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Published: July 11th 2015
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the concert that the children and I put on for the parents at the school I have now been living in India for exactly one month and I can’t believe how quickly the time has flown by!
These last two weeks that I have been living on my own have been quite a rollercoaster for me. I think when you go away for a long period of time you expect to get homesick, but nothing can really prepare you for it. Feeling homesick this last week has been very tough, but like I said it has been a rollercoaster and there have been many occasions where I have had really good ups!
I have been continuing to work hard at the school during their monsoon holiday club. We have been doing a mixture of music, arts & crafts, sports and English lessons. Last week the children and I put on a concert for some of the parents at the school. They sang four songs that I had been teaching them since I arrived and they did so well, I was very proud of them! I think the parents and the principal of the school were also really proud, and they thanked me for what I have been doing which made me feel very rewarded!
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Bundla Tea Estate We also had a lot of fun making maracas and egg shakers together and then the children got to experience actually playing them in a percussion workshop that I led. Next week, once the other volunteers have arrived I’m going to be starting to teach a couple of days a week at another school in Palampur, which doesn’t yet have any music teaching going on. I’m really looking forward to working on two music projects at the same time.
Two weeks ago I was invited to be a guest judge for a local talent competition. It was a very interesting cultural experience, the boys all danced hip-hop and the girls all sang and danced Bollywood, imitating their favourite Bollywood stars. I had a really enjoyable evening and was even asked to perform a song during the competition and they presented me with a bouquet of flowers when I left which was very sweet.
As I am on my own in the house I have been having very quiet and relaxing weekday evenings; mainly spent reading and writing lots and learning and writing songs on my guitar. It has been good for me to have some time on my
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Bhagsunag Waterfalls own, although I now feel ready for some more company. I have spent one weekend relaxing in Palampur, where I tried out the local Christian church on the Sunday, unfortunately they didn’t speak English but it was still nice to sit in a service anyway. After going to church I took a walk up to Bundla Tea Estate, which is the nearest tea plantation to my house. Palampur has been nicknamed the Tea Capital of India and everywhere you go you can see tea plantations growing. I bought myself some green and black tea from Bundla, I distinctly remember trying that first sip of tea once I got home - it was heaven! It felt so amazing to be drinking tea that is grown in the environment that you’re living in; it smelt and tasted like everything surrounding me!
Last weekend I took a trip on my own to Mcleod Ganj again, I felt very comfortable catching various buses and taxis to get there and even walking around the town on my own didn’t unsettle me at all. I stayed in a really wonderful hotel called Hotel Gandhi’s Paradise which had an amazing view of the mountains and Bhagsu
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my in the clouds selfie!! town below from my bedroom window. The owner of the hotel made a special effort to look after me as I was on my own. During the day on the Saturday I walked into Mcleod Ganj from the hotel and visited the Dalai Lama’s temple again, although I didn’t see him this time as I think he was visiting England while I was there – how ironic! Then I bought some more presents from the market and had dinner in Mcllo Restaurant on the rooftop bar. It was a wonderful dinner with a beautiful view but I did feel quite threatened by people staring at me in the restaurant, so I didn’t stay there very long.
The next day after breakfast I walked up to Bhagsu waterfalls, to get there you have to walk through Bhagsu town and pass the temple where this a beautiful pool, then you can take a trek up to the waterfalls, which took around 20 minutes. I suddenly got a real sense of how high I was in the mountains when all I could see was cloud! The waterfalls were really amazing to visit however unfortunately it was very crowded and touristy and I
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Aunty and I at the school lost count of how many times I was asked for a ‘snap’ with people. I decided to take a trek off the beaten track to get away from people and found a really cool café called Sheeva’s Café. I enjoyed a milkshake sitting in the clouds before it started raining quite heavily so I quickly made my way back down the mountain. All in all it was a good weekend away!
Living in such a rural part of India, many people are often very interested in me, but sometimes you find real gems of people. I have had some really amazing encounters with people being very genuine and inviting me into their homes making me food or chai. We will try our best to have a conversation despite the language barrier or we will simply sit and just enjoy each other’s company. I think that’s one thing I like about being in India, people make time for you and they really appreciate even the smallest gesture. The other day whilst I was walking home from the bus station it started to rain really heavily, as we are now in monsoon season, so I had to take a tuk tuk back to my house. The tuk tuk driver was the same man who had driven me home before and given me a really good discount. This time when I paid him for the journey he asked for 70 rupees, I gave him 100 and told him to keep the change, but he insisted that I had the change and told me that “God is watching over me!” Just those small words absolutely made my day and made me realise how spiritual and genuinely lovely some people in India are.
K xx
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Mike Oates
non-member comment
Jeff Beck 'Nadia'
Hi Kathryn - wonderful blog, very evocative - what an experience. What a lovely thing when the news tells us people are horrible that you are receiving so many gestures of genuine hospitality and warmth.I loved the tea reference and the tuk tuk man and the picture of you teaching the children . What a great time . All those lovely moments to soothe the homesickness - which is perfectly natural but hard.Great you have such a powerful language as music to connect with people . Are you picking up any local language? I am listening to Jeff Beck 'Nadia' - while I write this - very Indian - not sure if you can get the download ? Good to hear you are forging on with the guitar. We have Joe staying with us at the moment before he and Lucy go to London as his tenancy has ended . Hoping for some guitar tips.Saw your mum last week - she is so pleased you are doing well. St Ann's is still wonderful . Best wishes Kathryn . Mike