Goodbye

I woke up early today. Looked around my room and saw my suitcases. I realized where I was and when I was; the end of my year. I lay there just stunned. I didn't know what to do.

Goodbyes are hard, don't know what else to tell you. I went around today numb, feeling just empty. I acted like I would see my friends just tomorrow, but no, I'm not going to. I have refrained from crying at all. I don't want to. I want to be happy before I leave, bring all these memories back with me. I can't help but feel upset about it though. I'm a bit terrified to leave, what I will go back to will be familiar, but not at the same time. I don't know how it will be like. Back to my hometown, I remember my life there before I came, and now, I have even forgotten where I came from, being here in India so long. So much change, so much time has passed. So, what will it be like. I feel this sort of epic beat in my heart, excitement and even anxiety. What will I do when I go back? What will my life be like then? I am just going to be spending my time on the plane just thinking about what to do... this has been the most emotional ride of my life.

What a year. Year of my life. Incredible India. Really is something. When I arrive, I am going to run into my mother's arms and grandmother's arms and hug and pick up my brother. It's just the definition of bittersweet...

Last Days

The heat is unbearable at times, makes me feel like I could take anything when I go back to America.

I can already imagine what it's going to be like, being in Mumbai, alone... waiting.

But you know, I am not so sad, I am but I am not. I just realized how much of an experience this has really been for me...The ups and downs... wow.

I made it to India, and it's been amazing...

Rajkot Heat

Why Hello.
Hi.
How do you do?

Wow. So I have been really bad at blogging. And I am not trying to actually hide it. It's been chaos here. I am in Rajkot right now and I am preparing for my Tabla exam. There is just more and more material I have to prepare for this exam. I have been really busy studying.

Let me think... There is a lot to say. I got back from touring the South a couple weeks ago. And wow, the South is Incredible. Kerala was amazing. Green, lush. Wow. Tamil Nadu was the same, and there I meant the other student from the same district as me, it was cool to see her. Over all, all I can say about the South is... wow. You have to see it for yourself.


I feel bad, but I don't have much time to type.
Things are fine now, for a second I thought they weren't, but they are.
And to people I haven't contacted in a while via e-mail, my apologies. I haven't had much internet really...

Hope all is well.

All I can Hear

Literally, all I can hear right now is tabla going over and over again. Everywhere I go, I hear the rhythms, over and over again going through my head. It's insane..

I leave my Tabla lesson every day with baby powder all over my pants and black stuff on my hands. I work that hard and I sweat that much. I work about 6 to 9 hours a day practicing. I have an exam coming soon, and I am going insane...

I can't write too much right now, but I have a lot to update about and it's all not going to be chronically ordered at all...

I haven't had time because of being so busy studying, but I will make time.

On a good note, I heading to the South in March with my two French girls who I love to death. It's going to be a blast. I can't wait...

My Tabla Lessons for Today.

(x)Dhä Dhin Dhin Dhä| (2)Dhä Dhin Dhin Dhä |(o) Dhä Tin Tin Tä |(3) Tä Dhin Dhin Dhä|
['Teentäl']
*****

(x)Dhä Dhä Ti Tta | (2)Dhä Dhä Tin Nä | (o)Tä Tä Ti Tta | (3)Dhä Dhä Dhin Nä|

[Kayeda of Teentäl; Basic Excersice Lesson of Practice of Tabla]
*****
(x)Dhä Dhä Ti Tta | (2)Dhä Dhä Ti Tta | (o)Dhä Dhä Ti Tta | (3)Dhä Dhä Tin Nä|

(x)Tä Tä Ti Tä | (2)Tä Tä Ti Tä | (o)Dhä Dhä Ti Tä | (3)Dhä Dhä Dhin Nä|

Variations of Kayeda(which is known as 'Paltäs')
This is the first of the variations.

I spent four hours today practicing this. Paying mind to how my elbows must be positioned. How my palm must rest on the left drum and how the fingers are on the right one as my fingers move according to the hit my teacher calls out. He wants me to stay in rajkot for ten more days, he told me that I am picking it up fast enough that he wants to teach me a whole years course to me in ten days. He tells me that I am capable. And I want to take up his offer now, but he says I can take it later when I have time. Being in that room for that long didn't bother me, I didnt' even notice time. I met so many people today. All so skilled at tabla. I was fascinated; just watching them.

I might be able to get tablas, they are not that expensive, which is a surprise, we will see, maybe a birthday present to myself...

Academy of Music and Dance

I've been here in Rajkot for a while now. And I was talking to Beena(my host mom here) about music and stuff. Later on she told me about this Music and Dance Academy. So then we finally got to visit the academy.

The building was nothing special, just a warn down building. But the talent and people were superb. Never judge a book by it's cover. We entered the place where we were welcomed warmly and then taken into the principals office. She welcomed us then we went up stairs to see the classes. And I thought I was going to cry with joy from hearing everything that was going on. Just filled with music. Violins, guitars, singing, tabla, sitars... the stomping of the Karthak dancers. I just wanted to weep with joy. Because this was where I wanted to be for the rest of my time here in India. I knew it in my heart. I wanted to stay, I was suppose to stay and be here. And as we walked through, I just became more engulfed in it. Absorbed in everything. The passion of the teachers, the joy and enthusiasm of the students, willing to learn.

We stopped in the tabla room where one of the tabla teachers were there, and I shyly entered. To the left were two big wooden chests filled with tablas for the students. The bigger one called "Bhaiya" and the smaller one known as "Tabla" or "Daiya". I was amazed. The tabla teacher was immensely nice, my host dad was there and he talked to the teacher about having me study during the little time that I was in Rajkot. So, then decided that I would come back the next day.

Before we left, they gave us a little demonstration. A sitar player and a tabla player performed. I just sat there, closest to the sitar player and just watched him play. Then the tablas came in and everything just fell into place. I was mesmerized. I sat there and closed my eyes, just listening, I didn't want it to stop. But sadly they did. And I opened my eyes, almost with tears. The music was so beautiful. We stood up and left, thanking them.

That was yesterday. Today I went to the academy really excited. I got the tabla room, and there were three other students, I knew this was going to be a long lesson. The other students sat there as the teacher explained to me about classical music. And I have to tell you, it's a lot more difficult than Western music. The way it's notated, what signifies what, it's very specific. The other students also listened, but were also fascinated that I was there willing to learn, a foreigner like me. Then the lesson began. I was shy at first, but then warmed up to it.

(x)Dhä Dhin Dhin Dhä| (2)Dhä Dhin Dhin Dhä |(o) Dhä Tin Tin Tä |(3) Tä Dhin Dhin Dhä |

-'x' is the sign fo the first major beat
-'2' second major beat
-'o' sign of half cycle past beat
-'3' third major beat

16 beats(Maatra)
4 Khand(signified with '|') (each having 4 beats in them)

1st, 5th and 13th are the measure beats 'Taali' which is a beat you must hit harder than the others to show that the next measure has started

9th is the half cycle past measure beat 'Kaali' which is in the 3rd measure, but is a soft hit instead of a hard one. This signifies that measure.

And to know the difference between measures you must listen to the hits. Each hit has a specific sound. 'Dha' sounds differently from 'Ta'. And you have to differentiate all the beats you are playing. This specific pattern is called 'Teentäl'

Then you have to make sure you hands are placed right on both, and play what you are told. If the teacher says 'Dha Dha Dha Ti Ta Dhin Dha' Then I have to play that. The cool part is is that I know what to play now.

Now this is the language that musicians learn, so when the sitar and tabla play together, they know when the accents are in the 16 beats, and the communication is through the language that they both mutually know.

I learned that today. And it is so addicting. The three students left and two other students came in, set up their tablas and started to play what I was learning. I sat there amazed at the hand movements. The two students had come from a blind school. Both blind and couldn't see what they were doing, but were feeling and listening. I just listened. Inspired.

I have a lot of practice to do, and I don't want to leave Rajkot because I want to keep going to this Academy. The Academy really doesn't charge students, only 16 rupees a month, that is it, it's basically free. So you come and learn. The talented who can't afford expensive lessons come here. The teachers are paid by the government, along with the principal. I wish I could stay. I am going later on today for another lesson, I want to soak up as much as I can. I am so grateful for this opportunity, it's amazing. I am going to take it all in. I'm learning whatever I can. =) This Academy is everything I've always wanted. And I have the chance to taste what it's like to be around such brilliant minds and be around people who share the same passion as I have for music. I feel like I am at home when I am there.

The Holidays in India

We all spent our Christmas in Baroda. Decorating the christmas tree, staying up late, having laughs and eating lots of food. It was nice

Then the time in between we had toured around the State we live in, Gujarat. Which was pretty awesome. We took a safari ride to go see wild lions and saw three. That was fun, just driving around and seeing the substantial landmarks and stuff like that. Because I have been here for so long, it doesn't seem foreign to me anymore. I feel like I am an indian and not a tourist from out of the country, so when I go around to tour everything, I don't feel like a stranger and I feel like I have a deeper understanding for everything I see.

We spent New Year's Eve with Rotary and had a huge DJ party. That was so much fun. We all enjoyed ourselves thoroughly.

All of us finally arrived in Rajkot where we spent the remainder of our days together there. Just going to local things. We got to see some really nice Rotary projects, a water project that consisted of building a Dam to bring water to one of the slums in Rajkot. It was just superb.

I stayed back with Felipe in Rajkot and we are staying in the District Chairman's house right now. We were invited because of the fact that we are all alone in our towns, so we are spending time here with the two exchange students who stay in Rajkot, Haley and Stine. So we have just been relaxing here spending time in a bigger city and enjoying all the company. It's nice not to be alone in a city as an exchange student.

Iit's my birthday today and I woke up with my friend Haley and Beena(the chairman's wife) holding roses and a sign that said "Happy Birthday Vicky!" as they sang me awake to "Happy Birthday". What an awesome way to start out the day. After that, we just went to the mall, I had to get some clothes for tonight. We just finished decorating the house for the party tonight. I haven't had a birthday like this in a while. I am so appreciative for the friends and family that I have and made here.

Haley, Felipe and I were blowing up ballons and started to make these bunches of them and put them around the house, even making a balloon tree, hahaha. =) They make nice hats too.

"Our birthdays are feathers in the broad wing of time".

=D I am 17 now. Lets have some fun. I got a feeling tonight is going to be a very good night.

Here are some Pic updates, just random...




My teachers daughter and I dressed up for a marriage



Stine and I on a camel.=)



The Moon setting next to the beautiful fort in Jaisalmer(The Golden City). THe view from the Terrace of the Hotel.



King Corbas in Jaipur.



Some Turbans being dried and displayed.




Stine(from Germany) and I. We are driving on the winding and hairpin turns that are the roads that lead to Dharamsala. The prettiest place in the Himalayas! =D



The Beautiful Lotus temple.




The View from my hotel in Himachal Pradesh... yeah, those are the Himalayas. =)



Hiking around int he beautiful Dharamsala. =)



The Golden Temple in Punjab.



Let's represent our countries by hanging the flags out of our tents.



"Put this turban on and the sunglasses!" hahahaha...




At the Taj Mahal. Beautiful and Brilliant...

I miss you all. Hope all is well at home. Tata.