28th April

Ashutosh has a different driver to the last time I was here. This person has a rather impressive turban and beard to match. I’m not sure that he speaks. I haven’t heard him talk to anyone yet. He’s rather fun to watch though. As we would go through the gears to come up to speed, and then concentrate on what we’re doing, this chap will include an extra habit at the end. Hand on the horn. Now has he is zipping down the road at a pacey 50 kph, he in a position to press that honker at anything and everything. It’s a bit like a game of netball really. You hear the whistle blow every five seconds or so but you have no idea what its for. (I’m sure someone does. The ref maybe.)

Today was about settling into the new office space. Ashutosh has set up a floor of a building in Sector 17A for Animasia. There’s still a bit of work to do to finish off the computer room but I was assured that it would be complete by Monday. At the moment the English language classes are using most of the rooms, but there is an area downstairs that will be converted into classroom spaces for them. That’s meant to happen by Monday as well. I’m fairly certain that’s not going to happen. I had a look at the downstairs area and it reminds me of the abandoned rooms and tunnels of the port hills.

The computer room is about the size of Neil’s office. It’s going to have twenty computers in it. Should be nice and cozy. (Hope the air con works.) We are going to have a video editing room. It’s full of stuff at the moment. It’s going to have a couple of Macs in it.

I was introduced to my office. It’s a glass box with a pillar in it. I get the feeling that it was someone else’s office, but when I asked, I was assured it was mine. So, the only thing I need now is some waterweeds, a castle and a treasure chest, a good supply of oxygen and I’ll be set. If I come home with gills in the side of my head and gasping, just throw me in a sink of slightly warm water.

I was introduced to the team. In the main office, there are about five ladies all looking after enrollments and marketing for Animasia. The main person in charge of Marketing is a person by the name of Avinash. (I wonder if the glass room was his? I must check to see if he has gills.) He is really nice. He is trying very hard to get students for the Natcoll courses. He and his team are visiting a number of places around Chandigarh and giving presentations. I’m off on one of these expeditions on Saturday. Should be interesting.

So, once I was settled in my bowl, and had munched on my Subway foot-long, I set about working out what we didn’t have and what we needed. Alex H will love this. We need cameras. He he.

Did I mention that half the class in presently studying English listening classes? No? Well, yep. They sure are. I had the chance to talk to three of the students yesterday. Two of them could understand me quite well. The other one was struggling. The tutor who is going to be with me came to talk to me later in the afternoon. He wanted some tips on teaching. (I’m not sure if I should run away and hide or poke fate in the eye.) Ah, the challenge of being a Natcoll tutor. ‘It’s a bit like a box of chocolates, you never know what you might get.’ (Forest Grump)