"But I have to deliver a lecture at Calcutta University first and go to the Coffee House and then the airport."
"No problem Mr Cheng."
"Ok."
"And would you mind signing our Visitor's Book."
Stunned silence. I did wonder why.
"Of course."
"Would you like us to bring it up to your room?"
But as you can see in the photo below (everyone else skedaddled) I signed the book in reception where a number of staff were present, including a manager or two to assist my check out and to also snap a few photos of their own (I guess to stick in the book alongside my scrawled note).
It seems that being featured in a news story in the Times of India (that was one of the interviews conducted in the hotel coffee shop) - complete with photo - I might have been spotted.
So that was a rather surprising end to my hotel stay in Kolkata. By the time we got to the car, after many farewells and calls of 'please do come again', the bags were packed (the Jaguar has a large boot) and we were off. And I do applaud the driver. I cannot believe how narrow some of the streets were that he drove down - especially around the university. I was thinking 'please don't scratch the jag. They won't have me there again!' The hotel drivers rarely honk the car horns ... but that sound followed me right to the airport. It was the first sound I remember of India and it will be the last.
Kolkata International airport. Now that is an airport in dire need of a remodel, rework, drop and rebuild. It was sooooo depressing and in desperate need of repair (broken tiles, torn seats and lounges, no PA system and heaps more). There were also no Duty Free shops for me to spend the money I had just changed at the hotel. argh! Luckily with flight delays (there was a problem with the originating Silk Air flight) I was able to shop in Singapore.
SO - that is my trip to attend the Bookaroo Festival and the Australia - India Council tour. Just a surprisingly wonderful time.
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By: CHRISTOPHER CHENG,
on 11/30/2011
Blog: CHRISTOPHER CHENG'S BLOG: IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BOOKS (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: interview, India, AIC, Add a tag
After a late breakfast (this is a glorious hotel by the way) there were two interviews, first with the Telegraph and then the Times of India.
Then it was out to Rabindra Bharti University to speak on Australian Children's Literature and me the writer but as these snaps will show the conditions at this university are not what we are used to at home nor at any of the places I have visited here. The students thought they were lovely and not only was this room filled but there were students outside the door and in the hallway. Imagine an aussie university like this. But I loved speaking to the students ... again they were so pleasant and courteous and wanted to know more and more.
And when question time started I picked a real strange one who asked some rather crazy questions - and who would not stop at one. I had to put on my teacher presence and make her return to her seat. One of the wonderful tasks from the Australia - India Council is the facilitation of what i have been doing. There are courses here on Australian Culture and Literature - and that is glorious.
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| from the podium |
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| notice the desks |
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| from the rickety stage |
0 Comments on India - Part 2 Kolkata as of 11/30/2011 8:42:00 AM
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By: CHRISTOPHER CHENG,
on 11/29/2011
Blog: CHRISTOPHER CHENG'S BLOG: IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BOOKS (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap) JacketFlap tags: AIC, Bookaroo, Add a tag
I started today in Chandigarh, spent part of it in New Delhi, and now I find myself in Kolkata.
We travelled on the early morning New Delhi express. It seems like only yesterday (or the day before) that we were sitting on the train and, that's right we were sitting on the train the night before! And here is an early morning snap of the platform ... thee critters are roaming all over the place:  and this is sunrise somewhere along the New Delhi Express route:   while this is the breakfast menu and how you get it on the New Delhi Express:    and this is me trying to get a snap of the train with the trip details ... the indicator panel would just happen to change right when i pressed the shutter.  while this is the porter who for Rs 250 carried our bags across to the car (yes the blue plated official looking government car) which was waiting in the VIP area, over 15 railway lines and down the side of the station. Better than the rip-off deal we were caught with as we were departing two days prior. These guys must operate like a mafia ring for when we tried to change porters when we left New Delhi (they wanted Rs 500 each to carry ONE bag and that is just totally wrong) no other porter was permitted to approach.
By: CHRISTOPHER CHENG,
on 11/28/2011
Blog: CHRISTOPHER CHENG'S BLOG: IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BOOKS (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap) JacketFlap tags: India, AIC, Add a tag
So today finds this aussie author in Chandigarh attending an 8.30 roll up at Vivek high School in Mohali. What a terrific bunch of kids and I can't believe the great questions that they asked. I had real trouble being restrained to the one hour chit chat. All of a sudden it was over and first session was done.
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Of course I have become attuned to the custom of then heading to the Principal's Office and having tea and cake. How civilised. What an office I visited. The principal's desk, the chairs, the bookcase ... amazing pieces of wonderfully crafted wooden furniture. And the Principal observed my slight sips of the warm water. She told me not to worry. It was 'safe' water. Yes I am being cautious! It seems to that the whole executive of the school squashed into the computer room to my session. They loved my teaching style and interaction with the students - and then I was offered ... in all seriousness ... a position as a kindergarten teacher at the school. When I declined, with the most acceptable reason that my lovely wife would miss me too much, i was then offered any teaching position - and my wife could come too! And finally i was asked to come back to the school in the afternoon to talk to the teachers. Alas, a day too crammed full with visits. To top all of this waiting at the entrance to the school when I arrived was the most exciting hand crafted posted I have seen featuring me. The kids here have been scouring my website and really have found out so much about me. The students too are so pleasant and so generous with their praise. It really is something rather touching. Its a looooong way to travel to give a talk but this was so very splendid but thee are some of the most beautiful schools i have ever been in. And the staff, they are all very thrilled with their school - and they have a right to be.
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on 4/9/2008
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Authors and Illustrators for Children THIS I DREAM Campaign...
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Blog: OUPblog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap) JacketFlap tags: blog, Health, oxford, A-Featured, Medical Mondays, depression, medical, fibromyalgia, depressed, patients, hurt, endogenous, Add a tag
Do I Hurt Because I’m Depressed Or Am I Depressed Because I Hurt?Is fibromyalgia a manifestation of depression or the reverse? Well-designed studies have addressed this issue, but many used different methods, populations, ethnic groupings, referral sources, and geographical distributions. (more…)
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Thank you, thank you,thank you,thank you,thank you,thank you,thank you,thank you,thank you,thank you,thank you,thank you,thank you,thank you,thank you, Alice!
xxx,
April
[email protected]
Alice, I wasn't aware of this but I will definitely look it up as soon as I send this note.
My reason for popping by was to see if there is an email or contact form to ask you a question. If you are willing:
I'm serving as writer-in-residence until the end of May and have a question I wish to ask to pass along to a pair of women who are working on a children's book. I wish to be sure that my long-held assumption still holds true regarding an aspect of their collaboration. You may contact me at dianeschuller AT gmail DOT com.
Thank you,
D. Schuller