The Wixsons In Minneapolis

Well, it took me a little longer to get over jet lag, so, here's a belated recap of the rest of our whirlwind trip to the States.

It felt a little like a relay race as we hugged goodbye Reid's parents at the top of the escalator inside the airport before baggage claim to go straight into the arms of my parents waiting anxiously at the bottom. From then on it was a jam-packed week of friends and family, oh, and some major power shopping.

There were two things that really hit us the most. The first was how strange it felt to walk back into our house, almost exactly as we had left it (including the beer bottles left over from our goodbye party in the garage)-- almost like a time warp. Were we really there? And yet, clearly we felt different. Things were different. But, there was no real way to nail down exactly what was different. Had we changed? In what way?

Small things like realizing how accustomed we had gotten to the noise, density, and fast paced reality of Mumbai (as Reid mentioned). Tuesday morning we woke up to a silent house, sitting in our living room on my favorite couch, listening to the ticking of the clock (with a soft purring kitty on my lap), and a meandering car rolling down the street (and wait..... it didn't honk??). We took our usual walk to the Falls, and I couldn't tell if the sky looked so ridiculously big because there were no leaves on the trees, or if Mumbai was really that crowded in with high story buildings (it's the latter). It was almost eerie walking around-- all the SPACE. The lack of people. The lack of... stuff, everywhere. I was in a bit of shock the whole time. Do things just move slower in Minnesota? I definitely don't remember it that way. Perspective.

But how have we changed, personally? That's harder to explain. I don't think we even really understand, or know. I think a greater awareness of the world, and humanity in general for one. Out and about driving with my sister, I saw a homeless man begging, and again, I had a little reverse culture shock. After struggling with the harsh reality and mass of extreme poverty in India, seeing this one man I would have thought I would have reacted in a way harsher, as the beggars here in India have it SO much worse, are far more desperate, and in far greater numbers. But, it was just the opposite. I found myself noticing and caring more for this individual than I ever did before we left. Why? I don't know. But I did.

We've gained a greater appreciation for the blessings in our life. Which brings me to the second thing that we walked away the most with. Our family. Our friends. We had little, but precious time with so many of the people that mean the most in the world to us. And for those of you that went out of your way to see us in our ridiculously inflexible and tight schedule, it meant more than we can say. It was like one big sucker-punch of affection and attention that we are still glowing from. And for those of you we didn't get to see (or didn't get to see enough of), thank you for your love and support from afar. Being so far away brings a small fear of losing touch or weakening beloved relationships. Thank you all for being genuinely interested and supportive of what we are doing, and thank you for giving us updates and stories on your lives, as we have so missed being a daily part of them (keep them coming!).

And though I cried my eyes out walking out of our house and cried again as we took off from MPS and I could no longer see Minnesota below me (very cloudy), as I turned on the iPod to continue the mix that I had started a week earlier, the song "The Call" from Regina Spektor randomly chosen began, and I laughed at how high school I felt as the song felt like it was written for me at that moment. This entry is already too long, so, if you want to read the lyrics, I've included them below.

Now it's a week later, I'm siting in our apartment, and though of course I still miss everyone and the aspects of home that we love, we are back in the swing of things and it feels... normal (really?). Is it possible to feel so at home in two drastically different places? Don't worry Mom, Minneapolis is still "home". But Mumbai is definitely a good "temporary home".

Rachel

"The Call"
It started out as a feeling
Which then grew into a hope
Which then turned into a quiet thought
Which then turned into a quiet word

And then that word grew louder and louder
Until it was a battle cry
I'll come back
When you call me
No need to say goodbye

Just because everything's changing
Doesn't mean it's never been this way before
All you can do is try to know who your friends are
As you head off to the world

Pick a star on the dark horizon
And follow the light
You'll come back when it's over
No need to say goodbye

You'll come back when it's over
No need to say goodbye

Now we're back to the beginning
It's just a feeling and no one knows yet
But just because they can't feel it too
Doesn't mean that you have to forget

Let your memories grow stronger and stronger
Until they're before your eyes
You'll come back
When they call you
No need to say goodbye

You'll come back
When they call you
No need to say goodbye

The Wixsons in Seattle

Greetings from Mumbai!

We have just returned from a very short trip around the world to celebrate the wedding of Pete and Katie Streit -- congrats you two, you looked so happy! We were so happy to have been a part of the wedding weekend and also very thankful that it gave us an opportunity to see a number of friends and family in a condensed time period.

We flew straight from Mumbai to Amsterdam to Seattle without any delays and made it to the hotel in time to showered and get off to the wedding rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. By the time we finished dinner and socializing, we started to nod off and quickly got to bed. Amazingly, we both slept almost through the night which really minimized any jet lag. Saturday was spent getting ready for the wedding ceremony with the ceremony and reception that evening. Needless to say, we slept VERY well that night.

The wedding ceremony was really touching and special and it was so wonderful to see a couple so happy and in love. The reception was a great time to see friends and share stories. I even reminded the gathering (during my brief toast) of India's victory over Sri Lanka in the Cricket World Cup Final also played that day.

Sunday featured a great day of walking and exploring the city with my parents capped off with an excellent seafood dinner on the Sound overlooking the mountains. Monday we walked a bit more in the morning, had a pleasant lunch and headed to the airport. A quick weekend, but jam-packed with activities, catching up with family and friends, and most importantly, celebrating a great wedding.

Aside from the wedding, our time in Seattle and Minneapolis this past week served as our one week back in the U.S. of A. during our two-year contract here in Mumbai, giving us a great opportunity to reflect on our lives here in India. Here are three observations:

1) We have become accustomed to the craziness of Mumbai: By far the most common phrase to come out of our conversations related to how quiet the city of Seattle was and how few people there were out on the streets. While I really enjoyed the peacefulness, especially in the evening when we were trying to get some sleep, I found myself missing the energetic nature of the streets here.

2) Friends and Family are important: Whether it is back at home in the States or here at home in Mumbai, we thrive on the enriching relationships that we have developed. It was so great to share our experiences here in India with people back home and equally wonderful to hear about there stories, lives, and challenges.

3) Time is valuable, but time zones can really help: We left our apartment here in Mumbai at 9pm on Thursday evening March 31 and arrived at Sea-Tac Int'l at 12noon on Friday April 1. That's incredible. In 25 hours of real time, we are able to get to the other side of the planet -- a very amazing feat of engineering.

As I try to stay awake, our goal is to get to bed and fall asleep between 8:30 and 9pm tonight, I am filled with the happiness of our journey back the U.S. Our lives here in India are wonderful, filled with adventure, and professionally (as in our school here) amazing. But, it is great to get the chance to be back at home. Rachel will write more on our time in Minneapolis, so that's it for now!

Take care,
RW

What Can We Say, We Live in India ...

... and yesterday, that was SUPER obvious.

We've had several weeks of regular working weeks at school with an in-school middle and high school music assembly and lots of Stomp-esque music coming out of the 5th grade music classes. Many of the Friday nights were spent at home with a movie and in bed by 10pm with long weeks of work and we have several great weekends checking out Mumbai. Until ...

... bam! Holi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holi) is a great "here comes Spring" holiday here in India involving colorful powder, lots of super soakers, and a ton of people out in the street. Kids and adults alike outside dousing each other in water and colored powders (we got, via Twyla, the non-toxic versions of course).

We first had a potluck brunch with some friends, then partied it up with our neighbors down in the parking area who had a wading pool set up for re-filling the water guns. Then, our highlight, we walked into the local fishing village. We ended up dancing in the middle of the closely tight neighborhood where there is about 4ft between the houses and huge speakers pumping out Bollywood music. They were so happy to have us whities to dance with. They literally had buckets of colored water and were pouring them all over us as we danced. Wow.

After that we went to the beach where the crowd was much more subdued (read: more drunk) with the speakers propped up on, yes literally, garbage piles. The best part of this exchange was when one especially drunk guy made a move for one of the ASB ladies and a few of his buddies quickly slapped him around in protection of their new white friends. We danced a bit on the beach, but headed back through the village where kids were waiting to ambush us from the various levels of windows. Some of us even got hit by eggs!

Basically, it was a "yes, we definitely live in India" kind of day -- one of those days that make our time here very unique, special, and very exciting.

ps, because we didn't have our camera, you'll have to just imagine a lot of the action in your head or go to Twyla and Greg's blog at http://gregandtwyla.blogspot.com/2011/03/holi.html as they have a water proof camera -- thanks to them for that!

Well-Supported Teachers

The state of public education in the U.S. has been a constant topic around our house for the past two months caused by two events: the dramatic cuts to Lakeville teaching staffing and Gov. Walker's actions in Wisconsin.

I continue to feel guilty regarding our situation here at the American School of Bombay. We go to school and feel completely supported in our work there. The level of respect for teachers is higher than I've ever witnessed. Our superintendent knows the first name of every staff member and interacts with ALL of them, including the local Indian staff, equally. The leadership team at our school is committed to providing the staff with the tools they require to do their job to the best of their abilities. In short, we are all treated as professionals.

When you compare this perspective with those coming out of Wisconsin, amplified and distorted by the far-right media, the difference is striking. Where teachers are being blamed for increasing the deficit and dragging down the economy back in the U.S., teachers are celebrated here for their work and questioned how it could possibly done better. Where teachers are looked down at for their short work days and summers off, here in Bombay there is a program to increase our awareness of a proper life balance because many teachers here feel overworked.

When we decided to come overseas a little over a year ago, we understood that we would be teaching a significantly different population than back in the Twin Cities and we worked our way around this by reminding ourselves that "kids are kids" and that every student needs a personal connection to a a teacher in order to optimize their learning -- regardless of their economic status.

Now, with all of the craziness back in the U.S. I continue to feel a bit guilty. I hope that, just like "kids are kids," "parents are parents" and that no matter where they send their children to school that they support and celebrate the efforts of the teachers that care and nurture them. I know that back in Lakeville the parents were just as grateful for our teaching efforts as the parents are here at the American School of Bombay. I hope that parents everywhere continue to fight for what is best for kids and that means treating teachers as professionals.

Where is the love?

Wisconsin.

I can't help it. I've been obsessing over news and Facebook posts for the past two weeks. I can't stand it that we're not there, speaking out against this attack on teachers. TEACHERS.

Clearly, as a group, we are a bunch of greedy, self-centered, idiots that only entered the profession because we weren't smart enough to pursue loftier professions in our subject areas. I mean, why else would anyone teach, right?

Unfortunately, as a group, we are in a constant state of survival. Education systems are always struggling to make ends meet, painful and heart-wrenching budget cuts each year coming out because we live in a country that includes people who refuse to recognize and support our children. But, we go on, finding ways to keep doing what is best for kids. Why? Because we love teaching. We love kids. We believe in what we do, despite being constantly beaten down.

I don't know a single teacher that hasn't made sacrifices- time, resources, PERSONAL finances, because of this belief in the importance of the education for the children of America. Sure unions have faults. I lost my ideal job and was utterly heartbroken by the tenure system. But, bargaining rights are not just about salary and benefits. Kids can't speak for themselves. Who will if the teachers are silenced?

So while Walker gives huge tax breaks to the wealthy, creating this "budget crisis", that the teachers are WILLING to make financial sacrifices for effectively solving his "budget crisis" (but not give up their union rights that help protect quality education standards) and he STILL refuses to negotiate, meanwhile spreading anti-teacher rhetoric and using it to promote a partisan political agenda that he is the test case for an entire movement against government workers across the country, I sit here, trying my hardest to not give into utter despair and wonderment at the sheer inhumanity that is possible amongst the "haves" against the "have nots". THEY'RE OUR COUNTRY'S CHILDREN FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE!!!!

But, instead of falling into those depths of the negative, I choose to look towards the hope. People are speaking out. Dialogues are happening. People from across the country (and the globe) are buying pizza for the protesters. Maybe we can even get those anti-teacher talkers to walk in our shoes.

No matter what, we'll get through this. We will keep teaching and doing what is best for kids, not for corporate America. So, every time we're beaten down by the teacher-haters, it's time to channel our inner Ghandi, think about "what would Jesus do", and look into the eyes of our students, because, that's were the love is. That's where it will be always.

Rachel

The Band Director's Wife

Reid already wrote about our great trip with the high school kids to Chennai for the music festival. But, I wanted to add a reflection on my own unique perspective.

Throughout the weekend I couldn't stop reminiscing about my own band trip days in high school. Hanging out with friends on the bus, trying to stay on top of homework, the laughter and general shenanigans that would always ensue, the pride in our playing and performing.

But I also remember how much so many of us girls enjoyed getting to know and spend time with the band director's wife. She worked at our high school, so, many of us occasionally spent time with her there as well. I remember thinking of her as not quite as formal as a teacher, nor as casual as a friend, but, as someone we looked up to. A strong female mentor to a lot of us.

And then there I was this last weekend. Spending time with the students, helping problem solve some situations, chatting with them, checking in with them. The high schoolers were great. They knew me a little from seeing me around the school or through the fact that I have their younger siblings in my own classroom. These kids were so wonderful to me, and I just beamed (in almost disbelief) each time one of them said something like "Man, you're cool Mrs. Wixson" or just got excited to see me coming to share the latest drama about homework or wardrobe issues or which boys were cute from other schools.

At first, it was a little surreal being for the first time on the other side of things. But all in all, made me appreciate my own high school trip experiences even more, and realize how valuable they still are for kids, no matter where they are in the world. And also what a gift it is to carry on the mentorship role I so greatly benefited from.Enjoying the post-concert reception with Twyla and the Dehli directors.

SAISA Music 2011

This past weekend, Rachel, Twyla and I chaperoned the ASB delegation (8 choir, 2 orchestra, and 11 band students) to the SAISA Music 2011 Festival held at the American International School of Chennai. SAISA, short for South Asian International Schools Association, is an organization that is similar to a traditional conference, a group of schools that play each other in sports and get together for a few arts weekends. The group includes schools from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, India, and Oman (for music only however). Each school is unique and each music director has a different philosophy, but we had a great time combining our students to create a festival band, jazz band, choir, jazz choir, and orchestra. Aside from seeing our students grow musically, it was immensely interesting to interact with music directors who face similar challenges that we do here in Bombay.

My colleague from Dhaka conducts the 1812 Overture

Conducting the festival jazz band


Rachel enjoys the artsy challenge of capturing the event in photo ...

Professionally, I had the opportunity to conduct the festival band and the festival jazz ensemble on one piece each. It was quite a rehearsal challenge to rehearse the groups for only about 45min before the performance. Trying to figure out which musical details were the most important was an interesting exercise in score study as I prepared for the festival.

One special aspect of the performance was seeing the students all dressed up in their performance outfits. Each school wears a different "local" costume to perform in and standing up on the podium seeing all the different outfits was really exciting because behind those outfits represented students from all over the world proudly representing their South Asian schools.

The coda to this festival was the first day back at band rehearsal in the ASB Band room. With the sound of the mass band still ringing in their ears, we had a great rehearsal in Concert Band. Improved tone and improved focus. Hopefully the impact of this musical experience will continue throughout the rest of the semester as we continue to tackle new and more challenging music.