Before talking about today’s outing, I want to mention that last night, I was fortunate enough to watch a ganga aarti ceremony–part of a puja in honor of Mother Ganges. They have one of these ceremonies every night at a ghat further down the Ganges, but tonight, Sunday night, is the only day of the…… Continue reading Benares Hindu University
A Walk Along the Ganges
So, I woke up to a lovely little surprise today–the internet in the hotel is working! So, I am writing this post from the little desk in my room. Very nice! After this trip, there are so many little things that I will never, ever take for granted again!Since I wrote such a long post…… Continue reading A Walk Along the Ganges
Varanasi & Poverty, part two
It is Saturday morning and I am here at the “Open Hand”–it’s me and about a dozen hippies from all around the world. Seriously, I feel like I am back in Boulder, Colorado, again–and, I must admit, it is a great feeling! I ordered breakfast, including an enormous cappuccino, and I am going to write…… Continue reading Varanasi & Poverty, part two
Here in Varanasi!
Hi, everyone! This is just a short post to say that I made it to Varanasi, and I just was on the roof of my hotel looking out over the Ganges, trying to take it all in–pretty amazing. Let’s just say that the hotel has character and leave it at that–but, I must mention that…… Continue reading Here in Varanasi!
Highs & Lows
Today was a fabulous day, but the schedule was a killer. I left at 6:00 am with a really nice driver from the travel agency here at the hotel, drove through what continues to be shockingly unbelievable traffic for four hours [Today, camel carts–yes, camels pulling carts–and cows/buffalo wandering across the roads were added to…… Continue reading Highs & Lows
Taking it Easy in Delhi
Well, after more hours traveling than I care to remember, I made it to my hotel in Delhi last night [this morning, rather] at 2:00 am! I don’t think I have ever been so happy to see any human being as I was to see the gentleman from the hotel holding a sign with my…… Continue reading Taking it Easy in Delhi
Summoning My Younger Self
As I have been getting ready for my trip Monday, and giving myself the aforementioned pep-talks on a daily basis, I was thinking about another overseas adventure I had some years ago, when I was much younger. When I was at Warburg Seminary, I spent the academic year of 1994/1995 studying overseas in Germany. There…… Continue reading Summoning My Younger Self
Readiness
I am what my mother calls a “belt-and-suspenders” person. By that, I mean someone who, when wanting to secure their pants, doesn’t trust either a belt or suspenders alone, but uses both, just to make sure. It is not enough to have a “plan A,” I also like to have a “plan B” and even…… Continue reading Readiness
Looking for Signs
As most of my friends and family members know by this point, I am a little nervous for my upcoming trip to India: not the “hyperventilating, can’t sleep at night, panic-attack” kind of nervous, nor the “I-wish-I-weren’t-going” king of nervous, but more like the “WOW—am I really ready for this?!“ kind of nervous—the kind of…… Continue reading Looking for Signs
Dreaming Bigger and Better
I am finally ready to start blogging again–I needed to give myself [and everyone else!] a break after the daily Israel posts. [I think when I am posting from India–I leave Feb. 27th–I won’t post QUITE as long, and I think I have even figured out how to do paragraphs. That, along with the pictures,…… Continue reading Dreaming Bigger and Better
Happy Lutheran 