My Love to blog started in 2016 and I am glad that it is still continuing. Here is the first blog of this year 2017. January has been
a very busy month as the new CIEE Spring 2017 batch students arrive on-site and
we keep them as well as us busy with one-week intense orientation. Apart from organising
and helping with many other regular activities I was also responsible to hold
the sessions about Embedded Intercultural component (EIC) (which gives American
students in depth understanding of their as well as new aka host culture i.e.,
India & its culture). This is the first time I am teaching/conducting any
class or session for CIEE students and no doubt I was very nervous initially
but later I went along with the flow. I had spent a lot of time with the
material I was provided apart from the 8 week intense online training. This
training had not only helped me to understand the diversification and values of
another culture but it also helped to know and understand more about my own
culture. This is the first achievement of Jan 2017.
Learning no. 1:
Unless until you do something, you will not know your capability, so do not get
scared to do or learn new things.
In spite of
having a busy schedule, I was able to push myself to workout at least half an
hour to do any of my favourite activities (run, walk, abs or cycling). I
registered for 30kms cycling event organised by Hyderabad bicycling club on 22
Jan 2017 and go heritage run on 29 Jan 2017. I borrowed my neighbours bicycle
as mine was not in a condition for long ride and was all set for the event. I
took an auto to the start point for the cycling event and the event started 15
min late (was supposed to start at 5:45 am but started at 6 am). Focusing on my
experiences, I made my mind that I will not stop at sag points for at least 15 kms,
which will save my time. However, I stopped once on the way to sip water from
my bottle. By this, I was successful to reach 15kms in an hour and the
volunteer stamped my BIB to make sure that I made it to 15kms point and later
started cycling back in 5 min. On the way back after covering couple of km, it
was damn hot and my paddling speed came down. With lots of huffs & puffs, I
was able to ride my bicycle for few more kms. When I was about to reach
gachibowli X roads I was unable to paddle more and decided to walk for couple
of mins. I thought I would finish my way back within an hour as I finished the first
15kms but that was not the real scenario. Heat started picking up very high and
made my energy levels very down. Somehow, I was able to finish the 30kms cycling in 2hrs
20 min. Later I got know that I was also in the top 10 list in women category.
That announcement made my day. This is my second achievement of Jan 2017.
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| 30kms cycling done |
Learning no. 2: Set
your goal and do your best to complete it, but do not lose hopes if you could partially
complete it. Feel proud about whatever you achieved to keep motivated.
After the
successful ride, I treated myself with awesome Mexican food (at La Mexicana)
for the first time on Republic Day with Swetha Kotamraju, Sophia and Kalyan. The
same day I was heading off for the outstation field trip with my CIEE students
to Hampi for 3 days (27-29 Jan). Coincidently this is the same weekend where go
heritage fun run was organized and I registered for 12km run very long back
before the trip was finalized. I was happy that I was going to Hampi for both run
& trip with students. I thought I would only run if time permits and
situation were favourable as I was with a group.
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| Taco combo suggested by Swetha |
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| My platter- Chicken Sizzler combo |
Entire CIEE group
departed on 26 Jan by train and reached Hospete around 10:30 am on 27th
Jan. We checked into Vijashree resort and our day 1 started at 12 pm and went
on late till 9 pm covering few famous sites Monolith Nandi, Mahanavami Dibba,
Elephant’s stable, Hampi Bazaar and Lotus mahal till evening. That night we
enjoyed rides offered at the resort (Bullock cart ride, horse ride, Camel ride,
Mehandi, Rajasthani folk dance etc. Btw forgot to mention that Hampi was 34 to 36
degrees all the three days it was terrible humid and hot. Day 2 (28th
Jan) started with Hike for more than
hour to Matanga Hills, Coracle ride, Virupaaksha temple and hazara rama temple
and lunch at Clarks Inn and fortunately BIB kit collection was at clarks inn.
Later we went to bazar for shopping and headed back to hotel where Dollukunitha
Performance (Dollu Kunitha dance, is a major popular drum dance of Karnataka.
Accompanied by singing, it provides spectacular variety and complexity of
skills. Woven around the presiding deity of Beereshwara or Beeralingeswara,
chiefly worshipped by the Kuruba Gowdas of Karnataka and also called
Halumathasthas, it presents both entertainment and spiritual edification). We
enjoyed the dance and we also danced for more than an hour. Our day ended with
delicious Rajasthani food at the resort.
Day 3 (29th Jan) was our
last day at Hampi and run day for me. We have to check out the same day morning
at 9 am so I have to reach by 9 am by completing my run. I was worried about
the transport for the next day morning for the run as it was early in the morning.
Luckily Savitha Menon (who was running 21kms) and her husband was staying in
the same resort and thankfully they agreed to accommodate me to the start
point. My legs were saying hello to me that you have over strained me because
of the rigours 2 day walk and hike but I was mentally prepared that I want to
do this run as it was my first go heritage run. Run day I met savitha and her
husband and we drove to run point at 5:30 am and in later chat came to know
that she is also doing her exe- MBA from NMIMS (where I finished mine too
recently) and she knows my friends wife too- world is so small. We reached the
start point on time 21kms started at 6:45 am and 12 kms started at 7 am. I started
my run walk run procedure and crossed 6 kms at 40 min. I was feeling very tired
but my main goal was to finish my run.
This run trail was very different of its
kind with beautiful scenes, monuments and rocks but very hot weather. I
successfully finished 12kms at 1 hour 45 min. After 12 km run I collected my beautiful medal (handmade) and book marker as my finish certificate and rushed to resort as we have to check out. I reached on time back to resort and was able to check out on time. Later we continued our trip to Anegundi, beautiful village close to Hampi which still carries its traditional culture and food. We walked in the village and hiked a little bit to watch beautiful caves which had paintings and having awesome traditional food and sightseeing we reached Hospete railway station to catch our train to Hyderabad. I was a little bit tired but was able to manage walking and hiking in Anegundi
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| Dollu Kunitha |
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| After climbing Matunga Hills |
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| Finished #goheritagerun 12kms |
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| weavers place in Anegundi |
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| Pampa Sarovar |
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| Sun rise in Hampi |
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| these were the only easy rock stairs to climb |
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| View from the top of Matunga Hill |
Tiredness is inside the mind than body keep saying to your mind that you can do it and body will automatically do it. This is the 3rd
achievement of Jan 2017.
Learning: Every
activity is unique in its way and your body and mind acts differently at every
event. Push your limits hard to enjoy the sweetness of success. I feel proud
that I finished all the three activities successfully this Jan 2017 month. 2017
seems to be more luring to set realistic and unrealistic goals.
