The first three photos come from Yun Dong, incoming MIA student.

“Forbiden city”, taken in June, 2009, in Beijing.
This is the entrance to the Forbidden City, which was absolutely inaccessible for common people 2 hundred years ago. But now, the lion used to represent royal authority has become a welcoming symbol for worldwide travelers.

“Debate”, taken in August 2007, in Tibet.
The Lamas gather to “debate” about the sutra they have studied, which is kind of a test. A Lama must answer the question asked by the “teacher” in front of everyone. If he got it wrong, he would be booed. Because of the pressure, they often move constantly like clapping hands or stomping feet to keep up their courage.

“Pilgrim”, taken in August 2007, in Tibet.
I met these pilgrims on the highway, who were on their way to Lhasa, the religious. Even with modern transportation, they stuck to the traditional way: every few steps, they would worship with legs, arms and forehead touching the ground. You can notice some special gears on their hands, feet and elbows to protect themselves. They money they gathered on the way would be donated to the temple once they arrived.

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The following three photos come from incoming MIA student Thomas Ritzer.

The first photo was taken on our boat trip from Siem Reap to Battambang via the Tonle Sap lake and the Stung Sangker river. Impressed by the amazing scenery I could not resist to try and be a little artistic by taking this photo of a Cambodian man relaxing on our boat.

The second photo was taken in Battambang while we were waiting for the so called Bamboo Train – cobbled together with a wooden or metal frame, bamboo planking, a moped engine, and old military tank wheels and axles. The occasional appearance of such a “train” was always a big hit with the kids hanging out at the train stop.

The third photo shows our bamboo train with kids playing on our mopeds and the train driver posing in front of it.

The first two photos come from Buyu Liu, incoming MIA student.

Two Tibetan horse riders are dressed up in traditional race apparel heading to the annual horse riding festival in Naqu County (4,400 meters altitude), Tibet, China. On the far left, where land transitions into the sky, a herd of  Tibetan Yak (tiny black dots) is enjoying their early-morning breakfast.

My own beloved old lady, not passing on any photo op with great-looking Tibetan people. This Tibetan pilgrim is holding a typical prayer’s wheel, or Mani wheel. The stairway on the right hand side leads to the magnificent Potala Palace of Lhasa.

These photos were taken in August 2001 during a 10-day road trip in southern Tibet.

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The following three photos come from Fairuz Haque, an incoming MPA student.

Photo: Living with the lake

The photo was taken at the lake city of Rangamati in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh. The Kaptai Lake was formed when a large part of Rangamati drowned due the construction of Kaptai Dam during the 1960s. The people native to the area is still coping with the changed landscape.

Photo: Spring Celebration at the Bookfair

The photo is taken on 13 February 2006 at the National bookfair in Dhaka, Bangladesh. In an event that is one of the most colourful festival for Bengalis, every year, one day in mid-February, people dress up in yellow, orange and red to mark the arrival of Spring. A favourite destitation on the day for Dhakaits is the monthlong bookfair, organised to pay respect to the language movement of 21 February 1952 that established Bangla as the official language of Bangladesh.

Photo: Fishing in the Bay of Bengal

The photo shows a child from a nearby fishing community at the Kuakata sea beach at the south of Bangladesh. The surrounding communities survive off the sea,  going on lengthy fishing trips that may last for weeks at a time. The children of the communities often help the adults in weaving the nets and some onshore fishing.

The first photo comes from incoming MPA-Development Practice student  Megan Cassidy.

So, this isn’t exactly a foreign country like the previous entries.  On the contrary, it is in the South Bronx not far from Columbia, but I think it adequately represents one of my most important journeys.  This photo was taken earlier this week at the graduation of my 5th graders, most of whom live in the projects around the school, but almost all of whom are graduating at or above grade level.  I am tremendously proud of them, and I will certainly use what I have learned over the past three years about education in underprivileged areas in my studies at SIPA.  I am so excited to start in the fall, but I sure am going to miss them!

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The following two photos were submitted by incoming MIA student, Jennifer Yum.

This photo was taken in Kaesong, North Korea, months before it shut its doors to tourism late 2008. The statue is of late North Korean leader Kim Il-Sung. This was the closest picture of the statue that I was allowed to take.

This “mad” cow in downtown Seoul symbolized public outcry against President Lee Myung-Bak’s allowance of U.S. beef imports in May 2008. Messages covering the statue express fear of exposure to mad cow disease and the perception of Lee as dishonest.