We got in trouble at St. Andrews today, the HM came round at ten to eight and told C. in no uncertain terms that we are to come 'from six-thirty to seven o'clock only'. We wouldn't have minded, but out of the thirty-odd lessons we've taken, she's only come to one and that was today! There's been no interest in what we're doing and I think she's written us off because we said we're not real teachers, so she thinks we're just wasting time.

In actual fact we've done a hell of a lot, just not so much English. We have discussed all sorts of cultural things, festivals, dress, music etc. And out of these discussions has come a marked improvement in the girls' conversational English. If the HM showed more interest, she might know this.

Admittedly, we are only supposed to do half an hour, but the lessons take off and it's eight before we know it. Today we took some Tamil film songs to play them - not realising that as a Christian school, films and film songs are sinful. On top of this, while the HM was 'talking' at C., Muthu turned up with the bloke from the fax place who had a letter for me!

Talk about everything going to hell at once. So the girls are in trouble for using us to skive study and she didn't even give us the courtesy of a telling off. Obviously too ignorant to understand.

...

There was a big fight between Hindu's and Muslims at the old bus stand this morning. The Hindus killed a Muslim called Babu, which didn't help and as a result all the buses have stopped, all the shops (except for the Christian ones) have closed and everyone is very nervous.

...

We had chilli Parotha at the Abiraami this evening - sounds horrible but is actually very nice (apart from the overdose of chilli!). Muthu invited himself to the meal, which wasn't welcome because he is beginning to sponge quite badly. Yesterday he came with us and JP and was still hungry afterwards. So C. bought him a bar of chocolate. His family have never tasted Chocolate and by the sound of it, they don't eat rice either because he said there was no food at home. Surely rice and Idly's instead of chocolate would have been a much more sensible idea? I get the feeling we're being used, not a very pleasant feeling at all. He doesn't eat lunch because he's 'studying' (it's supplied at Schwartz) (lunch, not study) and is always hungry - hoping we'll feed him.

He got really upset because I told him we couldn't feed him every day and he was hurt at the very assumption! But I'm having nothing to do with someone who only asks C. for things because he knows he'll probably say yes when I won't. NOT because I'm an evil git, it's the principle and he has to be shown the limits, which C. can't do because he's too nice.

...

C. said that he thinks we will learn a lot from JP about Ramnad because he's been here three days and has seen more than we did in two months! The Rev has actually got his arse in gear for him and has taken him round all the institutions and CSI-connected organisations in Ramnad. Because he's a Grown Up. I seem to remember asking if we could do that. In fact none of our requests of January tenth have had a positive outcome. Why? What's wrong with us?

We've got four and a half weeks left in Ramnad and I don't want to leave. It's so annoying about the exams, but if we stayed we'd just be wasting our time while everyone was at school. It's going to be a nightmare leaving and then we'll be so busy Ramnad will seem like another world.

When we go on our Round Trip¹ I'm going to travel with the minimum of essentials. No walkman, no novels, just clothes, money, toothbrush² and a towel. It will be a time of pure escapism when I leave everything behind me for four weeks.