03x04 - Finding Family in Chennai

[bunniefuu]

(music begins)

♪ Hey, Buster, where you off to? ♪

♪ What you up to? ♪

♪ Buster, where you off to now? ♪

♪ Where you gonna be? Who you gonna see there? ♪

♪ Let's find out whose hands we'll shake ♪

♪ See the things you've done, we could have some fun there ♪

♪ Let's find out what friends we'll make ♪

♪ Buster, where you off to? ♪

♪ What you up to? ♪

♪ Buster, where you off to now? ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ Ring around the globe from North Pole to South Pole ♪

♪ Ridin' on horses, ferries, trains and planes ♪

♪ Hikin', bikin', swimmin' at the seashore ♪

♪ He's got his camera and he's gonna explore ♪

♪ All the new things he's never done before ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ Hey, Buster, where you off to? ♪

♪ Yeah, oh ♪

♪ What you up to? ♪

♪ Buster, where you off to now, now, now, now? ♪

♪ Hey, Buster, where you off to? ♪

Yeah!

BUSTER: Whoa, Mora,

that's a cool mridangam.

A movie producer in India asked us to compose the music

for her new film.

I'm hoping this Indian drum will be just the sound we need.

(drumming a beat)

Well, I wish I could help,

but I have some very important work

to do on this trip:

hanging out at the beach.

I saw on the map that Chennai is right on the Indian Ocean.

CARLOS: That's right.

Our friend Neela, the movie producer,

says that Chennai beaches

are some of the most beautiful in India.

(computer beeps)

That's probably Arthur.

He's going to be so jealous.

Aah!

Mr. Ratburn?

Hello, Buster.

I'm glad I caught you before you left.

I have a little assignment for you.

In Social Studies, we're exploring how our families

help shape our identities.

Your job is to present a family tree.

Oh, that's easy.

My family is my mom, my dad and me.

Assignment complete.

See you back in Elwood City, Mr. R.

(computer beeps)

Nice try, Buster.

But I expect a creative presentation

that gives the class a sense of your extended family

and shows us how it has made you who you are today.

But I'm going to India.

How can I do a big assignment like that?

I've arranged for you to work

with an old friend of mine in Chennai named Mrs. Christopher.

She's a school headmistress-- that's like a principal.

She'll make sure your work gets done.

But I can't...

Gotta go, Buster.

I'll text you later.

Aw, new homework and a new teacher.

There goes my awesome Indian beach vacation.

(engines roaring)

CARLOS: ♪ Hey there, Chennai, Chennai, I thought I'd say hi ♪

♪ Get a little sun and see what's going by. ♪

BUSTER: Hey, what's that?

♪ Meet friends and mingle by the Bay of Bengal ♪

♪ Eat a lot of new things and sing a little jingle. ♪

BUSTER: ♪ There's only one complication ♪

♪ And that's to get my education ♪

♪ I have an obligation to do homework on vacation. ♪

Oh, no...

CARLOS AND MORA: ♪ Chennai, Chennai, I say hi... ♪

BUSTER: Hello!

CARLOS AND MORA: ♪ Got a complication, homework on vacation. ♪

BUSTER: No fair!

CARLOS AND MORA: ♪ Chennai, Chennai, I say hi ♪

♪ Got a complication, homework on vacation. ♪

So, Buster, is this your first time in India?

BUSTER: Yeah, it is.

But can you believe that I have to go to school?

I really wanted to go to the beach.

MORA: Neela, thanks so much for helping us find

Mrs. Christopher's school.

I know this isn't usually a movie producer's job.

NEELA: No problem, Mora.

It's a pleasure.

The traffic is terrible in Chennai, you know.

BUSTER: So, Neela, can I ask you a question?

What's that red dot on your forehead?

Most women do have this.

Hindu women wear this bindi.

BUSTER: A bindi.

MORA: It's traditional for married women.

But now lots of women and even girls wear them.

NEELA: You get them in different colors now.

It's become a fashion statement.

You should take home some for your mom.

They're great gifts.

BUSTER: Good idea! Thanks, Neela.

NEELA: Just one thing, Buster.

When you meet older people,

you should call them, in fact, uncle or aunty.

It's just a mark of respect.

It sounds more familiar, too, so we call them that way.

MORA: So, everyone in your life is kind of like family.

NEELA: Absolutely, like family.

Well, here we are.

Okay, Buster, it's time to go to school.

MRS. CHRISTOPHER: Yes, Mr. Ratburn.

Buster needs to complete his assignment?

I'll see to that.

Okay.

Good catching up with you.

Oh, Buster!

So good to see you.

BUSTER: Nice to meet you, Mrs. Christopher.

Welcome to Chennai.

BUSTER: Thanks.

This is Mora.

MORA: Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you, too.

Please sit down.

BUSTER: So, how do you know Mr. Ratburn?

Oh, we've been friends for a long, long time.

We go back a long way.

BUSTER: Has he always liked assigning this much homework?

(laughs)

(Buster sighs)

Buster, tell me,

your assignment is something to do with a family tree?

BUSTER: That's right.

But it also has to be creative and express my identity...

or something like that.

But that's so exciting.

I'll tell you what.

I'll get somebody to help you.

And I think I have just the right person.

Good morning, ma'am.

Good morning, Nandan.

I want you to meet somebody very special.

Meet Buster.

Hi, Buster.

BUSTER: Hi, Nandan.

How are you?

Fine.

BUSTER: Thanks for agreeing to help me with my homework.

Homework? What homework?

He has to prepare his family tree.

That's why I called you.

Because it's something that you did last year.

BUSTER: So, you think you can help me?

I can definitely help you.

Come.

Let's go, Buster.

BUSTER: Okay!

NANDAN: This is how I get to my class.

BUSTER: Hi, everyone!

Field hockey sure is popular here!

This way, around the corner.

BUSTER (chuckling): Hi, there!

NANDAN: Come.

Have a seat in this classroom.

BUSTER: So, how do I make a family tree?

Well, the best thing I would suggest is...

draw your family tree.

If you want, you can color-code it.

And you can...

BUSTER: Color coding?

Dates?

Died? Who died?

What? Huh?

Who's your great-great-great-grandfather?

Thatha?

Who are they?

This is all too complicated!

Tomorrow you can come home, and I'll help you do your project.

BUSTER: Oh, that would be awesome!

Thank goodness I met you, Nandan.

Mora, I thought you were going to work on your song today.

MORA: Well, I'm feeling a little stuck.

So I thought I'd come along.

You never know where you might find inspiration.

BUSTER: Hey, there's a rooster and a cow.

Why are there animals everywhere?

MORA: Animals are just a part of everyday life here,

so people give them the space they need.

BUSTER: Whoa!

This guy looks like he needs a lot of space.

This must be Nandan's house.

MORA: It's so nice of him to help you with your homework.

(knocks on door)

Hi, Buster.

BUSTER: Hi, Nandan. How are you?

Fine.

MORA: Good to see you again, Nandan.

Hi, Buster.

BUSTER: Nice to meet you.

This is my sister, Sarayu.

MORA: Hi, Sarayu.

Hi.

Good to have you, come on in.

Welcome to our house, come on.

This is my grandfather.

MORA: Hello.

This is my grandmother.

BUSTER: Nice to meet you.

I call them Sudha Patti and Thatha.

Thatha is "grandfather" in Tamil.

And grandmother is Patti.

BUSTER: Is it okay if I call you Thatha and Patti?

Of course.

BUSTER: Thatha, the clothes you're wearing are really neat.

This is a dhoti, which is worn all over the country.

But this way it is very common in South India.

MORA: Looks comfortable.

It is.

NANDAN: Now come.

We'll see the garden.

BUSTER: What's in the garden?

NANDAN: This is our coconut tree.

There is only one coconut in it.

BUSTER: Oh, I see it!

NANDAN: There's our banana tree up there.

It reaches my window.

You can see it from there.

And this is our mango sapling.

BUSTER: Wow!

It's like you have a grocery store in your backyard.

Too bad there isn't a pizza tree.

NANDAN: And this is our nelikai maram, meaning gooseberry tree.

Would you like some, Buster?

BUSTER: Yes, please.

All right.

NANDAN: My mom climbs up the tree and shakes them.

MOM: Here, you want to catch some?

BUSTER: Over here! Over here!

NANDAN: Nelikai rain!

MOM: Watch out.

BUSTER: I caught one!

I caught one!

SARAYU: And one fell in your camera.

BUSTER: Can I try it?

Well, this one is good.

BUSTER: Ooh, it's sour.

MOM: We usually add a lot of salt and chili

and make it into a nice pickle.

BUSTER: You can turn a gooseberry into a pickle?

I want one of those for my food collection.

MORA: Buster, don't forget,

you came here to work on your family tree.

BUSTER: We're working on it, Mora.

We're talking about trees, right?

Well, a family tree is not a tree.

It just looks like a tree.

But you can draw it.

Just a minute, Buster.

I'll get my family tree for you.

BUSTER: Right behind you.

Have a look at this tree.

BUSTER: Whoa, that's huge!

I'm moving it up and down so you can see it

without moving yourself.

BUSTER: Wow!

You have a really big family.

Where are you?

This is me, my sibling, Sarayu,

my parents, their parents, their parents.

It goes up six generations.

BUSTER: So that would be, like,

your great-great-great-great- grandparents.

NANDAN: Well, there's more here.

BUSTER: Sarayu, I can't believe

all these people are in your family.

I'm going to draw your family tree for you now, shall I?

BUSTER: Yeah!

Uh, are you sure I'm going to need such a big piece of paper?

Yeah, to draw a lot, a long bit away.

BUSTER: Okay, but my family's kind of small.

First I have to just draw a square.

Buster, do you have any siblings?

BUSTER: Nope, just me.

Okay.

Then, what's your parents' names?

BUSTER: My mother's name is Bitzi.

And my dad is Bo.

Oh, I see why it's called a family tree!

Those lines are like branches.

NANDAN: There.

Wow, Nandan.

That looks really good.

BUSTER: Thanks, Nandan.

But my family tree looks nothing like yours.

It's more like a shrub.

Well, if you want you can make your family tree even bigger

by adding more people.

BUSTER: That's the problem.

I don't have all those aunts and uncles

and cousins and relatives.

I wish I had a bigger family for my tree.

Or I could just give up on this homework.

MORA: Stick with it.

You'll find a way to do this assignment.

And if you need any more help, you can always call me.

BUSTER: Thanks, Nandan.

You're the best.

Nandan, Vikas is waiting for you.

Okay.

Coming, Buster?

BUSTER: Where to? Bird watching with us.

BUSTER: Please, Mora, can I go?

MORA: You know, it sounds like you could use a break.

But after bird watching, it's right to work.

BUSTER: Definitely.

Come, let's go.

He is Vikas.

BUSTER: Hi, Vikas, I'm Buster.

Hi.

BUSTER: Are we going to see some birds?

Yeah, if we are lucky.

Be extremely quiet here.

Everyone should be silent.

BUSTER: Oh, okay.

But how come you have to be so quiet?

(whispering): Then the birds can come here.

Or else the birds won't come.

(birds chirping)

MORA: Buster, do you hear that?

What's that?

BUSTER: I hear it, but I can't see anything.

Nandan, can I borrow your binoculars?

What do you think that is?

NANDAN: Look that way, that way.

BUSTER: Over here? Over there?

It's, it's, it's a... Vikas!

MORA (laughing): Buster, I think you've been tricked.

BUSTER: Vikas, you sounded just like a real bird!

MORA: Hmm, I wonder if I can use these birdcalls in my song.

This way, this way.

BUSTER: What bird is that?

VIKAS: A woodpecker pecking rice.

(talking excitedly)

Right somewhere here.

Spotted dove-- there, there, there.

VIKAS: Buster, look there on the wall.

In that tree, there.

There, there, there!

Let's go.

NANDAN: Two, two!

VIKAS: Two cuckoos.

It's taking a u-turn.

Wow.

Take a video.

Look, there.

Can you see it, Buster?

BUSTER: I got it. I got it!

Vikas, your photos are amazing!

(Buster's cell phone beeps)

BUSTER: Uh-oh, that's my cell phone.

It's a text from Mr. Ratburn.

"How's family tree coming along?"

MORA: Sounds like we'd both better get back to work, right, Buster?

BUSTER: Okay.

Later, guys.

All right, bye. Bye.

BO: That's it?

Dad, Nandan lives with his grandparents

and has a huge family tree.

But all I have is you, me and Mom.

There's your mom's brother, Uncle Stu.

Can I be done now?

BO: Remember what Mr. Ratburn said?

He wants a creative presentation.

Hey, I have an idea.

Maybe you can adopt some triplets, Dad.

That's funny.

You're very creative, Buster, so use that creativity.

But how?

(birdcalls coming from computer speaker)

(birds calling)

What kind of tree is that?

MORA: That's your family tree.

BUSTER: But I don't see anyone except Uncle Stu.

Nandan, Vikas,

I wish I had a big Indian family like you guys.

Hey, what's that?

Use your creativity, Buster.

Show us how your family made you who you are.

Mr. Ratburn?

BUSTER: But who are all these people?

(birdcalls coming from computer speaker)

These are cool sounds, but I don't hear a song yet.

We'll figure it out.

We always do, right?

I don't know.

I've never been so stuck before.

Hey, I know just what you need.

But it has to wait until tomorrow morning.

MORA: What a great way to start the day!

BUSTER: I can't believe I'm finally at the beach!

It's beautiful.

CARLOS: I thought this would help you and Buster

find some inspiration.

BO: Hey, Buster, check out those fishing boats.

Buster? Buster?

Where did he go?

MORA: He's over there, with those kids, playing soccer.

Hi.

BUSTER: I'm Buster.

Hi.

BUSTER: What are you doing up so early?

KIDS: We're playing football.

BUSTER: But that doesn't look like a football.

Yeah, it's basically soccer,

but in India it's called football.

KIDS: Do you want to play?

BUSTER: Count me in!

Rock, paper... scissors.

BUSTER: Hey, that's how Arthur and I choose teams, too.

My name, Kabir...

But we take Buster.

BUSTER: Ready to go.

(Buster huffing and puffing)

Goal!

Yeah.

All right, I got it.

BUSTER: Phew! No wonder you guys start early.

It's hot.

Are you ready for a break?

BUSTER: You said it!

Looks like Rohan is, too.

BUSTER: So, Shruti, what do you do when you're not playing football?

I like basketball, kaleri, dance and music.

MORA: What kind of dance do you do?

Bharatanatyam.

BUSTER: Uh, can you say that again really slowly?

Bha-ra-ta-na-tyam.

It's classical dance.

People used to do it in temples a lot.

BUSTER: What does it look like?

It's like this.

(kids laughing)

BUSTER: Is that really what it looks like?

Actually, you can come to my dance class one day.

We are practicing.

BUSTER: That would be great!

Hey, Mora, can we go?

MORA: Dance class? Sure.

It might even help me with ideas for my song.

It's awesome.

BUSTER: But right now it's getting hot.

I could use a drink.

Let's drink some coconut water.

(dog barking)

BUSTER: These are coconuts?

Aren't coconuts brown?

No, this is tender coconut.

MORA: This is what a coconut looks like

before it turns brown.

SHRUTI: You want one, Buster?

BUSTER: Yeah.

SHRUTI: There's a cow behind you.

BUSTER: A cow? Where?

Oh, hi.

(laughing): You guys are everywhere.

(cow mooing)

BUSTER: Kabir, I think your coconut is bigger than your head.

DHRUV: This one's slightly smaller.

You can weight-lift with it.

BUSTER: Great idea!

But I think I'd be better at drinking it.

Can I have a second one, please?

(text signal beeps) MORA: Hey, Buster, I just got a text from Neela.

She's arranged for us to meet a boy who does chanting.

BUSTER: Sounds like inspiration.

MORA: Here we are.

BUSTER: Look at that, Mora. Isn't that cool?

MORA: Yeah, those designs are really beautiful.

MORA: Hi, Priya.

Hi, Mora. Neela told me you would be coming.

I'm Amruta.

BUSTER: Hi. And this is my grandmother.

BUSTER: Amruta, what's this on your doorstep?

AMRUTA: In Tamil, we call it kolam.

There's a goddess called Lakshmi.

Because we want her to come in our house, we put kolam.

BUSTER: Your patti is a kolam expert.

Buster, Mora, would you like to come inside?

MORA: Neela told me that you just moved from the U.S.

What brought you back to India?

We wanted the children to spend time

with their grandparents, cousins,

and uncles and aunts, everybody.

So, that's why.

We came back to be with family.

BUSTER: Having a big family must be so much fun.

MORA: Priya, what's behind this beautiful door?

PRIYA: That's a shrine to the gods and goddesses

that we pray to every day.

BUSTER: Who's the elephant god?

PRIYA: That is Ganesha.

He is the remover of obstacles.

BUSTER: Hmm...

Do you think he'd remove my homework?

Um, well, that is not an obstacle.

That is something that you're supposed to do.

MORA: Nice try, Buster.

BUSTER: Hey, Mora, do you hear the chanting?

(chanting)

MORA (whispering): This is just the kind of sound I've been looking for.

Hi, I'm Mora.

My name is Aditya.

BUSTER: My name's Buster.

Hi, Buster.

BUSTER: That's a big book.

Can you chant everything in it?

No, I only know a few of the slokas in this.

BUSTER: A sloka?

MORA: That's a Hindu prayer, right, Aditya?

Yup.

BUSTER: Phew, talk about homework!

What language is that?

ADITYA: It's called Sanskrit.

It's another language that was spoken in India long ago.

BUSTER: Is that what's on all the street signs here?

ADITYA: The street signs are in Tamil.

That's a language we speak in the south.

BUSTER: Wow, so how many languages do you know?

In school we learn English, of course.

We used to learn Tamil,

then we learn Hindi and Sanskrit.

BUSTER: How would you say my name in Tamil?

They'd probably say, "Busterrrrah".

(Buster and Mora laugh)

MORA: Do you mind if I record your chanting on my computer?

ADITYA: Yeah, sure.

(chanting)

(Buster sniffing)

Mmm, what's that smell?

We're cooking.

BUSTER: What are you cooking?

Dosa.

BUSTER: What's dosa?

AMRUTA: It's a little like a pancake.

BUSTER: Mmm, I'm getting hungry.

AMRUTA: You can make it crispy

and I like the crispy part.

BUSTER: Do you think Patti would make a crispy one for me?

(speaking Tamil)

(sizzling)

BUSTER: Look, that's a "B" for "Buster"!

Hey, Amruta, what's your patti wearing?

I've seen a lot of women here wearing them.

AMRUTA: It's called a sari.

It's actually one long piece of cloth.

You wrap it around and then it goes all the way and comes down.

BUSTER: So, are we ready to eat?

Mmm.

BUSTER: All done!

That dosa was delicious.

MORA: That chanting was so inspiring.

BUSTER: And now we get to see Shruti's dancing.

(horns honk)

BUSTER: Hi, Shruti.

Hi.

BUSTER: Thanks for inviting us.

Glad to see you.

This is my teacher.

BUSTER: Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you, too.

I'm just getting ready for my dance class.

BUSTER: Hey, you're wearing a bindi.

I like how it goes with your outfit.

SHRUTI: This is my dance costume,

and these are my jewelry.

(bangles jingling)

BUSTER: You're going to look great on camera.

Buster, it's time for class. Let's go.

Are we ready?

(instruments tinkling and rattling, teacher singing)

BUSTER: Yay, Shruti!

That was awesome.

That was just amazing.

I can't wait to get back to work on my song.

I know exactly what I want to do.

(cell phone dings)

I wonder if that's Neela.

BUSTER: No, it's... (gulps)

Mr. Ratburn.

"Family tree due tomorrow.

"Remember, I dislike t*rd.

Mr. R."

Oh, but I haven't even started yet.

Well, I found my inspiration in Vikas's birdcalls

and Aditya's chanting and Shruti's dancing.

But all I've seen are other people with cool families,

and some fun kids

who act like they're all brothers and sisters.

You have good friends like that, too.

Like Arthur and Francine.

If only they were really my relatives.

Do you think I can put my friends on my family tree?

Mr. Ratburn did say to be creative.

It's like you said:

In India, everyone in your life is a kind of family.

BUSTER: My family wheel is made up of people from everywhere.

In India, people often live with lots of relatives:

grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles.

But even your neighbors can become like uncles and aunties.

For me, extended family also includes

the people I travel with,

like Mora, who always listens to my troubles,

and Carlos, the only person I know who eats as much as I do.

So when I think of how my family shaped me,

I think of my dad,

who's taken me all over the planet,

or Arthur, who's been my best friend since I was little.

Even you, Mr. Ratburn.

You're like a little pop-up window in my head,

reminding me to work hard in school.

So all these people are my family,

and they're all part of who I am.

(applause)

(cell phone ringing)

Ooh, gotta run, Mr. Ratburn.

That's my friend Rohan.

They need me to play in their soccer game down at the beach.

Oh, did I tell you

that Chennai has beautiful beaches, too?

(laughing)

CARLOS: ♪ Hey there, Chennai, Chennai, I came to say hi ♪

♪ Got a little sun, saw what was goin' by... ♪

BUSTER: Cool!

CARLOS: ♪ Met friends on the beach by the Bay of Bengal ♪

♪ Ate a lot of dosas and danced a killin' beat, oh ♪

BUSTER: ♪ There was only one complication... ♪

♪ To get my education ♪

♪ I had an obligation ♪

♪ And I did my homework on vacation. ♪

CARLOS AND MORA: ♪ Chennai, Chennai, I came to say bye... ♪

BUSTER: Bye, Chennai!

CARLOS AND MORA: ♪ Had a complication: homework on vacation. ♪

BUSTER: Hey, that rhymes!

CARLOS AND MORA: ♪ Chennai, Chennai, I came to say bye. ♪

BUSTER: See you soon!