Friday, February 26

Waking up this morning after another extremely vivid dream due to my malaria medicine, my roommates and I walked to the building where we eat our meals. Breakfast was quick, and after we all piled into the bus that took us to our first morning class.

The drum that we are learning how to play is called the Cenda. It’s two sided with stretched animal skins and is played with two sticks made of different types of wood that are curved at the end. There are eleven of the twenty-three students taking the drumming class. The first lesson was yesterday afternoon and consisted of one very long and repetitive rhythm that had three parts. Each part was double-time of the previous, and we alternated in groups of four. At least a half-hour of nonstop, rigorous playing quickly taught us technique and endurance. At multiple times during the class, us Ross students had to take a short break. We were encouraged to play without pausing, even if we were in pain or uncomfortable.

The drumming style of the Cenda goes against all of my prior percussion knowledge. Instead of hitting the sticks vertically or diagonally on the drum, players stick their elbows out and strike the skin horizontally. The muscles that are used are completely different.

Speaking to the Ayurvedic Doctor at the hotel seems like it is going to be a rewarding experience. For 20 American dollars, one can receive a forty-five-minute “rejuvenating” hot oil massage followed by a fifteen-minute steam bath. The special treatments that are advertised are to treat specific ailments like stress, traveler’s sickness, etc. When the doctor asked if I was stressed, I answered “No” immediately. Everything about Kerala and the town we are in is welcoming and inviting, and there is a mutual trust and respect between everyone I have met so far.