Good one. A Tamil teacher driving over the outstretched hands of his pupils. Apparantly this is just one of many practices schools in Tamil Nadu use to show off the strength and skills of the kids they educate.
The argument is that the pupils in fact derive their skills from karate practice and are therefore not hurt by the bike driving over their fingers. (Seen the long tradition of yoga and other meditation techniques it wouldn't surprise me if the training includes breathing excercices).
Parents would (paradoxically?) be releaved to see their children going through such a challenge and coming out unhurt. It is told to give them more strenght and confidence. Yet schools are now told to ban all of theirs stunts to avoid accidents.
Still the picture might look quite shocking through western eyes...
Showing posts with label South India. Show all posts
Showing posts with label South India. Show all posts
Wednesday, 5 August 2009
Sunday, 28 September 2008
Traveling India: Stage 7: Goa & Hampi
Mea Culpa, it has been some time since the last post again, but what to do if you're chilling on a beach in Goa? The last thing on my mind was spending time in a grungy internet cafe instead of palm filled beaches. That said, there's not much more to say about Goa. The season hasn't started and though it was sunny, most beaches were nicely deserted. We rented bikes, drove around Goa, spend time on the beaches, swimming and drinking some beers. Of the legendary rave parties and crazy nightlife we didn't see a thing. The Summer of Love is over I guess and made room for hordes of fat tourists enjoying the good value for their euros. Nevertheless we had a great time and calmly enjoyed Goa for 3 days.
Afterwards we headed to Hampi. A horrible bus ride over way too many bumpy roads brought us to this isolated pieces of rocky hills and hundreds of temples dotted over the landscape. This very same landscape I found more attractive than the temples themselves, because maybe I have been seeing too many of them since I arrived in India, now almost a year ago. We cycled under the burning sun through the valley and catched some amazing views. While the guys prefered to go for a marathon of sightseeing, the both us took it rather easy and did everything on our own pace.
Afterwards we headed to Hampi. A horrible bus ride over way too many bumpy roads brought us to this isolated pieces of rocky hills and hundreds of temples dotted over the landscape. This very same landscape I found more attractive than the temples themselves, because maybe I have been seeing too many of them since I arrived in India, now almost a year ago. We cycled under the burning sun through the valley and catched some amazing views. While the guys prefered to go for a marathon of sightseeing, the both us took it rather easy and did everything on our own pace.
Thursday, 14 August 2008
Gedachtenkronkels na 10 maanden India
Vrienden van de blog,
Het is voor u mischien ongemerkt voorbijgegaan, maar voor mij alleszins niet: vandaag ben ik precies 10 maanden in Tamil land. Tijd om conclusies te trekken is het echter nog niet, mijn beeld van India zal hopelijk nog een iets aangenamere wending nemen als ik september het noorden van het land ga verkennen en hopelijk een glimps van de himalayas zal opvangen, alsook enkele stevige teugen verse lucht zal inhaleren.
Ongeacht wat ik nog zal tegenkomen in mijn laatste 2 maanden, kijk ik toch reeds met een gerust hart terug op mijn ervaringen hier. 'Ze kunnen het mij al niet meer afpakken' zoals men dat soms mooi uitdrukt in de volksmond. Daarbij komt nog eens de wijsheid dat 'slechte ervaringen niet bestaan', gezien men van alles verondersteld word iets te leren, nietwaar? In het aanschijn van mijn langdurig verblijf in India krijgt deze uitdrukking zelfs nog meer glans.
Op het eerste zicht lijken 10 maanden in een overbevolkte en vervuilde stad, met weinig geld en weinig enterteinment niet echt een fantastische ervaring. Niets is minder waar. Na 10 maanden durf ik te zeggen dat weinig ervaringen tot nog toe zo (leer)rijk waren als deze. Wat ik geleerd heb? Teveel om uit te schrijven, te moeilijk om uit de drukken, te persoonlijk om te delen, te intens om onder woorden te brengen, ...maar niets zal nog hetzelfde zijn na India.
Tot binnenkort,
Filip
Het is voor u mischien ongemerkt voorbijgegaan, maar voor mij alleszins niet: vandaag ben ik precies 10 maanden in Tamil land. Tijd om conclusies te trekken is het echter nog niet, mijn beeld van India zal hopelijk nog een iets aangenamere wending nemen als ik september het noorden van het land ga verkennen en hopelijk een glimps van de himalayas zal opvangen, alsook enkele stevige teugen verse lucht zal inhaleren.
Ongeacht wat ik nog zal tegenkomen in mijn laatste 2 maanden, kijk ik toch reeds met een gerust hart terug op mijn ervaringen hier. 'Ze kunnen het mij al niet meer afpakken' zoals men dat soms mooi uitdrukt in de volksmond. Daarbij komt nog eens de wijsheid dat 'slechte ervaringen niet bestaan', gezien men van alles verondersteld word iets te leren, nietwaar? In het aanschijn van mijn langdurig verblijf in India krijgt deze uitdrukking zelfs nog meer glans.
Op het eerste zicht lijken 10 maanden in een overbevolkte en vervuilde stad, met weinig geld en weinig enterteinment niet echt een fantastische ervaring. Niets is minder waar. Na 10 maanden durf ik te zeggen dat weinig ervaringen tot nog toe zo (leer)rijk waren als deze. Wat ik geleerd heb? Teveel om uit te schrijven, te moeilijk om uit de drukken, te persoonlijk om te delen, te intens om onder woorden te brengen, ...maar niets zal nog hetzelfde zijn na India.
Tot binnenkort,
Filip
Thursday, 31 July 2008
You Have Been Too Long In India When...
I know this is a re-post, but I'm sure many of you haven't seen it before. Also, now I actually might start to consider having been too long in India so the list becomes more relevant anyway :)
So You've been too long in India when...
*You realize that your toothpaste and breakfast taste the same.
* You know "initials" are not the first letters of your first and last name but the first letters of your 4-5 names before family name.
* You can't even think of eating rice and curry with cutlery, because "it's not the same taste"
* You know "short eats" is not a children's movie or an ancient measure.
* You start using the freezer compartment when you realize the fridge is broken.
* You put towels on the floor when you realize the freezer is broken.
* You can't remember the time before instant coffee.
* You don't mind anymore if there's no toilet paper in the washroom.
* You call it a washroom instead of toilet.
* You look right when crossing the street.
* You find apples and oranges to be precious commodities while durian and rambutan are part of your daily diet.
* You don't understand why you need a bed if you have a mattress.
* You scream and shout of happiness when telling your friends you had a chance to watch TV or take a hot shower.
* You think salami and cheese are gifts from heaven.
* You have forgotten how red wine tastes like.
* You think Wickramasinghe or Jayawardene are typical short last names.
* You feel good that you managed to haggle 50 rupees off from a rickshaw ride.
* You use chili sauce and call it tomato sauce; you never say "ketchup" again.
* You start secretly wishing your parents would do the pre-screening of your future spouse.
* You think it's a wonderful thing that a 30+ year old still lives home with his or her parents.
* You think twice before killing a bug; maybe it's better to leave it be and it will go away eventually.
* You express your anger saying "What to do?"
* You express your consent with wiggling your head from side to side.
* You express your disagreement with wiggling your head from side to side.
* You express maybe by saying "sometimes".
* You go to a five-star hotel with your company and prefer to have kiri bath and pol sambol instead of bacon and egg.
* You don't wonder why random people just pop into your house occasionally.
* You want to go and save a cow that is stuck on a green field away from its natural habitat amidst the traffic.
* You go to work three hours late with clear conscience and say "it was raining".
* You announce distance in minutes.
* You write a list of things that show when you have been too long in India
(author unknown)
So You've been too long in India when...
*You realize that your toothpaste and breakfast taste the same.
* You know "initials" are not the first letters of your first and last name but the first letters of your 4-5 names before family name.
* You can't even think of eating rice and curry with cutlery, because "it's not the same taste"
* You start using the freezer compartment when you realize the fridge is broken.
* You put towels on the floor when you realize the freezer is broken.
* You can't remember the time before instant coffee.
* You don't mind anymore if there's no toilet paper in the washroom.
* You call it a washroom instead of toilet.
* You find apples and oranges to be precious commodities while durian and rambutan are part of your daily diet.
* You don't understand why you need a bed if you have a mattress.
* You scream and shout of happiness when telling your friends you had a chance to watch TV or take a hot shower.
* You think salami and cheese are gifts from heaven.
* You have forgotten how red wine tastes like.
* You feel good that you managed to haggle 50 rupees off from a rickshaw ride.
* You use chili sauce and call it tomato sauce; you never say "ketchup" again.
* You start secretly wishing your parents would do the pre-screening of your future spouse.
* You think it's a wonderful thing that a 30+ year old still lives home with his or her parents.
* You think twice before killing a bug; maybe it's better to leave it be and it will go away eventually.
* You express your anger saying "What to do?"
* You express your consent with wiggling your head from side to side.
* You express your disagreement with wiggling your head from side to side.
* You express maybe by saying "sometimes".
* You go to a five-star hotel with your company and prefer to have kiri bath and pol sambol instead of bacon and egg.
* You want to go and save a cow that is stuck on a green field away from its natural habitat amidst the traffic.
* You go to work three hours late with clear conscience and say "it was raining".
* You announce distance in minutes.
* You write a list of things that show when you have been too long in India
(author unknown)
Tuesday, 22 July 2008
Super Survival Tips To South India (Part II)
In a previous post I already gave away 6 super useful survival tips to South India and as promised I continue the list, for you to enjoy, learn...and survive!
7. Don't ask leading questions. Rather than wanting to dissapoint you, every south indian will do his best to answer your question or explain the way, even if he has no clue what you are talking about. If then you offer them the easy opportunities such as 'Should I go this direction to arrive at the mall?', the answer will undoubtly be a firm 'yes', though you might be walking the opposite way. Surely the good man believes you will arrive at your destination at some point, somehow, so it's not a real lie, right?
8. Never run when crossing the street. Crossing major boulevards in India is a balancing game that requires some skills and experience. In the beginning its easy to cross together with other locals, they are ALWAYS around anyway, but surely you will have to gather courage to give it a go alone someday. At that point, remember this primary survival rule and slowly manouver through traffic without any external sign of fear for the passing cars, bikes, rickshaws, cycles, pedestrians and mammels. Take firm steps and indicate the cars heading your way which way you want them to pass by. Thank God when you arrived on the other side.
9. Declare you are a student. It sounds pretty lame, but i've heard from several travellers and experienced myself that an imaginary student status facilitates bargaining. Being white you are considered a walking goldmine anyway (even if you are a poor backpacker or trainee), but it can help. Anyway it's better than coming up with the real story from which the salesman/driver will only pick up the keywords 'Sofware, America, Dollars, Manager', regardless of you actually mentioning them or not in your talk.
10. Confirm every sentence with ok,ok,ok,ok,ok and some head wiggling, that will make your conversation partner feel more comfortable talking to you. Even if you don't agree continue to say ok,ok,ok,ok,ok and end with a firm 'NO'. It's also pretty common to use the stop word 'correct' after every sentence, (pronounced 'Cerrect') as an acknowledgment of your understanding. This can end up in funny first meetings, when people reply 'Correct' to your birthdate or name.
11. Get a rabies shot. If you've read the Madras by night post you understand why. If you didn't you will understand the day you venture out at night and stand face to face with a dog that is not open to the idea of having foreigners in his hood (and is probably hungry too). Better to avoid dogs anyway I guess. A survial tip in the true sense of the word!
7. Don't ask leading questions. Rather than wanting to dissapoint you, every south indian will do his best to answer your question or explain the way, even if he has no clue what you are talking about. If then you offer them the easy opportunities such as 'Should I go this direction to arrive at the mall?', the answer will undoubtly be a firm 'yes', though you might be walking the opposite way. Surely the good man believes you will arrive at your destination at some point, somehow, so it's not a real lie, right?
8. Never run when crossing the street. Crossing major boulevards in India is a balancing game that requires some skills and experience. In the beginning its easy to cross together with other locals, they are ALWAYS around anyway, but surely you will have to gather courage to give it a go alone someday. At that point, remember this primary survival rule and slowly manouver through traffic without any external sign of fear for the passing cars, bikes, rickshaws, cycles, pedestrians and mammels. Take firm steps and indicate the cars heading your way which way you want them to pass by. Thank God when you arrived on the other side.
9. Declare you are a student. It sounds pretty lame, but i've heard from several travellers and experienced myself that an imaginary student status facilitates bargaining. Being white you are considered a walking goldmine anyway (even if you are a poor backpacker or trainee), but it can help. Anyway it's better than coming up with the real story from which the salesman/driver will only pick up the keywords 'Sofware, America, Dollars, Manager', regardless of you actually mentioning them or not in your talk.
10. Confirm every sentence with ok,ok,ok,ok,ok and some head wiggling, that will make your conversation partner feel more comfortable talking to you. Even if you don't agree continue to say ok,ok,ok,ok,ok and end with a firm 'NO'. It's also pretty common to use the stop word 'correct' after every sentence, (pronounced 'Cerrect') as an acknowledgment of your understanding. This can end up in funny first meetings, when people reply 'Correct' to your birthdate or name.
11. Get a rabies shot. If you've read the Madras by night post you understand why. If you didn't you will understand the day you venture out at night and stand face to face with a dog that is not open to the idea of having foreigners in his hood (and is probably hungry too). Better to avoid dogs anyway I guess. A survial tip in the true sense of the word!
Sunday, 29 June 2008
Survival Tips To South India
For those who want to make it through their stay in South India, plan on visiting Tamil land or are new in town, here are some tips to increase your chances of survival!
1. Ban white clothes from your inventory, they are useless here. Even if you have the courage to hand wash till you die, eventually the frustration of seeing a white shirt turning into a distinct yellow brownish tint within the first half an hour you are outside will make you go mad. Go for a sari or lungi in a dark color, and blend in.
2. Avoid the Police, they spoil the fun at every occasion and it can cost you some rupees to get rid of them. The list of things the police strongly dissaproves of includes but is not limited to: kissing in public, showing affection in public, being on the street after 11PM (= deportation!), drinking on the beach, driving without helmet and parking your bike when the governor passes by. On the other hand it's completely cool to ignore all possible traffic rules and cross red lights.
3. Build up an unusual amount of patience and zen to remain calm at all price. This tip is meant to avoid swift heart attacks when you have to wait half one hour for that one customer ahead of you, when it takes you 3 days, 10 phonecalls and 20 referals to send a package home by mail or when somebody showed you in the wrong direction for the 10th time and you are hopelessly lost in the city. Indian stretchable time apllies and adds at least half an hour to the agreed hour of appointment.
4. To make yourself understandable in English on the street only use nouns. Adjectives and other difficult grammatical constructions make communication rather complicated so better to avoid them. If you do ha ve to use an adjective (or actually for every possible noun) it's always useful to add '-ing' to it as the locals will understand you as one of them. For example: no 'cool' drink, but 'cooling' drink, you are not going to work, but 'going working' etc. Picking up some Tamil will surely impress Chennai autodrivers and increase your bargaining power.
5. Chances of getting bored if you stay for a longer are real, but no worries. Grab the newspaper in a dead moment and laugh for the rest of the day. Articles are usually badly written and the weekend edition often offers some great content to discuss among friends. Don't be surprised to see presumably 'Quality' newspapers boost articles about masturbation, arranged marriages, The Amazingly Dangerous City of Chennai or guys writing about how woman should dress or be succesfully approached. Fun guaranteed! (if you go clubbing, 90% chance you'll be in the newspaper yourself)
6. Bear the unstoppable curiosity of the Indians. There are many of them and they all want to know what a foreigner like you is doing after work and in the weekends. No question cannot be asked so prepare to get your way out of questions like 'How much you earn?' 'Is your girlfriend also your lover?' or 'Is it true in Europe people only drink beer and softdrinks? or even more common 'Which country?' and 'Good name?'
So far the first edition of survival tips to South India - To be continued!
*update 24/07: see part II of Survival tips in India
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