Archive for 2014Page 3
Visit to the Gandhi Ashram
Yesterday evening we were invited to meet Dr. Anwar Fazal, a lifelong teacher and social activist from Penang. We met at the Gandhi Ashram, dedicated to the life and work of Mahatma Gandhi, and were greeted with a fresh coconut each as a welcoming refreshment. After a discussion and a walk in the beautiful Penang […]
Bukit Merah Orang Utan Island
This is one of the trips I was most excited about before even arriving in Malaysia, and it did not disappoint! When we first arrived at the park in Bukit Merah we had to wait for a bit until a boat left to take us to a nearby island where the Orang Utans were located. […]
Waterfall Hindu Temple
Our destination: 513 steps away Have you ever eaten rice with your hands? As a child, I would have been scolded at the dinner table had I started shoving rice into my mouth. At the Waterfall Hindu Temple, we were served a delicious Indian meal, without silverware. But before we dived into this great meal, […]
Hike to Monkey Beach
Today twelve of us hiked into the Penang National Park, from the entrance at Teluk Bahang out to the famous Monkey Beach. The 5 km trek in, which followed the coastline, was full of uneven terrain, rocks, fallen trees, and lots of ups and downs! We managed to reach there in about an hour […]
The first 10 days
Our first 10 days here in Penang, Malaysia have been a whirlwind. From the food to the heat to the languages to the city, we have all had so many new experiences and already have some great stories. During orientation at the Hyatt Place in Minneapolis, we took a field trip to the Midtown Global […]
What a Difference One Week Makes
From one Saturday to the next, it seems impossible to believe how different things can be. On Saturday, February 8, we gathered at the Hyatt Place hotel in Bloomington and, after a few hours of orientation, went as a group to Red Lobster for dinner. The outdoor temperature was below zero as we rushed […]
Ireland Portfolio
Home Away From Home Over the past few weeks I have seen and experienced the multitude of emotions that come in visiting a new country. I have been in wonderment of the typical sights, sounds, and day to day exploits that come with the prospect of visiting somewhere new, but there is something I […]
Golden Graces
Golden Graces I have never seen such contradiction in one place. Grey parallel bodies of limestone rock breathe at the earth’s surface, finally. They appear to weigh down the land and harness any possible color that could blossom there. But when I peer closer, soft carpets of green and reaching fingers of thorns […]
David Sorensen – Portfolio
I duck into the dimly lit interior of the pub, immediately confronted by the lyrics of an old eighties rock anthem. It sounds a bit like “We Built This City,” but the sound is too weak to hear clearly. A wide bar extends back and around the corner, lined every few feet with a set […]
Stephen Bormann, Final Project
A raised circle of ground stood against the level grazing field. I stood at the base of the green slope, my feet almost touching it, but just an inch back. Nothing moved around me: it was silent. I closed my eyes and listened. The silence became even stronger. These “fairy forts” seemed to demand respect […]