Yet Another Change to the Study Abroad Program
So today after Hindi Nama comes to tell us some news. Ok guys, she says, Kathy Morrison (our Archaeology prof that we'll be having in a few weeks, the central person for the program) will not be coming to India. She just found out that she is pregnant and won't be able to join us. So we're chaning professors.
Sigh. Ok. It's just to be expected. They've now changed the time of the program (from Winter quarter to autumn) the place (from Bombay to Pune), the classes (from Bollywood to Politics and Ancient texts and religion) and now EVERY SINGLE PROF in the program. Nothing is stable. Nothing is for sure. Next thing we know they'll probably send us all home. Ok, just kidding. But seriously, this is rediculous! The communication and planning between the university and the trip participants is pretty undesirable. But
Political History of India
Is so intriguing. Mostly because I'm so ignorant and really no nothing about politics in general.
So every time I come to the internet cafe my stomach starts to hurt. What's up with that. I really wish we had a computer lab.
Today I had lunch with Carla and Nama at this fancy (for Pune, but lunch was only 250 ruppess=about $4.50 for three people) restaurant. It was nice from the oily food that we keep eating. Even though I love Indian food it seems like much of what we eat at the YMCA is cooked in so much grease and spice that it hurts all of our stomachs. But we've asked them to tone it down, so let's hope the food will be a little better.
Complaints
many people here are actually pretty upset with the program right now. basically i think it's all mostly just bad communication and planning, but a lot of it has to do with money. we're staying in a pretty shabby place (though by indian standards, it's decent)...it's a budget place listed in my lonely planet guide. the only perk is air conditioning. but there are BUGS everywhere. and the water is messed up all the time. there are no desks, and the lighting is poor. the graduate student spent 2 days convincing the admin lady here to buy one lamp for each room (because she was having to strain here eyes to do her own work), but they're pretty bad lamps. there is no lounge area or anyplace to just sit back, nowhere to hang out. i'm not really complaining that much because i don't have that high of living standards, but other people here do. but on the other hand comparing it to other study abroad programs (and thinking about how really we're only paying 700 rupees a night for two people per room) and everything costs just cents here, everyone is wondering where our study abroad fee is going towards. i'm a bit curious too. especially when all of a sudden they tell us that we have to pay for the optional/suggested readings that they bought us ($30) which none of us are going to read, and rickshaws to and from class every day, plus laundry (the laundry is actually much more expensive than in the states because we have to get it done). the expenses keep adding up. anyways. enough complaining.
So today after Hindi Nama comes to tell us some news. Ok guys, she says, Kathy Morrison (our Archaeology prof that we'll be having in a few weeks, the central person for the program) will not be coming to India. She just found out that she is pregnant and won't be able to join us. So we're chaning professors.
Sigh. Ok. It's just to be expected. They've now changed the time of the program (from Winter quarter to autumn) the place (from Bombay to Pune), the classes (from Bollywood to Politics and Ancient texts and religion) and now EVERY SINGLE PROF in the program. Nothing is stable. Nothing is for sure. Next thing we know they'll probably send us all home. Ok, just kidding. But seriously, this is rediculous! The communication and planning between the university and the trip participants is pretty undesirable. But
Political History of India
Is so intriguing. Mostly because I'm so ignorant and really no nothing about politics in general.
So every time I come to the internet cafe my stomach starts to hurt. What's up with that. I really wish we had a computer lab.
Today I had lunch with Carla and Nama at this fancy (for Pune, but lunch was only 250 ruppess=about $4.50 for three people) restaurant. It was nice from the oily food that we keep eating. Even though I love Indian food it seems like much of what we eat at the YMCA is cooked in so much grease and spice that it hurts all of our stomachs. But we've asked them to tone it down, so let's hope the food will be a little better.
Complaints
many people here are actually pretty upset with the program right now. basically i think it's all mostly just bad communication and planning, but a lot of it has to do with money. we're staying in a pretty shabby place (though by indian standards, it's decent)...it's a budget place listed in my lonely planet guide. the only perk is air conditioning. but there are BUGS everywhere. and the water is messed up all the time. there are no desks, and the lighting is poor. the graduate student spent 2 days convincing the admin lady here to buy one lamp for each room (because she was having to strain here eyes to do her own work), but they're pretty bad lamps. there is no lounge area or anyplace to just sit back, nowhere to hang out. i'm not really complaining that much because i don't have that high of living standards, but other people here do. but on the other hand comparing it to other study abroad programs (and thinking about how really we're only paying 700 rupees a night for two people per room) and everything costs just cents here, everyone is wondering where our study abroad fee is going towards. i'm a bit curious too. especially when all of a sudden they tell us that we have to pay for the optional/suggested readings that they bought us ($30) which none of us are going to read, and rickshaws to and from class every day, plus laundry (the laundry is actually much more expensive than in the states because we have to get it done). the expenses keep adding up. anyways. enough complaining.
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