For Thanksgiving, Jordan and I visited Ranthambore National Park on the search for a tiger. We came away without seeing one -- just missing on several occasions -- but had a great time nonetheless.
The wildlife highlights were:
-- a family of mongooses
-- a beautiful horned owl
-- hundreds of sambar deer
-- a few crocs
-- and the true highlight, a leopard!
It was a super fun weekend with a bit driving through the countryside, at times with less-than-amazing taxi drivers, but the resort we stayed was comfortable and was plenty stocked!
On Monday morning, we awoke to a sudden surprise, our baby was ready to arrive -- about two weeks early. Some of us still showered and shaved as if going to work as all was in a bit of a flux, but after checking in with our amazing midwife, there would be no going to school that day. By 8:30am we were checked in at Hinduja Hospital in Khar, just a mere 8min drive from our apartment (of course Ganesh drove!). A few hours later we were in the delivery room and just after noon Daniel came into this world. He's a charmer and he has already got us smitten, especially with his cute little whimpers and sneezes. Today we take him home to Silver Springs and just like that our world has changed for the better. For awhile, I'm sure that this blog will change focus from traveling in India to parenting in India and the joys and challenges that brings. For now, it's rest, feed, poop, change, repeat.
As I look over at the list of blogs of our fellow ASB blogging friends, I've noticed that everyone seems to be a blogging funk lately. I have felt a bit overwhelmed with experiences to get the 'ink on the paper' as we have had several shorter adventures lately that don't seem 'blog-worthy.' Nashik is definitely blog-worthy and despite just spending two days there it's a place I'd recommend seeing.
The city revolves around the Godavari River and is one of the four holy cities that host the Kumbh Mela, the largest religious gathering for Hindus that happens every few years. By day we explored the city, a Buddhist monastery site, and the cliche but interesting tour of Sula Vineyards, India's largest winery. By day, the city didn't blow me away. Like many of the million-plus populated cities in India, Nashik suffers from a case of either too many vehicles or not wide enough street and too much dust.
By night, the center of town pulses with Hinduism. People of all ages and families of all sizes come down to the river by the main temple to light diyas, small oil lamps, that they float out into the river. As the complex is bathed in a soft street light from above, the floating candles add immensely to the atmosphere.
From the alleys surrounding the temple area and alongside the river, we heard circles of Hindus singing with drum and finger cymbal accompaniments with varying aged participants. For one, I tried to capture the experience with the new video camera (thanks Mom and Dad!). The sounds were enchanting as they echoed throughout the old stones and across the river.
Of all of the experiences that we've had here in Mumbai exploring this fascinatingly diverse and chaotic city, last night may have been the most memorable. Our driver Ganesh invited us to celebrate Navrati with his family at their 'colony' up in Borivali, a northern suburb. Their colony is a middle class neighborhood comprising of about 20 six-story buildings with two-room apartments -- living room and kitchen -- organized around several common outdoor areas. This in itself was an experience. As we went up to their apartment, neighbors poured in to say hello and have their pictures taken with us. Ganesh and his family were very proud to show off their 'boss.'
We chatted mostly with his daughter Punam, second from the left, as she is on the India National Women's cricket team and speaks excellent English. She left for Hong Kong this morning for a three-week international tournament and proudly showed us pictures of her playing and of course, posing with the cricket God, Sachin Tendulkar, as they practice at the same field.
Before we went, Ganesh's wife Gita gave us a traditional blessing with some of the strongest tikka paint we've had in 2+ years in India -- it's still on our foreheads after a shower and a good scrub this morning.
From their apartment, we watched the crowd gathering on the lawn and heard the music crescendo so that by the time we joined in, there were well over 500 people all dancing. The dance, called the Garba, is basically a two-step dance where the participants form a circle and slowly rotate counter-clockwise. The participants would mimic each other's variations on the basic steps and through innovation and changes in the music various additions would be made. Needless to say, Rachel was a real pro and the kids kept encouraging Mr. Reid to do the steps more correctly!
As with many experiences, we were overwhelmed with kindness by the people at the dance. One woman just grabbed Rachel's hand and dragged her in to the circle, several boys were constantly surrounding me with encouragement, and Ganesh and his family were dancing right beside us.
The whole reason for this festival, nine nights in total, is to celebrate the Goddess Durga (pictured below). Several of the boys I was chatting with referred to her as the Mother and we've also heard her referred to as the warrior Goddess. She is particularly popular with Gujarati and Bengali Hindus so naturally, all of Mumbai seems to be in celebration!
After learning the steps and enjoying the locals, Punam, with her cricket connections, had arranged for us to get passes to a more elaborate private party. Unfortunately, the party ended shortly after we arrived due to a miscommunication, but we still got to see well over 3,000 people dressed up dancing to a live band. Interestingly, there wasn't one big circle like at the colony party we had just came from, but instead hundreds of smaller circles had developed. Each had a different group of families or friends. Many were filled with elaborately dressed Gujaratis and what impressed us most was the excitement amongst the 20-30 year olds who were happily dressed in traditional costumes dancing up a storm. With all the different groups, the big stage, video screens, the colorful lights and flashy costumes, it felt like one big Indian Phish concert.
With the festival halfway through, no doubt we will experience and witness more of this amazing festival this coming week. On Thursday, in true Mumbai fashion, families will bring their Durga statues to the beaches up and down the coast to solemnly immerse them in the sea.
We continue feel so blessed to be a part of this extraordinary city where the culture is so vibrant and the people so welcoming.
It is cliche to write, but to say that India is a vast and diverse place would be an understatement. For our four-day weekend commemorating Gandhi's birthday, we flew to the east coast state of Odisha. There, we got a short glimpse into a new cuisine, language, and encountered many locals fascinated by a foreign face.
We began in the capital city of Bhubaneswar, a quixotic city with a modern set of wide, green boulevards across the train tracks from a centuries old, temple-filled, ancient city. We enjoyed seeing temples dating back from the 7th c. right in the middle of the chaos around. We've seen a lot of carved rock here in India, but these temples were unique for the shape of their carved domes.
Outside the city these is a cave complex that was carved out by the Jains in 1st c. B.C., several centuries before the Jains carved their caves in Ellora. The monastic dwellings were significantly shorter and less ornate that Ellora, but still beautiful with their simplicity
After two-hour taxi ride to the South East, we found ourselves in Konark at the lovely Lotus Eco Resort. The resort is perched on the bank of the river (pictured below) right where the river empties out into the Bay of Bengal. It was a luxuriously quiet retreat with friendly staff (again, so taken aback by having foreigners) and even an organic vegetable garden.
The village of Konark is also home to the massive 13th c. Sun Temple (pictured below). In our many tours of temples here in India, this one is unique for it's abundance of symbolism and stories in the carvings.
The complex is set up as a chariot with 24 wheels, each ornately carved with eight spokes representing the different sections of the day. Also pictured are scenes from daily life including a woman with Japanese sandals and a king receiving a giraffe from an African emissary which demonstrate the vast trade network these people had.
Some detail on the temple was never finished and other areas were partially destroyed by cyclones, the Portuguese, and a few Muslim raiders.
One of the dominant themes through were the erotic carvings. Many nudes, kama sutra poses, three-ways decorated the upper panels of the walls, supposedly out of sight from the young children.
Needless to say, this temple was another of those mind-blowing days in India where you sit back and appreciate the architectural and artistic merits of the past.
We enjoyed relaxing on the beach for the rest of our time in Konark. It was an 8km stretch and it was just us a few unsuccessful fisherman, who entertained us with their interesting fishing methods.
A highly recommended short travel trip for anyone interested in seeing a different side to Hinduism, of India, and a quiet beach to sit and process two and half years traveling around this amazing country.
Dear family, friends, and all readers of this blog...
It's been a busy month, and we haven't been the best at keeping up this year. All in all, school is going well, despite all the "teething issues" we and the community are dealing with from our transition to two buildings. But, more on ASB and India later.. I have a bit of a tangent that is related to mine and Reid's teaching career...
We all have those teachers that have inspired us. My first music teacher (other than my parents) was Tom Wells, at Ramsey K-8 in Minneapolis. My fondest memories of junior high are in that band room- gaining confidence in myself as a musician, making some of the closest friends I still have today, and ingraining in me the love for music I will carry with me always. I think of all the great opportunities I had with Tom Wells from jazz band, to pit orchestras, to concert band- playing out in the community and just loving every minute of it. Reid had the opportunity in college to work with Tom for a month long internship and gained a mentor and experience that has helped him grow as a band director.
And Tom is still giving 100% (and more) today. I don't need to tell you that the arts have been hit hard budget wise in the recent years (heck, they weren't great when I was in school), especially in the inner city where many parents can't afford rental or purchase of instruments for their kids. But enter Tom Wells, a few years from retirement, taking on a high school job (in mine and Reid's neighborhood back home) to try and rebuild a program very much beaten down. Two years ago he arrived at Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis and there were less than half a dozen students in the program. Now he's up to 80. But, the school has no money and neither do the families to support this growing program. So, Tom is running the Twin Cities marathon to raise funds for his students.
Reading about this in the news today came as a bit of a reality check. -I am also dealing with a fast growing band program (I went from 28 in 5th grade band last year to 48 this year). When I needed extra instruments this week I just mentioned it to the principal, he gave me the nod, the office staff called in an order and I will have 4 percussion kits FedExed to me within the month. Just like that. And here my junior high band director is having to run 25 miles to hopefully raise enough money to get his students instruments.
So, it took me approximately 3 seconds to run to my purse and grab my wallet. So yes, ladies and gentleman, here you were reading a blog entry about an amazing man, and now you are being solicited for a donation. If you feel compelled to help out the MPLS schools with this one, click on the link below to donate. I've also included the CBS article.
I wouldn't be the teacher I am today without him, and I hope beyond hope that I am half as passionate and inspiring to my students as he has been for countless Minneapolis students and fellow music educators.
One of the amazing elements of life here in Mumbai is the array of religious activities that you can witness, marvel at, and take part in. Last night Jordan, Waciuma and I went downtown to Mohammed Ali Road to eat alongside thousands of other Muslims as they break their fast. It is a traditional area for families from all walks of life to come together and eat. Like many of our experiences here, it is tough to fully describe the scene due the overwhelming array of smells, sounds, and people.
hanging kebabs ready for action
Upon arriving by train at Masjid Station around 6:30pm, we, in true Mumbai fashion, quickly got out our phones to figure out where to walk to and made our way for a short 15min walk through the neighborhood. The streets were packed with delivery trucks, workers hurrying home for dinner, goats tied up, people were buying clothes and shoes and Islamic prayer DVD's and in general, the noise was growing. As the large Mosque came into view we came upon the food stalls, first veg/fruit vendors, and then the shawarma stands.
Kashmiri Sharbat -- yes, I braved the ice cubes
Inside the Mosque rows of men waited patiently with freshly cut fruit in front of him. Outside, right on the street, tarps has been laid down and rows of women and girls sat cross-legged across from each other with fresh fruit scattered between. It was so crowded, we kept getting pushed close to the hot fires of the street vendors. Again, the noise crescendoed.
Women seated on the street waiting for the Iftar to begin
At exactly 7:09pm with fresh shawarmas in hand, we heard the call to prayer from the gigantic speakers on the minarets and immediately everyone dug in to their food. The next fifteen minutes were almost silent -- everyone just sat back and enjoyed the moment. It was pretty surreal to observer several thousand people cramped into a small space with such a small volume.
Jordan contemplates the samosa and samosa-like egg rolls
Then the crowd grew as everyone moved through to get to other food stalls. We tried several dishes, mostly fried food so the evening resembled a sort of Islamic State Fair.
We chose not to eat Brain Masala -- but I couldn't resist this shot with the chef
Our stomachs full, we ended up walking to Victoria Terminus due to the overwhelming crowds at Masjid Station to take the train back to Bandra. It was a cool evening with a festive atmosphere and a perfect night out on the town.
I dare someone to find a better looking train station anywhere else
Well, we are back in India and have entered a rather chaotic world of construction on both campuses. Despite the enthusiasm for the new buildings and all the amazing things we will eventually be able to do, there has been a lot of stress and frustration surrounding the whole thing as we as a staff try to get ready for school all while still in very active construction zones.
There have been many moments when I look around and wonder why in world are we there- we're just in the way of the contractors and there's not much we can really do until they are done. After an hour of having our boxes moved at least close to where the music room is and thinking that they were out of the way against a wall than no sooner had the painters come needing access to that wall, and as we're trying to unpack there are guys coming in and out of my room to finish installing lights, outlets, finishing carpentry for the pillars, working on the windows, and prep work to install the glass walls that are supposed to separate the music room from the rest of the floor... Not to mention that there have been a few moments when I've caught myself wondering, is it really all that safe for me to be here. All the while trying really hard to not be too disappointed in the fact that after months last year of trying to do everything I could to help plan this new music room, that NOTHING save one detail was actually done as talked about.
There have been a crew of Indian men working in the school, hired to be the heavy lifters and cleaners and other odd jobs that need to get done. The first couple days I felt a little awkward as I couldn't communicate directly with the men assigned to our floor, especially as they were having to do all the moving of these huge and heavy boxes. Not to mention that it is Ramzan right now so any of them that are Muslim are fasting, including no water, throughout the day. By the third day with translation help from my teaching partner, Naveen, we were able to build a little of a relationship. Today we were unpacking some of the boxes they had to move the days before and they were curious about all the instruments and materials. We told them to give them a try and they were THRILLED. Each box was like opening a new surprise. We found a random sticker book of instruments and they were looking at them, so, I gave one to one of the guys and motioned to all of them to take one and they proceeded to put stickers all over themselves and one another, giggling the whole time. They didn't want to leave us the rest of the day. I asked if I could take a photo and they were so surprised that someone would want their photo- the started fixing their hair and smoothing out their shirts.
So, even though I'm still missing all of the cabinetry (which was just plain forgotten), whiteboards, sound system, projection system, and even WALLS before we start next week, leaving each day with a headache from the paint and tar fumes and covered in white construction dust, I know that this will eventually turn into an amazing space for making music with kids, and best of all, having achieved it with the help of my diamonds on the rough.
PS- my other favorite part of this last photo is the ASB driver in the background giving the drums a try. Doesn't matter who you are or how old you are, the music room is filled with fun things for all.
Wow, we have stunk at blogging lately. Fortunately for you, we haven't been boring you with the details of how many Orff instruments have been wrapped in bubble wrap or how many flutes I have fixed (or given up on!) as the end of year has been a crazy one for us. ASB is transforming, check out the current state of the band room!
With every classroom being boxed up completely, the end of the year craziness of a normal school approached new levels. So what have we been up to?? Since the last blog we've been to Goa, conducted two concerts and co-directed two musicals, attended numerous going away parties, played the first (of two) graduation ceremonies, and ... probably more. We are very excited to be home next week for various reasons -- family time, bratwursts, cats on the front porch, cabin time, salad, etc.
Unfortunately, the monsoon hasn't started yet, depriving us the opportunity to see a good strong rain wash this city clean. Although Dave Stutz will tell you otherwise, we probably will not feel that much anticipated moment when the streets are filled with people rejoicing with their hands up towards the sky, faces lite brightly with smiles. We leave on June 2 and will arrive in Minneapolis on the 3rd.
For now, here's a video we put together this week summing up our adventures this year. Enjoy!
... Which means the rains should be too! It's been very hot these days. It's so hot that I sweat walking to the gym. On the bright side the skies have been beautiful and in the evenings when we have some shade, the balcony is back to it's normal, relaxing self.
But the rains won't come for a month, or so they say. In fact, we might not even be here when they do as we leave in early June.
This got a little long... but there was so much this week!!
So, you see it in the commercials, and you think to yourself, that can't be really how it looks, right? Well, Borneo really is that beautiful. All the time. Even in the city there are interesting things happening to stir the senses.
We decided on Sabah on a recommendation from some friends. Though I have loved our travels in India, I needed a break. I needed nature, space, fresh air, and just something different, and boy did Sabah deliver.
We started with a bang by going for gold and staying at an "eco island resort"- where luxury meets conservation. The super nice huts over the water, the infinity pool, snorkeling right in the hotel's bay (where we saw clown fish, giant clams, tons of different types of coral and other electric-rainbow colored fish- some of which seemed to like to swim along with us the whole time), the freshest seafood, and sunset cocktails, are paired with a marine research center on the back side of the resort devoted to the regrowth of the dwindling giant clam population as well as an education center where you can help replant damaged coral. It was 2 and a half days of pure relaxation, and a perfect way to start a vacation after a long and intense few months at school. We had some fun wildlife sightings here (in addition to the snorkeling)- monkeys that stayed in the trees instead of attacking our breakfast, as well as a monitor (a lizard that looks halfway between an iguana and a crocodile) that came up to me by the pool hoping I'd give him some of that breakfast (we also saw him the next day swimming across the little bay we snorkeled in the day before)!
Monday we hopped on a boat and taxied up into the hills to prepare for our adventure portion of the trip- an ambitious climb up Mount Kilabalu. Reid already wrote a blog entry about it, but, I have to mention just a few things we well. I was both excited and a little terrified of this climb. This was not like hiking around the woods back home, and I worried that I would not be able to complete the journey up to the top- something I wanted to do for myself, but mostly for Reid, as I knew how excited he was for this.
The way up the forest felt like something out of a mythical book. It kept changing, the fog/clouds surrounding us once in awhile, and though it wasn't all that hot (especially closer to the top), we were soaked with the humidity. Our local guide (who the park appoints and is required for the tough climb) pointed out different plants (like orchids and pitcher plants). But, but the 5th km, my legs were getting really tired, especially as the air grew thinner. Luckily, we met another couple, from London, who we completed that day's worth. Having others to help keep you distracted from just how tired you are really made a difference! We reached the base camp (6km) and were the 3rd or 4th group to make it (146 permits are issued per day), so, we were feeling pretty good about ourselves.
We started the ascent to the summit at 2:30am with our guide, all bundled up, with our headlamps. The stars were unbelievable. I think I saw 5 or 6 shooting stars (and used the opportunity to stargaze to also catch my shallow breath). But the cold and difficult climb up in the dark was NOT easy. In fact, a number of people give up along the way, get sick from the altitude or pure exertion (there were people throwing up when we got back), and there's a sign in the dorm that says that they are not responsible for theft, illness, or death (!).
Luckily, we were ahead of most people, so we were not crowded or stuck between any other groups. It's definitely a different world hiking/climbing when all you're concentrating on is a few feet in front of you. For some odd reason, a song from my level III Orff class crept into my head "Slow and steady wins the race, turtle creeps along...", I sang that to myself at least halfway up. Reid mentioned he conducted his whole concert in his head as we continued to focus on getting to the top. We got past the tree line to the rock face, which included hanging on to and climbing up with one long ominous white rope, keeping climbers on track (and from falling). Soon, the black outline of the summit was in sight. It seemed so far and yet so close. We looked behind us and down the mountain we could see a string of white lights- the headlamps of the other hikers. As the wind grew stronger and faster, we finally reached the top and got a good spot to wait for the sunrise. As I sat there, I thought about this strange and unique place. No one had attempted this climb until about a hundred years ago, as the local tribe (of which our guide came from) believed this place to be the home of their spirits and of the dead. As I saw the clouds melt and swirl around the huge and foreboding rock formations, I understood why. I have to admit to being a little moved sitting up there, freezing, feeling both proud of myself for doing it, but also being overwhelmed at nature, and humanity's attempt to understand it, be apart of it, and feel closer to the heavens, and maybe even God.
After a unique sunrise above the clouds, we started our descent the 8.5 km down. I wish we had had more time to just enjoy the scenery, but, we had a long and the toughest part of the journey in front of us, so, off we went. Needless to day, it was a lot of going down hill. We joked at that old phrase of "it's all down hill from here", as, going down hill was the most taxing and painful part. But, we made it, though aching and walking funny for a few days after, but feeling an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and thankfulness at the opportunity to even attempt such a trek. It will definitely be something we remember forever.
We spent the last couple days in the city of Kota Kinabalu. We signed up for a tour down the Klias river a couple hours south of the city, where you can see probiscus and macac monkeys as well as fireflies that fill up the trees at night, looking like periodic Christmas trees, twinkling with hundreds of those yellow/greenish lights. We also ate very well at live seafood places as well as the night market where locals and tourists alike come to eat, shop, and feel the buzz of the mix of peoples that make up Malaysia's population. We finished off the trip with a last morning on the beach, a trip to the local zoo to see the orangutangs (which live in the wild on the east side of the island), and one last fantastic dinner on the ocean before heading back to Mumbai.
We both walked away thinking about all the other things we still wanted to do. The east side of the island has just as much to offer and we are seriously considering going back next year as Borneo was so fantastic. But mostly, I was so thankful to be yet again dazzled by my travel companion. His flexibility with giving me the spa few days I needed as well as the support to get me up that mountain. We again have been reminded not just how fortunate we are in this life, but in one another.
Growing up hiking, canoeing, portaging, skiing and in general having the imprint of a "walk-first" mentality has really shaped the way that we vacation. With several major hiking experiences under our belt (Yosemite and Dharamsala recently) we felt ready to tackle something a bit more serious. As we were planning our spring break trip to Borneo, hiking up Mt. Kinabalu just kept coming up and so we decided to go for it. After haggling to get the permit and room reservations, we had our spot -- one of 146 -- on the list to hike on April 4th.
We woke up at 6am on the 3rd of April to a carbo-filled buffet and a clear view of our target for the hike that day -- Laban Rata Guesthouse at 9,000 ft. You can actually see it in the photo below -- it's behind the small cloud, just above the center of the photograph.
After organizing our guide and finishing up the details involved with the permits/insurance, we began. The hike that day took about four and a half hours and we reached the guest house just around noon. We travelled six kilometers in length and up about 3,500 ft. As we hiked, we stopped frequently as the trail is pretty much straight up. Several sections are simply steps, others scrambling up rocky surfaces, and for a few luxurious moments you can actually get to hike at a decent grade.
Of course the surrounding environment is stunning. You start in the rain forest, travel through the cloud forest and end in the high alpine. Through the rain forest we were surrounded by orchids -- there are roughly 1,000 species in the park. Unfortunately, not all were blooming, but our helpful guide helped us find a few.
Staying up at 9,000 ft was a truly magical experience. In the evening we sat and watched the clouds form below us. As night settled in the stars came out. Since we were above the clouds the air was crisp and clear, we saw more stars that either of us had ever seen before. Stunning.
After a restless 'sleep,' we awoke at 2am to have a light breakfast and rejoined our guide at 2:30 to begin the final ascent. Our headlamps were pretty crappy, but the moon shone brightly as we followed a long white rope leading us up the rocky face. The dark morning hours passed so quickly as we were completely focused on the ascent, the white rope, and the stars above. At around 5:20 we reached the summit at 13.455 ft meaning we had traveled another 2.6 km and roughly 4,500 vertical feet in just under three hours. Not too shabby for a couple of music teachers. Needless to say, we were very proud to be up there.
We stayed at the summit almost an hour to watch the sunrise. We could easily see the lights of the city of Kota Kinabalu, a hundred km away, as well oil rigs out in the South China Sea and as the sun rose, we had a clear view of the northern coast of the island -- another hundred k's to the north. Having never summitted a mountain before, this peaceful calm combined with the rush of adrenaline, the crisp cold air, and the incredible sense of accomplishment was a unique feeling for both of us that we will never forget.
As we descended, which were told and we can confirm, we tackled the toughest part of the hike. With a 45min stop for a second breakfast back at Laban Rata, we slowly descended with our Londoner hiking buddies, Esme and Nathaniel. I can honestly say that without the easy conversation, witty banter, and communal pain the four pairs of knees felt together, we would not have made it as well as we did. Our quick friendship was a life-saver. From the top to the pick up point it is 8.6 km and roughly 8,000 vertical -- we did it in about five hours.
And now, just five days later, our knees are still sore. We struggle to walk down stairs and I, with my classroom on the 3rd floor, am happy for an elevator at ASB. As the sore muscles ease there is little doubt in my mind that we had to push ourselves farther than ever before to accomplish this. But as I look back on our trip to Borneo, my lasting memories, my take away, will be the peaceful joy of watching the sun rise from 13,455 feet overlooking the island of Borneo.
As I came into the job here at ASB one of my goals was to successfully coach at least one student to be accepted into the international high school honor band, something not yet achieved at ASB. As the audition process came and went last year, everything happened so fast with our transition to India that nothing came of it. We were better prepared and better equipped (thanks to SmartMusic!) to work towards this goal this year and with six applicants, two were accepted. The ten-month process came to fulfillment this past weekend in Aberdeen, Scotland where students representing 42 different international school and 36 countries came together to form the international honor band.
AMIS, which stands for the Association for Music in International Schools (but also means 'friends' in Frech), puts together honor bands, choirs, jazz ensembles, and string orchestras throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. With so many international music departments unable to fill out a proper concert band or mixed choir due to high student turnover or small size, for many students these weekends are the only musical experiences that they will experience that mirror a standard public school ensemble in the U.S.
Additionally, the guest conductors that come to work, Craig Kirchhoff from the Univ. of Mn in this case, provide a valuable professional experience for the young musicians as well as rejuvenating professional development for us teachers. In short, the ten months that we worked towards this goal, the three-day weekend was an outstanding learning experience for the students and myself.
On the other hand, it was great to be back in Scotland again. You will remember that Rachel and I were there for just six days on our Europe Trip in July of 2011 and we loved it.
Of course another great benefit of these festivals is the chance to reunite with friends and make new ones. I got to spend some quality time with my good friend, the band director at the international school in Dhaka, who I have collaborated with for two years on the SAISA festivals.
While Aberdeen is not the quintessential tourist experience in Scotland, it did provide us with an outstanding castle, a few nice pubs, and a gorgeous city beach on the North Sea. It was a welcome break from the humidity of Mumbai.
However, I found myself missing the bright colors of India. All of the buildings were pretty grey and with just a few patches of green grass (with some admittedly beautiful, freshly-bloomed daffodils) there was a distinct lack of color, especially in the way that people dressed. The time made me appreciate the wonderfully fresh and exotic palette that it is India.
Either way, beginning in late April, I will once again begin the process of coaching students for the audition and hope to help even more students earn the honor of playing at next year's band in Dubai.
