France – USA … that’s to say: The Tara visits Savannah
The month of January was impacted by the port call of French schooner Tara, which stopped in Savannah, GA on January 20-26. Tara provides samples and data to the scientific community worldwide to learn more about the impact of climate change on ecosystems. It is the very first attempt to make a global study of marine plankton.
During their six-day port call, a number of events was organized to raise environmental awareness among the general public, and particularly young people. Among the many activities scheduled were a phytoplankton collection stop in NOAA Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary; the welcoming of pre-registered groups of students from Chatham, Effingham and Bryan counties aboard the vessel; and a series of scientific seminars.
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January 6, 2012 At the Sudheer Reddy College of Engineering & Technology, Nizambad
At the Sudheer Reddy College of Engineering & Technology, Nizambad
with Shyam Jadala
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Very gracious hosts at the CARE College of Pharmacy
Located in Oglapur, Atmakur, District of Warangal, Andhra Pradesh.
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Letter from India – January 1, 2012
Kamareddy is a village in south central India about 120 kilometers, or about an hour and a half out of Hyderbad. Getting there so quickly is one of the signs of what we now call “Modern India.” Cars, buses, trucks and 3 wheeled motorized rickshaws share a newly built national highway which stretches from all the way from the south to Srinagar in Kashmir: more than 3000 km, all told. Bikes and motorcycles are forbidden but that doesn’t seem to prevent them from taking to the road. We did still see many, often with a driver and 2 or 3 passengers, of all ages, and none of whom wore helmets or any of the other protective gear we now take for granted in Europe.
This road is remarkably engineered and those who produced it can be rightly proud of their achievement. The lanes are beautifully spaced and many parts are perfectly well lit. Yes, this is part of modern India and it’s a life-saver. On another road a few days ago, some weren’t so lucky. We saw two buffalos which must have been hit by something carrying a very heavy cargo and I did read in this morning’s newspaper of two bi-peds who, as they tend to say here, “breathed their last breath.”
I was welcomed to Kamareddy by a group of wonderful, devoted teachers who took time off from their family activities this New Year’s Day to participate in a seminar I was giving to English teachers.
We were hosted by the SEYWAC, a local NGO. People eager to learn. Hungry for cultural contact with others. Surprised by my sharing. Much kindness emanated from their eyes. Much gratitude was shown … if for nothing else than the opportunity for us all to spend this time together. I’m still very moved by the fresh flowers they had attentively put together for me.
Sushil and Shayam, who organized the seminar and accompanied me from Hyderabad, said that Kamareddy itself hadn’t changed much … yet. They compared it to their own home town of Warangal where we had been a couple of days ago. Warangal, they explained, looked just like Kamareddy … 10 years ago.
In a couple of years, these folk will be connected to high speed internet. You may judge whether that’s a good thing or not … but that will always depend on what you connect to. They are anxious to learn, to read, to hear … more than can be had … locally. The move from local to planetary only really depends on one thing: how well they can communicate … in English.
My hosts have invited me to return. I intend to. By then, some material things will have changed. And let’s hope that the most valuable, the human ones, remain the same.
For the life of me, I can’t remember a more fulfilling New Year’s Day.
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Calder at the MoMa
Man on Chariot
Calder
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Don’t even think of parking here…
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The Mona Bismarck Foundation
The American Center for Art & Culture – The Mona Bismarck Foundation
“The Wyeths: Three Generations of American Art”
Victoria Wyeth, granddaughter of Andrew Wyeth and niece of Jamie Wyeth,
will give a presentation at the Mona Bismarck Foundation next week, lecturing about the Wyeth exhibit there on Tuesday evening. Victoria is known for her lively style and personal insights into the Wyeth family and their work.
Place: Mona Bismarck Foundation, 34 avenue de New York, 75116 Paris
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