No cards then - don't apologise, it's just what would happen.
At last, after four days of wearing the same clothes, the dhobi (whom I entrusted with my threads on Tuesday) has brought me my stuff back, nicely washed and ironed! I really shouldn't leave it so late. It beats the hell out of washing them yourself, mind.1
(The Angelic) Miss Shanti came to choir again on Monday and waited after because she wanted to learn another one of the songs we did in worship yesterday.2 So I serenaded her on my instrument and we talked into the night (well afternoon!). She asked about my family and I said I am very lucky to have the freedom they give me to do, as well as to speak. She would never talk to her father, because he is so imposing, but he does everything for her. But she also said that we have too much freedom, mainly in relationships: AIDS came from your countries (!) We talked about Boys and Girls: Boys don't talk to girls but they're always thinking about them! and this led on to they way we talk to the teachers and how she is being teased for talking to us. Who else are we supposed to talk to in a school where all the teachers are women? it would have been better is more of them had made the effort. But it's a cultural thing... But she's decided to throw caution to the wind and talk to us anyway, after all we've only got two weeks left.
She asked as we left (all alone and the school was all locked up - I hope no-one saw us!) if I read my Bible everyday. What a question! I can't lie to such a beautiful creature and admitted to the truth. I feel like such a sinner, but how spiritual am I supposed to be? like dodgy Johnson, the Holy Spirit movement evangelist, who put his hands on my shoulders, looked long and hard into my eyes and said that the Lord is anointing me to be ready to receive the Spirit and join the Charismatic Group. Bollocks.
I'm just no intae that as Irvin Welsh would say. I'm more 'Christian' than some people, I told her (back to Miss Shanti again) but less than the Indians. But I thought you were full of religion! she protested. Sorry to disappoint. I know I should be, I should pray more, I should read my bible more, but it doesn't work out like that. I 'praise' with my music and it's all I want to do. More music than praying as well. Jesus is everything in your average Indian Christian's life. But not mine, not really.
She asked me not to leave, as well. But what else can we do? There'll be nothing for us to do here. I'd stay until after May if dad wasn't going on Sabbatical to Africa so soon. I think that to really work in the schools here you'd have to come at the beginning of the academic year, ie June, and stay until March. That way you see them through the whole year. Or even better, plan more and arrive earlier! I don't want to leave Miss Shanti and Juliet, The HM, Jerry, Yesu and Kumar either.