things india.

laura and i were out shopping the other day, and after she dropped me off she called. " there's a huge elephant at the end of your street," well that is not something you hear everyday. so i grabbed my (dying) camera, and grabbed these shots.

It came towards me...
grabbed a snack....
and continued on its way....



continuing with other things india....my friend did dandiya again this year. look for october's 2007 post for a description of this very neat gujarati event.

the spectators: matt, jon pitales, laura pitale, doug, julie

camera is dead:-(

silver lining.

every cloud has one, right?
with the untimely cancellation of week without walls, i was quite disappointed. but now it looks like we will get a half day on friday! wahoo. i am trying to arrange a last minute trip to mumbai to visit my old colleagues Isabel and Tom, and their new baby margaux!! i'm excited.

bummers.

From our director...
"During my eight years here I have seen the walls go higher and wire placed on strategic places. Electronic gates with guards housed in booths with bullet proof glass have been added. Daily our buses are swabbed for evidence of explosives and we have a catastrophic crisis plan. We practice a drill called "Shelter in Place", which trains children to hide in the event a terrorist should gain access to the campus. Surveillance cameras surround the campus. Finally, we employ a private security firm, provide us with security audits of the campus as well as all our trips out of the city. We also hold monthly meetings with the Embassy RSO office. Eight years ago none of this was thought to be necessary but now it is essential. You expect it of us."

Sadly, our week without walls (WOW) trips in the middle school and the mini-courses in the high school have been canceled. Postponed til spring, but who really knows then. These trips have been in the makings for over a year, however with the current risks travelling in India poses, it's safer to be safe than sorry with over 500 students at risk.

Realistically, Delhi isn't as safe as it once was. I don't think I ever saw Delhi as a "safe" place, but I definitely didn't think twice about shopping in markets, or traveling on trains. The way I see it, once I do have to think twice, I might have to consider relocating.

This last week I've found myself questioning why? when? how?
It's unsettling.