Editor's Note: This travel journal is part of an ongoing series documenting Dr. Bruce Anderson's travels through India with a group of University of Iowa dental students from late June to early July 2026. Entries are published regularly and reflect the author's personal observations and experiences throughout the trip.

For nearly four decades, Dr. Bruce Anderson (DDS ’88) has combined a passion for dentistry, education, service, and travel. A University of Iowa College of Dentistry alumnus and longtime adjunct faculty member in Community and Preventive Dentistry, Anderson spent 30 years leading public health dental clinics in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula before retiring from clinical practice. Since 2019, he has participated in multiple educational trips to India, helping provide students with opportunities to experience dentistry and culture beyond the classroom. In this first journal entry from the 2026 trip, Anderson reflects on the anticipation of departure and the perspective that comes from seeing the world through a different lens.

“I’ve Looked at Clouds from Both Sides Now”

Hampton Inn & Suites
9480 W. Higgins Road
Rosemont, IL 60018
6/22/2026

Flight AA4973, actually American Eagle operated by Republic Airways, powered through the partially cloudy skies over Des Moines and veered east towards Chicago.  It was a beautiful day in the upper 60’s and I relished the cool morning air and afternoon warmth of the sun.  I looked down through the clouds to see the green fields and blue ponds of the Iowa farmland.  Soon, I’ll be boiling hot looking across the scorched reddish-brown soil of Southeast India!

My UBER driver was a repeat – Kenneth – age 64 and from SoCal.  “I remember you going to India last year, and here you are again!  I really like living in Des Moines so much better than California.  The prices are just so high out there and I actually enjoy the four seasons, but the first winter sure was tough!”  We noted that while Des Moines is a bargain in so many ways, the recreational possibilities are less than desirable!

Douglas, at the American Airlines check-in was helpful and courteous, so like all the various airline’s employees here in Des Moines.  So was Terri, the ever-helpful TSA agent who helped me load my 2 carryon bags onto the belt of the fine scanning equipment at DSM that doesn’t require separation of liquids, laptops, or other items. 

Walking through the moderate sized terminal, I began the transition from normal life to the traveling life.  The right of passage is getting through TSA (so easy in DSM) and then entering the sterile area, with people looking a bit tired and anxious.  I don’t like traveling that much in peak season – June through August.  Too many people and the compounding of delays and cancellations can cause real issues.  Actually, summer thunderstorms and tornadoes can be more problematic than winter conditions in the Midwest!

My advice for navigating the gates and conditions of any airport is to not stress, tell yourself to relax when others are freaking out (usually due to lack of experience) and figure out how to minimize the impact on body and brain.  I wanted to tell that to the panting dog whose owners had illegally let out of its pet carrier and was standing on the carpeted walkway.  If you watch reruns of “The Dog Whisperer” you’ll know that’s a sign of nervousness.  The terminal was actually cold inside!

Last stop was gate 16 where Dianna greeted me.  She said they were holding passengers at this point from the jet bridge so I turned around to wait.  Then she called “Passenger Bruce Anderson to the podium please” and I returned with a smile.  “It’s ok for you to go ahead,” she said, as they try to get the front of the bus filled first.  A VERY large man barged ahead of me down the jet bridge.  It’s a funny thing – there’s usually a seat for everyone and we all leave at the same time!

Keke (same pronunciation as my cousin) had the longest eyelashes I have ever seen (artificial) and offered me a drink in 3A.  On the small jets I like this seat as there is no one next to you – aisle and window both!  The other attendant, Tyler, who looked 16, paced up and down the aisle.  He began slamming shut the overhead bins with a crash.  He needed to take lessons from the Delta One staff who close them in the most quiet and gentle manner.  All those noises really add up to make your day more stressful if you allow them to.  It's cumulative!

On the 40-minute flight, the ubiquitous basket of snacks was offered.  I really could have used a sandwich…  We flew over beautiful green golf courses and large homes with swimming pools with blue water (unlike the reflecting pools in D.C.)  As usual, the landing gate was at the far end of the terminal.  However, after the long walk to baggage, my bags were first off.  I met up with Juan not too long after and caught his shuttle to the hotel. 

Sky was the lovely desk clerk at the Hampton and quickly got me checked in, even though they offer a remote check in including a code.  The personal touch seems just more traditional and welcoming.

I have stayed here a number of times.  It’s quiet, guest rooms are large, and there are a variety of places to eat close by.  I chose Cilantro Taco Grill just down the street.  Two “thuglike” guys barged ahead while I decided what to order.  The picadillo nachos with flan and a bottle of water set me back $30 – not much cheaper than airport food, but better tasting!

Getting to Chicago ahead of the group allowed me to settle in, repack a bit, and relax before the huge flights ahead.  We did originally book Etihad thru Abu Dhabi, but switched to Lufthansa a few weeks ago after receiving an email from the U of Iowa stating it would be better not to fly through the Middle East.  However, with the latest “agreement” it probably would have been ok.  I did see a Qatar flight take off as we landed.  We have been on that flight connecting through Doha (where there was just an explosion at a natural gas plant.)

The world is a changing place.  We had to all fill out the new eArrival cards for India within 72 hours of our landing in Chennai, so we just did that.  Just when you think you have it all figured out, things change again.  It’s better to accept that the world indeed is a vast and mysterious place.

Joni Mitchell wrote “I’ve Looked at Clouds…” in 1967 WHILE on a plane.  It’s a masterpiece of lyrical expression – one of my favorites.

Our group is going to experience the opposites of our Western lives – Eastern thought, different foods, contrary ways of life.  That is the purpose of travel.

“I've looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow
It's life's illusions I recall
I really don't know life at all”

"Travel Daze"

Lufthansa Flight LH 758
Frankfurt, Germany to Chennai, India
(Somewhere between)
Seat 5A
6/24/2026

Many people this year have asked, “How long does it take to get to India?”  I LIKE to tell them THREE days, just for effect…  Technically, there ARE three days (local time) on the calendar that we are traveling:

Tuesday, June 23, 2026
Wednesday, June 24, 2026
Thursday, June 25, 2026

(This doesn’t count my DSM to ORD flight on Monday…)

We left Chicago a bit late in the afternoon (5:15) on Tuesday and landed in Frankfurt on Wednesday.  And tomorrow (Thursday) we land in Chennai, India.

What I don’t tell people right away is that we land in India at ten minutes after midnight, so I fudge a bit.  All of this is due to the “magic” of crossing time zones in the opposite direction of the sun.  The return is basically ONE big day!  We leave on Tuesday and arrive on Tuesday flying west most of the time.

Travel has its ups and downs.  Its exhilarations and disappointments.  Rewards and penalties.

So far, this trip has been outstanding and the students just as outstanding.  Everyone is looking out for each other and communicating well. 

Etihad and most international airlines fly out of Terminal 5 in ORD.  Originally, we WERE flying Etihad through the Middle East.  Changing over to Lufthansa, I didn’t notice the terminal change as well.  Three of the students who drove from Iowa City arrived at Terminal 1 after they noticed the correct location on their apps.  The last arrived at Terminal 5 – exactly where I told her we would meet.  She politely texted and I apologized for my mistake.  We all ended up appropriately at Terminal 1 after she rode the train over and my shuttle driver, Juan, correctly delivered me there as well.

The place was a madhouse.  A flight the night before was cancelled and so some of the leftover passengers were in the line as well.  A German man in a dark trench coat pushed a bit from behind.  I finally asked one of the Lufthansa staff with large rhinestone earrings policing the line about the business class queue.  She said I could go over to it and then agreed to let the 4 other Iowans come too.  We ended up in the First-Class line with a short wait, going ahead of dozens of other passengers.

When I got to the check-in, she was behind the counter.  She was a bit short in attitude, yet polite at the same time – very Germanic.  When the student behind me didn’t have her printed eVisa, she was about to turn her away, but I insisted that it was on her phone and she finally consented to check her in.  Another student also hadn’t printed her eVisa, and so she wanted to refuse her.  However, an Indian agent of Lufthansa was right next to her and consented to print off both eVisas, thus saving the day.  He also printed another student’s eArrival card, so we were all set thanks to him.

By the time this was all completed, and after passing through TSA, we didn’t have time for our intended briefing (sit-down lunch) about the trip.  So, we hit a fast sandwich place and ate at a nearby gate.  However, the crew was late for our flight and we had plenty of time for more discussion and a group photo before boarding – a tall, young guy passing by was roped into taking the photo…

The unique thing about this flight, LH758 (ORD to FRA) was that it was on an old fashioned 747B.  I had explained to the students that this, in a way, was a very special flight in that Lufthansa is about the only airline that still flies the plane for passenger flights.  They were THE aircraft of the 70’s and hundreds of them flew for years, especially for Northwest and others. 

I flew them a lot in the 90’s and 2000’s to Asia, and received a special invitation from Delta to fly on their last commercial flight before they retired their fleet.  I had to decline the offer but it was a treat to once again step on board the first of the “Jumbo Jets.”  The four-engine plane has an excellent safety record, but consumes much more fuel than the newer two engine planes.

I had selected the back section of business class (I paid for the upgrade) as it was only 12 seats in a separate compartment and picked the back row.  It was an excellent choice as no one sat next to me in the 2:2:2 configuration and it was super quiet.

Caroline Wenz, Lufthansa employee #587464B, was the excellent flight attendant assigned to the starboard side of the plane.  She lives 70 km south of Frankfurt and had an impeccable American accent.  When I commented on that, she said that her instructor was actually a German who also taught French.  Her tongue ring was conspicuous and I probably stared too much at it.  She was tall, but her colleagues were even taller.

Dinner:

Amuse Bouche:  Tomatillo Salsa/Pico de Gallo/Pumpkin Seeds/Peruvian Corn

w/ Billecart Salmon Champagne Le Reserve

Appetizers:  Roasted Carrot Spread/Pickled Vegetables/Chive Crème Fraiche/Radish

Tuna Tataki/Lemongrass/Vegetable/Buckwheat w/2023 The Hermit Crab Viognier Marsanne

Main:  Pan-seared Salmon with white wine cream sauce/spinach/Leek/saffron Potato Mash w/2020 Château Poitevin (Médoc)

Dessert:  Cheese plate with Cheddar (white), Brie de Meaux, Goat Cheese, Apricot w/Graham’s 10 Years Tawny Port

I went to “bed” about 8:30 with the murmur of the engines inducing sleep.  I only woke up once prior to the service of breakfast at about 7:00 am local time.  The three children, two of them 2 and 4, going on with their parents to Lithuania, were role models, sleeping with their eye shades and blankets with seat belts over them.

The Iowa students deplaned just after me and together we found the next gate close by.  No security, and no terminal changes!  We wondered a bit and then found a place to sit down and eat.

Lucullus – Nero, an Italian place just off the Duty-Free area, offered salads, cold cut plates and drinks.  We all enjoyed it.  I shared some of the challenges ahead, like eating with your fingers and how to properly pass items to another person.  It was fun, but they began to fade with the jet lag and time change.

I hit the Lufthansa lounge for a bathroom break and some sparkling water.  It was quiet and the A/C was cool as I watched the various channels on TV reporting the record high temperatures in Europe, especially in France.

We met back at the gate and talked with several wonderful Indian ladies eager to hear more about our trip.  The students were rapidly learning how friendly and cordial South Indians truly are.  One of them, Anita, was remarkably friendly and was a Montessori instructor.

This time, our luck ran out – as far as jet bridges.  There was something wrong with our intended plane and so they switched equipment.  This required a “cattle car” ride quite a distance down the tarmac to an awaiting A340-300.  Flight LH758 was full and fairly cool with the A/C running.  The rest of the terminal was hot!

After taking seat 5A, the purser, Thomas, came up and said to me, “Dr. Anderson.  Thank you for flying today with us.  We appreciate your business.  We noticed you are a doctor and would like to use you as a resource if we need help.  What kind of doctor are you?”  I explained that I was a dentist and he said that the Lufthansa staff can’t touch any passenger, but that in case of emergency, he would reach out to me.  “When I have a quiet moment, I will come back and review our equipment with you.”

Later he brought an iPad-like device turned to the pages of the emergency equipment and meds.  It WAS interesting to look at – especially the urinary catheters.  I haven’t placed one of those since my hospital days in the late 1970’s.  The stethoscope and BP cuff I could handle…

The flight attendant, Anita Klooster, assigned to my area was a very German looking woman with dirty blonde hair severely tied back.  She had the skin tone of a person who spent a lot of time outdoors – that permanent tanned look (but not orange!)  Her skills were ok, but not with the finesse of the other staff.  My seatmate (first time) was an Indian who had lived in Canada for 30 years in the Toronto suburb of Oakville.  Shermila was kind, quiet, and had a sense of humor.  As a Canadian project manager, she was guiding her family building a multi-generational home in Chennai.  It was her fourth trip this year to do that.

The cabin of 36 was not nearly as intimate and cosy as the last, but was quiet.  80% were of Indian descent.  The rest of the plane was 90%+ Indian.

Lunch:

Amuse Bouche – Buttermilk Mousse/Caponata/Parsley Oil
w/Champagne Le Reserve (Billecart Salmon)
Appetizers – Arugula Cream Cheese/tomato, Truffled Artichoke Cream/Tomato/Avocado, Corn-Fed Chicken Tonnato/Fried Capers/Lemon
w/2023 The Hermit Crab Viognier Marsanne (same as before – too oaky/herbal for me)
Main – Guinea Fowl Breast w/ Cognac Pepper Sauce, Green Beans, Rosemary Potatoes
Desert – Strawberry Basil Tartlet/Rhubarb Compote  (This was very delicious) w/ hard chocolate wafer (with Lufthansa logo)

Shermila and I agreed it was too much!

It was time for a nap – a long one.  Cabin lights were dimmed, window shades shut and a quiet/calm descended in the cabin.  I slept horizontally for a long time – hours.  The almost ten-hour flight went quickly.  About an hour and a half before landing:

Dinner:

Poke Bowl – soy mayonnaise, edamame, beetroot, radish, mango, rice with raw salmon.
Delicious multigrain roll with German butter
Dessert – Macron, petit choux, berries

I told Anita that this was my favorite meal and she broadly smiled (first time) and said it was her favorite, too, if available.  After I thanked her for her excellent service on the flight, she became my best friend…  She was pretty sullen prior to that.

Thomas came around near the end of the flight and thanked me for volunteering but was happy no medical issues happened on board.  “If you don’t plan, something will happen, but if you plan, most of the time nothing happens,” he said cheerfully.  Even though we were all becoming friends, it was time to leave the plane via a separate jet bridge to the front.  I felt amazingly rested and ready for the possible challenges ahead.  I don’t always feel that way and so it was good not to be in a daze after the three “days” of travel.

“Check out, check in, drop out”

The Residency Towers
115, Sir Thyagaraya Road
Chennai 600 017

6/25/2026

Sometimes, in this environment, you DO want to drop out:  to fall in bed on crisp white sheets in the A/C hotel room and chill.  Big time.  (Currently it’s 95F and 51% relative humidity.)

We landed at Chennai International (MAA) at about 12:40 in the morning, slightly later than the schedule.  I welcomed the students to India one by one as they set foot on Indian soil for the first time.  They each get a photo as they come off the plane by tradition.  They looked tired but none the worse for wear.  (They’re young.)

Bringing all the stuff I do (presents, trophies, certificates, etc.) always makes me a bit nervous entering the country, but at immigration, when asked where I was going, I said, “I have always wanted to see Mahabalipuram and that seemed to satisfy her.”  The less said, the better!  (I do always want to see it!)

We reassembled at the customs screening area which is a VERY cursory look at carry on luggage.  (Why they don’t screen the checked baggage is beyond me…)  Our checked bags slowly came off the belt but we all became fully assembled again.  It was a relief to all be here with all our stuff and through customs and immigration.  A cursory stop at the toilets and we were off.  Outside the terminal was the mass of people waiting for friends, family, and customers.  But after 1:00 am, it was a much smaller one.

Rajiv, my driver “friend” from the hotel, was there with a colleague and two tempo vehicles.  He was very friendly and cordial.  It’s nice to have people you know waiting for you in the early hours of the morning!  “Sir, I have taken you on two other trips so far,” he said with a smile.  He kept looking at me like he couldn’t believe I was back again.  That has happened before in Laos and Thailand as well.

In true Western style, I reserved one vehicle for the luggage and one for the 5 of us.  We had an easy ride to the hotel in the dark and steamy night.  The night manager and a desk clerk were there to greet us in a very friendly manner and had us checked in lickety split – so much faster than before – but this time I’m just paying myself and getting reimbursed by the U so it was much easier…

It’s hard to arrive in the dark in a strange place, especially for the four who had never been there.  But it’s a beautiful, quiet and safe hotel – perfect for the first night with showers and A/C working, etc.  It just didn’t present well at 2:30 am!  We were in our rooms at 02:45!  I stayed up to get organized and send out an email.

We met just a few hours later at 9:00 am at the Carnaby restaurant, a full service international-style buffet with tons of choices.  I always make this optional, but three of the four made it and we had a marvelous time ordering custom omelets and hot drinks as well as cruising the breakfast buffet tables.  Their croissants were even decent!  I enjoyed delicious cups of marsala tea with plenty of sugar and milk while others had the cappuccino and even some doughnuts.  It seemed to please all of them.  They all said everything had exceeded their expectations so far!

We then entered the streets of T. Nagar (the shopping district) with the stifling heat and sun.  A tenacious auto rickshaw driver who offered a ride for all of us for 100 INR an hour and some “wonderful” shopping.  (Yes – his brother-in-law’s!)  We made it to a reliable bank ATM and each withdrew about $100 worth of rupees – INR 10,000.  We then walked to my favorite A/C supermarket for beverages and snacks for the road trip ahead.  Back at the hotel, the refrigerated hotel room was a welcome respite from the short tour of Chennai!

At about 12:45, Kalai arrived with our vehicle for the ride to Pondi.  We gathered our luggage and our wits and boarded the Tempo Traveler and headed out about 1:10 after an easy checkout.  Everyone enjoyed the respite from travel with good food and cool rooms for the less than twelve hours we were there!

The road trip was slowed with tons of traffic in the seemingly never-ending urban landscape of shops, hotels, schools and food stalls.  We had lively conversations on many topics including dentistry, dental education and the world at large.  At 3:30, we had a surprise at 99 km coffee Magic.  Several of the students from the dental school from two years ago had arrived to greet us.  It was great to see Dr. Yazhini M and Dr. Vishnu B (age 25) now in a prosthodontic program and working just a few km from the coffee stop.

They provided coffee, tea, and local Indian sweets for us, as well as a welcome and interesting conversation about what they are doing now and about the place in general.  It’s always nice to see a familiar face practically at each stop.

We arrived at the Atithi Hotel, our home away from home about 5:45 pm and were greeted by our good friends and trip planners, Dr. Senthil M and Ms. Chitra Shaw.  Senthil, of course, is the head of the prevention department at the dental school and Chitra, the head and founder of the Satya Special School that we always visit and partner with.  I checked the group into the hotel which is under a new management team.

It was then 6:15 pm and time to settle into the rooms and meet at 6:45 for the student’s first ride in an “auto.”  (An autorickshaw is like a motorcycle with a cage built in to hold passengers behind the driver.)  We “negotiated” a fare of 200 INR ($2.00) for each of the two of them and were off to Villa Shanti, a restaurant I have been to many times over the years.  Rates for the autos are certainly going up from 50-100 in the first year to now nearly 200 for foreigners.

The students were looking a bit tired at this point (I’m sure I did too) but hung in there and then revived when the following arrived:

Starters: 

Eggplant and Goat Cheese Roll
Lime and Thyme Infused Grilled Chicken
Zucchini Tater Tots

Mains:

Tandoor Tiger Prawns
Grilled Beef Tenderloin
Fish with black olives and basil Risotto

Dessert:

Crème Brûlée
Chocolate cake with ice cream
Espresso

The indoor, A/C room, which smelled of new paint, echoed our discussions and laughter in contrast with eating in the outdoor, non-A/C courtyard as in year’s past.

We walked back along the ocean in the dark and reached our hotel about 9:45 pm, plenty late for a full day in India.

I’m sure that the students dropped into their beds shortly after!

"Hot Hotter, Hottest"

Atithi Hotel
126, S.V. Patel Sali
Pondicherry 605 001
India

6/26/2026

Numerous people keep telling us that there are three seasons in Pondicherry:  hot, hotter, hottest.  It certainly is the “low season” for tourism according to Lonely Planet and there are very few westerners here on holidays.  The high was approximately 96F (35C) with humidity in the 60% range at that time.  (It’s currently 87F with 75% humidity.)

We met for breakfast at 7:30 am after our first night’s rest at the Atithi Hotel.  The buffet was rearranged from last year and was truly better than before.  We had made to order omelets and a variety of breakfast staples like toast, jam, and butter, breakfast cereal, fruit and traditional Indian breakfast dishes.  The students enjoyed their meal and were ready on time for the 8:15 departure of the car.

Our driver, Vasanth M, was ready and drove the crew through the crowded streets in a different direction than all the other drivers we’ve had over the years.  We finally crossed the recognizable estuary south of the city and the Chunnanbar River and then were on the way to the dental school.  A traditional welcome from staff and students at the school took place outside the front entrance.  It was great to see the familiar faces of all, including the principal, Dr. Aruna Sharma, who presented our welcome shawls in one of the few A/C spaces in the building.

We took a golf cart-like vehicle over to the Administration Block and visited Dr. Saravana Kumar, a long-time friend, who is now registrar.  He presented us with biodegradable toothbrushes from bamboo, an appropriate gift from a periodontist.  Also present was Dr. Ananthakrishnan, a truly fine mentor and oral surgeon at the school.  The Iowa students toured the unairconditioned 7 story building while I took a bit of a breather and had a Coke at the local canteen.

We wrapped up the final portion of the early afternoon with a visit with a group of 3 physiotherapists from Malaysia.  The urge to see Kuala Lumpur and Penang Island was rekindled by their discussions!

Vasanth drove us to the newly remodeled Mission Street branch of Surguru, one of my favorite places.

Lunch:
Onion Dosai (2)
3 taste Uthappam
Butter Paneer
Butter naan
Paneer Noodles (2)
Fresh lime sweet (drink) (5)

Banganapalli Mango – sliced (0.8 kg) – in season – could have been a bit riper, but good!

All of the above set us back about a total of US$15 for five.  The Iowa students are still getting used to a completely different economy!  (Labor and ingredients are cheap…)

After most of the meal, a very beautiful little local girl came to the table and targeted “I” to first say “Hi” to.  She spoke perfect English and was just the cutest ever.  I asked her what her name was.  We agreed it was close to “Dynasty” but aren’t certain.  I was across the table from her and didn’t have her sign my book!  (Dang…)

Here is a bit of the dialog:

“I”:  “You have beautiful bracelets.”

Dynasty:  “Those are not bracelets.  They are bangles.”

Bruce:  “How old are you?  Are you eight?”

Dynasty:  “I am not eight.  I am nine!”

Bruce:  “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Dynasty:  “I want to be a doctor.”

“I”:  “You are very smart.:

Dynasty:  “I am NOT smart.”  (She was – believe me!)

“I”:  “What subjects do you like in school?”

Dynasty:  “I like science and math.”  (great answer)

Bruce:  “Did you ask your parents permission to come and talk to us.”

Dynasty:  “Oh yes!”

Then she proceeded to take selfies (they learn at an early age) with each of the Iowa students and was amazingly adorable.  The parents finally came along and were very gracious and the mom smiled broadly.  It was a very special moment.

After waddling to the car, Vansanth drove us to the hotel where we did a “divide and conquer” maneuver, meaning that two of us rode on to Pothy’s while the rest went to their rooms.  “A” and I shopped all the floors of the department store and she finally bought some ornate hair clips after looking at silk fabric, cotton saris, and grocery and household items.  It was fun, but super-hot outside.  Walking to Pothy’s would have been completely out of the question for me!

Everywhere we go, we attract attention from the local people.  Did I mention that the Iowa students are TALL?  When we met in Chicago, I told them I had forgotten how tall they were – we mostly sat at meetings in Iowa City and it wasn’t so apparent.  All five of us are also very white and very pale, so it is impossible to hide.  Especially when an old man like myself is accompanying four beautiful young western women.  It gives everyone lots to talk about!

Tonight, we did another divide and conquer with the “young folks” going out with Dr. Merlin Breetta, who came to Iowa last October.  I tended the home fires at the Atithi.  I didn’t need to slow them down or completely sweat out another perfectly clean outfit in the heat!  As they say, “It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity!”

"Student Fears"

Atithi Hotel
126, S.V. Patel Sali
Pondicherry 605 001
India

6/27/2026

Every year I secretly wonder what the students are going to be like.  Here are some thoughts that go through my head:

1)     Will that individual be able to handle the rigors of international travel and some of the conditions found on the trip, like heat, different foods, and the like?

2)     How will each student, who we interview individually, get along in a group?  Will there be synergy?  Or will someone feel like they are an outcast or WANT to be less than a part of the group?

3)     How will they represent our college, our university, our state and our country?  Will they be able to withstand the demands of constantly being “diplomatic” the entire time?

4)     Will this make a difference in their lives?  Will they come out of it a different or more aware person?

5)     Will they have fun?

This trip is “optional” and non-credited.  The students are here totally on their own time and their own partial payment of the expenses of the trip.  (The Richard and Nancy Christiansen fund pays the difference.)  Even though the students agree to follow the rules of the University of Iowa on this sanctioned trip, it IS their own time and I respect that, too.

Everyone did appear at breakfast today, but it wasn’t “mandatory” from now on.  Everyone’s doing well and so cooperative and participatory.

The main goal today was to observe the “oral health program for transgender at SCOHD.”  The overriding program, though, was the National Tobacco Control Programme which was held at a local government health station in the Pondicherry area.  We did a similar program last year at the same health station.  We didn’t have to go to the dental college first, but were able to ride in A/C comfort to the location with the same driver, M J Vansanth.

We took a brief tour of the entire facility and then were left to cool down in my friend Dr. O. Kavipriya’s, State Nodal Officer, National Oral Health Programme office which is the only A/C room in the place.  We had a lively discussion about “free” dental care, like at the Iowa Mission of Mercy (IMOM), and other places.  Senthil called to ask where we were and so we returned to the reception area of the clinic and prepared for the opening ceremonies for the event.

I sat in the front with another friend, Sheethal, a transgender woman, who is the founder and organizer of the Sahodaran Community Oriented Health Development Society (SCOHD,) as well as other dignitaries of the day.  What was different about this day from others was the standing recitation of the “Pledge Against Tobacco:”

“I ___________(your name here) take the pledge that I will not use any tobacco product ever in my life.  I will also encourage my family, friends and acquaintances to not use tobacco products.

I take the pledge that I will fully cooperate to protect the environment from the adverse effects of tobacco use.

I solemnly swear that I will not use any tobacco product ever in my entire life.  I also promise to make others aware about the ill effects of tobacco consumption and motivate them to quit tobacco.

I take the pledge that I will use my best abilities to make my institution and workplace tobacco free.  Further, I will do my best to make our society tobacco free.”

This was done in the local language of Tamil but a copy of the pledge in English was given to me as well.

The rest of the morning was devoted to observing the care of the patients who arrived AND to a round table discussion with Sheethal.  Last year, I met the “dresser,” a man who works many days a week at the clinic and addresses wound care with artistic and therapeutic flair.  J. Loganadane agreed that one patient could be observed and I grabbed “L” and we watched him work with a woman who had some type of infection over her left knee cap and had been incised and drained a while back.  He carefully changed the dressing using alcohol and an iodine solution and placed a new bandage to be changed in two days.

We then commenced with Sheethal telling us her life story and work with the transgender and LGBTQ community.  This was a great opportunity for our students to hear about the conditions in India of that population.  “There are only two possibilities for our group – begging or working in the sex trade.  One of the main things that we do is to support each other in every way possible,” she said.  When I asked her what she thought the most important thing that the Iowa students could do for this population, Sheethal said, “First, give them a chance.”

It was time to conclude the clinic with 65 patients being served.  We went to the Hotel Anandha Bhavan dining room and had the typical South Indian thali lunch.  (SH 49, opposite Mahatma Gandhi Medical College, Kattukuppam, Puducherry 60740).  This is a tradition of the trip and introduces the Iowa students to the thali meal that is designed to provide a perfectly balanced meal.  Indian Ayurvedic health practices prescribe that, “Every main meal should incorporate sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent flavors to provide deep satisfaction and prevent overeating.”  They had fun eating their first meal with their fingers. 

The whole affair is served on a stainless plate covered by a banana leaf with 12 or so small bowls of various foods and unlimited white rice.  There is a specific order in eating the meal and our host, Senthil, led us through it.  Fortunately, the place is A/C and small containers of vanilla ice cream were served at the end.  The whole affair sets one back about $2.50 while a similar one in Portland, Oregon where cousin Shirley and I go starts at about $20.00.

It’s a bit of a challenge to introduce this group to the “new” economy that they are living in here.  A simple extraction of a tooth in the USA is about $200-300 (D7140).  Here, our friend Senthil’s office charges about $10.00.  It’s hard for them to believe.  It’s no wonder so many Indian citizens want to practice in the USA, but the rules at home make it extremely difficult for them to do so.

On the way to the event today, our students had a long and lively discussion about dental school IN the USA, specifically their school.  Their fears center around finding the perfect career AFTER dental school and meeting the challenges of their current course work.  As in many situations like ours, since this trip requires considerable applications and preparations, these students almost self-select in that they are excellent at everything they do and shouldn’t have fears about finishing school and finding what they want in life.

"Circle of Life" 

Atithi Hotel
126, S.V. Patel Sali
Pondicherry 605 001
India

6/28/2026

This morning, Venkat, the excellent guide that I use each year, had a What’s App message:  “Allow me to report at 9:30 please.”  I had never had a guide ask for a delay in the schedule and so I didn’t want to be unkind to the students on the only day to sleep in.  So, we finally agreed at 9:15 and four of us met at breakfast.  The Iowa students had a good time with the Indian students last night and everything went well.

At 9:15 we met up with Venkat Speck and our same driver, Vasanth.  We drove off in the Sunday morning traffic in the same direction as the school, crossing the Chunnambar River again and finally turning west towards the Azhagu Muthu Ayyanar Temple close to Thennampakkam village in Tamil Nadu’s Cuddalore district. 

Venkat pointed out various things along the way, most notably the wet rice agriculture along the way, new to the four Iowa students in the car.  “We talk about agriculture and the repetitive nature of the planting, growing, and harvesting of the rice.  Just like the cows and goats we are seeing for milk – they eat the plants, they make dung, and then the dung carries the plants back into the soil.  Outside of this agriculture, there are those that raise the animals only for their meat.  The crops in the fields are rotated – maybe rice one cycle, then sugar cane, and then another crop before we go back to the rice.”

Upon arrival at the temple, the place was fairly crowded since it was Sunday, usually the only day that people have off from work and school.  We walked around the temple and took photos with the human effigies made now from concrete.  These are fabricated after someone prays for profession, children, or another wish and their wish is fulfilled.  Unfortunately, they are being made of concrete, Venkat says, and they are not going to be easy to “recycle” back into the earth.  “They used to be made of terracotta,” he said, “but now the trend is concrete which will not go back into the soil.”

We walked clockwise around the temple complex, the direction that is generally favored for ambulation for various religious and non-religious buildings in all parts of Asia.  After obligatory photos with the effigies, “A” wanted to visit the actual temple, a reasonable request.  However, we went into a part of the complex, past the actual temple, into another building called the Jeeva Samadhi (final resting place of soulful meditation) of Azhagar Siddhar, a saint who meditated and lived in the region hundreds of years ago.  It is said that he reached samadhi (a state of meditative consciousness) at the time of his death.

“What are the 5 elements?” Venkat asked.  Water, Fire, Earth, and Air – the ones that most of us got.  “You forgot one that is probably the most important or subtle to us – space or either.  But this saint venerated water and so this structure is dedicated to him, with water at the center.”  We sat and meditated quietly at the spot.

We had seen Muthaiyan, my potter friend that I first met in 2019, displaying his pottery by the temple earlier.  Now we journeyed to his former home, now pottery studio only, so that the students could throw a couple of pots and learn from the expert.  Muthaiyan is now 78 and is in pretty good health with the exception of his hearing.  He was given a pot of money to buy new ones, with help from Venkat, but he hasn’t done anything with it.  His eyes were clear, though, and expertly threw a number of pieces before allowing each student a chance at a couple of pieces.

The wheel itself is over 20 years old and is driven with a stick applied to an indentation in the wheel to first gain momentum.  Each student did well with the clay/mud mixture that was collected from the bottom of nearby pools.  Our driver, Vasanth, watched as he had never been here before.  Each of us bought a few dried pieces from Muthaiyan and he fetched some ripe and unripe mangoes from his trees.

Finally, it was time to journey to the banyan tree that has become a ritual each year.  It was used in the filming of “Life of Pi” and features the living priestess, Maheshwari Amma, who is literally a tree nymph.  She is now 85 and still tending the tree.  I wrote extensively about her in my 6.23.2024 email:

“Maheshwari is a Shakti cult practitioner/priestess, who comes from a long family line of this.  The primary reason for visiting this banyan tree is that it was used in the Life of Pi movie (2012) but I found the story of Maheshwari even more interesting.  She tends the tree, nourishes the aerial prop roots and readies the ground for their entry.

She has climbed the tree many times.  However, her hands and feet have been badly damaged.  While in a trance, she fell from the tree into a fire and injured her fingers and toes.  The trance kept her from feeling the pain of burning at the time.  Her bright orange sari and yellow blouse underneath contrasted with her dark skin and white hair.  Her eyes are dimmed by cataracts.

She came here almost 60 years ago and so there were already religious men here, meaning that the tree was 50 years old at the time.  “I think that the tree is probably 200 years old,” Venkat explained.  Maheshwari spends time on Sunday’s meditating.  The complementary force to Shakti is Shiva: universal consciousness.  This practice goes back 1000’s of years.”

Maheshwari sang the same song for us as before.  It’s a lullaby that she wrote.  Her voice was strong even though she is fading.  She has been visited by former Tamil Nadu residents who are now in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, etc., and recorded as they, “Have a stronger religious practice than we do here.”  Her daughter-in-law, who I have met in the past, prepared a small temple observance for us next to the tree.  We took the obligatory group photo under the banyan tree and included Maheshwari in the photo as well.

The students clearly recognized that this is a most unusual thing to do – not part of a “tour” or commercial experience that they could get anyway else.  Maheshwari’s tending of the tree will most likely be taken over by her daughter or second son that seems to have some of the same traits she has once she is gone.  Thus, the rebirth of the caretaker for the tree will occur.

We came to the end of our time with Venkat.  It was getting on to 2:00 PM and we were ready for lunch.  After a quick goodbye at the hotel, and dismissal of Vasanth, we quickly went to our rooms and then to the Surguru Hotel, just down the street.  There is a similar restaurant underneath the hotel and we sat in a semi-private room under the blast of a large A/C unit.

We became the spectacle of the staff, as we ordered probably far more food than the average patron.  It was a bit difficult to get them to deliver the cut-up mango that I ordered, but several bowls finally came of the ripe stuff.  Most of us ordered noodles and a nice bowl of chocolate ice cream at the end.

Just fifty minutes later, Senthil arrived with his daughter, Reshma, and we proceeded to Café Coffee Day, Ground Floor, No. 8 & 9/22 & 23, Priyadarshini Nagar Road, near Jipmer University, Kamaraj Nagar, Gorimedu, Priyadarshini Nagar, Pattanur, Puducherry 605006.

It took us a while to explore the menu of the Starbucks-like place, of which there are 900+ outlets in India, according to their website.  I circled back to a favorite of mine – Vietnamese Ice Coffee.  I checked at the counter to see what water was used to make the ice, and they assured me it was from purified water, which I was sure it was to begin with.  We drank numerous ice coffees in Laos similar to this place without issues over the years as well.

We then moved to visit the temple, Viswaroopa Jayamangala Panchamukha Sri Anjaneya Temple, most famous for its 36-foot-tall monolithic statue of Lord Anjaneya (Hanuman) in his Panchamukha (five-faced) form, representing strength, courage, success, and prosperity.  Most impressive is the gold vimana over the holy of holies of the temple and the gopura, the monumental entrance tower, which is covered with ornate multi-colored statues.

Loud music of drums and a double reed oboe-like instrument played while we viewed the “Floating Stone,” part of the epic of the Ramayana, where stones were used by Lord Rama's army to build a bridge to Lanka.  (This is a pumice stone that does literally float.)

We made our way finally to the Providence Mall on Cuddalore Road.  Senthil made his way into the basement parking structure and parked his navy TATA vehicle.  The ladies were most interested in gaining the experience of Reshma in selecting clothing at MAX. 

I was most interested in circling back to the hotel in an Autorickshaw.  It was my time to enter the A/C room and the possibility of rebirth from a pitted-out polo shirt and pants.  Senthil “bargained” for an autorickshaw at 200 INR ($2) to take me back to the hotel.  I didn’t reach samadhi, but a shower and a rest on the bed in A/C did revive my writing juices.

“From the day we arrive on the planet
And, blinking, step into the sun
There's more to see than can ever be seen
More to do than can ever be done
There's far too much to take in here
More to find than can ever be found
But the sun rolling high
Through the sapphire sky
Keeps great and small on the endless round
It's the circle of life
And it moves us all
Through despair and hope
Through faith and love
'Til we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the circle
The circle of life”

Lebo M

"Vice Squad"

Atithi Hotel
126, S.V. Patel Sali
Pondicherry 605 001
India

6/30/2026

Today was our day to meet the Vice-Chancellor – the figurehead of SBV – the university over the IGIDS dental college.  It’s usually a stiff affair with Indian formalities and speeches.  However, meeting Dr. Balakrishna P. Shetty (yes, you heard it…) was most enjoyable.

He had done medical studies in Texas in the 90’s and had vast experience with the US, including a daughter who graduated law school at NYU.  A brilliant man with a sense of humor, he described what it was like to come to the USA with a last name like that.  Unfortunately, his dealings with American schools lately, like NY (Buffalo), have been less than friendly with the new rules imposed by the US government.

Luckily, our new driver today was our “old” driver from last year – Mr. Nagaraj Drover (yes driver is a Drover) and we cordially met outside the hotel about 8:30.  After our meeting with the VC, Nagaraj drove us to the Apres Nursery and Primary School which is also part of the Apres home for school children.  It serves as a day school for some and a boarding school for others that are orphans, including members of the gypsy population.

The group had set up a mini-clinic in the dining hall and were already in full production when we arrived.  I spent most of the time talking with the driver and a friend, Dr. Shivashankar, while the others looked on.  We were to eat there which the others did, but Senthil took me to Kamatchi non-veg restaurant, where I had chicken ‘lollipops” and some of his “gravy” and naan bread with butter.  A lemon drink (Susee) in a plastic bottle with a trapped children’s marble washed down the whole affair.

We then rushed back to the SBV campus, where it was time to present to about 100 students three lectures over two hours:  “SDF – caries treatment and prevention,” “Hall Crown Technique,” and “Extraction of First Permanent Molars in the Developing Dentition.”

It’s always interesting to be in the “pit” of a lecture hall and look up at a sea of students' faces.  Some of them are completely engaged, and some have “deer in the headlight” expressions or are fighting sleep.  The crowd did well – better than I would probably have if I were sitting there listening to a foreigner not speaking my native tongue. 

Indian students are actually eager to ask questions – it’s just that in their culture, it’s not what they do.  However, AFTER the lectures, two students came up and one asked, “What is your opinion on dental trauma?”  A difficult question that would be something like, “What is your opinion on baseball?”  We narrowed the question to helping him find the best source for dental trauma information in the world, which was formerly an expensive book of which I have two editions, and now is a website with worldwide availability.

Another quick trip to the hotel and it was time to meet Ashok Panda (yes, that’s his name) for the “Heritage Tour” of Pondi, focusing mostly on the buildings in White Town.  Ashok loves to talk so I had to curb the discussion as we reached the Coromandel Café, an elegant restaurant in the area.  The students were excited by the atmosphere and I had:

Grilled Mahi Mahi with vegetables
Lemon meringue pie
and some white wine (not very good, but very cold)

A caravan of police and fancy cars passed by during the tour.  It probably contained my “friend,” the chief of police of Pondi as we were near his headquarters.  Who knows what vices he was chasing down today…

"Hygiene"

Atithi Hotel
126, S.V. Patel Sali
Pondicherry 605 001
India

7/1/2026

I needed a shower when we got back today at 5:00 PM.  I mean, I really needed a shower!  This morning at 06:45 I lathered up with a bar of Dial White soap, not dermatologist approved, and my own washcloth brought specifically for the purpose of being as clean and smell-free as possible.  (Like most of Europe, washcloths are not usually available here – I always bring some!)  My hypoallergenic and scent-free deodorant was copiously applied following the morning shower. 

I needed to brush my teeth when we got back, too.  I used Oral B Super floss 2X this morning along with Dr. Tongue’s tongue scraper AND a double brushing with Crest.  Between the samosas, the chicken tikka with raw onions in yoghurt and additional tomato sauce for lunch, ice cream coffee, a croissant, and a Starbucks apricot triple espresso grande with ice, my breath was a wreck.

I needed a complete laundry send out as well.  Two trousers, two underpants (with salt stains,) two socks, three collared shirts, and 2 T-shirts went to the laundry just now.  Still, a pair of previously worn shorts and jeans were left in the room along with the rest of my clean clothes on hangers.  This is typical laundry from the last 24 hours!  (Oh, did I mention that I sent out laundry this morning?)  Sweated out clothing really doesn’t dry in the room, so rather than have mold or smells permeating the clothing, I send it out immediately, if possible - like tonight.

Last night something I ate was quickly evacuated from my body into the toilet.  I think it was yesterday’s “chicken lollipops” and butter naan in gravy for lunch.  The place looked a bit suspicious but since Senthil sat down and ordered, I followed suit.  Luckily there wasn’t a "repeat performance" after that and I ate well today with no consequences.  I guess the body just knows what to do!

Last night was a short night as I was working on a PowerPoint presentation on how a trip like this impacts students from the USA.   I was ready to lay down, and did.  But the fresh sheets, changed every day, were feeling wet as usual.  Once they are placed on the bed, they absorb the moisture in the air and are at the least, damp. 

The only other place that had seemingly wetter sheets was in a cabana in the middle of a decorative rice paddy.   It was in a fancy hotel in northern Thailand.  The place simulated being in a rice paddy and the room might as well have been in the middle of it.  You could almost wring out the sheets because they were so wet.  In combination with the A/C in the room, it was one of the coldest nights I have ever spent where the low temps were in the upper 80’s.

It was difficult to get to sleep last night on the damp sheets and thin mattress with noticeable wire springs.  Other nights I haven’t noticed so much, but in going to bed so late, your biorhythm and sleep cycles are messed up.

One of the students, each at two coffee shops today, intently watched the staff behind the counter.  Both confessed to me that they were carefully viewing the workers to see if tap water was being used.  I told them that I used to be the same way – diligently observing to see how things were being prepared.  I told them that in places like a hotel, you have no idea what’s going on behind closed doors.  “It’s just better not to think about it, I said.”

Many times, food is served here on banana leaves.  These leaves are harvested and then fairly quickly used on the table, mostly with a brief wash of contaminated water to get the dirt off.  The leaves arrive usually with some left-over water beaded up on them.  We sometimes wipe the excess off, but lots of times the food is placed on them before we can do that.  “You have to eat a peck of dirt before you die,” is a proverb, but generally eating on those leaves does literally help fulfill the saying here.

One of the students excused herself to use the washroom today.  “We always have time to use the bathroom,” I said aloud, something that is a bit of a mantra or humorous thing for me to say.  She returned fairly quickly – the other students had advanced inside the visitor’s center.  “The toilets just had a hole in the floor,” she said.  “I couldn’t and didn't use them.”

Each year, in a PowerPoint presentation in advance at the school, I show them photos of various toilets I have photographed around the world.  Squat toilets were a part of these photos along with a brief explanation about them.  I guess her attention was distracted when I showed them, even with the presentation being available online afterwards.  One of her fellow classmates demonstrated the pose you have to take while we were waiting in the lobby of the SBV lobby.  It probably wasn’t the thing to do in that public space, but at least the other student knew the protocol and could demonstrate it.

A few days ago, the same student returned from the toilets at the Coffee Magic 99 stop saying she was surprised that their toilets didn’t include toilet paper, something we had covered in a pre-departure lecture.  “My TP is in the van,” she said, and so must not have gone at all as the vehicle was in the parking lot and she never retrieved it.

Today we addressed the use of toilet paper again, discussing the use of a water washing device like the Toto Washlets at the hotel, with built-in bidet.  (I have one in Des Moines.)  “I get so used to using one,” I said, “that’s it’s gross to me to just use toilet paper only!”  Some of the students looked a little shocked or dazed when I said that, not actually having tried the ones in Chennai.

The students in 2024 were amazed at them and vowed to get one quickly after graduation.  “Dr. Bruce, that’s the first thing I’m going to get after we finish,” one of them said.  Putting my financial planner “hat” on, I gently reminded them of the cost (generally thousands of dollars for the ones like the hotel’s and mine) and that maybe it might be nice to save some money for an emergency fund instead, seeing that they’ll have a negative net worth for years to come thanks to dental school loans.

Overall, I think that food safety has improved over the years.  Certainly, there are multinationals, like the Starbucks store we went to today, or the McDonald’s that they went to Sunday night, that ARE concerned with ALL foods being safe prior to sale.  The old travel rule of “don’t take ice” has been thrown out the window with the water safety precautions at these and other places.  I drank gallons of ice coffee in Laos before Covid!  We certainly have thrown out other travel tips like a blanket warning, “don’t eat ice cream,” as well.  (I had some twice today!)

Last year, one of the students said, “I think that we have broken EVERY rule out there on this trip.”  And she followed up with, “I just watch Dr. Bruce and see what he does and then follow suit.”  That could be a dangerous behavior, but I usually don’t take too many chances overall with hygiene!

Overall, statistically about half of us or more will most likely have some type of GI issue on a trip like this.  It’s generally a matter of time, but we have done well so far – at least from the reports I’m getting from them to date!  But as I always tell the students, “It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”  I’ll let you know at the end of the trip!

"The Sands of Time"

Atithi Hotel
126, S.V. Patel Sali
Pondicherry 605 001
India

7/2/2026

The driver, Vasanth, had looked perplexed upon arriving, scanning up and down the beach.  The location indeed seemed unlikely.  We looked out at the Indian Ocean to our right.  Finally, some of our dental public health team arrived to welcome us.  We exited the Toyota Innova and walked towards the ocean after scrambling to get our umbrellas from our backpacks.

We stood in the sand of Silver Beach.  I had once been here before in another section of the beach for a “Door to Door” screening in 2024.  The sun was blaring.  A small group of people were under a canopy made from a plastic tarp.  The rest were standing in the blazing sun by some 4-foot-high cigarette models stuck into the sand.  A number of middle-aged guys and an older one with a Rotary International shirt greeted us.

It was unclear what we were doing here as the “camp” was billed as a typical dental public health screening and care delivery program.  A typical re-arrangement of all persons there for still and drone photos ensued and finally we were free to return to the vehicle.

We then drove into Cuddalore and arrived at the more likely health station located at the “ALC Centre for De-Addiction,” No.9, ALC Campus, Manjakuppam, Cuddalore, 607001.  We walked into the interesting architecture of the old building and saw the treatment area set up.  We met Dr. R. Vingth Kumar, a local urologist, part of the sponsorship of today’s program.  He said that in hot places like this, the likelihood of kidney stones is so much greater due to the dehydrated conditions of most of the people. 

I then asked our social worker, Mr. Amaravelu, where I could plug in my laptop to work and he guided me to one of the many small rooms that apparently had formerly served as bedrooms (guesthouse?) on this church campus.

I went out to take a photo of the entrance once again as it’s important to me to get the real picture of where we are and who the facility is being run by.  I noticed the seal of the Arcot Lutheran Church with the sign saying that this was a joint mission with the Mahatma Gandhi Trust here in Cuddalore.  I asked Amaravelu where the Arcot Hospital was, featured on my Maps app on the phone and he said we could go.

We walked the garbage lined street to the hospital along with Dr. Amizhthan Sammanthane, one of our PhD students.  The hospital was not affiliated with the church, but had just retained the name.  A prominent sign listing the availability of a Fujifilm MRI scan listed all the different doctors who practice in the hospital.  “Most doctors practice in multiple sites until they get a following,” Amizhthan said, “And then they can open a larger single practice.”

Following the guys on the sandy dirt road, we approached the Garudaa De-Addiction and Mental Health Wellness Centre.  The neighborhood was filled with trendy (for the time) art deco homes in need of some care but with prominent crosses displayed on gates, fences, and doors.  “Most of these people are Christians,” Amizthan said.  We entered the facility with CCTV and locked gates. 

“Most of the residents of the 90-day program are fine, but a few get very aggressive and try to run away, so they have heavy doors.”  We were able to go thru one of them and into a room where a group of 40 or so men were obtaining instruction.  They began to stand Indian style, but were encouraged to sit by Amizthan.  They receive a 90-day treatment period and then, if they relapse, can advance into another 90 days if needed.  Our patients for the day were from this center, and were escorted to the ALC facility in small groups by two of the staffers to keep them from running away.

I took a photo of large piles of trash under the guise of photographing a large transformer along the street – the smell a bit overpowering in the hot sun.  We then walked to the ALC Resurrection Church, Bharathi Rd, Manjakuppam, Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu 607001.  I asked to go in and we met the Rev. Theopilus V. Kumar, the Bishop’s Chaplain, who explained the history of the church.  It was built by the efforts of the Danish Missionary Church in the 1860’s and this campus, we learned, is now the overall headquarters of the Arcot Lutheran Church, with 70,000 members across South India.

Both Danish and German missionaries worked with breaking the bonds of both the caste system and the class systems, sometimes at peril even with the wishes of their home societies.  Otherwise, even the seating of the congregants and the distribution of communion would be determined by these social groupings.  People were busily setting up the church for a wedding this evening, which included garlands of artificial flowers and violinists practicing.  I gave Theopilus a donation of cash – small for the US – big for India.

We returned to the dental area and I mentioned to the Iowa students that we could take a look at the church.  They were eager to do that, so we all returned.  Meanwhile, we received a message thru Mr. Amaravelu, that the bishop wanted to meet us.  So, we went back to the center to meet him.  It was completely easy to spot him with his bishop’s ring and large cross on a chain around his neck. 

Rev. Dr. D. Peter Paul Thomas greeted us warmly amid the clutter of Cavitrons, chairs and used equipment.  He invited us to his office so again we walked out into the hot sun.  The inner sanctum of his office was indeed cool, like all important Indians are.  The Rev. D Thangadurai, treasurer of the ALC, took orders for Coke or Sprite. 

The bishop explained a bit about the history of the church and then about his recent trip to the USA, Canada, and his education in the city of Aarhus, Denmark, where I also did my dental school exchange.  It’s a small world!  We ate packaged cookies and sipped Coke after he impatiently rang his wind-up bell to summon staff to bring it.  He gave us a couple of books; one filled with letters of congratulation letters and sponsoring advertisements at the end.  We were blessed with a prayer by the bishop at the end.  (I didn't tell the students that most likely the donation had spurred this visit with the bishop.)

The obligatory group photo at the end of our dental set-up seemed to take forever but finally we loaded back into our A/C car while the rest of the group left in a bus – what I call the “tin can.”  It is driven with all windows open and even the door wide open for ventilation.  The Iowa students don’t know how lucky they are to be riding in a car like that.  Previously, we all rode together in the bus.  Through the years I have always thought it best to ALL ride in the bus to promote unity, but the ride in A/C felt good, even though it seemed to conspicuously separate us from the others.  I don't really want the Indian students to feel that separation of the "haves" and "have nots" but don't know how they could have NOT felt that today.  (The old timers know that I always have ridden in the bus with them...)

We drove back to the IGIDS school and had our “packed” lunches in Senthil’s A/C office.  The food had traveled this morning from the school to the site, then back in the truck to the school.  I think it was made by Surguru, but the bacteriologic growth possibilities during that time weakened my enthusiasm for the meal.

We walked over to the medical college library and went to the 2^nd floor studios.  They asked us to give a “testimonial” about our time here, on the spot.  The Iowa students did well and even I was asked to give one as well.  This was mainly for a new “International” program’s arsenal of publicity about the program.  At least the studio was cool.

We had 10 minutes between arrival at the hotel and time to venture out into the heat of the market where we met Manisha Ray, our annual cooking school instructor.  Goubert Market is an institution in Pondi, but poorly kept.  Decades of filth hung from the rafters and beams as we purchased the makings for the class and dinner tonight at Manisha’s apartment.  Part of it is being torn down rather than restored.  It may be the last time we shop here in these old conditions.

One of the students asked me, “Is it ok to eat this stuff after it’s cooked?”  I told her that it’s exactly what we eat in restaurants every meal.  I had taken them to the A/C supermarket in Chennai and carefully explained that it was an anomaly – most people shop in traditional markets!  Goubert is about as traditional as it gets…

Manisha’s place, located at the Deepsikha Apartments, No. 3, 2^nd cross, Appauv Nagar, is close to the hotel.  We rode in the car anyway.  Her father (named Dikshit – really….) came out to greet us and practically hugged me.  We have met over the 5 times I’ve been there, but he is a very friendly guy.  I think that his behavior surprised the Iowa students in that the culture mostly is a “no touch” one.

We made our dinner of a medley of carrots and green beans, chicken marsala, rice with gee, and some sweets from a local bakery.  Manisha carefully cut the one-inch square sweets into small pieces.  It would be traditional in the US to give a full piece of each sweet.  I hope the Iowa students appreciated  how these small pieces were distributed where food is a bit scarce and expensive.

Some lassis down the street at the “Lassi Shop” topped off the evening’s events.  The two students and I tried to make them last on the way back from the shop to the cool hotel lobby.  We discussed the activities of the trip so far and commented on how packed the days are. 

“Sometimes I go back to the room when we have an hour or two and sit there and think about what I could be doing with my time.  What have I missed so far?”  I told them I have gotten into trouble in the past with planning too much and not allowing enough “free time.”  Both looked at me a little surprised and I told them, “This is a high energy group.”  They chuckled.

So far, we have seen the modern version and then, the somewhat ancient version, of the country of India.  The sands of time take us thru a life that continually changes, especially in a place like this.  The changes sometimes happen on an hourly and even minute by minute basis. 

It’s the beauty of travel in Asia.

"A King's Ransom"

Atithi Hotel
126, S.V. Patel Sali
Pondicherry 605 001
India

7/3/2026

I hate wrapping packages.  It seems like a time waster even though the staff at the hotel would do it.  I brought a ton of gifts again this time, and some patriotic wrapping paper – it’s actually a cheappo tablecloth from the dollar store, but it is EXACTLY what they wrap presents in. 

What I hate even more is that many of the Hawkeye “official” gifts are made in China or the like and are five times what they should be, especially in India.  I bought a 5 pack of “Iowa” pens that were something like $11.00.  They should be 25 cents – they would be here in India!  So, in giving them a Hawkeye gift, they look really cheap and yet the folks here would be horrified at what they cost in the USA.  But you have to do it!

Gifts are an essential part of Indian culture.  They are given freely back and forth on most every official occasion.  Let me tell you – they are usually small ones!  Two of the PhD students last year combined their resources and gave me a small swan figurine.  I happened to see it at a store – it was eighty cents.  They were thrilled to give it to me.  The custom is that you DON’T open it in front of the giver.  But later they couldn’t wait to see my reaction via WhatsApp.  It was really cute.  The year before they gave me a gift the equivalent of $1.00 – they were excited about that, too!

Today Chitra, the founder of Satya Special School, picked us up in her van with her driver at 08:45.  She took us to view three of her buildings.  One of the main things that Chitra does with our students is to tell her life story, which includes the development of the schools for students with special needs.  The first year she told it, I ran to my room afterwards and tried to write it verbatim to send out in my daily email.  It’s a powerful story I have heard five times now.

The dental school also arranged to have a clinic at her main school, so we watched that a bit, followed by a “packed lunch” which is a plastic tray of foods covered by a plastic lid.  It’s a real environmental disaster.  I would rather have had the food that they were serving the kids today instead:  Veg. Biriyani, Veg. Fried Rice, and Sambal/Veg. Kurma.  Made fresh at the school, it would have been more bacteriologically healthy than the trays which rode up and down in the elevator for some reason all day.  I didn’t eat much of it…  (One Iowa student didn’t eat anything.

By about 1:30 pm, we were all set to leave, with exception of a group photo.  After that, we rode to the hotel and I busily got all the tips and payment envelopes for the hotel staff, our guide in Mahabs, and tips for drivers, etc.  It’s really not a tipping society, but the driver, Nagaraj, does an exceptional job and we do not tip the hotel staff when they get our laundry, etc.  It’s just too much to have to do that.  The excellent manager collected the envelopes.  “You’re early this year,” he said with a smile.

Nagaraj picked us up for the first time today – it was 3:30 and he had called Senthil just to make sure he understood the correct time.  I listed the places we wanted to go in order, but I could have just told him.  He’s a very smart guy who learned everything on his own.

We each picked out some items at the Cluny, an 18^th century French hotel now used by nuns to employ local women to embroider.  Their work is beautiful and everyone bought something.  Next stop was “Ritchey Rich,” a famous ice cream parlor on the beach.  There are literally hundreds of choices of desserts, mains, and beverages.  It was fun.

We all came back to the hotel and it was time for me to create a PowerPoint presentation for tomorrow.  Generally, all students and most faculty and admin come to the presentations.  It’s a great time to thank them as well.  I will give out dozens of certificates to all who have participated in our program as well as acrylic custom “trophies” to the bigwigs that I brought from Iowa.  I custom order each piece.  Again, they would be three to four dollars here and in the USA they are upwards of $30!

The students went out with friends and I cocooned in the room.  Everything I brought feels damp and limp.  I sent out clothes for a final wash.  Even if they come back damp and not super well ironed, at least they are clean.  I cautioned the students to be sure to “do” laundry here today as the Chennai hotel is probably five times as much.  They seem to be struggling still (well, some of them) with the economic disparities here.  I guess they haven’t been exposed to the ten and twenty cent coffee stalls.  Starbucks was an outrageous four dollars or so for a cup of java, a king’s ransom here.

"Money Makes the World Go Around"

Atithi Hotel
126, S.V. Patel Sali
Pondicherry 605 001
India

7/4/2026

The money exchange is pretty simple here in India.  US$1.00 = approximately 100 rupees.

Simple as that.

So, these are the main things we have to think about:

1)     When I use an ATM, what amount do I take out in the local currency equivalent to the US amount?

2)     How much is that item in the store in US dollars when reading the rupee price?

3)     How do I get the small change needed for buying day to day stuff from the big bills in the ATM?  (Most small vendors in developing countries have little or no change.)

4)     How much cash am I going to need overall?

For a few of the students, money has been kind of an enigma.  I’m not sure why.  The exchange rate is very simple – 1:100.  But some seem to avoid the ATM and don’t have cash.  Some have gotten very small amounts of money from the ATM that aren’t really sustainable.  And then there have been some problems with paying collective restaurant bills – we seem to be short some of the time.  (The U of Iowa doesn’t pay for all the food, but we pay for a number of educational/organizational meals and they get a lot of lunches here for free from the school.  Sometimes I just grab the bill and pay, too.)

Today was the big day – the “Portfolio Presentation” day.  It’s the final day at the school to close out our stay.  We all have to present our thoughts and reflections on the trip.  A PowerPoint is required along with a narration of each of them, including myself.  I really enjoy it.  During the first year, 2019, it was about the only time I heard one of the students actually speak in sentences.  Unfortunately, she criticized the Indian team, saying they didn’t tell her to drink enough water…

Indian meetings are filled with a lot of formalities – the playing of the school song and the national anthem; strings of thank yous to administrators who sometimes don’t even know we’re here; and reading a highly scripted message to describe each part of the presentation.  It was good for the Iowa students to see how they’re run.

The Iowa student’s presentations were at the start of the gathering.  Each student did well and talked about themselves, their families and pets, and then their impressions about their time here.  It went well, but I did notice some folks in the audience not paying a lot of attention.  The Iowa students generally talk very quickly – sometimes faster than even I can comprehend.  Even though the Indian people speak their dialect of English really fast, speaking our “brand” of English slowly and deliberately seems to work better with them.

After one Indian PhD. student summarized their time spent in the field with us, it was time for presentation of the Iowa trophies and certificates.  Everyone in the place associated with us received a certificate and/or a trophy that I brought with us.  It recognizes everyone but it takes time!  We then exchanged gifts among each other and said our goodbyes.

We ate lunch close to our hotel at Surguru once again.  Then it was time to rearrange our stuff and try to get all the presents packed that everyone had given us - quite a challenge.

Dinner was a chance to recognize our student helpers.  We ate at the Copper Kitchen restaurant.  We were very delayed due to a huge traffic jam, which occurs now every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night.  I paid for dinner, but unfortunately, none of the Iowa nor Indian students thanked me.

Generally speaking, Indians don't really touch each other when saying hello or goodbye with the exception of men to men.  However, yesterday, Chitra did shake my hand while saying goodbye as she normally does.  However, she didn't touch the Iowa women at all.  Tonight, our friend Merlin, who came to Iowa last fall, DID hug me and the students, which is rare and only because she has been in the US.  I, by mistake, shook the other Indian woman student's hand at the end but she seemed ok with that.

Upon returning to the hotel, we also said our goodbyes to Nagaraj as Mohammed is taking over the driving from Pondi back to Chennai tomorrow.  Tipping usually isn’t the case, but a handsome one seemed appropriate in Nagaraj’s case as he worked so hard today, starting at 7:45 am and concluding at 10:15 pm tonight.  It was a big day for him again, and he said that his son was asking for him on the phone tonight!  (I felt a bit guilty...)  From what he told my friend Shivashanker, he usually gets paid by the day rather than by the hour.

Like most Indians, Sunday is his only day off.  At his low but steady wages, he needs all the work he can get.  It was a shame to say goodbye as he was finally opening up and talking like he did last year.  He’s a very smart guy and taught himself English just by listening to his clients for so many years.  He knows and hears everything we say and sometimes just hums along while driving in the worst conditions.  As a family man, you can be sure he knows the value of money…

"Tourist or Traveler?"

The Residency Towers
115, Sir Thyagaraya Road
Chennai 600 017
Room 1704

7/5/2026

I am breaking my rules of writing this journal by doing it the following day.  I was just too tired last night.  The COLD A/C, the buffet dinner, and ONE glass of Shiraz (not that great) put me into a “no go” mode.  This bed has some padding – not the steel frame and coils of the last one!  I do miss my bed and Toto toilet at home and cottage, but they are not “essential” to my life.

Last night’s packing and sorting kept me up late.  Too late.  Many, many Indian friends texted with WhatsApp to say goodbye and they deserved a reply.  Opening all the gifts (lots of them) and taking photos and sending thank yous took even more time.  The staff at IGIDS even sent gifts home for our dean, department chair, and Dan, my colleague that I partner with to make this trip happen.  At 11:00 pm, one of the dental interns even delivered another package to me in the lobby.  The last night is always that way!

Senthil arrived today precisely at 07:00 am at the hotel.  He is always smiling and eager to talk.  He comes every year to say “goodbye” which is so nice and so polite.  Mohammed, our driver, arrived just a few minutes after 07:00.  The Atithi Hotel staff helped to load up the mounds of luggage and we left about 10 minutes later.

Several students said something like, “Wow, I can’t believe we are leaving.”  I know the feeling but that has changed with multiple visits.  I now come and go more easily and with less emotional attachment or detachment.  I am not a tourist.  I am part of this thing, being an adjunct faculty at BOTH Iowa and IGIDS.  And a citizen of the world.

One student who said she probably would not be into the box breakfast we took on board dove into it.  The items were pretty good and it was nice to have some snacks for the road trip.

Juice

Croissant

Muffin

Hard Boiled Egg

The usual trappings of a box breakfast or lunch here in Asia or in Africa.  (Been there, done that.)

We had another lively discussion with all five – more about dentistry and then I moved back in the van and talked with one student about our trip to the Galapagos a number of years ago.  She was very interested in the logistics AND the things we saw.

First stop was a dewatering and rewatering coffee and sweets place – A2B.  It’s my kind of place with delicious coffees, teas, and bakery and kind of a gentle chaos that is all about India.  The foodie student and I picked out a box of goodies to take back to the table with the rest of the students already enjoying the caffeine. 

My friend, Mani, was waiting outside patiently as I went to the shipping container that was made into a men’s and women’s washroom.  Mani is an architect that gives the same tour of Mamallapuram, aka Mahabs or Mahabalipuram, day after day.  He is an expert at setting up photos that really showcase your fellow travelers and the sites.

I was thrilled when the students first viewed my favorite part of the complex – the monolithic temples  called the Five Rathas.  They noticeably oohed and awed at it.  I do too, every time I see it.  The whole complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but these are especially striking as they are all carved out of solid granite, as compared with similar ones I have seen in SE Asia built from blocks of sandstone.  My favorite, and one of the signature photo ops of the trip, features a life-size stone elephant, the Nakula-Sahadeva.

The place is incredibly hot because of all the stones and then sands that reflect the light back at you.  But I think that the fascination of the place outweighed the temperatures.  The 2019 students hardly looked at the place, preferring to hide under the shade of the trees.  Today’s students gasped when I told them that.

Mani does a good job of tailoring the tour based on the clients.  I told him initially that I felt the group WAS interested, and they were, so it was the best experience of all the trips.  We’ll be back again regardless of the student mix another time!  I especially enjoy the energy of the place, which seems to be physically palatable.  Mani says that it affects the visitor in a positive way, regardless of their attitude!

Moonrakers is the place we always go to.  Mohammad totally agreed with me when I said that there has been a family feud and so there are several restaurants that have the same name – it’s confusing, but I know which is which.  When the “catch of the day” was presented, we chose a large red snapper and 4 giant prawns.  They did two of the prawns with garlic and butter and two with a dialed down spicy masala.  The fish was cooked in a mild to moderate spicy manner.  Bowls of rice and bottles of soda added to the meal.  The room is always A/C but the aesthetics are lacking.  I think a lot of people would reject the place immediately – it looks worn and dirty – but I always enjoy it.

Back on the road, we told the smiling Mohammed that we wanted to go to the DakshinaChitra museum.  His expression immediately changed.  “You MUST spend two hours there,” he said with a dour look.  The reality was that most drivers want to get to Chennai at this point, deliver the foreigners, and get back to Pondi.  One driver a couple of years ago basically lied and said it was closed for lunch when I mentioned it.  But I didn’t flinch and since the place was RIGHT on the highway, he veered off finally and we entered the place.

The reality was that it was an EXCELLENT museum.  The quality of the houses moved here from all over south India and the cleanliness of the place immediately won us over.  We bought a few handicrafts just inside the place, and then strolled the shaded and well laid out grounds.  It was a delight to see the artistic displays and cultural exhibits set up for learning.  The place was full of English explanations – one of the easy things about traveling here!

After hitting the extremely clean restrooms, we headed north towards Chennai, our final stop.  Mohammed was pleased when I thanked him for stopping there and his smile was back in place.  I have seen this time and time again and the recovery from the initial backlash is generally quick and permanent.

We arrived at the Regency Towers pretty hot and tired, but the “pleasure palace” quickly revived us via their A/C rooms and comfortable décor and amiable staff.  We met at the dinner buffet at 7:00 pm and we all participated in my final session – “Re-entry” – and a review of the trip.

The tenant of “re-entry” is to prepare the students for return to home.  Most people that we’ll meet have had a normal two weeks – nothing special happened.  But for the participants on the trip, we have seen amazing cultural and heritage sites, met tons of new people, and had amazing experiences – some that no one else ever would, especially on a tour!

One of the students spontaneously mentioned the Rick Steves definitions of tourist vs. traveler.  His version states that a tourist looks around, casually has some fun or a good meal and goes home unchanged.  A traveler tries to immerse themselves in the people, culture, and then learns more about themselves.  It was a good comment!

I think all the students felt that they had someone in their lives – in fact, multiple ones – that WILL listen to their experiences.  And I believe them.  I did, however, insist that they think about the 30 second, the 60 second, the 2 minute and the 5-minute soundbites that might be handy in different situations for their casual acquaintances and friends.  We all went to bed early and dreamed about all the experiences we have indeed shared thus far.

"Travel Rituals"

Chennai Airport (MAA)
Travel Club Lounge
Chennai, India

7/6/2026

This morning, we met with Dr. Satheesh Elongovan, one of my favorite people.  He is originally from Chennai and studied and then taught at the University of Iowa periodontal department.  He moved back to Chennai to take care of his aging parents.

First, we met at the amazing breakfast buffet which was included with the room.  It’s an international type one – but with an Indian twist.  There is a large hot food station where you can get waffles, pancakes, eggs and the like.  Homemade donuts, pastries, cereals – all western items are there for the taking, as well as any coffee you care to order.

I joked to the students, “We have done everything the travel books tell you not to do:

1)     Eat at buffets

2)     Drink beverages with ice

3)     Eat ice cream

4)     Eat at street vendors

5)     Eat off dirty banana leaves

6)     Have drinks of suspicious origin…”

They didn’t seem to reflect on that too much.  I stole that message from an Iowa student who said that last year.  It was a great reflection of hers.

Bennet, the driver of our hotel car, smiled and completely understood where we were going – the Kapaleeshwarar Temple, Giri Shop, Mylai, a local coffee shop and then finally St. Thome Basilica – allegedly the final resting place of “doubting Thomas,” who did work in India.  Hotel cars like the one Bennet drove are clean, safe, and reliable.

Satheesh met us with a big smile and launched into a description of the temple.  We discussed that Hinduism is not a religion and then he joked that his friend, a Buddhist, said that Buddhism is also only a religion for tax purposes as well!

We circumambulated the Kapaleeshwarar temple and then did our ritual photograph with its tower in the background.  Shopping at Giri is always a pleasure – lots of handicrafts and interesting books!  We went to a great coffee place down the street, serving the strongest coffee of the trip. 

Satheesh had previously planned on a visit to the  St. Thome Basilica – new to me.  It’s the traditional place of St. Thomas’ burial.  The church was recently rebuilt – 1896 - and the entrance to the crypt was thru a different building.  An effigy of Thomas was visible thru glass, but the actual remains were not displayed, thus disappointing me with my interest in relics.  In contrast, the hand of St. John the Baptist is prominently displayed in Istanbul, with bones visible.  The two hands – one that baptized Jesus and the hand that touched Jesus after resurrection would certainly be some of the holiest artifacts to Christianity.  I do not need to see to believe!

The students then asked if they could go to the ashram we had passed on the street.  We went there last year.  I said that the driver would be happy to take us there and Satheesh chimed in that he would go.  We said our goodbyes after a quick tour of Sri Ramakrishna Math.  We met in the lobby of the hotel at 12:45 for a quick traditional lunch at KFC and went to a local ice cream shop – I had 2 scoops of the jackfruit.

Unfortunately, it was time to settle down and think about the trip home.  It is certainly a marathon, not a sprint.  I usually do final packing and organizing and this time I had agreed to carry back some items for a student that was continuing on to Japan and Korea.  They fit!  I went down to the lobby to pay the bill and met some of the students headed for the gym.  They were having fun as well as working out for the first time in a couple of weeks.  I laid down in the cool (actually too cold) room with room darkening shades and slept.  I awoke at 9:00 pm and took the ritual pre-travel shower.

We had decided on departing at 10:00 PM.  The two hotel cars arrived and we loaded one full of luggage and the other filled up with Iowans.  The trip to the airport was quick and the airport was calm and quiet.  Rajiv seemed less than thrilled with his tip this time – maybe I gave him more last time – can’t remember.  Check-in was very smooth and we sailed through Indian emigration and security.  We all had ample time, even though the student going on to Japan's flight was an hour eraly.  I said goodbye to that student and went to the very quiet lounge upstairs as usual.  Time went quickly eating hard cheeses, small desserts, and consuming a soft drink.

As it was already 01:15 – technically Tuesday - it was time to return to the gate as it was 01:15 to meet the students.  They had boarded the plane already so I found my way to my seat 2K.  Thus, the flight process began.  

"37,000 feet"

Lufthansa Flight LH 430
Frankfurt (FRA) to Chicago (ORD)
Seat 84K

and

American Airlines AA 4973
ORD to Des Moines (DSM)
Seat 3A

7/7/2026

It’s sometimes hard to comprehend/fathom/explain what it’s like to travel across two continents.  You achieve this by sitting in an aluminum shell for hours upon hours somewhat disconnected from the world.  You can look down on it from 37,000 feet if there’s no cloud cover or darkness.  You can write, read, eat, or sleep – the choice is yours.  You may have an excellent seatmate, a smelly one, or none at all.  Some of the flight attendants are amazingly entertaining and fun – some just indigently do their job.  The restroom may be impeccable or covered in “water” with footprints on the toilet seat.  There may be designer products for your use or no soap at all at the lav.  Kids may scream bloody murder or kick your seat from behind.  The food can be amazing or utterly disgusting or absent.

I have literally spent weeks of my life in the air under all the circumstances above.  Our first big family trip abroad was in 1974 – I was 13, naïve, and excited.  On the way home, that KLM 747 offered amazingly clear views of Greenland whose ice we saw had probably melted into the ocean.

This trip – two flights covering over 9,000 miles – is always a marathon, not a sprint.  I always tell the students that.  Their adrenalin however, going over, provides a completely different experience than the one back – it can seem tedious, claustrophobic, and never ending for them.  I have the advantage of room and service up front.  In fact, I have no one sitting next to me and the space feels luxurious and comfy, really.  I realize I’m spoiled, but have paid the price over the years in the back like the students.  Now it’s my time up front.  (I pay the difference between the coach fare the U of IA provides and the business class one.)

I am hoping they are looking at their photos, their journals, and reliving the moments that meant something to them.  However, I’m sure they are playing games on their phones, sleeping or watching movies.  It is THEIR time to do what they want.  I have always felt it worth the time to relish the places, things, food and relationships that made the trip for me.  It’s a great chance to relive the moments or reflect on what the trip meant to me.

Because of time zones and following the sun, the 14,000+ km happens in one day – local time.  But it really represents over 30 hours of rote travel time.  Last year’s students were totally wiped out when they reached the baggage claim area in Chicago.  They stopped talking and were devoid of any facial expression.  I hadn’t seen that before.  Two years before, we went to a restaurant in ORD and sat for several hours reviewing the trip.  One of those students recently told me that it was the best part of the trip (he’s really interested in travel!)

My seatmate from Chennai to Frankfurt (LH 430) was a delightful woman from Chennai.  Renu Kabra was in her 70’s, widowed recently, and just lost her mom.  Her son and daughter, like so many Indians, are professionals in the USA, and so she was going to spend four months with them.  “My live-in maid cried when I left because she said she’ll have nothing to do.”  When asked what she liked about America, she said what so many other Indians say. “I love the organization and cleanliness of the country.  It is so beautiful.”  Then I asked her what she didn’t like.  “There isn’t good public transportation.  It’s hard for me to get around there.  My son wants me to learn to drive there, but I don’t want to.  It’s too busy.”

“My kids want me to move in with them, but I have my life in Chennai.  I have my friends, an apartment in a complex of 2,000 units, and a great support system.  I can order just about anything on a local app and it shows up literally at my door in 5 minutes, no kidding.  My doctor knows my medical history and I like him.  I’m happy just to come and visit them for up to six months at a time.” 

She wanted to watch the new Michael Jackson movie, but we couldn’t find it, even though it was available during the flight.  I never watch movies, so I was no help!  The meal was good, abbreviated from dinner during the day, but at a departure time of 02:00 am, I really just wanted to sleep. 

Amuse Bouche: 

Cranberry Ricotta Cheese Ball

Dinner:

Smoked Salmon (capers/cucumber/cream cheese/dill)

Dessert:

Mango Cheesecake

I should have turned it down and just readied the bed, but the cabin lights were up and the clanking of the silverware would have kept me awake.  It was served by 3 ladies in our area who were again, the German stereotype – tall, efficient, precise.  Finally, the cabin lights were dimmed and sleep came easily with the soft pillow and blanket.

Breakfast was served about one and a half hours before landing, in this case an omelet, croissants, juice, tea, etc. selected at the beginning of the flight by making tics on a sheet with choices. 

We flew low over German green forests and organized villages and towns.  It looked peaceful and serene.  Frankfurt International (FRA) is a huge terminal.  We were bussed into the terminal from a parking place on the tarmac and met again just inside the terminal.  Our departure gate was far away this time and included passing through security.  I stopped at the Lufthansa club and had some really good croissants and jam.

Flight LH430 was a 747-B, just like its sister on the way over from Chicago.  This time I selected an upper deck seat because of the limited nature of this aircraft being in service for much longer.  I climbed the vertical stairs to the top.  In the old days it was a spiral one and a jet bridge served the upper deck instead.  My seat was 84K, just behind the central galley/serving area of the cabin. 

It must have been 65F in the cabin and several passengers noted the cold.  The Indian guy sitting next to me called his wife and complained to her. “This is the worst seat in the section.”  When the door closed, he moved to an empty aisle seat in the front.  Indeed, it was close to the galley, but after the meal service, all the carts were rolled away and it was extremely quiet.  I spread out my stuff over the empty seat and relished the extra room.

I had selected the beef in cognac sauce and with a Cab/Merlot blend and it was pretty good.  The galley was strangely in the back, so all the hot entrees came forward on a cart.  The best part was when they dimmed the cabin lights and darkness and silence came over the cabin.  A restful sleep ensued.

Dinner:

Amuse Bouche:

Buttermilk Mousse/Camponata/Parsley Oil

Appetizers:

Arugula Cream Cheese/Tomato

Truffled Artichoke Cream/Tomato/Avocado

Smoked trout/Sour Cream/Apple and onion/Chives

Main:

Beef Filet in Cognac Pepper Sauce/Green Beans/Rosemary Potatoes

Dessert:

Cheese plate – Kaltback Gruyere/Bleu d’Auvergne/Rosemary Goat Cheese/Apricot/Walnuts

In between that meal and the breakfast, there were a number of entrees available if needed.  Most people in the cabin slept in silence.  Overall, you’re really paying for the ability to sleep on a flat surface besides the pretty good food.  The children up front usually are well behaved and these were no exception.

Christian Konig was my section’s flight attendant.  He was the classical German tall and serious type - efficient and intent on his job.  I greeted him with “Morgen” and he spoke German to me, which fortunately I could understand because of context and a little bit of the Danish I know that’s similar to it.  He finally later in the flight asked, “Should I speak in English to you?” and said that would be better.  It’s amazing the effort they put into knowing your name and preferred language. 

I like feeling the landing gear touch the runway.  First the starboard side and then the port side wheels gently hit the tarmac, and then the front gear smoothly touched down as well.  Perfect landing for a perfect flight.  That very well could be the last flight I take on a 747 – almost exactly 52 years after my first.  The twin engine planes like the A340 are so much more efficient…

The students looked a little worse for the wear after this flight, but not much.  They were doing well after all the travel.  They did mention it was hard to believe they were in the air for 20 hours. 

I ALWAYS notice that as soon as you step off the plane, the noise of Americans yelling seems to always be present.  I feel sorry for those from abroad being greeted this way.  An American agent was yelling at the top of his voice for connections.  Also, usually the agents that work for Immigration do the same.  We entered the US by facial recognition only, which surprised them.  This is the typical way US Immigration has been doing it for a while.  You don’t even get asked where you have been!  Nor do you get a passport stamp anymore…

My luggage came quickly and we waited for the others – they each just had one checked bag as that is the allowance on Lufthansa (two on Etihad.)  Customs dogs sniffed our luggage and we made it to the final clearance line.  An American man was throwing an absolute hissy fit just ahead of me, which slowed the line down.  It’s just so uncouth to see those behaviors.  Last year the same thing happened, but at the Chennai airport.

It was great to meet one of the student’s parents, waiting just outside the sterile area.  They warmly greeted us and they looked happy and relieved, and thanked me so nicely.  We continued on, the three of us, and distributed the other student’s clothing for them to take back to Iowa City from one of my bags.  Dr. Caplan drove up and took off with the final two back to Iowa City.  It was good to see him, but too short.

I took the tram to Terminal 3, where I took a shower, much needed at the American Airlines club.  My thoughts about Americans while recently back from India in the terminal:

1)     We are large (tall and otherwise)

2)     We are loud – too loud

3)     We are bothered by the slightest thing – like a 10-minute delay or someone else needing some assistance ahead of us or causing a  deviation in our path

4)     We are short tempered, and not always so friendly (especially ORD staff)

5)     We don’t smile nearly as much as South Indians

6)     We rush around and think about inconsequential things

My gate changed several times and then the AA Flight 4973 to Des Moines finally took off after delays on the ground.  The flight attendant was friendly and helpful, but lacking in maturity, especially compared with the Lufthansa staff.  The flight was an up and down affair, with no time at cruising altitude.  We did get snacks and drinks up front.

As we descended over Des Moines, downtown was easily visible and Riverview Park – the newly created version – was also clearly seen.  Bags arrived promptly and Nikolas, the friendly Uber driver, picked me up about 2 minutes after ordering the ride.  I was back “home” in 20 minutes by 7:30 pm.  It was great to see mom and meet one of her new helpers!

One of the students today reflected that:  “We have not had one delay, cancelled flight, sickness, robbery or incident.”  I appreciated that observation.  It was true that we had not had any issues whatsoever other than a smooth trip, excellent accommodations and decent food.  Plus, I always enjoy the Iowa student’s reaction to a new country, a new culture, and new friends – that is the experience of India!

About the Author

Dr. Bruce Anderson earned his DDS from the University of Iowa College of Dentistry in 1988 and has served as an adjunct faculty member in Community and Preventive Dentistry since 1990. He spent three decades leading public health dental clinics in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and remains active in education, community service, and philanthropy. An avid traveler, cyclist, and writer, Anderson has participated in multiple educational trips to India and enjoys sharing reflections on the people, places, and experiences he encounters along the way.