Updates from the past two weeks

The first week around here was pretty boring and slow. The logistics for everything take a while. Turns out I had to open a bank account to get paid. Here's the frustrating story about that:

Someone calls the bank (united bank of india) on campus to ask what I would need to open up an account, copy of passports they say. DONE! I already had those with me (I'm SO prepared right?), so I go to the bank and try to get someone's attention to help me. The manager then says, oh you need a copy of the signature and address pages of your OCI card and passport. OK. I leave the bank to go to the department to make photocopies. Oh, we don't have a copy machine in the department office, nor anywhere else on campus? (there's an atomic force microscope, scanning electron microscope etc, but no xerox machine). So I have to leave the campus and take a very short walk to make copies. The next day I go back to the bank smiling to myself for how independent and efficient I am. Here you go sir, my photocopies. Then he hands me a thick stack of forms, ugh, OK, he didn't mention those yesterday. I fill em out, hand em back. Um, miss do you have two color photos to attach to the form? (in hindi). Me: Oh, I asked you yesterday what I needed, you didn't mention anything about photos. My passport photocopy has my picture right there. His response: No, you need small color pictures, I can't process this w/o pictures. WTF? So the rest of my morning was spent walking around the town outside trying to find somewhere to get pictures taken and printed right away so I could turn them in before the bank closes at 330pm. No apologies of course for the miscommunication. And turns out, the paper work takes 72 hrs to process to even open the account. This whole process took 3 days. OK fine. I email my contact in Kanpur who is supposed to transfer the money to my account. He says he'll get on it. 1 week later, no response. I call him, he now tells me I should have opened an account with UNION bank of India (also UBI, but not UNITED bank of INdia). I told him beforehand I was going to open an account in United bank of India, he didn't tell me then to do Union instead. So now, the process takes longer, they can't do direct transfer. Once again, no apology for the confusion, even though there was someone responsible for the confusion. I still don't have my stipend, had to borrow money and a SIM card from the department. I wonder if this would be the same if I was a Professor or someone with more authority, or if the Director's Asst. did it saying the Director needed it done right away. Who knows.

I also found out about Feb 2nd ish that I have the opportunity to go to Hyderabad full expenses paid Feb 8-11 to give some talks on Nanoscience/Nanotechnology at the Engineering Staff College of India. Yes please. Went with a prof who was also hoping to only work for 2 days so we get 2 days to sightsee. The organizers expected us to talk for about 10 hours over 3 days! I was signed up to talk about Carbon nanotubes and nanocomposites, which I have no background in. So once we got there, we talked them down to 2 lectures from me and 3 from the prof. So Feb 8 I gave a talk on microscopy (STM, AFM and KPFM) and got lots of blank stares or people snickering. the audience was mostly scientists and engineerings from defense who need a refresher course or something. Turns out I was talking too fast and they had a hard time understanding my english. The next day I basically talked about my dissertation work and it went alot better. I also got to explore the nightlife of Hbad and see Golkonda Fort, Salar Jung Museum and Charminar. The new parts of the city are pretty awesome, tons of shopping and malls, and a place called "hitec city" where software company offices are. seems pretty happening.

This past weekend, Feb 13, I decided not to go to lab (people here work on saturdays I guess) and went into the city by myself. There's a bus stop right outside the campus gate that goes to an area called Esplanade, and from there I can walk or take taxis around. The main goal is to get across the river on a bus b/c its cheaper, then take a taxi. I left campus around 1230 thinking I'll give myself time to get lost, sightsee and come back before dark. I didn't get lost and love just sitting back while someone else drives me around. I could just sit on the bus and come right back to campus. Walked around Sudder St., Chowringhee area, budget tourist area. Met a hot French-Canadian guy who's been rock climbing around south east asia for the past 6 months. It was nice to see tourists, hear english and see non brown people. Yes I like skin color variety if you didn't already know. Saw part of the Indian Museum, but only for 1 hr so i'll go back again. Got a feel of the city and how to get around. Feb 14 hung out with Reema's Maasi (Reema's mom's youngest sister) Mallika Maasi, and her 3 year old son Nikhil. Maasi is a documentary film maker and film producer! Her husband is a theatre director and actor, whose family are all involved in theatre/acting. I told her I'm up for anything and will tag along anywhere. So, we went to her friend's house Maura and Gautum b/c she had to drop something off. They have opened up a small library in their house for kids from the neighborhood to come to for free! It's so cute. Maura is involved with an alternative school in Kolkata (Shikshamitra) and the name of the library is Mustard Seeds Library (see my facebook). Gautum is a physical chemist, who seems pretty cool as well. They have two cute kids. Maasi, Maura, the kids and I went to City Centre, a nearby mall, the newest mall in Kolkata (area called Salt Lake City, newly developed on the outskirts of OG Kolkata). Had lunch and I did some window/shopping. There was some valentine's day stuff going on, couples dance contest, music etc. It was fun!

Monday was Monday, but a pretty good one at that. Went to the nearby beauty parlour and got an oil and steam head massage. awesome treat, especially since I didn't get any valentines. My hair gets dry around here, and I love when someone plays with my hair. I'll be going once a week at least, its about US $2.00.

I also want to find a cool fashion designer that can help me make clothes that I design. I know that's a stretch, but I'd luv to find a tailor that has experience in fusion clothing. I have some ideas in my head but since I can only sew straight lines for now, I don't plan on trying to sew an outfit.

OK that's its for now, we'll see if I can keep this up. there's so many details and anecdotes I want to remember.