Bombay Confidential
In case you are all fretting over my health - I am now fine (knock, knock). More on that later.
OK, this is interesting:
On our last day in Bombay we did some visits. Number one was to the US Educational Advising Center. This is the place where Indian students are supposed to go when they need info on our colleges and universities. You know, an inviting place, showing off the best America has to offer. Well, the security was quite tight. Understandable in a post-911 world. Security that is of course meant to stop things like chewing gum, in mouths like mine. Mastication is a security hazard. It must be done away with. Sorry, no trash can for that illegal wad. Stow it. So, obviously, gum in your mouth might be hiding something, but the same piece of gum, crumpled in your pocket is all right. The logic is so complex, I just can't follow it.
Let's jump to outside the building again, after the visit (nothing interesting about that). We are all back in the bus, which is on a typical, busy Indian street. One of our group members takes a picture, out the window, of the locals peering at our bus. This is obviously a terrorist act. The officers from the US building come to the bus, pull her off, take her back to the building, confiscate her throw-away camera, write down her passport info, then allow her to rejoin us. Hell, she deserves to be in Guantanamo. She got off easy, but that's probably because they realize she's a US citizen, travelling to support US institutions, on a mission of goodwill.
Update: something I should have included when I first wrote this. The security people were not Americans, they were self-important Indians.
After that, with swelling patriotism, we represented our American universities at a couple of international schools. Come to America. Feel welcome.
Another Update: I was a little tipsy when I wrote this (we had one of those hotel dinners where all the booze is included), but what I was trying to get across is that even though the Indian security guys made us feel unwelcome, we were still going out inviting Indian students to come to America. Not sure if that made it through. I'll do better next time.
On Missing Things
I go insane when I cannot find stuff. Stuff that should be around, that has no reason being lost (Mom - you still owe me that lion drawing). I seriously become irrational and borderline violent. Unhinged.
On this occasion, while packing for our move to Bangalore, I could not find my black Moleskin notebook where I have been scribbling important things all this trip. Things to remember. Things TO DO. I turned my room upside-down, literally. Nowhere. I went to bed and meditated on it, trying to accept its loss. When I stopped trembling, I fell asleep.
Oh, happy day...
Reasons to be happy:
1) Regularity - if there is a Hindu god of anti-dysentery, I am now his devotee. My three-day ordeal is over.
2) Appetite - I can eat happily again.
3) The Shield - started watching my season 4 DVDs. Damn this show is good.
4) Finding Things - earlier, I felt like an ass for calling everyone I could think of looking for my Moleskin notebook - housekeeping, the cab company, our tour operator, etc. Then, as we were sitting in the airport, waiting for boarding to Bangalore, Mishkat (our local guide) tapped me on my shoulder and gave me my notebook. I'd left it in the cab that took me to get my luggage on the day I was so sick. I coulda hugged him, but that would have upset a lot of food at the table where I was sitting. Still, he knew i was quite thankful.
So, whereas on one day I was feeling like crap, burnt out, and calculating how long I could afford to be jobless after quitting my job - later that same day I was a happy boy and loving India again. Just look at this pic I got (CLICK IT!):
Yes, the street traffic is loud.
OK, this is interesting:
On our last day in Bombay we did some visits. Number one was to the US Educational Advising Center. This is the place where Indian students are supposed to go when they need info on our colleges and universities. You know, an inviting place, showing off the best America has to offer. Well, the security was quite tight. Understandable in a post-911 world. Security that is of course meant to stop things like chewing gum, in mouths like mine. Mastication is a security hazard. It must be done away with. Sorry, no trash can for that illegal wad. Stow it. So, obviously, gum in your mouth might be hiding something, but the same piece of gum, crumpled in your pocket is all right. The logic is so complex, I just can't follow it.
Let's jump to outside the building again, after the visit (nothing interesting about that). We are all back in the bus, which is on a typical, busy Indian street. One of our group members takes a picture, out the window, of the locals peering at our bus. This is obviously a terrorist act. The officers from the US building come to the bus, pull her off, take her back to the building, confiscate her throw-away camera, write down her passport info, then allow her to rejoin us. Hell, she deserves to be in Guantanamo. She got off easy, but that's probably because they realize she's a US citizen, travelling to support US institutions, on a mission of goodwill.
Update: something I should have included when I first wrote this. The security people were not Americans, they were self-important Indians.
After that, with swelling patriotism, we represented our American universities at a couple of international schools. Come to America. Feel welcome.
Another Update: I was a little tipsy when I wrote this (we had one of those hotel dinners where all the booze is included), but what I was trying to get across is that even though the Indian security guys made us feel unwelcome, we were still going out inviting Indian students to come to America. Not sure if that made it through. I'll do better next time.
On Missing Things
I go insane when I cannot find stuff. Stuff that should be around, that has no reason being lost (Mom - you still owe me that lion drawing). I seriously become irrational and borderline violent. Unhinged.
On this occasion, while packing for our move to Bangalore, I could not find my black Moleskin notebook where I have been scribbling important things all this trip. Things to remember. Things TO DO. I turned my room upside-down, literally. Nowhere. I went to bed and meditated on it, trying to accept its loss. When I stopped trembling, I fell asleep.
Oh, happy day...
Reasons to be happy:
1) Regularity - if there is a Hindu god of anti-dysentery, I am now his devotee. My three-day ordeal is over.
2) Appetite - I can eat happily again.
3) The Shield - started watching my season 4 DVDs. Damn this show is good.
4) Finding Things - earlier, I felt like an ass for calling everyone I could think of looking for my Moleskin notebook - housekeeping, the cab company, our tour operator, etc. Then, as we were sitting in the airport, waiting for boarding to Bangalore, Mishkat (our local guide) tapped me on my shoulder and gave me my notebook. I'd left it in the cab that took me to get my luggage on the day I was so sick. I coulda hugged him, but that would have upset a lot of food at the table where I was sitting. Still, he knew i was quite thankful.
So, whereas on one day I was feeling like crap, burnt out, and calculating how long I could afford to be jobless after quitting my job - later that same day I was a happy boy and loving India again. Just look at this pic I got (CLICK IT!):
Yes, the street traffic is loud.
posted by Union Station | 2:40 PM
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