Sunday July 8'2012
3:15am
So I rushed home from my Gobal travels to be home by noon for Arijeet to meet me for errand running, only to find no Arijeet... for 5 hours. No Arijeet and no phone call so I had to just sit and wait. Kinda feels like that about sums up my trip thus far. Not so down. Today is not the day to be writing. I might as well burn my big girl pants cuz they are just not cutting it. Probably not a day we wanna keep on file. Will report back when I'm not, as the director of the dance school puts it, and angry bird.
12:57pm
Oh guess what? I'm waiting for Arijeet. Angry bird. Supposed to be here at noon to pick me up for another studio show. Meh, more time to drink chai. When in doubt, chai. And that's my new philosophy!
The show last night very much reflected India, intense and jam packed. Ashley, the artistic director- resembles an Indian Steve Carell- joked about the show being a factory. But it was. It was one giant conveyer belt, mass producing groups to Janet, Robbie Williams, Britney, Vitamin String Quartet, and of course a MJ tribute. Over 600 students condensed into one hour and 45 minute show. Good god. There is definitely a lot of potential in these kids. and a whole lot of heart. But the ballet is very obviously lacking- enter Chelsea. They are strong, fit kids but technically they need basics. They have no foundation. But it is clear that every single one of them, all 6,226,000 are eager and extremely dedicated. Which makes me a little discouraged to hear I won't actually start teaching until thursday or even friday. I know in theory this shouldn't bother me, being in India and all and basically having a whole week to do whatever the hell I want, but I'm antsy. I came here to teach and I just want to get started. I will have every weekend for the next two months to piss around. Get me in a dance studio!
After the show, Ashley invited me to dinner with the heads of the Delhi locations and a few Sr dancers from the Danceworx company. Ashley is a man by the way, in case you were concerned that a woman would resemble Steve Carell. We went to a place called Out of The Box Cafe in Connaught Place. Very cute and very westernized. TOILET PAPER! They served everything from spaghetti to spicy fried paneer, to nachos. My kind of place. I had a caprese salad. Ya Ya, why on earth would I order an italian dish in India, bla bla. It was delicious. I'm here, you're not, I make the decisions. And I had paneer... not that I'm justifying anything. Had my first drink in India too, an orange mint mojito. Now thats what you call an ethnically balanced meal. We chatted and ate until early in the am. I sampled some of Steve's, er, Ashley's mango "cheesecake" and apple tart with vanilla ice cream. Hello home. Then Shohini and her husband (can't do his name) drove me home. Very sweet couple. They are basically my bosses while here. Shohini is like 4 feet tall, if that, and adorable but can take charge like no one's business. Seems about right.
When I came home, Raj and Dingy were watching TV. I joined them and they translated a bollywood soap for me. Or at least I hope it was a soap cuz it was god awful. Allow me to sum up: Boy is married, Boy's wife dies, Boy remarries to previously divorced girl with baggage and children. Boy and Girl like each other but Boy is still hung up on dead wife and Girl is insecure. New wife finds lipstick on Boy's shirt and worries he's cheating (this is explained repeatedly over what seems like hours of "smelling the fart" monologues- watch friends and you'll get it) BUT! He isn't cheating! The lipstick is from him saving another girl's life by catching her as she's about to commit suicide by jumping off a cliff! She is in love but her mother has promised her to another man so what choice does she have but to end her sorrowful existence. Whoa.
Between commercials Raj and Dingy decide to use me for entertainment purposes and teach me some less than appropriate hindi words. Alls I'm saying is, you piss me off, prepare to get quite the mouthful. Mader Chod!
6:44pm
Arijeet finally picked me up to go to the second dance show. It's confirmed, there is time and then there is Indian time. No matter how far away you are, you are always only 10 minutes away. 10 minutes, I'll be there in just 10 minutes. Arijeet makes much more sense now. So today I watched another version of the same show from the night before but with slightly different casts. Only this time I got to be front row centre. I met some of the students from the Bombay location. They want me to go there and teach them. Bombay has beaches. Done. Take me now. Sanjib gave me a hard time about being here for such a short time. He says, Cheltsea (here my name has a T in it) Cheltsea, you tell me now and I'll bring you the contract. One year. Sanjib if I stay here for a year I won't have a boyfriend to come home to. Not a problem. Cheltsea we have plenty of good boys for you here. Not a problem. Right Arijeet? Not a problem. I think I may have just been the victim of a shot gun arranged marriage. Except no one's knocked up. Never mind, poor analogy.
I came home to find MB, AJ and Shot Gun busy at work (#3 is now shot gun, keep up. His real name is something like Shetrgun, but because, again, I'm incapable, I get to call him Shot Gun. Which is actually the name of a famous Bollywood actor here. His daughter is currently in the tabloids for dating a substantially older gentleman) It is so beautiful outside, the first time the sun has really been out since I've arrived, and there's even a bit of a breeze so I decide to venture out. I remember seeing a strip of stores not far from me when Arijeet dropped me off. My intersection skills are improving, so that's nice. And you start to care less about the staring with time. But the smells, those you never get used to. I found a little park downt he street, conveniently parallel to a crosswalk! Otherwise I probably wouldn't have bothered going to it. I said I was improving, nothing's been mastered. It was cute, in a weird cement enclosed, prison-esque sort of way. There was a couple cuddling in a gazebo, and some boys playing Cricket (just like in Marigold Hotel!) I keep walking- Oh hey though! Breaking news: as I waited at the friendly crosswalk I saw my first white guy! He was passing in an auto rickshaw. It's like trying to spot wildlife, bird watching or something else relevant. We both looked at each other as if to say, I'm right there with ya Pal, we got this. Orrr more like, what the hell did we get ourselves into? I found a shoe store! They had really cute sandals. I tried on one pair which turned into 30 pairs. Once they know your size you might as well make yourself comfortable cuz you about to try on the store's entire stock. RP550/pair which is like 11 bucks CAD. I could do better. The problem with shopping here is I don't know where I'm supposed to haggle and where the prices are fixed, which leaves me either making a fool of myself or getting played. So a win/win. I bought a bag of cookies from a sweet shop for RP50
a)I don't even know what they are
b)I don't even know if I should eat them
c)that's basically a dollar. Are these cookies worth a dollar?
Indian life is stressful.
So I've spent my first rupees, broke the seal. It's all down hill from here. Time to go home. It's weird though, these shops are so friggen tiny but they have like 10 'salesmen' working at one time. And at least one will follow you through the entire store. Like footstep by footstep, not even a foot away from you. It kinda makes me wanna steal something and make a mad dash for it. Probably not the best idea (no, that was Gobal day) the police look like bad guys.
On the way home I stopped at another small park. It caught my eye because it was super green!!! Lawn! Oh glorious lawn! A young boy came up to me and asked to have his photo taken with me. It's happened. I'm famous.... for being white.
I wish the three stooges spoke english. I'm around them the most and the only word MB and I both understand is chai, so you could imagine I drink a lot of it when he's around. AJ and I just do thumbs up. Shot gun speaks the most english but of course, he's around the least. Only in the evening mostly. So that blows. But he's really sweet. They all are. It's funny how quickly someone can grow on you without ever really exchanging words. I like hearing them talk to each other while creating my own interpretation of their dialogue in my head. Then I giggle out loud and they look at me weird. You're weird.
I got Eddie to investigate my cookie purchase. I was not cheated after all. And more importantly they are delicious (I made him eat one first) especially dipped in chai. I've decided to try something new every time I am out. I figure it'll make up for ordering italian food last night.
3:15am
So I rushed home from my Gobal travels to be home by noon for Arijeet to meet me for errand running, only to find no Arijeet... for 5 hours. No Arijeet and no phone call so I had to just sit and wait. Kinda feels like that about sums up my trip thus far. Not so down. Today is not the day to be writing. I might as well burn my big girl pants cuz they are just not cutting it. Probably not a day we wanna keep on file. Will report back when I'm not, as the director of the dance school puts it, and angry bird.
12:57pm
Oh guess what? I'm waiting for Arijeet. Angry bird. Supposed to be here at noon to pick me up for another studio show. Meh, more time to drink chai. When in doubt, chai. And that's my new philosophy!
The show last night very much reflected India, intense and jam packed. Ashley, the artistic director- resembles an Indian Steve Carell- joked about the show being a factory. But it was. It was one giant conveyer belt, mass producing groups to Janet, Robbie Williams, Britney, Vitamin String Quartet, and of course a MJ tribute. Over 600 students condensed into one hour and 45 minute show. Good god. There is definitely a lot of potential in these kids. and a whole lot of heart. But the ballet is very obviously lacking- enter Chelsea. They are strong, fit kids but technically they need basics. They have no foundation. But it is clear that every single one of them, all 6,226,000 are eager and extremely dedicated. Which makes me a little discouraged to hear I won't actually start teaching until thursday or even friday. I know in theory this shouldn't bother me, being in India and all and basically having a whole week to do whatever the hell I want, but I'm antsy. I came here to teach and I just want to get started. I will have every weekend for the next two months to piss around. Get me in a dance studio!
After the show, Ashley invited me to dinner with the heads of the Delhi locations and a few Sr dancers from the Danceworx company. Ashley is a man by the way, in case you were concerned that a woman would resemble Steve Carell. We went to a place called Out of The Box Cafe in Connaught Place. Very cute and very westernized. TOILET PAPER! They served everything from spaghetti to spicy fried paneer, to nachos. My kind of place. I had a caprese salad. Ya Ya, why on earth would I order an italian dish in India, bla bla. It was delicious. I'm here, you're not, I make the decisions. And I had paneer... not that I'm justifying anything. Had my first drink in India too, an orange mint mojito. Now thats what you call an ethnically balanced meal. We chatted and ate until early in the am. I sampled some of Steve's, er, Ashley's mango "cheesecake" and apple tart with vanilla ice cream. Hello home. Then Shohini and her husband (can't do his name) drove me home. Very sweet couple. They are basically my bosses while here. Shohini is like 4 feet tall, if that, and adorable but can take charge like no one's business. Seems about right.
When I came home, Raj and Dingy were watching TV. I joined them and they translated a bollywood soap for me. Or at least I hope it was a soap cuz it was god awful. Allow me to sum up: Boy is married, Boy's wife dies, Boy remarries to previously divorced girl with baggage and children. Boy and Girl like each other but Boy is still hung up on dead wife and Girl is insecure. New wife finds lipstick on Boy's shirt and worries he's cheating (this is explained repeatedly over what seems like hours of "smelling the fart" monologues- watch friends and you'll get it) BUT! He isn't cheating! The lipstick is from him saving another girl's life by catching her as she's about to commit suicide by jumping off a cliff! She is in love but her mother has promised her to another man so what choice does she have but to end her sorrowful existence. Whoa.
Between commercials Raj and Dingy decide to use me for entertainment purposes and teach me some less than appropriate hindi words. Alls I'm saying is, you piss me off, prepare to get quite the mouthful. Mader Chod!
6:44pm
Arijeet finally picked me up to go to the second dance show. It's confirmed, there is time and then there is Indian time. No matter how far away you are, you are always only 10 minutes away. 10 minutes, I'll be there in just 10 minutes. Arijeet makes much more sense now. So today I watched another version of the same show from the night before but with slightly different casts. Only this time I got to be front row centre. I met some of the students from the Bombay location. They want me to go there and teach them. Bombay has beaches. Done. Take me now. Sanjib gave me a hard time about being here for such a short time. He says, Cheltsea (here my name has a T in it) Cheltsea, you tell me now and I'll bring you the contract. One year. Sanjib if I stay here for a year I won't have a boyfriend to come home to. Not a problem. Cheltsea we have plenty of good boys for you here. Not a problem. Right Arijeet? Not a problem. I think I may have just been the victim of a shot gun arranged marriage. Except no one's knocked up. Never mind, poor analogy.
I came home to find MB, AJ and Shot Gun busy at work (#3 is now shot gun, keep up. His real name is something like Shetrgun, but because, again, I'm incapable, I get to call him Shot Gun. Which is actually the name of a famous Bollywood actor here. His daughter is currently in the tabloids for dating a substantially older gentleman) It is so beautiful outside, the first time the sun has really been out since I've arrived, and there's even a bit of a breeze so I decide to venture out. I remember seeing a strip of stores not far from me when Arijeet dropped me off. My intersection skills are improving, so that's nice. And you start to care less about the staring with time. But the smells, those you never get used to. I found a little park downt he street, conveniently parallel to a crosswalk! Otherwise I probably wouldn't have bothered going to it. I said I was improving, nothing's been mastered. It was cute, in a weird cement enclosed, prison-esque sort of way. There was a couple cuddling in a gazebo, and some boys playing Cricket (just like in Marigold Hotel!) I keep walking- Oh hey though! Breaking news: as I waited at the friendly crosswalk I saw my first white guy! He was passing in an auto rickshaw. It's like trying to spot wildlife, bird watching or something else relevant. We both looked at each other as if to say, I'm right there with ya Pal, we got this. Orrr more like, what the hell did we get ourselves into? I found a shoe store! They had really cute sandals. I tried on one pair which turned into 30 pairs. Once they know your size you might as well make yourself comfortable cuz you about to try on the store's entire stock. RP550/pair which is like 11 bucks CAD. I could do better. The problem with shopping here is I don't know where I'm supposed to haggle and where the prices are fixed, which leaves me either making a fool of myself or getting played. So a win/win. I bought a bag of cookies from a sweet shop for RP50
a)I don't even know what they are
b)I don't even know if I should eat them
c)that's basically a dollar. Are these cookies worth a dollar?
Indian life is stressful.
So I've spent my first rupees, broke the seal. It's all down hill from here. Time to go home. It's weird though, these shops are so friggen tiny but they have like 10 'salesmen' working at one time. And at least one will follow you through the entire store. Like footstep by footstep, not even a foot away from you. It kinda makes me wanna steal something and make a mad dash for it. Probably not the best idea (no, that was Gobal day) the police look like bad guys.
On the way home I stopped at another small park. It caught my eye because it was super green!!! Lawn! Oh glorious lawn! A young boy came up to me and asked to have his photo taken with me. It's happened. I'm famous.... for being white.
I wish the three stooges spoke english. I'm around them the most and the only word MB and I both understand is chai, so you could imagine I drink a lot of it when he's around. AJ and I just do thumbs up. Shot gun speaks the most english but of course, he's around the least. Only in the evening mostly. So that blows. But he's really sweet. They all are. It's funny how quickly someone can grow on you without ever really exchanging words. I like hearing them talk to each other while creating my own interpretation of their dialogue in my head. Then I giggle out loud and they look at me weird. You're weird.
I got Eddie to investigate my cookie purchase. I was not cheated after all. And more importantly they are delicious (I made him eat one first) especially dipped in chai. I've decided to try something new every time I am out. I figure it'll make up for ordering italian food last night.
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