The phone rang. The ringing only just awoke me. In my befuddled state of half-sleep there was only one thought that popped into my mind: This conversation is going to be confusing.
“Hello?” It must be 5 am and likely Sudip is calling to make sure I am up. The conversation got going and it was indeed turning out confusing. He wanted me to come to the pizzeria, where he worked. I thought it’d be easier to meet at the cross roads. “Meet you at Hallal Chowk at 5:30, see you in half an hour.” I said. At the end of the phone call I checked the time. Not even 10 pm, I had only just fallen asleep. This conversation must have been even weirder for Sudip.
Hallal Chowk cross roads at 5:30 in the morning. Ben and I meet up with Sudip. He is our new Nepali friend and a science student Janapriya Multiple Campus. The university is where we are heading this morning.
“I talked to my professor and he agreed, you can give lesson.” Sudip started.
“Oh great! Thanks, that’s exciting” I replied.
“Yes, you have to do 40 minute lesson today.”
“What?! I have nothing prepared.”
“I tell you on the phone last night ‘come to restaurant’ so I could explain, but you didn’t come.”
“Aaah, okay.” What didn’t make sense to me last night, did now. “Can we do the lecture another day?” I asked.
“I have permission from Chemistry teacher. He does not come to lesson today. You must do the lesson.”
“What time?”
“Six.”
An hour later twenty students smiled. Considering a 10 minute preparation I thought we’d done well. Ben was more realistic: “Everybody loves pretend-meaningful guest lectures.” Ben was probably right. A tall curly haired foreigner had just entertained them, at the price of not having a chemistry teacher bombard them with theory. No reason not to smile.
Thursday a few weeks later.
My previous lecture was hardly prepared and actually just a general talk about university life. I wanted to give a physics lesson so Sudip and I convinced the coordinator I can prepare a proper lecture.
Tuesday, the day of the physics lecture.
Sudip and I returned last night from a long weekend at his family home. I had finalised my preparations late last night. It didn’t matter as Sudip called early that morning: “National strikes, no university today.”
Another two days later. I step into the classroom. Everybody gets up. “Wow!” Aron (new travel buddy) was taken aback. They sit back down. “Can you all get up again for a photo?” Aron asked. I get my stuff ready: an orange ball, a grape, some gravel and stones, a peppercorn, a book, and my large scarf. I’ve prepared very well this time. I nearly exactly replicated Robert Dijkgraaf’s lecture he did on Dutch national television (‘De Oerknal’ on DWDD).
“Namaste” I commenced. “Mero naam Alex ho. Ma Netherland bata aayeko ho. Who had Daal Bhat for dinner last night?”
02/04/13
Bhandar, E.B.C. trail
