Principal Alex and more

Mon. 24 August 2009

Had a formal, official meeting with Principal Alex today, along with the bursar and good friends Joseph and Gabriel. It nearly turned into a love-fest. Each of them in turn offered words of welcome, and it turns out no good deed goes unpunished. There were frequent references to the hospitality I had shown Joseph, Gabriel, former Principal Philip, and others on their visits to Elmhurst. I had always imagined that I was in a deficit situation, responding however inadequately to the extraordinary hospitality they had shown me on my visits to MCC (and I still think so!), but they would hear none of it! Still, good to have a more formal sense of expectations for my time here, and to know they want to support me in any way possible. I am blessed to be in the midst of such extraordinary people.

A nice quiet afternoon (except for first signs of bowel troubles) with prep time for my paper in Trichy next month. A welcome dinner was hosted (in my honor!) at the principal’s house, with several friends of Elmhurst invited to join us. There was the formal welcome with the long garland around the neck and the gold-edged white shawl around my shoulders, and some very nice informal conversation. After dinner was a lovely extended chat with Joseph on the guest house porch. After that… did I mention the bowels? I was up sitting on the toilet every 2 or 3 hours. Things finally subsided by morning, but I’ve been eating only simple foods in small amounts today (Tuesday). At least I have my Ives paper to keep me busy, and no big agenda to follow.

And what made it all worthwhile? Got to talk to Virginia this morning via Skype! This is no big whoop for many of my students or my ATMI colleagues, but this is the first time I’ve really used it. It was amazing to me to hear her voice and watch her talking to me, from Lombard all the way to Tambaram. Unbelievable! It made me doubly glad to finally have internet access in my room.