Welcome to Paradise

Saturday, Oct 2
7:27 am

    Those four smiling faces included Sajid Sir, co-ordinator from other schools, Anis Sir, RIMS school principal, Shilpa, school accountant, and Aaliya, school secretary.  This arrival to Kannur, Kerala, India was at 10:30 am on Wednesday, and from then to now, I have never felt so welcomed to anywhere in my life!  All of these individuals have gone out of their way to ensure that my stay here is the best they can make it….I was under the impression that I was serving them!  Anyways, they take me to my flat (apartment), which is on the fifth floor of a building looking over Kannur.  I walk in to this thing and was like omg Ive come to paradise.  Shining cream tiled floors, kitchen (bigger than mine at home!) with microwave, four gas burners, and stocked fridge with orange juice, pepsi, and biscuits.  Cabinets decorated with coffee fixin's and noodles…. theres a dining table, one big couch, and two cushy one person chairs, two bedrooms--each with their own bathroom, and AC!  All windows in the flat provide for a panoramic view including the beach, a soccer field, the market, main road, and very crossable--normal traffic flow(for India)--streets.  AND we have a washer!!! NO MORE HANDWASHING CLOTHES WOOOOOOOP!  Ok so they instantly feed me some veggie curry and chapati (turn up the spice level from Kolkata by about 5 times)  I wolf it down.  Every meal I have had for the past couple days is just so full-flavored and spiced to perfection.  I'm sipping my morning coffee now as I write this and I'm almost drooling thinking about the next time I get to eat ahhhhh! Haha they keep trying to feed me!  Every hour its like…are you hungry? do you need something? I can order for you.   Try this! I made it!  …. I'm getting off track as usual and you're probably wondering about the people here and not just the food.  Everyone is SO friendly and welcoming!  I feel like a celebrity!  Aaliya and Shilpa took me under their wing as far as showing me the ropes and around the area before Colleen arrived here Friday.  Aaliya is an outgoing, bubbly, hilarious,  20-year-old (though she's wise beyond her years) who started speaking my language (and by this I don't mean English) when we arrived to the flat and she instantly busted out some chocolate creme cookies.  Shilpa is a sweet, caring, and accommodating 28-year-old woman (though she looks so young!) from Hyderbad.  We hung out and chatted all afternoon on Wednesday, and I feel like we are the best of friends now just a couple days later!
    I went to visit the school on Wednesday  (see next blog for school details).   All of the teachers were so sweet and welcoming, all saying "oh you must help me with my English!" "we have been waiting and waiting for you!" "we are so excited to have you!"  I was brought into each classroom where all the students would stand up and say "good morning ma'am."  Wherever I was at any point I'd hear giggles and turn around to see a bunch of kids following me and whispering… only to scamper away giggling if I said anything.  I told one of the teachers that none of the students would ever respond to me! only stare and smile!  She said "well you are like a celebrity to them!  They only see people that look like you on TV so you might as well be famous!"
    Today the school has a program called "Grandparents Day," where all the children's grandparents come to be honored.  Sir has asked Colleen and I to give small speeches, as we will also be welcomed to the school during the program.  There will also be a Food Fair--all the parents make a dish to bring--and people will purchase tickets to eat items of food.  All the proceeds will be donated to a local orphanage to teach the children the importance of giving.  (Yes I have every intention of finding this orphanage.  Anytime this word is uttered I perk up attentively.)
   
    ***Im writing this after grandparents day now.  It was precious when each child brought their elders a single rose to honor them.  Colleen and I were warmly welcomed and got to sit up front of the audience before we were called to make our speeches.  I think my fondest memory of the day was when Colleen and I got to go to the judging room where they picked the best parent-made dish of the day (winner got a prize).  We went crazy trying all sorts of typical Keralan/Muslim dishes.  It was like a buffet with 30 dishes I've never tasted---rolls, chicken, fish cutlets, rice cake masala something, egg stuff, everything with some spicy kick….all home made!!  bakshanam kayichu <---I ate food. (malayalam)