This past week was the most “normal” school week that we’ve had in a long time! No sports days or international holidays… I actually got to see almost all of my lesson students and band kids. Although, the juniors did miss Wednesday morning because they had to take their PSAT tests and most of the eighth graders were missing from band rehearsal on Friday because they went on a Hindi field trip. I don’t have too much to write about, basically just dinner at our friend Tamara’s house and the staff talent show on Friday.
A while ago, Jeanne introduced us to one of her friends that worked at Woodstock last year. Tamara is now teaching science at another school in Mussoorie. We had visited her old apartment a while back, but she recently found a new place to live in town, so she invited Megan, Jeanne and me over for dinner on Thursday. Jeanne had to run some errands in the bazaar, so she went on ahead on Thursday. But before she left school, she told us that Tamara lived right above Inan tailor in the bazaar, so when we went looking for her house, we should just go into the shop and ask where Tamara lived. And that is exactly what we did – not knowing what a big production it would be to actually FIND her apartment! Megan and I went inside Inan tailor and asked the two men in the back if they knew where Tamara lived – I don’t think they really spoke English, but after some pointing and repeating Tamara’s name, they got the idea. One of them took us around the back “alley” and up some winding stairs to a house, he knocked on the door and another man came out to greet us (I’m pretty sure he was Inan, the tailor) he spoke English and asked what we needed. We told him we were looking for Tamara, so he went back in his house and brought his son, who was probably 10 or 11 years old. He told us his son would show us where Tamara lived. So off we went, following this little Indian boy up around buildings, underneath drying laundry and up twisting staircases. After we had made our way through a maze of houses that were well up above the main street of the bazaar we reached a large flat area that had houses on the left side and an amazing view of Mussoorie on the right side. All of a sudden Inan’s son took off sprinting across the cement towards a specific house! Megan and I quickened our step to try to catch up to him, but that’s not what he wanted, because he ran inside the house and came right back out with a girl about his age. The two children ran back to us chattering in Hindi. We took off again, now following two small children, on the quest to find Tamara’s house! The kids lead us up more winding stairs and through narrow corridors and every once in a while the little girl would turn around and say something to me in Hindi and point at the ground- apparently she was telling me to watch out for the random pipes that were sticking up from the cement floor. Finally the boy and girl stopped at a set of blue doors that were propped open and bit and went inside. We had found Tamara’s house! Tamara thanked the kids for bringing us up there and then they scampered off, probably back to their homes. We had a great dinner at Tamara’s house – even if we hadn’t it was a fun little adventure trying to get to her house!
Friday was the Woodstock Staff Talent Show. It was pretty fun and the students really got into it, screaming and cheering for their teachers and other staff. A month or two ago, Mandy, the PE teacher thought it would be fun if a group of us did a dance using the evolution of dance music (if you haven’t seen it, look it up on youtube – it’s a comedian going through a bunch of different songs). We ended up with a group of nine of us and Mandy worked out the dance moves and had us practice quite a bit. In the end, it turned out pretty cool and I think the kids liked it. Another set of teachers put together a random assortment of instruments last minute (like on Thursday…) to do a version of “Jammin” – Emily did some sitar improve, Megan played her horn, I did some clarinet and “played” a trombone… Some of the other acts included a fan dance, storytelling, another band, the employees did some kind of traditional Indian dance with drums and very brightly colored costumes that was pretty cool. Our music department employee took part in that and it was fun to see him all dressed up in yellow and green. The grand finale to the talent show was a bollywood dance that included about 20 or more staff members. I didn’t do that one, mostly because I just never made it to any of their practices – maybe next year… It was pretty cool to watch though and the students went wild over some of the teachers dancing!
Now it’s Sunday and I am just waiting for our groceries to be delivered… they “supposed” to come around 12, but this is India (it’s now 2:30…) After they arrive, Megan and I are going to go eat up at the top of the mountain at Chardukon. It’s a really nice day out, so I might take some pictures and include them in this blog.
A while ago, Jeanne introduced us to one of her friends that worked at Woodstock last year. Tamara is now teaching science at another school in Mussoorie. We had visited her old apartment a while back, but she recently found a new place to live in town, so she invited Megan, Jeanne and me over for dinner on Thursday. Jeanne had to run some errands in the bazaar, so she went on ahead on Thursday. But before she left school, she told us that Tamara lived right above Inan tailor in the bazaar, so when we went looking for her house, we should just go into the shop and ask where Tamara lived. And that is exactly what we did – not knowing what a big production it would be to actually FIND her apartment! Megan and I went inside Inan tailor and asked the two men in the back if they knew where Tamara lived – I don’t think they really spoke English, but after some pointing and repeating Tamara’s name, they got the idea. One of them took us around the back “alley” and up some winding stairs to a house, he knocked on the door and another man came out to greet us (I’m pretty sure he was Inan, the tailor) he spoke English and asked what we needed. We told him we were looking for Tamara, so he went back in his house and brought his son, who was probably 10 or 11 years old. He told us his son would show us where Tamara lived. So off we went, following this little Indian boy up around buildings, underneath drying laundry and up twisting staircases. After we had made our way through a maze of houses that were well up above the main street of the bazaar we reached a large flat area that had houses on the left side and an amazing view of Mussoorie on the right side. All of a sudden Inan’s son took off sprinting across the cement towards a specific house! Megan and I quickened our step to try to catch up to him, but that’s not what he wanted, because he ran inside the house and came right back out with a girl about his age. The two children ran back to us chattering in Hindi. We took off again, now following two small children, on the quest to find Tamara’s house! The kids lead us up more winding stairs and through narrow corridors and every once in a while the little girl would turn around and say something to me in Hindi and point at the ground- apparently she was telling me to watch out for the random pipes that were sticking up from the cement floor. Finally the boy and girl stopped at a set of blue doors that were propped open and bit and went inside. We had found Tamara’s house! Tamara thanked the kids for bringing us up there and then they scampered off, probably back to their homes. We had a great dinner at Tamara’s house – even if we hadn’t it was a fun little adventure trying to get to her house!
Friday was the Woodstock Staff Talent Show. It was pretty fun and the students really got into it, screaming and cheering for their teachers and other staff. A month or two ago, Mandy, the PE teacher thought it would be fun if a group of us did a dance using the evolution of dance music (if you haven’t seen it, look it up on youtube – it’s a comedian going through a bunch of different songs). We ended up with a group of nine of us and Mandy worked out the dance moves and had us practice quite a bit. In the end, it turned out pretty cool and I think the kids liked it. Another set of teachers put together a random assortment of instruments last minute (like on Thursday…) to do a version of “Jammin” – Emily did some sitar improve, Megan played her horn, I did some clarinet and “played” a trombone… Some of the other acts included a fan dance, storytelling, another band, the employees did some kind of traditional Indian dance with drums and very brightly colored costumes that was pretty cool. Our music department employee took part in that and it was fun to see him all dressed up in yellow and green. The grand finale to the talent show was a bollywood dance that included about 20 or more staff members. I didn’t do that one, mostly because I just never made it to any of their practices – maybe next year… It was pretty cool to watch though and the students went wild over some of the teachers dancing!
Now it’s Sunday and I am just waiting for our groceries to be delivered… they “supposed” to come around 12, but this is India (it’s now 2:30…) After they arrive, Megan and I are going to go eat up at the top of the mountain at Chardukon. It’s a really nice day out, so I might take some pictures and include them in this blog.
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I think you need a cat. How about me?
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