THE ENGLISH ADDA

Bhola says that Suman's departure hasn't really effected the project in any way. Shanku and Bhola probably need to do a lot more "housework". What else is there for them to do? Shanku isn't a full-time teacher. And Bhola teaches when he can. It's mostly Kartik, Raiman and Radha who are doing most of the teaching.

I am quite concerned about the project. It's just not working out financially. The monthly expenses work out to about Rs 30,000. Most of this is covered by contributions  from friends and volunteers and whatever money I receive as rent for my flat in Gurgaon. There are ex-volunteers who help out from time to time, but the debts keep mounting every month and whatever we gather isn't enough to pay off these debts. And now that I am living away from the project, I have my own expenses and can't contribute towards project expenses. In fact, my stay in Bolpur is being supported by a close friend.

I am really wondering what to do with the project. If I don't have the project to worry about, I really have no worries in life! If I live frugally, I can live out the rest of my life without having to beg. But if I continue running this project, I will have go around with the begging bowl and I'm sick and tired of that particular aspect of running a project. I just couldn't be bothered about maintaining accounts and I just couldn't be bothered about making proposals and visiting donors and asking them for support. To be honest, I am very close to throwing in the towel.

I know what mistakes I made and the wrong decisions I've taken in the past that has led to this sorry state of affairs. But some things were beyond my control -- the lack of dedicated people to work with me, the changing values of humanity in general. Anyway, the fact of the matter is that as I rapidly roll down to 60, I am very tired of running the project in Jharkhand. I've decided to give it one more year and then turn my back to it. So unless things improve in 2011, that project is closing down.

Meanwhile, I'm getting used to Bolpur and Shantiniketan and the great cultural and social divide between the two. I'm lucky to be accepted by both and that's perhaps because I'm still being perceived as an "outsider". And  probably because I come across as being posihed and "cultured" -- a "bhodrolok" perhaps. My circle of acquaintaces is growing and I'm getting to know a lot of interesting people.

So here's some good news: The English Adda has started. The first session was yesterday. Four young people enrolled themselves for the first batch, but only three showed up because one of them is acting in a play and hence had to go for rehearsals. The others are quite enthusiastic and it's great being able to teach adults for a change -- especially young people who know rudimentary English and simply need to brush it up.

I'm not charging this group anything because I've told them frankly that I will be treating them as "guinea pigs" to design a programme of Spoken English. They will learn from me and perhaps assist me when I set up a proper learning centre. These people are good with languages. One of them is studying Japanese and three others are fluent in Chinese. That's great is that one of them had attended a Spoken English course and told me that what I am offer is definitely far, far superior to what she got from there. How she could tell after attending only ONE SESSION,  I don't know! Let's see what she feels after a few weeks.

But I am happy that I've made a start. And right now I am very enthusiastic about it. Let's hope that all goes well and I am able to earn some money from THE ENGLISH ADDA and be able to run the project in Roldih and even start a small school for slum children here. Starting something is not difficult. But getting people to help out is certainly a hard task. Why  I chose the name The Englsih Adda (TEA) is coming in the next blog. This is all for now.