Introducing...

This blog is entitled "Under Western Eyes", after Joseph Conrad's master-work of the same name. The pun in the title alludes to the altogether different tone the word "Western" now possesses. For Conrad what separated East and West was the Balkan mountains. Today, no such barrier exists. Indian authors have written masterworks of the English language, and the Chinese people have embraced Anglo-American capitalism as no people have done ever before (turning so-called 'free-market' ideals on their heads in the process).

This blog is wholly meant to testify and account for a trip I will soon take to Rajasthan, India. I will be living and working in Jaipur for the Jaipur Virasat Foundation. I will be working on their website and also photographing various events other organization functions. I hope to try my hand at recording live music, but I can't get that presumptuous before I've even set foot on the plane.

The next few posts will concern that menial yet altogether most important part of any trip abroad: preparation. I will detail my mental and physical preparations for the trip, along with packing lists and links to resources I have made use of.

Thank you for visiting my blog. Please visit again soon, as I hope to update UNDER WESTERN EYES on a near-daily basis. Goodnight.