[Assam] CALL FROM MIKE FINCKE

[Ankur Bora]

The successful organization of  'Space Talk' is an event , we should all feel proud of. We , the Non Residents of Assam and North East , are mostly professionals working in areas of Engineering , IT , education and medicine etc. We neither have the monetary resource for big investment in Assam nor have a established network for sustained presence. But We have and possess the technical skill , knowledge and expertise which we can organize ,share and experience with our people back home. The 'Space Talk' is the beginning of such interaction , Let's hope that this will inspire the students of Axam Jatiya Vidyalaya  or the Dibrugarh University to become a "Kalpana Chawla" or another 'Rakesh Sharma".
 
It is worthwhile to mention that these events were successful primarily due to the organization and leadership skills of Rajen Baruah. Baruah non only provided the inspirational energy but also a substained consistent effort .  Rajen da , as I know , stayed awake, without sleep,  till late night to train , rehearse , prepare the students , so that they learn , know and experience the unique world of space exploration.  It's truely inspirational , I could not resist sharing the following lines of American Poet , Robert Forst in his "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening"
 
 
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
 
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of the easy wind and downy flake.
 
The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
  
 
Thanks,
Ankur
Dallas , Texas
 


--- On Mon, 3/9/09, Rajen Barua <rajen.barua at gmail.com> wrote:

From: Rajen Barua <rajen.barua at gmail.com>
Subject: [NorthEastIndia] CALL FROM MIKE FINCKE
To: "Friends" <FriendsofAssamNE at yahoogroups.com>
Cc: "North East" <northeastindia at yahoogroups.com>, "Assam in Bangalore" <assam_in_bangalore at yahoogroups.com>, "ASA ASA" <AssamSociety at yahoogroups.com>, "manipur-diaspora" <Manipur-Diaspora at yahoogroups.com>, "silchar" <silchar at yahoogroups.com>
Date: Monday, March 9, 2009, 9:50 AM







Friends
Just to let all our friends know that last week, I had a very pleasant surprise when I received a sudden telephone call in my Cell phone from Mike Fincke, the Commander from the ISS. I was walking in Houston downtown during my lunch break at that time. We had a very casual but lively conversation. I thanked him for remembering my Cell phone and making the time to call me during his very busy schedule. In return he thanked me and wished Best Wishes to all in Assam and Seven Sisters and told me what great job Friends of Assam and Seven Sisters is doing for the students of North East India. We talked about the Space Talks we did  in Dibrugarh, Shillong, Guwahati and Imphal. He said he enjoyed every minute of the talks and said that he was very pleased to see the intelligence of the questions the students put. He also said that he loves Assam and would like visit all the 'seven sisters' in future if time permits. I told him that he probably
 did not know how much inspiration his direct talks from Space are giving to the students of the North East. We about about many other things. We also briefly talked about a possible Video Conference with Guwahati in near future. He said that he will try his best to make it happen if his busy schedule would permit.   

 
As you know the ISS is orbiting the earth at 26000 Km/Hour at an altitude of some 350 km above the earth.  Mike is supposed to return to earth sometime in April after his six months stay in the ISS. We are preparing for a big Welcome for him.

After the call, when I was reflecting, I was thinking about how technology is shrinking the globe and changing our lives altogether. But I also suddenly remembered a famous poem by 
 
Robert Frost:
 
The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
>From a hemlock tree

Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.

 
Although the poem has no relation, I think the sensation his sudden call gave me was similar. I think those who would appreciate Robert Frost's poem would understand what I am saying.
 
Regards
 
Rajen Barua
Houston
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