PM
Subject: Cheese, anyone?
Importance: High

Dear friends,

We are in the process of ordering some bukhari’s from Manali soon and the bukhari distributor is also a cheese manufacturer. The cheese is quite good and we are paying for the transport anyway so you do not have to pay for that.

Please let me know before the end of the day tomorrow if you would like to order any of the cheese as listed below and the quantities you want so I can place the order. Feel free to forward this to anyone you think may be interested… Arrival is expected to be in about 2 weeks….

I will follow up with you individually for payment…

Sir/Madam,

We are making following cheese, price per Kg.

1) Himalayan Asiago @320/kg

2) Himalayan Mountian.@400/kg

3) Himalayan Gouda.@400/kg

4) Himalayan Gouda  with chilly/black pepper/mixed herbs.@400/kg

5) Emmental.@475/kg

6) Mozzerralla in brine.@350/kg

7) Scormoza (smoked)@450/kg

8) Pizza cheese.@275/kg

9) yogurt@50/kg

5%vat or CST- 2% against form-C

The cheese we  are making is free from any preservatives or chemicals

Now, a bukhari is a wood burning stove. Why there is a place in India that manufactures both bukharis and cheese is still a mystery to me, but we thought we would take a gander, agreeing that this is one of the most exciting things that has happened to us in a while. And of course, we went a little bit crazy upon receiving this order, imagining the cheese would be just as great as it is in Wisconsin... ordering about 30 us dollars worth of the dream (keep in mind, we are on ridiculously small salaries, so 30 bucks is a big deal).

The cheese was delievered to school and brought to my classroom; in the middle of class. My students were quite curious as to what was in the large, heavy bag so I had to feed their curiuosity and show them what a nerd their teacher really is. Thankfully, most of them were just as excited as I was, and we had a discussion about how, yes, it is a proper example of a hyperbole when Ms. Shriver says she is going to eat all of the cheese in that bag immediately after school.

Nan and I basically ran home, eager to taste the goodness. We threw our bags on the floor, quickly grabbed knives and plates and delved in.

We were not impressed.

It is about the equivalent of eating rubber, with a bit of a smokey aftertaste. Nothing like Wisconsin cheddar.

Oliver demonstrating what it is like to eat rubber; in shoe form.

While we were not necessarily happy with our purchase, we still are bound and determined to eat it all, we just might be having many dinner parties with cheese based main dishes in the near future.

Before I forget: Yes, the blog title is in reference to Sigur Ros.
Also, you might be wondering about the weird 'hat' that was pictured above in the beginning of the entry. Nan's mom recently sent a package full of goodies from the Minnesota State fair, including numerous head pieces. Since the Native Americans were fond of head dresses, we thought it would be fitting for our dinner to include these bits of the Midwest, including corn on the cob, Gander Mountain antlers and an elaborate turkey head. These hats made the social rounds all night, gracing the heads of people from around the world; none of which have the slightest idea what Gander Mountain is. (Clearly, we are quite mature adults)

...and that was Thanksgiving and Black Friday, Woodstock style. I hope you all had a joyous and scintillating time in the company of family and friends.

back at it.

Sadly, I have been failing in the blog world lately. In order to apologize and make amends, I promise two posts in one week... hold me to it.
I have been in a bit of a funk lately: feeling the need to hibernate at all possible moments.. even more so now that i have my new polar fleece bedsheets on. The other morning, while dragging myself up the hill, I stumbled upon a dead bird. He summed up my current energy level perfectly:

We only have a week left of classes before exams begin and so stress and patience levels seem to be skyrocketing. Luckily, I have had travel planning and good books to help take my mind and energy off of school work, and will hopefully be able to hang in there through the last sprint.

Things have been going well along with the 'hobo' project, however I am not going to post anything until February when the true hobo in us all comes out in full and no one is able to leave home without at least four layers on.

Today, I shot and hit my first monkey with my sling shot.
Normally I fire a few warning shots in the vicinity of the beast and they sense danger and take off. Today this was not the case. After shooting 2 warning shots and figuring the monkey must either be blind or stupid, I took aim, underestimating my ability. I hit him square in the side and oh did he get pissed.. I think. Actually I was so afraid of the fact that I hit him and possibly harmed him, that I didn't stick around to see his reaction, instead I bolted back towards the student dorms.
This was slightly embarrassing because 3 of my students were sitting outside and wondering why, after I had just passed them, I came sprinting back... (I made up a brilliant excuse, well lie, that I had just realized I left my camera up on the trail)

The world has this man to blame for equipping Emily Shriver with such a dangerous weapon.

There have also been numerous leopard sightings around our house so I have found myself on the constant lookout for an excuse to get near one; perhaps I won't be so shocked that I can't move, and will remember to take a photo.

The Woodstock cafeteria is not known for its high class gourmet food; in fact, some days it is better to just not eat rather than try to choke down the mysterious 'mutton' (I secretly think it is monkey meat) that they serve. Today I looked at my plate and knew it couldn't be a good thing when every single thing is a brownish/orange color and swimming in an odd looking pool of grease and spices.. and I forgot to mention, all carbs.
My least favorite lunch by far is the veg hakka noodles. Nan and I had made a plan way back that anytime this meal was served we would walk to cozy corner, a food joint down the road from school and drink chai instead. Last week upon checking the announcements and seeing the menu for lunch, we immediately planned to meet up for a walk right when the bell rang.
Preeti and Noel had just returned from taking the GRE in Delhi and brought us back a present..subs from Subway..with real salami on them (this is a ridiculously huge treat here). We set up a makeshift picnic, ignored the blatant staring tourists who formed a semi circle around us, and had the best lunch I have had on a weekday in a long time.

Lately I have been quite impressed with my ability to communicate with locals and coolies who speak absolutely no English. The other day the men who delievered wood for our bukhari on their backs, came in for a cup of tea and despite the extreme language barrier, we were able to have a good conversation that revolved primarily around their burlap sacks. This is a rather recent development, and I am not sure exactly what I overcame to have such a drastic change take place, because my Hindi has definitely not improved. Regardless, I have now had at least 7 conversations with the Shepards of the area and even was invited to sit on the path with these guys and they agreed to pose for a few pictures. I suggested that they seek out a career in modeling, sadly I think that part of the conversation was lost in translation.

That is about all I have to report; much of the past few weeks has involved attempting to stay warm and a variety of incidents involving bukharis and fire. I also had a thrilling adventure trying to catch an enormous and elusive spider in my classroom. It took about an entire prep period to succeed, but I was victorious in the end.

 

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, a holiday that brings to attention just how far away from family I am. Luckily, we will be getting a large group together for a feast, pretending that there is a roasted turkey in the center of the table, rather than chicken and a lot of vegetarian dishes. While it might not be a traditional Thanksgiving celebration, it is bound to be an eventful time.

I wish you all a splendid holiday, if you take the time to read my blog, I am definitely thankful for you.

mishmash/monster mash

The last few weeks have been quite quiet, the cold has officially set in and we have managed to light the bukhari three times...only 6 days into November.and we have been told we cannot use space heaters due to electrical shortages.. looks like it is going to be one long winter.
Looking around at my fellow staff members last Wednesday during our weekly staff meeting, I had a bit of an epiphany: we all look like complete hobos. Take your average sized male, then add three under-layers, a 'professional' looking wool shirt with a cardigan over the top, and then an extremely over sized sweater over that, a scarf, mittens, and judging by how large the legs look, at least 2 pairs of pants.
After some contemplation and discussion, Nan and I had a brilliant stroke of genius which put into action the hobo campaign of Winter 2011/12.
Our primary thought process is that if we dress like hobos for long enough, in ridiculous amounts and layers of clothing that perhaps they will either take pity on us or be embarrassed by the general lack of professionalism in their staff and thus reconsider the heating supplies for the staff members. As the days become progressively colder, I am going to carry my camera around, inconspicuously taking pictures of staff members who are not aware of this campaign but look like hobos nonetheless.  This will hopefully appear on the blog sometime in the next few weeks. Here are a few to tide you over.

 

We did get these 'beautiful' blankets as a peace offering...

Himalayan Weavers- the best scarfs and shawls in the area. A definite must for the hobo campaign.

A few weekends ago, I had another one of the incidents that leaves me with the irreversible feeling that i am living a pretty warped life. I received my yearly dose of concerts.. in a matter of hours.
Hearing of people back home who have the ability and means to attend good live music always makes me quite jealous; the music scene in India, at least along the lines of concerts and well known bands, is almost non existent, but we made sure to make up for it.  A local Woodstock alum, who is also a celebrity in India, had us over to celebrate the engagement of a fellow staff member. This party was unlike anything I have ever attended..ever.
Once the party officially got underway, it turned into a full out music festival: 7 concerts in 1 night.
Sadly i have no pictures to document the occasion, I was far too absorbed in the beats, the mental image is left up to you. ..
A tv that was at least five feet by seven feet, projecting concerts in full surround sound (I dont even remember the last time I saw a TV, so this in itself is a big deal), a ridiculously large house with a full staff, enough food to feed the mountain side, rock stars like The Eagles, Stevie Wonder, Rhianna, Santana, and U2..
and we were there (at least it felt like) right the front row.
At one moment I looked around and had a brief glimpse at how ridiculous we all looked, before falling back into the imaginary land of full blown concerts. Adults dancing, screaming, whopping, and whistling, requesting songs as if they would be taken into consideration and even a few incidents in which Noel violently threw herself at the tv, hoping to be pulled up on stage. The only things missing were cell phones and glow sticks. Maybe next time.

"Babies use the backdoor"

Woodstock recently had the 100th  reunion for the alumni association, and in honor there was a mela, or festival, full of local vendors and too many treats. Nothing too eventful occurred, numerous pies tossed into faces, sponges tossed like grenades and students spending their parent's pocket money on unnecessary items, primarily food related. But it did turn out to be a great photo opportunity.

Ennis!

Himalayan Weavers

whoever would have thought that pillows would be a best seller?

This is how creative my ninth graders are...of course, they weren't even real hot dogs, and most of the kids have no clue what a hot dog is...- they were chicken 'frankies'

 

Halloween is not a big deal in India at all. This is a bit sad considering it is one of my favorite holidays, and when I come to school dressed as a witch, students think I am just being a bit odd, and might be back on what they refer to as my 'crazy meds' (the medicine I took during my bouts with giardia when I hallucinated for days on end).
To at least attempt a Halloween celebration I invited my advisee group over for a night of tricks, treats, and a healthy dose of Hocus Pocus. I refused to let them in the door if they did not dress up, and while many of them did not exert their full effort on costumes, they did dress up a little.
We also had a Rocky Horror Picture Show viewing this weekend, it was the first time that a group of adults watched the entire movie in a sitting without crude shout outs and dancing, but it was quite entertaining to say the least.

 

 

..And that is my life the past few weeks in a mishmash of tales.. as for other updates, my sisters have booked their tickets to India for Christmas, I have been reading record amounts of books, my students are still asking ridiculous questions about the land of the free, and yes, my scarf is still stuck in the tree (I am still open for suggestions for removal).