The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page. St Augustine
How true!! Sreenidhian student exchange and faculty alike couldn’t agree more.
After a lot of meticulous planning and the team effort of Episcopal, St. Marks and Sreenidhi International, we embarked on our journey filled with a sense of pleasant anticipation.
At the airport with passports and bags in tow, at check-in, sprung a very pleasant surprise; Adam Gilcrist; whose presence created a flurry. It was a pleasure for the students and a scare for the chaperones! All the students left their belongings in the hands of the chaperones and oh yes, God. Off they went to shake hands with Gilcrist and a few other team members. After this stupendous run in (no, not a duck!), which lasted for a good 45 minutes (he checked in!!), our students returned to the fold, with stars in their eyes syndrome.
The Lufthansa flight was almost full and our students settled down to a very comfortable, enjoyable, and entertaining run on board. They had movies, music and food to wet the palate. The journey to Frankfurt with a 4 hour stopover, we reached Dallas.
2 pm Dallas time; Elaine, Nathan and Mr. Hand who had come to receive us; on to the Global Center where all the host parents had assembled to receive the children. The warmth and care all the parents bestowed was heartwarming. The mood of the Global Center was one of festivity; celebrating the beginning of new-found relationships. The parents took charge of their “still not tired” wards and left for home with a promise of a wonderful time ahead...
At the heart of the matter....sweet Texan hosts
The Roy's with Abhijit
Kupperajan's 'n' Aaditya 
Dr. Ray & Madhan
Barnes - Ayushi 
Mr Rich and Jaiveer
The Reddell's with Rishi 
Puckett's - Tanvi
Dr.Donna, son & Kaushik 
The Stukalin
family 'n' Srikanth
Mrs Nelson & Gautam 
Mrs Mrozek with Murali
The journey continues....
Woke up to an early day so as to get a head start, after breakfast at the Global Center , which is a 4 bedroom, 2 halls, fireplace splendour; huge dining hall and well stocked kitchen. The backyard with a mini pool and fountain is a sight to behold. In the early morning hours seated on a grandpa’s chair listening to the silence and gazing at the glorious morning waking up as if in slow motion.
At Episcopal School Dallas (ESD), the visit was a special one; reflecting the long tradition of over two decades of hard work in the making. The big corridors, the lovely sitting places, a fireplace in the Library, the Gym, the Classrooms, labs, Art Centre, Galleria, and the Chapel all lend to ESD's distinct character. One could sense the years of tradition resonate throughout.The energy and enthusiasm of students and staff reverberated through its portals; even on a Saturday- a non working day at that! Elaine briefed me on my schedule, and it was a pleasure to note that a meeting was scheduled with those who make the curriculum happen.
The weather is perfect at around 16-20dgC Saturday 17 October 2009
Towards the end of the day there wasn't an SOS from either student or parent. The Sreenidhians were out:
1) with their buddies for sports, 2) for the big football game between the arch enemies- Texas and Oklahoma (Texas won!!)
3) shopping, 4) Diwali Party at the local cultural centre.
Sunday morning up with the lark... 18 October 2009
Its Sunday and a very special one for Dallas. We indulged in special events during the day. Assembled at the Global Center at 10.30 am, it was Art and Cultural event day. We went downtown to visit Dallas’ Art Museum.
The Dallas Museum of Art celebrates twenty-five years; with three remarkable exhibitions to showcase the occasion – All the world’s a Stage: Celebrating Performance in Visual Arts. Moving from masterpiece to masterpiece, a keen interest and awe set in on the each of the student's faces. They soaked in the modern work of art; put together with pieces of glass called “The Eye”. It resembled a frozen mid air explosion, yet the artist’s ingenuity captured far more than mere illusion. The sculpture was grand, a commanding assemblage of jutting forms sheathed in mirrored glass. The remarkable play of light and the intricacy of the exhibits fills the gallery space; mirrored in the interplay of aesthetics, space and dramatic gestures so intimately tied to the experiences of life, while perhaps also raising questions about the beauties and perils of science and man.
It was indeed our good fortune which had brought us to Dallas to absorb such exceptional cultural events. Next we moved to Crow, a collection of Asian Art, which offers a myriad ways to experience Asia for all ages. Whether learning Indian Dance, writing a Japanese Haiku, or staring breathlessly at the construction of a Tibetan sand mandala; the Crow collection was nostalgic, as it rang close to home. We also walked through the Nasher Sculpture Centre, the first Institution in the world dedicated exclusively to the exhibition of modern and contemporary sculpture.
An opportune moment presented itself in the grand opening of AT&T Performing Center. A nation's culture resides in the hearts and in the souls of its people. It seemed that the whole of Dallas was out there enjoying the performances of world class professionals like Nestor Torres, Grammy Award winner, Latin Jazz flutist and other varied performances. The spirit of Internationalism was in the air.
The highlight of the tour was the live performance of Jaap Van Zweden, Symphony Conductor, performing Symphony no 9 by Beethoven!! The students will not all at once realize the magnificence of this rendition but one day they sure will, and hence recount it with pride.
Ready to drop… weren’t we glad to get back; call it a day! Let me thank Austin and his family, the host buddy of Rishi, who made it all happen. We understand that it was the blessing of a lifetime, as much a daunting task to get tickets for these events; they made it possible!
At School, no Monday mornin' blues...... 19 October 2009
The Chapel's where we met and were introduced, thereafter we were given our respective schedules. Tanvi and Ayushi went with their buddies whereas the boys made for their lessons with friends from Episcopal. Almost all the students who crossed us greeted us with warmth and heartwarming smiles. They went out of their way to help us in finding our way around, be it to a class, cafeteria or to the restrooms. The lunch was sumptuous; 4 types of veg salads, baked potato, potato mash, stir fried vegetables, buttered corn, fruit salads and an assortment of breads with butter, curds and milk. Desserts to indulge the sweet tooth: muffins; cakes; pastries; and doughnuts.
Geometry lesson, appointment with the Information Literacy person, Spanish lesson, tour of the Labs and discussion with Donna about the lab, a class in religion, VIII Grade English Literature, and Cricket, a nice touch to end the day at the school.
After school the boys of St Marks and Episcopal got together to swap lessons on cricket and baseball. All the students seemed to enjoy this particular session and were singing ‘yeh dil mange more,’ by the end of it. Mr. Howard Hand drove Mr. Kaviraj and team to Episcopal and witnessed the whole schedule. At the close of day, the host parents came to pick up their children, with plans already chalked out for the evening; on top priority was the children’s interests. How thoughtful was that?!
Theatrical Tuesday....... 20 October 2009
The day began on a staged note, with a presentation by the Middle School, Grades VI and VII. The drama was interesting and students enjoyed the break from their schedule to watch these young artists. After that it was yet another fruitful day with different classes in Technology, Literature, World Religion and Maths. It culminated with practice for cricket and baseball. Students from SNIS had requested for soccer, Andy, Faculty in charge of Sports, is already on the task, working out a schedule to make this happen.
Our Sreenidhians are snug and the look on their faces says it all!!
We are preparing for the “Wolf Run” tomorrow excited to go on the track. Till then…
Wolf Run….it left a trail!
In the North Texas countryside, Wolf Run, is a beautiful Ranch owned by Episcopal school, Anna, Texas. It is an integral part of the ongoing interdisciplinary History programme for Teachers and Students across Grades I – XII.
The Outdoor Department of Education, led by Andy Perry, Peter Lutken and team, teach to use the world as one’s classroom. Core curricular classes like History, Mathematics, Science, and Literature come alive. Today, one may notice a few telltale signs still evident from a time when family farms were the mainstay of North Texas. On a clear calm day, this site provides a peacefulness that engages both curiosity and interest and stimulates the imagination. The Shield family moved to Wolf Run from Indiana in 1854 with their ten children. Later it was acquired by Mr.Gifford, who shaped most of the ranch as we see it today.
Our journey began on a wet note; a cold, rainy 7 a.m., at the house of Mr. Gifford, the combination oftraditional with the modern was on display. Though the house was built with 18th century tools, it was in with the times of the 20th century. At the Barn, Mr. Peter Lutken demonstrated the actual workings of a gun from the collection. Chopping and cutting wood with these traditional tools, gave our students hands on experience.
The alluring woods, tempting water creeks, enthralling vastness of the trail were all at once magnificent. A token of gratitude to Andy Perry, Greg Randall, Tolly Salz, Karen Stutsman, Elaine Murphy, Laila Karat, Mark Mrozek and students of Episcopal for taking us on this trail of history .
Back on track!
Back to school, the Lesson Plan reflected the trail of not too long ago… Greg and Tolly provoked the Grade VIII students thought; situations were explained to draw on their areas of interest, as much weigh the options provided. The teachers moderated the discussion as students delved further: the study of the flora and fauna of the area; to the why, and how the Shield’s family migrated. The students had to make their presentations based on the styles of either of the American literary creative geniuses; Jack Kerouac or Dillard’s work. It was reassuring to establish that Sreenidhi International was going in the right direction, with our set of teachers.
The National Day of Writing served as an apt platform for student writers in the field of Sports Travel; incorporating Journalistic techniques, to listen to people from different walks of life, to thus understand how writing is an integral part of life. The panel present comprised of Archaeologists, Authors, Producers and Writers for TV and Radio, and Editors of the Student Newspapers.
The school day concluded with varied learning experiences and it was time to hit base to gather our thoughts and prepare for the next big event: attending a lecture by Ms. Condoleezza Rice, former Secretary of State, U.S.A.; Professor, Diplomat, Author, and National Security Expert.
Speaking at The Majestic Theatre, (Nathan Campbell’s the reason to the front row seats!) Ms. Rice, a powerful speaker, drawing on her years in Office as National Security Advisor, and later as Secretary of State, made mention that there were those days in time when she worked a 30 hour day! Her focus during the discussion was America’s stand on some of the more pertinent issues, such as terrorism. Ms. Rice is today at Stanford as a Political Science Professor, and a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institute.
National Aeronautics and
Space Administration.
Houston,TX,USA.
NASA: Houston, Texas… The Acronym says it all!
En route to NASA, with a brief stop at the house of Sam Houston, Huntsville, Texas; 19th century American Statesman, Politician, and Soldier. Houston was a key figure in the making of Texas, including a term as President of the Republic of Texas; Senator and Governor. Later he retired to Huntsville, Texas, where he died before the end of the Civil War.
Wall of Fame Apolllo's Scientists
At NASA Apollo’s Simulation Centre, the actual place where astronauts are trained, the Students and Faculty alike had ‘Space’ time. After hours from NASA, onto the Kemah Boardwalk, the ultimate relaxation destination! On offer were exciting rides and other attractions. The University of Texas; the National Museum of History and Science; and the Butterfly garden; with more than 80 types of butterflies! The garden gave us opportunity to admire these delicate, most colourful entities.
Haunted! Spooky creatures and bloody barons…..
No sweat here t’was only Andy! Dressed to kill, that should be thrill! The Grade V - VI teachers and parents arranged for a party. Vampires, Werewolves, Monsters, Ogres, and Witches ooohhhhhh…..scary and full of wicked surprises. …masquerade, ever heard of fooling the Spirit World? HALLOWEEN t'will soon be!
An exchange of like minds!
A drizzle rent the expanse…casting in its wake a magical spell! Today was the day that our Sreenidhian fraternity was to spend at Episcopal. Madan and Aaditya spoke about Dr. Radha Krishnan and Pandit Nehru respectively; these young men did a fine job. The girls in revered sync performed the Saraswati Vandana.
Father Swan, Head of Episcopal, a charismatic man, the brains in the making of ESD, was impressive in his simplicity and passion for people. Such a warm human being! Christine, Fine Arts Teacher guided a tour of the Frank Building, the art facility centre. The aesthetics; use of space and light, with a modern touch gave it an aura of a special kind. The artistic experience in tow, it was then over to Denise’s culture and decision making process session, where the students engaged in a beard game to drive home the finer points. The Mongolian Empire; Nathan showed a snippet of the movie bringing historical perspective to the great “khans.”
Elaine pinpointed the strategy in curriculum; the Gonzalez couple, Scott - Interim Head, St. Marks; and Cristina Gonzalez Teacher – ESD made for some mentally stimulating company. Dinosaur Valley, tomorrow’s another day, or should it be another age!!
Footprints in the sands of time…….
A chill runs down the spine…travelling back in time; Staring history in the face…mankind a far thought; when the largest creatures walked the face of the earth We were at Dinosaur Valley; 70 miles from Dallas, Dinosaur City.
The autumn hued landscape, picture perfect, God’s many splendoured signature! It could not have been better. You can love them or hate them… but can’t ignore them. Talking ‘bout a few (rather 2) of our Sreenidhians and their endless banter, Barney you listening? Its ‘em Rishi and Murali.
The glorious day with the sun’s rays cutting through the chill was a ‘trick no treat’… the Safari thrilled, ironically, this time around we were the ones ensconced in a cage, our vehicle! Shouldn’t it have been the other way around...jus thinking aloud, a witty aside! We were in a cage of our own making and the animals came to show us how it feels. Giraffes, Zebras, Hyenas, Antelopes, Hippos, Ostriches, and then some more...we have the snaps to prove what a thousand words cannot.
Denise, Dr. Sonali, Srikanth, and Gautam, left the others behind on their shopping spree, seizing opportunity went on a 20 minute trail in the jungle. A grippingly exciting trek till it was time to head back to civilization. Mesmerized by the breathtaking beauty; the call of the jungle luring…the boys desperate to venture on. The actual footprints of some of the dinosaurs couldn’t be seen as they were covered with rainwater. No damp spirits here, just about fortunate to walk in the same valley where these once humungous creatures reigned. Denise, Donna, Andrew, Perry and Mr. Hand, guided and led us on back to where we belonged, ESD, 4p.m.
The School’s Community Service made for informative note taking, thereafter for an evening at the Old Age Home with those among them who hold a candle for India! Who could have guessed that the old man, all of 75 years of age, in a wheel chair was one among the survivors of the Mumbai terror attacks! Recounting the harrowing rescue from 12th floor of the Oberoi, saluting the commandos who brought him to safety; his story a touching recount of a stoic Nation, of heroes , , a land of the Extraordinaire!