So things are beginning to settle here in my Indian life. I would say workshops are near to being in full swing! A few tweaks here and there will still be needed, but my working life pretty much has a complete timetable now.

I've been organising a Graffiti street art mural with the boys in the hostel at Kasam. It's always good to have an idea, even better to get it confirmed with those in charge and will be perfect on Monday when I propose the idea to the boys. The hostel is drab and dark, so it exciting to think of them creating some art to brighten up the place! Making their mark on the place.

 

 

The boys hostel...looking pretty grim hey!?
 

The education in some of these schools is so basic or doesn't even seem to exist. You can spend 5 minutes here and you will see, through clothes, buildings, handpainted lorries and Rangoli (Traditional patterns drawn with chalk outside a building, representing beauty and luck, I shall take some photos next week), that art is naturally in a large part of their culture,

But they are not exposed to expressing themselves with art or creative thinking in education.

I think I have found my place at a school in Arani. About 2 hours from where I currently stay. The commute is long and hot and tiring, so this coming week I will be spending the night in an empty pastors house, next to the school. The school has many flaws. I am so surprised it still stands. I think that bringing art here for 2 days a week, will really benefit the children.

 

 

Workshops at Arani School

 

 

Urmm, I guess this is a new way of viewing the art work?!

We seemed to stand like this for quite some time.

 

 

More art experiments in the office... Bubble printing with no straws. Note to self... cardboard does not make a good straw alternative. I ended up with a blue face!

I took a ride on the back of the moped into a busier part of the city. We went to stock up my art supplies. I have all trust in Eunice's driving ability, but I did hold on extra tight, as we winded through the narrow, bustling streets of Vellore.

 

 

Beeping Beeping Beeping. Horns, bells, shouting! Bicycles, motorbikes, cars, lorries, trucks, auto, farmers and their ox, pedestrians, cows, dogs... all going in their own direction.

The roads really are incredibly crazy. But if you watch carefully, and if you are here for some time, there seems to be some method to the madness. I couldn't tell you the method though! Though today I have been told, driving here in Vellore is particularly bad, compared to other cities.

I brought my first Indian dress! They seem to have a great customer service system. Maybe I was abit of a novelty, but they seem to help everyone. They just keep on pulling out lots of things for me to try. The colours and patterns are out of this world. Clothes shopping in England is boring, here I am in my elements...rails of rainbows.

The food just keeps getting better and better.

Coconuts,

Steamed corn on the cob,

Dosas (similar to a pancake) eatten with sambar (soupy lentil dish)

Idli (spongy rice cakes) eatten with sambar.

Indian sweets mmmmm

I stayed over night with the husband and wife who are involved with Seb's Project. We had stopped by at a wedding to eat dinner and greet the bride and groom. Apparently some people just come off the street too eat! Brilliant!

In the morning I woke to coffee and oats with hot milk, very salty porridge. Well I thought that is a nice change. Went to brush my teeth. I was then invited for 'breakfast'.

Breakfast number two?? Papaya, Dosas and spicy peanut sauce, brilliant. This would be a favourite in the Mytton family!

I was set up for the day!

 

 The beautiful tree that fills the school ground at Arani.

This photo doesn't do it justice.