Travel Week '14

You know that 'Can this be real?' feeling?

The feeling of 'What the hell just happened?'
Of 'There must be an easier way to do this...'
Of 'Where on Earth are we?'
And 'Are you sure this is legal?'

When you find yourself somewhere you thought only existed on Google Images.
When you're thanking God you're parents can't see you.
When you're pretty sure none of you know where you are, but you keep quiet until it's too late.
When you see real beauty.
When you're an hour late for the last check-in for your flight, and have to convince security to let you through without any form of ID whatsoever, and still manage to board.
And then you're getting off a train, where you're pretty sure the platform.... should be.

One week.
Really? That's all?

Just at the point where life at MUWCI was starting to become routine, we went off on one week filled with enough adventure to last months.

Ten students, seven days, one trip.

Students travelled all over India, each one with unique experiences and stories, the collection of which made this week, in my mind, one of the absolute best so far.

Our group of ten spent Travel Week south of MUWCI, first exploring the stunningly beautiful state of Kerala, before taking a train up to the beaches of Goa (also beautiful.... but probably in a very different way).

Of course, tourists will be tourists and do what tourists do, but nonetheless, we did see, do and experience a whole lot of a very different part of the country (not to mention the hundreds of life skills we acquired along the way. Because, travelling anywhere in a group, staying where you find a cheap room, hoping such a place will appear, not really knowing what and where you'll be going or doing,working it out along the way... well, it can teach you a lot.)

I wish I could write everything that happened, describe everywhere went, everything we saw and felt. But I will never be able to, for two reasons:
1) A lot of what happened is probably safer kept as memories, and not eternalised forever on the internet
2) As I said, every detail would take forever. Plus, as with all such experiences, it''s something to live yourself.

So, for now, I leave you with some photos which may or may not give a better description of Travel Week than I have done.
Thanks to everyone who made this week so amazing and memorable (despite the 15 hour bus ride back to campus arriving at 4:30 AM) <3

Sometimes I think back and remember how I felt, almost exactly a yer ago, when I found out I was coming to India.
My excitement and thrill was justified.
It just was.

Travel Week, 07/03/14 - 16/03/14
Time of my life.

Maria xXx

Theatre Season '14

''I don't want realism. I want magic! Yes, yes, magic. I try to give that to people. I do misrepresent things. I don't tell truths. I tell what ought to be truth.''

~Blanche Dubois, A Streetcar Named Desire

Just when I thought this place couldn't get any crazier, funnier, any more full of ridiculously talented weirdos. 

Then last night, I was sat in a the cafeteria, transformed into a french bar, laughing helplessly at a reunion between Picasso, Einstein, Elvis and some random guy in orange trousers and rainbow braces. This was the last of some thirteen performances that have taken place over the last month, each one unique, each one memorable for one reason or another.

As theatre season draws to a close, I think now is a good time to show exactly what has been going on. Theatre season at MUWCI takes place over the month of February, and is comprised of numerous plays of every genre, performed, produced and directed by students and faculty alike. 

Many take part, as actors, directors, producers, costume designers, lights and sound operators, make up artists, set designers, stage managers...

The whole thing is tiring, tedious, and time-consuming, but, at least in my experience, it's so worth it, for all the laughs along the way, and the feeling of 'yes, we did it', after it's all over.

What's beautiful about theatre season, is that you don't have to know how to act or sing well. You don't have to have any experience, or any intention to act ever again. But there's something for everyone who wants to give it a go. And I for one was blown away by the performances of some people whom I had never expected could act, sing or make us all laugh so much.

These are some of the promotional posters for the plays, so you can see for yourself the variety of performances. Everything from comedies, to musicals, to Moliere, to post-modernist, and the list goes on.

I think we'll all miss theatre season, with the crazy last minute hunt for costumes, the faulty sound systems and the pre-show nerves. Well... until next year!

For now, beak a leg,

Hugs,

Maria xXx

Update! (....finally.)

Hello again, 

I would like to apologise for not updating in a while, but unfortunately I'm not that sorry. Why? Well, the reason I haven't been able to update is that we have had so much going on, I've not been able to get around to it- and I don't know where time is going.

It seems so strange, after the first week which went by so, so slowly, that now we are half way through Feb and it seems we just got back. 

Second term has so far had its ups and downs, so many little moments, typical life in any international residential school. 

I'll be writing soon about some of the projects we have been working on in school, and myself individually, but for now here's a quick sum-up of MUWCI-2014 so far:

First week back, we dived straight back into classes, handing in the homework we definitely all did over the holiday (but oops! seems we forgot it back home... well, what else is new), and generally getting back into the rhythm of MUWCI life. This, of course, resulted in most of us looking like zombies for the first couple of weeks, as on top of the usual, already hectic schedule, we had to catch up with each other, share our stories from around the world.... and what better way to do so than on the roof at 3:30 AM on a Tuesday night?

Anyhow, in weeks that followed up until now, things have been falling into place. Days are getting warmer, pretty sure nights are getting colder, although what I consider 'cold' has become drastically warmer since leaving Europe for this place.
Although, it was pretty nice to celebrate Valentines Day in 30 degree sunshine, instead of the usual depressing rain, with everyone sending flowers to each other, to raise money for people in the community who may need it.

UWCGB applicants will soon be finding out if and where they will be attending UWC, which I know I'm really excited for. A year ago, that was me. It's so scary it's been a whole year.

As I said, prepare for updates soon about specific stuff that's been happening. For now, I'll leave you with these pictures (people back home- hope you're enjoying February rain and cold.)

February? Really?

Student house. And a bamboo table. And two trees.

...and a picture of a typical student's corner
(one of the rare occasions where mine is actually kind of tidy...)

Social Centre- pool, gym, coffee shop, etc.

Valentine's day flowers

One of the best chilling spots on campus- outside the arts centre

Thanks for reading, more coming very soon :)

Hugs,

Maria xXx