Happy to be Here

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My train to Varanasi was canceled. At first I had about an hour of nightmarish bureaucratic nonsense to deal with, trying to find a new route or a refund. After doing the office shuffle for some time, I had enough and hopped on a bus back across the Howrah Bridge.

Once I got back to the New Market neighborhood, my frustration dissolved like a large puddle of monsoon rain which cannot survive the afternoon heat. My friends showed concern for my plight, and gratitude for my continued presence. " Bolso, bolso , sit and tell me all about it."

I decided to take an Indian attitude towards the problem. It is the Will of God that I do not visit Varanasi this time around. I've never been so happy to be stranded in a place.

I have been playing my clarinet at Prem Dam. There are many volunteers this time of year, so it is a special treat for me to practice and perform. Sometimes I will favor a particular patient with a particular song. I have seen the happiest smiles and eyes. It doesn't even matter that I lack technical skill, the emotional bond of music can transcend natural limitations.

Still, I plan to go to Bodhgaya in a few days. I have an Australian friend who lives and works in the town. Maybe I can spend some time tutoring a student in oral English. There has been a terrible train accident near the route I will take, but I don't worry about a thing, 'cause every little thing is gonna be alright.

I love to teach. I can't stop teaching some foreign volunteers basic Bengali. A few are making great strides! I met a Spanish man who was here for four months four years ago, and he taught me some very useful phrases. In this world, we are all students and teachers.

I am well known amongst some of the foreigners who visit to volunteer. Because I can say Kaamon ahccen, Ami manus khoob karap, aur Apni manushee khoob besi palti nae (How are you, I am a very bad man, You are a not-too-skinny woman) they think I am very smart! Got them fooled. Also I have been speaking a bit of Chinese with some folks from Taiwan, the mainland, Singapore a Malaysia. What is unfortunate is that now my spoken Spanish is truly bad- ten years ago, I would have had an easier time conversing with the many Spanish who are here.

If I have time in this world, I should live in a Spanish-speaking country for a year or so.

Asha, the veteran tribal street woman, shared her tea (purchased by some new Japanese visitors) with me.

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Comments

[FG]

relief
read about that train wreck while at work today and was a teensy bit worried but decided you were alright and am glad to see that you ARE alright. irie, maan. now tings be irie.