Winterim 2019

INDIA

Students and faculty shared wonderful experiences in the "The Golden Triangle." The group traveled to Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur, learning history and taking in the exceptional views.

Highlights of the trip included an elephant ride to the Amber Fort Palace of Jaipur, visiting the Taj Mahal, and rickshaw rides through Old Delhi.

Upper school English teacher Kenley Smith kept a blog of their journey, which we include below with cooresponding photos, courtesty of the group.

Delhi: Old and New

Our group arrived in Delhi on Tuesday night, somewhat rumpled but in good spirits. We were incredibly grateful to check into the hotel, and the kids made themselves right at home.After a quick night’s sleep, we departed the hotel to experience life in the capital city of India. We began the day, as so many residents of Delhi do, in a tremendous amount of traffic.

There are over nine million registered cars in the city, and we probably saw half of them today. However, the slow pace was a blessing as it allowed us to really look at the people, buildings, and beautiful public parks of the city. We eventually arrived at the ancient and enormous mosque, Jama Masjid, built by the same man, Shah Jahan, who built the Taj Mahal. When he moved the capital of his empire to Delhi, he constructed this mosque so that he and other Muslims would have a place to worship together. Shoes had to come off and robes had to go on (the girls) in order to enter the mosque.

After the mosque, our group climbed aboard a herd of traditional rickshaws and were given a breathless ride through the Old Delhi marketplace. We skimmed past mopeds, pedestrians, tuck-tucks, and vendors. We were also able to observe the unorthodox method of bringing electricity to the various shops and stalls, which consisted of every possible wire holding on to each other for dear life. Some of the wire nests even had inhabitants.

After lunch, we traveled to the cremation site and memorial for Mahatma Gandhi. Fittingly, for a man who called all Indians his brothers and sisters, and who emphasized non-violence as the highest guiding principle, the memorial is a public park, full of flower gardens, an eternal flame, and families who have come to honor his memory.

After starting the day at an Islamic site, and visiting the memorial for a Hindu, we ended the day by experiencing a Jain temple. Here we were able to explore the inside of the temple where people were praying, singing, and meditating, the exterior of the temple, including the healing waters of the adjacent pool, and the kitchens where food is prepared and served to those who come to the temple. Some of our students tried their hands at making chapati.

Today was a beautiful immersion in the diversity of modern India, which is secular and devout, rich and poor, peaceful and chaotic. The iconic American poet Walt Whitman would have approved of this India and seen himself in it, I think: “Do I contradict myself? Very well then I contradict myself; (I am large, I contain multitudes).”

Agra: A Love Story

If Delhi was a journey of the spirit, Agra is a story of the heart. This ancient city has been many things to many people but is now best known for being the location of the Taj Mahal.

Today, on our journey here, we were able to watch a love story of Shakespearean proportions and several centuries unfold in marble and sandstone. We began our day with an early departure and a long bus ride. Some of us slept, some of us watched the scenery change from urban to rural and back to urban again, and one of us detangled the various strings of beads she had purchased the day before.

Our first stop was the Agra Fort, the primary residence of the Mughal emperors until the mid-17th century. Today it is an enormous UNESCO World Heritage Site of 94 acres, a lot of which is still actively used by the Indian military. It’s as impressive as it is beautiful, made of red sandstone, white marble, and (rather than painted walls) inlaid floral patterns made of semi-precious gems.

Perhaps the most famous Mughal emperor to live in the fort was Shah Jahan, who resided there with his court, including his three wives. While his first two wives were marriages of duty, his third marriage to Mumtaz Mahal was a romance. They had been in love for years and were finally able to marry when Shah Jahan was at the height of his power, and the richest man in the world. The sweeping views from their bedroom in the fort speak to the power they wielded.

To finish the day, we traveled the short distance from the fort to the Taj Mahal. Here, Shah Jahan created a memorial tomb for the wife he so loved. It is almost impossible to overstate the beauty and ethereal effect of the Taj Mahal, and our students were visibly and vocally moved by seeing it for themselves.Our group moved slowly through the grounds and gardens, and the closer we got, the more perfectly preserved the building appeared.

Although it was built almost 400 years ago, it is still immaculate in its symmetry and finishes. Each line of its dedication in calligraphy is inlaid in the marble in black stone. Against a hazy, white Agra sky, the pale building appeared to float.Like all good Shakespeare plays, this story has a villain: Mumtaz and Shah Jahan’s younger son, Aurangzeb. Upon the completion of the very costly Taj Mahal, Aurangzeb seized power, announced his father was unfit to rule, and imprisoned him back in the Agra Fort, where he could see, but never visit, the extravagant mausoleum he had constructed for his wife. Only after his death, eight years later, were the two reunited in the Taj Mahal, side by side.

On the way back to the bus from the Taj Mahal, everyone seemed tired and perhaps a little overwhelmed by seeing one of the seven wonders of the world up close, which was why it was so wonderful that we had the good fortune of running into some very friendly wandering cows. Sacred to Hindus, the cows felt like an auspicious good omen for our new adventures tomorrow in Jaipur.

The Golden Age: Agra to Jairpur

On the third day of our Winterim trip the fluidity of time was all around us as we learned about the beauty of ancient traditions, engaged with the enthusiasm of the young, and travelled to a city of ghosts, whose ideals are still very much present in the modern world.

We began the day by visiting the workshop of several master craftsmen in the art of marble inlay. We had seen the intricate inlay work on the Taj Mahal yesterday, but now we were able to watch how much painstaking effort goes into creating a single plate, table top, or sculpture. The students observed the craftsman drafting and carving the marble to set the shape of the pieces before the tiny sculpted slivers of malachite, turquoise, and mother of pearl are set into it.

Many of the the artisans are descendants of those who worked on the Taj Mahal, and they are practicing their craft the same way their ancestors did. Our students were able to try their hands at this art form by grinding fragments of semi-precious stones against a whetstone. The students were then able to examine finished pieces, some of which will be making their way home with us in our luggage.

Considerably lighter in rupees, but with heavier bags, we traveled the short distance from the workshop to a local school. There our group was able to meet with the students of the school and to make some donations of supplies for the children. We could not have been received more warmly or exuberantly by the school, and the younger children were eager to share their names and practice their English with our students. We all wished that we had been able to extend this part of the day.

In the afternoon we visited Fatehpur Sakri, or the ghost city of the Mughal emperors. In truth, it was never a ghost town, but a palace that was abandoned by later rulers of India. We learned about the emperor Akbar, Shah Jahan’s grandfather, who lived there with his ministers, (many) wives, (even more) concubines, and assorted dignitaries. We even had our picture taken at the center of Akbar’s enormous Parcheesi board, where he would sit and roll the dice, while the ladies of his court, beautifully dressed and bejeweled, would serve as the game pieces. In many ways, Akbar was a forward thinker, a man who wanted to unite the numerous people of his vast empire and the various faiths they all practiced.

He intentionally married a Muslim woman, a Hindu woman, and a Christian woman and worked to incorporate elements of each religion into his faith and practices, hoping to model a peaceful religion for future generations of India. While his newly- created faith did not long outlive him, one could look at the India of today, with its Hindus, Christians, Muslims, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs living together and argue that his ideas won out in the long run. Identifying a particular time as a “golden age” is always reductive, as well as problematic; after all, any age can be a golden age depending upon your point of view.

Touring India’s impressive and gorgeous historical sites could possibly give the impression that its golden age was in the past. However, based on the Brimmer student consensus that the best part of the day was meeting the school children of Agra, it seems quite likely that India’s real golden age is yet to come, built by the hands and minds of its youngest citizens.

Jaipur: "O let me bathe my soul in colours"

Today, we spent our first full day in Jaipur, which is known as the Pink City because when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert visited in 1876, the whole city was decorated in pink, the color of hospitality. The residents of Jaipur continue this tradition today, making their city, renowned for its gems, textiles, and sculpture, into a parade of color, light, and embellishment.

Our first stop was the Amer Fort and Palace, a sixteenth century home to the Maharajas of Jaipur. The fort is high on the hills surrounding the city, so a conveyance of some sort is helpful to climb to its lofty heights. Fortunately for our group, there were jeeps available as well as a more traditional means of transportation.

Once in the fort, we were able to explore the bedchambers, meeting halls, and even the bathrooms of the palace. Of particular note were the beautiful decorations set into the ceilings and walls, as well as the elegant window structures that were designed to bring cool breezes to the royal family and court. Although it’s been warm during our trip, we haven’t had a lot of sunny days, and the plazas of the fort were the perfect opportunity for some sunbathing, occasional rests, and taking in the views.

After finishing our tour, we descended the hill in decidedly less grand fashion in jeeps, but this alternate route allowed us to absorb the many sights, sounds, and scents of Jaipur. Some of which could have existed no place but here. We continued to explore Jaipur’s long traditions in craftwork by visiting a gem-cutting workshop and a textile workshop where block-printing and rug weaving are still done today as they have been for hundreds of years. A few of our students were given one-on-one lessons in how to tie the tiny knots in a rug, hundreds of which make up one square inch of finished carpet.

After the weaving is complete, the rugs are clipped, burned (to get rid of loose ends), washed, and dried. The final products can take months, or even years to complete, but once finished in wool, cashmere, or silk, they are as comfortable as they are lovely. We finished our day with a quick shopping trip to a local market, led by our intrepid guides Gaurev, DeAnna, and Sunny. The students got to practice their negotiating skills as they bargained for shoes, cloth, jewelry, and art. The market was also an opportunity for all of us to remember that alongside the palaces and monuments live many Indian people in abject poverty. While this experience is not always a comfortable one for us to have, it is one of the truths we should confront as educated world citizens and visitors to another country.

Similarly, an important truth about poverty is that we often imagine it to be drab, grey and dull. And yet, India and her people, be they rich or poor, are draped and wrapped in color. From the fluttering saris of women on motorcycles to the colored tinsel tassels with which truck drivers adorn their vehicles, the subcontinent is completely vivid, wholly dazzling. As the Lebanese-American poet, Kahlil Gibran wrote, “Let me, O let me bathe my soul in colours.”

Hello and Goodbye

Our final day in India was a long one. We started in Jaipur and made our way back to Delhi, before settling into a five-hour flight to Doha, a scramble through the airport, and a thirteen-hour flight to Boston. Before flying home we had a final few adventures.

The first was visiting the pilgrimage temple Holy Galta Gaddi, known to us as the monkey temple. This is a Hindu temple built to honor a divine water source, where Hindus come to bathe and offer prayers. Over the years, monkeys, cows, and pigs have made their home here. 

Our students were thrilled to interact with the monkeys, respected representatives of the Hindu god, Hanuman, and the feeling appeared to be returned. After leaving the monkeys to their peanuts and sunbathing, we traveled back to Delhi, stopping in the evening to examine a huge new Hindu temple, the third biggest in the world, on the way.

No cameras or electronics were allowed inside, but we were able to watch a light and water show depicting the roots of Hinduism. It was an odd, rather modern take on the kinds of stories we had learned throughout the trip, rather like a Disney version of Hinduism.We finished the day at the home of a Brimmer family; Neel Kumar’s grandmother graciously welcomed us to her home, fed us, and let us debrief the India Winterim.

The students discussed the highs and lows of the trip, and the things for which they are grateful. Now that we have returned, and there is a little time to reflect on our whole experience, I cannot emphasize how wonderful our students were: patient, curious, helpful, and kind to one another. This made the whole excursion even more special for the group.

All throughout our trip, people welcomed us by saying “Namaste.” This word is complicated to translate but essentially means that my soul recognizes your soul and that we are the same. The people of India use it to greet you and to send you on your way when you leave.

This repetition, like a chanted prayer, means that we are always in the process of meeting new souls and seeing ourselves in them, always saying hello and goodbye to our own selves as we move through the world, and, if we are lucky, perhaps finding new ways of knowing ourselves.

ENGLAND

A dozen students crossed the pond to learn about England's rich history. Highlights included a trip to the world-famous Globe Theatre, riding the tube, visiting museums, and getting to visit exciting historical sites.

Lead Chaperone Paul Murray kept a blog about the trip, which The Gator includes below with photos, courtesy of the group.

Day One: Recap and Goodnight from London

After clearing security at Heathrow, we met our Tour Director, Liz. Liz is a Blue Badge guide who has lived all over the UK, spent some time in Mexico, the American South, et al. Long story short, Liz is a talented, experienced guide who led us all on a great orientation tour of the city.

Carousel Tours requested early check-in at the hotel, so we were able to refresh ourselves after a morning tour. Liz then walked us to Covent Garden where the students got their first taste (literal and metaphorical) of free time in London. We then made our way to Trafalgar Square to visit the National Gallery, eventually winding our way back to the hotel via Chinatown and Soho Square.

All of the little places we visited only whetted the students' appetites to explore the city, and they will have plenty of opportunities later this week! We all need a good night's sleep to recharge for our full day in Stratford tomorrow.

Britain's Son

A couple of years ago on another trip to London, our guide made the rather dry observation that the true British experience is sitting on one’s Swedish furniture while eating Indian take-away and watching Friends.

The obvious subtext being that, at its core, British culture is a borrowed culture (much like American culture, at that). This isn’t necessarily new... the Romans were notorious for stealing the ideas from other cultures (primarily the Greeks) and passing them off as their own. Britain wrestles with this idea even today. One of the primary “reasons” that the Brexiteers argued for their ill-fated plan was that Britain was in danger of losing its identity because of the diverse marketplace of ideas, traditions, cuisines, etc. that other cultures bring to Great Britain.

The underlying xenophobia was conveniently masked by the inauthentic imperative to “protect” British heritage. (At the risk of sounding too political, we will avoid comparisons to a recent American election cycle).  Thankfully we experienced today a more positive and productive method with which Britain has chosen to honor one of the most vital and obvious aspects of its culture... an aspect of British culture that has touched the souls of countless humans for centuries all around the world.

The Shakespeare Trust was established in the late 18th/ early 19th century in order to ensure that the work and history of William Shakespeare would be studied and honored for generations to come. Our trip to Stratford-Upon-Avon today gave the students their first connection to the work of the Trust and Britain’s efforts to keep the Bard alive. 

We started the day with our first tube ride. Liz assigned Simon to lead the group on our two-train trip from Tottenham Court Road to Marylebone where we boarded our National Rail train to Stratford. Simon ably guided us through the numerous tunnels, escalators, and platforms as if he were a native Londoner.

Once in Stratford, Liz led us on an informative (if not soggy) trip around Shakespeare’s hometown. We saw his school, two of the homes he lived in, his daughter’s adult home, and ultimately his grave at Holy Trinity Church. At the church, the students asked wonderful questions and started a lively discussion about his life and works right in front of his tomb. Liz then led us up along the Avon River to the National Shakespeare Theatre and into town where we had an interactive tour at Shakespeare’s Birthplace.  

After the tour, we broke for free time, and the students immediately went to one of Stratford’s other claims to fame (and another wonderful aspect of British culture): afternoon tea. The town is peppered with adorable tea rooms in authentic Tudor buildings, including some structures that still have thatch roofs. Once they were done with tea, the students had some time for shopping before heading back to the National Shakespeare Theatre for dinner at Susie’s Cafe.  

In all, despite a walking rain, it was a wonderful day in a small, traditional British market town. We will spend the day tomorrow exploring Royal London with trips to Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, and the Royal Mews. We finish the day tomorrow with our first show, School of Rock.

No Time to Wax Philosophical

Today is quite the busy day. I am currently writing this post from a park bench in Leicester Square as the students enjoy a little bit of free time before dinner and tonight’s performance of School of Rock.

It is easy to forget that, in addition to the history, culture, and overall vibrancy of London as a city, it is a functional national capital and one of the primary residences of a world-famous family.

Today the students learned a little bit of the royal history of London. The day started with a walk through St. James’s Park towards Buckingham Palace to see the Changing of the Guard. On the way, the students were treated to a little extra pomp and circumstance as there was a ceremony honoring a member of the Indian Navy at the Royal Horseguards.

These are celebrations that just do not exist in American culture, and the students were awed with the reverence and pride with which the events were carried. We then headed over to Westminster Abbey where Liz gave a thoroughly comprehensive tour of the millennium of British history that the structure represents.

The students asked wonderful questions and were more often than not able to answer questions that Liz posed to the group. Liz’s Blue Badge training shone through, and she nimbly blended humor into the tour. It was a wonderful morning. After visiting the abbey, we walked to Victoria Station and the numerous eateries and shops in that area. Following lunch, we headed to the Royal Mews for an afternoon tour. I had never been to the Mews before, and it was a pretty cool experience.

The building holds all the Queen’s official ground transports: limos and coaches. The Mews are also the primary stables for the Queen’s horses. The students had a self-guided audio tour and had the opportunity to try on some of the livery of the stable workers and chauffeurs.

Tomorrow is the big day: our Harry Potter Studios tour!

Yer a Wizard, Harry...

Whatever criticism that the cynical and joyless have levied on Rowling’s literary worthiness, it cannot be denied that her work has touched millions of young people and made reading cool again.

It was evident today in the countless British schoolchildren in their Hermione robes, brandishing their wands and cuddling their Crookshanks; it was also evident in the boundless joy and excitement our Brimmer students had today exploring the movie sets and displays of props and costumes at the Warner Brothers Harry Potter Studios Tour.  

Warner Brothers has crafted a wonderful exhibit honoring both the work of Rowling and the incalculable number of film artists who created the movies and the magic of moviemaking in general. Students got up close and personal with actual set pieces and props, engaging with slick interactive displays showing how stories translate to a visual medium. 

And this was all after a nice visit to the British Museum this morning. Displaying their trademark Brimmer curiosity, the students made an immediate beeline to the Rosetta Stone and wandering through the panoply of artifacts from the far reaches of the globe. Many students enjoyed the Egyptian exhibits, and the Brimmer “lifers” fondly remembered their 3rd grade Egypt projects. Throughout the morning, we talked about the ethical quandary that such a museum presents to visitors.

While the students appreciated the historical significance of the artifacts, they were also appropriately critical of the policies that would empower Britain to feel like these items belonged to the Empire.  In all, it has been a remarkably full day. We are on our way to dinner and then back to our hotel. Tomorrow is another busy day. We will visit the South Bank, have our workshop at the Globe, see the Museum of London, and attend a performance of The Woman in Black. So much to do... we could certainly use Hermione’s Time Turner.

Shakespeare Part II

The South Bank in London has always gotten a bad rap. In Shakespeare’s days, it was the part of the city where the local government relegated the least savory aspects of society. As the theatre arts were considered immoral and impure, the theatre buildings were exiled to the South Bank and its encircling borough of Southwark. Despite its exile, the allure of a Shakespeare (or Marlowe or Jonson, for that matter) performance at the Globe Theatre was so great that the denizens of the City of London came across London Bridge in droves.

The South Bank was the entertainment capital of the Elizabethan city of London.The South Bank remained the undesirable section of London through World War II. In fact, it was bombed to ruin at that time. Once again, the theatre arts revitalized the area and served as the cornerstone of the massive development that continues even today.

After the war, the National Theatre built their flagship complex on the South Bank, and it remains today (despite its Brutalist facade) one of the most important buildings south of the city. The South Bank development continued when a young American actor/director came to London and could not believe that the only remnant of Shakespeare’s Globe was a plaque somewhat near the original location of the theatre. Sam Wanamaker made it his life’s work to recreate the theatre using the original building materials and techniques.

In fact, it was the first wooden structure built in London since the Great Fire of 1666. Sadly, Wanamaker did not live to see its completion, but the Globe Theatre stands today as an example of the enduring power of theatre and the arts in general. Today the students had a personalized tour and text/acting workshop and had an absolutely wonderful time.

The day started with Hannah leading us on a tube journey to the South Bank where Liz gave us a great tour of the area, eventually landing us at Borough Market. There has been a market on this location since the 1200s, and Shakespeare himself probably ate here often as he worked right next door. The students were taken aback by the fact that in a way, they were sharing lunch with Shakespeare.

After lunch, we had our tour of the theatre and workshop with Mark, a Scottish actor who has performed all over the world, including Shakespeare’s Globe. Mark led the students on a clever exploration of Act III, scene v of Romeo and Juliet. The students did me proud as they displayed a great grasp of the material and impressed Mark with their energy and knowledge. After the workshop, the students toured the exhibition attached to the theatre, and we got a bonus workshop on Elizabethan costuming.

Two of the Globe costumers were holding court in the exhibition hall and brought Michelle and Brian up to show how costuming high and low born ladies would work in Shakespeare’s time. It was quite a special bonus. After our remarkable time at the Globe, we walked up through the City and spent some time at the Museum of London, a beautifully designed walk back through the 2000 year history of the city. We are now enjoying a short stint of free time before dinner and our performance of The Woman in Black.

It has been another full and fulfilling day. The students keep asking thoughtful questions and learning so much from everything we are doing. We could not be more proud of them.

The City

Well, somehow we have come to our last day, and this will be the first day we are actually in the city of London. The City of London proper is only a square mile; all of the rest of the Metropolitan area are boroughs that are mashed together to make up the massive urban complex of Greater London.

The City of London is practically a ghost town on Saturdays as the City is primarily comprised of banks and financial centers. In fact, the joke around town is that no one actually lives in the City of London. The empty streets this morning showed the kernel of truth behind the joke.

All of the restaurants, shops, etc. were closed in the morning, and many of them won’t even open today. Nonetheless, the City is home to two of London’s (if not the entire world’s) most famous iconic buildings: St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Tower of London.

The students spent the day exploring these landmarks, and the visits were a wonderful way to finish up our trip. We are heading into Covent Garden for our farewell dinner.

AMERICAN SOUTHWEST

Students explored the Grand Canyon and other national sites in the midwest. Chaperone Brian Beale blogged about the trip, which The Gator includes below with photos, courtesy of the group.

Vegas to Zion to Bryce Canyon

We had a great first day on the road. We went for a short hike this morning in Valley of Fire State Park, which is about an hour northeast of Las Vegas. We then drove up to Zion National Park where we spent the afternoon. We just got to our hotel in Bryce Canyon City a little while ago after a long day on the road and in the parks. We will head into Bryce Canyon tomorrow where we will encounter snow and winter weather, which will be a stark contrast from today’s lower elevations.

Bryce Canyon to Kodachrome Basin State Park and Coral Pink Sand Dunes

We are writing from Page, Arizona where we are staying for the evening. We woke up to a fresh blanket of snow in Bryce this morning and went for chilly and windy hike along the rim of the canyon. After a short hike and stop at the Visitors' Center, we made our way down to lower elevation for some more comfortable weather. We then went for a beautiful three-mile circuit hike in Kodachrome Basin State Park and finished the day in Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. 

After dinner in Kanab Utah, we drove the hour to Page and stopped at the top of the Glen Canyon Dam to understand the history of Lake Powell and the Glenn Canyon Recreation Area. We have an early start tomorrow and will make our way over to Lower Antelope Canyon to explore a bit and will then spend the afternoon doing a service project on the Hopi reservation.

Greetings from Cameron, Arizona

Greetings from Cameron, AZ! We arrived here in Cameron, Arizona a few hours ago after a full day in Northeast Arizona. This morning, we had a wonderful tour of Lower Antelope Canyon and took a short hike out to Horseshoe Bend to see the Colorado River from a pretty incredible vantage point. From the Glenn Canyon area, we drove east a couple of hours to the Hopi Reservation. 

We visited with a wonderful family and learned about traditional Hopi dry farming techniques and Cucina doll carving.  We were also treated to a traditional meal from our hosts and enjoyed learning more about Hopi culture and history. Tomorrow we will get an early start and head west to the Grand Canyon and our last day of hiking on the trip. We plan to spend a full day exploring the South Rim of the canyon and will get to hike a few miles as a group. From the Canyon, we head to Flagstaff for our final stage of the trip.

The Grand Canyon

We arrived in Flagstaff, Arizona an hour ago and just finished an informal pizza dinner here at the hotel. We had a wonderful day exploring the Grand Canyon. We hiked a section of the South Kabab Trail in the morning with a local geologist who lives in the Park and spent the afternoon exploring Grand Canyon Village including the historic lodges and landmarks. 

We had another gorgeous walk along the rim after some free time and then watched the sunset as a group before taking the shuttle back to the parking areas. The guys loved the Canyon and were incredibly impressed with the size and scope of the area. Sunday will be our last full day of the trip.  We will be doing some off-roading with Pink Jeep Tours in the morning followed by some time down time in Sedona in the afternoon.  We will then travel down to Phoenix in the late afternoon and depart in the evening.