India Service Program Blog

Saturday, March 9, 2013

 

"Never say never!"

 

I am member 1 of 1of Team 123. I arrived in Chennai on March 1st and the next 7 days have simply flown by!

 

Last year, I decided to celebrate my 40th birthday serving others.  I didn't want to be consumed with a big party or fancy vacation. I simply just wanted to "be" and start living each day with purpose.  So, I decided to join Global Volunteers, but  I had a little difficulty choosing my assignment.  I was very hesitant to work with children. I do not have any children and I never seem to really connect with them. I didn't have a clue as to how to start a bonding process with a child who was a complete stranger. But, since I wanted to do something EXTRA ordinary for the big 4-0 and also do something outside of my comfort zone,  I decided that working with children was EXACTLY what I needed to do.

 

That purpose was brought to light on my birthday, March 3.  I had met the children at SEAM's the prior day.  We played and got to know each other a bit.  A few greeted me with open arms; a few were more curious about me. They were most intrigued with my hair texture since it was so different from theirs.  They actually asked me if I combed it!  LOL... Admittedly, I get these questions from people of non-African American cultures, so it really was no surprise! I answered, "Yes, I comb my hair..."

 

On Sunday, Stephen told the children it was my birthday and they started singing the Happy Birthday song in English!  The fervor in which they sang the song was soo heartwarming!  I knew then that I was exactly where I needed to be at that exact moment. Any thoughts of doubt I had were washed away with my re-confirmed commitment to make any mark I could in their lives.

 

My birthday celebration was extended to the next day when I met the "tiny mites" at Assisi.  OMG, the children were soo cute and adorable!  The immediate warm welcome they gave me was infectious. The way they call me "Auntie" is the most endearing name that I have ever heard. It doesn't matter that I don't understand a word after that, they were calling me. :-) This feeling has motivated me to do the best I can to have fun with them, and hopefully, help them understand English better, in the long run. For my "tiny mites," I've really had to dig deep to remember and research nursery rhymes that encourage action by the kids.  They seem to really like the "Hokie Pokie!"

 

Over the past week, I've gotten to know the children at SEAM's, about their personalities and strengths and weaknesses with basic English conversation.  This hasn't been an easy task since I am not a teacher by any means.  However, the Conversational English guide is very helpful in giving me ideas about how to connect with the children and, at the same time, teach some English fundamentals.  My first task was to assess each child's knowledge of his/her ABCs, ability to count to 100, and understanding of basic questions (e.g. What is your name?  How old are you?  Do you have any brothers or sisters?) and compile a report in hopes that it will help future volunteers identify strengths and weaknesses so that they won't have to start from scratch. Now that the initial assessment is complete, I am working with the children on the next stage relevant to where they are, for example, days of the week, names of calendar months, English commands (stand up, sit down, etc.). With the more advanced speakers,  we have conversations that encourage them to speak in English.  The kids seem to be having more fun with these tailored approaches.  I know I am!  Exploring ways to teach children and keep them focused is turning out to be a lot more fun than I thought!

 

Based upon my experiences over the past week, I feel motivated that I can work with children in the United States and influence them in a positive way. I NEVER thought I would ever feel that way.  But, as the saying goes, "Never say never!"

 

La Chenna