The kids started school at the American Embassy School (AES) last week. Below is a picture of their first day. They definitely look a bit apprehensive about what their new school has in store for them.
Fortunately the kids made a seamless transition and they feel very comfortable on their new campus. They love that no uniform is required, that the elementary school assigns no homework and that there are kiosks fully of yummy treats all over campus.
I was the most worried about Akash’s transition to AES as a middle schooler so I was pleasantly surprised that he made so many new friends right away. His favorite aspect of the school is its international student body. His new friends hail from Sweden, Australia, Germany and India. Aside from his new friends, Akash is very excited about the travels he has scheduled with school. He is looking forward to his class trip in October to the foot of the Himalayas where he will camp, hike, visit local villages and raft down the Ganges River. As part of the Model UN, he will be travelling to Singapore in February for his first conference. As part of the tennis team he will be traveling to Mumbai for the AES India tennis tournament. I wish I could go with him!!
Priya is a bit more reserved about traveling without her family. Her class field trip is to a tiger reserve in Central India but it will take some hand holding to convince her to go. Inside the classroom Priya is learning about how children from other countries are both different and similar. The kids from her class come from Korea, China, England, Australia, Chad and India. Outside of school Priya has joined a travel soccer team and has met some great girls from many of the other embassy schools in Delhi.
Shailen is also very happy at school. He is part of an experimental concept in the elementary school called the “Team Room” where two classrooms are attached. Two teachers teach 36 kids and with the luxury of space the joint classroom has a theater, couches for reading and play areas. With so much stimulation in class thankfully Shailen is staying out of trouble!
I'm also enjoying the American Embassy School. The other families and administration have been so welcoming to us that we feel right at home. A personal highlight for me is hearing the interesting stories the kids have when I pick them up from school everyday about the things they’ve learned and people they’ve interacted with. Both Priya and Shailen are taking Indian Studies so they’ve been teaching me about Indian History and the significance of holidays. We have enjoyed two holidays since school started, Lord Krishna’s birthday and Indian Independence Day.
Janmashtami, Lord Krishna’s birthday was on August 10th. I took the children to a local temple to participate in the festivities. They dressed up in traditional Indian clothing as seen below.
At the temple the kids were mesmerized by the life-sized statues of Lord Krishna and his wife Radha, which were adorned in beautifully embroidered clothing.
During the evening the kids learned how Indians worship their Gods (usually by fasting) and how they celebrate their love for the deities. Later we went to an outdoor festival where local children reenacted stories about Lord Krishna as written in the Bhagavad Gita (Indian bible). The celebration lasted till midnight, which is the time of Lord Krishna’s birth. It was the perfect ending to a beautiful evening.
Last weekend we visited Akshardham, a temple considered by some to be the 8th wonder of the world. The temple, which is named after a belief in Swaminarayan Hinduism, displays the beauty of traditional Hindu and Indian culture, spirituality and architecture. A picture of this breathtakingly beautiful temple is below.
The temple, which is the largest Hindu temple in the world, is built on 100 acres along the river Yamuna. The temple's grounds (called the "complex") are adorned with beautiful gardens, water fountains, carved pavilions and exhibitions. Designed in accordance with ancient Vedic text, it features a blend of architectural styles from across India. The temple is constructed entirely from Rajashtani pink sandstone and Italian Carrara marble, and has no support from steel or concrete.
The main monument at the center of the complex is covered top to bottom with carved details of plants, animals, dancers, musicians and deities. The temple’s intricate carvings compare with the Taj Mahal, but this temple was built in only five years by 11,000 artisans and volunteers at a price tag of $2 billion. Unfortunately photography was not allowed at the complex so I have attached a youtube video to give you a feel for the temple’s beauty.
The Akshardham complex is truly unique in that it combines the traditional architecture of Ancient India with modern day media and technology. There are a number of exhibitions in the complex, which display stories about the life of Swaminarayan and the history of India, that feel more like Epcot Center than an Indian temple. The Hall of Values, which portrays messages about the importance of peace and harmony, features life-like robotics, fiber optics, light and sounds effects. The Imax theatre, the only one of its kind in Delhi, features the early life of Swaminarayan as the teenage yogi. A boat ride, simmilar to the "It's a Small World After All" exhibit at Disney World, takes visitors on a journey through 10,000 years of Indian history in approximately 12 minutes. Akshardham is a must see for any visitor to Delhi!
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