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Summary
of My Year in India |
Posted:
Aug 8, 2003 3:51 AM |
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SUMMARY OF
MY YEAR. My year teaching, researching music, and trekking in India is now
about finished. I am back in Delhi for one last week before heading back to
America. In retrospect, its been a great year despite things that were much
different from America (see cravings post). But, I am very tolerable of
things like hot, cold, inconveniences, and many other things. My principal
here has said more than once that he appreciated my putting up with many
things that other Americans would have fits over. True, there were times I
got fed up with something that was too slow or with the way things are done
here. But, this was rare, and usually only when I didn't have time to spare.
Surprisingly, mostly it was in my last month when I was trying to get
everything done on my list before leaving. Due to slow internet this past
month, I don't have all the topics posted that I had written down. Over the
next month and a half, I'll get those posted. The last one will be on books
I've read. I've read about 50 books, and will put a brief summary here, and
then a longer description in the Book Reports forum, starting in September.
MY JOB. My main job this year was teaching music at the Moravian Mission
School in Leh. This was a "full-time" job. Full time here, though, means
10:00 until 3:45 with no extra time out-of-school expected. We taught Monday
through Friday, as well as Saturday mornings. But, we had holidays for the
Dalai Lama's birthday, Buddha's birth/enlightenment day, Muslim Eid, Guru
Nanak's birthday (Sikh founder), Ghandi's birthday, Good Friday, Holi,
Deshara, elections, Nehru's birthday, Muharram, and Independence Day. I
think I may have missed about ten holidays. Plus, we get the second Saturday
of the month off, and only work a half day on the last day of the month. It
took me only one year to figure all of this out! During the school day I
taught general music to students in grades 4-6. During Lunch, I had a choir
of about 50-60 students. That group had 3 concerts this year, as well as a
musical in June, and a television and radio program about Christmas in
December. Before and after school, I gave lessons on recorder flute, guitar
and keyboard. I found out AFTER I was here that music performance on
instruments is considered low-caste in the Ladakhi culture. The Mission
School had me there drawing on their reputation to change attitudes, and I
think I have started positively in that direction. Finally, I had a trekking
class at the school this spring.
MY RESEARCH. My other committment here this year was to research traditional
Ladakhi music and put it into Western musical notation to preserve it. The
younger generation likes the pop songs, which are similar to Nepali songs.
Fun to listen to, but the older songs are dying out. I met with older
musicians and got some 20 songs on tape to put into notation this fall. The
men were greatful that I wanted to preserve the songs. I showed them with
music paper and a keyboard what I intended to do, and they understood.
CHURCH WORK. This was not part of my official reason for being here. But, I
played keyboard for the Sunday School children, as well as for the church
services. I also re-wrote the Ladakhi hymnbook (237 hymns) simplifying it
enough for my students to be able to start playing now that I am gone. I
have 6 keyboard students (4 adult and 2 middle school) that can play
one-hand on the hymns. And, my best student is able to slowly do both hands.
This is okay, because the Ladakhi's sing those dreadfully slow. He is shy,
but being encouraged. Pastor's wife, who I also taught, will be playing
hymns this Sunday.
TREKKING. I did a lot of these, of course. Here is a list.
DAY HIKES.
1. Shanti Stupa. Did this 3 times, always under full moon. Good views of Leh
at night.
2. Old Leh Fort and Palace. Did this about 6 times, mostly under full moon.
Good for the views, as well as the culture.
3. Upper Leh Village. At the end of a glacial moraine is a stupa, followed
by an easy mile-long walk on the moraine. My favorite local hike because of
the views of the entire city.
4. Leh to Sabu. Sabu is the next village east of Leh. I did this twice, once
with the trekking class. A nice 3-hour walk over 2 small passes with no
others visible but eagles and lizards. Good views of each village from the
ridges.
5. Leh to Phyang. Phyang is the next village west. This is much more
difficult than Sabu because the pass goes over 15,000 feet from Leh's
elevation of 11,500. I did this the first time under full moon, and the
second time in December when I was attacked by that snow leopard. That's
right, you already know that this was made up!
6. Matho Village. The principal of our branch school there invited us, so I
brought 8 students, and 3 of his joined us, and we had a joint trek to
another valley from there. He told me that the last time they did that trek,
the students found a dead snow leopard.
7. Nanga Sago Peak. Sitting at about 19,000 feet, it is the tallest on the
Leh side of the valley. I did it first in November, and made it to 17,800
feet when I hit my turnaround time. The second time was March, when I made
it up to 18,900 feet. Winter snows made that last little bit on the
knife-edge impossible (or stupid). I finally got to the actual summit on
July 16th. I don't like that peak, as I've done it 3 ways and there is no
easy way to avoid the loose boulders on it.
MULTI-DAY
1. Nubra Valley (see other post). 11-day trek that I did in 9 days to the
Shyok River Valley to the north and returning over another high pass.
2. Stok Kangri (see other post). 4-day trek that I did in 5 days due to bad
weather. The peak is 20,188 feet tall, falling short of Denali by 112 feet.
3. Nepal - Around Annapurna (see other post). 16-day trek that I did in 13
days. The classic circuit that every serious hiker should do at some point.
No need to carry everything. Just stay at the hotels each evening and carry
a sleeping bag.
4. Chaddar Ice Trek (see other post). 10-day trek. The classic trek on the
frozen Zanskar River to Lingshed Village. Was too warm, though, when I did
it. Had to cliff-climb around open water, and there was a one-kilometer
stretch requiring wading through knee-deep water ON the ice.
5. Nepal - Everest Base Camp (see other post). 15-days. Another tea-house
trek going from hotel to hotel. Avoid the part between Jiri and Lukla,
though. I was in a bus accident on the way to Jiri, and there were Maoists
bothering trekkers about 2 days into the trek. The rest of the trip, I'd
recommend to anyone. I did it off-season in February and had a great time.
6. Alchi to Hibti. 2 days. Hibti is not on the map. The trail was, though,
so I did it.
7. Rupshu/Changtang (see future post). 17 days. I just finished this one to
a remote part of Ladakh. More details in about a week.
TREKKING STATISTICS for my 13 months in India/Nepal
1. Bag nights. Count the above, and add about 2 months for the times when my
house was too cold.
2. Miles walked total: 923 for the year
3. Campsites: 61
4. Best campsite: Base camp before the 18,600 foot pass in Changtang. Good
views of Tso Moriri Lake, and with many pashmina goats being grazed nearby.
5. Highest campsite: 5100 meters (17,710 feet). Both at the base camp to the
pass, and the following night at Gyama nomad camp.
6. Best cultural campsite: Nomad camp at Rachun Karu where we were invited
in for curds (yogurt) made in a sheepskin.
7. Worst day: The day we attempted a 20,000 foot peak. On the descent, I hit
3 crevasses that left a foot dangling.
8. Hardest day: The day last August that I climbed Stok Kangri.
9. Hottest Day: 89 degrees in Leh in July
10. Coldest Night: -28 degrees in Leh in January.
11. Worst Weather: The downpour that collapsed my roof in Leh.
12. Best wildlife viewed: Wild Tibetan Asses (8 on the last day of the last
trek).
13. Elevation totals: I kept a running total on my altimeter. Since I
arrived on July 4th last year, my total elevation gained (on treks only -
not around town) totaled 67415 meters, which translates out to 221180 feet!
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I Love the Mountains |
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