And sometimes it happens this way…

Oct. 7

Leaving Delhi required both my friend and I to rise early, him earlier than I. After he met me at my guest house, we cabbed it to the airport for a final good-bye. I am deeply thankful to him and a couple of other friends who spent much of their free time with me walking, metroing, and cabbing it around Delhi. A whirlwind of a stay that exhausted me and ended with me a bit sick. It proved to be a modern metropolitan Indian adventure.

And then I left. Squeezing through the stumbling crowds of people elbowing their way onto the plane, I easily got my seat and easily fell asleep. We landed at Gorakhpur airport, or more correctly, at the Air Force base that serves as an airport since, as local folks say, ‘Gorakhpur doesn’t have a proper airport.’ The baggage conveyer was stuffed in such a little area that more than half of us couldn’t get close enough to even see the bags coming out! Bags, people, carts, jockeying for position, sprinting in between people to grab a slightly sighted bag. I waited for a clear sighting.

Leaving the base, means traipsing over a cobble-stone like pathway to a blue gate with a small door and plenty of barbed wire. An armed guard stands high above in a small tower. As I stepped through the blue door, I saw my host accompanied by a variety of others with flowers and cameras…standing just inches from the road adjacent to the base. Welcomes and pictures led to climbing into cars to take a drive through the rural, yet large city. (As I understand it the state of Uttar Pradesh, in which Gorakhpur is located, tops a population of 100 million!) We stopped at a local restaurant for a ‘press conference,’ which consisted of hanging a large banner with my workshop announcement and my picture and talking to a handful of reporters who slowly visited over the hour we were there (and ate, too). I discovered, through the interviews, that my workshop would consist of 25 participants, mostly administrators (though the workshop is titled ‘Teacher Training.’). They mentioned that more than 50 others had been turned away and that ‘more than half of Gorakhpur knows you are here!’

We then headed to the school, where I would be teaching the workshop and staying, as well, as the school has an on-campus guest house. Approaching the school, I looked up over the gate and saw a much bigger banner, again with me and my workshop announced. Yet another one was draped from a school building. The principal said, ‘We think the parents should know of this exciting experience.’ The guest ‘room’ is more like a little suite: two bedrooms, a large bathroom, a very large dining room and a full kitchen. And, as you might guess, a woman that will cook and clean.

Although I was encouraged to rest, I was interrupted many times for a small, a meal, chairs brought into my room, a towel delivered. And I discovered that no one seemed to mind just walking into the bedroom I was assigned…whether I was there or not. And, though the bedroom has a separate entrance to the bathroom, the lightswitch to the bathroom is out in the dining room! Hopefully there will be no ‘surprises’ with all these doors and switches.

We visited the workshop room where yet two more banners graced the wall. A colored rice design was being laid out on the ground in front of the entrance. This event was going to be an event.

Fortunately the next morning I could start lazily with little interruption. A young man assigned to stay the night greeted me as I came out of the room and offered to make tea as the woman was not yet around. He apologized profusely, noting that he’s not used to making non-milk tea. After breakfast, things started to ramp up, as people arrived and I made my way to the workshop room. People stood as I entered. I was escorted to a prime seat. Now, I just wanted to get my materials and whatnot set up, but there was an event to be had.

An MC introduced key people. My host spoke. A bevy of young girls danced and then I was invited to begin. I knew there was some finagling to be done, as administrators are used to speeches and talks. But I started actively, as I always do, and then followed along, although much more reservedly then the workshops I recently completed in Delhi. They were a quiet, somewhat shy group, but I will give them this: they participated more fully then any group of administrators I have worked with in the US.

I get waited on. I get asked what do I want or need. Someone always takes from me whatever I am carrying and delivers it to my room for me. Even when I went to get a snack during the workshop break, one pulled back the chair for me, one brought a soda, one brought water, another brought a sandwich… A little overwhelming at times.

I am sure it will prove to be a traditional, respectful Indian adventure.