I found a lone tamil book (a dictionary) in the library. I explored, but found no Hindi books. No Bengali books, or any other Indian languages, except some books Sanskrit.
Which was not unexpected. May be the University dont have Indic studies, there are only a few Indian students in the university, etc.
But the lone tamil book was kept in the "langues rare" (Rare languages) section. So tamil is a rare language? But tamil is spoken by 66 million people, more than the population of France. Tamil literature may not be the richest, but there sure are many a great tamil literature (starting from thirukkural). Tamil is one of the richest Indian languages in terms of vocabulary (they keep inventing words for new things, and due to the political spirit, everything written in English is translated to Tamil too), thanks to the Dravidian political spirit and renaissance.
So what does "rare language" mean to a Western mind? Or eg, what is Tamil to a western mind? A rare, crude language?
Which reminds me of a (Czech) friend who commented on a museum in Paris, "built by spending millions, designed by the best architect, opened by Chirac himself", intended to showcase the culture of aborigines in America and Australia, to make you feel that they also have a developed culture, but in fact they are having Europe's stone age like structures and contraptions, so he thinks the museum is causing the opposite of what it is intended for - instead of making you feel that the culture of aborigines is not bad, it makes you feel that they still live in stone age, and makes you feel that Europe is the best in the world.
I could not respond to it then. I didnt know what to make out of it. But later, I kept on thinking about it, and felt that how stupid he was. Obviously the aborigines in America or Australia (or andamans) wont have a super computer made of wood. The point is they have their own lifestyles, and they are happy with it, and its not for you to judge their lives and happiness and ask them to live like Europeans ("a high culture" in his opinion). Of course it will be good if they embrace modern things, but who are you to tell they live a sad life??
About Europe being a global leader etc, I could have countered him with the case of USA (best in science, technology, most other things, huge majority of nobel prize winners from there), so Europe is lagging behind. Europe is now old world, with the BRIC rising. etc. Just for the sake of argument.
Some Europeans dont like Americans. They care to mention some reasons for it (they are loud, they think the rest of the world dont exist, they are stupid), but is it not the same when the Europeans talk about rest of the world (the 3rd world, to be specific)?
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Explorations with the tongue :D
Oh no, havent had much fun as the title suggest. Or did I have? Wont tell :P
This is about FOOD, and nothing else :D
Some simple realizations:
There is more to Kebabs than just fried chickens :) The original (turkish/arabic) kebab is actually a sandwich (in different bread). Yummmy, nevertheless :) They dont put all sorts of nonsense vegetables (like carrot, bloody green leaves etc :D) and put lot of onions. I love it.
I was rather proud that only Indian foods are spicy (with a lot of Chilly). But came to know that Mexican food uses even more chilly. Had some mexican candy - dried mango with chilly and sugar - which tasted like vaalan puli.
Crepe - dosa made of sweet, wheat batter :). Wish they put salt instead of sucre, and uzhunnu maavu instead of godambu. And served chutney and sambaar.
I dont know enough about French food to comment, but I know that it can be the best, even to Indian mouths. Ate a plate de jour which was a mix of rice, sauce (white, custom made sauce) and chicken. So yummy it was.
I hate it when restaurent diderot (student cafeteria - full meal for 3 euros) put French fries along with every single meal. But never thought I will love beef stakes (albeit with added pepper :)). Even fried chicken wings are great. (Its not traditional french food, though).
Vietnamese shops sell more spices than Indian ones! A blow to my pride :( But dont know if Vietnamese cuisine is as spicy... a Vietnamese girl told me Indian food is very spicy... So I dont know.
Well, as one can see, my explorations have been limited. Been careful with the walet. Yet, So far,so good.
So long.
This is about FOOD, and nothing else :D
Some simple realizations:
There is more to Kebabs than just fried chickens :) The original (turkish/arabic) kebab is actually a sandwich (in different bread). Yummmy, nevertheless :) They dont put all sorts of nonsense vegetables (like carrot, bloody green leaves etc :D) and put lot of onions. I love it.
I was rather proud that only Indian foods are spicy (with a lot of Chilly). But came to know that Mexican food uses even more chilly. Had some mexican candy - dried mango with chilly and sugar - which tasted like vaalan puli.
Crepe - dosa made of sweet, wheat batter :). Wish they put salt instead of sucre, and uzhunnu maavu instead of godambu. And served chutney and sambaar.
I dont know enough about French food to comment, but I know that it can be the best, even to Indian mouths. Ate a plate de jour which was a mix of rice, sauce (white, custom made sauce) and chicken. So yummy it was.
I hate it when restaurent diderot (student cafeteria - full meal for 3 euros) put French fries along with every single meal. But never thought I will love beef stakes (albeit with added pepper :)). Even fried chicken wings are great. (Its not traditional french food, though).
Vietnamese shops sell more spices than Indian ones! A blow to my pride :( But dont know if Vietnamese cuisine is as spicy... a Vietnamese girl told me Indian food is very spicy... So I dont know.
Well, as one can see, my explorations have been limited. Been careful with the walet. Yet, So far,so good.
So long.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Some random stuff
Feeling irritated about my own inability.
I want to travel. I want to lose myself. I have done that before, alone, only once, but spectacularly, against all predictions, losing myself, growing myself, for five days. I traveled across Tamil nadu, from Chennai to Rameshwaram and then to Kerala, a journey that I will cherish till death. I feel so proud thinking about it. I even made small notes of it during the journey, in a small diary.
But now, I have the opportunity of my lifetime. I am at one of the most beautiful places in Europe - France, and Italy and Switzerland being less than two hours away. Yet I havent had the courage to venture out of my small town even. I occasionally feel motivated, but things die down when I get to the planning stage, ticket prices being the main bottleneck. If I have to do some traveling, I need to book tickets months in advance, so that I can travel at reasonable rates. But of course I am unable to plan in advance somehow. I am just not able to decide where, when. Suddenly I have the itch to travel to Istanbul or Syria (influenced by a politically addict classmate). But obviously that aint gonna work out easily, its not in Schengen states (so need separate visa), and of course it will be much easier to plan a long trip to Istanbul, than taking a train there and back. And of course I havent read My Name is Read, or Istanbul, yet. (I so adore Pamuk). The next options that come to my mind is Russia, and eastern Europe, because of the political connection. This also suffers from similar problems.
I dont feel like visiting the beautiful places in France or Switzerland alone.
Also, unlike the TN trip, which was largely motivated by K. Tayatt's book "Katha urangunna vazhiyiloode", in which the author, an old man, a primary school teacher, visited all of South India, alone, backpacking (i.e a bhaandam :D), on a shoestring (I dont know if he had sandals, even). The ambiance of the book left lasting impressions on me, and it was easy to take the plunge. But now, I dont have such an "immediate" inspiration. "Go See the world" is so oft heard, yet the world sometimes feel so small these days (and yet a book by Tayatt threw me to a wholly unknown land, in my own turf).
But I want to travel. Alone. In trains. Then hitchhike. Take pictures, thoughtfully, as much as I want (that give me so much satisfaction, though no one else may like it :D). Be brave; not being afraid of unknown lands, languages, people.
Lets see.
I want to travel. I want to lose myself. I have done that before, alone, only once, but spectacularly, against all predictions, losing myself, growing myself, for five days. I traveled across Tamil nadu, from Chennai to Rameshwaram and then to Kerala, a journey that I will cherish till death. I feel so proud thinking about it. I even made small notes of it during the journey, in a small diary.
But now, I have the opportunity of my lifetime. I am at one of the most beautiful places in Europe - France, and Italy and Switzerland being less than two hours away. Yet I havent had the courage to venture out of my small town even. I occasionally feel motivated, but things die down when I get to the planning stage, ticket prices being the main bottleneck. If I have to do some traveling, I need to book tickets months in advance, so that I can travel at reasonable rates. But of course I am unable to plan in advance somehow. I am just not able to decide where, when. Suddenly I have the itch to travel to Istanbul or Syria (influenced by a politically addict classmate). But obviously that aint gonna work out easily, its not in Schengen states (so need separate visa), and of course it will be much easier to plan a long trip to Istanbul, than taking a train there and back. And of course I havent read My Name is Read, or Istanbul, yet. (I so adore Pamuk). The next options that come to my mind is Russia, and eastern Europe, because of the political connection. This also suffers from similar problems.
I dont feel like visiting the beautiful places in France or Switzerland alone.
Also, unlike the TN trip, which was largely motivated by K. Tayatt's book "Katha urangunna vazhiyiloode", in which the author, an old man, a primary school teacher, visited all of South India, alone, backpacking (i.e a bhaandam :D), on a shoestring (I dont know if he had sandals, even). The ambiance of the book left lasting impressions on me, and it was easy to take the plunge. But now, I dont have such an "immediate" inspiration. "Go See the world" is so oft heard, yet the world sometimes feel so small these days (and yet a book by Tayatt threw me to a wholly unknown land, in my own turf).
But I want to travel. Alone. In trains. Then hitchhike. Take pictures, thoughtfully, as much as I want (that give me so much satisfaction, though no one else may like it :D). Be brave; not being afraid of unknown lands, languages, people.
Lets see.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
France's beauty
Grenoble (and France) is so beautiful. The way lush green trees or the colourful autumn vegetation in vibrant sunlight; paved, old, streets; buildings without a sun shade (Indian style sun shade, perhaps), brilliantly sunny without being hot - that is the impression of France's beauty in my mind.
I was not too happy about the architecture of the official buildings in the University. They were "modern" 3-4 storey buildings with nothing more to mention - what little architecture they have is far from impressive. But yesterday I had a walk out of the suburbs, into the nearby village; and all throughout I was observing the buildings on the way. I dont know if they were houses or castles, probably a mix of both; but they were so beautiful. I felt that the buildings have so much to it, so much life invested in them, they were all old, most of them very different from each other in style... yet very French (as in the beauty of France I mentioned above).
I havent been able to travel much. Mainly due to my own inertia to make plans and take the plunge. And I've almost wasted my first week long vacation here without doing anything. Let's see.
Well: I missed a major part of France - the beautiful skies.
I was not too happy about the architecture of the official buildings in the University. They were "modern" 3-4 storey buildings with nothing more to mention - what little architecture they have is far from impressive. But yesterday I had a walk out of the suburbs, into the nearby village; and all throughout I was observing the buildings on the way. I dont know if they were houses or castles, probably a mix of both; but they were so beautiful. I felt that the buildings have so much to it, so much life invested in them, they were all old, most of them very different from each other in style... yet very French (as in the beauty of France I mentioned above).
I havent been able to travel much. Mainly due to my own inertia to make plans and take the plunge. And I've almost wasted my first week long vacation here without doing anything. Let's see.
Well: I missed a major part of France - the beautiful skies.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Smile, and a day is made for someone :)
Today,
I was feeling very bad. I was told that my classes start only next week. So nothing to do for another week, nobody to talk to, just waste time... and the bills pile up...
I went for a java class in french - it was an optional one for me; the original ones start next week only, but I went anyway. Instead of programming, the instructor mainly talked about software engineering principles, and I was terribly bored. I did not understand his french, but since software engineering is so boring, I didnt listen carefully. I left the class at the midway break. (At the break, the instructor told: "di(x) minutes, un cigrette or cafe!) . Then I went to the literature library, where I found a lot of English books, and I was very happy. There is a very good collection of English and American authors, and some 20-25 books of Indian authors (Indian writers in English - dominated by Salman Rushdie, Rohinton Mistry and Anita Nair!And only one book of Amitav Ghosh). Anyway I felt like having found a treasure trove - and I read "A street car named Desire" then and there. An accomplishment :-)
But then I was hungry and diffident and lonely and started feeling very bad. I had my lunch, came back to the library, tried to find a murakami or marquez or neruda, but sadly all of them are in their original languages or in french (no english translation :(), so finally I took Life and times of Michael K by Coetzee and got out. I wasnt even sure if I was allowed in the literature library, or if my student card is enough to take books from there (it didnt work at the science library). I was worried, sad...
But at the reception, the only two people I have talked to in the day -two elderly ladies- made my day. One of them at the lending counter nicely told me to go and get registered at another counter. At the other counter, I dont know why, but the lady was simply so helpful, that I couldnt help smiling all the time she was entering my details in the computer. She asked in French, I replied in English, when she asked address I took out the chit from my wallet (I cannot pronounce my address in French!) and showed, and she -so smilingly - noted down the address from it. When she asked phone number I showed her my phone (again I cant say numbers in French with a lot of confidence, but I could have tried this!) and she noted down the number from my contacts list. And finally, she told me the rules, how many books I can take, how to return it back, and handed me some pamphlets. All with a smiling, helpful, adorable face. I felt very happy :)
Then I went back to the lending counter, where I had left the book, and the lady there searched around, and told me - with a very sorry face (it looked like she had hurt someone!) - that the book was sent back to be kept in its place. So I told her politely and smilingly that I will go and pick it up again - and I went upstairs to get it. When I was searching for it, she came panting, and shouting "monsieur!", and she had the book in her hand (turned out that it was at her desk itself). So this elderly lady came running, all the way up stairs, panting and all, and with no claims to having helped (no high moral air), she told pardon and merci, and handed me the book. We went and she put the details in the database, and she told merci au revoir, and I thanked her profusely (my way of saying it is "Thanks a LLLLLot, really appreciate it", which I have tried to change into "Merci, merci beaucoup" , but not satisfied with the french one, I repeated the english one too :)).
I was smiling all the way back to home. I felt so happy and peaceful. I felt that there is no need to feel bad here, and people are always very very helpful.
It is told that the French are very rude. Some say only Parisians are rude. In my opinion, I havent found a single rude guy/lady in Grenoble till now(the closest was a Canadian:)). Everyone has been so forthcoming to help. Even though I dont speak French (but be sure to start English with a "vous parlez anglais"). I am touched :)
I was feeling very bad. I was told that my classes start only next week. So nothing to do for another week, nobody to talk to, just waste time... and the bills pile up...
I went for a java class in french - it was an optional one for me; the original ones start next week only, but I went anyway. Instead of programming, the instructor mainly talked about software engineering principles, and I was terribly bored. I did not understand his french, but since software engineering is so boring, I didnt listen carefully. I left the class at the midway break. (At the break, the instructor told: "di(x) minutes, un cigrette or cafe!) . Then I went to the literature library, where I found a lot of English books, and I was very happy. There is a very good collection of English and American authors, and some 20-25 books of Indian authors (Indian writers in English - dominated by Salman Rushdie, Rohinton Mistry and Anita Nair!And only one book of Amitav Ghosh). Anyway I felt like having found a treasure trove - and I read "A street car named Desire" then and there. An accomplishment :-)
But then I was hungry and diffident and lonely and started feeling very bad. I had my lunch, came back to the library, tried to find a murakami or marquez or neruda, but sadly all of them are in their original languages or in french (no english translation :(), so finally I took Life and times of Michael K by Coetzee and got out. I wasnt even sure if I was allowed in the literature library, or if my student card is enough to take books from there (it didnt work at the science library). I was worried, sad...
But at the reception, the only two people I have talked to in the day -two elderly ladies- made my day. One of them at the lending counter nicely told me to go and get registered at another counter. At the other counter, I dont know why, but the lady was simply so helpful, that I couldnt help smiling all the time she was entering my details in the computer. She asked in French, I replied in English, when she asked address I took out the chit from my wallet (I cannot pronounce my address in French!) and showed, and she -so smilingly - noted down the address from it. When she asked phone number I showed her my phone (again I cant say numbers in French with a lot of confidence, but I could have tried this!) and she noted down the number from my contacts list. And finally, she told me the rules, how many books I can take, how to return it back, and handed me some pamphlets. All with a smiling, helpful, adorable face. I felt very happy :)
Then I went back to the lending counter, where I had left the book, and the lady there searched around, and told me - with a very sorry face (it looked like she had hurt someone!) - that the book was sent back to be kept in its place. So I told her politely and smilingly that I will go and pick it up again - and I went upstairs to get it. When I was searching for it, she came panting, and shouting "monsieur!", and she had the book in her hand (turned out that it was at her desk itself). So this elderly lady came running, all the way up stairs, panting and all, and with no claims to having helped (no high moral air), she told pardon and merci, and handed me the book. We went and she put the details in the database, and she told merci au revoir, and I thanked her profusely (my way of saying it is "Thanks a LLLLLot, really appreciate it", which I have tried to change into "Merci, merci beaucoup" , but not satisfied with the french one, I repeated the english one too :)).
I was smiling all the way back to home. I felt so happy and peaceful. I felt that there is no need to feel bad here, and people are always very very helpful.
It is told that the French are very rude. Some say only Parisians are rude. In my opinion, I havent found a single rude guy/lady in Grenoble till now(the closest was a Canadian:)). Everyone has been so forthcoming to help. Even though I dont speak French (but be sure to start English with a "vous parlez anglais"). I am touched :)
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
"Only the course is in English, the life is in French"
So it has been six days since I reached France.
I am here to do a two years English language masters course in Computer Science. I do not have a scholarship or assistance-ship yet, and I look forward to getting one in the coming days. Till then life is scary :-)
Except for a case of delayed baggage (my 65kg baggage was delayed by two days), and a 20 minute dash over Brussels airport (and immigration) to catch our connecting flight, everything has been nice and easy till now. Thanks to Anil, Celest & the people - who were more than willing to help. Anil is joining the masters course in its second year along with an assitance-ship in INRIA, and he came with me. Celest is helping me to get around and get things done - she is volunteering for an organization called InteGRE.
Some notes about life in Grenoble
* The place is surrounded with mountains. It looks like within walkable distance. One day I started walking out of the city just like that, and reached outside it in 15 minutes! Its very nice! Hope to do some hiking soon.
* The tram-bus network. Absolutely awesome. I have my annual pass made, so I am just hopping around trams and buses to pass time, sometimes! It is very easy to reach anywhere in Grenoble. There are maps all over; you can take home any number of them free, clear maps are there in all bus/tram stops, and trams and buses are rarely crowded. I have never felt so easy to travel around, and that too in such an unknown city! Not in Bangalore, not in Thrissur, or Eranakulam, or Kolkata, or Delhi, or Mumbai, or any other place!
* I find a myth-buster in the Grenoble tram stops - that women cant read maps! The sexiest blonde and the 80 year olds get down from a tram, look at the map, and get into the next one, so easily!
* The sheer number of old men and more than that, the number of old women, and the number of handicapped people (on wheelchair etc), in public spaces. We rarely see old women or handicapped persons traveling by public transport in India (especially by themselves). It will be very tough for them to travel. But in Grenoble, they are everywhere, many people have got automated wheelchairs too. It is so nice.
* The way vehicles patiently stop for you to cross the zebra crossings! You feel so high about yourself! And its so different from India!
* The food - well I am obviously not a fan of French or any western style food, and it costs a heaven to eat at Indian restros, so now need to fasten my seat belts and start cooking (things other than bread and instant noodles)! I dont take to French "pain" or "fromage" very well, though the wine is very nice :D
* I am still not very used to say Bonjour/Bon soir smilingly at everyone you give your eye to (especially in the hostel), so may be I am coming across as a cold, rude guy :D
* The girls in France (most beautiful in the world). The dressings. The mixed hostels, the shared kitchen, shared toilets. Obviously its very different from India, and still I got so easily got used to it very quickly! We used to walk around Thrissur, Calicut or the Malls in Bangalore to get the sight of a single beautiful girl, and now every single girl you see is a Greek goddess :D
* Its tough to get drinking water outside. I am quite amazed by this, that in a country like France with so much government involvement in everything, drinking water is available only in bottles (outside your home that is. at home can drink from the warm water tap), and most people buy Beer or a Coke instead? Also I am yet to find a public toilet.
Well guess thats it for now, more to come later...
I am here to do a two years English language masters course in Computer Science. I do not have a scholarship or assistance-ship yet, and I look forward to getting one in the coming days. Till then life is scary :-)
Except for a case of delayed baggage (my 65kg baggage was delayed by two days), and a 20 minute dash over Brussels airport (and immigration) to catch our connecting flight, everything has been nice and easy till now. Thanks to Anil, Celest & the people - who were more than willing to help. Anil is joining the masters course in its second year along with an assitance-ship in INRIA, and he came with me. Celest is helping me to get around and get things done - she is volunteering for an organization called InteGRE.
Some notes about life in Grenoble
* The place is surrounded with mountains. It looks like within walkable distance. One day I started walking out of the city just like that, and reached outside it in 15 minutes! Its very nice! Hope to do some hiking soon.
* The tram-bus network. Absolutely awesome. I have my annual pass made, so I am just hopping around trams and buses to pass time, sometimes! It is very easy to reach anywhere in Grenoble. There are maps all over; you can take home any number of them free, clear maps are there in all bus/tram stops, and trams and buses are rarely crowded. I have never felt so easy to travel around, and that too in such an unknown city! Not in Bangalore, not in Thrissur, or Eranakulam, or Kolkata, or Delhi, or Mumbai, or any other place!
* I find a myth-buster in the Grenoble tram stops - that women cant read maps! The sexiest blonde and the 80 year olds get down from a tram, look at the map, and get into the next one, so easily!
* The sheer number of old men and more than that, the number of old women, and the number of handicapped people (on wheelchair etc), in public spaces. We rarely see old women or handicapped persons traveling by public transport in India (especially by themselves). It will be very tough for them to travel. But in Grenoble, they are everywhere, many people have got automated wheelchairs too. It is so nice.
* The way vehicles patiently stop for you to cross the zebra crossings! You feel so high about yourself! And its so different from India!
* The food - well I am obviously not a fan of French or any western style food, and it costs a heaven to eat at Indian restros, so now need to fasten my seat belts and start cooking (things other than bread and instant noodles)! I dont take to French "pain" or "fromage" very well, though the wine is very nice :D
* I am still not very used to say Bonjour/Bon soir smilingly at everyone you give your eye to (especially in the hostel), so may be I am coming across as a cold, rude guy :D
* The girls in France (most beautiful in the world). The dressings. The mixed hostels, the shared kitchen, shared toilets. Obviously its very different from India, and still I got so easily got used to it very quickly! We used to walk around Thrissur, Calicut or the Malls in Bangalore to get the sight of a single beautiful girl, and now every single girl you see is a Greek goddess :D
* Its tough to get drinking water outside. I am quite amazed by this, that in a country like France with so much government involvement in everything, drinking water is available only in bottles (outside your home that is. at home can drink from the warm water tap), and most people buy Beer or a Coke instead? Also I am yet to find a public toilet.
Well guess thats it for now, more to come later...
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