Mathru School for the Differently-Abled
Bangalore, India
Tuesday 12/17/2013
We didn't make it back to the tile place today, but that is OK, Andy and I needed a low-key day. We'll go tomorrow with Srini to pick up the tiles, and I hope we have better luck finding the adhesive and tools we need. Harish has one of my adhesive tile caulk tubes and is going to see if he can find a supply for me, too.
We did make good progress today getting things clarified and in motion to schedule my classes once we get all our supplies lined up. It looks like I'll be teaching three two-hour classes a day, from 9-11 a.m., 11 a.m.-1 p.m., and 2-4 p.m., with a break for lunch between 1 and 2 p.m. Class size will necessarily be determined by the number of tools I have to work with.
My little suite is right next door to my studio/classroom, too, a nice size 20x30-feet or more room that is usually a guest meeting and dining room. This will make a very good set-up for me, indeed. It can't get any easier to commute to work, and I'll have 24/7 access to working studio space.
Muktha is lining up assistants for me, too.
It is good that I'm teaching the teachers here as well as the students, because they will be able to help with my classes and keep them up after I leave. I've met several of them but have yet to learn any of their names. They love the mosaics I brought, have been poring over my portfolios and seem very pleased and excited about learning the process.
Muktha brought a group of government inspectors by to meet me today, and I showed them the Gecko Mirror and my portfolio. I also gave s little demonstration on how I break up coffee cups. I think they are all a little horrified that I'm breaking up perfectly good cups, actually. But they're keeping an open mind, especially when they see the mosaics and look at my portfolios. One of them seemed especially impressed with the Gecko Mirror and asked me, "Do you think this could be a vocation for the students here?"
"Yes, I do," I told her. "I know I can teach them how to make mirrors like this, and I really think you could develop a market for them."
So. Today the mirrors, tomorrow the market. Grin.
Andy and I still need to shop for some personal things, but we no longer need toilet paper. It took us a while to figure it out -- I guess we were being rather obtuse -- but we've been baffled and distressed the last couple days over the lack of toilet paper, and the lack of responsiveness from the staff to our requests for more. The one roll that was here when we arrived didn't last very long.
We both noticed yesterday that there was no toilet paper in Srini's bathroom either. So today, when we had a chance to chat with Muktha, Andy just came right out and asked her about it. She confined that no, toilet paper is not commonly used here, and, "We use water."
We did not ask for a demonstration.
Later, Andy finally figured out what the little sink sprayer thing is that is mounted on the wall right next to the toilet. I had no idea the thing was even there until Andy showed me. "It's the poor man's bidet!"
And you know what? It works better than toilet paper. In fact, it works better than a bidet.
And no, we don't give demonstrations.
Bangalore, India
Tuesday 12/17/2013
We didn't make it back to the tile place today, but that is OK, Andy and I needed a low-key day. We'll go tomorrow with Srini to pick up the tiles, and I hope we have better luck finding the adhesive and tools we need. Harish has one of my adhesive tile caulk tubes and is going to see if he can find a supply for me, too.
We did make good progress today getting things clarified and in motion to schedule my classes once we get all our supplies lined up. It looks like I'll be teaching three two-hour classes a day, from 9-11 a.m., 11 a.m.-1 p.m., and 2-4 p.m., with a break for lunch between 1 and 2 p.m. Class size will necessarily be determined by the number of tools I have to work with.
My little suite is right next door to my studio/classroom, too, a nice size 20x30-feet or more room that is usually a guest meeting and dining room. This will make a very good set-up for me, indeed. It can't get any easier to commute to work, and I'll have 24/7 access to working studio space.
Muktha is lining up assistants for me, too.
It is good that I'm teaching the teachers here as well as the students, because they will be able to help with my classes and keep them up after I leave. I've met several of them but have yet to learn any of their names. They love the mosaics I brought, have been poring over my portfolios and seem very pleased and excited about learning the process.
Muktha brought a group of government inspectors by to meet me today, and I showed them the Gecko Mirror and my portfolio. I also gave s little demonstration on how I break up coffee cups. I think they are all a little horrified that I'm breaking up perfectly good cups, actually. But they're keeping an open mind, especially when they see the mosaics and look at my portfolios. One of them seemed especially impressed with the Gecko Mirror and asked me, "Do you think this could be a vocation for the students here?"
"Yes, I do," I told her. "I know I can teach them how to make mirrors like this, and I really think you could develop a market for them."
So. Today the mirrors, tomorrow the market. Grin.
Andy and I still need to shop for some personal things, but we no longer need toilet paper. It took us a while to figure it out -- I guess we were being rather obtuse -- but we've been baffled and distressed the last couple days over the lack of toilet paper, and the lack of responsiveness from the staff to our requests for more. The one roll that was here when we arrived didn't last very long.
We both noticed yesterday that there was no toilet paper in Srini's bathroom either. So today, when we had a chance to chat with Muktha, Andy just came right out and asked her about it. She confined that no, toilet paper is not commonly used here, and, "We use water."
We did not ask for a demonstration.
Later, Andy finally figured out what the little sink sprayer thing is that is mounted on the wall right next to the toilet. I had no idea the thing was even there until Andy showed me. "It's the poor man's bidet!"
And you know what? It works better than toilet paper. In fact, it works better than a bidet.
And no, we don't give demonstrations.
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