Kristy's Blog

I never really wrote final notes on India, but a new volunteer wanted my input before she left for her volunteer experience:

I enjoyed myself very much in India. It was a life-changing event for me. I have to say that at first I was not happy at all, as I had not expected to do all English language teaching – I had had no experience with children. But I grew to love teaching them and interacting with them. Also, I hadn’t realized that they really expected 40 hours of work a week. I thought it would be a looser schedule, but Stephan wanted all those hours.

Despite the schedule, things pretty much go on India time. Be prepared for many last-minute changes. Stephan had to do last minute re-arrangements all the time. Stephan was also an amazing host, giving 200% to making sure you have everything you need. If you want to travel, he arranges everything. If you want to go to town, he calls the taxi. If you want a special food, you got it. By the way, the food was awesome.

Other notes about my trip:
1. Mosquitos were terrible and it was hot, but you will not be there during the hot or mosquito ridden times. (I was there in Late Feb)
2. You’re in Chennai suburbia, and there won’t be any beggars about, or not too much.
3. I didn’t see anyone starving, as a matter of fact there is an obesity problem.
4. The garbage is overwhelming and amazing. If you walk on any of the streets, it is pretty much everywhere and you might be forced to walk on it.
5. The air pollution is quite terrible.
6. The kids English is pretty good at the schools, but not so good at SEAMS.
7. What worked for me as far as teaching English at the schools was to play games with them. They love hangman and they also loved flashcards with pictures on them. I might load up on those before you go.

Last but not least – CLOTHES:
1. Stephan will insist that you not wear any shorts or skirts that are above the knee nor any top that reveals any cleavage. Indian women are very modest. It’s kind of silly, since women wearing saris have their whole middle section exposed, but that’s the rule.
2. I suggest loose light cotton pants and a cotton blouse. It will be cooler this time of year for you than it was for me but in the sun you will DIE in denim or anything polyester. The humidity is very high, Chennai is on the coast.
3. You can get clothes made there for cheap – the salwar kameez is comfortable and quite beautiful and COOL. Sheeba (Stephan’s wife) will make arrangements for you.
4. I went to downtown Chennai to the street markets to shop and bought some wonderful Indian style cotton pants that I LOVE. I wear them here in the states and get compliments all the time from men and women of all ages. I wish I had bought 50 pairs. You can also buy blouses, but Indian women are tiny and you’ll wind up buying XL shirts.
5. I really only took a few items of clothes and bought the rest of my wardrobe there. You can get the houseman Barnabas, to wash clothes for you for a small fee.

Do-it-yourself kits for sale online. Old bicycle parts and PVC.

http://www.americanspeedster.com

It’s Theta.

Did you know that theta brain waves are what allow you to experience the most powerful emotions from within? Each time that you feel very strongly about something, your theta waves are what kick in and allow you to feel your “feelings.”

Unfortunately, when some people’s brains are not able to naturally regulate theta, they may experience attention-deficit problems. People that have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder will usually be found to have abnormally large amounts of slow theta brain waves. This is not a bad thing at all, but it can impair their ability to turn off strong emotions.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Theta-Brain-Waves-to-Access-Powerful-Emotions&id=2729991

Sounds good to me – bring it on!

Context – The Sun

Unlike the mysterious Moon, the Sun is bright and bold opposite. Its heat and vitality should reflect your own ambition and self-confidence. Creative energy can make all the difference if you are willing to follow that dream. It is a card of action and accomplishment, and will also bring satisfaction of a job well done. Great things are going to happen, and you can look forward to pleasant times. Though things are working out, be careful not to take on more than you can handle.

Focus – Justice

As the statue of justice weighs your fate on the scales, you too much apply a sense of balance to your own life. All situations can benefit from diplomacy and fairness, so you need to see both sides of an issue before you can know your right path. Your choice may be between logic and emotion, that may not always be the case when you find this card. There are two views on everything, you need to balance that out before you can make any positive choices.

Outcome – Ace of Cups

The Ace of Cups symbolizes a very emotional time approaching, quite often the beginning of a relationship (usually romantic, but not always). When emotions are bottled up, it can be a great release to finally let them out to overwhelm you. Allow your heart to take the lead and guide you in your decisions right now. Your inner voice knows what it is talking about, so take heed.

Well, I was going to go all elaborate, but I don’t think I’ll have the time.

Ingredients:

• One small shopping cart from either whole foods or sunflowers
• Metal rods to make solar lights bigger
• Board cut to fit the bottom of the shopping cart.
• Solar mesh lights for around the side
• Material to cover cart.
• 2 6-volt batteries charge controller
• one 12V fan to blow the veil
• Various solar pole lights or just a string of LEDs
• One large star lit by LEDs
• el-wire

I may just go all battery operated or solar – we’ll see what I come up with. Then I need to figure out what costume I’m going to wear.

‎One who engages in the erotic with enthusiasm AND intellect.

Recent studies have ranked Arizona as 49th in education and poverty. Wonder if they are related. At least we can carry a concealed weapon when we leave the trailer to pickup our welfare checks and food stamps.

“He that will not reason is a bigot; he that cannot reason is a fool; he that dares not reason is a slave.” It’s been 400 years since William Drummond said it, and it’s still true.

The invisible and the non-existent look very much alike. -DB McKown

This was a piece posted in Arizona Burners Yahoo Groups- this is exactly how I feel right now.

“As preparations for Burning Man accelerate I have moments where I seriously wonder what I am doing. There is so much of my effort and money going into getting ready for the playa that sometimes I think I must actually be insane. Why am I doing this?

I guess it’s because it is a marvelous thing to be part of a grand enterprise, something larger than myself. Burning Man is just such a grand enterprise.

Right now, around the world, 50,000 imaginative and dedicated people are working on something to make a city in the desert appear out of nowhere. No wonder it’s so incredible!

So, if the preparations are getting you down, if people are getting on your nerves, if you wonder whether you can get everything done in time, and you think, “This is not worth it.” Think again.

In less than four weeks we will all be there together in the largest playground in the world, and we created it ourselves! Black Rock City – a city of dreams made reality.”

and I bet you thought I’d never quote the Bible…

Matthew 19:21-26
Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property. And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. “Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?” And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Mark 4:19
But the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

Mark 8:36
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?

1 Timothy 6:9-11
But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.

James 5:1-6
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure! Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and put to death the righteous man; he does not resist you.