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I don't think I will ever quite get used to Bengali time. There is on time, GMT (Glastonbury Maybe Time) and Bengali Time which is really something else entirely. Be ready to leave at 1pm to go to the school we were told, all the girls dutifully got up, sorted themselves out and I messaged Anup to check with Dan a piece of information. (I should explain that Dan, Anup and the boys are staying in a neighbouring building in Satyen Park - shouting distance mind) Only to discover later that this message became the wake up call for Dan, whose watch is going to be stuck at 6.15 for the rest of the trip.
In 4 car loads we transported our whole group from Satyen Park to the Mathieson Music School, where we were greeted by 23 boys, 1 girl, 2 dogs and the school staff who were around. It has been amazing to see how different things are here. All the girls had to leave the school in the summer because of a law change in India. Due to how far away most of the girls live they have been relocated to new schools and only one girl, who lives locally, comes as a day pupil.
After an enormous late lunch we were welcomed in true Mathieson Music School style with garlands, bindi's, singing and speeches. As dusk was falling the children took our students beyond the kitchen to the nominal sports field to play badminton, 40 rackets, almost as many shuttlecocks, a washing line and no rules, I think this was a new game in its infancy which only became more fun as the determination to continue once it was entirely dark kicked in.
We then enjoyed Masala tea, which is very similar to chai, and biscuits with John Mondal being a wonderful chai wallah - to be fair that is the least of his roles. Joh is a former student of the school and is the accountant and deals with a lot of the day to day running of the school. Without him, Sairul Molla the administrator and of course Dipak Sapui the school would not function at all.
Suddenly there was a strange noise, a bit like an elephant, which turned out to be Hugh demonstrating the art of the trombone slide - for a school based around strong instruments this was a novelty indeed. Also when the children had realised I was back I started to hear the recorders being played - it is my mission to teach them a tune while I am here, even if it is only London's Burning.
I don't know why I am always so surprised when more food arrives but we then had dinner. Fortunately I have come to realise that dinner is a smaller meal than lunch but even still I don't think any of us were really very hungry.
Back to the accommodation in small groups. When I got back I discovered scrapbook writing, unpacking and general sorting outgoing on in the girls rooms - we might never swing a cat but we can definitely move around our stuff with more ease.
It's 10pm and I don't think any of us will be far out of bed
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