Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls is a massive waterfall on the Niagara River, straddling the international border between the twin cities of Niagara Falls, Ontario, and Niagara Falls, New York. Niagara Falls consists of two major sections separated by Goat Island: Horseshoe Falls, on the Canadian side of the border, and American Falls on the side of the United States. The smaller Bridal Veil Falls also is located on the American side, separated from the main falls by Luna Island. Niagara Falls was formed when glaciers receded at the end of the Wisconsin glaciations. While not exceptionally high, the Niagara Falls are very wide. More than 110,000 m³ cubic meters of water fall over on average. It is the most powerful waterfall in North America. Niagara Falls is renowned for its beauty and as a valuable source of hydroelectric power. Maid in Mist' (boat ride), 'Cave of the Winds', and the 'Hurricane Deck' are real attractions. They gave me a memorable experience.

The maid of the mist boat ride.

Nature at its best.

The Hurricane Deck in the Cave of the Winds.

A sound sensitive dancing Doll

A pretty ordinary day. Nothing much new. Organized the stuff for the weekend Niagara trip. I am exited about the tour.

O.K, watch this video of Sound Sensitive Dancing Doll. It is dancing to the beats of 'Southern Band'. Funny and rare video caught on my 'shot gun' ( the nick name given to my Camera by my fellow Fulbrighters)

The Known Strangers

Yesterday was quite a long day. The airplane that was supposed to fly us from Arkansas to Cincinnati experienced a technical fault, which caused a delay in its departure. As a result, we had to change our flight and route to Arkansas - Charlotte - Durham at the last minute. Unfortunately, the bags that had already been checked in were not transferred to the new flight in time, leading to a commotion. By the time I got home in Durham, it was 12:30 a.m. Perhaps this was a test of my adaptability in the U.S.A. After returning home from school during the mid-session, I slept for a long time. Now, I am perfectly fine. The regional meeting has concluded, and I may not have the opportunity to meet most of the Fulbrighters I met here again in my life. We all face similar professional challenges, difficulties, emotions, and feelings. We are sailing in the same boat. We shared our experiences, learned from each other, and then departed for our respective places. The Fulbright program created a bond and relationship among us, the "known strangers." It’s a wonderful feeling to connect with people from different corners of the world and develop an emotional relationship with them. I was given an Arkansas traveler memento and a Little Rock diamond by Dr. Walter Nunn, affectionately known as "The Daddy" due to his hospitality. He was the coordinator of this successful regional meeting.

Aquaintance

In the video you can see Stacy Best and Alex Spruell shaking hands. Dante Johnson, Jamar Knight, Dominique Cross, and Kashon Green are also present. I really like their names! It's important to me to pronounce their names correctly, as they feel bad when they're mispronounced. I made sure to learn their names before doing anything else. Now, I know all 93 of my students not just by their faces, but by their first and last names.

Story of the 'Central School', America

I am glad to know that Arkansas is the home state of Senator J. William Fulbright, the founder of the Fulbright Exchange Program. Each Fulbright meeting fills me with pride as I participate in this wonderful exchange opportunity. The host city, Little Rock, holds significant importance in this context. As a member of the Central School System (Kendriya Vidyalayas) in India, I would like to highlight the historical significance of Central High School in Little Rock, USA. In September 1957, Central High School became a critical battleground in the struggle for civil rights when nine black students attempted to enter the previously all-white school. A hostile crowd watched as Arkansas National Guard troops blocked their entrance. Three weeks later, after failed negotiations between Arkansas Governor Orval E. Faubus and President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the President ordered the Army's 101st Airborne Division to escort and protect the nine students as they entered the school. This marked the beginning of a broader conflict, which included the intervention of the Supreme Court. Little Rock came to symbolize the federal government's commitment to eliminating the separate education systems for black and white students. I had the great opportunity to visit the school and its Visitor Center, where I observed two math classes. In the photo, I am standing next to one of the statues commemorating those nine remarkable students.

Watch the video to see what has happened that day.

HOT springs

As part of the Fulbright regional meeting today, we visited Hot Springs, an intriguing city located 60 miles from Little Rock. This city is known for being the childhood home of Bill Clinton and is famous for its numerous bathhouses and hydrotherapy hospitals. During the first half of the 20th century, it was also a hotspot for gangsters. We toured several sites related to Clinton's childhood, explored a historic bathhouse, and visited the Gangster Museum

  

Clinton's lived here in his childhood days'

Idol of famous gangster Alcapano ( the Scar face) in the mini movie theatre of Gangster Museum.

God Father.... ( ?)

In the American President's Chair...

Today marks the first day of my Fulbright regional meeting. Initially, I thought I wouldn’t have time to visit the must-see Clinton Presidential Center due to my flight schedule. However, accompanied by Dr. Logan (my principal), I arrived in Little Rock at 4 PM and rushed directly to the center. I’m glad I did, as it added to my wonderful experiences in America. Arkansas is the home state of Bill Clinton, one of the most influential American presidents. When he was first elected as Governor of Arkansas, he was the youngest governor in American history. I had some memorable moments during my visit. One highlight was sitting in the chair of the American president. I also saw a model of the Charminar, made from Hyderabadi pearls, which was presented to Mr. Clinton during his visit to Andhra Pradesh.

An American Apple Pie

Being a vegetarian in America can sometimes be a challenging task. You either need someone to guide you in making the right choices, or you have to go through many trials before your taste buds learn what works for you. At first, whenever I looked for vegetarian meals, I was often just offered salads. And every time I tried something different, I ended up making the wrong choice. However, I've been fortunate enough to find some great combinations of taste and flavor. One memorable experience was when I enjoyed eating out and had an American apple pie, which is a must-try for anyone visiting the U.S. After searching around, I discovered a great restaurant just down the street. Fridays are particularly interesting. On the other weekdays, when I leave school at 4:30 PM, it often feels like I'm leaving early. But on Fridays, by 4:00 PM, I notice that almost no one is still at school. People seem to leave their offices as soon as they can to spend time with family or friends and enjoy a long, relaxing dinner. Everyone around here calls it "Fabulous Friday." It's all about chilling and taking it easy!

What's the fun in a baseball game?

Am I uploading posts to my blog regularly? I'm not sure. I've been quite busy lately, preparing for a weekend trip and getting ready for the progress reports that are due on Friday. It's been challenging to upload posts consistently, especially since the Internet signal strength can be unreliable at times. On another note, what’s enjoyable about a baseball game? After watching a game last month, I'm now looking forward to catching a college football game since the season is starting soon. That should give me material for another blog post!

Good News

 I am happy to share that my first major trip in America is confirmed! I will be flying to Harrisburg on the 10th to visit my brother. From there, we will drive to Niagara Falls. This weekend, I have a regional meeting in Little Rock, Arkansas, where I will be flying with my administrator. I'm excited to explore America—it's a big break from my school routine! Attached are some pictures of notable buildings in my neighborhood. I appreciate the way Americans spend their weekends. One interesting way to enjoy the weekend is to hang out late on Friday or Saturday night. You can wake up late the next day and head over to Weaver Street in Chapel Hill. There, you can choose from a variety of delicious foods at the buffet, sit under the trees, enjoy brunch, and relax while chatting with friends. There are plenty of activities to engage in, like browsing, drawing, painting, hula hooping, dancing, drinking, and singing. It's a time to do whatever your heart desires and forget about work-related stresses. Afterward, you can come back home, tidy up, prepare your space for the upcoming week, and take care of your lawn.

Do you believe in me?

Hey everybody, I’m feeling happy today. After many ups and downs, I finally heard some encouraging feedback. For the last few days, my B-Day classes (Tuesday, Thursday and Friday) have been running very smoothly. Today, a few students asked me, “Mr. K, why can’t you stay here until June to teach us (until the completion of the session)?” Although I had heard similar comments during my introduction, they were mostly out of curiosity or inquiry. However, I sensed an increased level of trust and acceptance in their voices, which is something every first-year American teacher strives for. I apologize for their unawareness of this program, but I’m pleased they are starting to believe in me. I am committed to upholding the governing principles of New Tech High School: Trust, Respect, and Responsibility. I need to solidify these positive emotions and ensure that this impression lasts. The A-day classes are another area where I still need to achieve this goal. I really should develop a Plan B or C to help bring my students into a serious learning mindset. There are a lot of tasks ahead of me. I’ve noticed how different my feelings are as a teacher here compared to my experience in India. I didn’t have to worry about trust and respect from my students back home, as many Indian teachers enjoy that naturally. To be honest, I used to believe that my main job was to impress the top students and challenge their talents, while ensuring that no one failed in the class, often not addressing the average student with a specific strategy. I applied the same teaching methods for years. However, my experience in America has taught me the importance of varying my strategies according to the different learning abilities of my students and addressing their diverse needs. This video addresses many current issues in education today, particularly in America, such as the dropout crisis, lack of self-confidence among students, decreased focus in education, and teachers’ attitudes. I’ve shared this with a few friends, but I believe everyone involved in education should listen to the powerful message from Dalton Sharman, a dropout student.

zoooolander

Today, I accompanied the 10th graders to the North Carolina Zoo as part of their biology project. The zoo has two major sections: North America and Africa. It is located 80 miles from our school, so a significant portion of the day was spent commuting. We had to move quickly while exploring the zoo since we needed to return to school by 2:30 PM. There were about 80 students divided into 4 teams, and I led a team of 20 students. Despite the busy schedule, I managed to take some photographs for you. This was my first time taking pictures with my American students!

Vamsi - Murali - Basuri - Bansi

My American connection-
My name Vamsi Krishna means lord Krishna with flute. Ironically I could not learn to play a flute and when ever I tried to play it I struggled even to produce a sound.
I learnt my first lessons of playing flute here in America. David O'Neal who I met in the Art Fest runs a musical instruments store in Raleigh. He makes some great flutes. He was patient enough to teach me a song. I enjoyed learning it. Coming to more details this flute has origins in the Native Americans culture. I am remembered the Kevin Costner starred classic film 'Dances with Wolves', a film that depicts the lives of Native Americans.
The instrument is placed vertically before your mouth unlike the Indian flutes which are blown placing them horizontally. While you have to bother about placing the lips properly to blow air through an Indian one, this flute is very simple to play. The position and structure of the nozzle allows you to play it easily but producing a fantastic sound.
Sounds great no? It really sounds great. Watch the video.

 

America is the head - India is the heart

''America is Head and India is heart. Like Head (brain) which is the source of intellect that monitors the functions of the whole body and the heart that pumps in the blood to all parts of the body, America is source of technology and scientific advancements and India pumps the concept of love and tolerance to all parts of the world. These important 'organs' of world should have better coordination and should work together. to achieve world peace and universal brotherhood.''
- Viswa Yogi Viswamjee Maharaj

Here is a Guruji who strives for peace and uses his spiritual power for Universal brotherhood.
In the Saturday 'Retreat' that was held in Cary ( a town near Durham with lot of Indian Population) this is the message the 'Yogi' gave.
I met Him on Friday and to my surprise he told me that he met me before. (?)
The 'Guru' took a small interview of mine and he refreshed his knowledge of Trigonometry (tested mine?) He was keen to enquire what I am teaching here in America. He is on his 6th successive devine march (yearly visit) to America, and each time he visits he makes sure that he visits the local Government Heads, Mayors, Police commissioners and politicians of America and passes on his power of influence with the above message. He started a free 'Mother and Child Care Hospital in India and anybody who needs gets free treatment in the hospital. He aderessed the United Nation's Youth Assembly in 2007. More details at http://www.viswaguru.com/

The Saturday 'Retreat' gathered more than 250 Non-Resident Indians, primarily from the Andhra region, who came from various parts of America, especially the Carolina States. It was a wonderful opportunity for me to meet all of them. The Mayor of Cary and the Police Commissioner of Raleigh were among those who received a message for world peace from the Guru during the event. I am grateful for the American trip, which offered me invaluable opportunities, and I would like to extend my thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Ravi, Siddhartha's parents, for making this possible.

This is election saeson.

I'm referring to not on ly the general elecdtions but also elections at the Hillside New Tech. Yes, it's election season here, and the students are actively campaigning for positions such as Mr. New Tech, Miss New Tech, treasurer, and secretary. Posters are displayed all over, and I even caught some students painting their banners with my camera. By the way, are you following the U.S. presidential election campaign? There have been many developments in the last two days. McCain temporarily withdrew from the campaign to address the $700 billion bailout bill, which aims to tackle the current American economic crisis, surprising the entire nation as everyone eagerly awaited the first presidential debate scheduled for Friday. Both McCain and Obama returned to Washington on Thursday at the request of President Bush, who invited them to a meeting with congressional leaders at the White House. However, a session intended to demonstrate unity in resolving the financial crisis ended in visible conflict. As a result, the Indian Prime Minister had to wait for an hour. Ultimately, John McCain has announced that he will attend the first presidential debate with Barack Obama, scheduled for Friday.

Tissue- Issues

This is quite amusing. In the process of making my American tour as an opportunity to change some of my habits and made sure to pack half a dozen handkerchiefs to address oily skin. However, once I arrived here, I found I never needed to use a handkerchief. The collection of handkerchiefs I bought is now sitting unused in my suitcase. I’ve noticed the variety of tissue products available here, including quilted towels, ultra-soft paper, restroom tissue, napkins, and facial tissues. While I thought I had planned my journey well, I've realized I made some mistakes in packing that others might want to avoid. For instance, I purchased an electric toaster and an iron (both rated for 220 V), but they are not useful here since my furnished apartment is already equipped with these appliances. I also didn’t prioritize bringing sports shoes because I was worried about space in my luggage, and I have missed them since day one. My mother suggested I bring chili powder, as we South Indians use a lot of it in our cooking. I dismissed her advice, concerned about customs regulations, and ended up spending weeks searching for it, only to find it sold as “cayenne pepper” here. Lastly, I bought a fancy N-series cellphone for Rs. 11000 to use in the USA. The irony is that now, the only function it serves is as an alarm clock, and in the past month, I only received three calls (just kidding).

Most of my communication is done through Skype.

Mexican Dance

Last month, Deven and Laura took me to the Chapel Hill farmer's market, where a local Mexican festival was being celebrated. There were Mexican people, delicious Mexican food, and vibrant Mexican dress. I really enjoyed the festival, and I am posting a video I shot during that time for you to enjoy. Deven is a yoga instructor, and she is going to visit India this November.

Durham Arts Festival

Last week was very productive in terms of engaging with the community. I was immersed in American culture, music, and art, and I experienced several "aha" moments. It is a rare opportunity to attend such a festival (what we call an exhibition in India) here in America. I want to thank Mrs. Sears for taking the time to give me a tour and for her patience in answering all my questions. I truly appreciate her knowledge and understanding of North Carolina, despite her being originally from Ohio. She provided a wealth of information about this state. The festival focuses on promoting art and culture, showcasing various styles of art and craft in small tents. The artists were enthusiastic about explaining their work to visitors. I witnessed a variety of dance and music forms, including Irish dance, a Polka band, Arabian belly dancing, and a Southern band. I took loads of pictures and videos to share with you, and a few are available today.

India or America, teenage girls are for Henna.

Meetings

Today has been a long day. We had a meeting arranged by the DPS-appointed mentor until 3:30 PM, followed by a PTSA meeting (similar to a parent-teacher meeting) at 6 PM. I just got home now. Here's a brief overview of my work at school: We follow an A-day/B-day schedule. On A days, I teach three Algebra II classes during the 1st, 2nd, and 4th periods. On B days, I have two classes during the 1st and 2nd periods. Each day consists of four periods, and the periods that I do not need to attend classes are known as planning periods. The students I teach on A days will see me again the following day. On average, they spend about 35 minutes per day on classwork, as is typical in K.Vs. While this schedule isn't conventional (since we believe students should engage with all subjects daily), it allows more time for project-based learning. I find A days to be exhausting and tiring, not due to the extra period but because of the students' behavior in class. A day classes are larger in size and tend to have more challenging students. I'm planning to share more of my classroom experiences soon on my blog. One positive aspect of New Tech High School is that it has a supportive parent community that takes responsibility for their children's behavior. Overall, they back the teachers and encourage their kids to follow instructions. Also, don’t miss the Irish dance performance that I recorded at the Art Fest!
http://www.blogger.com/video-play.mp4?contentId=47e3238d7610d5a7&type=video%2Fmp4

Laura's Pencil Collection

The technology and infrastructure available in American classrooms never cease to amaze me. At New Tech High School, traditional Art Classes in India are replaced with Digital Media courses that teach concepts such as color, shape, space, and size using cameras and computers. Students are provided with digital cameras to capture images that represent these concepts, and they edit and modify their photographs using software like Photoshop and Picasa. The results are impressive, showcasing the students' incredible creativity. Recent projects include creating digital banners featuring images and captions to promote New Tech High School. Another subject that has caught my attention is forensic science. I will share more details about it in the coming days. Also, take a look at a glimpse of Laura Schneider’s pencil collection, the creative head of digital media. Each pencil in her collection is unique and has been gathered over more than 15 years. By the way, Annayya! Happy Birthday!