Here is a view of one of the temple elephants taken from my balcony.
Last night the center hosted two local politicians to givve us a talk about Keralan politics. Kerala is currently(and historically) a communist state and these two men were the local bigwigs from that party. They started the talk by asking us which countries we were from then stated "we are against capitalists-you! (pointing at me-i assume all of america not just me) and against imperialists!" (this time pointing at a british student). When asked how communism was helping the people of Kerala they said "Communism is the best-look at Cuba!". wow. The rest of the talk was much the same quickly deteriorating into shouting and gesturing in Malyalayam(the local language).
It was all i could do to not laugh. Although, as a state Kerala is much better off then the rest of India, the literacy rate here is around 95% compared with the rest of India which hovers around 60%. Many people from this area work overseas-mostly in Dubai and send money back. There are quite a few beatiful houses which contrast sharply with the extreme poverty in town. So maybe these guys have something going on.
Vijanana Kala Vedi (the center) was started 30 years ago by a french woman who had an interest in traditional Indian dance, it became her mission to help protect and promote indian arts and traditions. She is a terror to her employees (also students sometimes) and often wanders around shouting things in a mixture of french heavily accented english and Malyalayam
"vhere is a calendar? vhy can't anyvone find me a calendar?!" and her latest obsession with showing us all the joy of drinking buttermilk "vhere is the buttermilk? i vant them all to drinking the buttermilk!"
The employees are very nice and overly accomodating everyday it has been
"you want your room cleaned"
no, thanks it doesn't need it
(the next day)
"you want your room cleaned" lather rinse repeat. I've just started saying yes and hoping that the cleaning man gets paid extra per room.
There is only one Indian woman on the staff, Deevia. She is 23 and will be married this January. Her parents arranged the marrage and she has met her future husband one time last year when he and his parents came to "see if they approve of me". I asked if she approved of him and her answer was, "it is of no matter, it is my fate".
It was all i could do to not laugh. Although, as a state Kerala is much better off then the rest of India, the literacy rate here is around 95% compared with the rest of India which hovers around 60%. Many people from this area work overseas-mostly in Dubai and send money back. There are quite a few beatiful houses which contrast sharply with the extreme poverty in town. So maybe these guys have something going on.
Vijanana Kala Vedi (the center) was started 30 years ago by a french woman who had an interest in traditional Indian dance, it became her mission to help protect and promote indian arts and traditions. She is a terror to her employees (also students sometimes) and often wanders around shouting things in a mixture of french heavily accented english and Malyalayam
"vhere is a calendar? vhy can't anyvone find me a calendar?!" and her latest obsession with showing us all the joy of drinking buttermilk "vhere is the buttermilk? i vant them all to drinking the buttermilk!"
The employees are very nice and overly accomodating everyday it has been
"you want your room cleaned"
no, thanks it doesn't need it
(the next day)
"you want your room cleaned" lather rinse repeat. I've just started saying yes and hoping that the cleaning man gets paid extra per room.
There is only one Indian woman on the staff, Deevia. She is 23 and will be married this January. Her parents arranged the marrage and she has met her future husband one time last year when he and his parents came to "see if they approve of me". I asked if she approved of him and her answer was, "it is of no matter, it is my fate".
2 comments:
I am going to agree with Tina on the "Peeing of the pants" factor with the massage story. Hi JJ! Josh keeps me updated on your well-being. The poor boy is MISERABLE without you. But I am keeping him well fed; I think that was in the contract of "woman-friend" duties?
dude, the commie thing might just work for the indians... kerala is swankity swank..indian style..
i think is also has alot/more to do with the portugese who moved there and the crazy missionaries.. but, hey, let the guy have his thing.
crazy to think of someone looking up to cuba as a state model.
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