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Missing Goats in Mumbai

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Saturday 2nd February 2019 – Mumbai

I love Mumbai, probably partly because it is the Indian city I have spent the most time in so I have been looking forward to stopping here. Harry did not come to Mumbai, but as I do work with OSCAR Foundation and NGO based here if I was going to be in Delhi, I decided to hop across India to Mumbai. It also gave me an opportunity to meet with Mumbai based alumni.

So it was that I was looking forward to an evening with a mix of I-House NYC and ISH (International Student House London) alumni at a new bar down in South Mumbai.

It was a very wonderful evening but also saw my first logistical bump on my trip so far. I lost the GOATs! Goats is the name given to alumni from ISH. The name Goats Club came from a comment by an African student who said to Miss Mary Trevelyan founder of ISH “Oh, we thought you were dead! Without you we should all have been lost goats!

I was expecting some 8-10 Goats and as the NYC I-House alumni arrived and found me there was a distinct absence of the ISH alumni. Even allowing for Indian timekeeping norms and drop outs that always happens this was most odd. At the time of writing I am still waiting to find out if they found each other and not me and were still able to have an enjoyable evening.

Nidhi and her candle

Amongst the NYC I-House alumni was Nidhi Shah, who actually only lived at the House for 2 months, but even in that time had developed such a love for the place was willing to be in correspondence with me over the last 9 months about the event! Along with Sid Mehta, who is now the World Council Alumni member for India, Nidhi and I were due to meet back in July when I was over but that was scuppered by the engine on my BA flight breaking and spending 18 hours in Azerbaijan. So when I finally met Nidhi it was wonderful. She also bought the Mumbai candle a very lovely Vanilla scented one which will travel to Beirut.

Karan Bhosale, Manjeet Kripalani and Rohit Bijlani joined us to and covering various eras of the House shared their experiences and how they ended up living at I-House. The continued link with I-House friends around the world was again a common thread and the deep emotional attachment to the House and everything it stands for also resonated. So much so that much of the evening was spent in serious discussion about how an International House could be built in Mumbai and how right the time is for doing this. So watch this space, with the determination, breadth of skills, contacts and persuasive powers around the table, I think it might just happen!

Story Snippets….

Anna and Anna – Karan Bhosale – Karan was going to study at Columbia Law school and he needed somewhere to live. He met two Anna’s and they were looking for a 3rd person to join them in a flat share, so Karan agreed to take the spot. Almost as soon as he had done so, he saw I-House NYC mentioned on the Columbia paperwork and began to investigate. He saw the House had a canteen and that set him thinking. He had not really had to cook for himself thus far and he wondered how catering would pan out if he shared with Anna and Anna as he could not imagine they would cook for him. He looked into the House further and found out more about the facilities and programs and suffice to say that Anna and Anna were kindly given the news that he would be living at the House and enjoying his catered meals there.

A musical resume – Sid Metha – Sid described his arrival at I-House starting at a music concert. He went to watch Kinan Azmeh https://kinanazmeh.com and on Kinan’s bio it said that he had lived at International House whilst studying at the Juilliard School of Music. Sid had never heard of I-House and so wanted to find out more. At the same time the name came up not the paperwork for his Columbia Law school housing. On arriving in NYC he looked at the Columbia accommodation options and I-House and of course I-House won!

Harlem celebrates – Rohit Bijlani – Rohit was remembering the Obama election that happened whilst he was in the House. Nearly everyone was squeezed around the TVs to watch as the results came in. When it became apparent that Obama had won. Groups started to think about leaving the House to see what was going on. Rohit and his friends decided that rather than head to Times Square they would walk into Harlem. The scene was jubilant with people out on the streets, dancing on bus stop roofs, up trees and on cars. Certainly a night to remember.

Picture of the wonderful OSCAR Foundation girls at the World Goals World Cup that they were performing and playing at on February 2nd 2019 – they were runners up in the final http://www.oscar-foundation.org

Where we ate: Hammer & Song, World Trade Centre, Cuffe Parade Mumbai

Delights of Delhi

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Thursday 31stJanuary 2019 – Delhi

Way back in the mists of planning this trip, I contacted the Executive Director of I-House Chicago, Denise Jorgens.  She is truly an embodiment of everything my great grandfather would have wanted for someone running one of the Houses.  She immediately embraced my project and when she saw that one of my stops was Delhi, offered for the University of Chicago Centre there to host a tea as my event. https://www.uchicago.in/about-us/

Aditi Mody, who runs the Centre, is an I-House Chicago alumna and so here and her team were equally enthusiastic.  

So, it was that I was warmly welcomed to the U-Chicago Centre.  Being India where attendance is sometimes problematic, even when people have said they would come, Aditi and I were quite prepared for it to be just the two of us having a lovely cup of tea. However, we had the most delightful crowd of alumni and friends of I-Houses join us as well as Bill Mitchel Associate Provost and Exec Director of UC Arts, who was visiting India for the first time. 

I had been particularly excited about meeting two of the I-House NYC alumni, Mr Narendra Jain, who had emailed me that he had met Harry in 1966 when he came to Delhi on his world trip and also Professor P.B. Mangla who had also met Harry when he was at the I-House in the early 1960s. 

Mr. Narendra Jain

Mr Jain, arrived looking about 20 years younger than his 91 years, clutching a plastic folder of carefully preserved papers that he had saved since Harry came 53 years ago! It turned out that Harry’s visit to Delhi was his first ever to India. It was used to inaugurate the Delhi alumni chapter of the I-House and Mr Jain, had the list of names and addresses of the 60 people who became members at that time.  He also had press clippings and the letter outlining Harry’s arrival and the dinner that Harry was to attend to inaugurate the chapter, of which Mr Jain was going to be treasurer.  Finally, he shared a hand written Christmas letter from Harry which had been sent to alumni which he wanted me to keep.  I was quite simply overwhelmed and touched by this wonderful man and the fact that he had so carefully preserved these memories over all these years. 

There used to be a passport to the world of alumni you could visit
Harry’s Christmas letter to Friends around the World in 1977

I have been staying at the YMCA Tourist Hostel which is perhaps not what one would call luxurious, there is a bed and hot water and a simple breakfast.  However, it must have been fate to choose there as it turns out from the letters that Mr Jain shared that that is where Harry’s dinner was held in 1966, with the US ambassador Chester Bowles and his wife attending.  The dinner cost 15 rupees per couple!   (Harry had worked for the YMCA in his early career so that may have had some link too.)

Prof. P.B. Mangla, had come to study at the Library and Information Technology school at Columbia on a scholarship in the early 1960s which set him off on a career that saw him live in 8 countries and travel to over 50. He has long been associated with University of Delhi and held many positions including Dean of the Faculty of Arts.  His time at I-House helped him navigate the cultures of the countries he worked in and visited and as he recounted often found him meeting I-House alumni in far flung locations.  

Vikram Mathur (ISH), Prof. P.B. Mangla (IH NYC)

It was very lovely to have a mix of I-House NYC and Chicago alumni which allowed them to share stories and similarities and differences between the Houses.  We were also joined by Vickram Mathur who lived at ISH London and is now one of their Trustees.  The ISH alumni are very active still in Delhi (and elsewhere), at a recent event they had around 60 attendees.

After I had shared some of mine and Harry’s story, we went around the room so everyone could introduce themselves and share some of their I-House stories.  I always love this bit as with a range of ages and careers it is so fascinating.  Once again the emotional connection to the Houses as a homes away from home, even many years after leaving was washing around us as well as the images and stories from lifelong friendships made over food, whilst dancing, playing ping pong or surviving snow storms in Chicago.  

Lots of candles at this stop, we had Mr Jain and Prof Mangla light them
Arant Nath – Editor of the Caravan giving me his book

I left the U-Chicago event with a huge smile on my face, so glad to have met such wonderful alumni and so touched that Harry meant so much to those who met him.  

My next stop was a Speakers Dinner for the One Globe Forum https://www.oneglobeforum.comwhich was being hosted by Harjiv Singh an NYC alum. He and his German Sakura Sweetheart wife, Julia, met at I-House in the 1980s.  Julia had taken me out to lunch the previous day and had shared their love story, which has partly informed her first novel ‘Leap of Faith’. https://www.amazon.com/Leap-Faith-Julia-Regul-Singh/dp/8129124807?fbclid=IwAR1lRftV0nlwfyqdWvrJjACaK5iGwmhwx_R-Bjp7TEZo5w3rGWQZ70h6uGg  Julia was 24 and coming to do her Masters in Urban Planning at Columbia.  Arriving at I-House the first person she met after being greeted by Romeo on reception was Harjiv.   She went up in the elevator to her floor and as the doors open there was Harjiv and his roommate in their room opposite ‘checking out’ everyone arriving on the floor. Despite Julia’s view that she was too young to get into a serious relationship and consider marriage, romance blossomed and they now have 3 children and are happily navingating a wonderfully complex cross cultural life in Delhi.   Because Julia was not always to be found in her room at I-House, it seems that it was used to accommodate a variety of visitors, many of whom I met during the evening, which gave others the opportunity to experience the House even if not official residents!

Harjiv and Julia Singh

I must also mention the lovely dinner that Anil Chauhan and his wife took me for the night I arrived in Delhi.  Anil, also a NYC alum, was off to Bangalore on business so could not attend the other events.  Anil promotes India Biotech and was wonderful at bringing me up to date with India politics and economics.  Anju teaches home economics and so was a brilliant guide to try all the things on the buffet that I would not normally have done.  I went back to my hotel feeling very full. 

Anil and Anju Chauhan

In the press article Mr Jain shared, Harry is quoted as saying “This is is my first visit to India. I have been round the world three times by ship but never touched an Indian Port.  I now regret not having been here before and not being able to stay long enough now.  I’m too old to cover the whole country, but perhaps in a year or two I will make a special trip to India.” Sadly, I don’t think he ever did but he was certainly warmly welcomed on his visit.

Story Snippets…

Chai and Samosas– Shahana Basu – Chicago I-House has culture hours and one of the ones in Ishaan’s time that was most popular was the ones hosted by the Indian residents which featured Chai and Samosas.  She also recalled how when the I-House Chicago was under threat of closure the alumni rallied round and reversed the decision through a concerted campaign of letter writing about the importance of the I-House to the student life at the University. 

International Students’ House Delhi– Tista Bagchi – Tista shared the work of Anjani Kumar Sinha Ph.D (1935-2018) who set up International Students’ House at Delhi University and modelled a lot of activities on the I-House in Chicago where he was a resident in the late 1960s. Mr. Sinha died in 2018 after a career which saw him promote the I-House ideals of tolerance, understanding and international friendship. 

House Hunting – Sonal Shah – When Sonal arrived in NYC to study she was all set to find a flat to live in for her time there. She had looked around and had found a potential flat mate. However she then heard about I-House from friends. Encouraged to apply she was excited when she got a place, but slightly worried that the potential flatmate would be annoyed, however apparently she was very understanding and so Sonal was able to go off and enjoy her time at the House without feeling bad.

A Bengali Welcome – Aditi Mody – When Aditi arrived at I-House Chicago on her first day to her surprise she was welcomed by the then President of the I-House, Professor Ralph Nicholas, in perfect Bengali. Aditi had grown up in the State of West Bengal speaking Bengali so Prof. Nicholas made her feel immediately like I-House would be home for the next few years. Prof. Nicholas area of expertise was in South Asian societies and cultures with an emphasis on Bengal. Aditi did say that her Bengali heritage may have been why she often enjoyed meals with the Professor and his wife during her time at the house, creating warm wonderful memories. https://anthropology.uchicago.edu/people/emeritus-faculty/ralph-w-nicholas

A Month On The Road…

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Thursday 31st January 2019 – Delhi

When I left home in Maidenhead a month ago, with a fat folder of flight and hotel confirmations in some ways I had no idea what would happen.  I had dates and at least one name of an alumni who had said they were willing to meet and optimism that things would unfold as I travelled.  

I was in a selfishly luxurious place of being only answerable to myself as to whether this personal pilgrimage was a success or failure. My only wish was to be true to Harry’s overarching idea of promoting understanding, tolerance and international friendship and to celebrate all those who have funded it and lived it over the last century.  

With Brexit, Mexican walls, dam bursts, religiously motivated violence and gender rights in Saudi Arabia, the news whilst I have travelled has focused on the negative.  I know I am very blessed to be able to do what I am doing, but the overwhelming feeling I have had as I have travelled the world is of warmth and welcome. 

I have been a stranger reaching out to other strangers and whilst I am linked to a story that they are emotionally connected to, I have been truly cared for.  The I-House alumni have been wonderful and fascinating, but so have the people I have interacted with in small ways in each of the countries.  From the motor bike taxi driver who helped find me a taxi that would take me to my hotel in Bangkok when I was looking lost on a street corner, to lady who helped me buy tickets for the BART from the somewhat confusing machine in San Francisco locals have wanted me to find my way and enjoy their country. 

As my dreams over the last two nights have had the backdrop of the loudspeaker chants from the 24 hour worship pattern at the Gurudwara Bangla Sahib Temple, close to the  YMCA where I have been staying,  I decided this morning to visit. Joining those going for their morning prayers I dropped off my shoes and covered my head appropriately.  It is a beautiful building and compound with white marble inlayed with coloured stones and gold patterned woodwork and roofs and patterned marble floors and walkways.  As my bare feet travelled around the inside of the Temple, with prayers in progress, and then around chilly marble at the edge of the still water of the sarovar (sacred pond), I enjoyed the rhythm of the prayers over the loud speakers around me and the sun coming up over the golden roof.  

As I was leaving the Temple I stopped to read about Bhai Kanhaiya Ji, a key figure in Sikhism. It said: “His special mission was selfless service of humanity with no distinction of nationality, cast or creed.” He would roam around during the frequent sallies and skirmishes serving water to the wounded and the dying without distinction of friend and foe.  This caused other Sikhs to complain to the Guru Gorbin Singh that Bhai Kanhaiya was helping to save the enemy.  When the Guru summoned Bhai Kanhaiya to explain himself he said “Yes, my Lord, what they said is true in a sense, but I saw no Mughals or Sikhs on the battlefield. I only saw the Guru’s face in everyone.” 

OSCAR Foundation kids in Kumsumpur Pahari community, Vasant Vihar

I am a UK trustee for a wonderful small NGO OSCAR Foundation http://www.oscar-foundation.org here in India and yesterday I visited our Delhi project. OSCAR works with kids from slum communities developing life skills and supporting education through football programs. A group of very enthusiastic children greeted me as I got off the motor bike that Peeyush the project leader had sped me through the narrow lanes on. The kids were as every inquisitive and wanting to learn about me and England and show off their english. We played on a small dusty area of open ground shared with pigs, drunks, broken glass and rubbish, all things that did not lessen the simple pleasure of kids being kids. The kids live tough lives and in our work we often come up against class, cast, education and status barriers but like Bhai Kanhaiya Ji, I hope that all of us who have been touched by the International House idea can keep seeing only brothers and sisters.

Spot the pigs…

Postscript to Bangkok

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Monday 28thJanuary 2019 – Bangkok

After a day further exploring Bangkok, I went out to a very local Thai restaurant in Sathorn for a delicious dinner and returned to my hotel to pack as I had an early flight to Delhi the next morning.  Packing and re-packing is not my favourite occupation, but a frequent one on a trip like this, so I was procrastinating by doing trip admin.  At 8.45pm an email appeared in my in-box which put a huge smile on my face. 

The letter I had posted on Saturday to the relatives of Harry’s generous host Phya Vidura Dharmabinet in Thailand in 1966, had been received and they had made contact.  I was amazed, firstly that the address that one of my kind Thai IH alumni had found me was correct enough to reach them, secondly that the letter which was posted about 11am on Saturday had reached them on Monday (in the UK this would probably not have been the case). 

It turns out I was so close to the right place when I went on my adventures to try and hand deliver the letter on Saturday (see Thai Trip Inspiration blog post). 

That aside, I was so delighted as I could pass on my gratitude to them for their grandfather’s hospitality and in return they very kindly shared these photos of the house where Harry would have stayed for his two weeks in Bangkok.  

Even more wonderful is the fact that there are both New York and Berkeley I-House alumni amongst Phya’s children and wider family, so they are still involved in the story and ‘passing the light on’ of the International House idea.  I am sure Harry would have been delighted. 

I am sad my time in Bangkok was not long enough for us to actually meet but I hope we will one day.  In the mean time I am still smiling and grateful to Phya for inspiring Harry’s trip and mine. 


Postscript to postscript – I received this photo of Harry and Phya Vidura Dharmabinet which must have been from the 1966 trip, from Phya’s relatives… wonderful!

Bangkok meet-up

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Sunday 27th January 2019 – Bangkok

Bangkok has been one of my tricker stops to find alumni, so when I made contact with Jyoti Sarinthorn an alumni from I-House Sydney, I was very excited. I prepared her for a dinner a deux, however in the end we mustered 4 alumni for dinner.

As my ‘Thai Trip Inspiration’ blog post describes, Bangkok was a significant stop for Harry. As I do not have edition No. 2 of the iHouse World Newsletters for the stops beyond Hong Kong, apart from staying with Vidura for two weeks I do not know much about Harry’s time here. There was no I-House to visit but I am assuming there were Thai alumni to meet.

Bangkok was a first in that I had my first ISH alumni, Charles (originally from the USA) join an event. Charles studied for his undergrad in NYC so had also visited I-House NYC to listen to illustrious speakers meaning he understood the set up there. Book and Jomphong from I-House NYC completed the party.

  • Jomphong & Jyoti
  • Charles
  • Book

Whilst eating the delicious Thai food, the facilities, activities and layout of the different Houses was compared. It seems that ISH and I-House both have the all important Pub, whilst I-House Sydney residents, having none resort to taking over the Pub across the road!

I passed on Nelson Fung’s Hong Kong candle with its delicious sent to Book, who gave me a very interesting candle to take on to Delhi. It is a candle from his friends wedding. They are a couple who met doing Cheer-Leading and married in 2015 – which in Thai years is 58.

The candle has some Buddhist thoughts for both husbands and wives – a top 5 for each which go something along the lines of…. (for those who speak Thai you will be better off reading what it says!)

For the Women 1) Be a good organiser of the household, 2) Be supportive of your husband, 3) Don’t cheat i.e. have an affair, 4) Keep the property and money you have safe, 5) Work hard

For the Man 1) Give complements and support, 2) No sarcasm, 3) No affairs, 4) Give respect, 5) Give jewellery!

Thank you to my Thai Gentleman and Lady for continuing the hospitality of Thailand that was shown to Harry on his trip.

Story Snippets…

Thai Boxing – Book Mongkol Jarujanya – I was asking questions about the different Thai sports and Jomphong was trying to persuade me that I should go to a Thai Boxing lesson at the Gym before I leave, when Book shares with us that whilst at I-House NYC he learnt Thai boxing from a Mexican! Not something he had done before in Thailand and it helped him feel confident walking the streets of NYC late at night.

Turning a London Experience Around – Charles – When Charles arrived in London for his Post Grad study, he was assigned accommodation by the Institution he was studying at. However when he arrived and went to see it it was grim, dirty, miles from anywhere, no other student near by and generally miserable. Charles went back to the accommodation office and said that he could not live there and they said they would pay him to live there (which shows how bad it must have been). Charles was depressed as his time in London was not working out as he had visioned it. Shortly after he came across International Student House by Regents Park. It was evening but he went in and got chatting to the residents and decided this was the place for him. Approaching the admissions team, he was told that there were no places so he would not be able to escape the dreaded student housing he was in. He stood firm and insisted that he really did need to move and they then said that if he was willing to share in a double or triple he could come. Charles goal was to meet people so this was ideal! He had a very happy time at ISH and learnt how to drink like an Englishman at the Pub amongst many other cultural lessons.

Where we ate: Taling Pling http://talingpling.com

Thai Trip Inspiration

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26th January 2019 – Bangkok

Harry’s round the world trip in 1966 was inspired by a Thai gentleman – his name was originally Toa Amranand and subsequently changed in 1915 to Luang Nathanbanja as he was honoured for his work by his country. He was a member of the Intercollegiate Cosmopolitan Club from 1921-23 while he was studying Political science and public law at Columbia.

Phyla Vidura-Dharmabinet

Harry set up the Cosmopolitan club as a result of the success of the original Sunday Suppers. He wanted to be able to support newly arrived international students and also to give them somewhere to socialise, debate and connect with each other. It was seeing the success of the interactions there that led Harry to the idea that he needed a way to have the students live together to really benefit and foster the understanding, tolerance and international friendship that was his vision.

Luang was given the title and name Phya Vidura Dharmabinet by the Crown in 1929 and served his country in a variety of roles including Judge of International Court, Director-General Legal and Vice-President of the National Assembly. Harry must have engaged Phya in the I-House idea as he was a member of the Building Committee for I-House NYC and laid the corner-stone of the House.

Even when he returned to Thailand, his correspondence with Harry must have continued over the years as Harry describes Phya asking in his Christmas Card for him to come and visit Bangkok and Thailand.

Over 40 years after he left New York, Harry was still on Phya’s mind and realising that Harry must now be in his 80s he offered to pay some of Harry’s expenses if he would come and visit him. Never one to turn down a funded trip to meet alumni, Harry of course said yes and as he was going as far as Bangkok he decided to make it a world trip, the one I am re-creating.

So here I am in Bangkok. This is where my timeline and Harry’s start to diverge slightly as Harry spent two weeks staying with Phya and his family. He describes Phya living in a small palace with a lovely atmosphere and how he was a ‘connoisseur and an expert on the raising of orchids’.

Researching anyone with a Thai name has proved challenging, they can be spelt differently in english script and decedents often have very different names. However with persistence I have narrowed it down to a name and a location in the same area as the Bank of Thailand complex off Sam Sen Road and the family surname today.

I have written a letter of gratitude to the decedents of Phya, that he funded Harry’s trip which has then become the inspiration of my trip and led to the already unbelievable experiences of the last 25 days and those still to come.

My 15 Baht boat ticket

I wanted to hand deliver the letter to the address that I had, not because I expected the relatives to want to see me but more so I could see where Harry had stayed. So I set off on the river boat from Sathon Pier to Thewes Pier, enjoying the riverside world of temples, shopping malls, tumbledown warehouses and homes large and small as they flashed by.

Leaving the Pier, I walked along the canal down to Sam Sen Road. The canal is lined near the main road with stalls that are like mini garden centres stuffed with beautiful plants and flowers and of course Orchids. I love Orchids anyway but these were so gorgeous, from delicate white with the palest pink edges to huge flashy purple flowers all bobbing in the breeze that was blowing in from the river.

I was drawn into the peace of Wat Noranartsoontarikaram, where a lady sat with her back to me in a loose flowered top cross legged and motionless meditating in front of the raised buddha, with the breeze rippling her hair. She looked totally at peace. I wondered if Harry had been here, I imagine as it was so close to where he was staying that he may well have been.

Wat Noranartsoontarikaram

Going round the corner onto Sam Sen Road with my letter in my hand I was hopeful that I might find the house and either post it in or give it to a smartly uniformed guard (I know the family are still well to do). However Thai addresses are far from simple and even with the help of a lovely young man at the post office and various kind people in the vicinity, it eluded me.

Having planned for this eventuality with my friend at the post office I applied the 5 Baht stamp he had sold me to the letter and decided that I would post it in the post box nearest to where I thought Harry would have been staying.

  • Where I posted the letter

Having done that, I walked up onto the edge of the bridge that towers over the Bank of Thailand complex and took photos of the renaissance buildings designed by the German Architect, Karl Dohring which were commissioned by King Chulalongkorn for his son Somdet Phrachao Borommawongthoe Chaofa Boriphat Sukumphan Kromphra Nakhon Sawanworaphinit (some name to learn to spell!) in 1932. I believe that the Palace Harry stayed at was in a similar style and was on this compound somewhere.

The Bank of Thailand complex with the historical Karl Dohring buildings taken from the bridge
  • The old house in the distance might be the palace?

I am not expecting an answer from Phya’s relatives, but I am truly grateful for his generosity to Harry and his engagement with the I-House idea and how that lasted through his long life.

The view Harry would have had from the area he was staying across the river

Random aside….   Bangkok is very very full of tourists possibly because of the Lunar New Year, so I took refuge from the mid-day sun and the tour bus gaggles into a long building at the edge of the park by the palace. It was cool and airy and turned out to contain an exhibition about the Thai Kings. Looking for postcards at the end of my visit I turned over the picture below to find that it was H.M. King Chulalonkorm, the Crown Prince, and his sons at Taplow Court in Maidenhead (where I live), England on 7th August 1897. My great grandmother on my mother’s side had grown up in Taplow in one of the large houses there so my mum and I were imagining her great grandparents being invited to tea to meet the Crown Prince of Siam, who would have seemed very exotic. He certainly had a lot of sons!!

H.M. King Chulalonkorm, the Crown Prince, and his sons at Taplow Court in Maidenhead

Happy in Hong Kong

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Wednesday 23rd January 2019 – Hong Kong

When Harry got to Hong Kong, it was Lunar or Chinese New Year and it was year of the Horse. I have arrived just before the New Year and this year it is year of the Pig. So every shop, housing complex or school is decked in red decorations and pigs in all shapes and sizes abound. Whilst I would love to be here to experience the New Year’s celebrations, the mass movement of literally millions of people across the region or Chunyun, had made me think carefully and plan to avoid the main rush. I don’t imagine that in 1966 when Harry was travelling that the transport links allowed for the millions of journeys taken today at this time of year.

A welcome gift from Joanna Lee to everyone attending

The first person to join my 100,000 Grains of Sand Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/grainsofsand19/?ref=bookmarks when I set it up last year was Nelson Fung, a Berkeley I-House alumni, so I was excited to finally meet him.

My event in Hong Kong was organised and hosted by Frank Wong, a NYC alumni and long time supporter and organiser of gatherings here. Suitably for 2019 and the Hong Kong shopping obsession, the venue was a restaurant in one of the high end shopping malls, Pacific Place.

Frank Wong signing my scarf that I have been collecting signatures on (when I remember to!)

From the moment I met Frank at the venue to the moment I left, the event was high energy and high volume. About 20 people attended a mix of I-House NYC, Berkeley and Larry Kwok representing I-House Sydney. As ever there was a range of ages, locals and expats. We had lawyers, architects, film festival organisers, publishers, entrepreneurs, bankers….

Not quite all of us as some had to shoot off and some arrived after….
Nelson Fung on the left proudly sporting his IH Berkeley Tee, with K.Y. with his IH NYC Tee (also in main image if you want to see what they actually look like!)

We continued the candle relay with me giving Nelson the Manila candle that Leah had bought and he gave me the Hong Kong Candle to take onto Bangkok. It is my first scented candle with the scent of white Micheila and smells wonderful. It was produced by a company in Hong Kong of beeswax and has a wooden wick. On its label it depicts Pottinger Street (stone slab street) which has always been a place where small traders sold their wares including candles. Nelson had certainly put a lot of thought into his choice.

Pottinger Street today decorating for Luna New Year

For those following the lonely Chinese student thread, I received new information, from Joanna Lee, that there is a Boxer Indemnity Scholarship recipients relatives association in Zhuhai in southern China. So that will be a line of investigation to follow up.

Hong Kong has been fun as I have also been able to catch up with family, my first cousin lives here, as well as family friends who kindly had me to stay and friends from my MBA at London Business School. The weather has been perfect, as in sunny and not too hot and I have the most had delicious food, particularly my lunch with Larry Kwok at the Mandarin Oriental.

Next stop Bangkok, which is promising a small but perfectly formed gathering.

Story Snippets…

Thirty years later – Arlene Barilec and Joanna Lee – When at I-House New York in the 1980s, Arlene and Joanna attended a Sunday Supper. The speaker was an eminent I-House alumna in her 70s or 80s and one of the things that she spoke about was how her friends made at I-House were still her closest and dearest friends. John Wells was then the Communications Manager of the House and Arlene and Joanna, remember saying to John that they couldn’t imagine that would be the case for them, in fact they could not even imagine staying in contact for a year, but now 30 years on they absolutely agree with the speaker that night.

Welcome to your new country – Joanna Lee – Joanna was telling me how if the I-House NYC alumni based in Hong Kong know a new I-House alumni is coming to live there they will arrange a welcoming committee for them. They will create a welcome pack and ensure that the new arrival, knows where things are like supermarkets, doctors etc.. and how to get around and who to call if they have a crisis. This is really passing the light on as Harry would have wanted and it is similar to what the Intercollegiate Cosmopolitan Club offered newly arrived international students in NYC from 1910 when it was set up after his meeting with the lonely Chinese student. They would help them get established in NYC and make sure that they knew someone cared even though they were feeling far from home.

Best and worst experiences in the dining commons – Nelson Fung – It seems that when Nelson was at I-House Berkeley the food quite up to the high standard now lovingly prepared by the executive chef Todd Koenigsberg for current residents. Whilst Nelson perhaps did not delight in the food offered, he did enjoy the wonderful company and it was definitely dining together that he enjoyed. He described, the joy of striking up conversations with people studying topics he had never even thought about or from countries he had never visited. Definitely where he made some of his life long friends.

  • Joanna Lee & her husband
  • Larry Kwok, representing IH Sydney


I-House Baby

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21st January 2019 Quezon City, Philippines

When Doris Ramirez from the Phillippines applied for a place on the Human Rights Advocacy Program (HRAP) at Columbia University in 2014 she was not thinking about starting a family. However by the time she was awarded the place and a scholarship that helped fund it she was pregnant so she was faced with a difficult decision about what to do. She decided to join the program as it was an opportunity of a lifetime and was due to finished one month before her due date.

All 10 of the students on the HRAP program get admission to live at I-House so that is where Doris found herself living when she arrived in New York. All was going well until her waters broke unexpectedly when she was 5 months pregnant. She was rushed to hospital and spent the next few weeks there as doctors tried to give her baby a better chance of survival by delaying its birth.

Far from home, it was her I-House friends and the Filipino nurses at the Hospital who befriended her and kept her spirits up. Her I-House friends bought her food to the Hospital to try and keep her eating well as the American Hospital food was not tempting her.

On the 31st of October 2014, Maria Angelina Fatima was born weighing just over 3lbs. Amazingly just two days later Doris was back at Columbia determined to complete her program. Fatima was in the Hospital for another month in the special care baby unit before she was allowed out. So Doris juggled her studies with spending time at the Hospital with her baby.

By this point it was December and Fatima was at last discharged from Hospital but was not allowed to fly home to the Philippines for at least another month. The I-House team allowed Doris and Fatima to take up residence in a slightly larger room at I-House. Being a new mum is never easy and it was particularly hard for Doris trying to complete her program and care for Fatima. It was a snowy winter and often as the snow fell so did her tears of exhaustion as she looked out of her I-House window. Whilst it was tough there were also great acts of kindness and care by both I-House residents and also the Filipino nurses who had met her at the Hospital. The nurses seemed to be able to miracle up baby formula and other supplies when they were needed.

Fatima’s father was able to come and visit for long enough so that he could look after Fatima and Doris could complete her program, so he too became an I-House resident.

Just before they left to go home to the Philippines, Fatima was baptised and the party afterwards was held at I-House and there were special invitations to all the wonderful I-Housers who had lived on Doris’ floor and supported her so well. There were also plenty of others who came to see Fatima as a baby at I-House is not a usual occurrence and particularly one with such a story to tell. The HRAP program that year had 10 participants from all around the globe. Doris and Henry made them all godparents to Fatima.

Fatima’s birth certificate states 500 Riverside Drive as her address, I am not sure if anyone else has I-House as their birth address, I would love to hear if there is.

Doris told me hers and Fatima’s story over dinner in Gerry’s Restaurant in Quezon City where she and Henry live. Doris is a Lawyer specialising in Human Rights and never one to make her life easy is trying to work out how to get her Masters in Migration Studies.

She told me that they call Fatima their miracle baby as had she been born so prematurely in the Philippines it would have been very unlikely that she would have survived as the neonatal care is just not as good, a sobering thought for all of us who are parents. Their dream is to take Fatima to visit all of her 10 HRAP Godparents in their home countries which will be quite a trip.

My children are now 18 and 17 and I certainly still remember the first few weeks after my eldest was born as being utterly exhausting and confusing as I got to grips with being a mother. I can’t imagine trying to complete a university program at the same time! Spending the evening with Doris, Fatima and Henry was such an unexpected delight and Doris’ resilience was inspiring.

We have plans to meet at the NYC I-House 100 year celebration and Doris is going to bring a special candle with her as her family owns a candle making business. That really will be passing the light on….

Manila meet-up

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20th January 2019 – BGC Manila

Bonifacio Global City has sprung up in the 20 odd years since I last visited Manila. Sitting in the 9th floor apartment of a friend from my MBA, I can see out over a park which seems to have trapeze and circus skills being taught at all hours of the day, I can see fancy restaurants, an art centre and shiny offices, not necessarily the image that some would have of Manila.

In the Early Bird Breakfast Club restaurant, I was joined for brunch by three alumni from three houses. Leah Jordano from NYC, Neil Tan Gana from Berkeley and Virginia Teodosio from Sydney.

Professor Virginia Teodosio who is still passionate about her work on cooperatives and sustainable farming

We were reflecting on Harry’s arrival in Manila as reported in the iHouse World Newsletter Vol 2. no 1. He was met by 28 alumni at the airport and amongst his visits was ‘courtesy call on President Marcos’! I am told by my new Filipino friends that President Marcos was very early in his tenure and at that point things were looking positive as to his outlook and leadership of the Philippines so it would have been a great honour for Harry indeed.

He had a packed schedule with visits to the President of the University of the Philippines, the Rice Research Institute, a dinner at the Commercial Bank & Trust Co. Building and a farewell party!

We were also reflecting on the challenges of gathering a group of I-House alumni in Manila today considering that the Filipinos have been a strong presence in the resident group right from the start of I-House NYC in 1924. Filipinos students started to arrived as pensionados (or sponsored students) in universities like Colombia and NYU in 1903. Between 1910 and 1948 14,000 Filipino students came to study in the US, with many choosing the West Coast universities, and so some would no doubt have lived at I-House Berkeley.

In Chicago the 1940 census recorded 1,740 Filipinos living there and the majority are cited as having come to study “to acquire the American Diploma they believed would boost their place on the Islands’ ladder of success.” So all three original I-Houses have strong Filipino connections.

We continued my candle relay handing over the Taiwan candle in a Taiwan Beer Glass that Grace Hong gave me in Taipei, to Leah who had bought my Manila candle. It seems that Manila Wax Commercial have the monopoly on candles in Manila and Leah had chosen one of their Yellow ones (they come in White, Red or Yellow). I was also able to give Virginia and Neil one each of the tea light candles that Tudor had bought to the Taipei event.

Leah had also kindly bought me some very tasty dried mango…

I then had a very lovely and unexpected afternoon of sightseeing with Neil, who took me to the newly refurbished Natural History Museum and to see the sights of Rizal Park, which on a Sunday afternoon was packed with families enjoying their afternoon. Our trip led us to discuss the joy of spontaneity which Neil said is a big feature of the I-House experience, where by joining up with people and saying yes to doing things it opens up new understanding and builds international friendships. Just as Harry had imagined it would.

Sources: Unintentional Immigrants: Chicago’s Filipino Foreign Students Become Settlers, 1900-1941, Barbara M. Posadas and Roland L. Guyotte, Journal of American Ethnic History Vol 9, No. 2 pp. 26-48

The Filipino Diaspora in the United States July 2014

Where we ate:  Early Bird Breakfast Club – BGC – https://www.earlybirdbreakfastclub.com

A slight detour…

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17th & 18th of January 2019 – Kaohsiung

Having been the superb back up crew for the last 2 weeks, Taiwan was Chris (my partner’s) opportunity for a bit of limelight. Chris’ surname is Swinhoe-Standen and his 1st cousin 4 times removed, yes that is a long way back, was a man called Robert Swinhoe. Robert was a significant figure in Taiwanese history for two reasons. Firstly he was a great naturalist and ‘discovered’ and scientifically named well over 300 species, some of which have his name. Secondly he was the first British Vice Consul of Formosa (Taiwan) aged 24 in 1860. In this capacity opened the British Consulate in 1861 in Takao, now Kaohsiung. http://takaoclub.com/swinhoe/index.htm

Having emailed the Ministry of Culture, Chris was invited to a hosted tour of the Natural History gallery at the National Museum of Taiwan in Taipei so they could show him Robert Swinhoe related things. We were greeted with high excitement by two of the museum staff who showed us around the gallery and explained that whilst Robert was very important, he was definitely not alone there having been a good number of Victorian naturalists and missionaries who had come to Formosa in that period. Having briefly met the more important curator our two hosts gave us a variety of museum mementos and said that they had been in touch with their colleagues in Kaohsiung and they had organised an English speaking guide to the Former British Consulate museum and booked us on the Robert Swinhoe cruise tour!

We had alway planned to visit the Consulate museum in Kaohsiung, but were definitely not expecting to be hosted.

Before we left Taipei we headed to the Taipei Zoo to see some of Robert’s species in a slightly less stuffed form than they had been at the museum. One of his most famous is the Swinhoe Pheasant, which was pleasingly beautiful, its feathers iridescent. The males strut about making a rather less than manly cooing sound.

  • Swinhoe Pheasant

The next day saw us speeding down the country on the very rapid train for a date with Kate, one of the staff members at the Former British Consulate museum. We were in need of lunch when we arrived, which we had at the touristy ‘Shell Lovers’ restaurant close to the Consulate. Walking round the corner to the museum we found we had been very eagerly awaited by what seemed like the whole staff. After many welcomes, our guide Jose set off to show us around, whilst Kate and her colleague followed us snapping pictures.

Robert with some of his species – on the steps up to the Residence
Chris being posed for the camera by Robert!

The former Consulate residence is on top of a hill with a stunning view of Kaohsiung harbour and has been lovingly re-built after it was destroyed by a typhoon and left derelict for decades It is a popular spot for watching the sun set and amusingly they serve English afternoon tea and have a rather wonderful exhibition of strange tea related pictures of the royal family.

After a comprehensive tour we headed for the dockside and for the boat section of our Swinhoe extravaganza. There is a massive re-generation of the docks area in progress and a busy dock yard and the tour took in spots relevant to Robert’s story such as where the boat he resided on for 6 months prior to coming ashore to start the consulate was probably moored.

Kaohsiung harbour

Tours over, Chris was asked to sign some books about the consulate’s history and amusingly a random member of the public decided her book should also get a signature. Slightly bemused, we were then told that Kate’s supervisor was on her way to meet their illustrious guest. After some time she appeared with an entourage of 3 or 4 other people and outside the residency, overlooking the harbour, there was much more handshaking and photography. It then became more like a great diplomatic visit as the supervisor spoke in Chinese about how honoured they were to have Chris visit and how much this would do for English, Taiwan relations, all of which was translated by Kate. They then asked for permission to create a press release about Chris’ visit as they were so excited by it.

Chris with the VIP supervisor from the museum team…

It is a very lovely spot and well worth a visit if you are in Kaohsiung, and is shortly going to become a National Heritage monument which was very exciting for the team on the ground there.

I have Grace Hong, scanning the papers and new for any articles that appear about the ‘great Swinhoe relative’s visit’….

Postscript… Chris made the papers! Taipei Times 19th January 2019 – very amusing. Also the following online publications http://news.ltn.com.tw/news/life/breakingnews/2675808

https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acul/201901180255.aspx

https://udn.com/news/story/7327/3602357

https://www.chinatimes.com/realtimenews/20190118002550-260405