this party will either be fun or... REALLY fun.

at about 10:00 AM, indian time, our community all heard the news. i was sitting in the dining area, munching on a late breakfast of muesli and yogurt and asking the girls with laptops for the electoral counts, when i was shocked awake by an ecstatic scream from the library:
"OBAMA WON!!!!"

we all ran to the library to find Michelle, Cassie, Nealy, Jenny, Alyssa, and others huddled around a laptop, watching the grainy live CNN.com news feed. as the announcer declared Obama as the official (sort of projected..) winner, tears of joy welled up in my sleepy eyes. i looked up at Cassie and Michelle and they were teary as well- then we all broke into full blown tears, smiling and cheering all the while. it's not as if I didn't have a TON of faith in Obama being victorious today- because i almost didn't even question it- it was just an overwhelmingly joyous feeling as CNN scanned the various parties going on all over the world. yhey showed people just like us raising up their victorious arms and letting out whole-hearted screams of relief. it felt so good. the tension surrounding the seven continents just seemed to burst and dissipate.

the announcer, before introducing McCain, then said, "everyone will surely remember where they were on this historic moment." we all looked at each other and laughed, joking about sending a live feed to CNN showing the celebration that was happening in southern india. eight American girls, one Austrian man, one Dutch guy, and two Indians were crying, smiling, cheering, and dancing for Barack Obama. so good. who knows what we can go after January 20th, right? i'm staying hopeful.

in other news, i have been trying to get to Bangalore a day early to see Infected Mushroom, an Israeli trance group. despite presenting several travel options to my mentors- the plan has been officially nixed by Living Routes. i am frustrated and disappointed with the program, to be honest. if the plan doesn't interfere with my academics (it'd be on the day we're leaving for thiruvanamalai anyway) and i can even travel with Living Routes faculty to Bangalore, i am not sure why it has not been approved still. i understand that (under the rules in the handbook) since i cannot find a "mentor"/chaperone to come with me, a 20-year old adult, to the concert itself, i am being told by the faculty and my teachers that i cannot go. i get that, but i still don't know why that is required in every instance.

the impression i have gathered is that Living Routes is worried about several more people coming with me and how if any of them party/drink at the show it might tarnish their reputation. first of all, that's not what we are going for (i want to go to see an amazing band that i love) and, second of all, even if some people did want to go with me who chose to do that- that is their choice and we should have that freedom anyway. I do not respect the decision the faculty came to (although i am not holding it against my teachers here- i am not going to create tension within the community) and am not at peace with losing this amazing opportunity to travel "independently" even for one @#*! day. don't think i am letting this affect my excitement for traveling- i'm not, after all there are so many amazing things still going on here in the program. it is just the feeling of being a liability that frustrates me. i do not understand how that can be so. especially when the program even states in the handbook: " [we] cannot monitor or control all the daily personal decisions, choices, and activities of individual participants". it feels like i am a five year old and when i ask my parents why i cannot do something, the only response i get is "because". i am moving on though.. i said my piece to the faculty and to the program director and now i'm just going to roll with it. Infected Mushroom will play again and i will have an amazing time i'm sure in Bangalore anyway..

in other news:
we had a kickass halloween party on saturday night. some of the costumes included: Bob Ross(TV- painter guy), a bunch of grapes, Jasmine from Aladdin, a bird, Shiva (Nealy painted herself blue. no joke.), and a flower garden (me). we had a "five elements dance class"- during which, at the end of the class, breaking the golden silence, i let out a huge fart. and then crystal and i preceded to laugh for five hours straight..

this friday we leave for a three week trip to thiru, bangalore, and hampi. in hampi we will go to an island called ecodaya, where we will do our 2-3 day solos.

the solo will be tough for sure- no food and total solitude (leavin' the i-pods and discmans at home..), but it is definitely what i am looking forward to the most. there will be waterfalls, preserved wildlife sanctuaries/habitats, and plenty of time to do my own thing. i'm ready.

if i don't get to talk to everyone before i leave- i love you and hope to talk to you when i return!