A Smoking Culture

In China they do not have the same feelings against smoking that are developing more and more across the United States. Smoking can happen inside a nice hotel and it is considered normal. I saw two guys that looked rather young, in their late teens, smoking on the street, however my judge of age could be a bit off as well. People will be smoking on street corners or as they walk down the road. Coming from a non-smoking family this has been a little strange for me, although I never really smell the smoke from the cigarettes. I found this picture I took in the hotel room rather funny, but if they did not ask this I guess it could led to the replacement of many sheets. This may be the same in the United States however, I do not smoke so I would not know.

As to the hotel see below.

Here are some pictures that I took while walking around the area.

First Blog from Within the Country

So, I have arrived in China and am completing my week of orientation before I head out to my host school. I have been able to take a quick walk a block from the hotel where I am as well as explore a little bit in the centre of Shanghai. My first meal in China is below. There is of course rice, as well as two types of meat and cooked greens, behind there is a soup and a yogurt that they gave me a straw to drink from.

 This is the view of Shanghai that I have from my hotel window. I am actually located near the outskirts of the city so there are not many skyscrapers nearby.

I do feel a bit overwhelmed at the moment and have not really had a chance to process what I have been seeing. There are some differences (besides the language) that I have noticed but I will talk about those in later posts.

So how do you prepare for China . . . I really do not know?

So, when I decided to spend the next year in China I was rather unsure that my current knowledge would suffice. When you go to another culture even the simplest things such as counting numbers with your hand (and China does do this differently, check out this video to see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CbIUrBzMd4) can be a challenge. So how do you prepare for something like that? My solution as many of you who know me would guess, was books, so I made a trip to the library to find books that would give me some basic information about the country I was about to spend a part of my life in. The books I gathered ranged from a short history to the specifics of Chinese etiquette written especially for foreigners. The three that I especially enjoyed were:

It's All Chinese to Me: An Overview of Culture & Etiquette in China

This one was a favorite both for its bluntness in its deliver of Chinese culture and the fact that it used cartoon like pictures to present a visual as well as a written description of China.

China Condensed: 5,000 Years of History and Culture

A very quick overview of Chinese history, allowing you to learn about China's many dynasties in one afternoon!

China A to Z: Everything You Need to Know to Understand Chinese Customs and Culture

Written by an Asian-American father-daughter team it delves more into important historical events and people that are both long dead as well as those still influencing China. Even though it was written in 2007 (there is a newer 2014 edition as well) it presents a rounded view of modern China. 

Along with these books I also watched several Chinese movies which included: 

Curse of the Golden Flower

This gave insight into the lives of a Chinese Emperor and the lack of power women, even the empress, had over their own lives as well as the treason and family issues that can occur within a royal family.

Farewell, My Concubine

Spanning a large amount of Chinese modern history, especially the Cultural Revolution, a story of two men unfolds. Trained to be actors in Chinese Opera from a young age they form a lasting friendship that is tested when one of them marries a brothel woman. 

 Hero

The setting is the unification of the Chinese empire under its first dynasty. The Hero, a nameless man,   gains the emperors favors by killing three assassins but you find out he has plans of his own. This movie looked into the ideas of honor and desire for a stop to endless war.

Raise the Red Lantern

A young college women finds herself unable to finish her schooling at the death of her father so she agrees to marry a man with three other wives. The peace that is portrayed in this house hold is not what it seams and she has to work through her emotions of being the fourth wife. 

Red Cliff

A two part movie the Red Cliff tell of an epic battle where Southern Warlords have to defend their homeland agains a corrupt general who desires to grab the emperors power for his own. 

These movies and books gave some insight into the values held by Chinese individual, however, just like all movies or media published they are also biased by the individuals making them, either intentionally or unintentionally just as this is done with media within the United States. I found these books and movies interesting and helpful however, do look into them more deeply to make sure you would enjoy or approve of watching them for your own benefit. This was part of my preparation for travel to China, we will see if it was indeed helpful in the days to come - the very least they can be something to talk about with those I meet. 

On the Way

I am headed to China and am both excited and a little scared to say the least. I was glad that I had a flight that left during the day and a window seat so I could capture the moment.

* The Vancouver Airport has FREE wifi for all who wonder!!!

China, it begins!!!

This will be my first post on/for China, (mostly just to see if everything is working with my blog!). And for now that is about it . . .

A return to the hostel . . .

Went back to the hostel after school the other day and saw this.

   I thought it was so, so funny. If I came home to this in Indiana, it would first mean that the cows got loose and that would not be fun, because you would then realise secondly that you must now go catch them.

   I did leave the building later that evening and there was a teen guy that had come to apparently take the cows home. Someone told me, "Even if it does not appear so, there is usually someone near by who is keeping an eye on the cows. 

Taj Mahal

 There was a young man who went out into the market one day and his eye caught a most beautiful women walking adorned in silk and beads. He was instantly besot with her and wanted to make her his wife. However, this young man was not just anyone but Shah Jahan, son of the fourth Mughal Emperor of India. He went home and told his father that he wanted to marry this woman, at the time he was fourteen years old. His infatuation was Arjumand Banu Begum (her name meaning "beloved ornament of the palace"), fifteen and herself a Persian  Muslim princess. Five years after his declaration it was fulfilled and he gave her the new name of Mumtaz Mahal meaning "Jewel of the Palace." Though Arjumand was not Shah Jahan's first wife, he had two already (his Muslim laws allowed the taking of four wives), she was to become his favourite.

  Thirteen children later their loving relationship came to an end. Pregnant with their fourteenth child, Arjumand went into labor. Neither her or the child survived. Before she passed she requested that Shah Jahan build something in memory of their love. According to another source the story goes that when she passed Shah Jahan sorrow was so much that he was inspired to build something in memory of their love. Still another goes that while Mumtaz was on her deathbed Shah Jahan promised her that he would never remarry and build a grand mausoleum over her grave. Whichever of these stories is or is not the real deal the result was the same, for he built a grand tombstone out of white marble. This grand architectural show of affection took 22 years, thousand of labourers (22,000 to be precise), and a large chuck out of the royal treasury. Yet, it has remained over three and a half hundred year. After it was finished he placed her body in the centre of the structure right under the great dome. 

   The building that he made was not simple memorial (as you can see from the picture above), the methods and materials used were to match their love in rare beauty. The structure  is made of white marble, unusual for the place since many emperors before preferred the red sand stone for building. He choose this for its beauty and purity to make it worthy of his queen. Surrounding the mausoleum (giant tomb stone that no one can miss) there are four minarets or towers. They are actually leaning outward at a two degree angle, this was done for two reasons, one being that if an earthquake happens the towers will fall away from the building since they are leaning out and, so it looks right, if they were correct they would look like they were leaning in. These towers were open until after the hippy era, this closing occurred because couples wishing to die together at a place of love felt the Taj Mahal was 'the place,' a world wonder of love. My tour guide said that 77 people died jumping from the towers. 

Me: Wait, 77?

Tour guide: Confused? 77 does not make an even number?

Me: Not really.

Tour guide: That's because we have a saying here in India . . .(pause for effect) . . . Ladies First!

. . . 

(moment of silence to comprehend the sad, awful, funniness of what was just said)

. . . 

Me: Oh . . . Thats funny . . . 

That was actually quite funny, he was a great tour guide. (Just to note as a disclaimer: not sure if that is a true . . . about the 77 . . . and the ladies first.)

   Back to the glory of love. The building was inlaid with jewels. 

 --History Insert--

   Going to make this short and sweet. So, what first started as the British East India Trading Company, EITC, (same one that tries to get Jack in the Pirates of the Carribean) expanding their power over the area, eventually led to the British Raj. The country was then officially controlled by the British who started adding land until they controlled most of India, directly or through other local rulers. During this time there was what I call a 'silent theft' occurring. It was not like the British government was, as a organisation, going into India and taking jewels, gold, national treasures, etc. from India. It was more like individuals (soldiers, merchants, rich government officials) where taking what they found. This is similar to what happened in Germany under Hitler, where soldiers would confiscate Jewish property or  important works from the countries they invaded and keeps it for their own private use. Since this happened over many year India lost its riches, anything that was practically not a building or an extremely religious artefact was moved off to England and private pockets. 

   When the Taj was found the precious jewel that were originally placed in the walls were plucked out and taken away, leaving a barren white building. The very top of the Taj had what was once a golden finial (an ornament at the end, top, or corner of an object), it was taken way by the British and replaced later with a bronze one (you can see it at the top of the Taj in the picture above, it is really tiny in the picture). They also took all the jewels from both the fake coffin (which is in plain view for all) and the real coffin which a British officer found then they removed a floor tile. One is not allowed to take picture inside the main building aka 'burial chamber,' so you must imaging this for yourself, or actually go visit it, or just Google, your choice. This greatest theft of jewels occurred during the Indian Rebellion of 1857 during which many British soldiers and government officials chiseled out the lapis lazuli and precious stones embedded in the walls. However, a Lord Curzon redeemed this act to a certain extent when, at the end of the 19th century, he commissioned a massive restoration project of the Taj Mahal. It is during this time that the gardens in front of the Taj became a British garden as apposed to what was originally there. It could never be as it was before and the stones that were taken have never been return, yet the beauty of the Taj has withstood these trials of time.

 --End History Insert--

    It is important to point out that the art of enlacing these stones was not some easy task. For the process someone would go along and scrape out the marble in the shape of the object that was to be put in the marble. The next person would then form a precious stone to fit the space. This process is not some I will just complete this in a few hours, but more like this one single flower on the Taj will take an entire day! The precious stones that you see below would have taken days to complete. To shape one stone can take hours depending upon the size. This art has been passed down from generation to generation and is still being practiced to this day. You can see their beauty in the picture below.

   Since the emperor was Muslin and he could not use pictures of people he wrote verses of the Qu'ran around the entry ways of the Taj. All of these verse talked about heaven in some way or another. It led me to say that his mind may have been on his beloved even after she departed from this earth. You can see this writing on the left of the entrance to the tombs.

   The stories end is quite tragic or happy depending upon what part you take. After the Taj Mahal was completed Shah Jahan apparently, based on archeological evidence, wanted to build a Black Taj Mahal right across the river. However, this was not to be. His son overthrew him, but instead of killing him he locked him up in the Agra or Red Fort until his death. The picture below shows his balcony to the left. From this point he was able to spend the rest of his days viewing his beloved just across the way. When he finally went to meet his maker his daughter took his body and placed it next to his beloved Mumtaz Mahal in the Taj Mahal, also because he never was able to finish his mausoleum due to his son. He now lays to the left of his wife (since he was king his coffin should have been in the centre, but this was not the intended burial so they just made his coffin larger than hers). I guess that makes it a happy ending for he was finally able to return to the side of his greatest love . . .  

The End* 

*Of the story, not the post . . . still more to read!

   Because the Taj Mahal is a mosque and for a show of respect when people came to visit they had to take off their shoes when walking into the main white marbled building. This was a traditional sign of respect that people followed, however the idea that one should not take the shoes of others was not.  My tour guide told me that he would wear his most awful shoes so they would be where he took them off once he exited the Taj. He said that his shoes were nicked once so he just found another pair and went home. After the movie Slumdog Millionaire was released the Indian Government allowed people to by shoe covers. You can see mine below. Other wise you dropped your shoes off with some workers as you can see in the second picture.

 I must mention one other side before I leave off the Taj Mahal. As with many things in India what seems to belong to one group may not have started out that way and as with history, the victors get to write it. In India there are many circumstances where a Hindu temple as destroyed and a Mosque was built on top. There are actual places where the Muslim go to pray at the same building where underneath Hindus worship at their temple, since the Hindu temple was not completely destroyed, so both use the location. There is a Hindu claim that this was what happened to the Taj Mahal. Some say that the Taj was built by Hindu's and used until the Mughals took over. They then changed it to fit with their religious beliefs and needs. When I was at the temple I saw a group of Hindu's saying their prayers right outside the Taj in protest, wanting the Taj turned over to them as a temple. 

   On the other end of the spectrum, to the left side of the Taj is a Islamic house of prayer where Muslim men go to practice their beliefs. They are allowed into the Taj for free during this time because it is part of their religious practice. My tour guide, who was Muslim told me that when his cousins come they go with him to prayer and get to see the Taj Mahal for free, and take picture. They cannot go inside the actual building but must remain in the section allowed, the area that would traditional be used for prayer. Though both sides wish to claim the Taj it has remained open to all while trying to respect the religious views of both sides. I must applaud their efforts for that is difficult. Below is the Muslim Mosque use for prayer the entire courtyard would be filled, the Taj would be directly across (which would be to the right of the picture).

It would be behind the trees on the left looking at the picture below.

So . .  much beauty, plundering, and controversy later along with the payment of 750 rupees, just to interject, if you are foreigner, it was not very hard for them to tell that I was one, you must pay extra. If you are Indian it is 20 rupees . . . ya I know, that is a huge difference in pricing . . .  so back to what I was saying. Much beauty, plundering, and controversy later, along with the payment of 750 rupees, I was able to see the magnificence that is known around the world as the Taj Mahal.

The End*

*For real this time

Indian Chai

   The morning I arrived I woke up rather early considering my plane landed around 2:30. I dressed, wondered what exactly I was to do, and then decided to go across the way to the room where other lifeforms were awake and moving. I was greeted by a cook and another women. They asked if I wanted tea, of course I say yes (just to note, up to that point, tea was something I tended to avoid), and was handed a cup exactly like the one below.

   In this cup was a tea I never tasted before. It was sweet and rather creamy tasting. Nothing like the transparent brown stuff that is usually consumed by the few at home. This was different. My first reaction was that it was 'good' nothing more, nothing less. The thing that got me was this cup of creamy okayness was hot, if I drank it right away my taste buds will not work quite right for the next several hours, and was handed to me on a wonderful 26 degree celsius day. That is equal to a 78.8 degrees fahrenheit day. So, I am handed a steaming cup of tea on a day where the popsicles are a near necessity, just to be exceptionally clear. I am still a little confused.

 --- History Insert ---

Why is tea so big in India, so much so that Indians alone consume nearly 25 percent of the tea globally produced? Well, documented evidence dates tea drinking back to 750 B.C.E., however, legend is another, more intriguing, story:

"According to a very interesting legend, the history of tea drinking in India began with a saintly Buddhist monk about almost 2000 years ago. It so happened that this monk who later became the founder of Zen Buddhism, decided to spend seven sleepless years contemplating the life and teachings of Buddha. While he was in the fifth year of his contemplation and prayer, he almost fell asleep. He took some leaves from a nearby bush and began chewing them. These leaves revived him and enabled him to stay awake as he chewed on them whenever he felt drowsy. Thus he was able to complete his penance for seven years. These were the leaves of the wild tea plant." 

(Source - it was so well written that I took it word for word so here is the link)

or

Other legends say that an evil Emperor, Shen Nung, was overthrown 5,000 years ago and banished to a remote part of Southern China. He was driven by poverty to drink only hot water. One day a gust of wind blew some leaves into his pot of boiling water, the results of which he consumed. The drink was so relaxing that he sat under a tree for the next seven years drinking nothing but this Tai (Chinese word for tea meaning peace)

The leaves of this wild plant were used for brewing this beverage and over the years a variety of teas emerged. India called it Chai, the Hindu word for tea. The growth of this plants use throughout India was not made without a little help from a small island.

   The British, which we also know as tea connoisseurs, came into the picture when it was noted by an Englishman that the people of Assam drank a dark liquid and again in the year 1823, a Singpho King offered an English Army Officer tea as a medicinal drink. They did have tea in England before this time but it was not until the 19th and 20th century that it grew into the popular cultural act. The 7th Duchess of Bedford, Anna, helped this trend along with the need to fill the 'sinking feeling' in the afternoon from lunch and diner, which was served around 8 o'clock. Her solution was a spot of tea and a possible light snack.

   When the British, specifically the East India Company, began controlling vast lands on this great peninsula which is India they chose to commercialised tea production by setting vast acres of land aside to grow this product. These tea plantations began popping up in the 1830s but it was not until the early 1900s, when the British-owned Indian Tea Association began a great effort to market to the masses. They saw a vision that was worth tons, actually it was pounds . . . ha, ha! They began promotional campaigns to spread this drink; such as setting up tea stalls in cities, encouraging factories to give breaks to their workers, placing tea stalls at ever increasing railway stations, and even the giving of demonstrations. These efforts did not fail, continuing to gain greater momentum after WWII. Today it is a very present part of life.

 --- End History Insert ---

   Tea in India is consumed at all parts of the day: morning, late morning (there are many teachers gathered around the tea/coffee location between school starting at 7:45 until snack break at 9:55), noon, and afternoon (around 4:00 since the British afternoon tea is still engrained and supper is around 8:00). I have not really been offered tea after 5:00 in the evening. When being driven around India (because I will not drive here even if someone paid me) I can see individuals enjoying a cup of tea at one of the sweet/food shops that line the streets. For my tea, I prefer the kind made at the hostel at which I stay.

   For this tea, tea leaves are brewed along with milk, in equal amount to the water, and sugar. It is then strained into a cup steam hot. They type of tea was popularised by the British. There is another type of tea which is more tradition in India called Masala chai which has spices such as ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and black pepper added during preparations. I have not had this type. Chai is also defined by the leaves added to they tea, the popular two are Assam and Darjeeling named after the regions form whence they came. If someone asked me what the leaves are called in my tea, they will be disappointed. I just drink it. 

   At first the idea of consuming a hot drink on a hot day (90 F and 32 C), was nonsensical, it still rather is, but I have found a calm that comes with drinking this delicious beverage. It is now officially tied for best hot drink with hot chocolate, which was my absolute fave. I do not know if I will continue drinking it when I return home but I do know that the 'old' tea will not be a part of my life. It has been forever ruined. (Indian chai laughs menacingly mwahaha!). 

Random note: It rained today. I heard thunder. It was awesome!

India, cows, and . . . dogs??

Sorry, it has been so long (been a bit busy) and it is a bit long length wise. - I am trying to make them sorter but, as my father can attest, sometime it is hard to get me to stop talking (. . . it translates here as writing).

   I know this is not the cow . . . it's a dog. However, seeing this on the streets of India is as common as a cow. Actually it is more common. There are several things that one becomes use to, more so when one lives in certain locations. Since I am one the edge of a large city seeing a cow on the road is more common than in the centre of Bangalore.

   Everyone tends to know about the cow. In pictures of India one can see cows standing in the road, on trash piles (of which there are a plethora), laying besides parked cars or blocking roads. This generalisation (some times I just feel insulted that my American spelling is considered incorrect) that  we have regarding cows is correct. They do have free roam and are seen as special to the religion of Hindu.

 --- History Insert ---

   Not being an expert in the smallest sense on this subject I shall impart the knowledge I have gathered through college classes, personal readings, and question asking. Here it goes. The cow in India has both religious and historical significance to the people which runs interlocking through the years. For the historical significance is the idea of the importance of the cow in providing food. When one has something that one relies on it takes up an importance within ones life. In a time when food was not a store stop away one had to rely on what produced the food to be near and an animal that gave multiple produce would be seen as important. The cow would provide dairy products, its urine (which I will talk about a bit later), and its dung to those who had them.

   The first, dairy, is an important part of our diet. It would have been the main source of protein and calcium, good for the teeth and bones. The products that would have been made such as milk, yogurt (which cuts down the spice when used with such foods), buttermilk, paneer (homemade cheese), and ghee (clarified butter) were all considered highly nutritious. Milk also makes ice cream which puts the cow up a notch on my favourite animals list!

   The second and third were used for other purposes. The urine of the cow was seen as a disinfectant within Indian households and used to clean up homes. You can google this for yourself, but there were some that saw the urine from a cow as a beneficial to drink. It developed as the cow was seen in relation to religion and its abilities regarding health increased accordingly. The other number that comes from the cow was also used.

   Just like the pioneers traveling across the great plains using the dung of buffalo as fire fuel so to did the Indians (the actual ones, Columbus' mistake is quite irritating to me) use cow dung to fuel their fires. Unlike the Americas, there was not the large number of trees that could be used for fire woods within India. Also, the Indus civilisation has existed as one of the first civilisations in the world giving them much more time to deplete any trees that will grow as opposed to the N. Americas 500 years of white mans presence to deplete the forests. So, instead they turned to the use of cow dung for fuel. Because of this they were able to cook their food, which had the added benefit of killing any germs that may have resided within the ingredients. Is it just me or do these benefits just seem never ending? To a civilisation, the benefits of a cow that is alive for its products is better than a cow dead for meat. In western society we see this as well. Instead of sending a heifer to market she is breed and placed in a diary. Since they did not have such a place in early Indian society they were taken care of by smaller families or a village.

   The bulls were also valued. In a world without tractors humans had to plant and harvest their field by hand. I sure the fun was indescribable. If I had to plant and harvest a field by my own two hand I would, without a doubt, starve that year. It would be too much work, but if I had a bull to pull a plough the task would move into the category of possible completion. Kill a bull eat for a month, not kill a bull eat for a year, so to speak. Bull were also better to use than a horse on the account of their sturdiness and toughness, also more common. I do not know if you have seen movies that take place before modern machines where someone used their bull to farm but that bull was a families livelihood. In Western Europe this was also the case. Sometimes families would share an animal between them to plough their fields. If this animal died it was tragedy and close to losing a important member of the family. It could lead to a very slim and difficult year.

  In both cases it was much more important to keep the animal alive than eat it. Horses were similar in  western society, they were so necessary for travel that one would not eat it for meat. It was ones vehicle before the Model T, one would not scrap their car to find parts for their washer nor would one kill their horse for meat. The idea was seen as very strange and became rather taboo. This thought process, drilled into our brains for hundreds of years, has not left in the 106 years since Ford's (I know I am probably giving him credit he does not quite deserve for those history buffs who may disagree) civilisation changing creation. If one hears that they are eating horse they may decide they have have suddenly become full or may need a trip the the loo. This idea is similar to how cows are viewed in Indian society. They were so necessary alive that they were not eaten for their meat. This thought process, over time, came to be seen as taboo as well. Making it doubly taboo is the fact that these animals came to be seen as pets for a family, they would make sure it was feed, taken care of and sheltered, similar to how we treat our dog, maybe without all the toys. One would not even think of killing their dog for food. Why would you kill your pet, similarly why would you kill your cow?

   Religious significance was tied into the importance of the cow in daily life. It is relatable to the worship of the Hebrews in the Old Testament. When God asked for a sacrifice he did not ask someone to give something of none importance to him. He asked for the best of one's flock. The prime animal that would bring in good genes. When sheep were just as importance to a nomadic families livelihood as the cow was to early agricultural societies it was a big deal to give something that would have improved your families chances of survival in sacrifice. God did not ask something small of the patriarchs when he told them to choose the best of the flock, he was asking them to put their complete trust in him, believe that even when they were giving up something that would help in their survival they would survive. The fact that these men, who gave of the best they had still became such rich men would have seemed strange to those around them. An act that would appear as a lack of good common sense to a God that many around did not believe in would have been a laughable matter, but when they shall the wealth these men possessed it would cause one to think, if even a little, about the power of their God. The God of the Hebrews required blood but the Hindu just required sacrifice.

   What better to give in sacrifice than products that are seen as vital to a good healthy life. In rituals, instead of giving a lamb they would give the products that the cow produced. Instead of eating of these food themselves they would give it in worship. They were not giving something lightly either, but something just as important to their lives as a lamb. Food from their very mouths. Instead of giving this food to their families they were giving it to their Deity. These rituals became as important to Hindu as the Hebrews sacrifice and because a part of daily life. The cow was now more important in that it now provided the necessary products for worship and was even more important in life than before.

   Within the stories told of Hindu gods the cow was present. Of the Hindu gods Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva are the most common and important. Each god has a vehicle that they are said to ride. The vehicle or vahana that Shiva rides is the bull Nandi. 

-- Story Time --

The story goes once there was a man called Shilada who did not have children of his own and wanted to adopt. But not just any child would do,  he wanted a child blessed by Lord Shiva, whom he had worshiped for many years. Shiva, touched by Shilada's devotion finally appeared before him, 

'What boon do you seek, Shilada?'

'A child, I wish to have a child, Lord Shiva," Shailaja responded along with a bow.

Shiva smiled, 'You shall have it soon.' and then vanished.

Shilada returned home a very happy man, knowing that he was blessed by Shiva. The next day he went out to his plough to begin readying the field for seed and before his plough he found a beautiful boy child. Staring transfixed at the glowing child Shilada heard a voice from heaven, ' Shilada, take the child, bring him up well.'

Overjoyed Shilada returned home with the the boy child he named Nandi. From early childhood Nandi was as devoted to Lord Shiva as his father. He was brought up with love and taught the Vedas by Shilada. A fast learner and brilliant child Nandi made his father very proud. 

Some years later two sages came to home of Shilada. They were welcomes and refreshed. Shilada turned to his son to help him make to two comfortable. The two sages stayed for the evening and when they declared it time to leave Shilada and Nandi prostrated themselves before the two sages. Both sages gave a blessing to Shilada, 'Have a long and happy life, Shilada. You have made us very happy!'

To Nandi they then turned and gave the blessing, 'Be well son! Be good to your parent and your teachers.' They exited the house right after bestowing it. 

However all was not a it sounded. Shilada had seen the two sages faces when they blessed his son, and watched their expression change to one of happiness to a crestfallen sadness. Wondering what the cause was Shilada ran after the two men. 

Catching up he questioned them. 'Is . . . is something wrong that caused you to be filled with sadness towards my son?'

Looking at Shilada with pity one sage softly replied, 'I cannot wish your son a long life . . .'

'What is going to happen to my son?'

'Your son . . .' the sage cleared his throat, ' Your son  . . . does not have long to live. I am sorry . . .'

Upon hearing their news Shilada stood rooted to the spot even after the two left. Sadly he trudged home only to be meet by the questioning eyes of his son. Not wanting to keep this news from Nandi he slowly and painfully told the news of the sages. Instead of the scared boy he believed he would have to console his son was laughing.

'Why are you doing this?'

'Father, you are afraid of what the sages have sad . . . Have you not told me that you have seen Lord Shiva. Anyone who has seen him cannot be afraid." Seeing his fathers lack of understand at his explanation he continued, 'Father, if it appears to be my fate to die then Lord Shiva can reverse it. He is the most powerful of god and can to anything. Do you think he would let anything happen to us when we worship him so.' 

Shilada looked at his son as if looking at him for the first time and slowly nodded his head.

'Bless me father.'

'I shall, be victorious my son,'

Nandi then went out to a near River to show is devotion to Shiva. He entered the river and began his penance. His devotion was so great and his concentration was so high that Lord Shiva appeared almost instantaneously. 

'Open your eyes!' said the god tenderly.

Nandi opened his eyes to see a most beautiful person standing before him. He stared at his Lord Shiva wanting to savour his presence. Filled with completion he felt he has nothing more to ask thinking if only I could stay with the Lord always . . .

Shiva looked at him with eyes of love, 'Nandi, your penance was so powerful that it dragged me here immediately! Ask me anything, I will grant it to you!'

'Lord, I wish to be with you always' The words were out of Nandi's mouth before he could stop them.

Shiva smiled, 'Nandi I have just lost my bull, on which I used to travel, Henceforth Nandi, you shall have a face of a bull. You shall stay in my home at Kailash. You shall be the head of all my Ganas . . . You will be my companion, my vehicle and my friend, always!

Nandi closed his eyes as tears flowed. Shiva had granted him his very wish, to be ever with his Lord.

Since then Nandi became Shiva's vehicle, doorman, his companion and the head of all of Shiva's attendants - the Ganas. Thus by sheer devotion Nandi was not only able to overcome his fate, he rewrote it!

-- End Story Time --

   This story is one of the reasons that the bull is held in such his regard. This relationship adds to the views mentioned above resulting in the bull being treated so highly that it should not be killed. 

   This is also how the cow is seen in Hindu religion. She is equated to the sacred principle of motherhood. With the way that the cow gives her milk, her calming nature she is symbolised as charity and generosity. It is this milk, as I expanded on earlier, that is seen as necessary for human nourishment. Kamadhenu is the the Hindu cow goddess. She is depicted as a white cow with a female head and breasts or as a white cow containing various deities within her body. She is described in the Vedic Scriptures (Hindu Scriptures) as  the mother of all cows, a miraculous "cow of plenty" who provides her owner whatever he desires. It is said that she was produced by the gods at the churning of the cosmic ocean. Hence she is to grant all wishes and was termed the 'cow of plenty.'

 --- End History Insert ---

   The was a bit of background on why cows are able to roam around India. They are not to be treated harshly in any manner. I heard a funny story that took place just down the street a few weeks before I arrived. There was a problem at a bank and the police had to show up and take care of it. They ended up arresting people and were in a hurry to get back to the station. They were pushed people out of the way, rushed into their vehicles, and then were demanding that other vehicles give way to them. They were in this great rush to drive away only to get meters down the road and encounter a group of cows who decided that, at that very moment, they would take a stroll down that very road. The police had to stop, and make their way, quite slowly down the road until the cows decided the the side of the road looked better than the road. I found it quite hilarious, but it also show how cows are treated in this great year of 2015.

   While people are to treat them with care, cows do not have the best of lives. They are usually milked in the morning then let loose to find food. In the evenings they return to their owners to be milked again. Also, if cows are in the way people will kindly give them a push of motivation and I have also seen people pick up some type of switch and hit the cow's side with it (I believe that is okay to do . . . ?). So yes, there are cows roaming the streets.The dogs on the other hand where a bit of a surprise.

   When I arrived early in the morning we were driving through mostly empty streets. The only people around were young men on bikes or these wild dogs. They, the dogs, were in gang groups and some of them were just laying in the middle of the road. That night I could hear them barking before I fell asleep. I still listen to them barking at night, and these are not the dogs you can just open the door and holler 'shut up' to. I was talking to someone about the difference I have noticed between India and the United State and the dogs was one I brought up. They informed me that the city has been trying to cut back on their dog population through neutering and spaying them. They pick them up off the streets, complete the surgery, notch their ear, and let them go. All this in an effort to cut back on the population, without killing them outright. I guess it is working since I have not seen any puppies at all. Just dogs similar to the picture above. The gang that covers the block on which I stay has a rather sad looking dog that only possess three and a half legs, but he appears to be looked after by the other dogs.

   It is actually quite funny, at this moment it is 10:00 at night, I am writing about dogs and I have not hear a single bark, they must know I am talking about them . . . still no barking.

Indian School

   Bangalore International School (BIS) is located on the upper right corner of Bangalore and resides in a more rural part of the city. It is this school in which I have been placed. Unlike the U.S. where most everyone goes to a public school and would say they received a relatively good education, students in India prefer to go to a private school, especially ones run by nuns or priest. They do this because the stigma surrounding government run schools involves the ideas that all the teachers do not have the certification they need, they will not cover the information that should be taught in a school, etc. If you want your child to have a pretty good education then you should send them to a private school. BIS is one such private school. However, it is not run by nuns or priest.

   BIS is a private school but it is also international school. What makes an international school such is that it follows a national or international curriculum that is different from the nation it resides within. Usually these curriculums are based on United Kingdom or United States Education Systems. For BIS this is seen mostly at the high school level. For grades 9 and 10 they follow the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) which is through Cambridge. This prepares them for either the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IB)  or the General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (A Level). After grade 10 they choose which program they would like to complete for grades 11th and 12th. After this many of the students apply at a colleges in countries such as the United Kingdom, United States and Canada. There was actually a student that was accepted into Purdue a few days after I arrived. She will graduate in June. School at BIS runs longer than other schools in India which get out at in April, however since BIS is an international school they have to take exams that run till the end of May. They finish up classes end of March beginning of April spending the rest of the time taking a mock exam and then studying for the actual exam.

   For classes, students arrive at school by 7:45am for assembly announcements in the amphitheatre then head to class at 7:55. They have three class periods that are 40 minutes long. Then it is snack break for fifteen minutes. Teachers go to a lounge room to eat and enjoy tea/coffee. Then there are four more class periods each 40 minutes long then it is lunch time at 12:55, where teachers go to the lounge again for food. After a thirty minute lunch there are two more 35 minute classes and school ends at 2:30 pm. These classes are not the same as typical school in the United States. There you either have block scheduling where they have the class every other day or schools have the student take the class every day. This is not how it works here. For example 11 grade IB students will have a History class periods 2 and 3 (for what is called a double period class) on Wednesday, periods 8 and 9 on Thursday (another double), and again periods 2 and 3 on Friday (double again). Other than these days the students do not have that class. So for none history lovers that would leave Monday and Tuesday history free! This is the same schedule for middle and high school which classes being double or single periods on certain days of the week.

   Every weekday morning I get up and head to school along the street below (it takes me like 3 minutes to get from my room to the school gates). - That is nice!

The building I stay at is the left corner building at the end of the road - BIS was to my right when I took this picture.

The front of the school is below. I enter the school through the small gate to the right of the telephone pole. There are gates everywhere here.

Auto Ride in India

I went shopping today and took a ride in an 'auto.' To Americans, they are known as tuktuks but that is not what they are called in Bangalore. Even though it may look a bit crazy or appear like my life is in danger, I really felt quite safe. Those driver drive in these conditions all the time, they know what they are doing. Below is a video of my ride. This one is a little tame since it was such an open road. But as you can tell there are no lines that keep drivers in certain lanes, this makes it somewhat of a free for fall on who takes up what part of the road.

If anyone has any questions they can just post them in the comments. I will try my best to find out the answers.

First Day in India

When I arrived in India I knew that someone was going to pick me up from Bangalore International School but that was all. Before I left for India I took on the mindset of what happens, happens. I tried not to create preconceived notions of what my life was going to be like, for if I do this I usually do not have a good a time. I would spend most of my day thinking about how my expectations were not meet. So, when it came to India I just read up on generally held beliefs and customs so I would have a background to build upon. I heard stories of there being many people in India and of drivers bombarding you wanting you to choose THEM as a driver. I did not find that when I arrived, however it was at 2:30 in the morning.

        I stepped off the plane and headed to customs, where I would have to show my visa and then be allowed into the country. It is the most stressful part, after traveling that far and then to not be allowed into the country would be . . . lets just say . . . so not cool. So I was a little nervous, however I have been told that U.S. Customs is one of the most difficult customs to get through. I really do not understand how that made me fell better though it some how did. In Italy I just showed them my passport as I walked by the only man there. India was a bit more difficult, they actually asked questions. Before I arrived at customs, I had to go through a health check, or a check to make sure that no one coming into the country had ebola. In a country with so many people, very unsanitary conditions for parts of its population and hot weather a  virus like ebola could be very dangerous. So I filled out a paper with my name, where I have been etc., then presented it to one of four men seated at a table. It pretty much went:

      Seated Man: Where did you come from?

      Me: United States

      Seated Man: stamps paper and motions me forward

I was from the U.S. and, with all things considered, we have pretty good heath care even if it is not free. After the heath check I moved on to customs where once again, I also did this in going into Britain, I forgot to fill out the right card. I had to leave the line, go fill it out, and then start back at the end. It was so much fun! And so, I passed through customs:

     Other Seated Man: When are you leaving?

     Me: My plane leaves on May 7th.

     Man: takes a picture of me with a small camera mounted on the desk

     Me: is confused about what he was doing and what I was to do, so looked a bit weird and felt a bit stupid

I figured out what I was to do and made it through customs.

      It was official, stamp and all, I was in India. My next thoughts focused on the fact that my luggages was to be found on the conveyor belt and not some other country. It is one thing to have your luggage put on the wrong plane when you are returning to home, as I experienced returning from England, as opposed to going somewhere completely new, which I have been lucky to not experienced. After watching a variety of brands and colours (British spelling) make their way past, my fears were found to be hollow. Once my luggage was in hand I had to find where I was to be picked up. Not knowing exactly where I was to go, I somewhat wondered until I figured out what doors I needed to go through. Up to this point I had not meet anyone that was to pick me up. As I made my way outdoors I meet, what I believe to be, airport personal asking me what I was going to do. When I told them someone that was picking me up from Bangalore International School their response were all the same. 'Someone will be outside for you.' I understood what they meant as soon a I came in view of the glass doors.

     Imagine around a hundred Indian men, about three deep, leaning against a fence similar to a cattle gate all holding white signs with black lettering. That is what I saw. I found myself inwardly laughing at the number of signs that I would be looking through, took a deep breath and walked toward the automatic doors. Once in view of airport staff I was again asked what my arrangements were, with my response still the same I was motioned forward to look for my sign. I started at the beginning and began running my eyes over every sign, hoping I did not miss mine. I felt a bit strange but made sure I inspected every one for I did not want to start over. About twenty feet from the beginning I found it. Relief mixed with a bit of uncertainty rushed through me. Pointing to the man I told him that I was the one he was to pick up. From the other side of the fence he motioned me to head to the exit and he would meet me there. Everything had gone smoothly to this point and I hoped it would continue.

     We headed towards a parking lot where a Bangalore International School (BIS) van was parked, he put my single bag of luggage in the back and we were set to leave. It felt a tad funny to sit in the passenger seat, not because it was in the front but because it was on the left side. Since Britain colonised (you know why it is spelled this way) India up until 1947, cars and the need for roads led to  the implementation of rules to road travel, so the UK put their road laws into place in India. Those from other countries such as the U.S. look at this travel as wrong/weird however, if we go back to early road travel, such as the Ancient Romans it was the keep-left rule that ruled.

                                                              ------- History Insert -------

     In a society were it could be dangerous meeting other travellers one wanted to always be prepared. For a predominately right-handed society, if the rules of the road were keep-right than when meeting a stranger ones left side, non-sword arm, would be presented. This caused traveler to be defenceless if pulled a sword on them. Also, with the sword worn on the left side, one mounted a horse from the left, if the keep-right rule was followed than people would be mounting their horses from the traffic side of the road. The keep-left rule was much more practical.

     Than why did it change one can ask. Well there are two good reasons, one being America. When teamsters in the U.S. began hauling larger loads pulled by several pairs of horses they drove on the right side, this was due to their being no seats on the front of these wagons. Drivers would sit to the back left to allow better control of the teams with their right arm.  This lead to a blindspot on the right side of the wagons when meeting traffic, so teamsters started driving on the right to make sure they were clear of oncoming traffic, forcing all others to the left.

     The French were the other reason. When the French Revolution occurring in 1789, the aristocracy, who previously traveled on the left, forcing the peasants to the right, wanted to hide their positions in society. Considering how aristocrats were rather hated because of their association with a monarchist society, this was a definite survival move. To not stand out, they started driving on the right side to fit in with the lower class. Considering that historians place the number of elite who actually die during the Revolution at between 2-8% of the total, one could say it was not that bad of a move.

                                                                ------- End Insert -------

     Once in the vehicle we commenced our travel to the BIS hostel that I would call home for the next two months. The journey was rather interesting, I will expound on why in a later post. After about 25ish minutes we pulled up to a four story, grey/white building surrounded by a same coloured wall. The man watching the gate, unlocked and opened it for me to enter. There was about ten feet from the gate to the entry way and then fifteen to the elevator that took me to the third level. A middle age women meet me and showed me to my new bedroom. Tried and ready for something besides a chair to sleep in I welcomed a rather firm bed and fell asleep. I woke up to the view below.

The Trip to India

       So, I have been in India for two days now and feel that I have gathered my thoughts enough to write more than three words; I was a bit overwhelmed. I arrived in India around 3:30 Monday morning March the 9th. After 20ish hours of plane travel I was glad to be able to walk something besides an aisle way. I have realised (yes, it is spelled correctly; at least for India) that you do not really understand what I means to be part of 7 billion people on this plant until you travel half way around the world on an international flight, or any international flight really. Even then it is only a very small understanding. Walking through an airport you catch glimpses of lives very different from your own and I find myself overflowing with questions. What language was that group of people speaking? People wear those kind of clothes? Where is that person from? What religion would that person be because he is wearing a turban? To which I rack my brain for answers, however for most of them I find myself lacking in knowledge. The cultural understanding that we have grown up with is somewhat left at the doorstep when one travels out of country. Body language that is so natural for us to read in the comfort of our own communities cannot always be trusted in new environments. Things of life that we all just subconscious take in must become more conscious and it is this fact that can make traveling so tiring. Your brain, which is so amazing in it workings, is adapting to the environment, finding patterns in body language, speech, and actions that can help it make sense of the world around it. This is were I am at this moment, trying to make sense of the world in which I have found myself.

        During my airport to plane to airport to plane to airport adventure I had a layover in Qatar, which is on the peninsula dominated by Saudi Arabia. Since my flight had a layover at this location I was able to have a conversation with a certain individual. In the O'Hare Airport I meet a 26 year old Saudi Arabian women who was traveling back home after a year and a month in the United States. She was a Medical Doctor who's speciality was internal diseases. She was living in Toledo, Ohio where she was working on her residency but she had spent time in Chicago as well. She came from an Islamic culture where the laws are more restricting towards women. I knew this to be the case but for the first time I was able to talk to women from that society. All previous knowledge was from books and the magical internet. I found out that if she wanted to visit her friends, she would have to ask her brother to take her to there because she was not allowed to drive . . . at all. It is illegal, by law, for women to drive in Saudi Arabia. If her brother did not want to take her then she had to either, talk to her dad about it (she said it was not good to do this to much or her brother would get upset) or reschedule her appointment. I could never image having to ask my brothers for a ride, let alone them telling me they would not take me (it would not go over well at all). Whenever she would go outside she would have to wear an all black outfit with her head covered, otherwise known as an abayas, usually paired with the hijab (headscarf) or niqab, which leaves a slit for the eyes. The other one that western culture is familiar with is the burqa (which covers the body from head to toe, with a mesh for the eyes). She said that in larger cities in Saudi Arabia this strictness is changing, but in the town where she lived it would not be looked kindly on to wear something other than an all black outfit.

       When I asked her to tell me something that she like about the United States she told me it was the organisation (it is the British spelling, my autocorrect is automatically set on this) of the roads as well as being able to wear colourful headscarves in public as opposed to the black ones back home. The driving was another plus. Before coming to the United States and taking the driving test she had never been behind the wheel or really paid attention to driving at all. Why would she if she was not allowed to drive? Another part of her life that I found most interesting is that if she traveled anywhere outside Saudi Arabia she had to have her father sign a paper that allowed her to do so, even though she was a twenty-six year old woman. Any woman in Saudi Arabia has to have the permission of their father or husband if they wish to make a trip, once again it is the law. So, for me to travel to India, if I lived in Saudi Arabia, I would have to get my father to sign a paper and if he said no I could not go, that was it. I could do nothing about it. She was also unmarried, much to her mothers disliking, and she told me that one reason she this was so was she enjoyed her freedom. Her father was rather soft (her words), and was okay with her traveling, if she would get married and their would be an argument between herself and her husband then he could restrict her freedom. She stressed how important it was to have the 'right' husband. She told me that many Saudi men hold a modern view about women and their rights but the laws concerning this are near impossible to change. One day she hopes Saudi Arabia will change but for now she lives under these restrictions. Saudi Arabia is her home and even though her rights are limited she still misses it deeply when away. She was so exited to be going back home to her family and the sun. We were going to meet up in Qatar when we arrived to talk some more but life does not always go as planned.

        The one and only picture that I took on my flight was the one below on the plane from Qatar to Bangalore. Sorry about the quality, if I was a great photographer I would working for national geo or something. Without being able to read the words one can tell exactly what it means, right?

I thought this was rather neat. It is written in Arabic, the language that was spoken in Qatar. When I was walking through the Qatar airport I had the experience of seeing what is was like having English demoted to the second language, Arabic was on the top with the English translation underneath. I gained a bit more appreciation for there being more than one language used as an explanation. This gave me a greater understanding for the growing Spanish speaking population and the appreciation they must have for the increase of products having a Spanish translation underneath. If one goes to a country and cannot read the language is so helpful to have a translation, especially when that language does not use the Phoenician alphabet.

         I know I have written much and I have not even started talking about India however, I am going to take my time, I have two months right?

Regarding My India Posts

Due to the single fact that my old blog was connected to my college account, which will be deleted before I return from my current travels, I have transferred all my posts regarding India to my new blog. If you would like to read them they will be under the tab marked India as well as on the home page. I will do something similar with my China posts to keep them seperate.

The First Official Post

I am starting this blog for two specific reason. The First being I love learning and experiencing new cultures both through reading and actually visiting them; to me it is rather like people watching, which can be done from the safety of your front porch or from the streets of Chicago. The other reason is that I am about to embark by plan to China, for the next year I will be experiencing this culture and I would like to to share this adventure with others. So I invite you to culture watch with me from the screen of your electronic device. Let the watching commence . . .