India Campus

FAQ for “Ecology of the Indian Tropics”

How do I register for the India trip if I am a student at a non-participating college?

If you are a student at a non-participating college, please contact the Au Sable-Great Lakes campus at (800) 315-2836 or (231) 587-8686 for further information on access to the registration function of the web site.

Do students ever travel alone during the India trip?

No. From the beginning, a faculty member travels with the students at all times. Generally the group starts off together at a central location like Chicago or Detroit. The professor who is facilitating the course meets the students and takes care of watching the weather and travel notices to keep track of any possible cancellations or delays.

While in India, the students never go anywhere alone. Because of the cultural customs of India, women must always be accompanied by a male. The vast majority of Indian people are kind, considerate, friendly and helpful, as you would find while traveling here in the States. Nevertheless, we do advise our students to follow the information, direction and advice of the faculty and staff of the Bishop Heber College (our sponsor college in India).

Other precautions are taken, such as advising students to never go anywhere after dark, always go places in pairs and to always tell someone where you are going. A full orientation on safety procedures is done upon arrival in India.

What locations do students travel to?

Students of the Ecology of Indian Tropics land in Chennai. Once students land in Chennai, travel is done by bus with the designation of “Church of South India, Trichy Diocese” which is owned by our sponsoring college, the Bishop Heber College which is governed by the Church of South India. The group goes to Tiruchirappelli (Trichy) and stay there for three days for orientation and lectures. They then go on to the Bay of Bengal, specifically Point Callimere for field studies. Students return to Trichy for a short time and then go on to the Western Ghat Muntains for studies at two or three sites such as Top Slips, Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and the town of Valparia, which is near the Montane (mountain) top Grassland Sanctuary which requires special permission to enter. In addition, we study the ecology and the process tea plantations, tea harvesting and processing.

There seems to be a lot of political unrest mentioned in the media, is it safe to travel in India?

There are no safety concerns where the students will travel. Tamil Nadu is the southernmost state of India and most of the political unrest occurs in the northern states where there is more political activity. Last year, the bombings in Mumbai were at a great distance from Tamil Nadu, which is not a business center or tourist destination.

What happens if there is a medical emergency with a member of the group?

The faculty member from the U.S. carries the students medical forms at all times. Dr. Relton, our guide while in India, has medical contacts in Trichy and knows the connections for medical assistance in each area where the group travels. Dr. Relton carries his mobile phone at all times. Past experience on this trip has shown that the clinics and hospitals have high standards and provide suitable treatment. Many of the physicians are American trained.

Is this a new trip? How experienced are the faculty who teach this course?

Dr. Orin Gelderloos has made 13 study trips to Tamil Nadu for teaching and lecturing since 1993. Ten of these journeys were with North American students for the “Ecology of the Indian Tropics” course.

How can a parent contact a student who is on the trip?

The course is taught primarily at field sites and there will be limited access to telephones. The administration at the Bishop Heber College will have the ability to contact the lodgings in the event of an emergency back home. If you must be contacted in the event of an emergency, use the phone numbers below. Please do not use these contact numbers for the transmission of casual questions. (How is my son/daughter doing?)

Phone Numbers for Bishop Heber College (from USA):
011 91 431 2771940 Home
011 09 4431 44804 Mobile
011 91 431 2771606 Prof. Relton Home
011 91 94431 61606 Prof. Relton Mobile

How can a student call home while in India?

Again, telephone access is limited in India. To make a call, an individual has to go to a telephone booth where a person records the number of minutes you talk and charges you accordingly. Not all telephones have the capability to connect to foreign countries. You should not make plans to contact anyone who is on the trip at a specific time, nor should students arrange a time to call home. Students should plan to pay for telephone calls with cash (Rupees) only. Calling cards may help in making the initial call, but the person manning the telephone booth will also charge the student for minutes because he or she will also be charged. Thus, to make a phone call with a calling card costs double in India, but the cost of the call is generally only a few dollars.

What time zone is India located in?

India operates on Indian Standard Time (IST) and is 10.5 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time (EST) in the U.S.

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