Friday 10th January

Finally the cogs are turning! We went to see the Rev yesterday evening and presented him with our questions: places to go at weekends, visiting other churches, church projects, hot water at home, Pongal and hospital jeep? The Rev surprised us by being very sensible, probably because his wife was there and he said he'd see what he could do about getting me some kind of support job. As for places to go I think we've got it pretty much sorted now but I thought we’d better ask in case he had any other ideas.

The pump in the hostel isn't for making hot water! It's just a pump, which would explain why water pours out of the tank when we switch it on. The hospital jeep was in an accident so I can't drive it – that's one escape plan down the tube! The Rev surprised us even further by actually offering to take us to some Hindu villages during Pongal! That's where the real fun will be. We'll see, anyway.

I got some post! A card and a letter from some nutter.¹ One of the last people I expected to hear from but it was welcome having fresh, lively thoughts sent to me. Not much to show for two weeks though, two letters! Still homesick.

I got on with C. quite well today, but last night got annoyed with him telling Yesu and Kumar about sex talks with his parents. Nice that you had such a conventional upbringing, dear. It's like we're in constant competition with each other. So I never had that 'little chat' with my dad. So what? I never wanted one! Why do I feel I have to keep justifying my life to him? I think my childhood was pretty good. So I had few friends, but that doesn’t matter now. This doesn't matter. I must stop rising.

This morning I did 'Father God' with the choir before the assembly. We'd done it on Tuesday and the HM liked it so much she thinks the whole school ought to learn it! This week I did four practices and have taught them two songs. I asked Juliet if I could have more children² and as yet I haven't had the same group twice! It's amazing the number who have turned up to learn new songs. Yesu came, and is a terrible singer, but he's never sung before so we let him stay! I think I'll end up with a choir of about twenty / thirty. What fun. I've been singing with a cough though, which isn't really a very good idea.

Each morning before school, all the classes below Sixth Standard line up in front of the main building. The choir (or others) sing a worship song, they are led in prayer and then recite the National pledge. It's all very routine – the HM says Good Morning Children, they say Good Morning Teachers and everyone riots. The staff have their own prayer meeting, praying for each other's work, tenth and twelfth standards' exams in March and other Important School Things. Such devotion would be laughed at in an English school. I can't imagine my teachers having a group prayer every morning!

Mrs. Juliet asked me to call her Just Juliet this morning, which was strange because Indians don’t usually use their first names. I think 'Akka' (older sister) would be more appropriate from an Indian point of view. At Kiruba Teacher's house we talked about names and they said we should call them 'aunty' and 'uncle', or 'annan' and 'akka'. We told them all about the concept of 'first name terms' in England.

Kiruba Teacher's mother lives with them and is treated so strangely. She doesn't eat with them because she's 'the wife's mother' and he doesn't even talk to her. She does most of the cooking and usually sits on the floor, belching. We asked why she wasn't eating and Kiruba said she's got work to do! Something's awry with the 'respect' system I do believe. So anyway, David uses Kiruba's first name, but he is 'The Husband', 'Him Over There, 'The Dark Half'. In villages the wife won't even mention her husband's name but will say things like it rhymes with Rattle (Patel).