"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, commited, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has" - Margaret Mead
Today the day started off with some chutney, seriously I'm really liking spice, even in my breakfast! After that Stephen and Sheeba went to pick up Sweety from SEAMs, because she was going to see the doctor. We met at the house and left for
We arrived to the house and had lunch. After that I started to print out a Colombian riddle for the kids at
As soon as I came back I went to the tailor with Sheeba, we stopped at a shop to buy some cucumbers and ice cream. At 5:15 we left to SEAMs, we took a soccer ball with us. I played the whole time with the boys, we had so much fun. The girls kept asking me to play with them, so tomorrow I'll play with the girls instead. I hope the boys had as much fun as I did.
Camila
"I may not have gone where I wanted to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be." - Douglas Adams
Today was a very busy day. At
We left Assissi and came home for some lunch. We had tamarind rice, cabbage and egg plant, my personal favorites. To be honest I thought I was always going to find indian food spicy but surprisingly I don't anymore! Off course I can't take as much spice as indians, but now I don't find everything spicy. As usual we talked about indian culture, I'm always curious. Then I left for
Camila
"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." - Albert Einstein
Today was my first day without Lucia. It's a bit harder because there are so many kids, but I get to have them all for myself. I have come up to the conclusion that these kids have taught me that you don't need money to live a happy life and with love everything is easier.
At
At 12 we left
Before going to SEAMs we went to the store, I bought some nighties and the other dress they wear here in
Camila
“I believe that imagination is stronger than
knowledge. That dreams are more powerful than facts. That hope always triumphs
over experience. That laugher is the only cure for grief. And that love is
stronger than anything else.”
My two last
days have been full of emotions. Exitement and sadness, but must of all joy has
been every second, everywhere. I am pretty sure that today I don’t have the
total capacity to understand what I’ve learned in this place. I know some
things, I could say it’s all about love and making the best of what comes in
our way; but I think that the real meaning of the hole experience will come
through the next years. Whenever I don’t expect it, everyt thing that I have
lived will be all explained. What I do know, is that this time spent opened
even more my mind, my heart, and my desire to make my small constribution to
this world.
Assissi Illam, has mustly thought me the love of the children to their parents. The importance of them in their life, the attention they need, the importante of punctuality, and the attachement that is created from one to another. The simplicity of kids for having fun, their unstoppable laugh with just a little detail, the smartness they have, the tenderness in their hearts. They say children have to learn from their parents, and I would say that parents should never forget to learn from their children. These days have been better calm than noisy, there hasn’t been too much crying, except for a few that can’t stand being away from their parents. Yesterday Dani made poop in his panties, it was really funny as he didn’t want Camila to lift him up. After a while, we knew why. Emmanuel didn’t stop asking about Sheeba, or that’s what I understood. And for the others, I think they had fun and enjoyed the time. There were two pretty girls, that asked us to come back the next day, please. It was so nice to hear that. J Sri wasn’t there today, and I couldn’t say goodbye to her; but Im glad that Sandra was there even if this week she wasn’t as happy as I first knew her. Today she was happier though. Stephan is such a nice boy, we call him “cachetes”, that means “cheeks”, and he just tries to repeat it and laughs. I could describe each and one of them, but it would take me a long time to do so. They are all gorgeous. Sisters, Rina and Alfonsa were always so nice; it never passed a day in which they didn’t ask us if we needed something. It was a pleasure for me spending every morning during 3 weeks at this place. I think a lot of people talk about the importance and care of the kids, but just a few have the heart to do it.
Assissi Illam, has mustly thought me the love of the children to their parents. The importance of them in their life, the attention they need, the importante of punctuality, and the attachement that is created from one to another. The simplicity of kids for having fun, their unstoppable laugh with just a little detail, the smartness they have, the tenderness in their hearts. They say children have to learn from their parents, and I would say that parents should never forget to learn from their children. These days have been better calm than noisy, there hasn’t been too much crying, except for a few that can’t stand being away from their parents. Yesterday Dani made poop in his panties, it was really funny as he didn’t want Camila to lift him up. After a while, we knew why. Emmanuel didn’t stop asking about Sheeba, or that’s what I understood. And for the others, I think they had fun and enjoyed the time. There were two pretty girls, that asked us to come back the next day, please. It was so nice to hear that. J Sri wasn’t there today, and I couldn’t say goodbye to her; but Im glad that Sandra was there even if this week she wasn’t as happy as I first knew her. Today she was happier though. Stephan is such a nice boy, we call him “cachetes”, that means “cheeks”, and he just tries to repeat it and laughs. I could describe each and one of them, but it would take me a long time to do so. They are all gorgeous. Sisters, Rina and Alfonsa were always so nice; it never passed a day in which they didn’t ask us if we needed something. It was a pleasure for me spending every morning during 3 weeks at this place. I think a lot of people talk about the importance and care of the kids, but just a few have the heart to do it.
Grace
school. Little challenging part of the program. It helped me develop my
patience, creativity and enthousiasm for the children to learn. The past two
days, children were more calm than the firsts days of the week. I think Stephan
might have talked with them, but I also felt that at the moment they realized
that I was leaving, they started to listen to every word that came out of my
mouth. I definitely learned from their smiles, their joy, their enthousiasm,
their laugh, their simplicity and their sympathy. Today we played bingo, as
they asked me the hole week for it. They really enjoyed the game. Every day, at
the moment in which the class finished, we always had a talk with Esther. She
and the rest of the teachers were all very kind since the moment we entered to
the school. They always received us and treated amazing. I think the job that
Esther is doing has really to be admired. In order to do that, I think that a
huge heart and a great dedication is needed for keeping and supporting a school
as she does. As I said a few days ago, I think children enjoy us and thank us
enourmously for being here, but what they don’t know is that what they make us
feel is much more than that.
SEAM’S. What
a small, and not so small pretty familiy they have created. They are such a
nice children. They all make their own contribution to make the best of it. I
really admire each one of them for the strenght they have, or seem to have as
strong is the only choice they have. Even if I can imagine what would be being
away from my family, I know that it is really nothing compared to what truly
is; what they feel. They have been through so many difficult times, and still
they haven’t lost the bright in their eyes. People should learn from that, and
having the opportunity to have seen it and felt it, makes me really fortunate.
Normally we used to play memory almost all the times. The past few days we
played “lock and key”. I don’t remember the last time I swetted that way, but
we had so much fun. Camila tought them some Spanish songs, and now they can’t
stop asking us to sing it. Even if I had to sing them maybe a hundred times, I
still change the words every time, I don’t get to learn them and sing them
correctly. Today was my last day, they all sang me a beatiful song and some of
the boys stood up and danced. They gave me a really nice kind of goodbye letter
with all their signatures in it. It was time to go, they al hugged me very
tight. I am really going to miss all of them. As for Grandma, Lea and the rest
that take care of the children, I think is really admirable the way they have
dedicated their life to them.
Now I can
say that I had the opportunity to learn how children and the residents of Porur
live; about local schools, and something about Indian culture and life. I had
the opportunity to develop friendship with the children and other Indian people
with whom I worked, I learned some things about myself, and I am able to say
that this was one of the best experiences of my life.
Lucia
Wednesday, June 20th, 2012
“May you live all the days of
your life!” - Jonathan Swift
Today was a great day, just like the past few
days I have spent here in India
This morning we had breakfast as usual at
8:30 am, it was really good. After that Lucia, Sheeba and I left to Assissi
Ilam. We arrived at 10 and started playing with the children. At first they
were a bit sad but then when they saw the new toys Sheeba brought to them they
started getting more calm as the time passed. Steven kept crying and was asking
for his mom, so I lift him up and he started getting better. I spent a lot of
time playing with the boys and the toy cars, they seemed really happy. We had
some tea and right before leaving Sister Rose called Lucia and me, we were a
bit shock because it sounded as if she was going to tell on us but all she
wanted was to offer to us some mango.
We left Assissi at around 12pm and headed
home. We had lunch and then went to buy some bindis. After that we rested for a
while until we left to Grace
School Grace
School
After that we came back home and rested until
5 pm. Before going to SEAMS we went to the tailor to pick our sarees. Lucia and
me are so excited about wearing them tomorrow. Unfortunately they weren’t
ready, but they told us to come back later. Then we headed to the store to buy
the underskirts for the sarees and afterwards we arrived to children’s home.
There we played and I thought the girls a colombian game, we laughed and had a
lot of fun. I don’t like saying good bye to them because I love so much how
they make my day with they’re smiles but fortunately I get to see them again
tomorrow. When we left one of the kids was feeling sick so the car dropped us
home and then took him to the hospital.
Before dinner we tried the upper part of the
saree with Lucia, we asked Sheeba to take a look and the first thing she did
was laugh! She told us: you’re wearing it the other way around! We couldn’t
help Laughing with her. Then we had dinner and went to sleep. It was a very
good day. I feel so happy before going to sleep thinking about the smiles of
the kids when we spend time with them.
Camila
“The
happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything they just make
the most of everything that comes along their way” - Unknown
Yesterday at Assissi there was a lot of
crying. They might be just one or two kids that were calm and quiet. Camila
looked quite amazed, and it seemed that Stephan and Sheeba were worried that
she would think that it was like that everyday. We had a lot of fun though.
Today was better, the thing is that the two boys that cried the most yesterday
weren’t today so the others didn’t have someone to follow.
As we got to Grace school, Stephan introduced
Camila to the children. She told me that she did fine during the class, but
that they got distracted very easily. They have been talking a lot the last few
days, but today I discovered a way to control them quite good and they liked
it. They are all really sweet and they treat us amazing. It seems that they
really enjoy having us there. What they don’t know is that we enjoy it way much
more and feel very lucky to have the opportunity to get to know them.
As we got to the house, we got a little rest
in our rooms and then we went a little bit earlier to SEAM’s as we first passed
to a store just in front of the children’s home. Being at SEAM’s makes me learn
something new everyday. That little family that they’ve created, I just don’t
have any words to describe what it is. Yesterday was a really nice day, as the
two little sisters that have been crying since they got there, were as happy as
the others, and that felt really really good. The thing is that today they were
gone, and so did Lakshmi. It seems that they are not going back, but I’m glad
that they found them and that they are fine.
Dinner was great. The food, and then the talk
we had about Indian Casts. It was so interesting. I have learned so many things
here, that I wish I had more time and could stay longer. Today’s dinner was
also nice, we tried this bitter vegetable that no one likes. I really thought I
was going to be the third volunteer of liking it, but the truth is that I'm
not.
Lucia
No comments:
Post a Comment