During our third week of volunteering in Chengannur, we shifted into gear with readying the student performances of three folktales that we've been working on. These are all stories that we drew from our perennial repertoire as touring entertainers in the States. First we demonstrated them, then we began teaching them to the young thespians. … Continue reading Preparing for the Stage: Third Week of Volunteering in Chengannur
Even with the voracious encroachment of clothed two-legged predators upon their territory, there are reportedly some 25,000 elephants still in the wild in India. And if you know where to look, quite a few of them can be found in Kerala, the state where we spent a month volunteering. But alas, their stomping grounds are … Continue reading Encountering Elephants at Konni Reserve in Kerala
Our time volunteering in the state of Kerala definitely had its highs and lows, though on balance it was a positive experience. The biggest drawback was our living quarters, which were not exactly uncomfortable, but did have all the modern inconveniences. We've already mentioned the frequent power outages; when they occurred, it tended to get … Continue reading Volunteering in Kerala: An Eye-Opening Experience
Through our WorkAway gig as teachers, volunteering at the school in Chengannur (state of Kerala), India, we dealt with a wide range of students in terms of their ages, abilities, personalities, and quirks -- both annoying and endearing. The third grade consisted of only 4 students. The one boy in the class was quite capable, … Continue reading Getting Acquainted With Our Students and School in Kerala, India
On the one hand, India is quite generous and welcoming toward foreign visitors, granting tourist visas for up to a year -- which was what we obtained, knowing we'd be spending several months there volunteering. On the other hand, the government is a stickler about paperwork, and visitors are expected to be able to provide … Continue reading On a Fool’s Errand to Kochi, India
With our new WorkAway position volunteering at a small school in Chengannur in full swing, our schedule would run from about 10:30 to 3:00, minus a break for lunch. For the students, each day began with their National Anthem, their National Pledge, and the song that they called "the prayer". When the school director learned … Continue reading Encountering Familiar Faces in India
When the month of June landed, it found us getting ready to leave Abu Dhabi. Shouldering our bags, we walked to the bus terminal from our Airbnb on what was already turning out to be another scorcher of a day. And after waiting about an hour for the bus, we had a 45-minute ride back … Continue reading Advancing to India
Seeking out the most economical airfares sometimes requires taking an indirect route, and making a stop in some city we hadn't planned to visit otherwise. And unless we're rushed, we sometimes figure that as long as we have to stop in a place anyway, we might as well spend a couple of days there, or … Continue reading Much Ado in Abu Dhabi
On our last full day in Turkey, we took a long hike to Taksim, which is the contemporary heart of Istanbul just as Fatih (the neighborhood we've been staying in) is the historic heart. First we walked across the Galata Bridge, pausing to admire the really cool tour boats that were somewhat like gondolas but … Continue reading Saying Görüşürüz to Turkey
With several days to spend in and around Istanbul, we decided that we'd like to venture outside the city and see a bit of the rest of Turkey on at least one occasion. And being nearly surrounded by water, with numerous boats at our disposal, the best option seemed to be taking a marine excursion … Continue reading In and Around Istanbul
world travel with a theatrical flair 