Fruity Tooty

Lightening brightens the night sky

 

Well, just as we are getting into the swing of workshops, it's time for the summer holidays. I shall be heading to the cool mountains for a few weeks and seeing more of what South India has to offer. So this shall be the last you see of me until the end of May.

 

 

It's been a tough couple of weeks, and not just because of my excessive heat rash. I think I am finally experiencing what they call 'Culture Shock'. Living in India and living with an Indian family allows a great insight into the culture, but I have also been learning and experiencing certain things, that have unsettled and upset me. And it all seems to come at once. Perhaps a holiday is what I need, anyway...

 

The boys hostel is looking great. 2 walls have been finished and the older boys started painting on their designs. I will be visiting this week and we can perhaps finish this one too.

 

It's been such a success, and although I think the pink flowers on one wall is extreme. The boys are happy!

 

 

 

The last workshops at Arni really was an eye-opener for me and the kiddies. Fruit Printing. Now if you remember, weeks ago I introduced this into one of the tribal schools. The kids at Arni really had something to say about using fruit in art and some of them took actions, which amused me then later gave me something to think about.

 

A group of older students, watched me paint an apple, as I was doing so, one of them said “so sad, so sad” and a few others followed suit. For them, this is something to eat, what a waste to paint! I encouraged them to look at the shapes and the patterns and once they got into the printing, I think they forgot about the edibility and enjoyed the marks that they made.

 

The following day, with the younger boys. A similar reaction and general confusion as I was demonstrating. Then again they began to really experiment with colours and I enjoyed seeing the differences in the students, some being very particular and delicate with the placement of the fruit, whilst others really slapped the painted fruit on the paper. Over the period of the workshop slowly the apples began to disappear, as the young boys thought it would be great to eat, even covered in paint.

 

Before leaving Arni, a student ran to buy me an ice lolly. 1 ruppee ice lolly. Then he brought me another. I thought well this is very kind of him. That is 2 ice lollies less that he will enjoy. It gave me the energy to make my way to the bus stand, were I have found a great tea shop, now it's regular for me to grab a quick glass of tea before running to board the bus. And surprise, surprise, more tea stall friends. Everyone wants to know what I am doing in this busy little Indian town.

Now when I get the bus, I do not look forward to the wind blasting through the windows. I could compare sitting on a bus like sitting in a sauna and having a hair dryer blasted at you. And if that is not bad enough, a really big, fat lady might come and sit not only next to you... but nearly on you!

I have filled my body with all kinds of exotic fruits this last week. My lunch at the office would consist of Papayas, mangoes, avocados, watermelons and bananas. Super refreshing when the weather is now about 43degrees.

 

On Friday, Eunice and I walked down to the learning disability school. Last week we had paper mached balloons. Which had been very successful. This week we brought paints for them to decorate the balloons. A sprinkle of glitter and waahla! We all clap and cheer as I hang the finished work of art from the ceiling. They look like 2 beautiful planets.

 

I've found a interesting loop to take an morning or evening walk, and I like it because on one particular road are a group of little wild pigs munching through the rubbish. They are quite amusing to watch. As dusk falls the bats swoop through the air above head. What interesting creatures.

Excitement broke out in the office on Thursday afternoon, as the sky darken and suddenly 'whooooossshhh' Massive winds shook the office. We felt cool(for us) air fill the room. We all galloped outside to see and feel the spectacle of the storm. Praying for some rain. I felt a drop or two. The following evening broke strong winds and lightening too. I stood in the evening on the rooftop, enjoying this cool spell.

 

Sunday and Monday were filled with a wedding, a baby name giving celebration and baby shower. So again I was dressed in a sari, surprising black and gold again. And I could bring out the Indian dresses that I have brought since I have been here. I have been filled with tasty foods and exciting Indian sweets.

 

One morning I helped my maid love scrape out the coconut from the shells. Once finished, I held them up to my boobs like a bra. I think she was so surprised and amused, but was quick to ignore what I had done. I was distracting her from her work. I'm a silly person and people generally don't act silly here. Oh my humour is wasted! Well I just laughed with myself.

 

See you all in a month!

Zooming Lions

Something always eventful is presented to me during my weeks in India.

As Kings school is now closed for exams, some of the older boys at the hostel wanted get involved and paint a wall. So on Monday morning I helped them with ideas and they started the white base coat.

The hostel walls bloomed Monday afternoon. All of the boys came at once, which as usual here is generally bedlam. But the boys had it under control, there was nothing I could do but let them get on with it, I kept an eye out for the less confident painters, to make sure they always had something to do and paint. As the more confident boys can become abit pushy.

The 'Paint Station' was set up by a lovely helpful boy from the older group. When anyone came over. He shouted loudly at them... “What do you want?!!” He shouted it at me, then realised who I was and apologised. 

 

The 2 pictures grew and grew. New ideas and designs were appearing every minute. They mixed the paints to get the colours they wanted. It was brilliant. And they look brilliant. I think one more week and these 2 walls will be finished.

The boys also served me lunch, which was a mountain of rice and samba. They kept taking my plate away for more samba or chutney, whilst I was mid finger scooping, until an old lady told them to leave me alone.

Tuesday was another very good day. Yoga, lions, laughter, swimming and cinema.

The Lion King workshop with Class 6 at Arni. Mask making is always guaranteed to make any kid happy. The lions masks made us all happy. Some children got it straight away. To keep the mask still whilst glueing. Others would stick on an ear and hold it up “Raaar” the ear would fall off. Then they would attach part of the mane and again hold it up “Raaar” Oooo there goes the mane sliding down the face. But we did it. Everyone made a beautiful lion mask. And they proudly ran around the school scaring everybody and showing off, even the ones soaked wet in glue.

Next they found glitter glue in my bag whilst I was tying the elastic. Before I knew it the whole of class 6 had glitter moustaches. Working on my own here has it's challenges. But when stuff like this happens, I just laugh! How brilliant! No one is a real man here in India without a moustache! 

This is the abstract photos that get taken when i turn my back.

I enjoyed watching the lady on the bus back to Vellore, attempting to eat popcorn whilst falling asleep. She just kept on going. I could give you a great impression.

I went to the cinema to watch Tamil film, Kaatruveliyidal, I thought it was quite spectacular. And before as I was heading to the toilet, all the men shouted “NO maam.” It seemed I was about to enter the men's toilet. We all had to stand for the national anthem before the film started. I could follow the story and enjoy the beauty of the scenery and costume.

Crazy Wednesday! This was the day that woke up all my senses and scared the living daylights out of me.  Samantha decided to join me at my Arni workshop. So I caught the bus to Bagayam to wait for her and we would catch the next bus to Arni together. A strange atmosphere loomed over this part of town. As I waited for her, cattle was trying to escape from a truck, trampling men down, so close by my heart skipped a beat. Men on foot ran over to help deal with the situation. Sam joined me and she mentioned a strange atmosphere straight away. After a lot of chaos, we were on a bus.

Now, I thought about how to describe this to people. Everyone has seen the film 'Speed' Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock on a bus, a film that always seems to be shown on channel 5 or something. This is just what this bus journey was like. The driver was a complete madman. At times it felt like we were spinning round the corners on 2 wheels. I've been in India riding buses for long enough to know that this isn't normal. I thought I was going to die! We decided we needed to get off when possible, we had reached about 22km in about 10minutes. The bus conductors looked confused and I fell on top of a poor man sitting down, knocking himself and me around the head with my umbrella. The story is better with actions by the way! So we then were in the middle of nowhere on the side of the road, like startled deer in the headlights. We didn't make it to Arni that day. We needed to head back to Vellore, be somewhere safe, drinking sweet tea.

To help my recovery Wednesday afternoon, Seb's Team and I started making plans for summer art camp in the tribal villages. It's going to be fun! We'll be taking day trips as well as staying over night. Can't wait!

Eunice and I took balloons, paper and glue down to the learning disability school on Thursday. Paper mache! Yaah!

New on the Southern Indian summer menu, Coolu. (probably spelt completely differently) It was introduced to me as porridge. So I was surprised to taste rice and grains in curd with salt and lots of raw onion. It's cold, definitely a grower, and makes a change to dosas!

Saturday I ended up at The Golden Temple. A few miles out of Vellore. A hugely extravagant, beautifully ridiculous 1 ½ tons of gold on this Temple. Set in acres of glorious gardens. The security is high, no bags, cameras, phones, shoes are not allowed. So I can't even show you how unreal this place is. I flicked a ruppee into the water around the Temple and made a wish.

Sunday morning I felt the blues, so what better to cheer me up than a bunch of old men at the bus stand. I had arrived at the old bus stand in Vellore with plenty of time. I was meeting my friend for lunch. The midday sun blasted down, so I grabbed a sweet tea, then made my way across to the area full of people sitting on the raised ground. I choose my spot and let my legs dangle, very aware that all eyes suddenly were on me. I gave a smile and nod to the men whose territory I had just invaded. Then that was it for the next 20/30minutes. My broken Tamil and their broken English. I managed to ask them whether they sit there from morning to night. Only 7.30am-12.30pm, they told me. They wanted me to come every day and one man brought me tea. I had a great time, and will stop by if I come to this area again. To drink tea together.

People always seem shocked when I tell them of my encounters with people, they tell me to be careful. People have become full of fear and lack any kind of trust, but for me, this is the best part of travelling. I get a good sense of a person straight away, and these elders were alright. And as I said, really I was the one who approached them. Until next time... 

The Bat Tree of Bagayam