Hello!
So yet again I haven't written in a few days so I'm sure I'll end up missing some details out here but here we go, seatbelts on!
Firstly you should all know that things are a lot better. I don't think I'll ever be completely settled but I am at a point where I can enjoy each day. Training is still hard but I've come to the point now where I'm taking things at a good pace without a profession as the goal but rather improvement and enjoyment. Since I've decided to stay for 3 months only I've started to really make the best out of each day. I am enjoying things, that's not to say I don't really miss home but rather that I simply have finally learnt to be comfortable enough to make this trip worth it.
So a few things have happened. Yesterday was my first yoga lesson at the World Yoga Society. Suku Uncle, Aunty's youngest son, walked me there and came in to help sort out giving in my membership card and fee etc. The class as it turns out is a private 1-2-1 class, which I am very grateful about! A lesson plan had been written and devised especially for based on what I had said I wanted to get out of the sessions. It was a half an hour session. I don't if that's because it was the first one. It wasn't too hard but equally not easy enough to call effortless. It was good, I was pleasantly surprised and I'm almost looking forward to going again tomorrow. I have lessons booked every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Suku Uncle was waiting outside when I came out, and we walked back to Aunty's together, stopping for tea on the way. Suku Uncle has been a lot of help whilst I've been here. He teaches Carnatic classical singing at the Rabindra Bharati University in Kolkata and he's very always look on the bright side.
A little funny anecdote for you all now. The other day me, Aunty and Ilina were all walking back from Gariahat campus. I walk this route almost every afternoon after lunch to go and spend the afternoon watching classes or rehearsals. There is a henna stall along the route and naturally I've passed it a lot and as a henna artists I always look at what they're up to. Well the day in question a lady was having some henna applied and Aunty stopped to watch. So naturally so did Ilina and I. One of the artists started speaking to Ilina in Bangla and I only found out what was said afterwards. I showed him some henna on my own hand that I'd done and he said to Ilina that it was very good and that he'd seen me walking up and down, past the stall, a few times. He asked Ilina if I was a doctor and Ilina being a comic genius decided to tell him that I was. So now I may well be asked for medical advice!
Today I did something exciting... I went shopping by myself for the first time! I decided I couldn't sit around and wait for people to take me, I also decided I should start soon since I have a lot I want to buy. So I went to buy some gifts. It was a lot of fun. I didn't speak any English, only Hindi. My Bangla isn't good enough yet. So of course all replies were in Hindi. I managed to haggle in Hindi too, I got 40 Rs. off of one purchase and 30 Rs. off of 5 others! I bought 6 gifts in total and all for just under £10 (960Rs. to be exact.) So I am very happy :) I'm planning to go again tomorrow. Going shopping has three benefits, firstly it uses up time in the afternoon when I'm not practising and when Aunty doesn't want me just sitting around. Secondly, it's good exercise because this being India the shopping streets go on forever. Thirdly, shopping for other people makes me feel closer to home and it's a nice release from being in a constant dance world.
I think that's all for today, I'm shattered right now and really need to get some sleep!
So yet again I haven't written in a few days so I'm sure I'll end up missing some details out here but here we go, seatbelts on!
Firstly you should all know that things are a lot better. I don't think I'll ever be completely settled but I am at a point where I can enjoy each day. Training is still hard but I've come to the point now where I'm taking things at a good pace without a profession as the goal but rather improvement and enjoyment. Since I've decided to stay for 3 months only I've started to really make the best out of each day. I am enjoying things, that's not to say I don't really miss home but rather that I simply have finally learnt to be comfortable enough to make this trip worth it.
So a few things have happened. Yesterday was my first yoga lesson at the World Yoga Society. Suku Uncle, Aunty's youngest son, walked me there and came in to help sort out giving in my membership card and fee etc. The class as it turns out is a private 1-2-1 class, which I am very grateful about! A lesson plan had been written and devised especially for based on what I had said I wanted to get out of the sessions. It was a half an hour session. I don't if that's because it was the first one. It wasn't too hard but equally not easy enough to call effortless. It was good, I was pleasantly surprised and I'm almost looking forward to going again tomorrow. I have lessons booked every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Suku Uncle was waiting outside when I came out, and we walked back to Aunty's together, stopping for tea on the way. Suku Uncle has been a lot of help whilst I've been here. He teaches Carnatic classical singing at the Rabindra Bharati University in Kolkata and he's very always look on the bright side.
A little funny anecdote for you all now. The other day me, Aunty and Ilina were all walking back from Gariahat campus. I walk this route almost every afternoon after lunch to go and spend the afternoon watching classes or rehearsals. There is a henna stall along the route and naturally I've passed it a lot and as a henna artists I always look at what they're up to. Well the day in question a lady was having some henna applied and Aunty stopped to watch. So naturally so did Ilina and I. One of the artists started speaking to Ilina in Bangla and I only found out what was said afterwards. I showed him some henna on my own hand that I'd done and he said to Ilina that it was very good and that he'd seen me walking up and down, past the stall, a few times. He asked Ilina if I was a doctor and Ilina being a comic genius decided to tell him that I was. So now I may well be asked for medical advice!
Today I did something exciting... I went shopping by myself for the first time! I decided I couldn't sit around and wait for people to take me, I also decided I should start soon since I have a lot I want to buy. So I went to buy some gifts. It was a lot of fun. I didn't speak any English, only Hindi. My Bangla isn't good enough yet. So of course all replies were in Hindi. I managed to haggle in Hindi too, I got 40 Rs. off of one purchase and 30 Rs. off of 5 others! I bought 6 gifts in total and all for just under £10 (960Rs. to be exact.) So I am very happy :) I'm planning to go again tomorrow. Going shopping has three benefits, firstly it uses up time in the afternoon when I'm not practising and when Aunty doesn't want me just sitting around. Secondly, it's good exercise because this being India the shopping streets go on forever. Thirdly, shopping for other people makes me feel closer to home and it's a nice release from being in a constant dance world.
I think that's all for today, I'm shattered right now and really need to get some sleep!
No comments:
Post a Comment