Since I will be spending three weeks in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, I thought I would do some physical and cultural comparisons so that I won't be too shocked when I step off that plane.
Let's start with the lay of the land...
Climate:
The climate in the Pacific Northwest is temperate. This means that it is warm, but not usually too hot, in the summer, and cold (but not too cold) in the winter. We don't get a lot of days over 80*F or below freezing. We rarely have snow in the lowlands (which means schools close for 2 inches of snow. This always amuses my friends from snowier places.) In Seattle, the average daily temperature is between a low of 57*F (14*C) and a high of 75*F (24*C) during the month of August, with an average rainfall of 1.6 inches (29.5 centimeters).
Chennai lies on something called the thermal equator, which is not the same as the physical equator. It means that it is that hottest place (on average) on that particular longitude (which, if you remember, is the invisible line that stretches from the North pole to the South pole.) In other words, Chennai is hot all the time. In August, the average temps range from a daily low of 78*F (26*C) to a high of 94*F (34*C) with a average monthly rainfall of 5.4 inches (137.2 centimeters.) Luckily, I'm not visiting during the hottest months (May and June) or the wettest (September or December.) Still, I can expect hot, humid (sweaty) weather, and bugs. Even in January, the coldest month of the year, the days rarely get below 75* F. (The kind of weather most of us only dream about in January!)
Geography
In the Pacific Northwest, we have beaches, mountains, forests: we seem to have it all. I personally think our region is one of the most beautiful in the world. Here is a photo of Oswald West State Park on the Oregon coast, one of my favorite places to visit.
Chennai is located on a coastal plain, which means it is flat, and it has a couple of lazy rivers which spill into the Bay of Bengal. Along the Bay's coastline lies Marina Beach, the longest beach in India, and the second longest beach in the world. Below is a particularly nice photo of Marina Beach.
I stole it off the interwebs, but it really belongs to the photographer. The site, showing some of India's gorgeous beaches is here: India's Beaches
I'm looking forward to some beach time, If I can grab it. Oh, and fresh sugarcane (karumbu) juice which I tried recently at an Indian market in California. It is bliss.
Size/Population:
Seattle is a pretty nice-sized city. It is the 23rd biggest city in the U.S. with a population of 563,374. For every square mile of the city of Seattle, there are 6,717 people.
In comparison, NewYork City is the largest city in the U.S., with a population of more than 8 million people. For every square mile of the city, there are 26,403 people.
So, now let's look at Chennai. Chennai is the fifth most populous city in India. There are 4.4 million people in Chennai, about half the amount of New York, however, the people are crowded more than 2x tighter there, with 63,926 people per square mile!
The crowds in Indian cities (of people, vehicles, and roaming animals) are one of the things that cause a major culture shock. Not to mention the consequences of all those people living together: more traffic, more garbage, more noise, and more pollution.
I have no doubt that nothing I can read from 8,000 miles away will honestly prepare me for the actual moment I step into this whole new world. I look forward to every sight, every sound, all of my senses being filled with absolutely new experiences. No doubt I will be like a little child at a carnival, trying to take in everything at once.
Questions:
1. Would you rather visit a crowded place or a place with very few people? Do you find crowds exciting or terrifying?
2. What is the nicest natural thing about the habitat in which you live? What kind of habitat would you like to visit? What is intriguing about it?
3. Would you rather visit a hot climate or a cold climate? What is appealing about the climate you are attracted to?
Challenge:
Describe your ideal vacation spot. Write a paragraph or create (draw, paint, color, collage...) a picture of yourself in this environment.
Seattle is a pretty nice-sized city. It is the 23rd biggest city in the U.S. with a population of 563,374. For every square mile of the city of Seattle, there are 6,717 people.
In comparison, NewYork City is the largest city in the U.S., with a population of more than 8 million people. For every square mile of the city, there are 26,403 people.
So, now let's look at Chennai. Chennai is the fifth most populous city in India. There are 4.4 million people in Chennai, about half the amount of New York, however, the people are crowded more than 2x tighter there, with 63,926 people per square mile!
The crowds in Indian cities (of people, vehicles, and roaming animals) are one of the things that cause a major culture shock. Not to mention the consequences of all those people living together: more traffic, more garbage, more noise, and more pollution.
I have no doubt that nothing I can read from 8,000 miles away will honestly prepare me for the actual moment I step into this whole new world. I look forward to every sight, every sound, all of my senses being filled with absolutely new experiences. No doubt I will be like a little child at a carnival, trying to take in everything at once.
Questions:
1. Would you rather visit a crowded place or a place with very few people? Do you find crowds exciting or terrifying?
2. What is the nicest natural thing about the habitat in which you live? What kind of habitat would you like to visit? What is intriguing about it?
3. Would you rather visit a hot climate or a cold climate? What is appealing about the climate you are attracted to?
Challenge:
Describe your ideal vacation spot. Write a paragraph or create (draw, paint, color, collage...) a picture of yourself in this environment.
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