Hello! Namaste!
My first year in India was filled with wonder and awe, providing for good blog content. However, now that cows being in the roads and the air being filled with incense have become normality, blogging has become more about the work and the children I work with – content more attuned to those who support me rather than those just curious about a white guy in India.
My apologies for leaving it this long to update you all.
Before I begin, I need to make a petition on behalf of my students taking their music theory exam this May. I have a class of nine students, some of whom have sponsors, but many of whom do not. If you are able to sponsor one or more students then please contact me using the contact form at the bottom of this post and I will give you the information as needed. One student will require £40.09 at the current exchange rate as of 3/2/2020 (3240r exam fee and 530r for a text book).
The Long Hot Summer (March – May)
The scorching hot season in Goa is normally welcomed in by the Hindu celebration of Holi (21st March 2019), the festival of colours, where people throw coloured powders at friends, family and strangers (the boys claim to have once thrown a coloured balloon containing a cow pat). Every year the children of BLC are invited to the Grand Hyatt Resort where they join a crowd of around 1000 people for live music, free food and drink stalls, and a huge supply of colours to throw at each other. If you want to see pure joy, check out the photos in the gallery below.
Teaching continued as usual, including the new music theory classes where nine boys studied grade 1 music theory under the Trinity College London syllabus. The class was fairly big, so some of those who found the content difficult allowed themselves to be a distraction. After 28 classes over 14 weeks, the exam took place in Panjim, the capital of Goa, and afterward I took them all out for Baskin & Robins.
During April I held a three-week set of lessons at the junior boys’ home, with the intention of finding out which boys would benefit from learning music (I can’t teach all of them). Classes were held in keyboard and guitar. All the boys want to learn drums but we don’t have the money to buy a drum kit. Some of the boys showed an enormous amount of promise and they were added to my new teaching rota for the new school year come June.
During the May school holidays, I was given some money for the purpose of having a holiday, so I took the opportunity to make a dream come true and see the Taj Mahal in the north of India. I’m glad I did because there in Delhi I met some friends for life – people who can help with life in this complicated and overwhelming country.
Monsoon Madness (June – August)
As schools returned in the first week of June, so did the music theory classes. Five of the previous grade 1 students went on to study grade 2 and four new students began grade 1. Due to the small class size, everyone was much better behaved and each lesson was productive.
On the 26th June the exam results came in for the May exams, and they were better than I could have imagined. Before the exam, I made them sit a couple of test papers so they would get used to what kinds of questions they would be asked. Half of the students failed (0-59%) the first paper and the second paper was only marginally better. But many who failed their test papers ended up passing their final exams with merit (75%-86%), and everyone else got distinctions (87%+). What an absolute joy.
July saw the release of the new album from Will Adam Music – Image (available here). It featured some of the best talent around me – friends who were so beautifully willing to lend their time to the project for free. It also featured a track where a choir of our very own Bethesda Life Centre children sing. They also drew the designs for the front cover (check out the design in the gallery below). I was chuffed to bits to get a 5-star review.
Classes continued throughout August, as did the monsoon rains. The music theory classes were paying off, with the students showing an understanding of music in their performance and practice. Their musicianship is growing.
In late August, a couple of volunteers came to spend time with BLC and ended up buying two brand new keyboards – one for the senior boys and one for the junior boys – as well as some much needed guitar cases. Massive thanks to them for making life much easier and filling a big need.
Holiday Season (September – December)
After the monsoon season, India prepares for the holiday season. Hindus celebrate big festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi in September and Diwali in November, Christians celebrate Christmas in December, Muslims celebrate Mohammed’s birthday in November and everyone celebrates Gandhi’s birthday in October and new year’s eve. All Indians, regardless of religion, are always up for throwing a party and putting up some coloured lights.
One big celebration for me was my mum’s 70th birthday in October, for which I travelled to the UK for a couple of weeks and used the time to see a couple of friends and do some fundraising. The party was fantastic and it was lovely to see some of mum’s closest friends and family all together in one room celebrating her. I’ll never forget that.
The day after landing back in Goa, I participated in the Walk for Freedom – a march organised by charity A21, consisting of tens of thousands of people gathering and marching silently through the streets of different cities across the world on the same day to protest the epidemic of modern slavery. It was a huge honour to be a part of it.
On November 2nd, the music theory classes took their exams and, as always, were treated to ice creams. The results were astonishing – out of nine students, one passed, one passed with merit and the other seven passed with marks over 90% – distinctions. They are now studying hard for grades 2 and 3.
In December I finally started teaching at the girls home – four students learning acoustic guitar and four students learning keyboard. With the funds raised from the album sales, I was able to buy them a brand new guitar and keyboard. These girls are very talented and if they practice, they will go very far.
I also spent December practicing with the girls for the annual carol singing tour. For 7 days leading up to Christmas, we are invited round the different 5-star resorts of Goa to entertain the guests with festive songs and carols, who in return give tips or simply have their holidays brightened up. It’s very tiring but great fun and the Grand Hyatt (who invite the children for Holi every year) always treat the BLC children like royalty.
December and January also saw a massive surge in things taking a huge dent out of the little money I have. A new car battery, a new car brake cable and labour, a brand new phone after my phone was stolen, a £400 visa extension, a new kettle, a flight to the UK in 2020 and new clothes (some holes are just too big now, lol). Due to these expenses I’ve had to make changes to my living conditions: basic food, no meat; less hot water; no AC; no AC in the car.
As I’m currently funded here 100% by the generosity of others, I would ask if you would consider giving towards my work here. The future has big things in store, but none of it will be possible without my amazing sponsors. If you’re interested, please contact me using the form at the bottom of this page and I can give you more information.
Thanks to
- Mum, as always, for making this possible in so many ways.
- Martin and Beena for being the best of humanity.
- Abhinay and Deviyani for being there in that police station when I was robbed and for so much more.
- Dan for organising Walk for Freedom. What a milestone and a look of things to come for Goa.
- Those who contributed to Image. It was called a “bright masterpiece” in one review and that’s because of your love and generosity.
- Grand Hyatt, especially Roger in PR – I never thought a 5-star resort could have such a heart at its core.
- Finally, all my amazing sponsors who have blown me away by your generosity and quite often been a timely needed miracle. These children I’m teaching are not orphans in adverts or in movies, they’re real humans like you, and you’ve seen that and allowed them to have a future like you were given. Thank you for your humanity.
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