US, US, baby

Apparently, playground areas in India are a lot like the ones in the U.S. They even have the randomly placed tractor tires.

Another thought: The best part of touring the city with one of the girls from the office…having an excuse to play on all the playground equipment, of course. And I learned the Hindi word for “swing” too. Hopefully it will come in handy later.

Breakfast is basically my favorite meal of the day. In fact I like it so much, I usually eat it twice; if I have cereal, I’ll have a heaping bowl (or two) first thing in the morning, then a few hours later I’ll have a proper breakfast of bacon and eggs, or hot oatmeal and fruit, or a couple slices of cold pizza.

In India, breakfast isn’t as big as in the states. I have, however, found some Kellogg’s cereals to make my mornings wonderful. For a long time I’d been eating Chocos…think Cookie Crisps but all-chocolate flavored. Last time I went to the little store to buy my cereal, they were out of Chocos but said they’d gotten a new cereal in. It’s called “Frosties” here, but I’m sure you’ll see the similarities to our good ol’ Frosted Flakes. It even has the familiar Tony the Tiger on the box.

I loved that the back of the box also had tiger cardboard cutouts. My favorite was the “Be a Tiger.” Too bad I don’t have proper scissors with me to cut them out and decorate my desk. Hehehe. But I thought I’d do the next best thing and put up this post in honor of my beloved Tigers’ great/heart-breaking season.

Life is of course better after the last self-pitying post. In fact, I’d say I had a pretty fabulous weekend.

So what did I do this weekend? Well, here are the Top 10 highlights…(all thumbnail photos can be clicked on for the full-size version, too…)

Friday Morning
1. sprained my ankle-I am a complete clutz and honestly cannot do anything else while walking. I was trying to read a billboard, but unbeknownst to me, the sidewalk ended. But I didn’t. A good 2-3 stair drop later, and my bad ankle (old basketball injury) was in the worst pain I’d had in years. As I’m crawling — literally — toward the rock wall, I look up to see two older men just staring at me. They’d clearly seen me fall but offered no help or questioned if I was OK. Heck, they weren’t even laughing. But nevertheless still staring! Completely annoyed at them, I’d nearly collapsed against the wall when three college students rushed up to see if I was OK. They carried my bags and helped me back to the office. Yeah for friendly young’uns! Oh, yeah, and I also got to try some local Khasi home remedies on the ol’ ankle too. Did they help? Well, the pic above is taken the next day, and you can still see a bit of swelling, but the pain was gone. Either way, though, local meds are always fun!

Saturday Morning
2. computer came back to life-After a run-in with a local software guy, the computer had been worse last week, and I feared his self-implosion. And a way-too-long Thanksgiving Day conversation/search with the family turned up no disc that I needed to save him. Luckily my Yankee ingenuity and the old computer science guy at the office were able to figure out how to get Sonny back up and running. Yeah, so we’re friends again. And I can upload pictures on him for the first time in a month…including this fun one from a “sacred forest” last weekend.

Saturday Afternoon
3. ate a Khasi lunch-We went to the team leader’s house for lunch. Her mother had made a traditional lunch in memory of her mother’s death. Such yum food!

Saturday Evening
4. picked up my salwar suit-After choosing the cotton material last week and taking it to a tailor, my first Indian outfit is ready for the workshops this week. Yeah!*
5. ate dinner at a photographer’s house and found out what my name means-His mother made a delicious Muslim-Indian spread for a group from Impulse. And if you’re thinking my plate looks a little sparse in the pic, don’t worry. This is only my first serving of three. While eating, I also found out why so many Indians pronounce my name “Jana.” Apparently my name is a term from Persia or the Middle East that is frequently used in India now and pronounced that way. And Jayna actually means horrible foot rot. Just kidding. It is a term of endearment that means “my precious one” or “beloved.” Aw…sweet, no?

Sunday Morning
6. woke up by 7:34 a.m. phone call-If you know, me, you’ll know that any phone call that wakes me up is usually NOT a highlight. BUT this call was to tell me that the Tigers were up 14-0. Definitely worth waking up for. Thanks, Hez. And right after we hung up I got a text with the half-time score (still 14-0), too. Thanks, sis.
7. checked my e-mail-The Internet is MIA at the office since Wednesday, and there is only one cyber cafe I’ve been able to find in this city that opens before 10 or 11. But at that one, I got to check my e-mail and get the e-mails, drunk Blackberry messages, and ususbaby comments with game updates and messages that people back home were thinking of me. Yeah! It is honestly so nice to feel loved and remembered while I’m away. Especially when it’s for things like Tiger football and hot dogs. Thanks y’all.
8. the Tigers won-Of course the whole reason I went to the cafe so early was to check the MU-kU score updates. I nearly beat my head against the wall refreshing Yahoo! sports in the game’s last 20 seconds. But Missouri came away with the win. And if you’re wondering what I’m doing in the picture…obviously, it’s after the game, and I’m listening to the Missouri Waltz on my iPod at the cyber cafe. Obviously.
9. saw my first in-theater Bollywood movie-Om Shanti Om isn’t just any Bollywood movie, either. It’s the country’s biggest seller of the year. Things to note about the theater: the entrance fee was Rs. 30 (about $.75 USD); a Kit Kat and sour cream and onion chips were Rs. 15 (about $.38 USD); people smoke inside; and people spit betel juice on the floor. Things to note about the movie: it has great music (will be buying the soundtrack soon); the leading woman is drop-dead gorgeous and new to the Bollywood scene; the bad guy is just as hot and apparently a famous model; but the leading man is — I’m sure a wonderful person but — a bit of a butter face but a good dancer.**

Sunday Afternoon
10. watched traditional Indian dancing-This dance performer wasn’t doing dances traditional to this area but from the mainland. I’m up in the air on whether or not I liked it. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed going to the performance and seeing something different. But would I want to watch it over and over? I’m not sure. But, he did have a tough act to follow coming after the Bollywood blockbuster and all.

*Pics and more outfits will be coming, I’m sure.
**Stay tuned for more on the movie.

Oh, and although it’s not actually a part of the weekend…the Tigers are now No. 1 in both the AP and BCS. Grrr! Yeah, I’d say that’s definitely a highlight of the year.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Ugh. What am I doing on my favorite holiday? Sitting in a smokey Internet cafe that’s playing 80s rock. NOT preparing a turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, and apple pie…what I love doing and have been doing (or helping do) every Thanksgiving since I was like 5. I mean, I even got to do it when I was stuck in LA and was sharing it with others than my own family. Why am I still not doing it here, then, you ask? Well, for starters, they don’t celebrate Thanksgiving here. Obviously. But I can’t even spread my own holiday cheer as
1) they don’t have turkeys
2) they don’t have ovens
So making anything but mashed potatoes and gravy is impossible.

But being out of America for Thanksgiving isn’t the only thing that’s making me miss the good ol’ US of A. No. I also know I’m going to be missing my birthday and Christmas, both days of which are meant to be spent with friends and family (and if you’re like me and plan them right, you can even spend half the day with the special people of the East Coast or Midwest and the other half with the wonderful people of LA). Don’t get me wrong. I’ve made friends here, and the others at the NGO have been wonderful about opening up their homes and families to me. But, you know, it’s just not the same. As much as I hate winter, I love this time of year in the US because of the time with my close friends and family.

Besides missing my friends and family, though, I’m also missing my computer discs, which, too, are in Missouri. Somewhere in the 11 boxes of stuff I shipped to my parents’ house are the discs that I need to keep my computer from committing suicide.

Then, there’s also the fact that I don’t feel much like a traveler anymore. Not only am I seeing much less of this area than I did of others, but with my savings quickly dwindling, I don’t know if I’ll be able to stay on the road for the last two months of my planned year away, so I don’t have that feeling of looking forward to the next place that had been propelling me forward when I’d get homesick or lonely before.

And couple all of this with Missouri football, and I could literally cry. Honestly. When I was checking the scores/BCS standings/AP rankings after last weekend’s games I got completely misty eyed. Four months ago, who the eff thought Missouri and “BCS title game” would be breathed in the same sentence? But after last week’s upsets, it’s a definite possibility. And missing the big game against kansas this weekend, is literally killing me. I mean, I can’t even watch the game anywhere here, and the Internet cafe doesn’t open until probably the third or fourth quarter, so not even Gametracker is an option. Grr!!!

And honestly, what could be better than playing in the BCS title game? Keeping kansas out, of course. And is it bad that I’ve even considered not keeping my “you can’t live off your parents’ money” savings (what should be my first couple of months’ rent and living money) and spending it on tickets to New Orleans and a game ticket if the Tigers were to play on Jan. 7? Probably, huh?

So, yeah, I’m definitely hoping to get/expecting calls/text messages sent from Arrowhead Stadium (or your living rooms if you’re out of MO), with updates on Saturday night/Sunday morning.

Sigh.

Finally. I went surfing. Yahoo!

I went to a two-day “surf camp” outside of Perth in a small little place called Lancelin. I have to say it was a bit frustrating…it’s been probably two years since I’ve been on a board and my whole body is quite out of shape. Mustering the strength to just push myself up was basically impossible. Major struggles.

But all in all, it was a good time. Good instructors, adorable house host, and some great sunset and star watching. I even got a few fun bruises and a scrape on my forehead to show off for all my hard work, too.

5-0, baby! Wahoo! After a Nebraska-touchdownless game this past Saturday, my beloved Tigers are currently ranked No. 11 in NCAA football.

With the time difference, the big game was slated to start at 10:45 a.m. here on Sunday. The day before, I went around Adelaide’s sports bars searching for just one place that could turn just one television to the US ESPN station…but of course, the only ESPN they had was the Aussie one. All that walking, and no game.

So, what was I left to do? Flip on the online GameTracker to “see” the game unfold in near-real-time Sunday morning. As I “watched” the game, quite a few of my friends in the hostel wandered up behind me to see if I’d been able to watch the game (I’d been talking about it for a while…). When I tried to explain what I was actually “watching” they were all a little surprised. Doesn’t appear GameTracker has a sister software in Europe/Australia (or none of my friends here are as much of a sports geek as I am). Well, that, and they all thought it would be a little boring of a way to keep track of a game. But I was doing a bit of work on the ol’ laptop as well. And come on. It was the Nebraska game!

Next week is the game against No. 5/6 Oklahoma…I’ve already checked the Fox Sports channels here, and no dice again. I may have to be trapped by GameTracker once again.

What can I say? “There’s a spirit so deep within [me]”…

Annoyed at my lack of guts (and body warmth), I’d convinced myself, no matter the weather, I’d rent a board around Torquay, Australia’s surf capital, and get out there.

Arriving at the start of Oz’s Great Ocean Road and already wearing my swimsuit, I found Torquay just like everyone described…the place for surfers. The city’s shopping center is called Surf City and for good reason…all the shops sell surf wear/gear and many are outlets as the manufacturers are in the area. There’s even a museum dedicated to our Aussie-adopted sport.

But, back to me and surfing…the surf report said the swell was at 6…so I headed down to the water to check out the waves and find a rental shop. Looking down into the ocean, I realized how much of an idiot I am. I am in Australia; the swell report said 6 meters, not feet. Doh! So, basically I’m saying, there’s a good chance I won’t see myself facedown on a surfboard until I hit Western Australia.

Being the surf capital of Australia, though, there were obviously people undeterred by the 18-foot waves, especially at the beautiful nearby Bells Beach:

I have to say, one of the things I find awesome about the US is the fact that we don’t whore out our sports teams. OK. We totally do…but it’s not quite as obvious as teams abroad. American pro and college (and even high school) sports teams don’t allow logos on uniforms (heck, even the Cardinals got reprimanded for remembering Darryl Kile and writing his number on their hats after his untimely death). But everywhere else, it seems that’s alright.

Geelong, the team that just won the Footy Finals is clearly sponsored by our own American company Ford…which probably is a thorn in the side to Toyota, who sponsored the week-long activities leading up to the finals…oh the drama of sponsorship.

I have issues. (I know, nothing new to most of you…)

Really, though. Ever since I went surfing in the sport’s birthplace of Hawaii a few years ago, convincing myself to get back on a board in other spots has been quite…um, tough. It isn’t just that the waves were gentler and broke further out than any other place I’ve been — both which are things a beginner like me appreciates — but it basically boils down to the water temperature (SO nice in HI). I hate being cold. And trying to paddle with cold hands…brrr! (And yes, the water in Southern California does get cold)

That’s why even when I went to a few beautiful beaches in Sydney — even the popular surf spot, Bondi Beach — I didn’t rent a board. Even with a wetsuit, the prospect of getting into water when I’ve just pulled out a winter coat and gone shopping for a new sweater…just not enticing.

But, really, come on. It’s not that cold. I must stop being a wuss. Someone PLEASE convince me to get on a wave here.

Returning to my land of study abroad, I can’t help but be SO glad I did it. In fact, I’d say my decision to study abroad is my second-best choice I’ve made in life.

Why don’t more Americans do it? Don’t know…but I do know plenty of 20-somethings who regret not doing it.

So if you know any young Yanks contemplating it, I’ve come up with a great list to convince them to go:

1. Making out with non-Americans. Remember in Love, Actually when Collin wants to go to the US because he thinks he’s “got a cute British accent”? Well, yeah, he does. And, yeah, you’ll have a cute American one too. Even in countries where they hate American politicians, there’s always going to be quite a few who’ll swoon over an American accent/face/fashion sense. And even if you hate dating, well, it’ll still probably happen.

2. A friend’s a friend forever…and wherever they live, you can visit. Visit your new international friends wherever they head back to — from upstate New York to Sydney (see photo below) to the Maldive Islands…

3. “Yes, I’m American.” Good, bad, hilarious…you’ll see how others see us. College students in any country aren’t known for being the most shy bunch. You may be asked how many times you’ve been sued, how many guns your family owns, or how many celebrities you’ve met in your life…all things related to, of course, how they see us.

4. It’s all fun and games. Playing sports, especially American-invented ones, abroad brings a whole new appreciation for international sports competitions. Note to self: on international basketball courts, the lanes are trapezoids…

5. Parlez-vous francais? Instead of your only memory of French being that learning it made you wake up every day at 7 a.m. for three semesters, studying abroad can give you the chance to be fluent in it. And besides that…Americans really need to learn more languages. Really.

6. Money, money, money. Traveling on a student budget seems like a deal sure to break the bank, right? Well, maybe not. Non-need based financial aid can mean a profit if the school you attend has a lower tuition and lower cost of living. When I studied abroad, I took three week-long trips to see both of Australia’s coasts and a trip to Bali (see photo above); even with those trips and my international flight, I spent the same amount I would’ve just going to classes and living in Missouri for that semester. Of course, the exchange rate is not-so great here anymore, but there are still other places where it’s not so bad. Wherever you choose, though, even if it’s uber-expensive London, it will be cheaper to live there as a student than it will be to vacation there as an adult.

7. Let’s broaden our minds. Even if you go to a 25,000+ university, there’s classes there you can’t take. Australian Literature and Film? Definitely not offered at University of Missouri. Offered at Edith Cowan University in Perth, Australia? Yep. And world history in another country? Definitely not the same world history you’ll get back home.

8. Drinking! Not only can you legally drink in most countries before 21, but you’ll come back with: 1) new drinking games 2) new and different drinks you like and/or 3) new words for drinking…all which are great things to pull out back at college bars/parties in the states. (Or if you’re the goody-two-shoes like I was, only 2 will apply to you because you only had one drink over the whole six months…)

9. All the cool kids are doing it.