Today morning I got a package from home..actually not directly from home. Papa's boss Dr.Metzger was in Bombay last week, so I'd asked for some things to be sent through him. He was to post it to me from Frankfurt, so I'd get the stuff sooner than if my parents sent it from Bombay...they sent more than I asked for...apart from the notes, medicines and sweater I'd asked for, I also got a photograph of Schnapps and a box full of home-made Diwali sweets, i.e. gujiyas and shakar-pare!!! The extent of my happiness can not be described...infact I was so overwhelmed that I decided to go off somewhere by myself and generally get a grip before I cried or something!!
Since I was studying at the time the package arrived, I grabbed a quick bite and then left for the library. There I read up for class...last week we were lost in the Jane Austen class...for reasons too long to get into here, I don't wanna purchase the book here. Since the book isn't there in the library for loan..its only on the reserve shelf, I have to sit in the library and read it. I read up enough for today's class and was so glad I did coz I could participate in class...and it made sense to me. Ironically I took this class coz Saima wanted to, but now I'm enjoying it more than her...haha!! I think its coz we are free to give our own opinions and interpretations and I like this system of free discussion in class....plus they are approaching JA alot differently than we did in FYBA so she seems more readable now..from a different angle ofcourse...but well the aim is achieved...
Here alone again today coz they checked their mail while I was at the library...after this I'm going to Annika's for dinner as I mentioned yesterday. OHHHHH...I forgot to mention today I was in traditional garb, i.e. Salwar Kurta!!! I was wearing a salwar kurta even on sunday but that was only at home...today I wore my salwar kurta and roamed all over and am going in the same to Annika's also...didn't realise how much I missed wearing it. I mean I'm extremely comfy in jeans and prefer them most of the times, but I wear salwar kurtas just as much back home and wearing it today kinda felt nice....really nice!!! Another reason for nostalgia..LOL!!!
Guess that's it for now....Chao!!!
Wednesday, October 29, 2003
Resolutions and more...
I was thinking last night about how much my blog has started resembling a newspaper...all it consists of these days is reports and updates...there's hardly any introspection, observations, or even rambling...just ABC...period. How boring and mundane could I get? So henceforth I shall try to go back to my rambling style and include personal perceptions, opinions, thoughts et al....
Was walking down alone to the computer room today..felt really good. I mean I enjoy the company of the other two...but since we've come here I do everything along with them...atleast Saima comes along everywhere...so today the solitary walk cleared my senses and made me feel fresh and alive...tho I did feel a bit creeped out when I crossed this part with these huge trees..that part of the campus is dark and silent...tad scary if you have an active imagination like mine!! LOL!!
I plan to get out more like this...not out into the city, but maybe for a walk, or even to the computer room...coffee perhaps? Lets see how far I go with my resolutions...
Today in class we got really bored...Prof Kamble from the Socio dept of our univ is here in Magdeburg for a mth and he took the Dharawi lec today. All that he lectured about was basically repetition for us so we had a tough time restraining ourselves from getting distracted...one thing I can't understand about Indian professors is why they get all defensive and so conscious when they are abroad or in front of a Western academician...I mean he was the authority on Indian sociology in the circumstance, yet he kept referring to the German profs!!! He undermined his own status...completely incomprehensible to me....
The next class was Breunig's class...the same prof who invited us over for dinner last week. Obviously we knew lotsa people there and it felt nice to enter a class and say hullo to everyone and then walk out of the building discussing the lecture and the idiosyncracies of the prof...feels like we are included in the class properly now..not just guests, temporary members....know what I mean?
Tomorrow evening we have been invited to another dinner...this time a classmate...Annika. She was in Mumbai two years ago, so she is also interested n going back for another trip...infact she has applied for the excursion in Feb to Mumbai/Dharawi...anyways shes really quite nice and friendly. This morng she came around and took us to the IKUS office..thats the orgn for intercultural activities...they are organising the trip to Wittenberg. We registered for the trip..after that we visited the univ bookshop and I saw these cool tees with the Univ logo emblazoned on the front...shall pick one up as a momento of sorts...
Hmmm thats's it for now...feeling hungry...just had soup for bfast and grabbed a sandwich in between...shall email home and run back 'home'...talk about wierd...she talks of 2 homes in the same breath!!! Not yet diasporic tho...yes I know my attmept at humour escapes you all...accept it as Geetanjali's idiosyncracies!!! Hahaha!!
Was walking down alone to the computer room today..felt really good. I mean I enjoy the company of the other two...but since we've come here I do everything along with them...atleast Saima comes along everywhere...so today the solitary walk cleared my senses and made me feel fresh and alive...tho I did feel a bit creeped out when I crossed this part with these huge trees..that part of the campus is dark and silent...tad scary if you have an active imagination like mine!! LOL!!
I plan to get out more like this...not out into the city, but maybe for a walk, or even to the computer room...coffee perhaps? Lets see how far I go with my resolutions...
Today in class we got really bored...Prof Kamble from the Socio dept of our univ is here in Magdeburg for a mth and he took the Dharawi lec today. All that he lectured about was basically repetition for us so we had a tough time restraining ourselves from getting distracted...one thing I can't understand about Indian professors is why they get all defensive and so conscious when they are abroad or in front of a Western academician...I mean he was the authority on Indian sociology in the circumstance, yet he kept referring to the German profs!!! He undermined his own status...completely incomprehensible to me....
The next class was Breunig's class...the same prof who invited us over for dinner last week. Obviously we knew lotsa people there and it felt nice to enter a class and say hullo to everyone and then walk out of the building discussing the lecture and the idiosyncracies of the prof...feels like we are included in the class properly now..not just guests, temporary members....know what I mean?
Tomorrow evening we have been invited to another dinner...this time a classmate...Annika. She was in Mumbai two years ago, so she is also interested n going back for another trip...infact she has applied for the excursion in Feb to Mumbai/Dharawi...anyways shes really quite nice and friendly. This morng she came around and took us to the IKUS office..thats the orgn for intercultural activities...they are organising the trip to Wittenberg. We registered for the trip..after that we visited the univ bookshop and I saw these cool tees with the Univ logo emblazoned on the front...shall pick one up as a momento of sorts...
Hmmm thats's it for now...feeling hungry...just had soup for bfast and grabbed a sandwich in between...shall email home and run back 'home'...talk about wierd...she talks of 2 homes in the same breath!!! Not yet diasporic tho...yes I know my attmept at humour escapes you all...accept it as Geetanjali's idiosyncracies!!! Hahaha!!
Monday, October 27, 2003
Weekend update
People have been saying I let our problem child affect me too easily...they are right..its just that she irritates me ALOT! Last night she got all worked up over a small issue and started saying that Saima and I are extremely sensitive and make too much of small issues and shudnt judge ppl. The two of us got very angry over that specially since she herself gossips so much, has made all sorts of gossipy comments about Hardo and his girlfriend Nadine and well we've heard from the horse's mouth itself of how judgemental she is.
Infact this weekend we got very angry with her. She had all but insisted on inviting Hardo's parents over for Diwali and made this big deal of the festival...which really was nothing here and didn't even feel like Diwali in the first place...but anyways we said fine. Then on fri she has to go to her professor'S place and said she'd return on sat morng. We said fine again!!! But fri night she calls and says that she can't come back coz theres a party she doesn't wanna miss. So she called up Hardo's parents and told them to come on sun. They said next sun...she said this sun. I was soooooooo embarassed when I heard that. I mean to cancel is bad enuff but to reschedule to her convenience was appallling....
Anyways on sat morng Saima and I decided to have fun ourselves and stop catering to her whims and facies...so we made french toast fro breakfast...and got ready leisurely...then we set off to the zoo. We caught the tram to Neustadter Platz, then asked for directions in broken german from dictionary and found our way. The zoo (called Zoologishcer Gardens since it also includes a park of sorts) is wonderful...its huge and has alot of animals some of which I've not ever heard of. We spent ard 3 hrs there...and had a small picnic as well since we'd carried sandwiches...we just had some coffee there to warm ourselves up and then walked back to the tram stop, using a diff route, seeing some beautiful cottages on a private road...had a nice time. In the eveg we studied a bit and slept late after talking and browsing magazines...
On sun morng we got up early had tea/coffee and bfast and then set ourselves to cleaning up the apt. We swept and mopped...sprayed perfume in the air, got flowers from the park and put them in a bottle to make the house look nice. Opened the windows and aired the rooms.....Jigisha arrived by anoon, so after that we had a bath, then each cooked her contribution. Mine was alu ki sabzi, in which I used toamto kethcup, amchur, garam masala and salt...and they really liked the subzi alot. Nothing was left, only 1 spoon which Hardo tasted this morng. Jigi made dal and saima made pulav. Jigi also made nariyal ki mithai which refused to set so we served it as nariyal ka halwa.
They got us fruits, choc and wine as gifts..on the whole dinner went ok...I'm carrying back the cork of the wine as a momento..doubt if I'll have place to carry the bottle...
Today we decided to drop the mon lec coz we dint go last week and we still haven't read the book....we were anyways to do only 3-5 lecs and were doing 6. Now we are doing 5 after dropping this one....we are planning going to see the Elbe river. Its the second largest river in germany after the Rhine...there is a cruise so we 'll find out how much that costs....
This friday we r going to Wittenberg on a Univ orngd trip...waiting for that...we also planned out some trips to see Berlin, the local castles and the beer brewery Hardo....and planned out what museums and churches we can visit by ourselves and made this list of Things to Do!!!! Hehehe.....
Infact this weekend we got very angry with her. She had all but insisted on inviting Hardo's parents over for Diwali and made this big deal of the festival...which really was nothing here and didn't even feel like Diwali in the first place...but anyways we said fine. Then on fri she has to go to her professor'S place and said she'd return on sat morng. We said fine again!!! But fri night she calls and says that she can't come back coz theres a party she doesn't wanna miss. So she called up Hardo's parents and told them to come on sun. They said next sun...she said this sun. I was soooooooo embarassed when I heard that. I mean to cancel is bad enuff but to reschedule to her convenience was appallling....
Anyways on sat morng Saima and I decided to have fun ourselves and stop catering to her whims and facies...so we made french toast fro breakfast...and got ready leisurely...then we set off to the zoo. We caught the tram to Neustadter Platz, then asked for directions in broken german from dictionary and found our way. The zoo (called Zoologishcer Gardens since it also includes a park of sorts) is wonderful...its huge and has alot of animals some of which I've not ever heard of. We spent ard 3 hrs there...and had a small picnic as well since we'd carried sandwiches...we just had some coffee there to warm ourselves up and then walked back to the tram stop, using a diff route, seeing some beautiful cottages on a private road...had a nice time. In the eveg we studied a bit and slept late after talking and browsing magazines...
On sun morng we got up early had tea/coffee and bfast and then set ourselves to cleaning up the apt. We swept and mopped...sprayed perfume in the air, got flowers from the park and put them in a bottle to make the house look nice. Opened the windows and aired the rooms.....Jigisha arrived by anoon, so after that we had a bath, then each cooked her contribution. Mine was alu ki sabzi, in which I used toamto kethcup, amchur, garam masala and salt...and they really liked the subzi alot. Nothing was left, only 1 spoon which Hardo tasted this morng. Jigi made dal and saima made pulav. Jigi also made nariyal ki mithai which refused to set so we served it as nariyal ka halwa.
They got us fruits, choc and wine as gifts..on the whole dinner went ok...I'm carrying back the cork of the wine as a momento..doubt if I'll have place to carry the bottle...
Today we decided to drop the mon lec coz we dint go last week and we still haven't read the book....we were anyways to do only 3-5 lecs and were doing 6. Now we are doing 5 after dropping this one....we are planning going to see the Elbe river. Its the second largest river in germany after the Rhine...there is a cruise so we 'll find out how much that costs....
This friday we r going to Wittenberg on a Univ orngd trip...waiting for that...we also planned out some trips to see Berlin, the local castles and the beer brewery Hardo....and planned out what museums and churches we can visit by ourselves and made this list of Things to Do!!!! Hehehe.....
Friday, October 24, 2003
Nights Out, Nights In And More...
Wohkee I am back..tan tada!!! LOL!!
Lets see now I hope I haven't forgotten all what I wanted to blog about. So we went to Prof Breunig's place for dinner on Wednesday. We had to walk down...that was interesting, coz we had to follow his directions and I was reading the city map and guiding us. His house is actually in the centre of the city, but yet set in this very green and almost rural area by appearance at night time!! We reached there a bit early. But Stefan (the guy who amde the presentation a day earlier) was already there, so it wasnt awkward reaching early. Breunig immediately offered us wine or juices...no points for guessing that I chose the former. There was German wine and also Spanish wine...I ended up having 4 glasses in all, 2 of each.
Anyways the other guests gradually trickled in...and tho it was awkward initially I think we made some new friends that evening. I think this was a wonderful idea..this way we've made friends faster and it felt really nice to be invited to Prof Breunig's place, meet his wife, eat properly cooked food, talk to others besides us and Hardo....
Conversation flowed much more freely during and after dinner...which by the way was scrumptious. He had made 4 types of pizza. Saima and I really enjoyed the entire evening coz we liked the food and have no probs talking. Jigisha is our problem child..but I shall not dwell on that topic. I got talking to a guy named Bjorn who wants to come to India next year on the scholarship...interesting fella. Infact what amazes me is the amount these people know..I noticed this even in Hardo...they have quite a bit of knowledge about many topics...something lacking in most young people back home. Ofcourse the ignorant ones here are like REALLY dumb!! So maybe there are just extremes here...too soon for me to jugde anyways...plus not really in a position to judge.
Then thursday and today we didn't do much. Just basically lectures...and a little shopping...bought some gifts and did more exploring of the main city area. We've decided to start our sight-seeing next week and then start venturing out of the town..there is a Univ trip to Wittenberg next Friday...looks promising. Oh!!! Today's lecture was interesting...its on English in non-native contexts...I was in full 'josh' debating heatedly on who decides what is standard English etc etc...ofcourse all my post-colonial studies was guiding my debates...the prof was delighted to hear I'm a student of Dr.Bharucha...which reminds me..there are atleast three of Dr.Veveina's books in the library here. I was very very proud when I saw them...Three cheers for our profs!!! :)
Nothing much else. Its Diwali tomm, but obviously no big deal here. We have invited Hardo's parents over for dinner...not my idea...its gonna be stressful coz Hardo wont be there, and they speak no English as I've mentioned before...but we shall see....Gonna make pulav and dal, with yoghurt and suji ka halwa...pray it tastes fine!!!! LOL!!!
HAPPY DIWALI TO EVERYONE!!!!!
Lets see now I hope I haven't forgotten all what I wanted to blog about. So we went to Prof Breunig's place for dinner on Wednesday. We had to walk down...that was interesting, coz we had to follow his directions and I was reading the city map and guiding us. His house is actually in the centre of the city, but yet set in this very green and almost rural area by appearance at night time!! We reached there a bit early. But Stefan (the guy who amde the presentation a day earlier) was already there, so it wasnt awkward reaching early. Breunig immediately offered us wine or juices...no points for guessing that I chose the former. There was German wine and also Spanish wine...I ended up having 4 glasses in all, 2 of each.
Anyways the other guests gradually trickled in...and tho it was awkward initially I think we made some new friends that evening. I think this was a wonderful idea..this way we've made friends faster and it felt really nice to be invited to Prof Breunig's place, meet his wife, eat properly cooked food, talk to others besides us and Hardo....
Conversation flowed much more freely during and after dinner...which by the way was scrumptious. He had made 4 types of pizza. Saima and I really enjoyed the entire evening coz we liked the food and have no probs talking. Jigisha is our problem child..but I shall not dwell on that topic. I got talking to a guy named Bjorn who wants to come to India next year on the scholarship...interesting fella. Infact what amazes me is the amount these people know..I noticed this even in Hardo...they have quite a bit of knowledge about many topics...something lacking in most young people back home. Ofcourse the ignorant ones here are like REALLY dumb!! So maybe there are just extremes here...too soon for me to jugde anyways...plus not really in a position to judge.
Then thursday and today we didn't do much. Just basically lectures...and a little shopping...bought some gifts and did more exploring of the main city area. We've decided to start our sight-seeing next week and then start venturing out of the town..there is a Univ trip to Wittenberg next Friday...looks promising. Oh!!! Today's lecture was interesting...its on English in non-native contexts...I was in full 'josh' debating heatedly on who decides what is standard English etc etc...ofcourse all my post-colonial studies was guiding my debates...the prof was delighted to hear I'm a student of Dr.Bharucha...which reminds me..there are atleast three of Dr.Veveina's books in the library here. I was very very proud when I saw them...Three cheers for our profs!!! :)
Nothing much else. Its Diwali tomm, but obviously no big deal here. We have invited Hardo's parents over for dinner...not my idea...its gonna be stressful coz Hardo wont be there, and they speak no English as I've mentioned before...but we shall see....Gonna make pulav and dal, with yoghurt and suji ka halwa...pray it tastes fine!!!! LOL!!!
HAPPY DIWALI TO EVERYONE!!!!!
Wednesday, October 22, 2003
Celebrations et al....
Yesterday was Jiigisha's birthday....I was not the least bit excited becoz well it seemed a bit immature and I don't make that big a deal of my birthday...would not do anything if not for friends....anyways Hardo got her a gift hamper so she was thrilled. Then we had lectures all day and were basically busy. Yesterday it rained all day and was cold and chilly...temperatures are about 8 degress or so now....and its bloody windy. Our lectures yesterday were interesting...in the lecture on Dharawi I did a lot of talking about the history of Bombay and the re-naming of the city to Mumbai. In the next lecture on Blake , we had this abso immature and bizarre presentation by a supposedly erudite student...Saima and I had a tough time keeping a straight face...we came up with very valid points of discussion later. A whole load of students came up to us yesterday to talk to us...so it seems we shall make some more friends besides Hardo..thank god!!!
We came home and racked our brains about dinner coz it was raining and the restaurants near by were shut...there was next to no grocery left..no sugar also!! Finally made a mixed bhaji..later Jigisha produced Apple pie and Choc pastry...the pie was delicious..since only Hardo and I liked it...I got to eat Jigisha's and Saima'S share as well...crazy two to prefer the choc pastry which is really so common..OK Geets's Bitchy side surfaces again!!! LOL!!!
Hardo had to leave then coz his l'amour beckoned...so after that we three went out for a stroll and coffee. I discovered that a glass of wine costs the same as a cappucino and less than a mochiatto...so next time I'm drinking wine....speaking of wine, tonight we are going to Prof Breunig's home for literary discussions over pizza and wine..looking forward to it...defi the pizza and wine if not the discussions...hahaha!!!
Today was an OK day...we had a meeting with Prof Wiemann finally and decided on our presentation on Bollywood representations of Mumbai. The lecture was a tad boring coz I'm anyways not a big fan of Jane Austen and I've not even read the novel concerned....but we did our weekly shopping today. Saima and I went before lectures and got enough so we don't need to go for atleast 10 days...we had a tough time carrying it back but now that we use the trams its easier than carrying it all the way home on foot...that used to be tough on the muscles!!! We had a nice Garman lady who was conerned about us when we asked if Tram # 3 goes to Universitaat platz...she was this grandmotherly lady and she thought we were absolutely new and helped us with the bags into the tram and even pointed out the direction to us when we were getting down from the tram...felt nice...!!!
That's it for now....
We came home and racked our brains about dinner coz it was raining and the restaurants near by were shut...there was next to no grocery left..no sugar also!! Finally made a mixed bhaji..later Jigisha produced Apple pie and Choc pastry...the pie was delicious..since only Hardo and I liked it...I got to eat Jigisha's and Saima'S share as well...crazy two to prefer the choc pastry which is really so common..OK Geets's Bitchy side surfaces again!!! LOL!!!
Hardo had to leave then coz his l'amour beckoned...so after that we three went out for a stroll and coffee. I discovered that a glass of wine costs the same as a cappucino and less than a mochiatto...so next time I'm drinking wine....speaking of wine, tonight we are going to Prof Breunig's home for literary discussions over pizza and wine..looking forward to it...defi the pizza and wine if not the discussions...hahaha!!!
Today was an OK day...we had a meeting with Prof Wiemann finally and decided on our presentation on Bollywood representations of Mumbai. The lecture was a tad boring coz I'm anyways not a big fan of Jane Austen and I've not even read the novel concerned....but we did our weekly shopping today. Saima and I went before lectures and got enough so we don't need to go for atleast 10 days...we had a tough time carrying it back but now that we use the trams its easier than carrying it all the way home on foot...that used to be tough on the muscles!!! We had a nice Garman lady who was conerned about us when we asked if Tram # 3 goes to Universitaat platz...she was this grandmotherly lady and she thought we were absolutely new and helped us with the bags into the tram and even pointed out the direction to us when we were getting down from the tram...felt nice...!!!
That's it for now....
Monday, October 20, 2003
Long boring weekend
Gosh this weekend was so boring....mainly coz we didn't do anything aside from window shopping..that was OK...I mean all I did was browse this supermarket and mentally noted down the stuff I can buy as gifts later..but thats it...I mean ''dead'' is how I'd describe the weekend. To make things worse atmosphere at 'home' was tense all of sunday so we weren't talking to each other and were studying, of all the things...by night we had all studied ourselves out of our skulls and sat down for a mature talk. We planned out the things we can do on the forthcoming weekends so we don't get stale sitting at home....
Today morng we woke up to find that the radiator had sprung a leak in the living room and there was water all over. After mopping it up, we had to deal with the maintainance guy, plumber and the lady below whose house already had leakage....they shall replace our radiator tomm, but we luckily dont have to pay for it...which is a relief!!! The lady downstairs too agreed we don't have to pay for her wallpaper, since its not out fault...that was nice of her!! Ofcourse we needed to wait for Hardo to come before we could solve that problem, becoz of the lang barrier!!! I hated that bit..felt so handicapped coz I knew the problem but had to hold back only coz I couldn't express myself..urghhh!!! Hate having my hands tied back...specially when I can pinpoint the problem and know the solution as well....gah!!!
Aside from that, what else have I still got to update on? Basically about the class structure....its really informal and I liked that. But what I didn't like was the complete lack of respect for professors...the students here just don't respect the prof, they talk loudly in class and are very stand-offish in their attitude towards the prof. Infact I guess that's one reason why the profs like us so much...coz we habitually give them the respect due to a teacher. Ofcourse they are also happy coz we are so interested in what is ebing taught despite it being not related to our MA degree at all. If you noticed we are attending 3 lectures of D.Wiemann....and he's really happy with us coz we are very verbal in his classes. Tomm we have to meet him regarding a presentation....
On sat we also finally got our library cards..we borrowed 4 books immediately..I loved the atm in the library and I think I'll spend alot of time there during the week....studying, reading etc...I can also access the net from there..so voila..my new adda!! Hahaha!!!
Hmmmm...I think this is it for today..until next time....tschuss!!!
Today morng we woke up to find that the radiator had sprung a leak in the living room and there was water all over. After mopping it up, we had to deal with the maintainance guy, plumber and the lady below whose house already had leakage....they shall replace our radiator tomm, but we luckily dont have to pay for it...which is a relief!!! The lady downstairs too agreed we don't have to pay for her wallpaper, since its not out fault...that was nice of her!! Ofcourse we needed to wait for Hardo to come before we could solve that problem, becoz of the lang barrier!!! I hated that bit..felt so handicapped coz I knew the problem but had to hold back only coz I couldn't express myself..urghhh!!! Hate having my hands tied back...specially when I can pinpoint the problem and know the solution as well....gah!!!
Aside from that, what else have I still got to update on? Basically about the class structure....its really informal and I liked that. But what I didn't like was the complete lack of respect for professors...the students here just don't respect the prof, they talk loudly in class and are very stand-offish in their attitude towards the prof. Infact I guess that's one reason why the profs like us so much...coz we habitually give them the respect due to a teacher. Ofcourse they are also happy coz we are so interested in what is ebing taught despite it being not related to our MA degree at all. If you noticed we are attending 3 lectures of D.Wiemann....and he's really happy with us coz we are very verbal in his classes. Tomm we have to meet him regarding a presentation....
On sat we also finally got our library cards..we borrowed 4 books immediately..I loved the atm in the library and I think I'll spend alot of time there during the week....studying, reading etc...I can also access the net from there..so voila..my new adda!! Hahaha!!!
Hmmmm...I think this is it for today..until next time....tschuss!!!
Saturday, October 18, 2003
Update 2
I'm back with more blah blah....
Last sunday was perhaps the most memorable and idyllic days of my life. Hardo had invited us to his place...he picked us after lunch and we drove down to his village : Burgstall. On the way we passed a local brewery that I made him promise we'd visit later. They make beer from this local water that passes through this sponge-like stone and is very clean and cold (approx 5 deg centigrade)..then wes topped at his mother's dispernsary behing which is a small animal farm, where we played with a deer. After that we headed to his home..e..he stays with his parents surprisngly! His house is very charming...near the woods, it was built in 1969 and modernised later. They have a huge backyard with a pool filled with fishes and lots of lowers all around. After meeting his parents, who unfortunately speak only German and his girlfriend Nadine, we set off for a long walk in the woods. We picked up mushrooms, unluckily the berries weren't ripe yet. The walk was something completely awesome..the sensation of walking in the woods surrounded by tall cedar and oak trees, the quite all around, punctuated only by the sound of our footsteps , our breating and our own voices with the occassional call of a bird. The feeling of ebing wrapped in the greenery all around...the peace from within..it was serenely beautiful!!! In the end we visited the local moors in which 2 tanks sank during the World War II and several people have disappeared. That was very exciting...Hardo taught us how to jump on cumps of grass so we don't sink in...kinda scary but fun as well.
Back at his place we had dinner and left after that....a most enjoyable and almost perfect day..had I known German it would have been perfect...regrets regrets!!!
We've been having major discussion every evening that ranges topics from love life (haha), school days, religious beliefs, cultural attitudes and values, feminism et al!! MAkes for active exercise of the grey cells and fills the long dark and very quiet evenings....
On a funny note before I stop for the day..I've been getting funny results with my lanudry. Each time I've done my lanudry I end up putting some coloured garment in it..so I now have undergamrnets n sahdes of blue and pink..highly funny to see them..even wierder wearing them!! Hahaha!! Ah well I'll learn as I experience newer wierder stuff...:)
Unitl next time...I hope to see more comments on this blog...Ciao!!
Last sunday was perhaps the most memorable and idyllic days of my life. Hardo had invited us to his place...he picked us after lunch and we drove down to his village : Burgstall. On the way we passed a local brewery that I made him promise we'd visit later. They make beer from this local water that passes through this sponge-like stone and is very clean and cold (approx 5 deg centigrade)..then wes topped at his mother's dispernsary behing which is a small animal farm, where we played with a deer. After that we headed to his home..e..he stays with his parents surprisngly! His house is very charming...near the woods, it was built in 1969 and modernised later. They have a huge backyard with a pool filled with fishes and lots of lowers all around. After meeting his parents, who unfortunately speak only German and his girlfriend Nadine, we set off for a long walk in the woods. We picked up mushrooms, unluckily the berries weren't ripe yet. The walk was something completely awesome..the sensation of walking in the woods surrounded by tall cedar and oak trees, the quite all around, punctuated only by the sound of our footsteps , our breating and our own voices with the occassional call of a bird. The feeling of ebing wrapped in the greenery all around...the peace from within..it was serenely beautiful!!! In the end we visited the local moors in which 2 tanks sank during the World War II and several people have disappeared. That was very exciting...Hardo taught us how to jump on cumps of grass so we don't sink in...kinda scary but fun as well.
Back at his place we had dinner and left after that....a most enjoyable and almost perfect day..had I known German it would have been perfect...regrets regrets!!!
We've been having major discussion every evening that ranges topics from love life (haha), school days, religious beliefs, cultural attitudes and values, feminism et al!! MAkes for active exercise of the grey cells and fills the long dark and very quiet evenings....
On a funny note before I stop for the day..I've been getting funny results with my lanudry. Each time I've done my lanudry I end up putting some coloured garment in it..so I now have undergamrnets n sahdes of blue and pink..highly funny to see them..even wierder wearing them!! Hahaha!! Ah well I'll learn as I experience newer wierder stuff...:)
Unitl next time...I hope to see more comments on this blog...Ciao!!
Friday, October 17, 2003
Update 1
As I promised yesterday I'm back today with updates...it will be gradual, so please don't expect all the news at one shot...
The last few hours before I left for the airport, I was really tense..had like butterflies clamouring for attention in my stomach. But it settled down and by the time I reached the airport I was my usual calm and composed self. Though it was my first time in the airport (I refuse to count the few times I've flown as a kid), and international airports are so confusing, we managed just fine. Got through check-in, security check etc smoothly and then called up the people I wanted to talk to before boarding the flight. That was sentimental few hours!!
The flight by itself was OK. I had like absolutely no reaction to taking-off, landing...you know the usual nausea and giddyness people experience. Infact I slept quite comfortably once I managed to settle into the tiny seat. An interesting thing was that my experience echoed that of others in my acquaintance who'v travelled by Alitalia - the crew is extremely inept and inhospitable. Bordering on rude..if you don't act like this bossy authority, they just rail-road over your requests and almost see through you!! Siama and Jigisha had a slight problem with the food, but I quite liked what they served except for the chole for breakfast...I was quite revolted seeing chole in my tray almost as soon as I opened my eyes...but then we all know my so-called 'firang' tastes!! Hahah!
Anyways we landed at Milan airport at 6.58 am local time, and spent 2 hours at the airport...pretty boring coz none of the custom duty shops were open that early!!
The flight from Milan to Berlin was in one of those tiny cute 56 seater planes...that was awesome...we could see out of the windows and I just totally enjoyed seeing the perfect landscapes, the red roofs of the tiny cottages, the snow-capped mountains and then the clouds....it was an amazing experience.
We landed at Berlin at local time 11.20 am, and Hardo was waiting for us. He was exactly as I remembered him (appearances) - tall, shaggy, with long hair and a beard that reminds me of blue-beard for some strange reason! Ofcourse I had completely read the cover wrong, for the book (him as a person) inside is a warm, friendly and very helpful person. Throughout the hour long drive down to Magdeburg he talked about a wide range of topics from his experience when he landed in Mumbai last year, where he stayed, what we have to do once we reach Magdeburg, the local area history, about the town, a little information about places we passed etc etc. We passed this man-made structure called the Kali mountains...they were created due to the artificial production of salt in the region. The alkaline nature of the soil in the region has destroyed the vegetation around the mountains ...I found this very interesting - yet another example of how materialisation adn industrialisation has affected natural elements...
We reached Magdeburg and headed straight for the University where we met Prof Lange. After that we headed to the estate agent's office and signed the contract for the flat....we are now paying 444.60 Eu for it....
The flat itself was a surprise..quite dirty by German standards. But much bigger than what we expected. We have 2 bedrooms, a huge living room, a bathroom, a kitchen and a balcony as well. All the rooms are heated except the balcony. Tha bathroom was the dirtiest of all...and most annoyingly has no drain except the one in the bathtub...which means when water spills out of the tub, you either let it stay there and tolerate the damp smell (there are no windows) or get down and mop it up daily...well cleaning up that place was a mammoth task which we took on later in the week. Had to numb our senses before we plunged into the task..but now that it's clean, we are quite pleased with ourselves.
We also had to sweep, mop and clean up the other rooms. It was extremely dirty as we got it. We ended up re-arranging the furniture and shifting cupboards around so that the place looks nice, warm and inviting..more of a home than a house. We did this on saturday nearly a week after we arrived coz till then we were busy getting ourselves enrolled, getting registered with the local council, settling in basically. We couldn't have managed this without Hardo, coz he pretty much smoothed the way for us and we didn't have to do much else ebyond signing!!! He's been an angel through-out...wrangling his way trhough for our work, when he didn't need to do anything of the sort...thank god for him!!!!
Classes started this week...so far we've had only introductory lectures but the professors are impressed by us and we'Ve already gained a reputation in the languages deparments...becuase we not onlly interact in class, our POVs seem to be of a level higher than that of the students here...plus we've offered to do presentations out of interest not necessity so that acts in our favour. These are the classes I've signed up for:
1. Alternative and Parallel Englands - Swift's Gulliver's Travels and Defoe's Robinson Crusoe (D.Wiemann)
2. Political, socio-economic and cultural asepcts of Indian society today: the case of Bombay/Dharawi (D.Wiemann)
3. William Blake (H.W.Breunig)
4. Janespotting :Austen in print and on screen (D.Wiemann)
5. City cultures in Britain (B.P.Lange)
6. English in non-native contexts (K.Ebeling)
I had wanted to do the courses on post-colonialism but they got cancelled so I had to come here and change my decision and settle for these...so far they seem very interesting...
Hmm..pretty tired for now..shall pick this up tomm...until then..ciao!!
The last few hours before I left for the airport, I was really tense..had like butterflies clamouring for attention in my stomach. But it settled down and by the time I reached the airport I was my usual calm and composed self. Though it was my first time in the airport (I refuse to count the few times I've flown as a kid), and international airports are so confusing, we managed just fine. Got through check-in, security check etc smoothly and then called up the people I wanted to talk to before boarding the flight. That was sentimental few hours!!
The flight by itself was OK. I had like absolutely no reaction to taking-off, landing...you know the usual nausea and giddyness people experience. Infact I slept quite comfortably once I managed to settle into the tiny seat. An interesting thing was that my experience echoed that of others in my acquaintance who'v travelled by Alitalia - the crew is extremely inept and inhospitable. Bordering on rude..if you don't act like this bossy authority, they just rail-road over your requests and almost see through you!! Siama and Jigisha had a slight problem with the food, but I quite liked what they served except for the chole for breakfast...I was quite revolted seeing chole in my tray almost as soon as I opened my eyes...but then we all know my so-called 'firang' tastes!! Hahah!
Anyways we landed at Milan airport at 6.58 am local time, and spent 2 hours at the airport...pretty boring coz none of the custom duty shops were open that early!!
The flight from Milan to Berlin was in one of those tiny cute 56 seater planes...that was awesome...we could see out of the windows and I just totally enjoyed seeing the perfect landscapes, the red roofs of the tiny cottages, the snow-capped mountains and then the clouds....it was an amazing experience.
We landed at Berlin at local time 11.20 am, and Hardo was waiting for us. He was exactly as I remembered him (appearances) - tall, shaggy, with long hair and a beard that reminds me of blue-beard for some strange reason! Ofcourse I had completely read the cover wrong, for the book (him as a person) inside is a warm, friendly and very helpful person. Throughout the hour long drive down to Magdeburg he talked about a wide range of topics from his experience when he landed in Mumbai last year, where he stayed, what we have to do once we reach Magdeburg, the local area history, about the town, a little information about places we passed etc etc. We passed this man-made structure called the Kali mountains...they were created due to the artificial production of salt in the region. The alkaline nature of the soil in the region has destroyed the vegetation around the mountains ...I found this very interesting - yet another example of how materialisation adn industrialisation has affected natural elements...
We reached Magdeburg and headed straight for the University where we met Prof Lange. After that we headed to the estate agent's office and signed the contract for the flat....we are now paying 444.60 Eu for it....
The flat itself was a surprise..quite dirty by German standards. But much bigger than what we expected. We have 2 bedrooms, a huge living room, a bathroom, a kitchen and a balcony as well. All the rooms are heated except the balcony. Tha bathroom was the dirtiest of all...and most annoyingly has no drain except the one in the bathtub...which means when water spills out of the tub, you either let it stay there and tolerate the damp smell (there are no windows) or get down and mop it up daily...well cleaning up that place was a mammoth task which we took on later in the week. Had to numb our senses before we plunged into the task..but now that it's clean, we are quite pleased with ourselves.
We also had to sweep, mop and clean up the other rooms. It was extremely dirty as we got it. We ended up re-arranging the furniture and shifting cupboards around so that the place looks nice, warm and inviting..more of a home than a house. We did this on saturday nearly a week after we arrived coz till then we were busy getting ourselves enrolled, getting registered with the local council, settling in basically. We couldn't have managed this without Hardo, coz he pretty much smoothed the way for us and we didn't have to do much else ebyond signing!!! He's been an angel through-out...wrangling his way trhough for our work, when he didn't need to do anything of the sort...thank god for him!!!!
Classes started this week...so far we've had only introductory lectures but the professors are impressed by us and we'Ve already gained a reputation in the languages deparments...becuase we not onlly interact in class, our POVs seem to be of a level higher than that of the students here...plus we've offered to do presentations out of interest not necessity so that acts in our favour. These are the classes I've signed up for:
1. Alternative and Parallel Englands - Swift's Gulliver's Travels and Defoe's Robinson Crusoe (D.Wiemann)
2. Political, socio-economic and cultural asepcts of Indian society today: the case of Bombay/Dharawi (D.Wiemann)
3. William Blake (H.W.Breunig)
4. Janespotting :Austen in print and on screen (D.Wiemann)
5. City cultures in Britain (B.P.Lange)
6. English in non-native contexts (K.Ebeling)
I had wanted to do the courses on post-colonialism but they got cancelled so I had to come here and change my decision and settle for these...so far they seem very interesting...
Hmm..pretty tired for now..shall pick this up tomm...until then..ciao!!
Thursday, October 16, 2003
Guten Tag
Phew..long absence from me right? Well it couldn't be helped...while I could access the internet thanks to Hardo's daya-maya as it were, emails took priority over blogging! Sigh...well I finally managed to get my own internet access today..so I'm gonna begin the process of updating my blog and gonna start commenting on my experiences from today...
I wanted to give a day-to-day itenary of my experiences here, but I've been online for ages today already and kinda tired of going tap-tap-tap at the keyboard in this foreig atmosphere..so used to emailing and blogging in my own private space!!! Well for three months I have to learn to do with a computer room where Tom,Dick and Harry pass by and not react!!!
So far this place has really been agreeable...I've settled in really well and have adapted perfectly to the very German surroundings..even gotten used to greeting people with 'Guten Tag' and saying 'Danke' and 'Tschuss'...ofcourse I wish now that I knew German as well as French...infact I'm all the more resolute now in my decision to visit Patricia in Bordeaux where I can use my foreign langugae skills, so to speak!!!
You know it's very odd, people mentioned that I'll face problems getting accustomed to the 'gora' skin all around, maybe face some racism, find the quiteness jarring, find the Germans cold, etc etc....but I've suffered so no culture shocks, find the Germans warm, affectionate and helpful even when they haven#t a clue of what you are trying to say, and generally like the difference in the pace and style of living..I could get used to this...it's really quite something else all together to fall asleep to the sound of your own breathing and the sound of the clock ticking, to get up in the morning and hear NOTHING, ...to walk everywhere...blah blah blah...the whole experience is remarkable!!! I'm really glad of this opportunity I've been given..Merci Bon Dieu!!
Want to blog n blog n blog...but for today I shall stop here...tomorrow I return with my dairy and post a more detailed blog about my experiences in the first 10 days...
Ah it feels soooooooooo good to be back....
I wanted to give a day-to-day itenary of my experiences here, but I've been online for ages today already and kinda tired of going tap-tap-tap at the keyboard in this foreig atmosphere..so used to emailing and blogging in my own private space!!! Well for three months I have to learn to do with a computer room where Tom,Dick and Harry pass by and not react!!!
So far this place has really been agreeable...I've settled in really well and have adapted perfectly to the very German surroundings..even gotten used to greeting people with 'Guten Tag' and saying 'Danke' and 'Tschuss'...ofcourse I wish now that I knew German as well as French...infact I'm all the more resolute now in my decision to visit Patricia in Bordeaux where I can use my foreign langugae skills, so to speak!!!
You know it's very odd, people mentioned that I'll face problems getting accustomed to the 'gora' skin all around, maybe face some racism, find the quiteness jarring, find the Germans cold, etc etc....but I've suffered so no culture shocks, find the Germans warm, affectionate and helpful even when they haven#t a clue of what you are trying to say, and generally like the difference in the pace and style of living..I could get used to this...it's really quite something else all together to fall asleep to the sound of your own breathing and the sound of the clock ticking, to get up in the morning and hear NOTHING, ...to walk everywhere...blah blah blah...the whole experience is remarkable!!! I'm really glad of this opportunity I've been given..Merci Bon Dieu!!
Want to blog n blog n blog...but for today I shall stop here...tomorrow I return with my dairy and post a more detailed blog about my experiences in the first 10 days...
Ah it feels soooooooooo good to be back....
Sunday, October 05, 2003
All My Bags Are Packed..I'm Ready To Go
Hehe...don't worry it's not John Denver deja vu time! It's just me getting all sappy and soapy! Well not quite...only in that I'm humming this song...couldn't come up with a better refrain to capture the essence of the moment...
So the last few days just rushed past. I'd hoped to savour every moment of the last few days, generally relaxing at home with family. But a whole load of friends wanted to meet me in the last few days itself, plus I insisted on attending till the last possible day, and that left little time to do anything remotely connected to 'relaxing'!!! Anyways despite all the rushing around, running to get ends tied, it's all been done now..my bags are packed. Even my handbag is now packed...tickets, passport etc are all in - they are truly standing by the door waiting to be picked up and be on their way.
The next few days will probably pass in a haze. Tomm we land at Milan at 7.30 am (Milan time) and have a 2 hours halt there, before we proceed to Berlin. At Berlin airport we will be picked up by Hardo Seligmaan, who will drive us down to Magdeburg. It's a 2 hour drive (approximately). Once there, we have to see the flat, finalise it and sign the contract...then begin to settle in...I doubt we will go out much on the first day, except maybe to pick up the basic supplies. We are carrying some stuff so that we do not have to do much exploring in our jet-lagged and exhausted state. I have my tea-bags, so all I'll need is water and within a few minutes I'll be revived. And we are carrying Maggi noodles...god I don't believe I'll eat those, but well gotta co-operate with others too. I so abhor those instant noodles...but ah well. I know the other 2 are carrying other 'eatables' as well...me I plan to get some groceries in on 7th itself and have some sandwiches..no cooking dal-chawal from day 1 puhleeeeese!!!
Phew the first week will probab rush past like this last week has...I hope there aint too much of homesickness - that will drive me up the wall for sure! I'm carrying plenty of reading maal to keep me occupied during the 'long winter evenings'...ah reminds me of Frost's poem, Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening' - not much connection really, except the mood perhaps....odd I'm STILL not excited...tho I am nervous now. Slept very fitfully last night, kept thinking of what needs to be done, how I'll survive there, how much I'll miss home, family n friends, how much I'll miss blogging comfortably in my own environment, how last night was the last time I'd sleep on my bed for 3 months..so on and so forth...
Guess this is it then...dunno when I'll blog next-defi at the first available opportunity for sure! Cudn't do without it...I'm so addicted to this thing!
Until next time..adios amigos..
Cheers!
So the last few days just rushed past. I'd hoped to savour every moment of the last few days, generally relaxing at home with family. But a whole load of friends wanted to meet me in the last few days itself, plus I insisted on attending till the last possible day, and that left little time to do anything remotely connected to 'relaxing'!!! Anyways despite all the rushing around, running to get ends tied, it's all been done now..my bags are packed. Even my handbag is now packed...tickets, passport etc are all in - they are truly standing by the door waiting to be picked up and be on their way.
The next few days will probably pass in a haze. Tomm we land at Milan at 7.30 am (Milan time) and have a 2 hours halt there, before we proceed to Berlin. At Berlin airport we will be picked up by Hardo Seligmaan, who will drive us down to Magdeburg. It's a 2 hour drive (approximately). Once there, we have to see the flat, finalise it and sign the contract...then begin to settle in...I doubt we will go out much on the first day, except maybe to pick up the basic supplies. We are carrying some stuff so that we do not have to do much exploring in our jet-lagged and exhausted state. I have my tea-bags, so all I'll need is water and within a few minutes I'll be revived. And we are carrying Maggi noodles...god I don't believe I'll eat those, but well gotta co-operate with others too. I so abhor those instant noodles...but ah well. I know the other 2 are carrying other 'eatables' as well...me I plan to get some groceries in on 7th itself and have some sandwiches..no cooking dal-chawal from day 1 puhleeeeese!!!
Phew the first week will probab rush past like this last week has...I hope there aint too much of homesickness - that will drive me up the wall for sure! I'm carrying plenty of reading maal to keep me occupied during the 'long winter evenings'...ah reminds me of Frost's poem, Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening' - not much connection really, except the mood perhaps....odd I'm STILL not excited...tho I am nervous now. Slept very fitfully last night, kept thinking of what needs to be done, how I'll survive there, how much I'll miss home, family n friends, how much I'll miss blogging comfortably in my own environment, how last night was the last time I'd sleep on my bed for 3 months..so on and so forth...
Guess this is it then...dunno when I'll blog next-defi at the first available opportunity for sure! Cudn't do without it...I'm so addicted to this thing!
Until next time..adios amigos..
Cheers!
Thursday, October 02, 2003
Gearing Up To Leave
Wow....the last few days have been busy. And the next few are not gonna be any easier! Luckily all that I need is now at home and organised, so all I gotta do now is put in the bag. Today Jigisha, Saima and I had a meeting to decide what stuff we need to carry in terms of food...and man, I never realised how phirang I am. I seem to be the only babe who's least bothered about carrying all this typical Indian stuff to eat! They were amazed, but as I pointed out to them I can't miss in Germany what I don't eat even in India. and simple basic Indian food maybe once a week will keep me happy - rest of the time I can happily survive on Salads, Soups, Pastas, and the other stuff you get there! Infact I got quite a shock when Jigisha started talking about dosas and idlis...I told her I refuse to even consider carrying stuff for that and if she wants to, its her headache....they think I'm a prime candidate for living abroad...LOL!!!
Anyways I didn't have my presentation on Tues, so now I finish that tomm, as well as my examination form red-tape. So I have to make a visit to the Univ tomm despite not planning to....but well Sat is free...and I plan to start packing tomm evening, so that I'm all packed and organised by Saturday evening. Sunday being Bhaiyya's birthday I don't wanna have any last minute problems and rushing around...as it is we gotta be at the airport by 10.15 pm...
Lots to do...mind always rushing ahead...nopes no excitement yet...LOL! I'm incorrigible, ain't I?
Anyways I didn't have my presentation on Tues, so now I finish that tomm, as well as my examination form red-tape. So I have to make a visit to the Univ tomm despite not planning to....but well Sat is free...and I plan to start packing tomm evening, so that I'm all packed and organised by Saturday evening. Sunday being Bhaiyya's birthday I don't wanna have any last minute problems and rushing around...as it is we gotta be at the airport by 10.15 pm...
Lots to do...mind always rushing ahead...nopes no excitement yet...LOL! I'm incorrigible, ain't I?
Tuesday, September 30, 2003
Geetsphotos
As promised here are the photos we took on the 28th September - they are in the album entitled 28th Sept. Check 'em out!!
Heppy Bir-Day To Meeeeeeee!!!
LOL!!! Well it turned out quite crazy, zombie-ish but fine I guess. Let's pick up from where I left off...
So on Sunday we had a small family get-together of sorts at Rakesh Bhaiyya's place - Bua-phuphaji and Vinita didi from Delhi, Chacha-Chachi-Shubhra didi and Rashi from Pune, the five of us and ofcourse Rakesh Bhaiyya,Ruma bhabhi, Richa and Rashi...the occasion? Nothing much-basically sicken bua-phuphaji are down from Delhi chacha-chachi came from Pune to meet them. Shubhra didi spent the morning with us. She has given me MORE woolens - now with my own stuff, Ruma bhabhi's and Richa's and didi's woolens I can merrily pick and choose what to carry and generally have a wide variety of stuff, provided I have space to carry it! LOL! Now my clothing for the trip is definitely not missing anything! I have more than I need actually. Didi also gave lil bit of of gyan that will be a big help in Magdeburg....danke!! The get-together was loads of fun...Typically confusing as family get-togethers are, with some interesting anecdotes coming out and generally warmth in kinship! Got some photos which I'll upload on Geetsphotos soon....
In the evening I was STRESSED! It seemed that only Tasneem and Aranyak would turn up for the rendezvous, I was very upset with Appu coz she didn't come, but then she wasn't well and had her TOEFL exam coming up...sigh! Anyways in the end Amisha, Preeti and Amit also came. The last two didn't eat, they came to just to wish me and spend some time with me....so I was pretty happy. I was so sure Amit wouldn't come...so that was an added bonus!!!Tasu and Aranyak gave me a bottle of wine...we polished that off in the night itself...Tasu and Amisha left early, but Amit, Aranyak and Preeti stuck around till after midnight to wish me. Preeti stayed till 3 am...we talked about all sorts of 'girly' stuff...Muhahaha!!! Kunu called at midnight - my darling Kunu - he also sent me a bouquet of beautiful while gladioli!! Appu also called and the next day loads of people called all day :)
Next day...phew! Got up at 6 am so that's only 3 hours of sleep, half of what I MUST HAVE in order to function like a Sane Individual. I had to go to the consulate for my visa-correction. Papa and I went there, got the work done quickly (that grouchy man was nowhere to be seen thank god!), had b'fast at Mondegars and then quickly picked up some gifts for people I shall meet in Europe and then he dropped me to the university for my lectures. I was awake till 2 pm..after that the last lecture was agony! My eyes kept shutting...I've never felt soooooooo sleepy every before..it was so bizarre...I was writing with my eyes closed and looked so drunk and dazed! LOL! I left after that not wanting to fall asleep somewhere on the road! Hahaha! Surprisingly a whole lot of people gave me gifts..very overwhelming and nice! Made me feel special and warm inside...tho I was too sleepy to react properly to anyone of them...*Sheepish Look*
Back home phuphaji told me about my 'future' - he's damn good at this stuff - and I found some of it very interesting! Not to be shared on public sites ofcourse!! LOL! Got some very nice ecards from Nitin, Adi, Divya and Odell(our College Gopi and my completely whacky fundoo pal!!)...
We went for dinner to Mainland China...yummy food. It totally makes up for the 1 hour commute to the god-forsaken Saki Naka! Got home and crashed....coz I had to get up at 5 am today to work on my presentation on Ngugi wa Thiongo - I still am not prepared...gonna give loads of superficial talk today...lordy help moi!!!
Today is gonna be yet another hectic and loooong day...but from tomorrow I have nothing major to do, so it's gonna be 'dealing with small' things and packing time from Thursday onwards...guess the countdown begins now???
So on Sunday we had a small family get-together of sorts at Rakesh Bhaiyya's place - Bua-phuphaji and Vinita didi from Delhi, Chacha-Chachi-Shubhra didi and Rashi from Pune, the five of us and ofcourse Rakesh Bhaiyya,Ruma bhabhi, Richa and Rashi...the occasion? Nothing much-basically sicken bua-phuphaji are down from Delhi chacha-chachi came from Pune to meet them. Shubhra didi spent the morning with us. She has given me MORE woolens - now with my own stuff, Ruma bhabhi's and Richa's and didi's woolens I can merrily pick and choose what to carry and generally have a wide variety of stuff, provided I have space to carry it! LOL! Now my clothing for the trip is definitely not missing anything! I have more than I need actually. Didi also gave lil bit of of gyan that will be a big help in Magdeburg....danke!! The get-together was loads of fun...Typically confusing as family get-togethers are, with some interesting anecdotes coming out and generally warmth in kinship! Got some photos which I'll upload on Geetsphotos soon....
In the evening I was STRESSED! It seemed that only Tasneem and Aranyak would turn up for the rendezvous, I was very upset with Appu coz she didn't come, but then she wasn't well and had her TOEFL exam coming up...sigh! Anyways in the end Amisha, Preeti and Amit also came. The last two didn't eat, they came to just to wish me and spend some time with me....so I was pretty happy. I was so sure Amit wouldn't come...so that was an added bonus!!!Tasu and Aranyak gave me a bottle of wine...we polished that off in the night itself...Tasu and Amisha left early, but Amit, Aranyak and Preeti stuck around till after midnight to wish me. Preeti stayed till 3 am...we talked about all sorts of 'girly' stuff...Muhahaha!!! Kunu called at midnight - my darling Kunu - he also sent me a bouquet of beautiful while gladioli!! Appu also called and the next day loads of people called all day :)
Next day...phew! Got up at 6 am so that's only 3 hours of sleep, half of what I MUST HAVE in order to function like a Sane Individual. I had to go to the consulate for my visa-correction. Papa and I went there, got the work done quickly (that grouchy man was nowhere to be seen thank god!), had b'fast at Mondegars and then quickly picked up some gifts for people I shall meet in Europe and then he dropped me to the university for my lectures. I was awake till 2 pm..after that the last lecture was agony! My eyes kept shutting...I've never felt soooooooo sleepy every before..it was so bizarre...I was writing with my eyes closed and looked so drunk and dazed! LOL! I left after that not wanting to fall asleep somewhere on the road! Hahaha! Surprisingly a whole lot of people gave me gifts..very overwhelming and nice! Made me feel special and warm inside...tho I was too sleepy to react properly to anyone of them...*Sheepish Look*
Back home phuphaji told me about my 'future' - he's damn good at this stuff - and I found some of it very interesting! Not to be shared on public sites ofcourse!! LOL! Got some very nice ecards from Nitin, Adi, Divya and Odell(our College Gopi and my completely whacky fundoo pal!!)...
We went for dinner to Mainland China...yummy food. It totally makes up for the 1 hour commute to the god-forsaken Saki Naka! Got home and crashed....coz I had to get up at 5 am today to work on my presentation on Ngugi wa Thiongo - I still am not prepared...gonna give loads of superficial talk today...lordy help moi!!!
Today is gonna be yet another hectic and loooong day...but from tomorrow I have nothing major to do, so it's gonna be 'dealing with small' things and packing time from Thursday onwards...guess the countdown begins now???
Saturday, September 27, 2003
Its and Bits
So yesterday was like this jinxed day! I went to pick up my visa and had decided to also go to Westside to pick up a pair of jeans since we had this offer - I figured since I love the fit of their jeans I might as well pick one pair up. Anyways I got my visa and was glad and all thinking that finally peace arrives at my doorstep! Then I realise I've forgotten the offer coupon at home...went to Westside anyways coz I'd dragged Amma with me specifically for that purpose. She said to buy the jeans and forget the offer...felt bad I couldn't pick up any tees - they had awesome captions on some. But no point buying tees that I can't carry with me and can't wear for 3 months!
Anyways till then I was still OK...then I scrutinise my visa for minor problems and BOOM-my name was mis-spelt! Anyways I called up on the consulate's emergency number, since they are shut for the weekend and they said that it could be a problem at the airports, so I better come in on Monday and get it rectified....WAHHHHH!!! It's like I'm soooo miserably jinxed! Everytime I breath a sigh of relief, some thing new crops up to mess up my peace of mind!!! Pease Please let this thing settle next week...
Anyways some of my friends thought I must not cancel the rendezvous/party thing on Sunday just because I'm blessed with these ultra busy friends who can't make it...so I'm having a rendezvous tomorrow anyways- tres petit rendezvous I think. Only good thing about having a tiny guest gathering is that I'll have to order less food!! LOL!!
Next I went for Mumbai Matinee today - that's one of the movies I didn't wanna miss. It's sad that the director of this movie and of Jogger's Park died before the release of his two movies...anyways the movie is a bit shoddily made, could have done with better editing but its good TP! Quite funny actually with its whole emphasis on the 'Virgin at 32' bit! But there were 2 moments towards the end of the movie that struck a chord - one when Rahul Bose talks of how music/songs can touch you and suit every mood and situation conceivable and second when Perizaad Zorabia talks of meeting someone and feeling this instant connection and at other times knowing someone all your life and never really 'knowing' the person! That reminded me of my own thoughts on soulmates...hmmm....now I hope I manage to catch Jogger's Park too. I think I'm missing Boom but that's Ok coz that was pure curiosity about what AB is doing in such a film. I'd rather watch Anger Management with Jack Nicholas and Adam Sandler and bhaiyya has managed to download the movie..Hurray!!!
I just got back from this exhibition at Anand Hall-ISCON. It was an exhibition of handicrafts, jewellery, clothes etc from North-East India. DROOL MAAL!! I went to pick up gifts for Pat and Bernard, but as expected we picked up loads of other stuff too. I'm delighted with what I found for Pat and Bernard-really good stuff, and also what I found for myself....since Amma is going back to get some razaais for home I shall go with her and pick up some more jewellery-the silver stuff is to kill for! My weakness - silver jewellery with semi-precious stones set in them!! Now I gotta study - I still haven't started on my presentation and I HAVE to finish it tonight...no time after that...Lordy Lordy I'm screwed...a late Saturday night spent studying..Whoa..am I happening or what? Muhahaha!!
Anyways till then I was still OK...then I scrutinise my visa for minor problems and BOOM-my name was mis-spelt! Anyways I called up on the consulate's emergency number, since they are shut for the weekend and they said that it could be a problem at the airports, so I better come in on Monday and get it rectified....WAHHHHH!!! It's like I'm soooo miserably jinxed! Everytime I breath a sigh of relief, some thing new crops up to mess up my peace of mind!!! Pease Please let this thing settle next week...
Anyways some of my friends thought I must not cancel the rendezvous/party thing on Sunday just because I'm blessed with these ultra busy friends who can't make it...so I'm having a rendezvous tomorrow anyways- tres petit rendezvous I think. Only good thing about having a tiny guest gathering is that I'll have to order less food!! LOL!!
Next I went for Mumbai Matinee today - that's one of the movies I didn't wanna miss. It's sad that the director of this movie and of Jogger's Park died before the release of his two movies...anyways the movie is a bit shoddily made, could have done with better editing but its good TP! Quite funny actually with its whole emphasis on the 'Virgin at 32' bit! But there were 2 moments towards the end of the movie that struck a chord - one when Rahul Bose talks of how music/songs can touch you and suit every mood and situation conceivable and second when Perizaad Zorabia talks of meeting someone and feeling this instant connection and at other times knowing someone all your life and never really 'knowing' the person! That reminded me of my own thoughts on soulmates...hmmm....now I hope I manage to catch Jogger's Park too. I think I'm missing Boom but that's Ok coz that was pure curiosity about what AB is doing in such a film. I'd rather watch Anger Management with Jack Nicholas and Adam Sandler and bhaiyya has managed to download the movie..Hurray!!!
I just got back from this exhibition at Anand Hall-ISCON. It was an exhibition of handicrafts, jewellery, clothes etc from North-East India. DROOL MAAL!! I went to pick up gifts for Pat and Bernard, but as expected we picked up loads of other stuff too. I'm delighted with what I found for Pat and Bernard-really good stuff, and also what I found for myself....since Amma is going back to get some razaais for home I shall go with her and pick up some more jewellery-the silver stuff is to kill for! My weakness - silver jewellery with semi-precious stones set in them!! Now I gotta study - I still haven't started on my presentation and I HAVE to finish it tonight...no time after that...Lordy Lordy I'm screwed...a late Saturday night spent studying..Whoa..am I happening or what? Muhahaha!!
Thursday, September 25, 2003
Visa Application...
God I'm exhausted. I went yesterday to Ms.Dinter's office at Churchgate-she's the DAAD representative in Mumbai. DAAD is the German Academic Exchange Service - they are funding the exchange program. Anyways I had to pick up a letter stating that we are going on a scholarship and that our visa fees should be pardoned. After that we had a double lecture with Dr.Veveina for Barthes and Derrida. Today I went back to Nariman Point for my visa...I was there from 8.30 to 12.30 - came very close to blowing up one guy there. Instead of being helpful, the man was going out of his way to prove everything I said wrong...despite the fact that I had the right info in the first place he made me go and enquire before giving me the visa form, then insisted I've filled the wrong form and when I filled the form he deemed correct said I've made a mistake the first form was correct. I could have strangled the man at that time...but kept my peace coz I dint want my visa rejected or anything. Anyways finally submitted the visa application, now I gotta go back tomm to pick it up! Anyways I ended up missing Dr.Veveina's 11-1 lecture and after that I was in no mood to go just for 1 lec so I just returned home. Besides this way I can get some work done, rest etc. Won't be going to the univ tomm either coz the pick-up time for the visa is between 1 and 1.30 pm...sigh! Well no problems, my attendance is safe and tomm aint such an imp day in terms of lectures being taken. And once tomm's work is outta the way I'm done with all my preparation for the trip. Tickets, Visa, shopping - all done. Only packing left..that can't be done so soon! LOL!
Tuesday, September 23, 2003
God's In His Heaven And All's Right With The World...
Phew...Things are finally working out! My passport came yesterday morning! FINALLY! Yippee...I guess? I took it normally, (LOL!) as there are more things to worry about, work out etc etc. Excitement just slows you down, doesn't it? Besides I think I've forgotten to get that excited...I don't how to do that anymore...sensible lil moi!
Anyways so today I'll get my tickets confirmed...(it still rankles that I can't go to Muscat, but it couldn't be helped.) I also applied for the 'No Objection' Certificate the Dept has to give us so we can 'bunk' for so many days!! Haha! Ofcourse that man, Bhongle, was highly annoying and tried to act his usual superior self, but I just refused to give him any 'bhav'! Seriously this is the last time I enter his office...*Touchwood*
Then I get home and besides 2-3 other very nice mails that left me feeling warm inside, was this very cute and helpful mail from Hardo. He's the guy helping out with the accommodation and who will come to the airport to pick us up AND who has kindly offered to let me use his internet access in the university so I can stay connected!! Yes, I'm being VERY nice to him...:) Anyways the flat had seemed exorbitantly expensive earlier, so I'd shot off questions about expenses...the guy has patiently replied to each question and given more info too that made me feel like the whole trip is gonna be a cake walk. He seems like a guy who has an amazing sense of humour and likes to flirt too! Fun guy...he has offered to help out (which he really needn't do) and show me around...cool na? I have a ready-made friend in Magdeburg!! :)
Ofcourse now I hope things get a bit routine coz I've not settled down for days...have reading that's pending coz I'm so tired each night mentally that I can't read more than 20-30 pages. No Studying done in over 2 weeks now...*Guilt Pangs*
Next week will fly past - there's my birthday treat on Sunday followed by my birthday on Monday, followed by my presentation on Tues, then a last visit to Appu's place to spend the night with her, and then packing....before you know it 5th October will be here and I'll leave that night.
Apprehensive, nervous, tense? The first definitely - bout things that will change while I'm in Germany. But not tense or nervous anymore. That has faded away now that things are falling into place...hope everything continues to go smoothly for the next 2 weeks and ofcourse while I'm there in Germany...Pray for moi!!!
Anyways so today I'll get my tickets confirmed...(it still rankles that I can't go to Muscat, but it couldn't be helped.) I also applied for the 'No Objection' Certificate the Dept has to give us so we can 'bunk' for so many days!! Haha! Ofcourse that man, Bhongle, was highly annoying and tried to act his usual superior self, but I just refused to give him any 'bhav'! Seriously this is the last time I enter his office...*Touchwood*
Then I get home and besides 2-3 other very nice mails that left me feeling warm inside, was this very cute and helpful mail from Hardo. He's the guy helping out with the accommodation and who will come to the airport to pick us up AND who has kindly offered to let me use his internet access in the university so I can stay connected!! Yes, I'm being VERY nice to him...:) Anyways the flat had seemed exorbitantly expensive earlier, so I'd shot off questions about expenses...the guy has patiently replied to each question and given more info too that made me feel like the whole trip is gonna be a cake walk. He seems like a guy who has an amazing sense of humour and likes to flirt too! Fun guy...he has offered to help out (which he really needn't do) and show me around...cool na? I have a ready-made friend in Magdeburg!! :)
Ofcourse now I hope things get a bit routine coz I've not settled down for days...have reading that's pending coz I'm so tired each night mentally that I can't read more than 20-30 pages. No Studying done in over 2 weeks now...*Guilt Pangs*
Next week will fly past - there's my birthday treat on Sunday followed by my birthday on Monday, followed by my presentation on Tues, then a last visit to Appu's place to spend the night with her, and then packing....before you know it 5th October will be here and I'll leave that night.
Apprehensive, nervous, tense? The first definitely - bout things that will change while I'm in Germany. But not tense or nervous anymore. That has faded away now that things are falling into place...hope everything continues to go smoothly for the next 2 weeks and ofcourse while I'm there in Germany...Pray for moi!!!
Sunday, September 21, 2003
I Have Only One Nerve And You Are Getting On It...
Haha! The headline says it all doesn't it? Am grumpy, morose, cranky, irritable, fuming, stewing slowly inside, a volcano waiting to erupt...defi not good company today. Wanted to do so much today, but I didn't get out the right side of bed. Just found out that my passport has been dispatched on the 19th which means I should get it within the next couple of days...I should be happy and relieved that that tension is finally over. But I'm unaffected - right now very angry with people. Defi not one of my people days...today I really long to set out by myself and be left alone to do as I wish. Sad part is that I won't be allowed to do any such thing...the questions that will follow will just kindle me further, so I'm gonna be all feminine and pamper myself with some packs, lotions and long hot refreshing bath with some nice scented bath salts, and then light some incense sticks, switch on that fountain delicately scented with patchouli and drown myself in one of the 4 books I've collected for myself this weekend, or study. Just try and fade into the wall work and hope no one expects me to do anything for them, or be smiley...coz I might just end up scratching someone's face then...need an outlet for this turbulence inside...it needs to die a quick death.
Saturday, September 20, 2003
Ramblings Of Someone Who Cherishes Walking and Books... :)
Was just talking to Amma about my day...I had gone to town(obviously-today is a Saturday, where else would I be?) and I was just telling her how much I enjoy walking around Churchgate/Colaba. I've grown to enjoy the walk down to BCL, Institute of Science, Oxford, Colaba - most places around Churchgate. Plus I no longer find the train journey from Andheri-Churchgate annoying/tiring/frustrating as most people do. Sure its hot when its crowded, sometimes I have to stand upto Dadar - but I just never thought twice about doing it. Now even with the walking around in the sun and the crowded trains I don't really get the exhausted that I need to collapse when I get home! I got thinking bout this coz we were talking about someone who is a Mumbai-ite like me but abso ignorant of the Mumbai way of living. It just surprises me totally - sure one reaches a point in life when you prefer traveling by cabs etc, specially if you can afford it. But to only travel that way, even when you were younger, in college etc...just appalls me. That's like going for a trek and asking where the cars are!! I for one can't imagine not doing this, and all that talk of exhaustion gets no sympathy from me, for reasons obvious enough...
Anyways I spent a wonderful hour or so at Oxford today. Browsed through the collection, itching to pick up alteast a dozen titles, but settled for just two - Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and Pygmalion by Bernard Shaw (this play was adapted for screen as the popular "My Fair Lady"). Conrad's work is a very important work in all postcolonial studies, talking about Africa as it does, as the 'dark' continent, and ofcourse Conrad's anti-imperialist stance which by no means can be taken as anti-racist, for he was very racist. I'm looking forward to finally reading it, specially since we've referred to it so often in the past few weeks of studying postcolonial theories. Shaw, I picked up because of sheer curiosity and interest. Shaw is one of the most witty English dramatists whose plays were not merely for entertainment, but aimed at making its audience think about contemporary issues of importance.
Shall get to both books ASAP!!!
Anyways I spent a wonderful hour or so at Oxford today. Browsed through the collection, itching to pick up alteast a dozen titles, but settled for just two - Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and Pygmalion by Bernard Shaw (this play was adapted for screen as the popular "My Fair Lady"). Conrad's work is a very important work in all postcolonial studies, talking about Africa as it does, as the 'dark' continent, and ofcourse Conrad's anti-imperialist stance which by no means can be taken as anti-racist, for he was very racist. I'm looking forward to finally reading it, specially since we've referred to it so often in the past few weeks of studying postcolonial theories. Shaw, I picked up because of sheer curiosity and interest. Shaw is one of the most witty English dramatists whose plays were not merely for entertainment, but aimed at making its audience think about contemporary issues of importance.
Shall get to both books ASAP!!!
Friday, September 19, 2003
Soulmates?
Is it possible to meet someone you connect with instantly, on this deep sublime level that most others don't even know exists within you? You can walk along the paths of life, meet different people, befriend some, accepting their differences and learning to live with them. It's a nice life, but a tad bland, don't you think so? To find someone with whom you can share your deepest thoughts and dreams and fears without any hesitation is a fortune few are blessed with. And if that person is someone who thinks, likes, enjoys and appreciates similar things, has similar values and ideals - nothing coud beat that!
I'm defining a soulmate, I know. And few get a true soulmate in the true essence of the word. Most people settle for less - they have to. I don't want to. Up until recently I thought I would have to, for I've never met anyone who came even close to my idea of a soulmate. I have friends who I'm close to, thank god for them, but I want more than that...so much more!
I'm defining a soulmate, I know. And few get a true soulmate in the true essence of the word. Most people settle for less - they have to. I don't want to. Up until recently I thought I would have to, for I've never met anyone who came even close to my idea of a soulmate. I have friends who I'm close to, thank god for them, but I want more than that...so much more!
I'm Back...
Wow I've not blogged in dayssssssss....so much to update on!
Well I had a wonderful time dealing with red-tape this week...I'm being highly sarcastic here, so you thick-skinned people please don't read this as my true feelings on the subject...
So papa returned from Germany on Turesday night and we thought we must spend a day alone...just father and daughter-so sweet na? So the very next day, with papa still getting over jet-lag and exhaustion that any person over 60 would feel after an overseas working trip, we set off for Crawford market. Wonderful place...the police quarters, the head office of the Mumbai police...spick and span and such warm humans they all are! After knocking on several doors we find out that my papers left the CID office on the 6th september. So we went to the passport office only to be informed that its past 12.30 so please return the next day! So yesterday we set off bright and early for the Passport Office, voila..it seems that my passport was made on the 15th, now I must sit tight while the clerk decides to dispatch it at his convenience....this after 2 queues, 2 clerks, 1 letter, 1 form and 1 "saab"!!!
Red Tape Zindabad!! Nothing like it man...it rules...
Thats on that front...otherwise I'm feeling like the whole world is coming down on me. Things have been frenzied and crazy for 10 days now...running around outside home, attending lectures, going to study at the library, a forthcoming presentation on Ngugi wa Thiongo's 'Decolonising the Mind' on the 30th, a rendezvous to organise on the 28th,friends to meet and worry about....CRAZY!! Kunaal was here earlier this week - we went out for dinner, but were both pensive and hardly talked. Couldn't spend much time together coz he was here on work...sad coz now I'll meet him only on my return...will miss him like nuts....my kunu baba!
Oh I've not mentioned how I'd been had na? So it turns out that Amit never left...or rather he did, only for Nagpur, not New York! God I was so annoyed with him for pulling that one...its one of worst yet...he's here till 7th October - he's actually leaving AFTER me...talk about ironies!
Pray that all this settles down by next week, else the German's will receive a very exhausted and bed-raggled Geetanjali on the 7th October!!
Well I had a wonderful time dealing with red-tape this week...I'm being highly sarcastic here, so you thick-skinned people please don't read this as my true feelings on the subject...
So papa returned from Germany on Turesday night and we thought we must spend a day alone...just father and daughter-so sweet na? So the very next day, with papa still getting over jet-lag and exhaustion that any person over 60 would feel after an overseas working trip, we set off for Crawford market. Wonderful place...the police quarters, the head office of the Mumbai police...spick and span and such warm humans they all are! After knocking on several doors we find out that my papers left the CID office on the 6th september. So we went to the passport office only to be informed that its past 12.30 so please return the next day! So yesterday we set off bright and early for the Passport Office, voila..it seems that my passport was made on the 15th, now I must sit tight while the clerk decides to dispatch it at his convenience....this after 2 queues, 2 clerks, 1 letter, 1 form and 1 "saab"!!!
Red Tape Zindabad!! Nothing like it man...it rules...
Thats on that front...otherwise I'm feeling like the whole world is coming down on me. Things have been frenzied and crazy for 10 days now...running around outside home, attending lectures, going to study at the library, a forthcoming presentation on Ngugi wa Thiongo's 'Decolonising the Mind' on the 30th, a rendezvous to organise on the 28th,friends to meet and worry about....CRAZY!! Kunaal was here earlier this week - we went out for dinner, but were both pensive and hardly talked. Couldn't spend much time together coz he was here on work...sad coz now I'll meet him only on my return...will miss him like nuts....my kunu baba!
Oh I've not mentioned how I'd been had na? So it turns out that Amit never left...or rather he did, only for Nagpur, not New York! God I was so annoyed with him for pulling that one...its one of worst yet...he's here till 7th October - he's actually leaving AFTER me...talk about ironies!
Pray that all this settles down by next week, else the German's will receive a very exhausted and bed-raggled Geetanjali on the 7th October!!
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