Success!

Greetings from back home!  To say the trip was a success would be an understatement.  The students were amazing, the trip was awe inspiring and we all shared in changing each others lives for the better - for this I thank everyone!  I have posted pics on kodak gallery and will send them along to your e-mails shortly.  In the meantime - I hope the link below works.  We will hopefully be setting a time over the summer where we all reunite and share pics voer some pizza.
Thanks again,

http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/creativeapps/slideShow/Main.jsp?sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=Share-_-Personal-_-Email-_-Sharee-_-Images

Update- wed. 6/15

Pressed for time but wanted to give an update since Agra.

-We arrived at a nice hotel in Jaipur after seeing the Taj and Fatehpur Sikri and visited the spectacular Amber Fort (arriving by elephant, which was a thrilling experience). We also got good shots of the Palace of Winds, Water Palace, and Red Palace of the Maharajah. Soon, we'll see spectacular saber-rattling on the Pakistan India border. More details soon!

-Alex Dudley

CRAZY INDIAN GIRL EATS MUFFIN IN ONE BITE!!!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.1

Tribal Posts

We have been going a hundred miles an hour, sleeping very little and loving every second of it!
Due to the crazy schedule, we will not be able to post as often as we had liked. However, as part of our daily tribal activities, each tribe has written their own post. So here is the latest from the kids point of view.
The Green Tribe
Greetings from cow land.
Day One - After 21 hours in transit, we arrived in Delhi. Nobody slept the first night, culture shock seemed to keep everyone awake.
Day Two - We had the the first morning in India to explore - so we walked to a 200 foot hindu monkey temple.  Our group won the first tribal prize with the purchase of a pink, glitter pyramid at a random temple.
in the afternoon we crowded onto an unbelievably crowded subway to take a tour of Old Delhi and took a Rickshaw ride to a mosque where we were surrounded by curious Indians wanting pictures. We felt like celebrities.
Day Three - We woke up at the crack of dawn (4:30) and hopped on a train to Agra, home of the Taj Mahal.  Our hotel had a very refrshing swimming pool that we all enjoyed.  We went to Fort Agra which was mind blowing.  A fort of fairy tales with draw bridge, moats etc.  Luckily we had the afternoon to relax, go swimming, get massages and shop.
Day Four - Another early morning followed by a day packed with adventure. First we saw the absolutely breathe taking Taj Mahal.  Unreal!  We then hopped on a bus toward Jaipur.  On the way we stopped at Fatehpur Sikri Fort which was enormous and inexplicable.  We were happliy greeted by the air conditioning on the bus from the 110 degree temps. 5 hours later we finally reached Jaipur.  So here we are, a very nice new hotel and packed schedules.
"The finest ship to sail, the sea of life is friendship"


From The BLUE TRIBE:
The Taj Mahal is where we went today,
and we have to say it was more than ok.
It was big and white - like my dad,
I gotta say it was pretty rad.
From its intricate designs and its flawless decor,
Nowehre else in the world will you find anything more!
We woke up at 4:30 in the morning,
The Taj Mahal was anything but boring.
Some guy followed us around and took our pictures,
It was as awkward as a pre-teen mixer.
But before this we took a metro,
I gotta say it was pretty retro.
It was really pretty ghetto.
There is no way I would venture here in my stilleto.
When we were in Delhi we rode in a Rickshaw cart,
It was definitely a unique mart.
Where they sold everything from wheels, hinges, and jewlery.
Walking around here, there is no time for Tom Foolery.
Some advice for when you travel here,
Keep your family, friends - and money near!
"The thing I most long for, is to find the place where all the beauty comes from" - CS Lewis.
The Red Tribe
Rickshaw rides - spectacular being surrounded by so much.  The rides were gorgeous and exciting.  The ride was bumpy, smelly and thrilling.  Smells of sweat, manure and food.  Different foods, drinks, bunches of wires, dogs, clothing, jewlery and people.  The electrical wires were in bunches like spaghetti.  Seeing different people, all sorts of colors of clothing.  Bumpy rides while hitting pot holes.  People of all sizes and ages.  Seeing people opening shops, the noise of hoinking, people talking, the bikes moving, the smells of everything.  All the dogs, cows, donkeys and camels wlaking through the streets making a traffic jam.  The spices and grain shops.  Seeing all of the different fruits that were being sold.  Rickshaws carrying much more than they should.  This is all around speechless!
"I can't explain any of what I saw becuase it is beyond words" - Andrew P.

Their there!

As most of you probably know the Hamster tribe arrived safely this moring around 9 am. The weather report was HOT.
This morning their time they have eaten and are headed to the market. Ramsey reports everyone is good and ready to go.

A note from Dr. Conlan

To those tribe members attached to me, I send you greetings from Australia! To Sony, Hunter, Andrew and Alex - and to all your friends also coming, I wish you a comfortable and relaxing flight to India. I will be at the Indira Ghandi International Airport to meet you all on 9 June. Thereafter we take a journey to our hotel and then we enjoy a late night supper, which will be prepared for you. I'm sure you will be excited to arrive in a country so completely different from your own, but you will also be tired. So probably a good night's sleep is in order. That way you'll be ready for the next day's extraordinary sights, sounds, textures and smells of India's capital Delhi! Mr Brookhart has told me what a great group of special young people you are. I'm sure we are going to become wonderful friends. If there is anything you wish me to bring with me from Australia, please just let me (or Mr Brookhart) know! I can't bring Koalas or Kangaroos though! They're too big and eat too much! So for now Red Group (and all of your friends and teachers) may you have a wonderful trip across to India! See you in Delhi! Kind wishes, Dr Meath Conlan.
REGARDING the recent e-coli outbreak in Europe: I assure you that we shan't be eating any raw vegetables at all. Everything we eat will be cooked (probably vegetarian - is my serious recommendation).

Is everyone getting ready??

Mr. B has given me access to the blog so I wanted to make sure everyone has my number. Hunter will have a phone over there and if he calls or text I will post and let you know how things are going. Please feel free to call or text me anytime for info. if I have it I will pass it along. You can also reply to my post and that way we can all share the info we are getting.
See you at the airport Wednesday at 11am.
303-807-0644

Phone numbers for hotels and neck wallets.

Greetings,

Please find phone numbers for each SITA office and hotel below. IN an emergency SITA will be able to get a hold of us directly (ie. bus driver etc.) Also, we are making neck wallets for each student. The wallet will include the list of hotels and phone #'s, a copy of their visa and passport, an emergency card written in Hindi asking for assistance and order of operations to locate group, get help, etc. We will be handing out neck wallets (and our nice orange group shirts at the airport). We will also be collecting any meds you wish us to administer. We will be making final home calls next week to check in on each of you for last minute concerns and questions.

Sita Offices

HEAD OFFICE
SITA
Tower B, Delta Square
M.G.Road, Sector-25
Gurgaon – 122001
Haryana
Tele : +91-124-4563000
Fax : +91-124-4563100
Contact Persons:
Anupam Khare +91 9873467199
Vikram Trivedi: +91 9650400282
Ahzam Khan : +91 9810028158

AGRA
SITA
FF-15, TDI Mall, Taj Nagari, Phase 1
Fatehabad Road, Agra – 282 001
T: +91 562 402 3681
F: +91 562 402 3680
Contact Persons:
Jai Sehgal: +91 9837436612
Yogesh Sharma: +91 9897191370

JAIPUR
SITA
Tirthraj, Jacob Road, Civil lines,
Jaipur – 302006
T + 91 141 4112600
F + 91 141 4112604
Contact Persons:
Vinith Vijayan: +91 98290 99424

AMRITSAR
SITA
Hotel Ritz Plaza
45, The Mall, Amritsar - 143 001
T: +91 183 2562836, 2562839
F: +91 183 2226657
Contact Persons:
Prabal Bhullar: +91 9815384849

DHARAMSHALA
SITA
Opposite Nehru Park, The Mall
Manali, Distt. Kullu, (H.P. - 175131)
T: +91 1902 251848, 254458
Contact Persons:
Ritesh Sood: + 91 9418005235


Hotels

DELHI
Hotel Regent Continental
4/73, W.E.A., Krishna Market ,
Saraswati Marg, Karol Bagh
New Delhi - 110 001 India
Tele: - 91-11-45011111
Fax: - 91-11-25762067

AGRA
Hotel Amar,
Tourist Complex Area,
Fatehabad Road,
AGRA - 282 001.
Tele:, +91 - 562 - 2331884 to 89, 4008402 to 405
Fax,:, +91 - 562 - 2330299

JAIPUR
Hotel Park Inn
A-28/c/3, Sawai Jaisingh Hwy - Bani Park,
Rajasthan - Jaipur – India
Tele: +91-141- 4151000
Fax: +91-141-4151001

AMRITSAR
Hotel Grand Legacy
8, G.T. Road, Model Town,
Amritsar - 143001 (Punjab) INDIA
Tele: +91-183-5069991, 5069992, 5069993, 5069994
Fax: +91-183-5069995

DHARAMSHALA
Hotel Surya
H.H. Dalai Lama Temple Road McLeodganj,
Dharamshala – 176 219
Himachal Pradesh – INDIA
Tele: +91-1892-221418 , 221419 , 01892-221420
Fax : +91-1892-221868

Parent meeting follow up

Dear Parents,

Thank you for attending last night’s meeting. Please make sure the information is on the contact list (new tab on left side of page) is accurate. As we get closer to the trip, familiarize yourselves with the blog. Once we are traveling it will be one of our main methods of correspondence. You are welcome to make postings, ask questions, and interact with us through the blog or talk to each other.

If you have any other family members interested in writing letters for the students to open and read during our trip, please have them forwarded to us.

Please feel free to email, call, or meet with us any time before we leave.

Sincerely,

Cheyenne Zurfluh
(303) 882-7537
czurfluh@denveracademy.org

Ramsey Brookhart
(303) 947-2295
rbrookhart@denveracademy.org

TRIBES

Tribe #1 - Elder - Mr. B
- Alex B.
- Miles A.
- Sam D.
- CJ

Tribe #2 - Elder - Dr. Conlan
- Sony
- Hunter
- Andrew P.
- Alex D.

Tribe #3 - Elder - Ms. Z
- Andi
- Dylan T.
- Codey L.
- Sasha

Parent Meeting at 7:00 Tonight (NOT 6:00)

Dear Parents,
Due to a schedule conflict with the National Honor Society induction ceremony tomorrow, we will be moving the India Parent meeting from 6 pm to 7 pm tomorrow night. We hope you can make it. Sorry for any inconvenience. We will honor your time by keeping the meeting brief.

Thanks for understanding,

Cheyenne Zurfluh & Ramsey Brookhart

Parent meeting

Dear Parents,

Our departure date for India is quickly approaching.  We would like to have one meeting with all the parents and students before the school year ends.  Please join us Thursday, May 19^th at 6:00 p.m. in Richardson Hall room 202 for an informational gathering.  We will be discussing our itinerary, flight information, hotel accommodations, transportation in India, correspondence methods, contact information, and hold a question and answer forum.

In the meantime:

·         Please make sure to check our trip blog for any updated information at http://daindia2011.blogspot.com/

·         Make a photo copy of all passports and visas

·         Complete one doctor’s visit for vaccinations and medications

Let us know if you have any immediate questions, and whether you will/will not be able to attend.

Parent Meeting Information Re-cap:

Thursday, May 19^th  6:00 p.m.

Richardson Hall

Room 202 (upstairs)

Thank you for all your time and support!

Cheyenne Zurfluh

(303) 882-7537

Ramsey Brookhart

(303) 947-2295

Copies of Visas/passports

VISAS ARE STARTING TO BE RETURNED! PHEW!

As you receive your Visas, please be sure to make a copy of both the Visa and your passport and give to Mr. Brookhart or Ms. Zurfluh.  Thanks!

Return Flight

Please note a slight change to our return flight on June 23rd.

Thu, 23JUN11

CO63851

Y

NEWARK EWR (EWR) 7:02AM

DENVER CO (DEN) 9:23AM

Ganesh The Lord of Obstacles

Ganesh is one of the most iconic gods of Asia, probably because of his distinct physical attributes. His images are found throughout India, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, Indonesia, and several other countries. The typical representation of Ganesha is a human body with a pot belly and an elephant head. There are many stories about how he acquired his elephant head; many insist that he was born with it, but the majority say he got it later on. One story says that Shiva beheaded Ganesh when he came between Shiva and Parvati (Hindu goddess of power) and that Shiva later replaced his head with an elephant head. My favorite explanation, and probably the most logical one is that Ganesha's mother was showing her new baby off to the other gods, but unfortunately the god Shani, who is said to have the 'evil eye', looked at the baby causing his head to burn to ashes. Then Vishnu came to the rescue and gave the baby a new head, which happened to be that of an elephant.

What's more important than the bizzare physical attributes of Ganesh is the worship and beliefs associated with him. He is worshiped mainly as a remover of obstacles. He also will give obstacles to those who need to be checked. Ganesh is also believed to personify the primal sound, aum.

 

Ganesh is said to reside in the first chakra, Muladhara. This is the main chakra at the base of the spine, where Ganesh supports the rest of the chakras, governing 'the wheel of life'. Besides his obvious role in Hinduism, Ganesh is also seen in some practices of Buddhism, where his image has five heads and rides a lion. The role of the god in Buddhism though, is very different than that of Hindu beliefs.

VISA information

We understand the Visa process is tedius and time consuming.  Please feel free to call me if you need help at 303 947-2295.
Please be aware that it can take up to 3 weeks to obtain and Indian visa, so we encourage you to fill out the application  (https://indiavisa.travisaoutsourcing.com/homepage) and send in your passport ASAP. 

Your U.S. reference is anyone that doesn't live in your household that can vouch for you.


For contact in India you can use SITA's address and phone number Or any of the hotels listed under the Hotels tab on the left.

Sita Tour agency

Tower B, Delta Square

M.G. Road, Sector - 25

Gurgaon 122001, Haryana, India

M +91 9650400282

T +91 124 4703256

F +91 124 4563100

Medications for Travel

Medications For Travel PDF

Get Your Visa ASAP!

Please be aware that it can take up to 3 weeks to obtain and Indian visa, so we encourage you to fill out the application  (https://indiavisa.travisaoutsourcing.com/homepage) and send in your passport ASAP.  In order to do this, you will need our address in India.  Please use the address below:

Sita

Tower B, Delta Square

M.G. Road, Sector - 25

Gurgaon 122001, Haryana, India

M +91 9650400282

T +91 124 4703256

F +91 124 4563100

Also, please find info about our trip and daily class lessons (India SEC) at www.daindia2011.blogspot.com

Finally, make sure you have scheduled an appointment with your doctor to discuss medications, recommendations, vaccines etc.  If you would rather go through a travel health company you can check out passport health USA at http://passporthealthusa2.reachlocal.com/coupon/?scid=1688440&cid=745520&tc=11041813430896924&rl_key=5a51249094230c620e6baa81c16f7967&kw=3094396&dynamic_proxy=1&primary_serv=passporthealthusa18.reachlocal.net

Thanks,

Ramsey Brookhart

303 947-2295

Cheyenne Zurfluh

303 882-7537

Common Hindi Words and Phrases

• Where are the belly dancers?- Jaham peta nartakiyom rahe haim?
• Hi- namaste
• Good Morning- Suprabhaat
• Good Evening- Shubh sundhyaa
• I'm lost- Hum kho gaye hain
• Can you help me?- Kya aap meri madad kar saktey hain?
• Where is the bathroom/pharmacy?- ´Saucaghara pharmacy kahaan hai?
• Excuse me! (to pass by)- Kshama keejeeae.
• Do you speak english?- Kyaa aap angrézee mein baat kar saktey hain?
• What's your name?- Aapka naam kyaa hai?
• My name is...- Meraa naam.... hai.
• Thank you- shukriya
• Come again?- phirse?

Chakra

Chakra is a concept originating from Hindu, which refers to spinning like vortices that are believed to exist on the etheric double of a man. The Chakras are said to be force centers of energy permeating the layers of a subtle body. There are seven chakras.

Sahasrar: The Crown Chakra is considered to be the chakra of pure conscience. It can be compared to the pituitary gland which secretes hormones to communicate to the rest of the endocrine system and also connects to the CNS through the hypothalamus.

Ajna: The Brow Chakra is symbolised by a lotus with two petals. Ajna is known as the third eye chakra and is linked to the pineal gland. The pineal gland is the gland that produces melatonin (sleep and awakening regulator). The key issues of Ajna involves balancing the higher and lower selves and trusting inner guidance.

Vishuddha: The Throat Chakra is in relation to communication and growth through expression. This chakra is paralleled to the thyroid hormone, which is also located in the throat, that is responsible for growth and maturation. Vishuddha governs communication physically, it governs independence emotionally, it governs fluent thought mentally, and it governs a sense of security spiritually.

Anahata: The Heart Chakra is related anatomically to the thymus, which is located in the chest. It is an element of the immune system and the endocrine system. It is the site of maturation of the T cells that are responsible for fending off disease. Key issues involving the Anahata chakra involve complex emotions, compassion, tenderness, unconditional love, equilibrium, rejection and well-being.

Manipura: The Solar Plexus Chakra is related to the metabolic and digestive systems. Mentally, Manipura governs personal power, fear, anxiety, opinion-formation, introversion, and transition from simple or base emotion to complex. Physically, Manipura governs digestion.

Swadhisthana: The Sacral Chakra is located in the sacrum and is considered to correspond to the testes or the ovaries that produce the sex hormones involved in the reproductive cycle. It is also considered to be related to the genitourinary system and the adrenals. Key issues are relationships, violence, addictions, basic emotional needs, and pleasure. Physically it governs reproduction; mentally it governs joy; spiritually it governs enthusiasm.

Muladhara: The Base Chakra, also known as the root chakra, is related to instinct, security, survival and also to basic human potentiality. It is related anatomically to the gonads and the adrenal medulla, responsible for the fight-or-flight response when survival is under threat.

Chakra

Trimurti

The Trimurti (Eng: 3 forms) is a concept in Hinduism. The cosmic functions of creation, destruction, and maintenance are controlled by "the Hindu triad" or the "Great Trinity": Brahma the creator, Vishnu the maintainer or preserver, and ´Shiva the destroyer or transformer. Andrew discussed the basics of these 3 gods this week and explained the roles they have in Hindi beliefs.

Brahma:
While Brahma is one of the 3 major gods in Hinduism, not many Hindus actually worship him. India has very few temples dedicated to Brahma as opposed to Vishnu and Shiva who have thousands. Check out the highly credible wikipedia for more info! Brahma

Vishnu:
Vishnu is described as the All-prevading essence of all beings. Vishnu is know to have a universal form that is beyond the limits of human perception. Vishnu is the 'supreme god' of the Trimurti. Vishnu

Shiva:

Shiva is the destroyer and transformer of the Trimurti. Shiva is typically worshiped as the abstract form of Shiva linga. He is represented as a young man in deep meditation. Shiva is known for his third eye, the crescent moon on his head, and his distinct matted hair. Shiva

Itinerary and Pre Departure Information

India 2011 Itinerary


DA Pre Departure Booklet

THE INDIA EXPERIENCE!

WE ARE A GO!
PLEASE MAKE SURE WE HAVE A COPY OF YOUR PASSPORT
WE WILL USE THIS BLOG FOR UPDATES, INFORMATION AND COMMUNTICATION BEFORE DURING AND AFTER THE TRIP!

You will get the most out of your time in India if you go with an open heart and an open mind. 

Travelling to India can give you a new understanding of life; it can test you on many levels and also reward you in many ways.  In order to get the most from your experience it always helps to be prepared both mentally and physically for the journey.Please see attached document "Pre departure preparation" on tab to left.  This will give you many answers to the questions you have and give you good tips for travelling safely and with good health.

We will do our best to ensure your time in India goes smoothly and gives you lasting memories that will sustain you for many years. You are always welcome to come back to Mother India who will always welcome you with open arms.

ITS OFFICIAL - WE HAVE 12 STUDENTS READY TO GO!

12 students signed up officially. 
Alex Dudley
Sam DeLine
Dylan Tallian
Andi Lonnecker
Hunter Bradford
Andrew Pochepan
Sasha Hoagland
CJ Lembke
Alex Browning
Miles Agan
Sony Bhasin
Codey LyVere