FIRST DAY OF CLASS!
Today was our first day of class!!!!! Twelve students out of 14 arrived today, which was a surprise, since Rob spoke with everyone and they knew about today. I don’t know why they didn’t come today. So, if they do not show for tomorrow they cannot participate in the training.
We had a bit of a rough start this morning. We went to pick up Bashudev and Sushil, because they weren’t sure how to get to the school. So, we tried to find their house in the taxi, but Rob has only been by foot coming from the Stupa, not from the main street. And, the taxi driver metered was sucking up the paisa, so Rob argued with him that the meter was going too fast, that it only cost Rs.100 from his hotel in Lazimpat to Boudha. When I left my house in Chhatrapati, to pick him up at his hotel, it’s usually Rs.35 max, so went I went into the lobby to pick him up, it was Rs.70.
So, after arguing with the taxi driver in a neighborhood between the Hyatt Hotel and the Stupa, I said I would just walk back than take the same taxi to the school. The school is directly in front of the gate to the Hyatt Hotel. Good thing I walked because I could get some breakfast, mango juice and a croissant. And god, it was a cold morning! I don’t know why it’s so hard for me to wake-up so early, luckily the hot water heater was turned on and I got to have a nice hot shower at 7 in the morning. The city is so dirty, after two days of walking around; your hair catches nice clumps of dirt.
But I digress….
Meanwhile, back at Tranquility School (the school we hired to train the students), a few people arrived early, which was nice to see. About 5 people came early; it must’ve been 8:45 by then. We told everyone we would start at 9 am. I hoped that Rob made his way and found Bashudev et al, and that he wouldn’t be too late.
It’s so cold in that building, it’s just concrete and it has no access to any sunray. None. So, we all sat there waiting. I was really happy to start. Hem gave me a list of the regulations to add to; on it were things like grooming rules, etc. So I added a few things. One of them is no spitting. When I came up, one of the students was sitting in front. And he saw me, smiled and stood-up and hocked a nice loogie. Yeah, it was quite appetizing. So, I remembered on of Rob’s etiquette rules: No spitting.
Things like spitting, picking the nose, and belching are not social faux pas in Asia. I remember going to Thailand for the first time, walking down the street seeing men in business suits, walking down the street just digging away, or talking and picking. Another thing is personal hygiene, and its importance. For anyone that has been here, knows—hygiene is a very modern, western thing, not a Nepali or Asian thing for that matter.
We started the class with everyone holding hands in a circle, introducing themselves to each other. Hem and Bhuwan seemed excited about everyone, and the students were excited to begin finally. We have one lone female in our class. But she is a strong woman and can hold her own.
I’m so happy to finally get it started, and to see everyone that we spoke to there, and ready to go.
Hem and Bhuwan are really strict about the grooming policies, stating that in 5-star hotels, it’s a requirement that they will not budge on. He talked about how men need to be clean shaven everyday they come, and their hair cut short. I think they were saying it must be above the ears. That if it isn’t he send you home.
As for our lone woman, she has to wear her hair in bun with a net on it. I thought, man I’m so glad I’m not taking classes here, cause that sucks. They also told them to wear loose fitting comfortable clothes that were clean. I also put on the sheet of guidelines to wear deodorant, this is something massage therapists need, man. We cannot be working over someone with a burnt stench encapsulating us; we need to be scentless or pleasant. I also put no perfumes, especially cheap.
😀
They also emphasized the importance of being prompt. That class will begin at 10 a.m. and to be here at least 5 minutes before. They also talked about their former students how they found them jobs, Bhuwan mentioned that his family is in the spa business, working overseas and they have also set-up spas in 5-star hotels. They also told them how they came to form a massage therapy school in Nepal—because the spas here needed people, so they would employ and pay lofty amounts to get Indians to come and work. So, they decided to open a school and train Nepali’s.
They talked about how vacancies are common at spas, and while there isn’t a guarantee, there is a great probability that we can find work for them. They explained how right now, they were asked if they had 10 people they could send for the Hyatt in Goa. And other examples of vacancies in India.
They also said that learning massage, even when you are working in spa, you will always be learning something and you are always advancing, whether it is a pay scale or job position. He also said that massage is easy to do if you come from your heart. They also gave examples of vacancies at resorts in India, and how they touched one some really good, encouraging things, and I am really proud to be working with such a good team.
They gave them a tour of the school, and the students took Bashudev and Sushil automatically to help guide them. Also, when everyone was reading the hand-outs we gave (welcome letter, rules and regulations, curriculum); I later realized that Bashudev and Sushil were just sitting there. So, I asked Ramesh to read to them what was on the paper.
Sushil just wanted to come so he would know where the school is, and to accompany his brother, Bashudev. Sushil won’t be taking the course until next year. These guys stick together, and help each other out, a really good example of interdependency.
Tags: Boudha, first day, Himalayan Healers, Kathmandu Work
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