tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67727660290759573792024-03-06T11:08:36.934+08:00whirls and twirls around the worldtraveling the globe with kids... without leaving homeJenikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15584975511606263799noreply@blogger.comBlogger99125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772766029075957379.post-62664727908226864512011-11-01T16:06:00.003+08:002011-11-01T16:06:27.348+08:00India cooking: Mango Lassi Popsicles<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
These are a big hit in our house - our new favorite afternoon snack! They are easy, healthy and delicious. You just need a bit of equipment: a blender and popsicle molds. <br />
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Ingredients:<br />
Plain yogurt<br />
Milk<br />
Mango, peeled and cut into pieces (fresh mango is good; frozen mango would work; or you can buy mango pulp in Indian stores)<br />
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Mix yogurt, milk and mango in the blender. I don't have an exact measure (this is cooking Indian-style!). You want it to be fairly liquidy. Then pour it into the popsicle mold and freeze. Yum! <br />
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<br /></div>Jenikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15584975511606263799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772766029075957379.post-17601415289317944572011-11-01T15:46:00.001+08:002011-11-01T15:46:31.906+08:00November<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's a new month and we've not yet started our next trip! Bear with us, The Whirl Girl's new little brother has delayed our travel a bit. We've still got a couple more things to see and do in India, and then we'll be headed for our next stop. Stay tuned...</div>Jenikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15584975511606263799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772766029075957379.post-59300922033564496002011-10-30T08:45:00.000+08:002011-10-30T08:45:00.043+08:00India crafts: India flag<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The Whirl Girl's papa jumped into help with this craft, using all sorts of Indian dry foods to make an India flag. And The Whirl Girl's cousin was here to make one too. <br />
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We had so much fun with the Chinese <a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/09/chinese-crafts-kaleidoscope-rice.html">rainbow rice</a> activity, that we replicated it India-style. We used red/orange daal (lentils) for the orange, moong daal for the green, white rice for the white, and tea leaves for the blue/black. <br />
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Supplies:</div>
<ul style="text-align: center;">
<li>white rice</li>
<li>orange daal</li>
<li>green moong daal</li>
<li>tea leaves</li>
<li>glue</li>
<li>card stock</li>
<li>cardboard (optional)</li>
<li>clear packing tape (optional)</li>
</ul>
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Step One: Glue the cardstock to the cardboard. Draw flag in pencil. Add glue to wheel.</div>
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Step Two: Pour tea leaves on wheel and shake off. </div>
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Step Three: Add glue to the top stripe. </div>
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Step Four: Sprinkle orange daal on top of glue. </div>
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Step Five: Repeat with green daal for the bottom stripe and white rice for the middle. </div>
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Step Six: Wave your flag! </div>
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(We later covered ours with packing tape so that all of the daals/rice wouldn't fall off).</div>
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<br /></div>Jenikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15584975511606263799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772766029075957379.post-26651598855048950172011-10-29T16:01:00.001+08:002011-10-29T16:01:27.427+08:00Indian music: Bhangra<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Bhangra is a kind of music and dance from Punjab, a state in Northern India. It is infectious and almost impossible not to dance to. It involves a lot of jumping, shoulder shaking, and waving your hands in the air. <br />
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Listen to or watch <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Te9mIbC3roA&feature=related">Rang De Basanti</a>, from the movie of the same name. It's also downloadable on iTunes. <br />
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For inspiration, you can also check out this bhangra <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BxMMQs-6nQ">video</a>, from a competition in the US. <br />
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And this series by <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECEcyheldX8&feature=related">Pargat Singh Assandh</a> on youtube teaches individual moves.<br />
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Get your bhangra groove on!<br />
<br /></div>Jenikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15584975511606263799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772766029075957379.post-14386778592003651812011-10-24T09:41:00.002+08:002011-10-24T09:43:43.263+08:00India crafts: Mehndi Handprints<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
And we're back! The Whirl Girl has been joined by a Twirl Guy, now almost two weeks old. The Whirl Girl is eager for him to join us in our project-making, and I barely have the heart to tell her that it will be a long while before he will be able to do so. Our crafts and cooking time has been limited but we're forging ahead with a couple more projects for the month.<br />
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First up is mehndi hand prints. Mehndi or henna is used to decorate women's hands in India for festive occasions - especially holidays and weddings. Designs are drawn free-form using a tube of paste made from henna leaves and come in varying degrees of elaborateness. There are often flower and peacock motifs.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtuNs_Y0UhueFSU4KtYYrTAQ2wSTPoZyzwUSaOZKnpBqL2p0XFIK7hkdMmCzeh4liI-5xAOAvdUBVrBmJM0-udPRnCNoVp_9e5hDpUo9ORuLFVxHd3M0i99sSJ3X12B3DHAbUab3GSGe7q/s1600/henna-hands_6729_600x450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtuNs_Y0UhueFSU4KtYYrTAQ2wSTPoZyzwUSaOZKnpBqL2p0XFIK7hkdMmCzeh4liI-5xAOAvdUBVrBmJM0-udPRnCNoVp_9e5hDpUo9ORuLFVxHd3M0i99sSJ3X12B3DHAbUab3GSGe7q/s320/henna-hands_6729_600x450.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo from <a href="http://www.nationalgeographic.com/">National Geographic</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I thought it would be fun for The Whirl Girl to draw her own mehndi designs, so we cut out her own handprints on construction paper and she used colored pencils to color Indian-inspired designs. I printed out a couple of templates from this <a href="http://www.indian-dresses.net/Mehndi_designs.asp">site</a> for examples.<br />
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My seven-year-old niece is visiting and she made some too. It was just as much fun for her age group as The Whirl Girl's. </div>
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Supplies:</div>
<ul style="text-align: center;">
<li>cardstock</li>
<li>colored construction paper</li>
<li>crayons or colored pencils</li>
<li>scissors</li>
<li>glue</li>
<li><a href="http://www.indian-dresses.net/Mehndi_designs.asp">templates</a> for inspiration </li>
</ul>
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Step One: Trace handprint on colored paper. </div>
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Step Two: Color in designs on the handprints.</div>
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Step Three: Cut out handprints.</div>
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Step Four: Glue on to cardstock.</div>
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All done!</div>
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</div>Jenikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15584975511606263799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772766029075957379.post-61417520513920951482011-10-16T09:08:00.000+08:002011-10-16T09:08:00.586+08:00India crafts: Paper plate tiger<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Time for some animal crafts! We've made an elephant, a tiger and a peacock puppet out of paper plates, inspired by posts on <a href="http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/tiger_mask.htm">Activity Village</a>.<br />
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Here's the tiger to join his jungle friends.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv5GJf1wPGlnkGB3ESxPARR9H8bEmGmZeTR42U7MrYYSER4O3DQWMiqNdJ9NZwaZNDYLFCHmCJopstgax1_J0Kx7MXCkyMj5A11KjWXqW-jQWdZXh_6EX-rsTXVd-2lBbvGJxurCozSK1X/s1600/IMG_6604.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv5GJf1wPGlnkGB3ESxPARR9H8bEmGmZeTR42U7MrYYSER4O3DQWMiqNdJ9NZwaZNDYLFCHmCJopstgax1_J0Kx7MXCkyMj5A11KjWXqW-jQWdZXh_6EX-rsTXVd-2lBbvGJxurCozSK1X/s320/IMG_6604.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Supplies:</div>
<ul style="text-align: center;">
<li>1 paper plate (we used a small ones)</li>
<li>orange and black paint</li>
<li>orange paper </li>
<li>wooden chopstick or something similar</li>
<li>glue-on eyes or black paper</li>
<li>cotton ball or black paper (for nose) </li>
<li>pipe cleaners</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic2KCeM4kYeqZXgK0td3PvdGEShyQ43hjco_zlQH9SBKhvAPCK1Z_B96kK3lMRpDi_nU-BsIFvS9a4w4rWKk-5-FO5wFnJM9gXxud2sQ_okKodDsHaKcXzTsSoHTjOWHa3lUTC-oVyKwSD/s1600/IMG_6561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic2KCeM4kYeqZXgK0td3PvdGEShyQ43hjco_zlQH9SBKhvAPCK1Z_B96kK3lMRpDi_nU-BsIFvS9a4w4rWKk-5-FO5wFnJM9gXxud2sQ_okKodDsHaKcXzTsSoHTjOWHa3lUTC-oVyKwSD/s320/IMG_6561.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Step One: Paint the plate orange. </div>
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Step Two: Paint black stripes. </div>
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Step Three: Glue ears, eyes, nose and whiskers.<br />
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Step Four: Tape chopstick to make a puppet. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVdmlMLr6-k9Hcbvlmek7hxRt8rWNgKDyc7m9M3UkBf3hDrzvqfWcgdR220hRnEgAKkSwPFJli2o-Usjd_l82ohbXm6WeK2o3nS6uatnH2uuIMMoEo8UPliWygrgPqvssWyMk7ne9dZYup/s1600/IMG_6606.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVdmlMLr6-k9Hcbvlmek7hxRt8rWNgKDyc7m9M3UkBf3hDrzvqfWcgdR220hRnEgAKkSwPFJli2o-Usjd_l82ohbXm6WeK2o3nS6uatnH2uuIMMoEo8UPliWygrgPqvssWyMk7ne9dZYup/s320/IMG_6606.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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Jenikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15584975511606263799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772766029075957379.post-345847040283649592011-10-13T08:55:00.000+08:002011-10-13T08:55:00.538+08:00India crafts: Paper plate peacock<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Time for some animal crafts! We've made an elephant, a tiger and a peacock puppet out of paper plates, inspired by posts on <a href="http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/paper_plate_peacock.htm">Activity Village</a>. Of the three, the peacock is probably the most work. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlorYTiXYzQemCSACqdUho_ShyphenhyphenZBBo1CMyHZLyoMyjZsO2SsplfOh3mobmzP5XpIoVjnONvFuw8lJU44_glCnhACFflH0mcBatRMtw-PuqptT_LaqSclbO_hyEz0OSr5wWmkW8MzcRqhph/s1600/IMG_6601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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Supplies:</div>
<ul style="text-align: center;">
<li>2 paper plates (we used a small ones)</li>
<li>blue/turquoise/green paint</li>
<li>green/blue paper </li>
<li>wooden chopstick or something similar</li>
<li>glue-on eyes or black paper (we used beads)</li>
<li>decorations (optional) - we used cut up pieces of sparkly fabric and ribbons</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic2KCeM4kYeqZXgK0td3PvdGEShyQ43hjco_zlQH9SBKhvAPCK1Z_B96kK3lMRpDi_nU-BsIFvS9a4w4rWKk-5-FO5wFnJM9gXxud2sQ_okKodDsHaKcXzTsSoHTjOWHa3lUTC-oVyKwSD/s1600/IMG_6561.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic2KCeM4kYeqZXgK0td3PvdGEShyQ43hjco_zlQH9SBKhvAPCK1Z_B96kK3lMRpDi_nU-BsIFvS9a4w4rWKk-5-FO5wFnJM9gXxud2sQ_okKodDsHaKcXzTsSoHTjOWHa3lUTC-oVyKwSD/s320/IMG_6561.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Step One: Paint the plates turquoise. </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Step Two: Glue the plates together to make head and body.</div>
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Step Three: Cut out paper feathers. We had 8 feathers, from 2 sheets of paper.</div>
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Step Four: Decorate the feathers. </div>
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Step Five: Glue feathers to the body/head.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Step Six: Add eyes, nose and whatever else you're in the mood for. (The Whirl Girl wanted her peacock to have a necklace). Tape on stick to the back to make it a puppet. </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Introduce to your other Indian jungle friends.</div>
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Jenikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15584975511606263799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772766029075957379.post-90156038608431370482011-10-12T18:44:00.000+08:002011-10-12T18:44:00.196+08:00India music: Bollywood songs<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
There's a lot of Bollywood dance parties in our house, pretty much every night. The Whirl Girl has loved Bollywood songs ever since she was a baby and now she can sing and dance along. <br />
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Most of the music you hear on the radio comes from Bollywood movies, which are filled with song-and-dance numbers. Here's three of our favorites. You can watch them on YouTube to pick up a few new moves, or download on iTunes to get your groove on. <br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaUG18VvrfM">Bum Bum Bole</a><br />
from the movie <i>Taare Zameen Par</i>, about an inspiring teacher set in a classroom full of kids<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhLm_IZpnP0">Maahi Ve</a><br />
from the movie <i>Kal Ho Na Ho</i>, the ultimate wedding song and dance<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25k6bOzC3ow&feature=related">Mitwa</a><br />
from the movie <i>Lagaan, </i>a song about friendship set in an Indian village<br />
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(All three movies are recommended too for grown-ups and older kids). <br />
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Jenikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15584975511606263799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772766029075957379.post-55960662489776106842011-10-11T17:06:00.000+08:002011-10-11T17:06:00.674+08:00India crafts: Paper plate elephant<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Time for some animal crafts! We're venturing into the Indian jungle to make an elephant, a tiger and a peacock puppet out of paper plates, inspired by posts on <a href="http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/elephant_mask.htm">Activity Village</a>. We tried to do all of them on a rainy morning, which I wouldn't really recommend. The Whirl Girl loves her projects and even by the end of it, she was sick of them and ready to just play. But individually, they shouldn't be too much work. <br />
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First up, an elephant. You can tell that she's Indian because she's all decorate like elephants in India often are. Like this one (photo from <a href="http://www.nationalgeographic.com/">National Geographic</a>):<br />
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Supplies:</div>
<ul style="text-align: center;">
<li>paper plate (we used a small one)</li>
<li>gray (or black and white) paint</li>
<li>gray paper </li>
<li>wooden chopstick or something similar</li>
<li>glue-on eyes or black paper</li>
<li>decorations (optional)</li>
</ul>
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Step One: Paint the plate gray. </div>
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Step Two: Add decorations. We cut out paper and ribbons that I had. </div>
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Step Three: Glue on trunk and eyes. </div>
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Step Four: Glue on ears. The Whirl Girl decided these needed some decoration too, this time with crayons.</div>
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Step Five: Attach chopstick to the back to make it a puppet.</div>
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Introduce to other Indian jungle friends. </div>
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Jenikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15584975511606263799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772766029075957379.post-86965981647739142582011-10-11T15:10:00.001+08:002011-10-11T15:20:18.982+08:00Diwali Tour of Singapore's Little India<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Deepavali - or <a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/10/india-field-trips-little-india.html">Diwali</a> - is just around the corner. Your kids may be learning about it in school, or at least know that it's a public holiday here in Singapore.<br />
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I had a couple of friends ask for our recommendations for a Diwali tour of Little India with their kids, so I thought I would share it here for local readers. We visit Little India on an almost weekly basis and especially enjoy it during this festive time. <br />
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Be prepared for it to be more crowded than most other places in
Singapore and for the traffic laws to be a little bit looser - but that's part of the experience. Almost like India
itself!<br />
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I would recommend going around 5:30 or 6:00pm. You can see the market and have dinner before it gets dark and then see the lights as it gets dark around 7:00 before heading back home to put the kids to sleep. <br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">First Stop: The Diwali Bazaar on Campbell Street. </span></b><br />
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The market is off of Serangoon Road, just opposite of Tekka Market. The street is closed down so you don't have to worry about cars.<br />
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Here you'll
find all sorts of colorful Indian goodies: wall hangings, <a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/10/india-crafts-flower-rangoli.html">rangoli</a> stickers, crunchy Indian snacks, Hindu idols, bangle bracelets, peacock feathers, diya candles, and more! There are also a number of mehndi artists. You can pick your design from a book they have. For kids, it won't be more than a few dollars.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheFEzxlVloLxz9lXOaJHE8S_Usm1KWAk9jh52SBLcTYcPKud3HLZ7uoEp_XGefrJh0156UlXpBuFr2cIhEawcqOY0-v_26LUJT-YwpjCpJCrw9DeK2egBOruVCKX2OvwaVBS8oxZ2dyn4T/s1600/IMG_0655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheFEzxlVloLxz9lXOaJHE8S_Usm1KWAk9jh52SBLcTYcPKud3HLZ7uoEp_XGefrJh0156UlXpBuFr2cIhEawcqOY0-v_26LUJT-YwpjCpJCrw9DeK2egBOruVCKX2OvwaVBS8oxZ2dyn4T/s320/IMG_0655.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">shop selling items used for puja (prayer ceremony)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9JyCPFJu_zHFDbP1mkDI00vsaRK3RQZLLCCm4WA_1BqFW9dPgW4snsY-o0ImY0OGLRSVBV89q6vUAjtSFRog9DdF8B10-RQ72C236-m25hzLqoxsyUuf2rLJ4RsspJpWsa42sKB0FgSsj/s1600/IMG_0662.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9JyCPFJu_zHFDbP1mkDI00vsaRK3RQZLLCCm4WA_1BqFW9dPgW4snsY-o0ImY0OGLRSVBV89q6vUAjtSFRog9DdF8B10-RQ72C236-m25hzLqoxsyUuf2rLJ4RsspJpWsa42sKB0FgSsj/s320/IMG_0662.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">all sorts of colorful goodies from India</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJR2dQKAJbMMEhd3Fy14V-Jadf1AdvXB3Uv9eJPuMdln8AISG_3U0P09Q2zFcAqBYFbB5j8gS2eYFkHQBe9BY-rkkLNNm8NQIeMBsu6n0gT8SUPRI4FTwxbDW1l1pw_X6mX8AXn7YB5EC8/s1600/IMG_0663.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJR2dQKAJbMMEhd3Fy14V-Jadf1AdvXB3Uv9eJPuMdln8AISG_3U0P09Q2zFcAqBYFbB5j8gS2eYFkHQBe9BY-rkkLNNm8NQIeMBsu6n0gT8SUPRI4FTwxbDW1l1pw_X6mX8AXn7YB5EC8/s320/IMG_0663.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">mehndi/henna artists </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrwQ_8dbDhyphenhyphenITlQi4VTMQlEFWUt-YNSbD41CNttvaqkhCSbVQkLn2o3zDjeDdy2KUwXaf05-m2gukUXShKOhCYtSuj0LZmdx1p0TovS0hY1u2MEqQadXI8Y9f8B8uHHEB2WqNtHlm1dHd/s1600/IMG_0658.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrwQ_8dbDhyphenhyphenITlQi4VTMQlEFWUt-YNSbD41CNttvaqkhCSbVQkLn2o3zDjeDdy2KUwXaf05-m2gukUXShKOhCYtSuj0LZmdx1p0TovS0hY1u2MEqQadXI8Y9f8B8uHHEB2WqNtHlm1dHd/s320/IMG_0658.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="color: black;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">diyas (claypot candles) are traditionally placed around the house for Diwali; they come in all shapes and sizes and are filled with oil and a string and then lit</td></tr>
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<b>Second Stop: Dinner at Ananda Bhavan, a South Indian restaurant at 58 Serangoon Road. </b></div>
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When you're leaving the Diwali Bazaar, turn right on Serangoon Road and the restaurant is just up the street on the right side.<br />
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The Whirl Girl's favorite is Plain Thosai, a slightly sourdough-y crispy crepe-like treat made from rice and daal (lentil) flours. It is served, like most of the other South Indian foods, with 3 chutneys (coconut, tomato and one other) and a spicy vegetable stew called sambhar. The thosai itself isn't spicy. <br />
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Our other favorites:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Masala Thosai (same as the above, but with spicy potatoes in the middle) or Rava Masala Thosai (made with semolina flour);</li>
<li>Oothapam, which is kind of like a savory pancake, but thicker and made from a
different batter than dosa</li>
<li>Appam, which has a little sweet taste to it,
and is served with orange sugar and coconut milk. You can also request a spicy coconut-milk based spicy stew called kuruma instead (recommended!). </li>
<li>Thali, a big
pile of rice and a bunch of different indian vegetable curries and
daals/lentils. </li>
</ul>
Most things are less than $5, so you can easily order a couple of things to try.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdc4VJs6blrt8M6e-oOFeYxq-adJUUh5yBe-1bbVQDcvU_ruHoxuU8BkDY44UVTux92N1CYpz4c2hSdLIkNUCxQUakiUy6OG9Aok_8zQG8mpkeWe2w9FO8b9HMy95UcUlNv485M1tb-Lpg/s1600/IMG_1215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdc4VJs6blrt8M6e-oOFeYxq-adJUUh5yBe-1bbVQDcvU_ruHoxuU8BkDY44UVTux92N1CYpz4c2hSdLIkNUCxQUakiUy6OG9Aok_8zQG8mpkeWe2w9FO8b9HMy95UcUlNv485M1tb-Lpg/s320/IMG_1215.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rava Masala dosa, with sambhar and chutneys</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGMSVD1WFihaUXdFHU2lDPjY4RS8UR4hCrjuAoyIOrQYmgJsWbHF6g0Dllk6LPdWt4eBkBdpx3vUhlv3usvCZOVmIuaE9JKHmwhXlli-LzLrUFQW2o7iroAUAuOJFtWWIiwwuv8s3PwUjB/s1600/IMG_1210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGMSVD1WFihaUXdFHU2lDPjY4RS8UR4hCrjuAoyIOrQYmgJsWbHF6g0Dllk6LPdWt4eBkBdpx3vUhlv3usvCZOVmIuaE9JKHmwhXlli-LzLrUFQW2o7iroAUAuOJFtWWIiwwuv8s3PwUjB/s320/IMG_1210.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">thali</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKLbRHaFomlgJwUlvt6VrUn5gl6F2QEjtDSSckkP4mm8cdQ8whfahShpnUyFw9PfDuBWXVUaGFL0Ymtw51wbTH_jwd3AfEpR8RnsoVyp7jGBqde-wKD9hrUb78eI5SR0qbS203rEAto3Bf/s1600/IMG_1212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKLbRHaFomlgJwUlvt6VrUn5gl6F2QEjtDSSckkP4mm8cdQ8whfahShpnUyFw9PfDuBWXVUaGFL0Ymtw51wbTH_jwd3AfEpR8RnsoVyp7jGBqde-wKD9hrUb78eI5SR0qbS203rEAto3Bf/s320/IMG_1212.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">appam</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b><span style="color: red;">Third Stop: The lights on Serangoon Road. </span></b><br />
<br />
If you've timed it right, when you come out from dinner, it will be dark and the street will be all lit up.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtYgpoxHL3TwLlJBkBQtRtMg4LgyGT2xdRfEVqjiobLR6NgNQFUE1aDRXM2NQJaO8OBHmxo3RZAzzST9d40OkKzIyy_CQ1krwi5jOsf0Ne_yGD5px_7KCju34Wqi7rC855ARIOdkHm12t1/s1600/IMG_6350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtYgpoxHL3TwLlJBkBQtRtMg4LgyGT2xdRfEVqjiobLR6NgNQFUE1aDRXM2NQJaO8OBHmxo3RZAzzST9d40OkKzIyy_CQ1krwi5jOsf0Ne_yGD5px_7KCju34Wqi7rC855ARIOdkHm12t1/s320/IMG_6350.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: red;">Fourth Stop: Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple at 141 Serangoon Rd</span><br />
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If your kids still have any energy left, continue walking up Serangoon Rd (away from Bukit Timah). The Hindu <a href="http://www.sriveeramakaliamman.com/">temple</a> is on the left, after about a block and a half. (Note: the temple is closed in the afternoon, but open in the mornings and evenings). <br />
<br />
It is a temple for Kali, the Goddess of Destruction, but like at most Hindu temples, there are representations of many gods. Have the kids try to find Ganesha, the elephant god of good luck. Feel free to walk around and observe all of the activity, just be sure to leave your shoes out front with the others. Some of the things you'll see: Priests offering prashad (blessings) to devotees. Diyas (candles) being lit. People praying to different deities. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNCiKjG4cz0lFJ16cvcLVr6FkxsJCXZhEMgys6918G-e2mE5AECuWYPXzpYBFYNCnthpmGl8y5WKyNmiwWtb0AYiIDe12wM0MfIVePyu6mRoHe9I_SkHcoOAM2ZMJfPHKCjhpoq7z_QHap/s1600/IMG_1218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNCiKjG4cz0lFJ16cvcLVr6FkxsJCXZhEMgys6918G-e2mE5AECuWYPXzpYBFYNCnthpmGl8y5WKyNmiwWtb0AYiIDe12wM0MfIVePyu6mRoHe9I_SkHcoOAM2ZMJfPHKCjhpoq7z_QHap/s320/IMG_1218.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a view from across the street</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl7w0BuArihCCLCoYxrqBplMu5zn9o4pxnsP9IOYSU2860iRuM51_mJP_cyTfzR1C73-ohIuCXIEkBoZ4sWQkhFOCu6i4TpQeUeF8Yi9ADp4ZYo1PMJ54qRrjnMVS9jfF9NZ2h3tPZ0bhZ/s1600/IMG_0483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl7w0BuArihCCLCoYxrqBplMu5zn9o4pxnsP9IOYSU2860iRuM51_mJP_cyTfzR1C73-ohIuCXIEkBoZ4sWQkhFOCu6i4TpQeUeF8Yi9ADp4ZYo1PMJ54qRrjnMVS9jfF9NZ2h3tPZ0bhZ/s320/IMG_0483.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">activity inside the temple</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1uh49O4kcPqLcQk8TQPmZFZZfkCmY78BM8Xx2LFoz_yZmM14lC-3UXNDwB3TXEQk-_PZpCOTb0PgSYuEKuBx2zz5cJGDwPuNOw1ktuJ2QBKrQdJ85GwGaeuV8fnmo6ClpUNgdmgAhwS_f/s1600/IMG_0472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1uh49O4kcPqLcQk8TQPmZFZZfkCmY78BM8Xx2LFoz_yZmM14lC-3UXNDwB3TXEQk-_PZpCOTb0PgSYuEKuBx2zz5cJGDwPuNOw1ktuJ2QBKrQdJ85GwGaeuV8fnmo6ClpUNgdmgAhwS_f/s320/IMG_0472.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">diyas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDflv-wms5RgAj0DmH5mPvspfRC7zuQEJADty6_vMEtRg7_bkl4MBIwOGnV90n0cAr6Zqe91-kkwNfMttEP57YrLbL1Wv5r0vm1hURw-uwKjDBoUGO_uSZ1yXrlZwhmIbjXrmTlF4_QIkp/s1600/IMG_0475.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDflv-wms5RgAj0DmH5mPvspfRC7zuQEJADty6_vMEtRg7_bkl4MBIwOGnV90n0cAr6Zqe91-kkwNfMttEP57YrLbL1Wv5r0vm1hURw-uwKjDBoUGO_uSZ1yXrlZwhmIbjXrmTlF4_QIkp/s320/IMG_0475.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">priests (the men on the left without shirts)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdahcDQvd1TXM5vrSrsWnQQPKMusxud7xjoKhK6mJPT2xZ2tR3agccSyoUxLvUAyIv_tGy1-MGdE7VeMaxNlkPQoUTyhYeLKaPrF48Mdp6Te1Dfo1VexWVPzKwUZix1w81l-yCeRpDd4-7/s1600/IMG_0473.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdahcDQvd1TXM5vrSrsWnQQPKMusxud7xjoKhK6mJPT2xZ2tR3agccSyoUxLvUAyIv_tGy1-MGdE7VeMaxNlkPQoUTyhYeLKaPrF48Mdp6Te1Dfo1VexWVPzKwUZix1w81l-yCeRpDd4-7/s320/IMG_0473.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">bananas offered as prashad (devotees offer a donation and receive prashad which they eat as a blessing from the priests and gods)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilohtvI9XNwJbRgfMqjflxsnvL_6rZAqViiE6d_ex8yrDgrLjDN8_8julxIWe-YoW7rG9iUHHB07B9vM_SkzCQ4lwaiv_DMl_2QeuFVImuXkIJ_Xq7Fg9WFhd7M1MytTNoYyDPRjqy4n3D/s1600/IMG_0477.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilohtvI9XNwJbRgfMqjflxsnvL_6rZAqViiE6d_ex8yrDgrLjDN8_8julxIWe-YoW7rG9iUHHB07B9vM_SkzCQ4lwaiv_DMl_2QeuFVImuXkIJ_Xq7Fg9WFhd7M1MytTNoYyDPRjqy4n3D/s320/IMG_0477.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">one of the many Ganeshas in the temple</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
That's the end of the tour! If it's lit a spark of curiousity in your kids, check out other other India-related <a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/search/label/india">activities</a> and <a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/search/label/books-kids">picture book</a> recommendations on this site. I'll be posting more as the month continues. <br />
<br />
And if you have any questions about what you saw, please post them in the comments. I'll ask our resident Hindu experts (aka my Hindu parents-in-law) and respond. <br />
<br />
Happy Diwali!<br />
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<br /></div>
Jenikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15584975511606263799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772766029075957379.post-58903428534652861012011-10-10T16:10:00.000+08:002011-10-10T16:10:00.265+08:00Resource Monday: Growing Up Global<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Every Monday, Whirls and Twirls features one of our favorite resources in global education, travel and/or creativity.<br />
<br />
This week, we highly recommend:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://growingupglobal.net/">Growing Up Global: Raising Children to be at Home in the World</a><br />
<br />
<i>Growing Up Global</i> is a book by Homa Sabat Tavangar, and a complementary website with resources for exposing kids to the world beyond their borders. <br />
<br />
<i>"Growing Up Global: Raising Children to be At Home in the World</i>
helps parents to raise children with a global perspective. Not all
families can travel overseas to expose their children to world cultures,
but they can start engaging with the world right in their own home
communities. This hands-on book helps to begin that process."<br />
<br />
I love the tone of the book. It's a practical resource for parents that gives the how and the why of raising children to be global citizens. It invites the reader to think of opportunities for cross-cultural dialogue in their home, neighborhood and community - and gives concrete suggestions of how to do so. <br />
<br />
One of my favorite features on the website is a resource called <a href="http://www.growingupglobal.net/page.php?id=22">One World, Many Stories</a>. It's a guide with books and activities on a handful of countries, much like what we do here at Whirls and Twirls.<br />
<br /></div>
Jenikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15584975511606263799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772766029075957379.post-63615136002540000722011-10-09T16:38:00.000+08:002011-10-11T09:03:37.085+08:00India crafts: Flower Rangoli<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJaPM4VyoCKqiWU7BtAsdvJ_iEE5gPVmrmVgaqMhgqzMstYtolEy_crpCAxiWqPs656eI-WbvduHqwtQQ2Fxa556tPV34g3oS70tBziNaFPyFndW5v4O8xzuHCYPHH6raoDfOdCjFzqGT/s1600/IMG_6499.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJaPM4VyoCKqiWU7BtAsdvJ_iEE5gPVmrmVgaqMhgqzMstYtolEy_crpCAxiWqPs656eI-WbvduHqwtQQ2Fxa556tPV34g3oS70tBziNaFPyFndW5v4O8xzuHCYPHH6raoDfOdCjFzqGT/s320/IMG_6499.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Rangoli is a colorful design, often geometric. It is usually done on the floor or courtyard of a home, using rice, grain or flour, or some kind of colored powder. It's prominent during festival seasons in India, especially for Diwali. It is used to welcome guests and gods/goddesses into the home. You can find great examples of the variety of designs on this <a href="http://www.diwalifestival.org/diwali-rangoli.html">Diwali site</a>. And <a href="http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/rangoli.htm">Activity Village</a> has a fantastic rangoli page with all sorts of ideas and printable outlines.<br />
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We used flowers to make our rangoli and we did it two ways: one indoor and one outdoors.<br />
<br />
In Little India, there are street vendors selling flowers for puja (prayer ceremonies). For a mere $2, we got a huge pile of jasmine, marigolds, roses, and orchids. And between our indoor and outdoor crafts, we read <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/403156.Lily_s_Garden_of_India">Lily's Garden of India</a>, one of our <a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/search/label/books-kids">books</a> for the month, which features Indian plants and flowers (including some of the ones we used). <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXsECRex87mFqPktQ4XrvuGlMTaMgd4rCuNq-5lx6N14kK-PyAesdUD61Xp0FdJ6sKIzcz9J1yTlY1I6oMOSda62TuXQ8E0Nde6-tgpDrWMWMgVloLG8E0RkMdmAsQ4Mvpf5MzfbuXnsi2/s1600/IMG_6352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXsECRex87mFqPktQ4XrvuGlMTaMgd4rCuNq-5lx6N14kK-PyAesdUD61Xp0FdJ6sKIzcz9J1yTlY1I6oMOSda62TuXQ8E0Nde6-tgpDrWMWMgVloLG8E0RkMdmAsQ4Mvpf5MzfbuXnsi2/s320/IMG_6352.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgltrHGGJz60KTx9jzAmanB13UqmEJM3B0laywg5fNsQwIu_B2jgOWF8Y4gFwt2Ro-UvTvfW-HKarOcE0Vz-fuE3rVIvc2xwQeHAzNTHtp84DCXNF2rqx-qQD325kNk-MY5vbcSN8hQMGc1/s1600/IMG_6492.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgltrHGGJz60KTx9jzAmanB13UqmEJM3B0laywg5fNsQwIu_B2jgOWF8Y4gFwt2Ro-UvTvfW-HKarOcE0Vz-fuE3rVIvc2xwQeHAzNTHtp84DCXNF2rqx-qQD325kNk-MY5vbcSN8hQMGc1/s320/IMG_6492.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Supplies:</div>
<ul style="text-align: center;">
<li> printouts of rangoli designs like <a href="http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/rangoli-colouring-pages.htm">these</a></li>
<li>colorful flowers</li>
<li>glue (for indoor rangoli)</li>
<li>sidewalk chalk (for outdoor rangoli)</li>
</ul>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Indoor Rangoli </b></div>
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Step One: Pull the petals off the flowers and keep them in bowls sorted by color. </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Step Two: Put glue on one part of the rangoli design (I did this) and sprinkle flowers on top (The Whirl Girl did this). </div>
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Repeat with another design!</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Outdoor Rangoli</span></div>
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Step One: Draw a rangoli design. I did some of the big shapes and The Whirl Girl added her own designs. </div>
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Step Two: Fill in with flowers. </div>
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Voila! We were joined by some friends in the neighborhood, making it double the fun. We'll probably make some more around Diwali time and invite more kids to join us. </div>
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<a href="http://www.skiptomylou.org/" ><img src="http://www.skiptomylou.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/button2.jpg" /></a><br /> Jenikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15584975511606263799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772766029075957379.post-73088637432232231612011-10-09T11:10:00.002+08:002011-10-09T11:10:58.768+08:00India field trip: Navratra Festival<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This was a field trip that didn't involve leaving home, but rather bringing people to us! <br />
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Navratra is a Hindu festival in honor of the goddesses Durga (power), Lakshmi (wealth), and Saraswati (knowledge). Navratra means "nine nights" in Sanskrit and is celebrated for nine days, once in the spring and once in the fall. On the eighth day in the fall, young girls are worshiped as goddesses. In India, girls go from house to house and collect blessings and small gifts. <br />
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We wanted to share the festival with our friends so we invited some of our neighbors over to celebrate with us. And we wanted to be equal opportunity, so we invited the boys and the girls.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpNixHKsOTccSCv6U7DcRqBFh_7r4wD-r2IY7qqMd7XvAOhecdLvVdYVxwjkt4nMt_I4sc7zaJazhqt8cTwYFgJwtcRH35aVBpEJURr41Amp4H-gj3dUAQmlDdLXufKuofLdnHquurc0V4/s1600/IMG_6372.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpNixHKsOTccSCv6U7DcRqBFh_7r4wD-r2IY7qqMd7XvAOhecdLvVdYVxwjkt4nMt_I4sc7zaJazhqt8cTwYFgJwtcRH35aVBpEJURr41Amp4H-gj3dUAQmlDdLXufKuofLdnHquurc0V4/s320/IMG_6372.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the kids listen to The Whirl Girl's grandfather tell them about the festival</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-F3UefpsZce-aTrpOAsoHe7-e2YoiRp6vhyl3NeU4hwHIn5qtCOTOg5M9wS6Zx8KDmcJiQ7wBNB7K6Ebupey6Vd_d9HIoY-QD9OqlaVrxcQwxoxbw2zQbxjl35gcMTxdXywy9xUv3CfuO/s1600/IMG_6378.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-F3UefpsZce-aTrpOAsoHe7-e2YoiRp6vhyl3NeU4hwHIn5qtCOTOg5M9wS6Zx8KDmcJiQ7wBNB7K6Ebupey6Vd_d9HIoY-QD9OqlaVrxcQwxoxbw2zQbxjl35gcMTxdXywy9xUv3CfuO/s320/IMG_6378.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">each kid gets his/her feet washed</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6vDFNzLV5DKx1G5hN902Zzafaqp5lp_8F3m0bNxnf_hXJZ-Fj4ozEv-5F778XVEdDXVKF66Ap0QMDF1-nKLs3JQR1n0bdn7Qm4YaQz4xS0vnx_JpdDkg6ji3nBfFUgQmAZDITkivvTdxy/s1600/IMG_6391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6vDFNzLV5DKx1G5hN902Zzafaqp5lp_8F3m0bNxnf_hXJZ-Fj4ozEv-5F778XVEdDXVKF66Ap0QMDF1-nKLs3JQR1n0bdn7Qm4YaQz4xS0vnx_JpdDkg6ji3nBfFUgQmAZDITkivvTdxy/s320/IMG_6391.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">then they get a red "tikka" - a powdered dot in between the eyebrows</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFl2ks8uKetyJ1E1r1dVBMqASE8fRAW5P0caH-uqy4fzPElDSKG6fSbG9UYV6Zch2PPKwBrTVZb_KtPyAuzQLm3qI9t86NQXQSVDfU-xyXdjKhmy1PzafrtQUVqm2MdpObTPPe__ljU2Gj/s1600/IMG_6387.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFl2ks8uKetyJ1E1r1dVBMqASE8fRAW5P0caH-uqy4fzPElDSKG6fSbG9UYV6Zch2PPKwBrTVZb_KtPyAuzQLm3qI9t86NQXQSVDfU-xyXdjKhmy1PzafrtQUVqm2MdpObTPPe__ljU2Gj/s320/IMG_6387.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a nirvan (red ceremonial thread) is tied on the wrist of each of the kids</td></tr>
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Then each of the kids received a small gift as a blessing. <br />
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Finally it was time to eat! There are foods traditionally made for the festival: puri (fried bread), kala channa (black chickpeas) and halwa (a sweet dish made from semolina). It was a feast for the kids and their parents! The recipe for halwa follows. <br />
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<b>Sooji (Semolina) Halwa</b><br />
from the kitchen of The Whirl Girl's grandmother <br />
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<b><i>Ingredients </i></b><br />
200 g ghee<br />
250 g sooji (semolina flour)<br />
3 green cardamom pods, discard the pod and grind the seeds<br />
3/4 cup sugar <br />
2 cups water<br />
slivered almonds for garnish<br />
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<i><b>Directions </b></i><br />
Heat the ghee in a skillet. Once its hot, add the sooji and cardamom. Then simmer on slow heat until brown, about 20-25 minutes. Keep stirring. <br />
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Add the sugar and mix in. Add 2 cups water and stir until water is absorped. Add more water if necessary. Taste for sugar. <br />
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Garnish with almonds. Serve warm. <br />
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Jenikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15584975511606263799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772766029075957379.post-74819096564447947022011-10-08T22:48:00.000+08:002011-10-08T22:48:12.551+08:00India language: शाबाश and मजा<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Before picking our Indian words, we had to first pick our Indian language. India has 18 official languages, many of which are totally dissimilar to each other in pronunciation and script. Hindi is the most widely spoken, and it also happens to be one of the languages spoken in our home. So we've picked two of our favorite Hindi words.<br />
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<i>Maza</i> (pronounced muh-zaa) means "fun." The Whirl Girl has been using it since she was a little girl at meal times. When there is something that she likes, she says <i>maza</i> and shakes her body in happiness.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ab1jIJdG3pO6gl_44H6m0uzOaW49DZ-f1_ypUEWB9FTvPS9V4azqFBUgbnPrVEdyBgdhltXETVy0AuEnzyGRGo_z5SZkexs3h_Z6Z0N79oorzNj8jARjFjkusy2_39_VgRQmDIQu0xrU/s1600/maza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ab1jIJdG3pO6gl_44H6m0uzOaW49DZ-f1_ypUEWB9FTvPS9V4azqFBUgbnPrVEdyBgdhltXETVy0AuEnzyGRGo_z5SZkexs3h_Z6Z0N79oorzNj8jARjFjkusy2_39_VgRQmDIQu0xrU/s320/maza.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Shabaash</i> (shaa-baash) means "well done" or "great job." A good one once you're done with a project!</div>
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Jenikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15584975511606263799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772766029075957379.post-23152765836660456932011-10-05T21:39:00.001+08:002011-10-06T13:45:50.360+08:00India field trips: Little India<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Singapore's Little India is sparkling with Diwali lights and humming with festival activity. Though Diwali comes at the end of the month, there are a couple of festivals preceding it, and preparations for Diwali itself are underway.<br />
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Diwali is the Festival of Lights. It celebrates the story of the Ramayana, and the victory of good over evil. In India, it is an especially colorful and festive time. There's some great background information and ideas for teaching kids about Diwali on the <a href="http://www.gnaana.com/blog/2011/10/presenting-diwali-in-school/">Gnaana</a> blog. We'll be putting some of them to use ourselves this month.<br />
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Our Little India has a Diwali market of its own, setting the mood for a month of celebrations. Here's a taste of what we saw. Check around and see if there's any decorations up in your favorite Indian restaurant or market!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the main road, lit up for blocks</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">firecrackers are a big part of the celebrations in India, and they find their way into the Singapore market too</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">bangles in all colors and sparkles</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheFEzxlVloLxz9lXOaJHE8S_Usm1KWAk9jh52SBLcTYcPKud3HLZ7uoEp_XGefrJh0156UlXpBuFr2cIhEawcqOY0-v_26LUJT-YwpjCpJCrw9DeK2egBOruVCKX2OvwaVBS8oxZ2dyn4T/s1600/IMG_0655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheFEzxlVloLxz9lXOaJHE8S_Usm1KWAk9jh52SBLcTYcPKud3HLZ7uoEp_XGefrJh0156UlXpBuFr2cIhEawcqOY0-v_26LUJT-YwpjCpJCrw9DeK2egBOruVCKX2OvwaVBS8oxZ2dyn4T/s320/IMG_0655.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a stand selling things needed for devotional activities - coconuts, flowers, ghee, and fruits</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEWIgqR4PqQtcf_RWZQ5KBZTXBWweSzNqoIR-M9QNe33D7jkIfdJCXRsz4ymO1wGqvPVXQWbrarY75v-6NWXFc3Q3afbJCc74nmfPt1w00yTaDHlbtJFHwmb57X4KYVv3aHh6N6niczj4p/s1600/IMG_0656.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEWIgqR4PqQtcf_RWZQ5KBZTXBWweSzNqoIR-M9QNe33D7jkIfdJCXRsz4ymO1wGqvPVXQWbrarY75v-6NWXFc3Q3afbJCc74nmfPt1w00yTaDHlbtJFHwmb57X4KYVv3aHh6N6niczj4p/s320/IMG_0656.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">diyas are candles that are lit on Diwali; oil/ghee is poured into these small clay vessels with a small string to create a candle</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrwQ_8dbDhyphenhyphenITlQi4VTMQlEFWUt-YNSbD41CNttvaqkhCSbVQkLn2o3zDjeDdy2KUwXaf05-m2gukUXShKOhCYtSuj0LZmdx1p0TovS0hY1u2MEqQadXI8Y9f8B8uHHEB2WqNtHlm1dHd/s1600/IMG_0658.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrwQ_8dbDhyphenhyphenITlQi4VTMQlEFWUt-YNSbD41CNttvaqkhCSbVQkLn2o3zDjeDdy2KUwXaf05-m2gukUXShKOhCYtSuj0LZmdx1p0TovS0hY1u2MEqQadXI8Y9f8B8uHHEB2WqNtHlm1dHd/s320/IMG_0658.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">diyas come in all shapes and sizes</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMJHjpnjWWFEh_Yk9wPbLYFniDtSuJWfeUQKTNVXwbm-PTJnzXWsWeYhOpG8LzTAPz_A3pfkozrdeFyRRwlMgaZdICt5V-CNMkWPUbkLUvOpMiUmls4wtAn1CaLJvCa3EAJ1rfcJcmVvE6/s1600/IMG_0676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMJHjpnjWWFEh_Yk9wPbLYFniDtSuJWfeUQKTNVXwbm-PTJnzXWsWeYhOpG8LzTAPz_A3pfkozrdeFyRRwlMgaZdICt5V-CNMkWPUbkLUvOpMiUmls4wtAn1CaLJvCa3EAJ1rfcJcmVvE6/s320/IMG_0676.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">colorful decorations</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Xg2Zh1G6FNj3nAww8-9-VDe7OuxIqWGUtM_gJhxHXE86WGyDO7nKVNk9bHEmqISc1VTKqW37Wq-Zgz_6b6-8SCeukNHyUJP3Is8N1-FDqSOnXotU6RqtoGR68r4Shlhy06DJlcYbBo6Q/s1600/IMG_0672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Xg2Zh1G6FNj3nAww8-9-VDe7OuxIqWGUtM_gJhxHXE86WGyDO7nKVNk9bHEmqISc1VTKqW37Wq-Zgz_6b6-8SCeukNHyUJP3Is8N1-FDqSOnXotU6RqtoGR68r4Shlhy06DJlcYbBo6Q/s320/IMG_0672.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">peacock feathers!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS0ig2x4T20-QU185SSgHzZ0gOPEdYrI-6nZlGpudvmOJi-shiCi0QQjQTlTR_WjOWTpMY_DyUMLiLvX9a5Ybth1w7A3fAdT9JRMy7H9-SQoQlr5vwDYLWqCpoEWrW8CeWGt_hYHUcc4cu/s1600/IMG_0664.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS0ig2x4T20-QU185SSgHzZ0gOPEdYrI-6nZlGpudvmOJi-shiCi0QQjQTlTR_WjOWTpMY_DyUMLiLvX9a5Ybth1w7A3fAdT9JRMy7H9-SQoQlr5vwDYLWqCpoEWrW8CeWGt_hYHUcc4cu/s320/IMG_0664.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">namkeen, or Indian snack foods</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJR2dQKAJbMMEhd3Fy14V-Jadf1AdvXB3Uv9eJPuMdln8AISG_3U0P09Q2zFcAqBYFbB5j8gS2eYFkHQBe9BY-rkkLNNm8NQIeMBsu6n0gT8SUPRI4FTwxbDW1l1pw_X6mX8AXn7YB5EC8/s1600/IMG_0663.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJR2dQKAJbMMEhd3Fy14V-Jadf1AdvXB3Uv9eJPuMdln8AISG_3U0P09Q2zFcAqBYFbB5j8gS2eYFkHQBe9BY-rkkLNNm8NQIeMBsu6n0gT8SUPRI4FTwxbDW1l1pw_X6mX8AXn7YB5EC8/s320/IMG_0663.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">mendhi (henna) artists provide lots of options for decorated hands and feet</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">colorful boxes</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">more colorful decorations</td></tr>
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Jenikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15584975511606263799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772766029075957379.post-72207655317472250592011-10-03T14:45:00.000+08:002011-10-03T15:13:35.818+08:00Resource Monday: Paper Tigers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Every Monday, Whirls and Twirls features one of our favorite resources in global education, travel and/or creativity.<br />
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This week, we highly recommend:<br />
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<a href="http://www.papertigers.org/">PaperTigers </a><br />
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PaperTigers is a website, blog, and outreach program centered on multicultural young readers' books and reading as ways of fostering empathy, understanding and peace. <br />
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It has a wealth of book reviews, interviews with authors and an archived e-newletter centered around a theme related to multicultural children's literature. For example, and particularly relevant to our travels this month, there was one last year on <a href="http://www.papertigers.org/homepage_archive/index_Oct10.html">Children's Literature from India and the Indian diaspora</a>. <br />
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PaperTigers also runs an outreach program, providing multicultural kid's books to communities in need around the world.<br />
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Jenikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15584975511606263799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772766029075957379.post-41087411731096109612011-10-03T10:29:00.001+08:002011-10-03T10:29:17.005+08:00India crafts: Kick-off collage<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA69HhxykFg9CoyeXmu4u7uE7-_ss2p_NftYRIjgZ77enqLlRPOzOd6AD1iJfFOV8Ia7A83CdSde0iCKTCCox5sugK3udUra0DdhHPmJwz8o7x5IbWrYTWHK4ja5rH6Q0wVXMQPLYSBEOd/s1600/IMG_6339.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA69HhxykFg9CoyeXmu4u7uE7-_ss2p_NftYRIjgZ77enqLlRPOzOd6AD1iJfFOV8Ia7A83CdSde0iCKTCCox5sugK3udUra0DdhHPmJwz8o7x5IbWrYTWHK4ja5rH6Q0wVXMQPLYSBEOd/s320/IMG_6339.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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It's collage time! We start each month off by making a collage with pictures, the flag and a map of our new country. (I use the same ones that I've posted on the <a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/10/india-itinerary.html">itinerary</a>). I find that looking through the pictures is a great way to get The Whirl Girl excited and introduce the new place. Then we keep it in her room with all of her Whirls and Twirls books. For details on supplies and directions, check out the post on our Kenya <a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/06/kenya-crafting-1.html">collage</a>.<br />
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For this month, I used some handmade paper from India for the letters. I've included photos of it below, in case you want to print it out and use it for your own letters. <br />
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Jenikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15584975511606263799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772766029075957379.post-70850426562940603112011-10-02T09:30:00.000+08:002011-10-02T09:33:13.853+08:00India Children's Books<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Oh, how to choose?! We have a number of picture books about India on our shelf already to reflect The Whirl Girl's half-Indian heritage. And we've been lucky to collect some from Indian publishers like <a href="http://www.tulikabooks.com/">Tulika Books</a> and <a href="http://www.tarabooks.com/">Tara Books</a> on our travels to India.<br />
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I've managed to limit myself to a top five and a few bonus books. If you're interested in finding more books, check out author Pooja Makhijani's <a href="http://www.poojamakhijani.com/sakidlit.html">annotated bibliography</a> of children's literature on South Asia and the South Asian diaspora. <br />
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As a reminder you can find all of the books that we've read (with reviews) on the Whirls and Twirls <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/whirlsandtwirls">Goodreads page</a>. They are shelved by country for quick searches. (You can also see what's on our current shelf on the right sidebar). <br />
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Here's the top five for India:<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1169679885"><br /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37610.Monsoon">Monsoon</a><br />
written by Uma Krishnaswami, illustrated by Jamel Akib <br />
This is one of my very favorite books and one that The Whirl Girl has loved since she was two. I initially was surprised that she took to it at such a young age because it is a quiet story. Then I realized that she loves that it is about a family, and it shows each of them throughout one day, ending with a huge monsoon rainfall. The prose is a joy to read and the illustrations are lush and evocative. I'm a big fan in general of Uma Krishnaswami's books. I couldn't include them all here, but highly recommend that you check them out. <br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/931775.To_Market_To_Market_">To Market! To Market!</a><br />
written by Anuska Ravishankar, illustrated by Emanuele Scanziani<br />
I really wanted to include a book from an Indian publisher in our list and this was my favorite of the bunch. Ravishankar is one of the most prolific Indian children's book authors. It shows a young girl going to an Indian market, filled with all of the colors, commotion and excitement that you would expect to see. The illustrations are stunning and the word play is fun and memorable.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/422574.Mama_s_Saris">Mama's Saris</a><br />
written by Pooja Makhijani, illustrated by Elena Gomez<br />
Not surprisingly, mother-daughter stories are a big hit in our house. This is a sweet story about a daughter wanting to dress up in her mother's saris. The illustrations capture the vibrant colors and patterns of Indian women's clothing. The text is both tender and realistic.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/197911.The_Rumor">The Rumor: A Jataka Tale from India</a><br />
written and illustrated by Jan Thornhill<br />
We have to have an animal book! This features some Indian favorites: tigers, lions, rhinos, hares, deer and boars. According to the book, Jataka tales have been used for centuries to teach about sharing, compassion and the difference between good and bad. The story has a great pace and the illustrations animate the scenes taking the reader above and through the jungle.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/409903.Elephant_Dance">Elephant Dance: A Journey to India</a><br />
written by Theresa Heine, illustrated by Sheila Moxley<br />
This is kind of like a kid's travelogue to India, as told by a grandfather to his grandchildren. It takes the reader all over the country, with bright and colorful illustrations. It also has good information pages at the back. <br />
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And the bonus books:<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/896430.Anklet_for_a_Princess">Anklet for a Princess: A Cinderella Story from India</a><br />
story by Lila Mehta, adapted by Meredith Brucker, illustrated by Youshan Tang<br />
A couple of months ago, The Whirl Girl entered the princess phase and she asked for a princess book. I felt much better checking out this Indian version from the library than the Disney ones. We read it every day for a month and finally bought a copy for ourselves. It's a bit old for her (lots of text), but I abridge it and she loves it. <br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12766126-cricket">Cricket!</a><br />
by Sandhya Rao<br />
This is one of the handful of bilingual (English-Hindi) books that we have. It has very simple text with photos of kids playing cricket all over India. A tour of India is not complete without a look at the national sport, especially since India just recently won the Cricket World Cup. <br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1487193.Aani_and_the_Tree_Huggers">Aani and the Tree Huggers</a><br />
written by Jeannine Atkins, illustrated by Venantius J. Pinto<br />
This is a story of a village girl who bravely saves the trees in her area from being cut down. It's a good continuation of themes that we read in <a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/06/kenya-picture-books.html">books</a> about <a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/09/kenya-donation-remembering-wangari.html">Wangari Maathai</a> and her environmental work in Kenya. <br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/403156.Lily_s_Garden_of_India">Lily's Garden of India</a><br />
written by Jeremey Smith, illustrated by Rob Hefferan<br />
This book will be a nice compliment to planned projects with Indian flowers like marigolds and jasmine. It is a story about a little girl who goes into the Indian section of her mother's garden and is transported amongst the plants and flowers of India. <br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/770104.Lighting_a_Lamp">Lighting a Lamp: A Diwali Story</a><br />
written by Jonny Zucker, illustrated by Jan Bargar Cohen<br />
I wanted to include a book about Diwali since we will be celebrating the festival at the end of the month. This is the best (and maybe the only) that I could find for The Whirl Girl's age group. It gives a simple understanding of the main rituals associated with the holiday. <br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1865732.Baya_Baya_Lulla_by_a">Baya, Baya. Lulla-by-a</a><br />
written by Megan McDonald, illustrated by Vera Rosenberry<br />
This
is a bedtime story featuring a mother and her baby, set in an Indian
village. Hindi words are intertwined throughout the text, which is
almost more of a poem than a story. The illustrations are evocative of
rural Indian life. <br />
<br /></div>
Jenikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15584975511606263799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772766029075957379.post-37882406305365194542011-10-02T08:19:00.000+08:002011-10-02T08:19:00.729+08:00India grown-up book<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I am a self-professed Indian fiction junkie. It did cross my mind with the busy upcoming month to just pick one of the fantastic books I've read before and pawn it off on Whirls and Twirls as a new read. But that's not the point, right?<br />
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Instead, I've gone the other direction and picked out two new books. <br />
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The first book is fiction:<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/search?query=luka+and+the+ring+of+fire">Luka and the Fire of Life</a><br />
by Salman Rushdie<br />
I have to admit, I'm a little ambivalent about Salman Rushdie. Twice I've started <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14836.Midnight_s_Children">Midnight's Children</a>, considered by many to be his finest book (and the finest book of Indian fiction). But I've never been able to finish it. I usually finish my books and I usually love the kind of narrative that he writes, laden with juicy details that transport the reader to another place and time. But there were just so many details I lost sight of the story and stopped caring about the characters and eventually just put the book down. Twice. So, why am I picking another Rushdie book? Well, I loved another of his books - <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4835.Haroun_and_the_Sea_of_Stories">Haroun and the Sea of Stories</a>, a mystical tale about a young boy and the power of story. <i>Luka and the Fire of Life</i> is a sort of sequel. Both books were written by Rushdie for his children and there is fable-like quality to them. <br />
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The second book is a memoir, a genre I'm really coming to enjoy:<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9524132-sideways-on-a-scooter">Sideways on a Scooter: Life and Love in India</a><br />
by Miranda Kennedy<br />
It's written by an American woman who went to Delhi in her mid-20s, working as a reporter for NPR. Having ventured to Delhi on my own in mid-20s, I am curious to read her take on it and revisit my own memories of my time there. This memoir is specifically about the lives of several women that she met and befriended, and their outlook on love and marriage. <br />
<br />
<br />
And if neither of these are quite what you're in the mood for, I can highly recommend books by
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3369.Amitav_Ghosh">Amitav Ghosh</a>, <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3539.Rohinton_Mistry">Rohinton Mistry</a>, <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/28345.Vikram_Seth">Vikram Seth</a>, and <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/31428.Kiran_Desai">Kiran Desai</a> (among others). <a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/p/contact-us.html">Contact</a> me for specific recommendations, I'm very happy to share. </div>
Jenikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15584975511606263799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772766029075957379.post-17688103960882632862011-10-01T09:00:00.000+08:002011-10-02T09:46:31.920+08:00India itinerary<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
For October, Whirls and Twirls will be traveling to <span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: orange;">I</span> <span style="color: lime;">N</span> D <span style="color: lime;">I</span> <span style="color: orange;">A</span></span> !<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpyADybUe63MrPVjpn08DWQh8Padjo79J7rIBZ-DRSnExM1oE3l96sTzi0I_Ekr83-FV2R-vMWOfDCpBQQXy2-AmBlfDFrh86MfUwij-7OuimhY2_5XCts1f6UTRxah2lf0thQgmPqIAaT/s1600/INDA0001.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpyADybUe63MrPVjpn08DWQh8Padjo79J7rIBZ-DRSnExM1oE3l96sTzi0I_Ekr83-FV2R-vMWOfDCpBQQXy2-AmBlfDFrh86MfUwij-7OuimhY2_5XCts1f6UTRxah2lf0thQgmPqIAaT/s320/INDA0001.GIF" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">flag from <a href="http://www.flags.net/">The World Flag Database</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXoZM9H23RuIbp_zP-t6tJl9j85R2Zy2pbS1M4yKNU082BnsntP2f6gOL6aQqWlhsYLVvqyYYPsjTV-6AE-CRZLk2FxtJ6bRwHHKGjqKaf6p2e22mrDV5hnjYr_afeuVDVaNQdUmfVdva/s1600/innewzzflip.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXoZM9H23RuIbp_zP-t6tJl9j85R2Zy2pbS1M4yKNU082BnsntP2f6gOL6aQqWlhsYLVvqyYYPsjTV-6AE-CRZLk2FxtJ6bRwHHKGjqKaf6p2e22mrDV5hnjYr_afeuVDVaNQdUmfVdva/s400/innewzzflip.gif" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">map from <a href="http://www.worldatlas.com/">World Atlas</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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We have three very good reasons for choosing India this month:<br />
<br />
1) It's Diwali, the biggest Hindu festival of the year, on October 25th, and there's lots of local activities to celebrate.<br />
<br />
2) The Whirl Girl is half-Indian (on her papa's side) and her Indian grandparents are here with us and eager to join in the Whirls and Twirls fun.<br />
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3) We are expecting the arrival of a new member of our family sometime this month. I'm hoping that the enthusiasm and extra hands at home, combined with my own background knowledge and experience in India, will help us keep Whirls and Twirls up and running during what will likely be a sleep-deprived, chaotic, and intensely wonderful family time.<br />
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I'm excited to share some of the things that we know and love about India, and to find some new resources, ideas, and friends along the way. <br />
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Here's our tentative plan for this month's trip. The reading will be ongoing and the other activities we will do throughout the month, posting about and updating them as we go:<br />
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<span style="color: red;">Reading:</span> Five (+) children's books and one (+) grown-up books<br />
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<span style="color: red;">Field Tripping:</span> Bollywood dance class, Little India, and Diwali celebrations<br />
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<span style="color: red;">Cooking:</span> Gobi parantha, mango lassi popsicles and halwa<br />
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<span style="color: red;">Making Music:</span> Bhangra and Bollywood<br />
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<span style="color: red;">Crafting:</span> Rangoli, diya candles, Taj Mahal, peacocks, marigold and jasmine art<br />
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<span style="color: red;">Conversing:</span> <i>maza</i> - one of my favorite Hindi words<br />
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<span style="color: red;">Giving Back:</span> Asha, providing education for kids living in slums<br />
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We're packed and ready to go. Here's some photos of India to get us excited for our trip:<br />
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(all photos from <a href="http://www.nationalgeographic.com/">National Geographic</a>) </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Let's go!</div>
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Jenikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15584975511606263799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772766029075957379.post-21101528808836551332011-09-30T15:23:00.000+08:002011-09-30T15:23:09.088+08:00China album<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Here's a recap of all of our China activities. Click on the photos to follow through to a detailed post. <br />
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<div style="color: red; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">ITINERARY AND INTRODUCTION</span></div>
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<a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/09/for-september-whirls-and-twirls-will-be.html"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3aTsuGcQFmzonkTGO5dofnt-5VeMF8Kxzw09ucND_j-PylE6YTE32T6mKUnqimS81YMySW1v_yimFvIAhooQAohzcA9r9IeCJgDqCTzn9-qkoVe2_8B-ejDaVtTYzhchndi2gsJ7RyUFW/s320/CHIN0001.GIF" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;">CRAFTING </span></span></div>
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collage</div>
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<a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/09/china-crafts-kick-off-collage.html"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB7u78veUpbz5CH22KEMwOsWT2zJQp0LXUPFavfxh_U_7RcXbMiyh6Ra-0_oVlSYVXTOGC1m4mU_ticIgxs2MrkmJ_slFkRZ6XSnQ8EtQ9cXoQ40POPTXpAvzLtIsx8ZVcgbAlFCKZJYMh/s320/IMG_5574.JPG" width="320" /></a> </div>
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paper lanterns </div>
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<a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/09/china-crafts-paper-lantern.html"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghcqGa_Q4mU46x7LIDv9DfZYy1Cr1mejvasAU3_nCKvSPPEHMMAdkp-SMoX0aqoQ4n-1EFvCQe_jm6zF7fnWrfe7xHgq1zjsQmHYfp7sz8e8IoIJAeRFZRlxWTX7C06_2n6QxeZ-xMNgxY/s320/IMG_5591.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
mooncatcher</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/09/china-crafts-mooncatcher.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRqJwSQraOTRJ9jzc6G_79ensAZ9h1Op-bPFE1-l_DMWJLsbqCRdvaCIVFPSLo0zpsLF7cESV4I9hOegTEkfyxtflY8-KnttTEZYKGWvVAM-utuMS4ZHug_zoeRJ0XvkrvPsjdMfVtczYo/s320/IMG_5830.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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dragon puppet </div>
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<a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/09/china-crafts-dragon-puppet.html"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtzQFpLSjcMWlJrWcaORr5m5jvygWqe-r81DtnI_qf7yms_yRa-NIoeIDecZ9ncjWoF6FBAj8RAhzWXf1Bn3IXTkC7XypSq0Y6NaZHUWeHT5a9vxfhRbhlMRD2AfsIW_mdAeZD0JnPfEtr/s320/IMG_5853.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
stuffed panda </div>
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<a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/09/china-crafts-stuffed-panda-toy.html"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXAdO0FgcMRZ3tWKjKmviEPhpnxkZTPqVzVsykXRSJjRGcildoibeIrbI6Qm7k7NZsRQ4IzEK6HJsoiedOoI-sJwdLYqk6ZzkjJV6Ai2awoyQrgehqv4UA3EQs2xbqIUtsQxeGFrvs-Mjr/s320/IMG_6075.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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Chinese calligraphy </div>
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<a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/09/china-crafts-chinese-calligraphy.html"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOWO9BfFOJCQd5t3nSMdAYzSueHmAqvB-Z8pEQCHGVxvXfKWxuvcyqB9XcqBPQeDtjpaG_hoAfDvMAA4dvTPVPaskv5ShRwhPVW2JjNr0CuyEj8WF39scQjmgFuBygNqA2u1S6uEygX1ie/s320/IMG_6090.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
rainbow rice </div>
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<a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/09/chinese-crafts-kaleidoscope-rice.html"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXfrqYM9fgAfF9iNayWx-8eW5-9gF1F0f-avjwi_lUDJJD72JG2o-1ea38Fz26X5BCbL3EfJQ9aQ-2lUXWqcEYd6Vbv7FkszAeydJWEhaj14phHkLuyqteT45wwuSs55VQTbOS6xNeIMrl/s320/IMG_6114.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
fan </div>
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<a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/09/chinese-crafts-fan.html"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFfW10XWjDMT4sKehb0KSbd-3MQ6p97dC_IZvgBTN-6DTMFAzjMKTOvI1hLgGW_WwG5WmTjsVg7AXwkfwiBRKgnvhMmm8d6E-wGPvHHR_P-VajFC5x50AmxHDdvhTTR8TSTYUrlmuJ4PBu/s320/IMG_6101.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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pop-up Chinese city and Great Wall </div>
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<a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/09/chinese-crafts-pop-up-chinese-city-and.html"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglj0wZSAOxHImN3Hgi41XeUj4YG2YTL-a4DZ0XTwM3twXFDyy_kgqPFbS8PyWjQ3AkTNQEsWIbJN3DR8lMCT9OGlO3hovAcmCIPQQ_ra9APeWZM-YOwSAk7gclXxBpV_6_iXQK9xwD8T4r/s320/IMG_6139.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div style="color: red; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">READING</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Find us on <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/whirlsandtwirls">Goodreads</a> for book reviews and lists of all the books we've read. </div>
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<br /></div>
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picture books</div>
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<a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/09/not-surprisingly-there-were-handful-of.html"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNiOywSRiuRuyAzl2YNeABe_16ctGciupSZnE3V2ww8GpUUGFEsidXKZHNm3UFOsLFu6D_JnnjaEA3bKh-UzAZc7Y6yRric54SXPHTlaeKy4NJn5wrVZM0fvuOGCc5d0UXDfyxj6mMgG0/s320/IMG_6083.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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grown-up book</div>
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<a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/09/china-grown-up-book.html"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvcMFSh-GUUMEMZl_iK4Xr7_cTFOldgJg4wsmpEQ-Rs9WRhWVk0eiPohqtmeHO1cNKhMYwlti0flriky-trI29J_3qCQZnmNyjgRIThETuF_IA3unOaYv6QLeP8A3e8DpCZ5nVQlPL5owU/s320/book.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">COOKING</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span>mooncakes</div>
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<a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/09/china-cooking-mooncakes.html"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZS2EjezsDfGQFqOPcBItbMYxuNrS1K4TIQK7hPBe9d8Z_MSMxoKmguNyBcuKuBH3vEMSJ_QiErpZkt-sCblB6XBLZM3fWjoHna1S0b2YDgT5o1kGT9Z2SXeJSmVp6747asGpiv7ZvFVWR/s320/IMG_5872.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">FIELD TRIPPING</span></div>
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Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations</div>
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<a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/09/china-field-trips-mid-autumn-festival.html"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggAsBvJPlMvJPnpoeAcBwMS3reYX6P17XxQs4FwKkic_gRn7D8V6G2GxioDp4pQVD-4aC91udhYKL4r9-LOYYTqBkAMrGSc8Pkur14lNujJPYVCUptnG0DYtnYX5EzI2n5soDWflmXXuSl/s320/IMG_5761.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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Lantern Walk</div>
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<a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/09/china-field-trips-lantern-walk.html"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL25cPRw0eOBCZ2vDAXC79KmPhkmKFEaObjUcqnROwyKArdnJ1qNjfqsaKQyYD5s3tyAcj4m8D-m4KfM_Kv1U5Rk53X_D22ZFuzINEmBP8HMzljhshhbcOPOLzM0kB6g6b3WIcWnk_93eO/s320/IMG_5907.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Chinatown </div>
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<a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/09/china-field-trips-chinatown.html"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh17HIG1mbMUUNz0dnMtIrx_1EZFZSy8CYZ_r5yrGayn3xqLpF8PKbWsBVBL_vlFwu5GV1Wqri1UpTnV9789iSbbgnwpnqProUVVpvYaEkvGGqREmr4hfPlZjBZiG00xtvtcqbrqEb3C7u_/s320/IMG_6033.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div style="color: red; text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">MAKING MUSIC</span><br />
<div style="color: black;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span>Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in Mandarin </div>
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<a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/09/china-music-twinkle-twinkle-little-star.html"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMwQmsX2g4NaKq_CADJskrduA_4a98mJ9ZSHVU7r_tQYZFYpTUW-sQilI85AOrBVSDNm1LYzxdPtoE5OMCuN5X9qqoWlKl0AQBE80UE5WSHecmMSMDgrMfWpmgN65M5a9ID_YIFeO6aVIc/s320/IMG_5802.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">CONVERSING</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
moon </div>
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<a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/09/china-language-moon.html"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNSsPoyg3siJ7QX35xnAwmdPp95LQAdtqUOTimRZYe7DFfyiHiZF58upVgncaOhdCq0WofptgdH__P6wysWb6-tBJgqbnP_6tB-77D-wuiR6JKCelKhQEcA9crYsWy_5RgP9jdxyJttnzK/s320/IMG_5803.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggAsBvJPlMvJPnpoeAcBwMS3reYX6P17XxQs4FwKkic_gRn7D8V6G2GxioDp4pQVD-4aC91udhYKL4r9-LOYYTqBkAMrGSc8Pkur14lNujJPYVCUptnG0DYtnYX5EzI2n5soDWflmXXuSl/s1600/IMG_5761.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;">GIVING BACK</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
donation to The Library Project <br />
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<a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/09/china-donation-library-project.html"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE4mwJnsl22q-8wtCYdpq35GizE21ZJyZz6kQdLrA2RPXYBqQN613erfHuKVlKJWBqgw1FksXOYc6q9mYueJRZuxx_SD2eUPvvn_WM2ukqp6izXucSuKzl_9LS4jWcHFvqI0MIwQtBGLyb/s320/IMG_6195.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Jenikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15584975511606263799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772766029075957379.post-67838627612335937802011-09-30T10:46:00.000+08:002011-09-30T10:46:00.237+08:00China reflections<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I'd been looking forward to our China month because I knew it would get us out into our local community in Singapore, which is heavily dominated by Chinese culture. We were active participants in the Mid-Autumn celebrations around Singapore. We learned more about the foods that we've been eating since we moved here. And we learned a couple new Mandarin words along the way. <br />
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Did you find any resources in your local community? A Chinese restaurant selling mooncakes? Or a community center with festival celebrations? A neighbor with a lantern in their window?<br />
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Just as The Whirl Girl and I have been discovering parts of our local community, Whirls and Twirls has been connecting with members of its global community. In addition to all of our crafty-cooking-musical goodness, I've been working on trying to spread the wings of Whirls and Twirls to reach a bigger audience.<br />
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I get an almost daily reminder from The Whirl Girl about how
Whirls and Twirls is changing her perspective. When she's not asking to
do another project - which she frequently is - she is remembering
something that she's learned in our "travels." It is inspiring to me as
a parent, and as a global educator, to see how her worldview is
expanding through our adventures. And when you feel inspired, you want to share it!<br />
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This month, we made two steps in that direction. We were featured on <a href="http://www.modernparentsmessykids.com/2011/09/good-to-know-tragedy-empathy-emergency.html">Modern Parents Messy Kids</a>, one of my favorite crafty parenting blogs, in a thoughtful 9/11 post on raising kids with empathy and global perspective. And I wrote a guest post on the Barefoot Books <a href="http://blog.barefootbooks.com/2011/09/bringing-books-to-life/">Living Barefoot</a> blog about how we bring life to their fantastic books with crafts and cooking projects. <br />
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These collaborations reminded me of one of the best parts about writing Whirls and Twirls - the discovery of new communities of people that share my passions for travel, creativity, and global education.<br />
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I've been sharing some of these amazing resources here and there in posts and by adding links that I find useful down the right sidebar. From here on out, I'm going to try to be a bit more systematic about it. Each Monday will feature a resource that I've found that relates to our efforts here.<br />
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If you are a like-minded soul out there, let us know what you're working on. Or if you've found a website or organization that you think we should know about, please share it with us. Likewise, please share our website with those who think might be interested in joining us for the ride.<br />
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But what you really want to know is where are we going next month?! Without further ado, for October, Whirls and Twirls will be traveling to....<br />
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INDIA!<br />
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Jenikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15584975511606263799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772766029075957379.post-47459900422821960762011-09-29T18:29:00.001+08:002011-09-29T18:31:02.777+08:00China donation: The Library Project<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's my favorite time of the month - when we make our donation to an organization doing good work in our country of focus. <br />
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Our donation this month will be going to <a href="http://www.library-project.org/">The Library Project</a>. It's an organization that donates books and libraries to underfunded schools and orphanages in China. They have donated over 350 libraries - and in them more than 300,000 Chinese language children's books. Books and reading are such a big part of Whirls and Twirls that this was a natural fit. <br />
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It was also something that The Whirl Girl could relate to. We talked about how lucky we are to have a full bookshelf of our own and access to a library that has lots and lots of books. And we talked about how some kids don't have any books at all. We looked through The Library Project's website together, which has some great photos of kids receiving and reading books. <br />
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And then for our card to send with the donation, we made a little book of our own. I cut out some pictures from old cards and The Whirl Girl glued them onto paper, added some "words" of her own, and we stapled it all together with a note from me about our donation and our project. <br />
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Jenikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15584975511606263799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772766029075957379.post-83463254961144795132011-09-28T09:15:00.000+08:002011-09-28T09:32:34.309+08:00Kenya donation: Remembering Wangari Maathai<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I received the news of the death of Wangari Maathai, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Kenyan environmentalist on Monday night from <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15060167">BBC</a>. It brought tears to my eyes. We were part of the large community of people whose lives she touched and inspired.<br />
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We were introduced to Maathai when Whirls and Twirls went to <a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/06/kenya-album.html">Kenya</a>. A number of the <a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/06/kenya-picture-books.html">picture books</a> we read were about Maathai's work and life. When we read these books together, they imparted an understanding of the importance of helping others, protecting our environment, and standing up for what is right. The Whirl Girl asked lots of questions as we read them. She learned that some people in the world have less than others and we talked about what kinds of things we can do to help. <br />
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At the same time, I read Maathai's <a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/06/kenya-grown-up-book.html">memoir</a>. I was moved by her story, and especially, of her description of how her courage grew over time. She did not set out to be such a force in Kenyan society and politics, but rather kept responding to the great needs that she saw in her country. It was a good reminder to me of the importance of fighting injustice on scales small and large.<br />
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We gave our first <a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/06/kenya-crafts-fabric-collage-card.html">donation</a>
to her organization, The Green Belt Movement, with a card made by The Whirl Girl. The Whirl
Girl still asks me out of the blue - four months later - if Wangari got
her card. <br />
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That isn't the only way Wangari is remembered in our house. Each night when The Whirl Girl takes a bath turns the water off
quickly instead of playing so that she doesn't waste water. She tells
us that doing so "makes Wangari happy." And as we were driving around Singapore last week, we noticed that they were cutting down a row of trees near our house to widen the road. The Whirl Girl told us that Wangari wouldn't like that, as she remembered the description of Maathai planting trees in the books we read.<br />
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One of my main goals for starting Whirls and Twirls was to encourage The
Whirl Girl's capacity for empathy and to develop her sense of
responsibility to the wider world. Learning and talking about Maathai was our first "experiment" in actively doing so. It was just as good of a lesson to me as a parent as it was to The Whirl Girl. I am grateful to see firsthand that there are age-appropriate ways to expose my daughter to the harsher realities of the world and to nurture her ability to care for others and our environment. <br />
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Thank you, Wangari, for sharing your story, your dreams, and your determination with us. Thank you for inspiring our family to make the world a better place. </div>
Jenikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15584975511606263799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772766029075957379.post-73480741769555291092011-09-24T08:52:00.000+08:002011-09-28T09:27:00.581+08:00Chinese crafts: Pop-up Chinese city and the Great Wall<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
As we know, more people live in China than anywhere else: about 1.3 billion. At least 1/3 of them live in cities.<br />
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I've loved these <a href="http://madebyjoel.com/2010/04/paper-city.html">paper city and vehicle templates</a> at Made by Joel ever since I saw them and have just been waiting for the occasion to use them. What better way than to build our own "Chinese city"? In addition to the city buildings and cars/buses/bicycles, I added a Chinese <a href="http://www.rainbowkids.com/HTMLFiles/China_Home.pdf">temple</a> and the <a href="http://www.rainbowkids.com/HTMLFiles/China_site.pdf">Great Wall of China</a> from the <a href="http://www.rainbowkids.com/HTMLFiles.aspx?page=ChinaAct">Rainbow Kids</a> China resources. We also looked at pictures and video of the <a href="http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/great-expeditions/5019/Overview#tab-Photos/14">Great Wall</a> on National Geographic to get The Whirl Girl's imagination flowing. And later in the day, we read <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2262140.Good_Morning_China">Good Morning China</a>, one of our <a href="http://whirlsandtwirls.blogspot.com/2011/09/not-surprisingly-there-were-handful-of.html">books</a>, and used her toys reenact some of the typical activities in a Chinese city park (tai chi, badminton and waltzing!). <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPRAoQYc-gy1rl-HHTapAbSEKmY13N3FOuNWNdhl5Ez2Ms48Lu0OujkT8zGO_XkzIFZEjkE9wAkiCkD6CxMWLjkLVyAIE-4U2lQqi8URo8l1w5Qd8MCSQiaexLD-sniWDlQe3ULYYBVyru/s1600/IMG_6140.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPRAoQYc-gy1rl-HHTapAbSEKmY13N3FOuNWNdhl5Ez2Ms48Lu0OujkT8zGO_XkzIFZEjkE9wAkiCkD6CxMWLjkLVyAIE-4U2lQqi8URo8l1w5Qd8MCSQiaexLD-sniWDlQe3ULYYBVyru/s320/IMG_6140.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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To make the city pieces, I printed them out on cardstock. The Whirl Girl colored them and I cut them out.<br />
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Then we set them up in her room (on a convenient city Ikea rug). Her "little friends" all lined up to see the Great Wall and the temple, with the cars, bikes and buses on the roads. <br />
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Jenikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15584975511606263799noreply@blogger.com0