Taking Flight

- Ft. Lauderdale, FL to Charlotte, NC -
The planning, shopping, preparing, packing are all done. I have students' letters, well wishes, and video recordings to deliver in Kerala, and now I'm on my way..this process has been amazing thus far and I haven't left the US just yet.  

I'm actually airborne as I write traveling via Charlotte to DC where my cohort will meet for our transatlantic flight to Frankfurt...pinching myself, as I'm sure I'll do again and again over the next almost 3 weeks!   

What an awesome use of the US taxpayer's dollars!!! Sending teachers as "ambassadors" to learn, investigate, and view, interact, and of course, teach!

- Charlotte, NC to Washington, DC - 
So, I can see our nation's capital below....in flight from Charlotte, will be landing soon. But, wait!!! What do Devon Avenue in Chicago, and India, have in common?!  

Try and read the article, in this month's American Way Magazine, that talks about the stew of cultures that exists on Devon...and Indians are a big part of this mix..

Clearly, Devon is going to be a must on my next visit to Chi Town. But, I'll be back later folks...gotta stow the tray table and get ready for the third segment of my adventure: Lufthansa, I'm headed your way...hold on!

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!

Gotta Have Permission to Go

Woo-hoo!!! Success:) 
3 tries folks, but the travel visa application is complete.. 
https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/

It’s April 24^th 2015…. the countdown is on.  Six weeks for my departure to India!  I’m looking forward to the transatlantic fight to Germany with my cohort, and then on to Bengaluru (Bangalore).  As I look back on my fellowship experiences up to this point I’m reminded that it’s been a very busy period.  The online Global Awareness class throughout the fall was intense, but definitely positioned all of us (70+ teachers were awarded this fellowship out of the hundreds who applied) to have a clearer understanding of how important it is for us to help our students become global learners. Then we were whisked off to Washington DC for our TGC Symposium in February.  Meeting and seeing all participants for the very first time was exciting!  Knowing who our travel partners were going to be, and spending time with them was thrilling, as was learning where other cohorts were being sent—Brasil, Morocco, Indonesia, Georgia, Uganda.  Now, each of us is readying ourselves for the trip abroad.  Vaccines… visas…preparing presentations… planning  lessons to teach if schedule allows… brushing up on Hindi!! Namaste …all this while being in the classroom each day, working on renewal of my National Board Certification, and carving out personal and family time…really busy….but exciting! I’m loving it! 

India, here I come! J

An Introduction

Hi. I am Sandra Marie Brown...mother, wife, educator, and more...I'm passionate about life, family, and definitely about education...I believe all students can learn and am embarking on the trip of a lifetime...I've been awarded a TGC (Teachers for Global Classrooms) Fellowship from the cultural exchange division of the U.S.State Department, and am getting ready to travel to India for almost 3 weeks! I want to use this blog as a space to share, teach, and entertain based on my experiences in The Land of the Lotus!  Come join me:)