More photos here
Friday, August 31, 2007
ant mound and other pics from yelahanka
okay, we thought this was a snake mound, but now it seems that we were wrong. it's ants. I'm not sure which is more unsettling.
More photos here
More photos here
Thursday, August 30, 2007
one week in
About two days ago a mental switch finally happened. Perhaps my cycles re-harmonized after the jet lag or it was some other form of pattern recognition. The everyday patterns and rhythms of daily life and the street started make sense. I remember it hitting me on the bus during our daily ride home. The sun was bright and the traffic was its usually mess of honking and congestion, physical and respiratory. Perhaps the light added an exceptionally clarity to things. Things that made no sense are starting to have meaning and order.
Today is moving day. For the last week, I've been staying with Zack at his rented apartment near Nandidurga Road. He rents the place from one of the faculty, but he'll be moving closer to CEMA (the house/building where our program is located). In a month's time, we'll probably be leasing an apartment close to the school and CEMA along with Yashas. The three of us have been rapidly laying the groundwork for the new program, syllabi, advising policies, content and schedule, etc, etc. I'll be moving to one of the school's guesthouses for the next few weeks until we move in near campus.
The temporary place is nice and it's located in Malashawareem, primarily a neighborhood occupied by Brahaman (the teacher/spiritual/cultural caste). The biggest consequence of this that I can identify so far is that the resturants and food options there are almost exclusively vegetarian. It's likely that I'll be sharing the space with visitors that show up over the next month. For example, I think there is a woman from Nokia/Finland there currently.
Registration (as a foreigner) has been a decathlon of bureaucracy. I had my first taste when I went to obtain my VISA in Chicago...an all day affair. My uncle Kevin made a good point though. In the case of crisis, these ways of operating can still manage a ton of people and make sure that the necessary processes happen, eventually. In Chicago, I was struck by how few decisions were left to the individual teller I was in contact with. Instead, anytime a visa (other that "tourist" I assume) was required, it had to be cleared by a single manager. I suppose it's one way to ensure consistency.
Foreigner registration here consists of filling out lots of forms that ask questions about your blood type, among other things. These are all in quadruplicate (?) of course. You have to get verification that you are staying where you say you are. You have to have an Indian citizen sponsor you. In fact they have to attest to being your friend and promise to buy you things during your stay. A bond has to be purchased to guarantee your passage home and this then has to be notarized for anywhere between 40 and 4000 rupees ($1-100), depending on the notary's mood. All of this then has to be taken to the Bangalore police commissioner's office and if anything is out of order, then you have to return the next day...as we found out.
The coolest thing about the police commissioner's building (a 150 year relic of the British colonial era) is the bats. While we were waiting I noticed a very large bird with pointed wings. This turned out to be a bat the size of a small long-haired chihuahua with a wingspan the size of a broomstick. The bats hang like chrysalises from the ends of branches in these very large canopy trees. That afternoon, a monsoon cloudburst opened up the skies with heavy rain, and I just watched the bats swaying like hammocks in the wind.
Today is moving day. For the last week, I've been staying with Zack at his rented apartment near Nandidurga Road. He rents the place from one of the faculty, but he'll be moving closer to CEMA (the house/building where our program is located). In a month's time, we'll probably be leasing an apartment close to the school and CEMA along with Yashas. The three of us have been rapidly laying the groundwork for the new program, syllabi, advising policies, content and schedule, etc, etc. I'll be moving to one of the school's guesthouses for the next few weeks until we move in near campus.
The temporary place is nice and it's located in Malashawareem, primarily a neighborhood occupied by Brahaman (the teacher/spiritual/cultural caste). The biggest consequence of this that I can identify so far is that the resturants and food options there are almost exclusively vegetarian. It's likely that I'll be sharing the space with visitors that show up over the next month. For example, I think there is a woman from Nokia/Finland there currently.
Registration (as a foreigner) has been a decathlon of bureaucracy. I had my first taste when I went to obtain my VISA in Chicago...an all day affair. My uncle Kevin made a good point though. In the case of crisis, these ways of operating can still manage a ton of people and make sure that the necessary processes happen, eventually. In Chicago, I was struck by how few decisions were left to the individual teller I was in contact with. Instead, anytime a visa (other that "tourist" I assume) was required, it had to be cleared by a single manager. I suppose it's one way to ensure consistency.
Foreigner registration here consists of filling out lots of forms that ask questions about your blood type, among other things. These are all in quadruplicate (?) of course. You have to get verification that you are staying where you say you are. You have to have an Indian citizen sponsor you. In fact they have to attest to being your friend and promise to buy you things during your stay. A bond has to be purchased to guarantee your passage home and this then has to be notarized for anywhere between 40 and 4000 rupees ($1-100), depending on the notary's mood. All of this then has to be taken to the Bangalore police commissioner's office and if anything is out of order, then you have to return the next day...as we found out.
The coolest thing about the police commissioner's building (a 150 year relic of the British colonial era) is the bats. While we were waiting I noticed a very large bird with pointed wings. This turned out to be a bat the size of a small long-haired chihuahua with a wingspan the size of a broomstick. The bats hang like chrysalises from the ends of branches in these very large canopy trees. That afternoon, a monsoon cloudburst opened up the skies with heavy rain, and I just watched the bats swaying like hammocks in the wind.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Monday, August 27, 2007
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Yelahanka New Town
I can't say that I've much downtime since I arrived. Between falling asleep pretty early in the evenings and waking up way before the sun rises, I'm just now getting to a normal schedule. Given the 9.5-12.5 hour time difference between Bangalore and the East or West Coast I'm always trying to warp my head around when and were you all are. For instance, I'm writing this on Sunday morning and your are probably just headed to bed Saturday night.
I was totally unprepared for life here, and it's going to take a lot of adjustment. It reminds me somewhat of our trip to Suriname a few years ago, but the scale of the city here is incredible. The little things are more challenging: showering, brushing your teeth, finding food, and finding time and space to recollect thoughts and stamina. Noise is ubiquitous. Between the traffic honks and rumblings, the calls to prayer at 5 am, the crows that sound like a baby screaming bloody murder, and some other very strange bird that I have yet to identify, nighttime alone is packed. Smells are a whole other mixture ranging from burning trash, sandalwood, cow dung, curries, and the ever-present exhaust fumes. It rains a steady drizzle in the late afternoons, and at night big downpours wash away the previous day. It's very pleasant temperature-wise. Often there is a breeze and it usually hits the mid-70s/low-80s with moderate humidity.
So I am an artist-in-residence at Srishti School of Art, Design, and Technology which is located in Yelahanka New Town on the northern edge of Bangalore. Zack and I are living in the central city right now, but we'll soon move closer to the new Center for Experimental Media Arts facilities so that it's easier to get work done once we get up and running. While there is a lot more happening closer in, I think I'm looking forward to the slightly less dense experience of Yelahanka.
After crashing for 13 hours a couple of nights ago, Zack and I sought out whatever we could find in the form of an all-night diner at 5:30 am. We finally found a hotel restaurant near MG Road that was just getting going at 6:30 so we stopped in and had some delicious omelettes and coffee. Coffee's not as easy to come by as I would like. Most drink chai in the morning (which is great too) and there is a Cafe Coffee Day on just about every corner, but they don't open until 9:30 am; it's more a place for being seen that for satisfying the early morning coffee urges of people like me. That night we finally had a chance to grab some beers, fish, and chips, and cricket at the Windsor Pub.
Classes here run Monday through Saturday so Zack wrapped up his week-long class yesterday with final critiques. The student work is pretty good and they work hard. It was a long day as my jet-lag had finally settled in. Nonetheless, after ordering pizzas Saturday night when we got home, we set out for the next adventure.
Apparently the director of the school had asked a few of the faculty to chaperone a party for the new freshers (freshmen). She was worried about alcohol poisoning (same story, different country). Zack and I decided to tag along with Yashas and the other faculty. I had no idea what we were getting into. This little party "around the corner" turned into a gigantic journey. Zack and I snagged an auto (high speed chicken, night version) to meet Yashas and the rest of the faculty. We piled into Geethu's SUV and started out, only to be waylayed when Allen decided to come- which was great. So It's me, Zack, Geethu, Ramesh, A.V., Matt, Yashas and Allen. It was a crew. Now you have to understand that very few of the streets in Bangalore have signs. We did have directions, sort of. We finally set out on our two-hour drive to the countryside of Bangalore. The party, in turned out, was on a farm. We drove for awhile and I even got to catch up on a few Zs which I needed. It was cool though to be able to hang out in the car with everyone I had recently met.
When we finally got close enough to need the directions again, things got hectic. They weren't very good so we were having trouble finding where we were supposed to turn. We probably got lost at least 10 time while we passed strange circles and landmarks, drove through tiny villages with water buffalo to finally come to who-knows-where in the middle of the countryside. All of the sudden we arrived at a temple in the middle of the jungle. Mind you it's about midnight by this time and everything is dark and I still have visions of the snake borrows I had seen for the first time that morning. We visited the temple briefly before heading over to the farmhouse where the party was.
Driving through these back roads was a lot like driving in the American southwest, only much wetter and muddier. When we arrived, it was lke pulling up to a house party in the states. There were cars lined up along the road and dance music blasting from the back. Walking up was great. There were probably 100 students getting down in front of a fire and inside the "house", barefoot, in sandals, and mud everywhere. We hung out and danced for awhile while making sure everyone was okay. It was a good scene. Though I was tired I kept going till we decided to head back and hour or so later. It's a little difficult to picture, so I'll have to post images soon. soon.
I was totally unprepared for life here, and it's going to take a lot of adjustment. It reminds me somewhat of our trip to Suriname a few years ago, but the scale of the city here is incredible. The little things are more challenging: showering, brushing your teeth, finding food, and finding time and space to recollect thoughts and stamina. Noise is ubiquitous. Between the traffic honks and rumblings, the calls to prayer at 5 am, the crows that sound like a baby screaming bloody murder, and some other very strange bird that I have yet to identify, nighttime alone is packed. Smells are a whole other mixture ranging from burning trash, sandalwood, cow dung, curries, and the ever-present exhaust fumes. It rains a steady drizzle in the late afternoons, and at night big downpours wash away the previous day. It's very pleasant temperature-wise. Often there is a breeze and it usually hits the mid-70s/low-80s with moderate humidity.
So I am an artist-in-residence at Srishti School of Art, Design, and Technology which is located in Yelahanka New Town on the northern edge of Bangalore. Zack and I are living in the central city right now, but we'll soon move closer to the new Center for Experimental Media Arts facilities so that it's easier to get work done once we get up and running. While there is a lot more happening closer in, I think I'm looking forward to the slightly less dense experience of Yelahanka.
After crashing for 13 hours a couple of nights ago, Zack and I sought out whatever we could find in the form of an all-night diner at 5:30 am. We finally found a hotel restaurant near MG Road that was just getting going at 6:30 so we stopped in and had some delicious omelettes and coffee. Coffee's not as easy to come by as I would like. Most drink chai in the morning (which is great too) and there is a Cafe Coffee Day on just about every corner, but they don't open until 9:30 am; it's more a place for being seen that for satisfying the early morning coffee urges of people like me. That night we finally had a chance to grab some beers, fish, and chips, and cricket at the Windsor Pub.
Classes here run Monday through Saturday so Zack wrapped up his week-long class yesterday with final critiques. The student work is pretty good and they work hard. It was a long day as my jet-lag had finally settled in. Nonetheless, after ordering pizzas Saturday night when we got home, we set out for the next adventure.
Apparently the director of the school had asked a few of the faculty to chaperone a party for the new freshers (freshmen). She was worried about alcohol poisoning (same story, different country). Zack and I decided to tag along with Yashas and the other faculty. I had no idea what we were getting into. This little party "around the corner" turned into a gigantic journey. Zack and I snagged an auto (high speed chicken, night version) to meet Yashas and the rest of the faculty. We piled into Geethu's SUV and started out, only to be waylayed when Allen decided to come- which was great. So It's me, Zack, Geethu, Ramesh, A.V., Matt, Yashas and Allen. It was a crew. Now you have to understand that very few of the streets in Bangalore have signs. We did have directions, sort of. We finally set out on our two-hour drive to the countryside of Bangalore. The party, in turned out, was on a farm. We drove for awhile and I even got to catch up on a few Zs which I needed. It was cool though to be able to hang out in the car with everyone I had recently met.
When we finally got close enough to need the directions again, things got hectic. They weren't very good so we were having trouble finding where we were supposed to turn. We probably got lost at least 10 time while we passed strange circles and landmarks, drove through tiny villages with water buffalo to finally come to who-knows-where in the middle of the countryside. All of the sudden we arrived at a temple in the middle of the jungle. Mind you it's about midnight by this time and everything is dark and I still have visions of the snake borrows I had seen for the first time that morning. We visited the temple briefly before heading over to the farmhouse where the party was.
Driving through these back roads was a lot like driving in the American southwest, only much wetter and muddier. When we arrived, it was lke pulling up to a house party in the states. There were cars lined up along the road and dance music blasting from the back. Walking up was great. There were probably 100 students getting down in front of a fire and inside the "house", barefoot, in sandals, and mud everywhere. We hung out and danced for awhile while making sure everyone was okay. It was a good scene. Though I was tired I kept going till we decided to head back and hour or so later. It's a little difficult to picture, so I'll have to post images soon. soon.
Welcome to Karnataka
Like the subject says, I made it.
All is well and no rest for the wicked.
It's been a whirlwind since I landed. After Zack picked me up at 5 am we immediately hit the market. Zack wanted to give me the raw experience first thing. There are 6 million people in this city. The market is the place where everything hangs out. It was both nauseating on an empty stomach and rough mentally and gave you a wide view of life in Bangalore. We then left for the school since Zack had to teach a class that day. Most classes last a week and run all day from 9:30-5:30 with lunch around noon. We had a great breakfast that first day with some rice and these pancakes with a sort of potato chutney along with chai. Altogether the meal was about 40 cents from a cart vendor along the road. We huddled under a tarp with other faculty on stone benches and talked about what we were teaching.
Srishti is incredible. The architecture of the school alone makes you feel like the warm golden glow of the early evening sun is upon you all day.
Zack is teaching a class called "copying is cool" about remix cuture, copyright, appropriation, and post-modernism. The students here are amazing...so much more engaged and involved in the discussions (these were sophomores). I have to say that the level of discourse was better than most grad classes I've had..no joke. Watch out.
Everyday lunch is served buffet style for the faculty and staff. Awesome south indian food..all you can eat. We held class until about 2pm, then we interviewed some prospective students for the new program that I am helping to form. The Center for Experimental Media Arts as it is called is the first interdisciplinary arts program in India. People are really excited about it and not just from India.
After crashing early, we awoke early at 5 am to the call to prayer from the mosques and went searching the city for a restaurant that would be open and had coffee. We lucked out by 6:30 and by 8:30 we were once again on another high-speed game of chicken-in-a-rickshaw on the streets of Bangalore on our way to school.
Today we planned further the architecture of the new program and even began to lay out the interior space for our labs and offices.
All is well and no rest for the wicked.
It's been a whirlwind since I landed. After Zack picked me up at 5 am we immediately hit the market. Zack wanted to give me the raw experience first thing. There are 6 million people in this city. The market is the place where everything hangs out. It was both nauseating on an empty stomach and rough mentally and gave you a wide view of life in Bangalore. We then left for the school since Zack had to teach a class that day. Most classes last a week and run all day from 9:30-5:30 with lunch around noon. We had a great breakfast that first day with some rice and these pancakes with a sort of potato chutney along with chai. Altogether the meal was about 40 cents from a cart vendor along the road. We huddled under a tarp with other faculty on stone benches and talked about what we were teaching.
Srishti is incredible. The architecture of the school alone makes you feel like the warm golden glow of the early evening sun is upon you all day.
Zack is teaching a class called "copying is cool" about remix cuture, copyright, appropriation, and post-modernism. The students here are amazing...so much more engaged and involved in the discussions (these were sophomores). I have to say that the level of discourse was better than most grad classes I've had..no joke. Watch out.
Everyday lunch is served buffet style for the faculty and staff. Awesome south indian food..all you can eat. We held class until about 2pm, then we interviewed some prospective students for the new program that I am helping to form. The Center for Experimental Media Arts as it is called is the first interdisciplinary arts program in India. People are really excited about it and not just from India.
After crashing early, we awoke early at 5 am to the call to prayer from the mosques and went searching the city for a restaurant that would be open and had coffee. We lucked out by 6:30 and by 8:30 we were once again on another high-speed game of chicken-in-a-rickshaw on the streets of Bangalore on our way to school.
Today we planned further the architecture of the new program and even began to lay out the interior space for our labs and offices.
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