Raksha Bandhan

Tuesday August 24th was Raksha Bandhan, a Hindu special day.  For the past few weeks I'd seen folks picking through these boxes of beautiful thread bracelets at the markets and the grocery stores.  Picture a bracelet made from embroidery thread with a beautiful beaded charm in the middle.  It is tied around the wearers wrist.  I found out they were for Raksha Bandhan, which occurs on the first full moon either in July or August.  On the day of Raksha Bandhan, the sister will tie a rakhi (a holy thread) on the wrist of the brother and there will be an exchange of gifts. Traditionally only the brother would give a gift but nowadays both do it.  The gift can be small, such as sweets, but some give a larger gift.  One of the technicians at work told me her brother was giving her a new sari.

All of the walking I do is great, except for the state of my feet.  Since we do not have a bathtub my feet are perpetually grimy.  Everyone wears flip flops or sandels.  I have not seen a single pair of tennis shoes ('trainers') except for tourists and the Converse Chuck Taylors that are apparently the 'it' foot wear for my students (the edgy ones, who wear them with a Billabong T-shirt).  Since flip flops are the thing dirty feet are the result.  I went and got a pedicure today, which was lovely, and I had clean feet until I walked home.

Counterfeit purses are everywhere - amazing!  I was shopping a bit today and half the stores had Gucci, Coach and Prada purses - all fake.  I think the Burberry stuff may be real - much of that brand is sewn on the island.  Pasimas are dirt cheap - ones that are 70% cashmere sell for 100 Ru each (around 3.00 US).  I'm going to buy a ton of those at market.

Tomorrow is a long day at work and a short one for the boys (Fridays are half day).  So, they'll take the usual van to Clavis and Mike the driver is picking them up at Clavis and hauling them to me at the University.  Then we'll all cram on the bus to come home. Saturday is a day trip to Flic N Flac.  Next weekend, I think, we'll splurge on a resort at the beach.  I'll been prowling the Internet and prices will be going up very soon.  Right now the 4 star resort rates are about 125.00 US per night.  In October they hit $500.00!

Typical street scene on the way to my bus stop.

Just for Dad

First Day of School

The boys said they looked like dorks, and perhaps they were a bit dorky.  They were also very quick to let me know (upon arriving home) that no one else wore black shoes and their regular tennis shoes ('trainers') would be just fine.  What does Mom know - she was just following the instructions!

At 7:25 this morning (exactly when Rajen had said he would) Rajen pulled his school van up  to our door and picked up Will and Sam for their first day of achool at Clavis.  He has run this route for 20 years, and picks up around 12 children for Clavis school, all who live in our area (Sodnac).  He dropped them off at 3:40 pm, again exactly when he said!

The boys said school was fun, except for French.  They will take French every day, which is great.  Will said recess was not great, as everyone just plays football, which of course is soccer over here.

I wish I had a Rajen for pick up and drop off.  I walked down to the bus stop in a heavy rain (it rains a LOT here), about a 1/2 mile walk.  I catch the La Pierre bus to get to Reduit (say it Ray-dweee), which is where the University is located.  At most, this is about 5 miles.  It took one hour and 20 minutes today, but I did go at peak time and the first bus was full and they will not let riders on once it is full.  Now I don't mean every seat is neatly taken by a person.  I mean 'every spot in which a human could cram or stand' is full.  The second bus was better and I stood until we got to Ebene City, which is an odd collection of high rises that is trying to become a business centre for Mauritius.  At that stop pretty much everyone gets off, and then we are clear to Reduit.  So, I think pretty much about 3 hours a day for bus travel.  Pretty much everyone operates on this schedule, since car travel is not much faster.  I really do not think that this is what they meant by 'island time'!

THINGS THAT MAURITIUS DOES THAT MAKE SO MUCH SENSE I DO NOT KNOW WHY WE DO NOT DO THEM IN THE U.S.:

1.  Solar hot water heaters.
2.  Efficient bus transport wherever you want to go (I know you wait, but it is cheap and you get there).
3.   Extra costs for plastic grocery bags, so you recycle your old ones.
4.  Fresh bread every day at the local bakery.
5.  Dominoes at break and at lunch (actually...pretty much all day).

THINGS MAURITIUS NEEDS:

1.  sidewalks
2.  drivers ed
3.  screens on windows
4.  recycling

A Saturday in Mauritius

Well, everyone slept in, at least until the guys came with two trucks of rocks for Jim's new driveway.  The driveway is going to be amazing - he is using huge slabs of rock from the North of the island, which these guys will hand fit into a pattern.

Today we walked down to the vegetable mart and bought potatoes, bananas, green beans, fresh butter lettuce (3 heads for 30 Ru/ 1.00 US), grapes, plums and apples.  We are eating very well, and no one has gotten sick yet.  Of course, we have not yet tried the guys with food on the back of their motorcycles.  They are at all the corners, selling.  Today one came down our street, blowing a horn, and people came out to buy things from him.  It's usually a tortilla-like thing that is then filled with beans or veggies, but sometimes they have buns and other bakery items.

Typical street scene in Quatre Bornes, with a small food vendor there on the left.

A view of the vegetable market.

On the way to the vegetable market, playing tag with the traffic.

Sam has just spotted the bananas.  We got a huge bunch of 15 (they are smaller than the ones in the US) for 60 Ru (2.00 US).  The herb behind Sam is corrainder - they use a great deal of it here and like to fry it up in wads of deep fried dough with onion and other spices.  Interesting taste. 

Getting into the Swing of Things

Well, I think we are getting the bus system figured out.  We can get from the house to the University for 36 Ru (about 1.00 US) and if it is not the busy time it is about 20 minutes.  So, we've taken the bus the last few days.  If the boys get any kind of learning experience in 'how most of the world works' it will be on the bus.  This afternoon it was packed and we could not sit together.  You should have seen their faces when they had to pack in next to people THEY DID NOT KNOW.  The horror!!  Will got to sit next to the guy with his box of live chickens.

 I've already managed to lose an umbrella and I can see that will be a continued problem.  We need the umbrellas right now as the remants of a cyclone are hitting the island.  It's pretty much we would get back from a hurricance in Auburn - windy and rain.  It should end in a few more days.

One of the things we are getting used to (the boys, not so much yet!) is that everything just takes looonger.  Walk to the bus, wait for the bus, cram on the bus, ride the bus.  Every day you need to go to the market or store as we walk everywhere, so we have to be able to carry everything home.  We figured out that the larger shopping market is a walkable distance (about 1/2 mile), once we got someone to show us the tunnel under the road, after going through the sugar cane field.  Laundry takes forever, as there are no driers, and right now it is cooler and damp.  That'll be fixed quick as summer comes on.

Friday the boys go to their school for assessment, and they start Monday.  Yes!  They have been really really good but they are ready for other children and they are getting tired of each other.  It will be nice to get into our schedule and start our 'Mauritius life'.

This is the building at the University which houses my office. 

Mauritius does not have uniform electric outlets, although it is mainly 220V.  One ends up using very creative systems of adapters, even for things bought in Mauritius.  I have to use part of my adapter kit to get my cell phone charger for my Mauritian cell phone to work.  I bought two lamps that have South Africa plugs, and now I'm on a hunt to find adapters for them!  (No wonder the lamps were cheap.)

     

Weekend at the Beach

On Saturday we took our first bus adventure and took the public bus from Quatre Bornes to Flic N Flac, a tourist beach community about 15 miles from Quatre Bornes.  On the bus, that is about a 40 minute ride in busy times, half hour otherwise.  Let's just say the bus is not an operation for those who value personal space.  However, the cost for all three of us was 48 Ru (about 1.25 US) a much better price than using a taxi, which would have been around 500 Ru (20.00 US).

Karen, one of other Fulbrighters, is renting a house in Flic N Flac.  She is very generous and is letting us use her house as a 'weekend place' so that we can go to the beach.  That is what we did this weekend, and it was great.  Her house is a very high end place, and is on the third floor of a very exclusive vacation apartment complex.  You can see the beach from her balcony and we simply have to cross the street to be on the beach.

The beach is a beautiful place, and is used both by locals and tourists.  Unlike Quatre Bornes, where we are the only people who look like we do, Flic N Flac has a great many European tourists also using the beach.  Since it looks like we are getting the bus system figured out I think we'll be using it more and more.  It's good for the guys, as'waiting' is an important life skill!

Waiting for the bus (top left), a view of the bus before it got CROWDED (top right) and boys on the bus (bottom center).  Note that Will is holding the umbrella, which have I  learned you take everywhere, as you use it either for sun or rain.  I bought ours in the market for 300 Ru (10.00 US).

At the top of Ganga Talao.  I made Will and Sam take off their shoes to approach the blessing spot.  Sam was cranky about it.  The red flags in the background are everywhere.  Almost every Hindu family has them above their gate at their house to signal that a Hindu family lives there.  Our neighbors across the road have such flags.

Praying at Ganga Talao.

After we toured Grand Port we headed inland to Grand Bassin and visited Ganga Talao, a sacred place to pray to Lord Shiva (above).  This giant statue is the second biggest one in the world.  It was donated by India about two years ago.  Hindus from all over Mauritius and other areas in Africa come during Maha Shivratree festival (something to do with water, which they bring on the pilgrimage and it comes from the top of this statue) during February and March.  This shrine complex was amazing, and people from all over were leaving offerings and praying to different dieties in the complex.  For a size reference use the streetlight in the bottom right corner - that is one of those big ones used to light big parking lots, which surround this statue.  There were bus lots the size of Wal Mart parking lots to accomodate all the busses and cars that come during pilgrimage.

The downside (backside?) of Blue Bay.

Today I did not have to teach so we took the day as a holiday.  We headed South to Mahebourg to Grand Port, to see an exhibition celebrating the bicentennial of the 1810 Battle of Grand Port, between the French and British.  There were historical re-enactments (buildings, no ships, much to Wills' disappointment).  It must be the thing to do during the first week of school because it was packed with schoolkids.  From a US standard - a little bit lame, but spectacular people watching.  This picture (above) was taken at a stop at Blue Bay, just below Grand Port.  This was one of the most beautiful bays I have ever seen, and was our first view of the 'postcard vacation' Mauritius.  Crystal clear water.

A bocchi-like lawn bowling game that the staff plays every day.  These courts are located just outside my office, so the boys and I go and get a snack from the cafeteria and sit and watch.  Dominoes are also a really popular game - that goes on during break in the staff cafeteria/break room.

Our house in Quatre Bornes.  We live on the bottom floor. 

This is F-1 and World Rally Cup territory, as shown by the boys' T-shirts.  They were delighted with these purchases from the local textile market.  Cost was about $10.00 US.  Textiles are one of Mauritius' major industries.

Soil Color in Mauritius

Laboratory - Day 1.   So, my Soils students come in two general groups:   Agriculture (Group 1) and Landscape (Group 2).  I had all 35 Landscape students in lab today, and we organized into groups of four to do soil color.  I took my one Munsell book and gave every group a sheet, and then we all wandered around and tried to match our soil samples to a sheet.  Great fun. 

The students are terrific - fun, funny and very interested in what we are doing.  The labs will be fairly technical, at least compared to the labs we do in our Introductory Soils courses at Auburn.  For example, the previous instructor does things such as particle density, and CEC via the KCl/NH4OAc method - no color dye method here!  I teach again Friday.  There is no power at the University tomorrow (Thursday, and I hope that is not a regular event) so the boys and I are headed to the South to visit an old seaport.  The driver told me that it would take an hour (!) to get there.

Today has turned warm and sunny - beautiful weather. 

First Day of Class

It's nice to know that students are the same the world over.  My first lecture was today, starting promptly at noon.  At 12:30 pm ten more students wandered in because 'someone' had told them that lecture started at 12:30.  The registrar just figured out that I have to get the 30 lectures that are normally given over the course of a year squished into a semester, so I have to teach twice as much as they were expecting.  It is actually pretty much then our typical T/R format so it is not a big deal to me.

Labs are a completely different matter.  They have nothing.  I asked about Munsell books and I finally got one old ragged copy that is in Chinese.  Literally.  One for 30 students per lab.  I have 60 students in the course.  I think we'll be out wandering the countryside a lot, looking at soil.  They have no way to determine soil texture, but I did see a pH meter.

The winter weather is rainy and in the 70s (F).  It is chilly and the laundry will not dry, since it is all hung to dry in the house.  The good part is that it will only get warmer and I suspect in October I'll miss this weather.

To provide an idea of the cost of living here:

1 US dollar is roughly 30 rupees (Ru)
My rent is 20,000 Ru/month, or about 700.00 US.  By Mauritian standards that is a lot, but I wanted clean and safe.
Food is very comparable in cost, and it can all by purchased very fresh at the market (as in watch them kill the chicken fresh). We got KFC as a treat the other night (KFC is the only American fast food I've seen) and a 12 piece bucket was 376 Ru, or about 12.00 US.   A Coke is 50 Ru or about 1.25 US.

The traffic is so horrible I cannot imagine driving, so we've hired a driver.  Mike (a retired policman who now taxis' folks around) and I negotiated a cost of 3,000 Ru (100.00 US) per week to drive us back and forth to work each day, plus any stops for groceries, etc.  The drive is only about four miles but it took 1/2 hour today!

Getting Settled In

Things are going well so far!  We moved into our house, which is the bottom floor of a house.  The owners (Jim, Mela and their 6 year old daughter, Naya) live above.  Rent is a very reasonable 20,000 rupees per month, which is around 700.00/month.  Jim is a native Mauritian, but he actually spent most of his career abroad working for the Canadian Red Cross, spending his time in conflict countries/zones such as Darfur, the Congo, Sri Lanka, Afganistan and the tsunami area.  Basically, if you don't want to go there - Jim went there.  He is an amazing dude.  Mela is a human rights attornery and is from Indonesia, orginally.  She has been so helpful and is great fun.

So, we have a three bedroon one bathroom place, which is very nice.  Just got back from the trade market where I picked up our outdoors clothes dryer, and now our laundry is festooned on the front porch, like everyone else.  I'm off to make Will and Sam lunch.  I can see food for the boys will continue to be an issue, as it does not look or taste EXACTLY like what they have back home.  The worst will be the milk, as all of it here is boxed, and it really does taste a lot like drinking those little creamers you get at a restaurant.  However, oddly, they like the broccoli vegetable juice, which pretty much resembles a cup of phelgm.  It does taste pretty good, though.

I start teaching tomorrow - Soils here I come. 

We Have Arrived

Greetings all.  Will, Sam and I arrived in Mauritius on Monday August 3rd.  As of this writing it is Saturday, August 7th.  The boys did great on the 15 hour flight from Atlanta, with Will simply spreading himself across three seats (that also unfortunately contained Sam and I) and sleeping the entire way.  We got to Johannesburg without incident and spent the night in a hotel at the airport.  The next morning - off to Mauritius!