Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Lorena Dame's photos on CRC

This picture is cups of coins for an offering to the Buddha, was taken in Chaing Mai, Thailand at the temple 'Wat Lok Molee', established some time during the fifteenth century.

It is custom to take of your shoes before entering many buildings such as temples, houses, and even some businesses in Thailand. This was taken of a novice monk's sandal that was sitting on a rack of full of the same blue and white sandals outside of the classroom the CRC students taught English in.

After a fun day of working in the rice fields and sweet potato farm with the CRC students, the novice monks grilled up the harvested sweet potatoes as a pre-dinner snack while we were visiting and studying at the monastery in Northern Thailand.

This was taken at the temple, 'Wat Suan Dok' in Chaing Mai, Thailand. The prayer flags in Thailand have different meanings based on their color and when they are tied around something like a tree or a statue, it creates a sacred space.

These were made by the novice monks who live, work, and study at a Buddhist monastery near the Thailand/ Burma border. The CRC students stayed there for a week to learn about Buddhist meditation and to teach English to novice monks and at a Burmese refugee camp.

Stephen Schneider's from CRC

10 November 2010: The CRC students visited a very old temple on a mountain in Northern Thailand and were able to offer and receive blessings from the head monk.

21 November 2010: This photo was taken during an evening walk in the city of Taipei, Taiwan. CRC had just been released from lectures during the day. Magnolia Morris and I decided to stretch our legs and take photos. We were peeking into an antiques shop and I saw this reflection on the windowpane.

5 November 2010: The last night of our meditation retreat in Thailand, we celebrated our new friendships with the monks by lighting lanterns and sending them into the air. This photo captures a young monk and a lighter colliding.

3 November 2010: During a visit to schools in Northern Thailand, the CRC are students became the guests of honor as several children performed local dances and acrobats. Julia, on the left, was kneeling next to our teacher Ven. Pra Chai who was close to several soldiers standing by as we all watched the amazing performance. When I looked over at them all taking photos of the same thing, I laughed and remembered how similar we humans are, despite the different uniforms we are wearing.

27 November 2010: A plethora of Buddha statues surround a prominent temple in the city of Chiang Mai, Thailand. Most of them are still intact and in full repair. Others, however, like this one, are missing a few parts. The Buddhists who offer the temple alms and offerings nevertheless decided to lay a plastic cup of water at the feet of this sitting Buddha. Hopefully, his thirst has been quenched.

Elena Kaye-Schiess' photos from China

During a stay on a tea farm in Suichang, Zhejiang Province I helped three women pick tea on the mountains carved with tea bushes. These women begin work from 6am to 6pm everyday throughout the harvest season and live at the tea farm owner's house, returning to their homes only after the harvest season is over. In the off-season they work in clothing factories or raise pigs.

During a stay on a farm in Jilin province just next to the border of North Korea, my 'host brother' and I helped turn over a family's trailer that had tipped from the weight of brush. This family, like most families in the village, was preparing for winter by gathering dried corn stalks and sticks to feed their cows and use as firewood throughout the winter.

Before the sun sets Wang Peng's mom spreads Huajiao out to dry on their cement rooftop, everyone in their village relies on picking Huajiao (a spice used in most Sichuan dishes) for their main income.

My friend Cheng Yuan and I enjoy a rest on a mountaintop in Aba, Sichuan province. After spending a month working for an environmental NGO on a nearby mountain we accompanied our friend, Wang Peng, to his home village where just two years ago everyone's houses had been destroyed by the earthquake.

During a stay on a farm in Jiangsu province my host family and I caught fish on the local fish farm for dinner, price for fishing that evening: one pack of cigarettes paid to the fish-farm boss.

Anna Vreeland's photos from China

Wishing Windchimes - Wishes create beautiful sound and spread to the wind.

Taiji - Emma Shull does taiji amongst the bamboo.

I Wish For Love - Hanging in the courtyard are wind chimes, left with people's prayers for love.

Chinese Wooden Crafts Market - We visited a bamboo park in Anji, China and afterwards we got to enjoy the crafts market.

Calm Pond - A visit to Shaoxing, China led us to a very calm and peaceful spot.

Mallory Craig's photos in India

The sun sets from GC student's rooftop view from their apartment in Marappa Gardens, Bangalore.

GC students Kevin and Aileen are critical observers in Indian dress.

A traditional Rajasthani dance is performed fireside.

GC student Pheobe Lifton looks outward from Palace watchtower in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

In a homestay experience in Samode Village, GC student, Cristy Budde learns to dance a folkloric dance from homestay sister.

Monday, November 29, 2010

Elise Stukenberg's photos in China

This Fall of 2010 I have been studying at the China Center, where I have continued my studies of photography. Here are just a few photos from various adventures that I have been fortunate to experience here in China...

Boys of Homey Qing, this is my favorite photo that I have taken thus far in China. The boys sit on a ruined slab in the little town of Homey Qing, which was a victim during the Cultural Revolution for its intricate wood carvings and imperial palace, however in the past decade it has managed to reconstruct itself and now stands as a replica for what it once was.

Old Man of Homey Qing, A man sits and reads his paper in Homey Qing.

Beijing Chestnut Cake, taken outside of the Summer Palace, there is nothing like a slice of moist chestnut cake to warm yourself up on a chilly fall day in Beijing.

Gambling at the Temple of Heaven, before entering the Temple of Heaven, which is one of the most breath taking sites in Beijing, there are two bizarre activities that will be crossed - the men selling intricate cloth animal kites and the hall of gambling. In this photo people of all ages sit along the hall playing cards, while gambling
their quai.

She Community- the She are one of fifty-six recognized ethnic minorities in China. The man standing in the doorway is of She decent in the region of Yunhe, where over half a million She people live.

Loren Diesi's Photos from China

Shen Garden: The Shen Garden is also located in Shaoxing, where some Global College students visited to take pictures for a foreign photo competition.

Canal: Shaoxing, located an hour and a half away from Hangzhou, is sometimes known as "Venice of the east", because there are many canals running through the city.

Buddhist Temple: For our first field trip in China, Global College students travelled to Yunhe where we visited this Buddhist Temple, as well as some wooden toy factories.

Birds Nest: On our field trip to Beijing, Global College students enjoy some tourist destinations such as the Birds Nest, where the 2008 Olympics were held. (Anna Vreeland, Emma Shull, and Sandra Martin)

Wonton Soup: Teresa, a local restaurant owner, teaches me how to make Chinese dishes such as wonton soup for my independent study this semester.

Stephanie Roe's Photos in India

Water Buffalo:
Stephanie Roe
November 5, 2010
Varanasi: washing in and along side the Ganges.

Camel Boy:
Stephanie Roe,
October 27, 2010
The Great Thar Desert, Northwest India; being led into the future by a child.

Snake Charmer:
Stephanie Roe
September 30, 2010
A Bangalore sidewalk; tradition charms modernity.

Kat with Child:
Stephanie Roe
October 3, 2010
Cross-cultural communication.

Camel Pulling Fabric Cart:
Stephanie Roe
October 20, 2010
Jaipur: Coming to a store near you

Brad Wintersteen's Photos from India

Taken By: Brad Wintersteen
Where/When: Varanasi, India on November 16, 2010
Caption: Workers enjoy the view of the Ganges River as the sun sets in Varanasi.

Taken By: Brad Wintersteen
Where/When: Varanasi, India on November 11, 2010
Caption: The people of Varanasi flood the river banks of the Ganges during the celebration of Chat Pujas.

Taken By: Brad Wintersteen
Where/When: an abandon city near Jaisalmer in India on October 26, 2010
Caption: A student enjoys the view from the top of an abandon temple as the desert sun beats down on her.

Taken By: Brad Wintersteen
Where/When: October 26, 2010 in Western Rajasthan, India
Caption: A student kneels to pray at a holy temple in Western Rajasthan.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Elsa Little's Photos for fall 2010 contest from her Independent Study semester

Description for Maasai Dancing
With openness, these Maasai women shared a piece of their culture and eventually encouraged me to join in the dancing festivities.

Description for Huge Happiness
Children open my heart and transform my concepts about poverty- Poverty does not equate unhappiness, as this child's smile so fervently demonstrates.

Description for Bibi Helen
72 Year-Old Bibi Helen has opened the minds of countless Tanzanian's by promoting gender equality through means of education, most importantly she leads by example declaring, "With education you cannot be afraid to face anyone, you’ll be courageous."

Description for Maanda
Maanda single-handedly has opened up opportunities for hundreds of disempowerd Maasai girls, providing education, skills training, and most importantly instilling self-confidence- creating a better future for her peoples.

Description for Large Load
Open your mind to the limitless capabilities of children, (and new ways of carrying things!).