Rein checking in -
"We had another two full days since I last wrote. Yesterday morning we visited APSA, where we met with the coordinators of various of their activities, such as the "Child Line", for children in distress, their children's residence and various teachers of their school, as well as the Director of APSA Bangalore. We were very impressed with the good work that takes place there as well as the warmness with which we were welcomed into the community by the kids and staff. Simon will start there on Monday and I'm sure he'll be well at home there and able to apply all his creativity and organisation skills, so stay tuned for his stories on this blog.
After APSA, most of the remainder of the day was spent at the FRRO again trying to get our registration sorted. We were sent from one queue to the next, from the application forms counter to an entry-check, to scrutiny-check, to registration officer's desk then up to the asst. director's office (because of course we are such a special case it has to be reviewed by the hierarchy) and finally the actual registration desk. We need to go back there a third (and hopefully last) time to pick up our registration cards.
All of this of course serves the purpose of slowing down and going with the flow. We both handled the waiting very well, sitting back, relaxing with a book or chatting with the various other registrants from all over the world, each with their own fascinating stories. This is what a sabbatical is all about. To have time and "space" to be open to new interactions.
When we finally left the building we decided to take a took-took (auto rickshaw) into town to check out the local pub scene, have a few drinks and a bite to eat.
We made it to the intersection of Brigade and Residency Roads, which is in fact the "Times Square" of Bangalore, where we discovered the fabulous rooftop terrace of, Chin Lung, a dive of a place which serves as a restaurant, cum gay-bar (yes, I kid you not, it is an out and proud gay bar) cum rooftop lounge. We reckon we will have a few pints there, yet!
Today we took it easy in the morning, checking out our local area, did some grocery shopping and after lunch made our way to the Better Future office for a workshop with W-Ish, a music & dance group that consists of former APSA children that are now inspiring other kids to get engaged in the performing arts.
It took place on the wonderful rooftop terrace of the BF office, where we already spent many inspiring and relaxing hours with our wonderful partners (J & C) and look forward to many more.
Then it was more walking and exploring the streets of Bangalore with all the wonderful sights, smells and sounds they have to offer until we reached home again for some pre-dinner drinks (and blog writing) on our terrace overlooking the park in front of our flat.
Tomorrow, I'm looking forward to our first day of true "sight seeing"; we're off for an early morning start to one of the many Bangaloree museums and then an afternoon in the Lalbagh botanical gardens, which were planted in the 18th century (I need a bit of fresh air after a week of breathing in pollution....)"
- Rein checking out
"We had another two full days since I last wrote. Yesterday morning we visited APSA, where we met with the coordinators of various of their activities, such as the "Child Line", for children in distress, their children's residence and various teachers of their school, as well as the Director of APSA Bangalore. We were very impressed with the good work that takes place there as well as the warmness with which we were welcomed into the community by the kids and staff. Simon will start there on Monday and I'm sure he'll be well at home there and able to apply all his creativity and organisation skills, so stay tuned for his stories on this blog.
All of this of course serves the purpose of slowing down and going with the flow. We both handled the waiting very well, sitting back, relaxing with a book or chatting with the various other registrants from all over the world, each with their own fascinating stories. This is what a sabbatical is all about. To have time and "space" to be open to new interactions.
We made it to the intersection of Brigade and Residency Roads, which is in fact the "Times Square" of Bangalore, where we discovered the fabulous rooftop terrace of, Chin Lung, a dive of a place which serves as a restaurant, cum gay-bar (yes, I kid you not, it is an out and proud gay bar) cum rooftop lounge. We reckon we will have a few pints there, yet!
It took place on the wonderful rooftop terrace of the BF office, where we already spent many inspiring and relaxing hours with our wonderful partners (J & C) and look forward to many more.
Then it was more walking and exploring the streets of Bangalore with all the wonderful sights, smells and sounds they have to offer until we reached home again for some pre-dinner drinks (and blog writing) on our terrace overlooking the park in front of our flat.
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| A Bangalore street impression, look for the kids playing in front of the temple |
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| This wonderful flower lady let us take her picture for a rose |
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| Spectators watching the cricket match at a local TV shop |
Tomorrow, I'm looking forward to our first day of true "sight seeing"; we're off for an early morning start to one of the many Bangaloree museums and then an afternoon in the Lalbagh botanical gardens, which were planted in the 18th century (I need a bit of fresh air after a week of breathing in pollution....)"
- Rein checking out
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