Issue 2

Well, our first week of school is over, and it was really fun. The students are so eager to learn and so easy to teach. They are very sweet and friendly, and have already told me lots of things about India. I have many different preps in a week – every class comes only once a week, is usually an hour long and a couple of them are 2 hours long. We are starting at the beginning when it comes to the subject matter in each class, because most of the students haven’t any formal knowledge of music, although some have picked up a lot on their own. I teach: music notation, 2 ensembles, ear training, sight reading, vocal technique, vocal improvisation, World Music, 3 private lessons and all the faculty teach a 2 hour Live Workshop – for you McNally people – it is much like contemp lit, but we pick a song and do it on the spot, taking turns with different groups of students. We did Route 66 – a blues in Bb. I also follow the lessons in Carnatic singing – the teacher is a childhood friend of Nirmala Rajeseker, who lives in the Twin Cities! - and I’ll take the drumming lessons starting Monday as well – sa ri ga ma pa da ni sa ! I managed to get a cold, and lost my voice on Thursday – so I didn’t get to sing in the faculty recital – I think we will do one again next week. This weekend, still down with this cold, I am staying around the area and taking it easy. Still have jet lag and I am exploring the “compound”. SAM is located in a gated community about 80 km south of Chennai – and I know you think – oh that’s only about 50 miles – like going up to Maple Grove from Saint Paul – NOT!! The roads are all two lane – very narrow, full of motorbikes, cows, walkers, busses and cars, all passing as much as possible. I am in awe of the driving skills of our chauffeur for the school – he whips around those motor bikes and busses like it's a piece of cakes and zips back in the left lane just before that oncoming car hits us. We rode into town for a passport photo – up a steep dark and dirty stairway to a second floor, where someone had a camera set up. There was the photographer and a man and wife and their daughter of about 1.5 years – she could not stop staring at me. I suppose she had never seen a “pink” person with red hair before – I’m quite pink now from the sun, but at least do not have sunburn. We then picked up some meds for me – the druggist was not there, though his shop was totally open – no doors on the shops – so we waited til he showed up. I got some cold medication, and wanted some honey – He said something to me in Tamil and waved his head ( a very gentle and charming expression they all do, as I’m lecturing my students are all agreeably waving their heads from side to side). The druggist said “one bottle honey, and pointed down the street. He intended to go and get it at the next shop and sell it to me! Then more customers came, so he sent our chauffeur (Koti) to get it. He charged me 2 more rupees than the original price (which is like 5 cents) and I had all my purchases. I also got a big head lamp to wear when I am biking back from the school – it is pitch dark! And so very quiet here – unless there is a cricket match on TV – then, just like in Holland, you hear the cheering when a goal is made. The kids of the apartment complex are always playing cricket in the junction of the road – seems to be the most ideal playing field. I will take a picture of them next time I see them. I biked down to the little shop which is at another apartment building – it just has a few supplies, like cookies, soft drinks, cleaning supplies, simple supper packets (I bought some ramen noodles – masala) - and a few types of fresh produce. While biking to the store I tried to call to the few cows under some trees – they totally ignored me – I guess they are too well trained to be curious about just any sound, like most other cows in the world! This is a gated community and it is really pretty empty, and really quiet, and peaceful. There is always a breeze from the sea so it makes the heat a little more bearable. I left my key in the apartment one night, so found out what it is like to walk to school – I wouldn’t want to do it every day – my hair had not yet dried from washing it (I blew out the converter when I tried to use my USA hairdryer, so I have to just drip dry now – until I get a new one) I was still wet 2 hours later, from the heat in the rooms and outside! I got some trusty “Smile Wipes” from my brother (they had a huge supply – disinfectant wipes) and I have discovered they are great for wiping off sweat and they stay cool! Tried washing clothes today – with instruction and (I thought) help from one of the maids (they clean the rooms every day!) I started the cycle and she said it would be ready in 46 minutes – so after about an hour I returned – then there was a lots of water in the machine, the soap had not gone down, and it was still filling with water – said 21 more minutes – so back to my apartment to wait another 1/2 hour – came back and still said 21 minutes – still full of water and filling – at that point I wrung them out by hand and hung them up on a line on my balcony and all around the apartment. Luckily I bought an extra clothesline for about 1 cent at the trusty corner store – when I went back to get washing powder! I hope the clothes dry within the next week! Next time I will bring them to the ladies who sew and do laundry for people – for 10 cents a garment, I think it will be worth it. We get all our meals at the school, so this weekend I’m pedaling over there 3X a day to eat and visit with the few students who are still here – some went over to the resort area near here, which I want to check out soon, too – It’s a big tourist area they say – Every meal includes one or (usually more) types of curries – which I am sure I am totally wrong in calling them all curry! At breakfast there is always some type – today they served it with a type of spongy cake, then they offer omelets, cereal (which was very good today!) today they had a type of savory donut as well - “vada” the lunch usually has some nan and 2-3 types of curry – vegetarian – some curried hard boiled eggs today – and the evening meal often has one meat dish. They offer alternatives to the usual Indian food – like this week they had pasta – but it was Indian style Italian – so had all the Indian spices in it! It’s interesting how each country adapts their foreign cuisine to fit the palate of that country - I know one word of Tamil now “nandri” - thank you – I thought I knew Hello – but realized after a few days that I was greeting people with the name of a nearby town “Kalpakkum” - I could remember it because it sounds like “bald get them “ in Dutch – I think hello is like valcummen or something, which I guess sounds like welcome – it’s pretty hard language to grasp. 23 different languages in India – and thousands of dialects! The students come from all over – luckily the common language is English! Well, since I’m chilling and preparing lessons this weekend – I don’t have any other great adventures – so I’ll sign off! Peggy Larson International Studies Coordinator Voice Faculty McNally Smith College of Music

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