Today we are driving to Pune (pronounced Pu-na), which seems close by map, but is a good three hours by car. It takes a while just to get off the island of Mumbai (which was once seven islands, now fused together). After that we soon begin to rise into the Western Ghatt mountains. These are not very big - more like large hills. In fact, the old Brit installations that have grown into cities up here are called Hill Stations.
School setting at the hill station
In one of these we stop of at a college teaching business and hotel management. Once again, this isn't a great place for me to get students. In this specific case, I don't see how this stop was a use to anyone in our group. We were given a tour of the campus and didn't even have a chance to talk to students. Maybe if the tables were turned, and we were sending students to India, this visit would have made sense. Aesthetically, it was pleasing, and they served some good samosas, but other than that it was a complete waste of time. One piece of info we did pick up is that the road we are driving on has been designated the most dangerous in the world by the BBC. Great. I do assume however, that they are not counting highways in Iraq.
Hotel management students preparing for a Valentines party. Our silly holidays have spread so far...
Much of the scenery on the way to Pune actually reminds me of parts of Central America during the dry season. Like, C.A., they say that when it rains here, everything becomes lush and unbelievably green. Once in Pune, we go through the now familiar and annoying effort of finding where we are supposed to be going. We arrive at the college library to set up just as our fair is supposed to be beginning. Luckily, we are not swamped with students. At this location we've decided to give half-hour info sessions as well as set up booths. Other than during training, I've never had to do this before. We were supposed to have a separate room, but we end up doing it in the rotunda in the middle of the general fair. It wasn't that bad. It helps that I have great support material on the DVD that I was able to show on a big screen. Afterwards I talked to a few students who seemed relatively interested, even though this is mainly a technical school. I also got an app from a girl I'd been e-mailing with.
K____ from Ontario (married, before you ask)
Having been served huge samosas during the fair, we all decide to forgo stopping for dinner and drive straight back to Mumbai. Making the trip worse, the light was fading so I couldn't read, and I am then forced to listen to all the married people's stories of how they proposed or were proposed to. Gag.
Sunset over the Western Ghatts, from the car.
We get back to the hotel around 10pm. Though we'd all talked mightily in Pune of going out for a drink, now that it is put-up time, we all decide to just hit the sack. I don't even manage to undress or turn the lights off. To any of my friends suspecting that I'm leaving stuff out, I wish I could say I am, but unfortunately I am not.
No comments:
Post a Comment