We would like to apologize for not posting sooner, but our schedule has been packed with activities!!!! We also did not have easy access to the internet. We toured, toured, toured - met students and saw the jungles of India in the mountains. Since our last post we have done all of this -
We took a tour of the archeological survey of the local area. We saw the "8th Minaret" which is the last remaining calling tower to a Mosque that no longer exists. We found a step well - which most of us climbed down to find tiny crabs and teeny frogs! We trekked through the jungle to find the "Seven Story Palace" placed in the side of the mountain. It was so beautiful with waterfalls, and glorious views of the surrounding mountains. We have seen many monkeys too!!!! Within the Palace was the Treasury where the gold and jewels were kept. Sadly, there were no jewels left by the previous owners :(
We toured Nalanda International School - a huge campus of 4 schools - Pre K, Elementary, Junior High, and High School. The high school just opened to welcome students this year. Some US schools could learn a lot from education in India.
We toured the Prince Ashok Raje Gaekwad School - as school started on the Palace grounds after the Prince passed away. The Princess made it her mission to bring top standing education to all children, regardless of economic standing. We were honored with a tour of the school, tea with the Princess and a traditional fire dance by the students.
Many of the students toured the Maharaja Sayajirao University (M.S. University) Lab school, which we were suprised to see that it is much like the lab school at Miller Child Care Center on Purdue Campus.
After more than 10 days of Indian food the M.S. University students showed us the way to the mall food court - MMMMM McDonalds, Dominos, Papa Johns and Baskin Robins. We have all agreed, though, that the best food experience we have had was the Barbecue Nation--a never-ending supply of kabobs of prawns, chicken, mushrooms, potatoes, vegetables as starters, then a full buffet, dessert, and a complimentary mocktail for all. We miss the Barbecue Nation, but we will be seeking it out in Chennai.
Friday we wrapped up our visit to Baroda with a large dinner with students and staff of M.S. University while enjoying a traditional Gujarati meal - we got to eat with our fingers!! Most of us were decked out in our Indian clothes to honor our friends.
We are now in Ahmedabad relaxing, watching Hindi/Gujarati T.V. We did get to visit Ghandi's home and Ashram. We are leaving for Chennai Monday afternoon and our schedule will have a few tours, shopping, and the conference to wrap up our visit in India. Home in less than a week.
(Halim, Lauren, and Kara)
We took a tour of the archeological survey of the local area. We saw the "8th Minaret" which is the last remaining calling tower to a Mosque that no longer exists. We found a step well - which most of us climbed down to find tiny crabs and teeny frogs! We trekked through the jungle to find the "Seven Story Palace" placed in the side of the mountain. It was so beautiful with waterfalls, and glorious views of the surrounding mountains. We have seen many monkeys too!!!! Within the Palace was the Treasury where the gold and jewels were kept. Sadly, there were no jewels left by the previous owners :(
We toured Nalanda International School - a huge campus of 4 schools - Pre K, Elementary, Junior High, and High School. The high school just opened to welcome students this year. Some US schools could learn a lot from education in India.
We toured the Prince Ashok Raje Gaekwad School - as school started on the Palace grounds after the Prince passed away. The Princess made it her mission to bring top standing education to all children, regardless of economic standing. We were honored with a tour of the school, tea with the Princess and a traditional fire dance by the students.
Many of the students toured the Maharaja Sayajirao University (M.S. University) Lab school, which we were suprised to see that it is much like the lab school at Miller Child Care Center on Purdue Campus.
After more than 10 days of Indian food the M.S. University students showed us the way to the mall food court - MMMMM McDonalds, Dominos, Papa Johns and Baskin Robins. We have all agreed, though, that the best food experience we have had was the Barbecue Nation--a never-ending supply of kabobs of prawns, chicken, mushrooms, potatoes, vegetables as starters, then a full buffet, dessert, and a complimentary mocktail for all. We miss the Barbecue Nation, but we will be seeking it out in Chennai.
Friday we wrapped up our visit to Baroda with a large dinner with students and staff of M.S. University while enjoying a traditional Gujarati meal - we got to eat with our fingers!! Most of us were decked out in our Indian clothes to honor our friends.
We are now in Ahmedabad relaxing, watching Hindi/Gujarati T.V. We did get to visit Ghandi's home and Ashram. We are leaving for Chennai Monday afternoon and our schedule will have a few tours, shopping, and the conference to wrap up our visit in India. Home in less than a week.
(Halim, Lauren, and Kara)
