What a fall its been. A late, rainy monsoon wrapped and I felt fully occupied from September onwards. I am co-chairing my department this year, and we are adapting 1:1 personal tablet devices, new standards, and a new model for teaching reading and writing. Luckily, for the first time in a while I am teaching the same classes for a second year. In October, a pesky mosquito infected me with dengue fever, sidelining me for a full week and attaching lethargy for two-three more. I assistant coached middle school soccer again, and led our service club after school. Oh yeah, took a grad school class. Anyway, I write only to excuse my lack of postings. Took only two long weekend trips this year, to Dharamshala (in the mountains, working on pictures) and Udaipur.
Udaipur is in southern Rajasthan, a desert state on India's western border. This beautiful city surrounds a lake. Here is the view from our hotel.
Also visible from our hotel is the city palace. Rajasthan (along with other states here in India) are full of architectural remnants from the era of princely states, or maharajas. Rather than unitary monarchy or republic, this region was a constellation of various small territories loyal to one leader. These leaders in turn swapped loyalty to greater empires, with seemingly constant shifting.
Maki and I took a walk through a local outlying village, and were able to observe a lot of local color. The seamstress.
The barber shop.
