so much for relaxing by the beach all week

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Hey everyone,

We are getting close to coming home. In ways that is really exciting and in other ways it’s really sad. Six weeks was not long enough. But then if we had been here 2 months, or 3, it still wouldn’t have been enough. Never is.

We finished up our stuff in Bangalore last Friday. From there we took a train to the costal city of Chennai. It’s much hotter here and the humidity is crazy. We were met here by a friend of the University, Shrini. Shrini works with students from Chennai and tries to connect them with Universities in the states. So he has all sorts of connections with schools all over. He also has friends in the most amazing places.

Each day Shrini sets up our schedule. Usually the only thing we know is what time to meet the driver in the morning. Saturday we went to a “museum” of sorts that displayed houses from all over southern India. You could crawl all through them and see how people in different regions live. We also went to beach resort. Pretending to be richer than we are, we walked around the private beach like we owned the place.

The Apostle Thomas is believed to have come to India to spread the Gospel almost immediately after the Ascension. On Sunday we went to the church that was built over his tomb. It was really interesting to see how the people still in many ways blend their Hindu traditions with their Christianity. That night we had a young friend of Shrini’s show us around the beach. AJ may be the brightest 15 year old I have ever met. We had dinner with AJ’s family at their home afterwards, it was great.

Monday was an amazing day. Shrini’s brother is a director and heads up a film academy at a production studio. We got to tour the facility as well as sit in on a discussion of Indian film. The evening was the best part. Shrini is a close friend with a man by the name of A.R. Ramen. He is huge over here. As I am writing this I am watching a commercial with him on it. He is like the John Williams of India. He is in high demand for creating soundtracks on huge movies. The United Nations has asked him to write a World Anthem for them. This is how much status he has. The movie he is currently working on goes into theaters on the 25th. Ramen’s deadline is the night of the 23rd. Can you imagine? Well we got a personal tour of his recording studios. We saw his strings group working on a piece in the studio. We also got to meet Ramen. He was very humble and a bit shy but it was a great honor. I couldn’t believe it.

Well that’s a good start. We will be home in a day or two and I’ll post one last time then to fill you in Tuesday through the end of the week. Make sure you check out the huge honor we got Tuesday night (hint: it involves a dinner and the consolute.)

sorry there are no pictures. these internet cafe places won't download the pics. Ill add a bunch next time.

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Comments

[Julie]

Man, I need to study abroad!! And also, when are you going back to Fayetteville? Scott and I are moving in on the 18th. I can't wait!

[Junkie]

Preventing Verbal Massacre
A.R.Rahman not Ramen, though I dont know how kindly he will take to being called noodles.