Friday, January 18, 2008

Global Volunteers India Team Journal - IND0801a1

January 16, 2008 George Hayes

Day 12 for Team 60 and Day 2 for Pongal. The day began with another great Indian bread which Rani had deep fried for breakfast. They were Indian bread balloons. Some of us topped them with sugar and we all enjoyed the treat. Following breakfast we went to our assignments. Jan and George joined Stephen at SEAMS for class work, sugar cane and, of course, a rousing rendition of “Five Little Monkeys”. Lucy primed and painted at St. Joseph’s. Ruth returned to the good sisters for another round of Freud. Christine to St. Thomas hospital where she visited the wards. Anne, Joanne, and Roma to Assisi to nurture the children.
In the late afternoon, we went into Chennai where we parted with some rupees. We bought art work, souveniers, silk, silver, and a backscratcher. We returned home, but before we began dinner, Sheeba helped us cut into the jackfruit that we had purchased between Ponducherry and Mamallapurum. Cutting the fruit was tricky but Sheeba is quite skilled, having sliced her first jackfruit and age seven. Mmmmm – delicious. The fruit has a unique taste that none of us had experienced before. Truly and Indian treat. As day two of Pongal draws to a close, I am left with some regret. I did not pay homage to the cow. I had every intention of making a floral garland and tossing it over the horns of a local bovine but alas, shopping took precident. Oh well, I guess this means I’ll have to come back.

Thought for the day: “It’s not where you start, it’s where you finish”

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