Millinium Development Goals Achieved by this team from September 27th - October 2nd.

48 Hours of class room instruction in conversational English and computer skills by 2 volunteers and 49 Hours of preparation time

2 Children's Home's and over 65 students impacted

September 27, 2010


"Experience is what causes a person to make new mistakes instead of old ones."

~Author Unknown

After a wonderful weekend in the temple town of Mamallapuram and night in Pondicherry it was time to get back to the children.

Well we had an extra guest last night. When we came home there was a raven flying around the 2nd floor. Instead of dealing with it, we let him spend the night on the chandelier and would let Stephan take care of it in the morning. Which he did.
Bill and I started our day with a Yoga session with Selva. I was tired from the weekend and I’m still trying to get over this sinus infection but I managed to get through it. We had a wonderful breakfast with Stephan, Sheeba and Roshan and then prepped for Assisi. Today we were meeting the kids that live at Assisi. This week they are on holiday break from school so that’s why we are meeting them for the first time.

You never know what to plan for until you have met the kids. I was on computers and Bill was on conversational English. Bill pulled out a map of Maine and the kids were just fascinated. The computer seemed to be distracting for the group because we only had one to work with and we were all in the same room. I managed to work with 5 different kids at all levels. Anywhere from “this is how you power on” to basic typing skills. This group was not as advanced as the SEAM’s group but my morning flew by.

Lunch brought me something different, bitter gourd. Well the name speaks for itself and I didn’t like it. Stephan said it was good for my health so I finished what was on my plate. Yuck. I did enjoyed the vegetable curry and cabbage!

Back to SEAM’s, this is our second week and we already seem like a couple of regulars. I got started quickly on computers and Bill with English. I was feeling like I’ve been neglecting the younger kids while I work with the older boys. So I asked Stephan to have a few of the younger children sit on the floor behind me and I would work on flash cards. It worked well at first but I think I added too much on my plate. After a while I just switched back and focused on the computers until time was up.

On the way out, the kids always run up say goodbye give handshakes or high fives, but one girl wanted to dance. So she stood on my feet as I danced around the room.

Monday mornings are a lot easier when you have smiley faces to wake up to. But every day here brings its new challenges, especially when I knew I would struggle with the teaching part of this program. We will continue to brain storm on ways to break through but will keep moving forward…

Dustin

September 28, 2010

“A great deal of talent is lost to the world for the want of a little courage.” (Sydney Smith)

A new day and another adventure in service. At Assissi, I worked with the three girls I met yesterday and one boy. It was a bad combination in two respects: the boy is way behind the girls in development and the taunting and teasing that must go on between them was brought to the lesson. I struggled mightily but found it hard going. Nevertheless, it is difficult to try to hold back the brightest girl who is so eager to show her stuff. Patience is a virtue not yet in abundance. Dustin asked them over to the laptop and all but one refused!! Dustin ended his session and then played with the smaller children.

After lunch, Stephen the driver took us to the Government store to shop. Dustin did his best to bolster the Indian economy and I made a modest contribution. Then it was off to SEAMS for a rousing afternoon with that rambunctious group. Bill had the older kids going with word selection contests and Dustin slipped away from the laptops to engage the boys in “Hangman.” Rather than try to figure out the letters, the boys wanted to guess the words. Santhi was not feeling well and I had only Suganya who had to compete with the boys for space at the chalkboard. I think she felt pushed aside and I will speak to her tomorrow. Unfortunately, my sense is that this is normal male/female relationship in India, starting at a very young age.

For dinner, Stephen took us to the roof top dining area at the Grand Residence, where we supped on excellent Indian food with a view of Chennai. Tomorrow we are at the mid-point but we continue to try to develop a method to reach the children, particularly the older children. The rote system of learning has produced great minds and talent in India, but it is distressing to find that the children do not think and analyze and are at a loss to do much more than respond to yes and no questions and only occasionally do we see some attempt to work out an answer without reference to something already given to them.

Bill

September 29th, 2010

“Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.”
Albert Einstein

Well we made it half way through the program. We’ve come a long way in such a short time and I will try to soak as much as I can before its time to go.

Yoga started us off just right and like clockwork Rani had our breakfast ready after we finished. Then it was off to Assisi, I continued my routine with basic computers and Bill with English. Bill always has something new up his sleeve and whether it works or not he manages to get the children’s attention. Today he tried to make them create sentences. He first made them identify Subjects, Verbs, and Objects. It seemed like a good project and some of the kids eventually picked it up. I stayed the course with basic typing skills. The kids at Assisi have limited computer knowledge so we stick to the basics. It’s amusing to watch them because just before they stroke a key they look over to me so I can give them the approval. The morning moved along quickly and we were out of there before I had anytime for a quick game of “juice banana” or a nursery rhyme.

Back at the guest house Bill, Stephan, and I enjoyed a great conversation over lunch. Stephan is just full of information. He will take us from current events all the way back to 300 BC. It could be about - why the price of cashews are so expensive, why a woman may wear a toe ring or just about anything. It’s nice to just kick back and chat.

At SEAM's we decided to change things up a little because we have been with these kids every day since we got here. So we played a few of their Indian games. Bill and I joined for the first round of KOKO. Great game but exhausting. Next we sat back and watched the boys play KABABI. This game is a little rough so we sat out. We finished with dodge ball and in the 2nd round I was one of the final 2 left standing. Not for long, Hari caught me off guard and I was out.

Just when you think there is nothing more to do, Bill and I skipped dinner and headed out to the other side of town to catch a local traditional dance at The Music Academy. This dance is usually preformed at temple ceremonies and takes 6 years to master. The 2 girls who were twins put on quite a performance. They danced for 1 1/2 hours nonstop. I wish I could show you but we weren’t allowed to take pictures. It wasn't just the dance but their facial expressions, hands, eyes, just everything was amazing! Great way to get to the half way point…

Dustin

September 30, 2010

“People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they’re not on your road doesn’t mean they’ve gotten lost.” (Dalai Lama)

Stephen let us go it alone at Assissi this morning. The children were just as eager to see us took turns at the computer and working on English with Bill. The older girls had other assignments and we missed their presence. We are finding great differences in reading skills. One boy in particular is able to say words from the flash cards but when he tries to read them, he cannot. On the other hand there is a little six year old girl that works well at the laptop and is able to read simply sentences. The children are fascinated with books and pictures, which I used to introduce words without worrying about the story. For example, the story of the Statute of Liberty kept their attention for quite a few minutes. Since age is not the reason for the differences, I assume there are other problems of significance of which I am unaware.

At SEAMS, Dustin took the older boys and worked on reading but Charlotte’s Web could not hold their interest. He then started on word lists and hangman. Bill worked with Suganya, Santhi and Rogest on difficult words from a story he planned to read with them. It was a rousing session. Just like the younger children, however, there was often a failure to recognize the words when they were in the sentences being read. We then had the two groups compete on word lists, which turned into a spelling lesson. The letter combination that had them stumped was “ea” as in reason and release. They simply left out the silent “a” even when coached! Once again, however, the boys’ highly competitive nature turned the girls away.

The undeniable highlight of the day was dinner with Stephen and his family. We had a beautiful meal; a smorgasbord of Indian delights prepared by Sheeba and Stephen’s mother and overseen by his father. Stephen’s mother is a beautiful woman with a most warm and happy smile. We felt welcome and were warmed by the experience. We stopped in to visit with brother Stephen and his wife and child and also with Roni, who greeting us with a delightful smile. We are fortunate indeed to have the opportunity to visit with this most hospitable family.

Bill

October 1, 2010

“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment. “

Buddha

Yoga started us off just right and we had another wonderful breakfast. What a great way to start the day.

At Assisi there were a few more kids than usual. I started Sylvia on typing and then moved on to David, Asha, and finally V.Sandhiya. I’ve been working with Sylvia all week and at first she was very slow and unfamiliar with the computer. By the end of her lesson today, she was moving pretty quickly with her typing and she is only 6. With only about a half hour left, we found out that we aren’t going to be spending Saturday with the Assisi kids and today was our last day. So I packed up the computer so I could spend some time with all the children before we were off. We all headed downstairs and said our goodbyes. Time flew by the last 2 weeks at the Assisi Home. Bill and I were planning on having one more day but the children will be going away for a picnic tomorrow. They will all be missed.

After lunch we headed back to SEAM’s. I only had one computer to work with today so Hari, Kabilan and I reviewed Microsoft Excel. I showed them how to create basic spreadsheet and charts. When I was running out of things to show them we started creating a resume for Hari. We didn’t have power today so the laptop battery was dying so we will have to finish tomorrow. Bill continues to work with Suganya & Santi with their English. Time was up and we headed back to the quest house.

Dustin

Millinium Development Goals Achieved by this team from September 20th - September 24th.

25 Hours of class room instruction in conversational English and computer skills by 2 volunteers and 25 Hours of preparation time

20 Hours of childcare by 2 volunteer

2 Children's Home's and over 65 students impacted

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September 19, 2010


"Your talent is God's gift to you. What you with it is your gift back to God." (Leo Buscaglia)

A busy day. Worked on individual and team goals. Bill and Dustin identified two team goals: (1) to better understand India and (2) to share talents with children. Of the characteristics of an effective team, patience and flexibility stand out. We are savoring fine meals so simply prepared by Rani. For team effectiveness they focused on flexibility and patience. Dustin was full of questions, as was Bill, about the work they would be doing. Stephen was patient, taking questions as he worked through the orientation. The challenges will be in doing service in areas that are completely new such as teaching English. Stephen explained that at SEAMS, the emphasis was to be on conversational English with the older children. Stephen suggested that Dustin, with his background in computers, would be of great help as all the children at SEAMS will be interested.

After lunch Dustin and Bill set out for a walk to learn more about the neighborhood and get a flavor for Porur. They strolled some back streets and then took on a major road with its highlights of colorful attire and ornamental architecture. On the other hand they fought against the wild traffic and the visual assault of construction and trash. There is a big adjustment to make as they compared national and local priorities. For a break from the heat and sun, they entered a clothing store, much to the surprise and wonder of the staff, which followed them closely around the store. Stephen had told us there were no parks but we found a virtual oasis behind a wall where two interviews were taking place. Bill thought it was a political party compound; later Stephen was not so sure!!!

At six, Stephen took Bill and Dustin to SEAMS to meet the Pastor Arul and the children. They were greeted with smiles and hugs and handshakes by the boys but the girls stayed away. Each child came and introduced themselves as Dustin and Bill sat rather awkwardly in the front of the all purpose room. The children sang two rhythmic pieces and the team got a tour of the new dormitory of which their guides seemed quite proud. Then the fun began with a mingling with the children. Bill started an arm wrestling contest and after both arms wore out he recruited Dustin. Of course, this was only for the boys as the girls stayed in a tight group, talking and watching. The team will be looking forward to engaging with the girls when they return for evening service.

For dinner Stephen took the team to a restaurant located off the main drag with a host of wait staff and many choices of Indian and Chinese inspired food. Dustin was an old hand at ordering but Bill looked to Stephen for help! All the dishes were spicy and flavorful and we knew we were in India. It was delightful to have ice cream for dessert to cool off the mouth.

It was an exhausting day. Back at the guest house, Stephen took his leave and Dustin and Bill worked on the laptops until both batteries gave up! That was as good an excuse as any to go to bed…

Bill

September 20, 2010

"Every person’s life is a fairy tale written by God's fingers." (Hans Christian Anderson)

Today we engaged the children at the Assisi Home. A wonderful new facility is home to many children and also serves as a day care center. The school age children are at school so Dustin and Bill set about helping the day care children with the alphabet and numbers. Several of the children know the alphabet when we sing but must think hard when shown flash cards out of order. Bill tried to introduce parts of the body using the vowels and parts that started with the vowel. He cannot report on the success. The children were young and have short attention spans. It was necessary to change activities often and Bill and Dustin will be looking out for signs that the tasks need to be changed. Also, because we are there the two hours before lunch, the children get restless and hungry in the middle of the work. We when shifted into a fun game of "juice banana" with chasing around the circle of children. It was fun watching the smaller children trying to figure out what was going on. The teacher then switched to songs with Bill jumping in to lead the Hokey Pokey, Itsy Bitsy Spider and Old MacDonald. Great fun but the team was ready for lunch and a nap before an evening at SEAMS.

We lunched on puffy bread and lentils and chutney; then Dustin and Bill retired for some needed rest. Tonight back to SEAMS to work with older children on computer (Dustin) and Bill on English. Dustin got going quickly and soon found widely disparate skills in typing and understanding the commands, but he had a lively audience and plowed ahead. Bill worked with one then two boys on conversational skills and filled in with grammar and sentence structure. After a break, Bill took up reading Charlotte's Web with two delightful girls. He helped with pronunciation and phrasing. It went remarkably well with many laughs and gestures.

Rani served up two kinds of rice, raw cucumber, carrot and tomatoes, okra and delicate fish. It was a welcome and relaxing dinner. We discussed the day and the difficulty of organizing work for the children at Assissi. The evenings at SEAMS seem to be the easier task…

Bill

September 21, 2010

Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure.
(George Edward Woodberry)

Bill and I woke up a little earlier today to meet our Yoga instructor Selva Ganapathy. The three of us headed up to the terrace to get started with our first yoga session. Bill and I are first timers so Selva was asked to go easy on us. We began with some breathing exercises to get us relaxed and in the mood then we moved on to some stretches and yoga poses. Bill seemed to do great with the exception of the heat. I on the other hand can barely touch my toes so I did my best to get through each pose. This is our fourth day here and we were both over due for some much needed exercise. We asked Selva to return tomorrow so we can continue our yoga sessions.

After Yoga we headed right down stairs for breakfast because Rani had another wonderful meal prepared for us. This morning we had some new company, we were joined by Stephens’s wife Sheba and son Roshan. We all enjoyed Rani's eggs, noodles, and of course chutney.

After breakfast Bill and I got ready and prepared for our day at Assisi Home. This time I put a little more thought into how I was going to entertain the little 2 to 4 year olds. When we arrived the kids were happy to see us again. This time they didn't seem to be as shy. Bill and I separated a few of the kids in to two sides of the room and gave it all we had. I started with what I call "Dustin Says" and the GV teaching guide calls it "Total Physical Response Activity" The kids seemed to enjoy it. Then we moved right into our ABC's, 123's, Colors, Sight words, and anything else I could pull out of my bag. When they lost focus (remember they are 2 to 4 yrs old) I would get them to sign a song. We finished the session with coloring. I traced some pictures on blank sheets of paper because I didn’t have any coloring books and the kids colored them in. This was a trick Bill had showed me that he used on another trip. We switched up the kids and I repeated the same routine as I did with the first group. One of the girls in the last session was with me on the first day so she was very helpful in getting the other children involved.

Stephen and the Teacher Jessie brought all the kids together so Bill and I could finish with some games and songs like we did the day before. This time Bill and I were ready to take the lead with all 20 or so kids. We started with "ring around the rosy." They all loved that one. Then we moved on the all the other greats like The Hokey Pokey, Itsy bitsy Spider, ABC song, etc. Before you know it’s time to go. (All the kids waved and said their goodbyes and we even got swarmed with a bunch of hugs on the way out. With only two days at Assisi, it seemed like Bill and I were part of the crew.

We headed back to the guest house, where we once again were blown away from Rani's cooking. We had Beets, Vegetable Curry, and Chicken Curry (which I didn't eat) and of course rice.

Stephan, Bill and I headed off to SEAMS for our afternoon session. It started of pretty easy. Bill and I worked with 2 younger kids each and started off with the basics- ABC's, 123's, and sight words that we then used in sentences. Once the other older kids got back from school we headed in the great room where Bill and I separated in 2 different learning sessions just like we've done the day before. Bill worked with several different children reading and understanding poetry and I continued where I left off yesterday working with Microsoft Word on the computers. We started out by typing from a book, and then the kids would have to go and read though what they had just typed. After we spent enough time typing and reading, I showed each kid how to spell check, format, change fonts and color.

Today was another amazing day for me. At Assisi I'm called "uncle" and SEAMS I'm "brother". Even though it’s only been two days I really feel I'm connecting with most of the kids…

Dustin

September 22, 2010

“Every experience is a paradox in that it means to be absolute, and yet is relative; in that it somehow always goes beyond itself and yet never escapes itself.” (T. S. Eliot)

Yoga to start for Dustin and Bill and were introduced to new positions. Patience, patience as the Assissi. Dustin and Bill teamed up to change the routine for their assigned pupils. The differences between the developments can at times be frustrating. For example, today, I had a happy boy, always with a smile and eager to respond to the alphabet and numbers. I had less luck with shapes and colors. Next time was a somewhat wary sweet girl who just seemed bored or uncomprehending or simply too tired to participate. Of course, she woke up for "Juice bananas" and Ring Around the Rosie. We tried simple jigsaw puzzles with limited success. The young boy I mentioned eventually got the idea but the girl was mystified. Oh, well, just keep trying until you find something that clicks. So far, each day I have moved to coloring, no child seems to have any sense of form and just scribbles. They are fascinated with tracing a hand but do not yet have the concept of coloring in the lines. We were lucky to share part of the ride back with Sister Rosa, a remarkable woman. Stephen provided us the names of the people we have been working with (or near, since there has no instruction or advice from anyone except Stephen about what we should be doing or any hints about what works) and found curious the name of Sister Matilda. Mystery solved: she grew up in a convent, was married to Henry I, ruler of Germany, and returned to service of her Lord after his death. She is Patron Saint of Mis-behaving children and Patron saint of girls.

The evening session went smoothly. Dustin attracts a crowd with the laptops. Tonight he took some pictures with his spanking new blue Canon and had the students load the pictures. It was some fun and the pictures were great. Bill met with Suganya and Shanthi for continued with the reading of Charlotte’s Web. Suganya doubles her pronunciation at the end of certain words and worked on correcting the pronunciation. She does well reading. Shanthi tends to read words but is working on phrasing; she does not double endings, which is quite interesting. Earlier today they had an accounting exam and we worked together on a spread sheet for accounting entries in English and Tamil. Stephen helped explain what I wanted and then the triple threat of Bill, Suganya and Shanthi jumped in. When the wood smoke began to drift into the room, Bill spread out the Scrabble materials he had assembled and made and explained the game. While doing so, he realized how complex the game must see, particularly the concept of using an existing letter without ending up with a non-English word from adjacent letters. Suganya worked at it but did not grasp the concept. We will see if she is challenged to learn. Shanthi seemed to get the idea but needed some help. It is a difficult exercise in a second language but will be of help with written English. Bill then sat with the girls and talked about their families and India in general.

Stephen excused Rani for the night and we ordered in pizza. It went well with the Sprite for Dustin and the Coke for Stephen and the juice for Bill, which he picked up when he and Dustin made a quick trip to the Supermarket. They also brought home some peanut butter, a must have food item for the world to spin correctly on its axis…

Bill

September 23, 2010

“All great things are only a number of small things that have carefully been collected together.” - Anonymous

Today Bill and I woke up early so we can head out to the market. Stephan said it was one of the largest markets in Asia and I believe him. This place was insane. When we arrive there were just people coming and going. It reminded me of the NY stock market trading floor expect they were trading flowers, fruits and veggies. We started in the flower section and for the first time all week my sinus were cleared. Bill and I were taken back by the wonderful aroma coming from all the different flowers. Everywhere you looked there was every kind of flower. Stephan led us through a narrow passage way that passed multiple vendors selling all different fresh flowers by weight. He led us outside where we crossed over to another area, this was the fruit section. The funny thing is the first sets of Apples were from Washington State. I think this was the only western style fruit in the whole place but something to point out. I’ve only been here a few days but I started to recognize a lot of the local fruit (Sweet Lime, Custard Apples, etc.) Eventually we reached the last area which was the Vegetable section. By this time I was ready to go. Even though we weren’t there for shopping it was an amazing thing to see. All the vendors were friendly and Bill and I got a lot of photos. It was worth getting up early to see.

At Assisi it was back to business. Teaching English and when Bill and I got tired we moved to singing for other activities. When the kids tired out we switched up and started back from square one. We have one more day with these little ones so let’s see what tomorrow brings.

Back at the guest house I prepared for my evening at SEAM’s. Tonight I will try to teach the older ones how to create power point presentations. Now I’m no expert, so I brushed up on my skills before we headed out. I’m glad I did because even though it was basic, the kids really loved it. I used pictures from the day before and inserted them into the presentation. First I worked with Hari while I put some of the kids on the computers and started them with the basics. Hari caught on quick and before you know it he was putting his own twist on his presentation. Time ran out so he wants to finish it up tomorrow. After Hari was done I worked the Suganya & Santi. They were a little shy at first but together we winded up putting together a nice presentation for Bill.

Although challenging at times, today was a success! Rani prepared 3 wonderful meals and Stephan fielded all of my questions...

Dustin

September 24, 2010

The last day of the first week. How far we have come: we got into a good routine at Assissi changing tasks, taking breaks. We both had new children first and that presented a challenge. One little girl with Bill was vocal and active, moving her chair first up and then back and then pulling the other child with her. Vocal does not mean she responded to flash cards, which she didn’t. We started the day with a “Happy Birthday” to a new four-year old. This is a moment to savor. We took a break and enjoyed a discussion with Sister Rose and Stephen about hearing aids, finding a mate and marriage. There are still arranged marriages in India and I imagine that group would be horrified with “hook ups” and co-habitating before marriage, in some cases, is even considered.

We then took on more children. Bill got his prize pupil who worked at the jigsaw puzzle but had no time for ABCs, which is in contrast to the prior day when he asked for ABCs. Then it was time for an arousing round of “Juice Banana” with Dustin joining and Bill recording the event. This was a fitting end to our week with the day care at Assissi.

Rani put out a smorgasbord for lunch and we dug in after needed showers. We had a good discussion with Stephen about the driving pattern in India, an oxymoron if there ever was one when describing traffic in India. The USA is tame in comparison. Stephen pointed out that the traffic is always moving ahead, no one worries about what is behind them, and the various conveyances are not traveling that fast.

At SEAMS, Dustin set up the boys with laptops and Bill worked on developing sentence structure and vocabulary. His two charges worked hard on the sentences but got the hang of the vocabulary task of listing words beginning with letter “A”.

Dustin and Bill are looking forward to their weekend away…

Bill

Millinium Development Goals Achieved by this team from July 18- July 31

245 Hours of class room instruction in conversational English and computer skills by 9 volunteers and 245  Hours of preparation time

60 Hours of childcare by 3 volunteer

95  Hours of labor towards the construction of Stage 2 of the Dormitories at Seams

2 Schools, 2 Children's Home and over 300 students impacted

 

Sunday, July 18, 2010


Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace.


Buddha

Well, it’s Sunday, 10:30 p.m. and team 92 is safely back in the guesthouse. Makese, Jen, and Donyale have returned from their weekend on the houseboat in Kerela. Nate, Alexa, Alex, Amanda, Ashley, and I are back from our trip down the coast to Pondicherry, Kanchipurim, and Mamalapurm. We’re all rested, refreshed and ready to begin our second week of service tomorrow. There will be some changes in our routine because Alexa and Amanda will be starting their work At St. Joseph’s, teaching English to a group of young women who plan to become nuns. Past volunteers have reported that this is a fun and rewarding assignment and they’re looking forward to it.

Reflecting back on our first week, we’ve each face the challenge that is adjusting to life in India. Even though this is my forth trip to India with Global, I’ve experienced my own culture shock. Almost everything about my experience here is different from my life in L.A. Different sounds and smells, the language, the heat, mosquitoes, dust, rain, and cows are all part of my life here in India. My adjustment involves embracing these differences that I have come to love and enjoy. I am so happy to be back here with Stephen and his family and his support staff. I am so grateful to be working with Ester and Elizabeth, the teachers at Grace School, And I am blessed to experience the joy of teaching the wonderful children at Grace and SEAM’s. I look forward to the weeks ahead with the anticipation that new experiences will deepen my understanding and my love of India. I am looking forward to more laughs and good times with team 92.


George

Monday, July 21st, 2010

I lay my head down on Sunday night thinking to myself “What a fun weekend I had” The team split, Donyell, Makese, & Jen spent the weekend on a house boat while I spent the weekend with Alexa, George, Amanda, Nate, Ashley We visited Pondicherry, and a few temples that I will not try and attempt to rename. We went through the temples and just about every carving in every temple a story was explained. I must say if we did have such a knowledgeable guide, I defiantly would not find the temples as interesting. Towards the close of our weekend, We went to a delicious restaurant where I had the best ice cream sundae in my 16 years of dessert eating. A Humpty Dumpty defiantly an appropriate name for an unforgettable dessert. Normally on long car rides, I find myself waking up to my destination, but this time I tried to stay awake. It was very interesting to see how everyday life is so different from what I am used to. I am beginning to realize my mom knows what she is talking about when she says I should be more “grateful.” When we returned to the guesthouse, I went to bed thinking, “Damn tomorrow I have construction.” Only to find that it was actually a very easy day. I realized throughout the day that this would be my last Monday in India. To be honest I will not miss the labor aspect of this trip, but I will miss is the chanting of the kids from S.E.A.M.S “shoulders, please, brotha, one,” and my personal favorite “powda” [which I believe is gum]. I can never see their faces when I lift them on my shoulders, but from the smiles on other people’s faces I can tell that the little boy or girl on my shoulders is laughing or smiling. It feels good to know I am making some sort of difference in a less fortunate child’s life whether it is long term or short term.

There is no exercise better for the heart then reaching down and lifting people up

- John Andrew Holmes Jr.

Alex

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

Team #92 sets off walking to Grace School kissed by the sparse raindrops that welcome our trip to Queens Land. I am feeling a little homesick but, I release the feelings knowing this is going to be an amazing day. Arriving at Grace School, I'm greeted by unfamiliar faces it is my first time here. Then come the children ready and anticipating all that the world can avail today. Before boarding the bright yellow bus that waits, we are blessed with prayers of protection.

9:30 Indian and Bermuda time, spectators watch as the bus backs up to depart. I scan the crowded space listening and observing the familiar sounds of excitement and recognize the birthday tune the children sing. All this reminds me of our field trips at school. Then there’s a change, something different, the music comes on and dancing heightens the party ride. With music there’s rhythm and with rhythm flows dance –I also tap to the memorable song “Meow” we heard on the house boat.

50 minutes later, 10:20 to be exact we pull into the gates of Queens Land – It says, “The great amusement park”. There were buses parked and a few groups stand waiting as we step off the bus. I find out later that many schools had the same great plans.

I don’t hear the usual sounds of a typical theme park and we are greeted by miniature clowns and a raging bull. Since we are some of the first to arrive, I was fond of the idea that there will be no long lines to wait in.
Let the fun begin… the children are ready and they take in what they can. Makese and I ride a few of the rides with a little push and pull, but Ashley, Nate, Amanda, Alexa, Alex and George have no problems. I guess to the US this is a breeze. Judging from the smiles, laughter and shouts of joy, everyone is having a splendid time.

Around 1:00 we enjoy Ranie’s packed lunch which is still hot and then head off to the water park. This was a unique experience observed by most of us, but carried out by George and Ashley. You actually swim in your clothes (no choice) and the woman and children are barricaded from the men in the pool by a wire fence. Besides this, the play is the same, splashing, running/walking standing under waterfalls and slides in Queens Water Paradise.

I think the constant drizzling rain has given us reason to go back, with a confirmed two woman vote the group is ready to return home so we trudge through the wet and muddy grounds towards the bus. Last roll call "present miss" at 5 o'clock we press on through traffic and arrive at Grace School about 5:45, say a quick goodbye and jump into auto rickshaws...I swear Buskar made it back in record time about one minute flat weaving through vehicles, animals and people and on a rainy day.

7:00 PM supper is American Style in India. Everyone savored the pizza from Pizza Hot, boy was it delicious!According to Ashley, the best meal she had had since her time in Indian.... Apparently it stood true for many, ALL the boxes were emptied and everyone was stuffed - "food coma" had set in.
Despite the rain, the temperature was manageable and the day was engaging and full of adventure. I can say I experienced entertainment in India, but even more, I was able to connect with the children from Grace School. This was my first time meeting them and although I was not able to bond with any particular child, I was touched by their smiles that grew into laughter and blessed by hearts overflowing with joy. In all the unfamiliar aspects of visiting India, I can say this is a very familiar part of life - the smile, laughter and joy of a child which enriches your life. This trip was for them and about them. I'm thankful for smiles. They take me all the way around the world and back home again. I think of the advert I saw on a bus while on my way to Assisi Illam that said, “When your heart is happy it shows.” Well, today I experience happy hearts in abundance!

My thought for the day is:

S.M.I.L.E. Smile - It's the Silent Melody Influencing Lives Everywhere!

Donyale

Wednesday, July 21st, 2010


We’re at about our halfway point of this trip. To put it bluntly halfway points suck. Sure, we’vall adjusted to the heat (mostly), the cold showers, and our new favorite pastime, zapping mosquitoes, but the novelty of the first few days has worn off and routine has settled in. By nextweek, it’ll be all tears and cries of “this is our last time doing (fill in the blank with something mundane),” but this week, it’s somehow become the daily grind. This makes tonight’s activity all the more special. Stephen invited us into the home he shares with his wife, son and parents. Sheeba, his wife who we have all grown so fond of, prepared us a special dinner with the help of his mother and please trust me when I say, our autorickshaws went a ot slower on the way home, sagging with our added weight. As delicious as the food was, that wasn’t the best part of the night. Tonight I felt at home in India in a way I haven’t since I arrived here. Being included in Stephen’s family, sharing in their rituals and seeing how they live their lives, it may \sound hyperbolic to say so, but it was an honor. I left with a better understanding of daily

Indian life and fullness in my heart that trumped the one in my belly. I think it’s fair to say that this was the best halfway point I’ve ever experienced and I couldn’t be more excited to see what the next week and a half brings.

thought...

"Everyone thinks of changing the world but no one thinks of changing


himself." - Leo Tolstoy

Jen

Thursday, 22nd July, 2010

We're here. We're in our groove. We've gotten our routine down and our days just flow. Our day begins as normal with breakfast and morning meeting. Stephen reviews with the team the goals we've set and the characteristics of an effective team and I'm pleased to report that all our goals are being achieved and we indeed have an effective team. We depart for our various duties and return home for lunch.

After lunch we separate again, this time Alex and Nate get some much needed rest from construction, while Donyale pushes on. Amanda and Alexa for St. Joseph's School. Jen and I leave for Grace, while somewhere not too far from here George and Ashley are about to receive their ayurevedic massages.
Jen and I read, sing and Duck, Duck Goose through our time at Grace. The bell rings and we close our day with prayer and a song in Tamil that I don't understand, but love to hear. Jen and I wait in the hot smoldering sun. Completely dehydrated, faint and weak, on our very last leg barely able to continue standing, when finally our van turns the corner 15 minutes past his usual prompt 3:30 pick up. Truthfully, Jen and I were just fine and I doubt that we were waiting even 15 minutes, I just added that part for Amanda and Alexa's benefit, seeing as they were the reason that Stephen wasn't there as we exited the gate. They informed us that they were held back longer than expected because a nun had prepared pizza for them as a surprise to show appreciation for their time with them.

Continuing with our routine we returned back home to the guest house and relaxed while waiting to return to our afternoon session at Seams. George and Ashley returned from their massage completely satisfied. At SEAMS Ashley connected two skipping ropes and we turned the ropes and had a blast watching the kids light up to go next. Watching them try to find the rhythm of the rope reminded me all too well of my first awkward skipping experiences. I think of George asking "Why did we ever stop skipping?"

6:30 rolls around all too soon and the team returns home for dinner and a restful night.


The thought for the day is : What you do speaks so loud that I can't hear what you are saying. Ralph Emerson

Makese

Friday, July 23, 2010

It's almost the end of the second week, and what a week it's been! Shopping on Monday, pizza on Thursday, dinner at Stephen's on Wednesday, relaxing evening on Thursday, and a wonderful dinner out on Friday. Alexa and I also began teaching the soon-to-be nuns at St. Joesph's this week and we love it! While our mornings at St. Joseph's are challenging with the elementary kids, we enjoy our afternoons with the young ladies and feel that we are actually teaching them and they are learning. We also said goodbye to Alex last night and while the team and children will surely miss him, we know we must carry on with another week of work without him. While I'm sure we are all at least a little anxious to get home to the comforts and family we left behind, I can't help but think about how much I don't want to say my own goodbyes this time next week.

Amanda

Sunday July 25, 2010 Team #92

On Saturday afternoon just after lunch, a group of boys from the neighborhood stopped by simply because they wanted to meet us and shake our hands. I have never felt so special in my entire life. These kids actually made a plan to come over just to meet me? That can't be right.



They were so excited and a little shy about meeting us and when George brought out his camera, it was adorable;. the boys started smoothing their hair out and posing for photos. It still amazes me how excited the kids get to see themselves in a photo when we show them the picture on the digital camera screen. Because it is so common for us, we take things like this for granted. We can just pop our iPod in our ears, throw in an episode of Dora for our babysitting charges, or take 1000 pictures a day if we want to. But for these kids, these simple pleasures might as well be Disney World. That is how excited they get about them.

We worked Saturday at various assignments so we could have Monday off (as many of our group went on a trip/safari in a forest). Amanda and I elected to stay home and enjoy a lazy weekend like we would if we were home. As I worked at SEAM's in the morning yesterday I looked around and it truly sunk in how much I am going to miss these kids. And I honestly believe they will miss us. They are still excited every time we arrive and always eager for attention, playing, and learning. (And Dora of course when George brings along his lap top.) For these three weeks we have been important to them and they have been important to us. We have touched their lives and they have touched ours. My work here has made me feel like I have made an important difference in the lives of the children with whom I have worked. I cannot help but wonder what would happen to these kids if Global Volunteers had to stop sending volunteers to Chennai for some reason. What would become of them if SEAMs had to close? Would they wind up begging on the streets? Would they wind up as child laborers? It breaks my heart to even think about it.

Saying goodbye on Friday is going to be a very teary event (for me at least.) I hate goodbyes. A part of me is homesick for my home and family but another, larger part of me will miss being here and volunteering, watching the kids learn and grow.

For me at least, this experience was better than Disney World.

Tuesday, July 27th, 2010:
Makese, Donyale, George, Ashley, Stephen, Sheeba, Roshin, and I arrived at Chennai Central Train Station in Chennai, India around 7:30 am from our weekend trip at the palace in Mysore and the forest safari in Mudumali.
When we arrived at the guesthouse, Jen, Amanda, and Alexa greeted us. Then, wediscussedour adventures to the team at breakfast. After breakfast, Makese and Jen went to Asisi, and Alexaand Amanda went to St. Joseph’s. George, Ashley, Donyale, and I were feeling a little under the weather, so we stayed behind to get some much-needed rest. The same occurred in the afternoon except for Jen and Makese went to Grace School instead of Asisi.

For the evening, we all had enough rest to go to SEAMS Children home. At SEAMS,Ashley and I felt we made a lot of progress with the small group of kids we had today. At the end of the visit, we gave the kids in our group their own pencils for doing such a great job. After SEAMS, Ashleyand I realized how much progress we are making with the children, and it makes the 3 weeks well worththe stay.

Sadly, this is our last week of stay in Chennai, India. Although we all love working with the children and teaching them English, I believe most of us are feeling a little homesick, at least I am. This stay in India has opened my eyes and mind to a whole new perspective of the world.
Message of the Day: “People have different ambitions for their fulfillment of


happiness. For most it’s money, for some it’s cars, but for few it’s as simple


as improving another’s life.” –Nathan Najdek

Millinium Development Goals Achieved by this team from July 11- June 17;

125 Hours of class room instruction in conversational English and computer skills by 9 volunteers and 125 Hours of preparation time

30 Hours of childcare by 3 volunteer

60 Hours of labor towards the construction of Stage 2 of the Dormitories at Seams

2 Schools, 2 Children's Home and over 300 students impacted

Sunday, July 11, 2010

When we go to the theater together, my mom makes fun of my weak applause. No matter how enthusiastic I am about a performance, I tend to respond in golf claps. I don't know why, lazy hands, perhaps. But today, at our first visit to SEAM (Southeastern Asia Missionary), a children's home where we'll be working, as thirty some children serenaded us with a welcome song; I found my applause was loud and prevalent. It wasn't purposeful; it just came out of me. Why are they

singing for us? What did I do? I bought some weather-appropriate attire, got a visa, took two really long plane trips and showed up. Big deal. But the joy these kids feel for something so small, for my purple nail polish or for having the chance to sing Hokey Pokey with a beloved return volunteer, is amazing. I know we're here to help them with their English and teach them, but I already feel I've learned something in return.

Jen

Monday, July 12, 2010

Team #92 Volunteering Day 1

7:20 my eyes slowly peel open and I scramble to get ready for 7:30 yoga on the terrace. Once there I greet Donyale, Jen, and our yoga instructor. We breathe and stretch, breathe and stretch and invite in a calm spirit to approach a busy and exciting first day.

A half hour passes and we then join the others for our morning meeting. We're all excited finally to begin what we came here for: to serve, to experience, to teach, to grow, and to connect. We review the schedule and its changes, Jen reads her journal, Stephen wishes us a great day and escorts us by van to our various destinations: George, Alex, Nate, and Ashley at Grace School; Amanda and Alexa leave for St. Joseph's, and Donyale, Jen and myself set our for Asisi Ilam with Sheba to introduce us and get us settled in.

We exit the van and enter the gate where we see the faces of these precious lives we flew all this way to meet. We're introduced to Sister Rose and Sister Matilda and we sit Indian style on the floor as we \learn more about the kids of this day care/ orphanage. Finally we get to meet our groups. We read books, sing songs, and we teach each other. We teach them English. They teach us the importance of time, the depth and purity of simple unadorned love.

Time ticks and we trek on back to the guest house for lunch. The groups slowly stream in. We eat lunch and back to our respective assignments. This time I enter Grace school. I was reunited with friends that I had made last summer.

On the ride home from Grace I thought about the things I'd read about volunteering in India. One statement that stood out was that India is not for the faint of heart. I can see how this can be true, but I'd like to say that India is for anyone with a heart. The warmth, acceptance, and excitement of the people and children we work with stirs the heart to sing. The first time I volunteered here they were just amazingly beautiful people. This second time they feel like my family. I felt as though I was coming home when I first spotted Sheba and Stephen, at the airport on this trip. And again when I met up with George the next day, and when I saw all the familiar faces I bonded with last year.

We finished up our evening with SEAMS. You can read all the journals of the other volunteers. SEAMS speaks for itself. If ever you want to see what you're purpose in the lives of others can be, please come. Come to India.

Makese

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

For me, this trip has exemplified the main reason I want to be a teacher... to make a difference. For the students here in India, simply learning English gives them an upper-hand and a chance at a better livelihood. Being part of this learning experience has proven to be an honor and pleasure, even in just the two days we have been going to our assigned schools. Seeing the student's genuine and smiling faces as we walk in the classroom reassures us that we are not only appreciated but also welcomed. These students have a refreshing passion and desire for learning and, thankfully, could care less if you can't carry a tune. It's clear that in the coming weeks we will not only build strong connections to these students but also to our teammates, we will grow and learn as individuals, we will serve those who need it the most, and we will experience once in a lifetime opportunities. I look forward to the coming days and the long lasting memories that I will continue to make as we continue on with this extraordinary experience.

Amanda

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Thought for the day:

"I don't care how poor a man is, if he has a family he is rich," Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford from M*A*S*H

When we think of family we most often think about those to whom we are related. However, being in India has made me realize (perhaps more than I have ever realized before) that defining the word family is not so easy to do. Family includes the people with whom you share a special bond or connection. They are the people who are there for you, support you, include you, and look out for you. Family can be anyone.

Some might look at the kids in the orphanages where we work here and say that they have no family. But that's not true. They have a family--their family is everyone at the home with them and the kind, caring and selfless adults who take care of them.

This broader view of the concept of family became particularly evident when we were invited to be a part of Stephen and Sheeba's son's birthday celebrations at Assisi Illam and Seam's Children's home. Upon observing both places it became evident that they saw Stephen, Sheeba, and Roshan as family. It was very touching to be a part of such a celebration. Seam's had even decorated for his birthday complete with balloons, streamers and other colorful ornaments. Songs were song, prayers were said, and cake was cut, all in honor of Roshan and the long and happy life ahead of him. It was a lot of fun and it made me (and I'm sure all of us) feel special to have been included in Stephen and Sheeba's family.

Not only do we grow as people upon this adventure and experience but our family grows as well, as now, for at least these three weeks, we 9 volunteers are family, helping, supporting, including and looking out for each other and the students we are teaching.

Alexa

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Thought for the day: “Your attitude determines your altitude.”

Today was the fifth official day of our program and it finally feels like the team has become comfortable and at home in India. Some of us have been here once, some multiple times and for the majority this is our first encounter with India and the vastly different Indian culture, yet theses five days have been an adjustment period for all.

Each experience has transformed from new and uncertain to new and joyously fun. When we first arrived Stephen told us to go with the flow, well for my mildly control freak side I thought this may be difficult and was shocked today when I realized it only took me five days to transform into a happier person.

I saw this carefree attitude in the children we are here to help the most today. They always have such a positive attitude about life that has become simply contagious to all of the members of the team. It is clear I have gained so much more than I will give here, from new found friends to a newfound perspective on life; I became sure today that choosing India was the best decision I’ve ever made.

Ashley

Friday, July 16, 2010

Message of the Day: "The saying is 'a picture is worth a 1000 words', but a
special moment will last a lifetime."

Today was our last work day of the first week. The day started off with the usual delicious Indian breakfast and today’s agendas. Between Alex and I (andvDonyale in the afternoon), our agenda is to help with construction at SEAMS.

Every morning we are greeted by few of the children at SEAMS. These children arevvery excited to see us, as they always want Alex and I to pick them up and twirl them around like we do when we visit in the evening. Unfortunately, this is not our objective for the morning. Our objective currently is to lay a sand-base onthe roof of the children’s home so later cement can be poured on top to keeprain from being absorbed into the roof.

Our construction host, a slender, averaged height Indian man, does not speak any English. Although there is a language barrier between us, we know what needs to be done. He points to one area where we start and points in the other direction to where he wants the sand to be placed. As we work, the children play and sometimes give us a hand with our task. At the end of work, the children and our construction host would disembark us with a wave and a smile. This makes us feel great, for that we know we are helping the children live in a better place.

The evening visit at SEAMS was a play day, which was to have fun with the kidsand interact with them in games. Although we were not teaching, they were still learning. And I love how they are always excited to see us every evening. I knowit makes the team feel welcomed, and we are glad we can put a smile on every one of their faces. These next couple will be a lasting memory for them and us.

Nathan

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace.
Buddha

Well, it’s Sunday, 10:30 p.m. and team 92 is safely back in the guesthouse. Makese, Jen, and Donyale have returned from their weekend on the houseboat in Kerela. Nate, Alexa, Alex, Amanda, Ashley, and I are back from our trip down the coast to Pondicherry, Kanchipurim, and Mamalapurm. We’re all rested, refreshed and ready to begin our second week of service tomorrow. There will be some changes in our routine because Alexa and Amanda will be starting their work At St. Joseph’s, teaching English to a group of young women who plan to become nuns. Past volunteers have reported that this is a fun and rewarding assignment and they’re looking forward to it.

Reflecting back on our first week, we’ve each face the challenge that is adjusting to life in India. Even though this is my forth trip to India with Global, I’ve experienced my own culture shock. Almost everything about my experience here is different from my life in L.A. Different sounds and smells, the language, the heat, mosquitoes, dust, rain, and cows are all part of my life here in India. My adjustment involves embracing these differences that I have come to love and enjoy. I am so happy to be back here with Stephen and his family and his support staff. I am so grateful to be working with Ester and Elizabeth, the teachers at Grace School, And I am blessed to experience the joy of teaching the wonderful children at Grace and SEAM’s. I look forward to the weeks ahead with the anticipation that new experiences will deepen my understanding and my love of India. I am looking forward to more laughs and good times with team 92.

George

Millinium Development Goals Achieved by this team from June 21 - June 25;


65 Hours of class room instruction in conversational English and computer skills by 7 volunteers and 65 Hours of preparation time

20 Hours of childcare by 2 volunteer

100 Hours of labor towards the construction of Stage 2 of the Dormitories at Seams

2 Schools, 2 Children's Home and over 400 students impactedTuesday, June 29th

Tuesday, 29th June

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle.” -Plato

Today, we went on with our usual routines-- Jeff and Joey went to construction in the morning, while Andy joined Cathy at St. Josephs to take on the dreaded kindergardeners. Jeremy joined Bridget and I at Assisi Illam to play with the 3 year olds and attempt to teach them English. Although some are doing physical labor and some are playing or teaching children, both are equally exhausting. The kids somehow drain our energy just as quickly as working in the hot sun! After coming home for a great lunch, we headed back out- with Andy joining Jeff for construction and Cathie going to work with the future nuns. Joey, Jeremy, Bridget, and I went to Grace School to help teach English to the different classes. Bridget and I bought lots of henna at a local store, as prices in the US are around $7 a tube compared to only 10 rupees here! One of the teachers at Grace School kindly offered to henna our hands, and I was the first to get mine done! We headed over to Seams to play with the children for an hour, and then finished off our evening with a lovely dinner at Stephens house. It was great getting to meet Stephen's whole family and enjoying a delicious meal with them. This was the perfect way to end a great day!


Zoe
 

 Wednesday, June 30th

"To help all created things, that is the measure of all our responsibility; to be helped by all, that is the measure of our hope" -Gerald Vann

After more than a week we are starting to ge the hang of things. In the morning my mom and dad went to St. Joseph's School to teach kinder gardeners and first standard. Jeremy, Joey, and i went to Seam's to do construction, and Bridget and Zoe went to Assisi Illam. At seam's we had to carry sand from the roof down to the first floor after the week before we carried it up to the roof. After lunch we all went to different places for a shortened time because we went to the government emporium to shop for gifts. Cathie went back to St. Joseph's to work with the future nuns on English speaking and writing skills, my Dad and I went to construction to help with cementing the walls, Bridget, Zoe and Joey went to Grace School.

Since it was Jeremy's last day, we went to Seam's in the evening so the children could say good bye to him. They made hime a beautiful card and sang him a song. We then went to a restaurant to have the last dinner with the team of 7. Jeremy was a great member of the team and he will be missed. We all came back to the guest house and played Spades.

 Andy

Thursday, July 1st

"I would rather be able to appreciate things I can not have than to have things I am not able to appreciate"Elbert Hubbard

It is Thursday of week two (7/1) and we are already missing Jeremy's energy and enthusiasm. Bridget and Zoe went to Assisi Illam to work with the preschoolers and Andy and I went back to St. Joseph to work with 5th and 2nd standard. We all noticed the "natives are getting restless". In 5 standard, Andy and I played math Bingo and had the students write descriptions of pictures. It was nice to see the students clap for each other when I told them they had done a good job on their writing.

We were surprised to find that Rani made us a lunch with beef! She included the delicious cabbage and tomoto rice which we all enjoyed a lot.
For the afternoon sessions, Andy, Bridget and Zoe headed to Grace School, while I went to St. Joseph's. The young women in the convent were very interested in a story we read about The Statue of Liberty (and a discussion about the 4th of July), as well as a lesson on common English phrases. It would be fun to hear these proper young ladies say "Hey! What's up?" the next time I come in.

We took our evening trip to SEAMS where the students were busy studying. With books and gadgets in tow, we shared as much English as we could while enjoying the company of these happy, energetic children. I am grateful for all of the teenagers on our team who are happy to lift, swing an flip the kids to their hearts content. As dusk came, the mosquitos swarmed, and I was glad to retreat to the guest house for a quiet night.
Cathie Ricketts

Millinium Development Goals Achieved by this team from June 21 - June 25;
65 Hours of class room instruction in conversational English and computer skills by 7 volunteers and 65 Hours of preparation time.

20 Hours of childcare by 2 volunteer

100 Hours of labor towards the construction of Stage 2 of the Dormitories at Seams
2 Schools, 2 Children's Home and over 400 students impacted

Sunday, 20th June


Today was the actual first day with the complete team. All of us had the chance to get first impressions of the team members, meet each other and get to know a little about our lives. We sat all together in the dining room with Stephen, our wonderful host, and commenced orienteering which is the first phase of the program: we get to know the sites we are going to work on, the place we will live in and the rules we will have to respect.

We then had lunch followed by the second phase which is fixing the team goals and characteristics!

After that we all had a few hours to ourselves before going to meet all of those wonderful, enthusiastic, energetic, funny and loving kids which live at Seams children home. I am happy to say that this teem has a majority of young volunteers, which fitted in immediately with the children playing games and simply having fun.

The impression I got of this team is that we all have different backgrounds, cultures and ways of being but one thing we do have in common, this experience! I am 100 percent sure that we will all have a blast and get on fine together so its all for the best!!

Jeremy

Monday, 21st June

"Little things done over and over again add up to making a differenceToday was our first day of real volunteer work. We began our day with a yoga lesson on the terrace of our guest house. About 6 of the 10 in our group participated. After the yoga fun and group breakfast a group of us went to a local orphanage called Assisi Illam that functions as a day care during the morning while the kids who live there are at school. We played with about thirty 3 year olds who spoke no English. Some of our other team members went to teach children English and do construction on Seams children’s home. Then we came back for lunch,  Afterwards we split up again, some visiting a nearby private school to teach English and grammar to 4th and 5th graders, and others working more with construction. One of our volunteers even practiced English with young girls hoping to become nuns. After this, we had some rest time until we went to visit Seams orphanage to play with the kids which we'll do every evening. Though exhausting, it is apparent that our simple presence means the world to these children, which makes it 100% worth it in the end.

in a big way." -Byron Pulsifer




Zoe

Tuesday, 22nd June

"If children have the ability to ignore all odds and percentages, then maybe we can learn from them. When you think about it, what other choice is there but to hope? We have two options, medically and emotionally: give up, or Fight Like Hell." -Lance Armstrong

It's the end of day 3 (our 2nd full day of working) and I'm writing my journal entry while sitting in bed under the mosquito net. The light in our room just went out, but it should come back on soon. Until then, the light from my iPod will have to do.


It's been another long and exhausting day. The ladies worked with the kids in the schools. Cathie spent the day at St. Joseph's School where one of the teachers was a "no-show", so they put all 62 kindergardeners in one room and wished her luck! Bridget and Zoe were honing their teaching skills at Grace School and Assisi Illam. The 4 guys spent the day at the construction site at SEAMs. While it was 95 degrees outside again, it felt hotter today since the sun was shining bright. I drank 4 liters of water (one gallon), but I'm convinced I sweat 2 gallons out. We spent the day hauling sand again using the traditional Indian methods. We sifted it first through a screen and then put about 20 pounds worth in a large metal bowl, then carried them on our head our around to the side of the building, up the stairs and into the soon to be dorm rooms. By the way, these were the same rooms we took sand out of yesterday and hauled it up to the roof (did I mention it was 95 degrees, sunny, calm, with high humidity?!?) We all feel like we are now 2" shorter than when we started and we're noticing that our heads are becoming flat on top. To make matters worse, we had 3 random Indian men pull up chairs and watch us work while they sat in the shade (likely making fun of us).

I know if you're reading this from afar you must be asking: "Why in the world would anyone pay for an experience like this?". I would simply answer by saying, "I wouldn't trade places with anyone else on the planet today". Every time I felt like I was going to collapse, I would look up and see one of the children smiling at me. These are kids who literally have nothing. They sleep on the floors in the hallways. Some have parents, most do not. I'll bet most of us couldn't stand to hear the challenges they have faced in their short lives, but you would never know it while spending time with them. They are always smiling, laughing, and playing with each other. They are respectful and always look out for each other. I'll bet they have fewer wants than children who have everything. For us, several weeks of hard labor or impossible teaching conditions is a small price to pay to improve the lives of these wonderful children.

Jeff

Wednesday, 23rd June

A German proverb: "He, who teaches children, learns more than they do."

Our third workday began early as we decided to forgo our 7:30 yoga for a 7:00 trip to the flower, fruit and vegetable market. After seeing the amazing array of beautiful flowers and unusual and plentiful fruits and vegetables, we returned in time for our breakfast and morning meeting. Today was a school holiday for the children, so our work assignments for some were a bit different. Andy decided to take a break from construction to join Zoe and Bridget at Assisi Illam to play with the children. I joined the construction team with Jeff, Joey and Jeremy. I wanted to see if they were really carrying loads of sand on their heads. We did do our share of sifting and carrying sand, but jobs were more varied today. We moved bricks and got to try our hand at slapping cement on the brick walls of the roof. Our mentor made it look easy, but after several tries with most of the cement landing on the ground, I decided that I was creating more work and decided to be the gopher instead. Joey actually got the hang of it and managed to cover one wall with cement.


We had a delicious chicken curry lunch back at the guest house, then headed out for our afternoon assignments. I went to my normal afternoon session at St. Josephs to work with the young ladies who are studying to become nuns. I used a deck of cards to play a game to get them conversing in English which they really enjoyed. They are so kind and always try to feed me before I leave, but unfortunately I have to scoot out as Stephen is waiting on me so that he can round up the rest of the group. The construction workers, joined by Zoe, continued at SEAMS with sand sifting and carrying as well as cementing the roof while everyone else was able to work with and play with the children. We returned for our early evening session at SEAMS, all of us dragging a bit, to find the children with even more energy and enthusiasm than normal. We were armed with more balls, books, stickers, and cameras, which kept the children busy and happy. Stephen taught us a game to play with the children which involved a lot of running and tackling - perfect for the kids, exhausting for us! The kids love our cameras and frequently ask to take ONE picture, then run off and snap as many pictures as they can. All in all a good time was had by all.

We headed out to a restaurant where we enjoyed a delicious dinner. Some of us were able to watch some World Cup action on TVs. while others watched Joey fall asleep at the table.

Cathie

Thursday, 24th June

“The value of man resides in what he gives and not in what he is capable of receiving” -Albert Einstein

In the morning I slept in through breakfast. After breakfast I went to Assisi Illam and played with the kids. They are always so energetic and happy to see us. After Assisi Illam we had lunch and went to Seam's for 3 hours. At Seam's some of us helped build the new dorms while other helped the kids with some of their school work. After helping the kids we played Kabadi, Cricket, and Coco. While we were playing kabadi, Jeremy said that the losing team should have to do 10 push-ups which everyone thought was a good idea because everyone thought that their team was going to win. My team ended up winning and the other team had to do 10 push-ups. After Seam's we went to the textile, gold, and silver markets. There we bought inexpensive jewelry, textiles, and other items. We got home from the markets at around 9 in the evening and had dinner.
Andy

Friday, 25th June

We can do no great things, only small things with great love. ~Mother Teresa
Today was the last day of our first week of working. In the morning Cathie and I went to Assisi Illam and worked with the orphans that were off of school . We brought tons of coloring supplies and they absolutley loved it, almost as much as they love to be picked up and spun around. Zoe and the boys worked on construction at SEAMS and in the past week have made progress and friends with the local workers. After lunch the whole team joined forces and we took all of the children at Assisi Illam to a park and childrens zoo and then to the beach. We took our regular car and a "bus" which was more of a van and stuffed about twice as many people as could comfortably fit into each. The children loved to see the animals and dragged us from one animal to the next until we reached the playground. We left the park and headed to the beach, as soon as the beach was in sight the children began screaming with excitment. Everyone only went in thr water about ankle deep but some how every kid managed to become soaked head to toe, and we hadn't done much better.Right as we were all about to head back to the cars wiht most of the kids in fresh dry outfits it began pouring rain. We all rain to the cars but we stil became even more soaked and sandy than before. We headed home the bus just as crowded as ever in rush hour traffic and in the pouring rain all soaked and sandy. The bus driver played music videos and the kids danced and sang and kept entertained. By the end of the ride half of the kids had fell asleep on our laps. Overall it was a great day. It was nice to see how happy the kids were about going on the outing and to spend more time with them than normal. Our first week was successful and the challenges seem easier each day. I can already tell we will miss each kid and its only our first week.
 
Bridget
 

Saturday, 26th June
 
"He does not live in vain; who employs his wealth, his thought, and his speech to advance the good of others." -Hindu Proverb
 
After a long and fulfilling week of work (and play) we earned our first free day. We started with breakfast at 7 am and left the guest house around 8:00 on our way to Pondicherry. We were all very excited when we discovered the bus had good a/c and reclining seats! The trip was fairly typical with lots of crazy traffic and horn beeping. We arrived in Kanchipuram to visit 4 Hindu temples. We got a nice surprise in the first temple when we saw 3 elephants being painted with decorations. When we went to take pictures the trainer invited us in to sit on one of the elephants. What a fun experience. The temples were very interesting and we all learned a lot about the Hindu beliefs.  After a tasty lunch we hopped back on the bus and rode to Pondicherry. After checking into our hotel we took a nice walk down the beach and had a wonderful dinner (or in the case of "Bottomless", 3 dinners!). Then it was back to the hotel to watch the US vs Ghana in the World Cup.


I've noticed that after a week in India I've grown accustomed to so many of the sites that shocked me when I first arrived. I came here with the goal of learning more about the Indian culture. I am happy to report that not only do I feel I've accomplished that goal but, thanks to Stephen, I now better understand and appreciate the Indian culture and way of life far better than I imagined I could.

Jeff