Student Experience Blog

The entire world is a family

Fri, Jun 14, 2013

Today, our plans were scuppered for a meeting with the local Operation Smile volunteers, because it was too hot. Now, you might laugh at me for being a pansy, but it was really hot. So hot that the government declared a school holiday for the rest of the week, fearing for the safety of the kids. So instead, today was a free day in our schedule, which is already something that we are improvising.

So we decided that we would get a first person view of the entire process, without being chaperoned.

Stretching dollars

Wed, Jun 12, 2013

Yesterday consisted of us running around Guwahati, in the sweltering heat of high noon, going through a maze of side streets, and side side streets, purchasing supplies for the current mission and the center.

The joy of free stuff

Mon, Jun 10, 2013

As I write this, I am almost dead from exhaustion. Actually, scratch that. I am almost dead from the heat. Today was the first day of the project proper, and the honeymoon period has ended, somewhat has ended. But then, I am starting from the middle. I hate when I do that.

Chaos and life

Sun, Jun 9, 2013

I am sitting right now in my hotel room in Paltan Bazaar in Guwahati. It is somewhat surprising to think that a week ago, I was in Caldwell, ID, sitting outside my house, feeding my chickens.

Humidity and Operation Smile

Sat, Jun 8, 2013

So I took two flights, and reached Guwahati today from Srinagar (it's a town in the Himalays), where I met my parents. It is a bucolic city, kind of like a conglomerate of villages that just managed to become a city somehow.

As I was driving from Borjahar Airport to my hotel, which my partner Mark told me was ghetto, I could not help but think about when I was growing up. Guwahati resembles Jammu, the town I spent 18 very happy years growing up in. Except it looks like Jammu from 15 years ago.

Home Again

Sun, May 26, 2013

After four finals, an empty room, a flight to Utah, and a week with my sister, I'm back in Oregon for the summer and not feeling nearly old enough to be a college sophomore.

Now that the year is over, I can't believe how fast it went. Looking back, it wasn't what I thought it would be when I was looking forward to it this time last year. I didn't know what to expect back then, but what I got was one of the best years in memory.

Finishing Up

Thu, May 16, 2013

My sophomore year is one day from its conclusion. My Friday afternoon French final means that it’ll be holding on to the bitter end, but aside from the hassle of moving out later that afternoon, I’m not too chuffed about it.  That’s because I’m again a little reluctant to leave the C of I, and all the people that come with it.

Spring at C of I

Fri, May 10, 2013

The trees are flowering, the grass is green, the birds are out, and the infamous sprinklers are back on. Gauntlet though they may be to navigate, they are at least a good reminder to slow down.  

Dead week is called dead week for a reason; the last few weeks have been an absolute whirlwind! I think there have been more events on campus the past few weeks than would have been possible to attend, even without finals approaching.

Writing and Readings

Thu, May 9, 2013

We’re in the midst of dead week, and the temperatures are now in the perfect range to induce lethargy. Unfortunately, the library is the place to be instead, and all my regular study spots are being stolen by last-minute paper-writers. Alas and alack.

The Calm Before Spring Fling

Fri, May 3, 2013

It’s Friday night, and I’m staying in my room. Right now, I’m getting ready to watch some Netflix, and my biggest decision is whether to honor my Money and Literature class by watching the 1974 version of The Great Gatsby, or whether to do homage to my Brontës class, and watch Jane Eyre. I’ve read both books within the last month, (ok, April, not May) but I just finished up a big fat paper on Jane Eyre, so I might have to go for The Great Gatsby.

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