Thanks for such great questions Brian. I’m actually going to let Flat Kat answer those, because he was just about to write a blog entry about those specific topics. Check out his page for the answers.

-Katrina

Hi Katrina,

When walking down the streets of a different country, there is bound to be something different, whether it is the architecture, the way people are dressed, some food being sold by a street vendor, or even the traffic patterns.

One of the things that I’ve noticed in China is that some of the traffic laws seem to be more like flexible guidelines to some drivers. For example, some people on mopeds simply go cautiously through red lights rather than waiting for them to turn green! Also, when there are not traffic lights to stop the traffic, pedestrians have to navigate through traffic at a crosswalk as carefully as they can through oncoming traffic. It’s almost like playing a real-life version of “Frogger”!

It is always fun to explore a new place. I hope you make it happen as soon as you can!

Thanks for your kind comments and good questions.

My Reply
Thanks Matt. I haven’t seen any monkeys, and I don’t know if cows can really jump, but I’ll watch out for those alleys!
See you soon.

My Reply
I don’t know if I’ve lost any weight, but if I have its because of the walking I’ve done, and not the food. From what I’ve seen of Israeli food, it’s almost as fattening as American food, but they eat it in more reasonable portions. There’s no need for take home containers after a meal in Israel, which is what makes the most sense anyway, doesn’t it?

Ok, so have you had hummus then? I completely forgot all about that. We made it with Naan, and it was soooo good. That was probably my second favorite thing we made:)

My Reply
Thanks for the recipe!! I’ll definitely try the recipe for Gajar Ka Halwa (though I’ll try to get a better cook than myself to try it for me so I don’t mess it up).

I have had hummus, which is ok. But the naan (a type of bread that’s like a thick pita) was one of my favorite things too.

My Reply
I haven’t seen Carrot Halva on the menu anywhere. It might be a regional dish. Like grits are served in the South of the U.S., India has certain dishes that are regional specialties.

I’d really like to try the Carrot Halva though. Maybe you can tell me how to make it (or even better, a restaurant I can go to to have it, so I don’t mess up the recipe)!

What is your favorite Indian food so far? If you come up with it, tell me because we have to make a food from the country that we are studying in seminar.
I actually like Paneer (which is a type of fermented cottage cheese I think).
I also like the Nan, which is a flat bread kind of like a pita that can be served plain, folded over and filled with chicken, or just have butter put on it.

Right now we are studying the animals and there habitats. We already studied the climate, regions or Biomes, physical features and location, but I feel like I’ve learned way more than that! Bye!!!!!!!!!!

Keep it up Brianna! I’m proud of you for being so excited about learning new things.

I’ve finally had time to catch up with your blog. Last time I checked it you had only been gone a couple of days. It sounds as if you are having the time of your life. It’s always interesting to immerse yourself into another culture, especially when you meet natives along the way. Your return will be an adjustment to say the least. Perhaps the question to ask is what have you missed most while you’ve been away?

So sorry you will miss the Super Bowl…more squares for me!!!

See you soon.
Sharon

My Reply
I miss my wife and family, a soft, comfortable bed, and the familiar food (but I wouldn’t have changed anything about the trip!).

Thanks for checking in.

So, when you meet people doing the same thing as you, do you like travel with them or are they just passing through and they keep on their ways? And how is the food in India? is it better than our greasy American food? =] well good luck india and keep safe…

Michelle Meigs

My Reply
When I meet people, sometimes we plan to meet up the next day to visit a monument together, and other times we just leave it at a pleasant conversation. Iit depends on the situation, and the people.

I have been fortunate enough to meet some really cool people along the way. I’ve received e-mails from half a dozen who have checked out my blog after meeting me. There’s no way to tell if I’ll ever see any of them again, but they have all been fun to get to know.

As for the food, I’m not a huge fan of really spicy food, so some dishes have been a bit much for me. I do like trying new things, though, so it has been quite an adventure when it has come to the food.

My Reply
Great question. First, I think it will make me a much better teacher (at least I hope so). It has been really educational to see this fascinating country, or at least some parts of it.

Second, I think that I’ll be more responsive when I see examples of poverty on TV. Although most Indians are not poor, I have seen examples of extreme poverty up close for the first time in my life. I’ve had children who obviously have difficult lives tapping me on the shoe as I sat in a train station or tugging at my sleeve as I walked down a street begging for money. I’ve never had a more direct experience with that type of poverty before, and it was really difficult (and if it was difficult for me to see, it must be very difficult to be that child). Overall, I think I will be more generous (I plan on finding a reliable charity to donate money to benefit poor children in India and the rest of the world when I get home).

Again, thanks for a thought-provoking question Mike.