Oceanids Logo bw

 

We are consolidating our mailboxes with the Inaternatiional Services and Engagement Office, ISEO.  All mail should now be addressed as follows (except when otherwise stated)

Oceanids

c/o ISEO

Student Center B

9500 Gilman Drive, #0018

La Jolla, CA  92093-0018

 

 

Who Are We?

Oceanids is a University of California, San Diego organization and support group promoting friendship and services to the UC San Diego community.  Oceanids is open to all who are interested in UC San Diego as well as faculty, staff and active members of campus support groups and their spouses.  In particular, we shall:


Oceanids service activities include:  Undergraduate service awards, graduate fellowships and other service projects.  The Newcomers group welcomes and assists new members to the UC San Diego community throughout the academic year.  For more information on Newcomers, contact Liz Wills, (858) 454-6858. 

Our annual events include:  Fall Welcome Lunch, Whale Watching ,  Campus Focus, and Spring Luncheon, just to mention a few.

Interest Groups are the backbone of our Oceanids organization.  They are here to meet the many varied needs of our UC San Diego families.  If you are interested in book clubs, bird watching, practicing your French or German, wine tasting, playing bridge, join us.  For a more complete list and description of our groups, click on Interest Groups.

Join!

If you are a University scholar, researcher, staff member, visiting guest of the University or a person interested in being part of a vibrant University community, you are invited to join us.  We are located in the UC San Diego International Center.  For more information, please contact oceanids@ucsd.edu, or download a membership application and/or a donation form.

Renewing Members

If you would like to renew your Oceanids membership, download a renewal membership form and follow the instructions listed on the form.

President's Message    

I hope to see all of you at the Spring Luncheon on May 29 at the Bali Hai, which is such a beautiful venue. For me it has been a fruitful 3 years as President of Oceanids. I wish success to our future Presidents.

I would like to tell you about my first trip to India in December, 1991. I was an Invited Speaker at two week-long conferences in Bangalore and Delhi. I took Thai airlines from LA to Calcutta in order to have a stopover in Bangkok on my return, as I had a distant relative in Bangkok who worked for Nike. I had bought a 30-day pass for the internal airline, Indian Airlines, and planned to travel from Calcutta to Bangalore, then to Dehli, and then to many other cities.  

When I arrived in Calcutta, my suitcase (and about 30 other people's) didn't arrive on the plane. Thai Airlines said that the plane was overweight in LA and they couldn't put on all the suitcases, but they would arrive in 2 days. I was flying to Bangalore the next day. They couldn't send my suitcase to Bangalore as there was no customs there.

I told them that I would collect my suitcase when I returned to Calcutta in a month. I had my briefcase with my lectures, my meds, my toilet kit, and 5 books (2 guidebooks and 3 books to read, which didn't seem so important now). I figured I could buy some clothes in Bangalore.

I flew to Bangalore the next day and checked into the beautiful accommodations at the guesthouse. Then I was told that some Hindu extremists had just destroyed a mosque in Ayodhya. There was rioting all over India with thousands killed—Muslims killing Hindus and Hindus killing Muslims—fortunately, none of it was aimed at foreigners. Trains were stopped and people were pulled off and clubbed to death. There were many instances of what the newspapers called "roastings"; if there was a Hindu house in a Muslim neighborhood, or conversely, the house would be boarded up with the people inside and burned down.

The Indians at the conference were terrified that there would be a civil war as in 1948. All the stores went on strike and I couldn't buy any clothes. Also, Indian Airlines went on strike and I wasn't sure that I would get to Delhi. But things weren't as bad in Bangalore as elsewhere in India and our conference went ahead as planned. The stores started reopening 4 days later and I was able to buy some clothes (2 shirts, 2 underpants, and 2 pairs of socks). However, the Indian Airlines pilots remained on strike, but some routes were able to be flown using administrators who had been pilots. But not all the routes that I had planned on taking were available. I had to change my itinerary, but was able to book flights to Delhi, then to Agra, Jaipur, Udaipur, Varanasi, and Calcutta.      

In Calcutta I was able to get my suitcase and I went to the restroom in the terminal and changed all my clothes. However, the useful lesson I learned was that I could travel for a month with only a briefcase!

Goodbye for now,

Jim Bunch, President, Oceanids

 

  Special Announcements

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Oceanids Spring Membership Luncheon

Thursday, May 29, 2025

Bali Hai Restaurant

2230 Shelter Island Dr.

11:00am - 11:45 am Social Hour

Grab  'n Go Table

11:45 - 1:30pm Luau Lunch Buffet

Speakers:  Oceanids Fellowship Scholars

$40/person (reservatioon received by May 19, 2025)

$45/person (after May 19th)

Get Registration Form HERE

*Due to rising costs, the Bali Hai is now charging $52.50/person.  Our Board has voted to underwrite $12.50 of this fee, this year only.  For questions, please contact coordinator.

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To be Voted on May 29, 2025

Oceanids Board of Directors Slate 2025-2026

       
  Co-Presidents Mary Hanson and Liz Winant  
  Immediate Past President Jim Bunch  
  Co-Vice Presidents Barbara Bank andMary Woo  
  Second Vice President Mary Cutchin  
  Recording Secretary Janet Ambrozek  
  Treasurer Jan Ouren  
  Financial Secretary Liz Winant  
  Nominating Committee

Anne-France Saillot (cont), Nadia O'Donnell, Fiona Bechtler-Levin, Joan Stevens (alt)

  

 

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Join Our Oceanids Interest Groups

Cafe Francais                                     Piano Soiree

 

Tapas                                 Wine Tasting

+ Many More

See Newsletter for more information

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Highlights from Oceanids' Fall Luncheon 2024

     

   

 

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Our new link to registering your Oceanids events is:

 https://ucsd.campusconnexionsuc.com/

For more information on registration, please visit  our Links page

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Are you interested in joining our

Horticulture Interest Groupp

Succulents, Orchids, Plumeria, Ferns, Bromeliadsm Citrus and HouseplantsSucculents, Orchids, Plumeria, Ferns, Bromeliadsm Citrus and Houseplants

Contact Nancy Groves if you are interested in joining.

 

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  Oceanids' Gallery of Arts and Craftss

As our Oceanids' membership includes many artists, we are offering Oceanids members an opportunity to show and share their creations. We encourage you to submit one of your art works, along with a short bio of yourself, to be published in our newsletter--available online to members and the public.As our Oceanids' membership includes many artists, we are offering Oceanids members an opportunity to show and share their creations. We encourage you to submit one of your art works, along with a short bio of yourself, to be published in our newsletter--available online to members and the public.

To exhibit your work, please send a .jpg of your work and a short bio to jouren5353@gmail.com.

Last month's gallery features Barbara Bank and her decorative art, folk art tole painting.  You can see the article in this month's Newsletter on pages 4 & 5.

If you have a collection or interest you would like to share, please contact Jan.  We would love to hear about it!

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Volunteer Opportunity

UCSD International Students and Programs Office's

English-in-Action (EIA) Program

Conversation Program is looking for volunteers who will enjoy meeting with an international student, scholar or spouse for 1-2 hours on a weekly basis to assist them in improving their English conversation skills and to share our American culture. Participating in EIA is provides considerable cultural insight and a deeper appreciation for diversity which helps students gain a greater respect and appreciation for other cultures. No knowledge of foreign languages or teaching experience is required. EIA volunteers attend an orientation session and have access to the materials and resources of the International Students & Programs Office.   Conversation leaders can work with participants individually or in small groups and typically meet for 1-2 hours/week at a location that is convenient for both, including remote meetings, on campus or off campus.

Please visit http://bit.ly/EIATutorExperiences to hear what current and past volunteers have shared about their experiences with EIA. To apply or for more information, please visit our website: eia.ucsd.edu Questions? Please email Shelly Taskin at eia@ucsd.edu

 

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UCSD Art Power

Music, Dance, Special Events

For more information, visit

https://artpower.ucsd.edu/

 

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For questions regarding the website, please contact Mary Woo, mwoonew@gmail.com