New Friends and Items for the Suitcase

Greetings From a Cheeky Narrator

May 31

A must-read for anyone planning on a visit to India--Adiga has exposed some of the underbelly of life on the Indian sub-continent...not a pretty picture, but what country doesn't have its not-so-attractive side..his narrator makes the reader laugh and ponder, all while getting a closeup view of the of  day to day life of those who are not particularly enjoying all the 'sweets' India has to offer.

7 Days to Departure

May 30

My travel partners and I have been in constant contact with Riyas, our Indian host teacher, over the past few weeks.  He has been most generous in keeping us posted with what we can expect when we leave Bangalore on June 12th to head to Kerala where he lives and works.  So now we know we will be teaching a lessons to 8th/9th/10th grade girls, and we'll be presenting to teachers.

Sarah, Jennifer and I have been feverishly putting together our lesson plans and presentations.  My students are now working on their letter writing activity---they'll be sending letters to the students I'll meet in Kerala---and they are researching to learn all they can about Kerala and India itself.

My wardrobe for the 3 weeks abroad is pretty much all laid out now; today I picked up mosquito repellant and yesterday I got my final vaccine--typhoid...yikes! another stick--my poor left arm:(

But my visa arrived yesterday as well! And we know that one of the activities Riyas has planned is to take us to the Arabian Sea-----the Arabian Sea folks!! Can---not---wait!! What a treat!