Tag Archives: guesthouse guest

Hindi classes for guests

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I am currently hosting a couple from the US who reached out to me through my website. They are staying in Varanasi for fifteen days. Although they had visited Varanasi about fifteen days ago, they returned to relax and enjoy the city further. They were looking for a Hindi teacher and music classes—Christina wanted to learn the flute, and David wanted vocal lessons. I introduced them to Mr. Deobrat Mishra, the owner of a renowned Indian classical music school, conveniently located next door. Christina and David are pleased with their music teachers.

For the past few months, I have been in touch with a Hindi teacher named Mr. Binit Mishra, who assists Prof. Virendra Singh. I decided it would be a good opportunity to evaluate Mr. Mishra’s teaching skills, so I introduced him to Christina and David. Although I had read positive reviews about Mr. Mishra online, I was initially unsure of their accuracy. After Mr. Mishra has conducted four classes, I am confident that I have found an excellent teacher.

It is a relief for me because now my guests have a teacher right at their doorstep, eliminating the need for them to search for a suitable instructor elsewhere. I asked Christina and David about their experience with Mr. Mishra, and they both praised him highly. They confirmed that he is a great teacher and that I can confidently recommend him to anyone seeking a Hindi teacher. Mr. Mishra comes daily to teach Christina and David for two hours each.

Udo from Germany learns some Hindi

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I have been hosting a German student named Udo, who is 58 years old and eager to learn Hindi in Varanasi. Uncle Udo reached out to me about a month ago after finding my email address through my Hospitality Club profile. He used to be a professor of German and has worked at various universities in England, Germany, and Japan. Currently, he owns a language school in Munich but does not teach there. Instead, he assesses unemployed individuals for government assistance.

When I asked Uncle Udo why he wanted to learn Hindi at his age, he shared an interesting story. A few years ago, a friend had given him a Hindi grammar book as a birthday gift, which he had never looked at. While cleaning his cupboard a couple of years back, he rediscovered the book and decided it was time to learn Hindi. He believes that starting something new is a great way to keep the mind active in old age, and I found this idea quite inspiring. Uncle Udo had already been studying Hindi online for three years and was familiar with the sounds and grammar.

When Udo asked me about Hindi classes in Varanasi, I recommended Professor Virendra Singh. At that time, Mr. Singh was not in Varanasi but was expected to return by the first week of October. I advised Udo to continue researching alternative Hindi teachers in case Mr. Singh did not return on time. Udo mentioned Mr. Binit Mishra, whom he found online, and who was reportedly located near my home, though I had never heard of him.

Udo arrived at my home on October 6th. On his first day, we went to meet Virendra Singh, who had indeed returned to Varanasi and resumed teaching. Mr. Singh agreed to teach Udo for one hour each day, which delighted him. Given Udo’s background as a professor, he wanted a qualified instructor, which was why he had not considered other schools in Varanasi.

Since starting his lessons with Mr. Singh, Udo has been very pleased with the instruction he’s received. He regards Mr. Singh as the best Hindi professor he has ever met. Although his Hindi is not perfect, he has made significant progress and his proficiency is far beyond what most people achieve after just two weeks of classes. Udo plans to visit Khajuraho and Gwalior before leaving India in ten days. He hopes to return to Varanasi next year to continue his Hindi studies and to experience festivals like Shivratri and Holi.

Chicago guest learns Hindi

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An anthropology student named Adam Sergent from the University of Chicago stayed at my guest house for a month. Like Lane and Dave, Adam wanted to learn Hindi with Bhasha Bharti. Although he had initially intended to study Hindi with Bhasha Bharti for three months, he had to adjust his plans. Bhasha Bharti didn’t have the availability for a full three months, so Adam decided to study in Varanasi for a month before moving to Mussoorie for the remaining two months. Adam had previously studied Hindi with Virendra Singh at Wisconsin University, so his proficiency was moderate.

When I asked why he wasn’t continuing with Virendra Singh in Varanasi, he explained that Virendra Singh spends summers in the U.S. teaching at Wisconsin University and only returns to India for the winter sessions. Adam attended classes at Bhasha Bharti for six hours a day, but found the schedule inconvenient, with classes from 8 to 11 in the morning and 4 to 7 in the evening. After about 15 days, he decided to leave early to conduct research related to his future work in India. He was pursuing a PhD at the University of Chicago with a focus on labor at construction sites.

Adam had a positive experience learning Hindi at Bhasha Bharti, although he had some minor complaints about the classroom environment. He noted that his chair was positioned under a fan, causing dust to fall on him regularly. Despite these issues, he was generally satisfied with his time there. He then traveled to Delhi to observe construction sites for his research. He provided my brother’s contact information in Delhi for local assistance. Unfortunately, after spending just two days in Delhi and sampling the local food, Adam fell ill. He was hospitalized for three days and received four drips. This experience made me question the quality of Delhi’s food, as I also had problems during my last visit there.

Adam managed to reach Mussoorie to continue his Hindi studies at a local school, with accommodation arranged through the school. However, upon arrival, he found the door to his lodging locked. The house owner informed him that they had relocated to Dehradun for the month and could not host him.

Adam reached out to me for assistance in finding alternative housing in Mussoorie. I contacted a friend in Dehradun who helped locate a new place, but by the time it was found, Adam had already secured alternative accommodation. Due to a family issue, Adam decided to cancel his Hindi classes and leave Mussoorie earlier than planned.