Hiccups and the Sublime

Today was our last day staying at the ashram (a spiritual center) and we are off to move in with our home stay families this afternoon. The only two other boys on the program and I are staying in the same house (something that is not usually done) and I’m excited at the prospect. I’ll post up pictures of our abode as soon as I’m able.
I hit a bit of a speed bump yesterday. The program offers several excursions to other cities with a focused subject of study. I was planning on going to on the “folk music, instrument and dance” study in Jailsamar. However, it was essentially a foot race to the bulletin board to sign up for the activities and I happened to not make it to the front in time in order to sign up. So, instead of folk music, I’m signed up for a study of miniature painting.
It is something difficult to think about that I traveled halfway around the world to study Indian music and then didn’t walk across a room fast enough in order to sign up for an opportunity to play music with other Indian musicians. I spoke to the program director about the possibility of increasing the maximum number of students from 6 to 7 for the folk music study. She was uninterested in helping me by making the effort to make an exception and then later, in front of the entire class, was rude and said something to the effect of “Ben is in a state of sorrow because he didn’t get organized fast enough to sign up so someone please take pity on him and switch places.” I stopped her and asked if, instead, I could make the announcement.
At any rate, it seems unlikely that anyone is going to want to switch out of the folk music study and I will be doing miniature painting. However, even more than the disappointment of not getting my first choice of activity, I was disheartened that the academic director was not only uninterested in making an effort for me, but was extremely rude to me in a public forum. The other students in the class have come to talk to me and agree that I did nothing wrong and was not “disorganized” as the director claimed. But, I’m not going to let this stop me. Despite her best efforts, the AD will not thwart my drive and desire to learn from and play with Indian musicians. Eat my shorts, Dr. Storm.
But, thankfully, with every cloud comes some silver lining. Yesterday I witnessed one of the most compelling and moving musical performances of my life. Two world class Indian musicians, playing tabla and sitar, gave a demonstration in our class today. Meeting for the first time that day (which we found out later) they played and improvised a raga. I will not be able to find the words to express the musical fusion I witnessed. It gave me a fever. And, I am elated that the sitar player will be my teacher for the semester. I will be learning at the hands of a true master. I really do feel blessed.
Orientation has ended and my “real” semester begins soon. Even with the rough patches of orientation, my excitement for the semester has not waned nor has my determination to learn from those gurus and masters that have much to teach me.