Well, my first day is ending and it has been an amazing 30 hours that I have been here in India.
I could never have imagined what it is really like, and I am still reeling from the huge difference in life here compared to the USA. The ride from the airport was the first mind blowing experience. All along the 80+ km road were small towns where we would ride right through the shop area, or pass small cafes vegetable stands or store, but every few km there were quite long streets filled with shops. Each shop is no more than 10 feet across – maybe 20 or 30 if it sells bigger things- You ask for what you need – you can see some of the things but not nearly all of what is inside. There are no sidewalks – the road is usually paved, but then it is dirt, and then the concrete of the shop (or not). I saw several people sweeping off that concrete and dirt in front of the shops however! The cows share the space with the shopkeepers and drivers – saw a quite large herd standing right on th middle berm of the road, not worried a bit! They outdo the Norwegians as far as herding cows – they walk with the herd daily for about 2 years when it is miking time, then the cows just know where to go when it is time to be milked! It was a long exciting trip, then spent the evening touring the school having a meal and getting to bed!
Today!
Working at the Swarnabhoomi Academy of Music (SAM) was very fun, with very nice and enthusiastic students. We have about 13 so far for the Summer Session, may get 15, so it is a small group, but they are gung ho! I taught ear training – we sang the scale in solfeggi and learned what McNally singers know as “the number song”. Many are learning to read music for the very first time.
I also had a class in voice technique with very good singers, and taught them private lessons. They are going to be fun to work with!
After school I had some first delightful adventures. After work, Mukund, who works in the administration at the school, showed me some sites and helped me buy a bike, with the help of the driver Korti. Along the way we stopped at a coconut farmer for fresh coconut water – she hacked off the ends of a coconut (fresh off one of his trees behind the roadside stand), made a small hole, put in a straw and gave it to me to drink! Delicious and thirst quenching! After this he hacked it in 2 pieces, made a small spoon with part of the shell, and scooped out some of the meat for me to eat. It tasted somewhat like lychees but softer. Also delicious – I ate most of it!
Then on to the town to buy my bike!
Her name is “Breeze”, and on the side it says “Your best Friend for Life” - I’m hoping she’ll only be my best friend for 7.5 weeks, but she is great to ride and only $84 brand new with basket, bell and many cute trinkets. The bike shop was an event (see pictures. The repairmen (one about 12 years old) seem to have developed extra joints in their toes to manage changing the tires quickly and easily.
While waiting for the bike we walked a bit through the shopping district – and purchased some small things including fantastic smelling lilies – they sell them in long strings much like leis – but I don’t see the people wearing them to keep cool like in Hawaii -
By the way – it is HOT! The sweat pours off me if I am not in an air-conditioned room. But it is not unbearable by any means – and now traveling on “Breeze” it is very comfortable getting to school! (rode her home tonight after supper) - this heat and darkness at 6:30 seems very strange!
That is all for today – I’ll post some photos on Facebook
Peggy
