Hello Delhiiii!

Where to even begin! New Delhi is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced back home. Noise, traffic, people EVERYWHERE!

So the flight over was pretty entertaining. I nearly missed my flight to Delhi because there were two-hour delays in Chicago. Managed to sprint through the airport and onto the plane right as the last people were boarding. And then we settled down for 15 hours of boredom. Really it wasn’t bad though, ‘cause I ended up sitting by a handsome, charming Indian boy named Soumick who was more than happy to talk to me about Indian vs. American life for much of the flight. He’s a grad student at the University of Missouri, and was headed home to Calcutta for the first time since he moved to the US a year ago. He kept telling me how foreign everything in the US seemed, and sitting here in Delhi I’m beginning to understand why! For everyone who told me New Delhi is like the US... I’m not convinced. Apparently Delhi and Calcutta are nothing alike either, but I’m sure they share more similarities between themselves than either do with the US.

I was a bit shocked when I got off the plane in India and was immediately face to face with uniformed men carrying Ak-47s. According to Shrishti, security is getting ramped up because it’s getting close to Independence Day (Aug 15th). I’m kind of sad I won’t be in Delhi for the celebrations (fly to Mumbai on the 14th), but I’m sure the scene in Pune will be entertaining as well! Anyway, after Soumick and I navigated our way through customs and waited and waited and waited for our bags at the baggage claim. He was quite the gentleman, and refused to leave my side until I was safely delivered into the competent hands of Shrishti and her father. According to him, I was in his country now and must consider myself his guest. A Carleton professor I met before leaving Northfield told me that, no matter what, someone would always take care of me while in India. I was skeptical before, but now I don’t know - maybe it isn’t too good of a promise to be true. Soumick’s kindness certainly left me with a good first impression of India! And then we hit the streets...

I got my first hint at the poverty I would encounter as we flew over northern India at sunset. You could clearly see the boarder between Afghanistan and India - one side was all red dirt, and the other side was green. If you were to take a snapshot as dusk fell, however, you’d never be able to tell the two countries apart - there’s nothing but black. The same picture in the US would have been dotted with lights from houses, street lamps, cars... but there was none of that here. Only the occasional cluster of light, surrounded by darkness. Why? I don’t really know, and I don’t want to jump to the conclusion that poverty is the sole culprit when there are probably many other contributing factors as well. But I’m sure that’s at least a large part of it. Maybe I can find out more details soon. So, based off of that observation and the numerous warnings I’ve had from friends who have traveled here and books I’ve read, I’d braced myself for what I would encounter once I was finally out on the streets of Delhi. No amount of reading could have really prepared me for what I saw last night and this morning though. People, children, are everywhere - sleeping on the sides of streets, under bridges, squatting under tarps held up by a stick. Some are naked, many have no shoes, most are dressed in dusty rags. Stray dogs keep them company, small puppies nip at the heels of children. One little boy, probably no more than seven or eight, held his naked baby sister away from the dogs with one arm as he wiped sweat from her face with the other. No one walking past seemed to notice him. But I did, and from my air conditioned seat in the car I couldn’t help but feel guilty that there was nothing I could do to help. Five minutes after seeing the boy, I was face to face with a beggar girl, also holding a small child. She was probably the same age as the boy, and her eyes looked so sad and tired as she went from car to car, hand outstretched.. empty... At her age I was doing gymnastics and going to school. Where will she be when she is my age?

On to happier things - now that I’m over my initial shock at the traffic system here, I’m discovering that it’s wildly entertaining to ride down the streets. You know how in America people generally assume that everyone will follow the traffic laws, stay between the lines, stop at stop lights, etc? Yea well, there’s none of that here. People do whatever they want - drive on the lines, between them, on the side of the road on places you’d swear no car would ever fit. You come within 1/2 an inch of the cars around you, but somehow make it out without so much as a scratch. Rickshaws go against traffic which causes some massive traffic jams. EVERYONE honks, all the time, but it’s not really rude or done out of anger. It’s more like making sure everyone around you knows you exist, otherwise you’re going to get plowed over! They manage to fit an insane number of people into cars, too. I saw people riding on top of buses, in the backs of trucks cushioned by trash bags, 3 or 4 people on a motorcycle. One time there were two kids crammed between their parents, all on one small motorcycle. Those things are insane too, weaving in and out of cars like they are standing still. It’s almost like a game, really - see who can pass the most cars in the shortest amount of time. At least they *all* wear helmets! I’m finding that I’m the center of attention too, even while riding in the car. People will pull up beside us and slow down to stare at me for a minute before moving on. Not that I can blame them - I haven’t seen a single other “white person” around (yay!). Oh, and, I found Cadbury chocolate! It's in a little shop right across the street from where I'm staying. All of my worries about not having my chocolate fixes have dissolved - plus it's super cheap. Maybe $.25 for a chocolate bar that costs $8-10 in the US.

Noise. There’s lots of it. Horns blaring all day and night, people yelling, fans blowing, music, and the occasional calls of birds as they chase each other from tree to tree. The pollution is a bit stifling as well. Part of me hopes that I can forget what clean air smells like so I won’t notice so much. Last night I felt like I was being suffocated because the air is so thick and smells of smoke and dust. It’s like a grey haze has settled over everything and absolutely refuses to budge. The rain didn’t help much, other than to cool the air a bit. It will get better though, as I get used to things. And maybe Pune won’t be this polluted. The heat is slightly overwhelming, mostly because it’s so humid. This makes South Carolina look dry! I’ll be getting some Indian clothes soon, which should allow for better airflow and make things much more comfortable (and help me blend in!).

Anyway, it’s a beautiful day out! It just rained and things are bustling outside. Perfect time to go do a bit of shopping! I’ll write more soon, probably later today - there’s just so much to tell about!

¡Hasta luego from New Delhi!

¡Hasta Luego!

This is my last post from the States - next stop, New Delhi, India! I can't wait to get there and experience the new food, sights, smells, people... a whole new life! The last few weeks in the United States have been absolutely incredible. Class and work both ended well, though waving goodbye to Olaf was bittersweet. I spent the last week in Colorado, and can't even begin to describe how incredible it was. I always forget how much I miss Boulder until I go back and watch the moon rise over the city from the side of a mountain. It was an absolute blast to catch up with old friends, make new friends, and climb a few mountains. Best of all, however, was getting the opportunity to meet with the Fellows at the Unreasonable Institute (http://www.unreasonableinstitute.org/)! It was a breath of fresh air to be surrounded by incredibly smart, talented, kind, and HUMBLE social entrepreneurs who were as willing to let me into their world as I was to let them into mine. The experience has definitely left me with the key to open many, many doors.
Trina Talukdar, one of the fellows, will be headed back to Mumbai mid-August. She has founded Kranti (http://unreasonableinstitute.org/fellows/kranti-new-approach-to-women-trafficking/), an organization that works to rehabilitate trafficked women. She has a ton of connections throughout India, including in Pune, with HIV/AIDS organizations (what I'm researching), and just other cool people. She's going to get me in touch with them, and has also invited me to come stay with her in Mumbai whenever I want, to visit and get involved with getting Kranti up and running. We have also discussed traveling to Bangalore together, where she has the most connections, to meet with a few NGOs, visit her friends, etc. That's all in the baby stages of planning, but definitely an exciting possibility!

Few last minute things:
- I'll be posting on here a lot more than I'll be sending emails, so check back for updates, leave comments if you like, etc!
- and I've become an ACM ambassador: http://www.acm.edu/off_campus_study/profiles/35
- my phone # won't work in India (obviously), so email me here or at stolaf.edu. and/or add me on skype (mabodie)
- I finally have my address in India. It is:

Meghan Bodie
ACM India Studies Program
c/o Kalachhaya 270
D Patrakar Nagar Road
Shivajinagar
Pune 411 016
Maharashtra, India

Anyway, I've got to go jump on a plane! I'll write more soon!


Sending love from Minneapolis, USA

I've missed this place so much!

Right now I'm sitting drinking chai, munching on walnuts and chocolate, and watching a storm sweep over the mountains. I'm always blown away by how beautiful things are in this sliver of the universe. Had TEDstravaganza on Saturday night - there were so many people! Ended up in a rather lengthy conversation about the education system in the US with about 20 other very well educated, opinionated individuals. I've so missed the intellectual stimulation this group provides! They are all up on the times, and know very well what they think and feel and WHY they think and feel that way. It's refreshing.



Climbed a mountain yesterday morning with my friends Weston, Tsvetomir and João and another girl I didn't know. Earlier in the day I watched a video on global warming and possible solutions that a good friend of mine sent out; turns out Tsvet and João know quite a bit about geoengineering. So, once we reached the summit we sat and talked about it for a good hour or so. They had a lot to say about SRM (solar radiation management), and absolutely nothing positive. Based on the research I've done on it in the past and what I heard from them (Tsvet works for UCAR - http://www2.ucar.edu/ and is extremely knowledgeable about these sorts of things), I'd have to agree - it seems like a terrible idea with potentially devastating consequences. SRM is a process that is supposed to reduce warming by reflecting sunlight. Basically, "we" put sulfur-dioxide into the atmosphere (the same stuff released when a volcano explodes) in order to thicken clouds/increase global dimming. Sure it might lower global temperatures, but at what cost? We don't know what it will do to the water cycle, or what will happen if (or more like when) the water becomes contaminated. If food shortages were a problem before, they would be a MUCH bigger problem then if a) there wasn't much/any rain and b) the rain that did fall was polluted and killed all the plants and fish. In a study done after a huge volcano erupted in the Philippines, rainfall was significantly reduced for five years because of the sulfur dioxide released into the atmosphere - aka, widespread drought and famine. There's other potential problems, and I'm sure plenty of unforeseen consequences, but this is the one that stands out the most to me.

Anyway, after we came down from the mountain Weston, João and I chilled in Boulder looking at artwork and playing in/reading on a rock in the creek. Later that evening we hiked up part of another mountain to get to Red Rocks - a beautiful spot that looks out over Boulder/Denver/Longmont, it's one of my favs. Getting to the top is definitely terrifying for someone that's freaked by heights, but it was worth it in the end. We probably stayed a bit too late, 'cause coming down it was pitch black and we ended up off the trail and hiking down a "path" that looked like where the water ran off. Definitely an adventure! But we made it down in one piece by 10pm and then watched live music downtown until midnight.

It is SO nice to be back here surrounded by kind-hearted, well intentioned people. The more I get to be around people I've left for awhile, the more I'm realizing that THIS is what home is - it doesn't have to be about a specific location. It's more about being around people that love and support you, and that you can come back to weeks, months, years later and they're still there. Sarah and Bill have two girls that ADORE me. I swear they're attached to me for every waking moment. It's a lot of fun - I love kids!

I'm out for now! Headed back to Boulder with Aaron to climb Red Rocks again. Hopefully this time we can find a more-worn way down. :P

And the pranks have begun...

Less than three hours in Colorado and the pranks have already begun. And I thought I was just so exhausted that I couldn't see straight. But no, turns out it was Bill and Sarah's mad computer skills that allowed them to rig the internet to flip *every single picture* I saw online upside down. This is going to be such an entertaining week... I ♥ my friends.
Another random note, watching a storm from a plane is absolutely breathtaking! I can't even describe how beautiful it was. Take the best light-show you've seen and multiply that by like... a trilion, and you might be half-way there. I'm sure many of you have seen similar, so you know what I mean. The travels have begun!
Anyway, I'm off to bed! That whole two hours of sleep in the past two days thing is startin to catch up with me.

Love from Lafayette, Colorado!

I’m headed to Colorado!

Tomorrow. I have to wait until tomorrow. Tonight I’ll be traversing Minneapolis with Ben until the wee hours of the morning. We all know responsible adults stay out until 4am when they have to be at work by 7... You can sleep when you're dead, right? I’ll be in Colorado so so SO soon and I am jumping out of my skin I’m so excited! See old friends, make new friends, meet with Unreasonable Institute Fellows to talk about changing the world, climb a mountain or two or five (or... none?)... Only adding to the excitement is the fact that I’ll be in India in less than two weeks! I'm stoked, but have absolutely no idea what to think. It's like this giant black void that I know is going to be absolutely incredible and life changing in so many ways, but I have nooooo idea what to expect. Perhaps that's best - only adds to the adventure.

My last final was today. I'm so relieved that, aside from work, I can finally concentrate solely on packing/moving/hanging out with people until tomorrow evening. I’m not looking forward to finishing packing and moving out in 90 degree weather with no air conditioning though… Not sure who’s idea of funny that one is, but I hope they’re getting a good laugh out of it. I’m certainly not. I guess this is what I get for pushing things until the last minute though! Not saying it wasn’t well worth it… Courtney, Teddy and I had quite the adventure last weekend when we went to Minneapolis while I should have been packing. We thought we’d try out a random club downtown – terrible idea. For all my fellow clubbers, do not, I repeat, do NOT go to a club without thoroughly researching what it’s like. There was hardly anyone there, and the choice of music left much to be desired. Needless to say, we were in and out in ten minutes flat. And what do you do when you are stuck on the MLPS streets at midnight with nowhere to go? Find another club, of course! After a few blocks of weaving through packs of drunks we got sucked into building with music seeping through the cracks in the bricks. And it was PACKED! Absolutely no room to move, but who says you need space to dance? All in all, it was an epically entertaining experience.

I got to talk to Kevin (one of my best friends) for the first time in six months the other day. I don’t cry, but there were definitely tears when I heard his voice on the other end of the phone. It’s amazing how long you can be out of contact with someone, and then pick up right where you left off (after three hours of catching up, of course). We got to talking about life and school and nudging the world in the right direction and...

…the fact that there’s been a wonderful response to the Donations for Education campaign! I was able to send off a bunch of school supplies with my friend Paul Miller last night. He’ll be taking them with him to distribute in Port-au-Prince on Sunday. I have also gotten over $150 in cash donations to purchase school supplies for children in India. With a little over a week left until I fly to Delhi, I hope to push that figure well over $200 – so many things can be purchased with that money, and who knows what impact it might have on the lives of the children the supplies go to!

I was thinking about the value of education the other day. There’s nothing like watching one of your best friends ship back to Afghanistan to remind you of the pointlessness of war, when the root causes have such simple solutions. There are better and *far* more effective ways to change the world than to fight. Lets start investing in education, not bombs. The universe will thank us. It truly is one of the only ways to break the cycles of violence and poverty that are crippling our globe.

I feel like I had other important things say, but I can’t remember what they were. So, once I can dig them out from the recess of my mind I’ll be sure to let you all know! Until then, happy trails to all my lovely friends who are also trotting around the globe: Justin in Puebla, Mexico/Baltimore, MD, (other) Kevin in Afghanistan, and all you other peepz hanging out in South Carolina or Colorado or Minnesota or... wherever else you happen to be!

Lastly, some words of wisdom de mi mejor amigo: As we travel through life what we begin the journey with, what we take with us, and what we pick up along the way is never more important than what we leave behind!
I most definitely agree... for all of you who I must part ways with for now, I carry you with me wherever I go!

¡Abrazos!

Churches, flags and fireworks.

So I just got back from a visit to a local UCC church with my great-great aunt, Penny, and her husband Bill. After spending nearly a year in Northfield, I can't help but reprimand myself that the only time I've gone with them is now, right before I leave. Funny how we don't take advantage of what we have until we realize it will soon be gone. Anyway, Penny is wonderful and she and Bill are full of stories from their travels around the world leading St. Olaf students on Global (Bill was a Soc/Anthro prof at Olaf), Bill's time in a POW camp during WWII, etc. They went through India forty or so years ago, and have told me quite a few things about train travel, the treatment of women, etc. It will be interesting to see how much things have/haven’t changed. But yea, it was really nice to get to spend a bit of time with them before I go, 'cause ya never know who's going to still be around the next day, not to mention six months from now.


Anyway, the entire experience was so peaceful and refreshing. The drive down picturesque country roads was breathtaking. For the first time in quite awhile I didn't mind the heat, humidity, and lack of air-conditioning that seem to be quite a common combination in Minnesota! I did start to get a bit nostalgic for home though, thanks to the abundance of cornfields, refreshing rainfall and the Little House on the Prairie feel of the churchyard. My mom loves Little House, she would have fallen in love with this place.

As is to be expected on the 4th of July, there was a red, white and blue explosion. Gotta be patriotic, ya know? Those of you who know me are well aware of my qualms with [United States of]America and the unwavering, unquestioning allegiance of many [USo]Americans. Sometimes I feel bad about it, but I think it’s healthy to be wary of blind patriotism. So, same as every year, I woke up this morning dreading the plethora of “Happy 4th!” texts/facebook message/comments that are inevitable. And yea, it happened, but something else happened too. For the first time EVER I heard someone publicly draw a line between patriotism and jingoism, and point out the benefits of the first and dangers of the second. I was astounded and so incredibly happy! Not only did this occur on THE day “patriotism” explodes across the nation, but the entire congregation the man was talking to was nodding in agreement to most everything said! In summary,

Patriotism = love of one’s country.
It’s good because: it allows you to support your home WHILE being critical of it’s flaws. Why are you critical? Because, just like you wouldn’t let your child walk into oncoming traffic, you aren’t going to let the country you love steer itself (and the rest of the world) into tragedy because it’s leaders decide to act like idiots and their loyal followers decide to jump on the bandwagon right along with them.

So, when [USo]America’s exploiting foreign workers and resources, violating human rights in Guitanimo and elsewhere, supporting corrupt governments that cater to our (perceived) interests, including rampant corruption within our own, and overthrowing legitimate ones elsewhere, opening eastern borders while building fences along western ones, allowing in citizens of countries “we” like while denying protection to others and sending them back to what could easily be certain death (cough cough, shipping back Haitians seeking refuge from a devastated nation - a nation we played a large part in destroying. See link below.), failing to provide adequate healthcare to citizens and denying them affordable education, failing to provide full protection to sexual minorities, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera... YOU, the patriot, demand a stop to it all.

Jingoism = people being idiots and becoming so ridiculously “patriotic” that they forget there’s the whole rest of the world out there and become convinced “their” country is the best. Then they justify any action, however extreme, perceived to be necessary to protect that country’s national interests.

It’s BAD because it leads us down a dangerous, dangerous road. It fueled both Nazi Germany and the genocide of Native Americans. We seem to forget that everyone else outside the USA has a life, purpose, children, families, dreams, jobs too. We demand that [USo]America “blow ‘em off tha map” because they are “threatening” us. You cannot imagine how many times I heard this comment in reference to Iran/Iraq/Afghanistan back home. It.drove.me.crazy. And it’s got to stop.

So, it's Independence Day. No matter how much I try to avoid it, I know I'll be seeing hoards of American flags plastered on cars, wrapped around parading children, embroidered onto hats and shirts and tattooed onto faces. I’ll be receiving multiple text messages and Facebook updates wishing [USo]America happy birthday. But, instead of thinking of the negative things I so often associate with such excessive displays of patriotic fervor, I will do my best to remember the positive implications of real patriotism. In that spirit, here’s some words I find beautiful:

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Lets start living up to this [USo]American promise once again. We still have the potential to provide freedom, opportunity and happiness to ALL who seek entrance at our boarders. [USo]America truly is a wonderful place, we just need to remember to embrace everyone else both inside and outside of it!

Anyway, sorry for the rant. I promise I won't be ranting every time I post! Fun things that have happened the past few days: lots of Bollywood movies and music. Like, lots. It hasn't really stopped playing, and it's making me VERY excited to be in India. It's hard to believe I'll be there in three weeks. And there's been lots of time with Sijia and Courtney - we walked downtown yesterday for food and ice cream (After doing the college thing the other night and trying to throw random ingredients together and come up with something edible, we decided to go the safe route and get HoBros), and then made our way over to Carleton to walk the meditation labyrinth. AND! Pride was last weekend - absolutely epic experience. Below are a few pictures. Just a handful of things I'm going to miss when I'm gone!

Article about Haitian sea migration. They travel on flimsy water crafts packed with hundreds of women, men and children with little food or water. They navigate for days and nights on the rough sea surrounded by sharks, waves, terror. They push forward, destination: [USo]America. They hope they can find more opportunity than in the earthquake-devastated country they left behind. Nearly to the Florida coast, they are intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard and promptly returned home. After having sold all their possessions for the journey they become homeless in their own villages. Pa bliye Ayiti.

http://outside.away.com/outside/culture/200909/haiti-immigrant-smuggling-1.html

Donations for Education

I couldn't possibly go all the way to India without taking something to help communities there, even if it's only in a very small way. With this in mind, I finally got everything for Donations for Education pulled together yesterday! While preparing for the research and activism work I will be doing, I have been in contact with numerous grassroots organizations in Pune (where I'll be spending the majority of my time), Mumbai, and Delhi. I'll be involved with these organizations when I get to India, but I thought it would also be useful to see if there was anything I (we!) can do from here to assist the communities they work with.
One of the best resources of any community are their children. So, after speaking with a few organizations and Sucheta Paranjpe, the ACM India program coordinator, we've decided to funnel our efforts toward them! From now until I leave for Delhi on the 28th of July I will be collecting school supplies to donate to Maitri and Neehar. Sucheta knows both NGOs very well and, if she trust them, I do too! Neehar is doing wonderful work to help care for and rehabilitate the children of sex workers. Maitri works to address malnutrition, education and health care throughout Maharashtra.
YOU can help make a difference in these children's lives by helping them get an education!

We are looking for things such as:
- pens and pencils
- notebooks
- children's books
- children's multivitamins
- other school supplies?

*** Also, a number of people have asked if they can send monetary donations. The answer is YES! This is actually preferable in some ways, because school supplies can be purchased very cheaply in India and I won't have to worry about packing them in my luggage. So, you can either send me a check or use paypal. If you use paypal, you can pay with your credit card. My paypal address is meghanbodie@gmail.com.


Donations can be sent to:

Meghan Bodie
1500 St. Olaf Ave
Northfield, MN 55057

OR

If you're at ST. OLAF: Shoot me an email and you bring them directly to me.
If you're in COLORADO: I'll be able to get them from you there anytime between the 17th and 23rd of July.



Neehar
http://vanchitvikas.egoonies.com/projects.html

Neehar is located in the Pune district of Maharashtra state in India. It is located in Lohgaon on Vadgaon-Shinde road. Neehar center was established on 5 July 1989 with main goal of upbringing, caring and rehabilitation for children of prostitutes. The children are facilitated, educated and supervised for leading a fruitful life. Since 1989 to till date , around 53 children (30 Girls & 23 Boys) have been successfully trained and rehabilitated. 26 girls & 2 boys are married and they lead a peaceful life. Today Neehar houses 67 children.This years admissions are in process.
In year 2008, 6 children(2 girls & 4 boys)from 4th standard and 2 girls from 7 th standard passed the scholarship examination.
We provide all services to the children in the Neehar free of cost. It is home to these children. Besides regular school classes they are also taught knitting, sewing, handicrafts, etc. The institute is equipped with library, toys, study rooms,recreation hall and play ground.
Recently we celebrated 19th Aniversary of Neehar for which Mr. Anant Bhave precide over the function. Children performed nice cultural program on that occassion. Prize distribution was organized for the rank holders and the winners of the different competitions.



Maitri
http://maitripune.net/Home.html
http://www.acm.edu/features/feature/136&programid=23&program=indiasummer

[Maitri] was founded more than a decade ago, particularly to address high rates of child mortality due to malnutrition in tribal villages in Melghat. Maitri raises money and organizes volunteers to support its activities in the areas of health and education throughout the state of Maharashtra, as well as for relief efforts elsewhere in India in response to natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods. Vinita Tatke, one of Maitri's founders, serves as ACM's primary contact with the organization and coordinates logistics of the service learning component of the ACM program.

(descriptions taken from the websites cited)


PS - The more donations the better. Anything I can't carry to India will go to children in Haiti or the USA.

Ready? Set... GO!

A few months ago I began to look into study abroad options, never seriously believing I'd be traveling anywhere anytime soon. I didn't think I'd finish the application, not to mention be lucky enough to get accepted. And I would be going my sophomore year, and there were a lot of mixed opinions on that - mostly, that it's a terribly idea, I'm too young, too naive, too inexperienced, too sick, too (insert every other possible reason). And then there were a handful of people who said to just do it. Go for it. Really, what was the worst that could happen? If I applied and didn't get in (most likely scenario), problem solved. If by some slip of fate I was accepted, I could still turn the offer down.

Now I'm sitting on the edge of what might very well be one of the most influential experiences of my life, wondering how on earth July got here so fast. Two weeks. I have two weeks until I throw my stuff into boxes and wave goodbye to Olaf (until 2011, of course!). Two weeks to convince whoever turns the wheels in D.C. to give me a visa, pack, say goodbyes, situate phones and bank accounts and medical mumbojumbo, have an anxiety attack, feel better, become ecstatically excited and jump in a car headed West. A week in Boulder to visit with Unreasonable Institute Fellows I'm going to connect with in India, then its back to Minneapolis to hop a plane to Delhi. Although it is all a bit overwhelming, I am about to explode with excitement!

I cannot even begin to express my appreciation for all the love and support I've received from my incredible friends, professors, advisors and Olaf family. You all rock the world! You should be able to keep in contact with me through email, Facebook, and comments on here. Please keep in touch. Even ninjas get lonely.