Not Lost in Translation (I hope)

The translators who work with the Science for Monks and Nuns program are amazing.  Most of them have a background in biology so they are already familiar with the neuroscience material.  Also, I have worked with them in the past, so they know my style of teaching.  I just have to remember to slow down when I speak and make sure I don't talk too long without waiting for a translation.

The high speed with which my spoken words are translated into Tibetan is incredible.  Sometimes I am surprised at the translation:  although I do not understand Tibetan, the length of the translation sometimes does not match the duration of what I said.  I might speak several sentences and then the translation might be only a few words.  Or I might say only a few words and the translation will go on and on.  

A Return to the Area

My trip next month will take me back to an area near Dharamshala, India.  Dharamshala is a city at the foothills of the Himalayas in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh. 

I've been to Dharamshala a few times on previous trips.  I'll be at an elevation of about 5,000 ft, so the weather might be bit cool in March.

The photo on the right was taken on one of my earlier trips to the region.

 

Passport Protector

How do you keep your passport safe when you travel?  Do you keep your passport in a bag, a suitcase or your pocket?  I usually carry my passport with me at all times when I am overseas because the consequences of losing a passport can be dire.  Most times my passport is in my shirt or jacket pocket.  However, I sometimes fear that such pockets are not the best places for a passport because they are not safe from thieves in busy airports and marketplaces.  Also, it's possible for the passport to fall out if I have to bend down, for example, when tying my shoes or lifting a backpack. 

So, what do to?  Well, I've invented the inside-the-shirt passport protector pocket!  (Actually, someone else has probably already done this.)  What is the inside-the-shirt passport protector pocket, you ask?  Simple:  it is just an extra pocket sewn inside a shirt on the opposite side of the outside pocket that is already on the shirt.   To make sure the passport will not fall out, I have added a button to close the pocket.

The passport fits completely inside of the inside shirt pocket and it is easy to remove the passport just by unbuttoning the button.  Yes, you can see the seam of the inside pocket when you look at the shirt from the outside, but it is not very noticeable.  I have several of these shirts now and will test them out during my upcoming trip to India.

"EC" Phone Home

I have never brought a phone with me on previous trips to India.  Certainly, a phone would have come in handy when I was stranded at the airport on two occasions.  The ability to connect with people back in the US with a phone call or a text message would also have been helpful.  My phones have never had the capability to make international calls and I never purchased a "disposable" phone when I arrived at the airport in India.

When my old phone started to fall apart last year, I purchased a new one.  This new phone and my wireless plan are supposed to make international calling easy.  I have an international "TravelPass" and international roaming on my new phone.  With these features, I should be able to make international calls for a cost of only $10/day.

That's the plan.  But as I've seen before, the best laid plans do not always work out.  If anyone has used their phones in the way I describe, I'd certainly like to hear your experience (comment below this post).

Easy Visa

Getting a visa to India has always caused me a bit of anxiety.  In the past, I have had to put my passport in the mail with two passport-ready photographs and other documentation and send it away.  I never knew when the passport would be returned.

Now, the process of getting a visa to visit India is very simple.  The Indian government has a program called e-Visa where everything is done online.  Just fill out a few pages of information, attach a digital photograph and a scan of your passport and you are done.  However, if you use the e-Visa program, read the information carefully.  The digital photographs and passport scan must be in a certain format and size.

I did not have any problems with the e-Visa system and was approved in about 24 hours.  Now all I have to do is print out the e-Visa documentation and show the material when I arrive in India. 

Traveling the Distance

One of the most difficult parts of my trips to India is the travel.  India is about halfway around the globe from Seattle so it takes a good amount of time to get there.  For my upcoming trip, my flight from Seattle will take me first to Dubai.  I'll change planes in Dubai for the second leg of the trip to New Delhi.  After a 10 hour layover in New Delhi, I'll board a domestic flight to get to Dharamsala.

Total transit time:  21 hours (Seattle to Delhi) + 10 hour layover + 1.5 domestic flight = 32.5 hours!

Return to India!

It has been several years since my last trip to India.  However, the Science for Monks and Nuns program has invited me back to teach again.  I'll be visiting in late March, 2023, and will post updates here before, during and after the trip.