Sunday at the Ashram
Allynn and I have been taking daily walks and Friday we met on the street a group of children and their lovely teacher. Allynn worked his balloon Magic and I shot video. And we made a plan to do a show for the school today- Sunday! They have school here 6 days a week. Saturday is their only day off. So the teacher, Jennifer, arrived about 11:00 am with her motorcycle and all three of us hopped on! Terrified, I was in the middle, feeling Doom was around the corner and we jostled around the potholes and rocks and luckily made it to the school. A 4 story brick structure which looks brand new , we had a stroll around and I peeked into the barren looking classrooms with concrete floors and bare.brick walls. Up the staircase with no railings, the scent of urine was disturbing. Then we met with the principal , a petite gentleman, and he showed us the outside yard where Allynn would do his show. It is a brick paved playground with a grassy area that was sunny and inviting. Allynn readied his show as a swarm of 400 tiny children in uniforms appeared!
Seated in a horseshoe around him he began his delightful clowning to roars of excitement and laughter. Older kids arrived too, sitting on the grass in an orderly fashion. Allynn had the help of a teacher as translator , as it seems that the understanding of English is on a low level here with the Nepalese children. He got the Action going with his butterfly dance and then the story of Snow White. I got a few photos of the school and the kids but as soon as I started shooting video with my I phone, it stopped recording, saying memory full!
I was shocked, because I have been Constantly shooting video of Allynn and the lovely children and Nepalese folk. And suddenly before me, I have the Best Event to capture and I can’t! The Best and biggest show Allynn has had the opportunity to perform here on our trip of a life time and – How Frustrating!!! The schoolteacher , Jennifer, gave me her I phone to use and pretty soon , hers stopped too- saying memory full!
Jennifer is a pretty young teacher with very hip style and clothing. Both times we saw her she was wearing a Mod black and white outfit right out of Vogue magazine and white face make up that seems like part of the getup, giving her a Japanese Geisha look, and out of place in the countryside of backroad Nepal. And the very high heels were bizarre on the rough ground around here. She had the look of Snow White so Allynn had her play that part. And she was great. Then we were invited to the teachers lounge across a dirt road after the show for tea. It was a little dark shack, the kind you see along the roads here. Jennifer said have a seat, and I looked around; and carefully positioned myself on a tiny narrow dark bench. Behind me on the counter was a huge round bowl overflowing with fried samosas , which looked really good . And I realized that this tiny room we were in is the school kitchen!! And the huge bowl of pasta , and a bowl of stir fried veggies get mixed together and is served with the the samosas. Good lunch , if you ask me! We had a samosas and we were served a delicious lemon tea in a clear glass. As usual, Allynn keeps the conversation up beat and festive between the principal, the schoolteacher and ourselves. And soon we are saying heartfelt goodbyes and promising to be friends on Facebook. And we Walked back to the Ashram, an unusual and Special Sunday for us .
Sent from my iPhone