Millinium Development Goals Achieved by this team from October 18 to - october 22
 37.5 Hours of class room instruction in conversational English and computer skills by 2 volunteers and 37.5 Hours of preparation time


10 Hours of Childcare by 1 volunteer. over 65 students impacted

Monday October 18, 2010 – Day 6



“If you can drive in Chennai, you can drive anywhere!” – Sheeba


Today began our final week in Chennai. We reviewed our team goals and feel comfortable with the progress we have made so far. One of our team goals was to travel with purpose. I know that Laura and I are making a positive difference in the lives of these children, the same way that all of the previous volunteers have. Sheeba shared with us today the importance of learning English for these children. Students who are fluent in English upon graduation can easily find good jobs while students who only speak Tamil have a difficult time finding work. I am excited to know that my time here has been spent helping these children on their journey to become fluent in English.

Our second goal was to experience the culture of South India. We have definitely been experiencing the local culture during our stay here! This past weekend’s trip gave us a great opportunity to see more of South India as we traveled to Kanchipuram, Pondicherry, and Mahabalipuram. Tonight after SEAMs we got to experience Diwali shopping madness in Chennai at a popular market. The traffic was insane and the crowd was massive! Laura commented to Stephen that this market area made Times Square seem empty 

Our final goal was to meet and connect with the students and teachers. I feel that we are making good progress in this area. The teachers at Grace School have really taken to Laura and like to have lots of conversations with her between classes. The children are amazing! It is so great to see how their faces light up when we arrive to teach them.

I’m looking forward to a great second week!

Megan

Tuesday, October 19, 2010 – Day 7


“ All the world is an oyster” unknown

Megan was feeling a bit under the weather today so she sat out the morning visit @ Assisi Illam. I went off to Grace School and worked with the children as usual – today the first graders and I did rhyming words – Second grade we did some more difficult rhyming words and then they each came to the front of the class to come up with their own. The 3rd graders love to do math so we started with some Spiderman math flash cards – then identified all the visiable traits of Spiderman – each child wrote them on the board (including – he has a red mask, red boots etc). Fourth grade read aloud – Green Eggs and Ham (one of my all time favorites) and the 5th grade class each took turns reading a book called Grandpa and Me. Later at SEAMS Megan and I both worked with the boys at different age levels on various English studies. After SEAMS we were treated to an Indian movie – Robot. What another awesome experience – loud – colorful and with traditional Bollywood song and dance numbers! Even the popcorn was a lot of fun with chili pepper spice! Each day a new experience – they continue to keep on coming – what will today bring?

Laura

Wednesday, October 20, 2010 – Day 8


Time flies when you are having fun!


Wow, I cannot believe Wednesday is over already! This second week is going by so fast. It rained last night and now the humidity is out of control! It is even hotter today (if that is even possible). Before going to Assisi, Stephen and Sheeba took me on a quick visit to St. Thomas Mount. The view of Chennai from this hill was amazing! At Assisi we worked on alphabets and puzzles. Laura took the elephant puppet to Grace School for the little ones and said they liked it, although it scared them at first. The electricity went out several times at the school, making the heat even worse. Poor Laura got over heated, but was smart and stayed in her room to cool down in the A/C during the afternoon. I went alone to Grace School after lunch and found the kids to be very sad that Laura was not feeling well. They all really love her teaching them, which I made sure to share with her. In 4th grade we worked on reading and forming sentences with two sight cards at a time. The children did very well with this exercise and I was glad to see it made them use their imagination more. In 5th grade we learned about dinosaurs and colored dinosaur pictures for a bit, then moved on to practice vocabulary.

SEAMs was fun as usual. Laura worked with the older boys and I had my original group of 4th graders. I know we should not have favorites, but I must say that I really like this group of boys. We played snap card in teams, competing to see who could get the most matches. These boys love competition! Unfortunately for my team, I am not good at snap card, so we did not win very often.

After SEAMs we had the pleasure of visiting Stephen’s parents at their house for dinner. His mother and sister-in-law made a delicious meal for us. They served us so much food! Poor Laura was given a plate heaping with briyani! She ate like a champ but eventually had to give up  We were worried that it would be rude if we did not finish our meals. Luckily, Stephen and Sheeba assured us that it was fine to leave food on our plates. While we were in the neighborhood we had the pleasure of meeting Real Stephen’s wife, son, and mother-in-law. They live next door to their parents, so we visited their home as well. Rani lives across the street, so we visited her also. It was so nice to meet everyone’s family and to see their homes!

Only two days left before the end of the program! I’m already dreading saying good bye to the kids.

Megan

Thursday, October 21, 2010 – Day 9

“You make a living by what you do – you make a life by what you give” unknown.


Today started as most other mornings – with a hearty breakfast and off to our school assignments – I to Grace School and Megan to Assisi Ilam. The first second and third graders were very good today as we worked on various reading and writing activities. As each grade began to do some writing I started taking pictures of them – each grade turned into little models - posing – smiling and saying – me – me – photo! Even the teachers posed and smiled for their photos! Ive been happy to stay out of photos the last week in particular as Im not looking my best self (and I know what I look like). Megan mentioned her day care group had a difficult time focusing today. Maybe it’s the heat? (laughing). In the evening we visited the children at Assissi Illam instead of SEAMS. They were a great deal of fun – sang songs with Megan and loved the sequin crowns and butterfly wings I brought from home. And as always all the balls were a great big hit. I was treated to a Mendhi design on my left hand as a parting gift from one of the teachers! Well tomorrow is our last day – it will be difficult to say good bye to everyone (oh – except for those darn mosquitos)!

Laura

Friday October 22, 2010 – Day 10


“Don’t cry because it is over. Smile because it happened.” Dr. Seuss


It is hard to believe that today is the last day. These past two weeks have flown by! It was hard to say goodbye to the children at Assisi today. We played games, sang songs, and danced! I took videos on my camera of Mario and Vinodinni singing their favorite song “Johnny, Johnny.” I tried to not think about the fact that it was the last time I would be with them. Laura had a good last day with the younger students at Grace School. They had fun posing for pictures for Laura but were sad to see her go.

Grace School went well for me in the afternoon. In 5th grade we read a story about a pumpkin competition and drew pictures. We ended the session by taking photos and videos. Each student wanted to do a solo dance for me to record. It was so funny watching the kids dance, each one was even more silly than the last. 4th grade was fun as well. We took pictures/video, practiced vocabulary, and finished off the class with “Hang Man.”

Saying my goodbyes to the children at SEAMs was very difficult. They are all so very sweet and special! During our time together we played ball with the boys, danced with the girls, and just spent time with the children. We then all gathered in the main hall for songs and dancing. The children all sang a group song, and then some of the girls came forward to do a song and dance. The 4th grade boys did a free-style dance for us at the end, which was very enjoyable. They took me by the hand and pulled me out of my chair to dance with them. I had such a great time! And then came the hard part. All of the children came up to Laura and I one by one to say thank you for spending time with them. I tried to hold back the tears but a few escaped. Some of the boys hugged me and wiped the tears from my face with their little hands, telling me not to be sad. While I was very sad to say goodbye to the children, I am so very grateful for the amazing experience I got to have with them.

Coming to India to work with the children has been so rewarding. The culture is so fascinating here, the people are so kind, and the children are so much fun to spend time with. To those of you reading this who are contemplating coming to India, I say pack your bags and get over here! You are sure to have a wonderful and memorable time!

Megan

Millinium Development Goals Achieved by this team from October 11 to - october 15

37.5 Hours of class room instruction in conversational English and computer skills by 2 volunteers and 37.5 Hours of preparation time


10 Hours of Childcare by 1 volunteer. over 65 students impacted


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

 Sunday ,October 10, 2010 ,
 
 Day - 1 “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”- Gandhi


We had a great first day, started out with orientation after breakfast. Stephen walked us through the program, letting us know what to expect and what is expected from us. He explained the history of Global Volunteers in Chennai and why it is so important for volunteers to be here. During orientation Laura and I created our team goals for the trip: 1) travel with purpose to make a difference; 2) be open to the culture of south India, and 3) meet/connect with the students and teachers. We also listed what we felt were characteristics of an effective team:

• Flexibility

• Patience

• Open mindedness

• Open communication

• Understanding

• Supporting each other

• Having fun

• Punctuality (Stephen added this one )

We also found out what our assignment would be. I will be working with toddlers at Assisi Illam in the mornings, 4th and 5th grade students at Grace School in the afternoons, and all the children at SEAM in the evenings. Laura will be working with all grades at Grace School during the day, followed by SEAMs in the evenings.

After orientation was over we had some free time before lunch. I used this time to re-read the teaching handbook. Honestly, I am a little nervous about my first day of teaching. This is something I have never done before and I had no idea where to start in regards to lesson planning. Lucky for me, we have a seasoned volunteer with us this weekend. Dustin, from Team 93, is here until tomorrow. He was kind enough to give me some pointers and ideas, and also shared with me and Laura some of the activities he found were successful with the kids. I feel much better now about tomorrow (although I still do not have my lessons planned ).

We went as a team to SEAMs at 5:30 to meet the children. SEAMs is a quick walk from the guest house, which is nice because it gave us a chance to see more of Lakshmi Nagar, the neighborhood surrounding the guest house. We were greeted at SEAMs by the host and all of the children. The children sang a special song for us and came up to me and Laura one at a time for introductions. After that we had some quality play time with the kids. They are all so adorable and friendly! I am looking forward to spending lots of time with them over the next two weeks.

Magan.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Day 2
“Excuse me sister – but how are old are you?” 5th Grade Student – Grace School


Questions, Questions – how different it is to experience a place/culture that actually wants to know about us. People really do care who are family members are – our current marital status and real hair color. But everyone is inquisitive – even the local people who stare as we walk along the crowded road – I wonder what they are thinking about us? Back at home its very easy to feel invisible – here we are really seen.

Today started with me heading off to Grace school and Megan to Assisi Illam. I felt pretty confident that I could handle whatever came my way having done similar work last year . Keeping the younger kids quiet is a challenge no matter where you are. I loaded the backback up with books – crayons – paper and flash cards. The goal is to get the kids speaking – reading and writing English – the way you do depends on the day – the kids – your energy level and patience. First grade – second grade – third grade – all went quickly and smoothly – having brought stickers – I knew things would be ok. Megan shared with us that her first morning wasn’t as easy – remembering those nursery rhymes, songs and dances didn’t come back to her as quickly as she had hoped but admitted she would be better prepared tomorrow. After lunch we went back to Grace School to work with the 4th and 5th Graders – more introductions – more stories and new methods of keeping the kids engaged seemed a bit easier. In my last class – we added up all the kids ages – family members and pets living in the house. The kids loved this exercise – afterall the class was 76 years old – with 99 inhabitants living in their homes! I have to admit that I was also excited about this exercise because It wasn’t planned. Once back at the guest house Megan and I admitted to needing some good ole American caffine and sugar to sustain us for the rest of the day – so off we went to buy the “forbidden fruits” of pepsi and chocolate. After dinner SEAMS was once again a joy as you walk in and are so happily greeted by what seems to be some of the happiest kids I know – who would have ever guessed that that were living in an orphanage. Studying math and reading for an hour with fun activities was admitted by Megan and myself. What a joy these kids are to work with despite the heat – humidity and mosquito bites. Early night – we’re both tired!

Laura

Tuesday, October 12, 2010


 Day 3

To the world you may just be someone, but to someone you may be the world.

It was great to see how excited the children were to see us again at daycare and school! Things went better this morning at Assisi Illam, thanks to YouTube. I watched some videos of nursery rhymes after breakfast to help me remember the words and hand motions. To all of you future volunteers reading this blog, YouTube will be your best friend if you need help with nursery rhymes! Today at Assisi we learned about animals. Laura brought the cutest elephant puppet, which she let me borrow for the toddlers. They loved it! We also played the children’s favorite game: Juice Banana. It is like our “Duck, Duck, Goose” game but instead of saying “duck” and “goose” the children say “Juice Banana” as they tap each head. The kids think this game is hilarious.

Laura and I were greeted at Grace School by two girls who had written a note for us. The note was very sweet, telling us how the girls liked us so much. They also wrote that Laura has pretty hair and clothes (which she does ). I had a good lesson with the 5th graders, we worked on adjectives and sentence structure. The 4th grade kids were rowdy today compared to yesterday, but we still had a good time learning. Laura shared with me that she had a good time with the children also, but agreed that they were a bit rowdy today.

At SEAMs we had our same groups as yesterday, which made the kids happy. Laura had great success with a game she used yesterday with her group of 5th graders. I tried this same game with my 4th graders but found that they were not quite advanced enough for it yet. Instead we spent the evening doing math (their favorite thing to learn) and playing “Snap Card.” I am still not exactly sure what “Snap Card” is but it seemed a lot like the old game “Memory” that I played as a kid. Each time they picked a card, they would read the word on it by spelling it/sounding it out. Many of the words were new to them, so it was a good exercise

Over all it was a good day today. I am looking forward to see what tomorrow brings.

Magan.

Wednesday – October 13, 2010

Day 4

“This is the first time Im doing anything like this and I’m worried that I’m not doing enough for the kids” Megan

Today started as the others this week – a hearty breakfast followed by our morning trips to Grace School and Issi Allam. The first graders were much more attentive today as one of the teachers reminded them that they are to keep quiet so mam could teach them. The second graders read a book called Five Scarey Monsters – sang a song about them and then drew a picture of their favorite one. The 3rd grade class did addition and subtraction problems all the way across the blackboard. Ive discovered the kids love to read in front of the class – answer questions – write on the blackboard and choose their own crayon color!

Megan shared that the day care children were back to their high energy state and she was challenged to keep them focused. But she will continue to reinvent and watch more YouTube videos for nursery rhymes.

We had a wonder traditional Indian lunch served on a banana leaf today complete with a local sweet called Ladu. The food continues to be wonderful.

Back to SEAMS late this afternoon – today I worked with the 4/5th grade girls instead of the boys. We read a book together on Ghandi and then they asked me to sing and dance. – I told them Id be happy to watch them (sorry to say I haven’t danced in public in years). Megan also had a great time teaching the basics to some younger boys and being impressed at how smart some of the kids are! Stephen reminded us that each volunteer is critical to the success of the childrens growth and development in English so we should ever think our contributions are small.

Laura

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Day 5

“Did you put gel on your face?” – Ashley, 5th Grade at Grace School


To describe South India as hot would be a major understatement! I feel like I have been sweating non-stop from the moment I stepped off the plane. It amazes me how no one here seems to sweat though, except for me . A student today asked if I had put gel on my face, because it was so shiny. When I explained that my face was shiny because of the heat, he just bobbled his head at me.

Today was much better at Assisi due to the children being well behaved. We spent the morning writing the alphabet on the black board, reading books, and (of course) playing Juice Banana. I was called out as “Juice!” today and ran around the circle chasing little Vinodinni as she giggled. These kids are so cute and special. While I find them to be a challenge, I am grateful for every moment I get to spend with them.

Good day at Grace School with the children. In 5th grade we read about Helen Keller, did math, and played Chalk Board Chain. The kids really enjoyed this game and tried to come up with the most difficult words they could, to out-do the other students. We played the same game in 4th grade, but here the students were competing to see how many words they could come up with before settling on one to write on the board. In 4th grade we also read a story and did classmate interviews. In this exercise a student would come to the front of the class to be interviewed by the other students. Each student would take turns asking a question of the student being interviewed. This exercise was helpful because it pushed the kids to form questions/sentences in ways they do not usually do. By the end of the exercise the children were laughing, trying to come up with random and silly questions. Some of them had much broader vocabularies than I expected!

SEAMs was fun as always! I worked with the younger boys and girls again on their alphabets while Laura worked with the older girls. She brought princess crowns for the girls to play with, which they loved! Laura took some great pictures of the girls dressed up like princesses.

It is hard to believe that tomorrow is Friday already! Time here is going so fast!

Magan.

Friday, October 15, 2010 – Day 5



“ Love is shown in actions not words”.


Its Friday already – the week went quickly. Settled into the routine now and finding the children a joy. Discovered that Ive forgotten so many math equations and have to double check the answers before telling the kids if they are correct or not. Never met kids before who asked to do math! Its back to English and reading on Monday. Tonite we took all the balls to SEAMS – the kids were so happy and enthusiastic! A little too much so as we also saw several of them crying after getting hit in the face or head with a swift kick from a hard soccer ball or two. But it was great and they really enjoyed the break from studying. Off to Pondicherry this weekend for some sightseeing – Megan and I are both looking forward to it.

Laura

Millinium Development Goals Achieved by this team from   October 05 to - october 08.

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.
 

Tuesday, October 05, 2010


“As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.” (Nelson Mandela)

Today we met the children at Grace School. All the students were eager to see us and we split up with Dustin working with forms 4 and 5 and Bill taking on forms 2 and 3. We met first with two of the teachers but did not get any guidance on what we should pursue. Accordingly, we did it on the fly (as seems to be the mantra here) although we had both been somewhat prepared for forms 4 and 5. The first day is difficult as we do not know what work has been covered or have any idea of the level of performance of any of the children. The two sessions went quickly and we had a brief break over lunch before heading back to SEAMS. Dustin worked with younger children on their English and Bill met with Shanthi, Surganyat, Kalibain and Rogesh. He worked on reading and reading comprehension. Neither was particularly successful as the noise level made hearing difficult. As noted earlier, the older children know the words and read just works, with no expression or understanding. Bill then jumped to Scrabble and the game progressed slowly with some assistance now and then. Rogesh understands the game but the other players seemed baffled. The game attracted a small vocal crowd and Bill can only hope that all tiles were recovered.

Bill

October 6, 2010

“Writing is good, thinking is better. Cleverness is good, patience is better. “

Hermann Hesse

Bill and I woke up early so we can have our regular Yoga session but apparently our Yoga instructor doesn’t work when it rains outside. So we were on our own…

With everything running a little late this morning we rushed through breakfast so we can make it on time to Grace School. We pretty much had the same schedule as yesterday. Bill will work with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders and I will work with 5th, 4th, and 2nd graders. Well today the entire 3rd grade class didn’t show up so we switched it up a little. I started with the 5th grade class. We practiced reading out loud and creating sentences. When time was up Bill and I got a quick break where we sat with Principal Esther and Teacher Selvi. They wanted to practice their English just as much as the children. They were very interested and Bill and my backgrounds. They asked many questions and we got to learn a lot about each other. After our break I taught the 4th graders. We practiced reading and writing and when time was up I finished the day with the higher kindergarten kids. We did all our ABCs, numbers, shapes, and colors. They weren’t part of the original schedule but they were a pleasure to work with. The Bell rang and it was time for lunch.

Bill, Stephan, Sheeba, and I all sat around the kitchen table and enjoyed a wonderful meal along with good conversation. There is always a new topic and something to learn about India from Stephan.

Back to SEAMs in the evening. We are coming down to our last few days. So I just stayed the course. I had Stephan split up the children and I worked with about 3 different groups on their English before time was up. Bill looked like he had a good game of scrabble going on the other side of the room.

We only have two more days left.

Dustin

Thursday, October 7, 2010

“The pursuit of truth and beauty is a sphere of activity in which we are permitted to remain children all our lives.” (Albert Einstein)

Our tour of service is coming to an end and we have already started reflecting on the experience. We did what we could with such a small team and can only hope we had a positive effect on the children we had the pleasure and privilege to work with. Working at Grace School is challenging and exhausting but the children are eager learners, delighted to see us each morning and enjoying a break from the rigorous discipline that I sense pervades when the “substitute” shows up! I worked with forms 1, 2 and 3 today. Yesterday form 3 was not in attendance because of a “malady” or just because they were “absent”—take your pick. Dustin worked with forms 4 and 5 and then was introduced to the kindergarten, which tested his skills as an organizer and presenter. At the break we enjoyed another conversation with the teachers with them asking all the questions and the two of us giving all the answers. They looked at pictures Dustin brought and asked us to bring cameras tomorrow.

At SEAMS, Dustin worked with flash cards and at the chalkboard with the younger girls, which they enjoyed immensely. I took over the laptop and tried to get Shanthi, Kaliban and Rogesh to create a story. I wanted them to use their imagination and prodded them with opening sentences and ideas but they stuck to the basics of their life, school and study. I realize this type of exercise is outside of their curriculum but hoped against hope that they would seize the opportunity to let their minds wander far from SEAMS and the environment at home. The exercise was a bust. Hari bowed out without trying, as is his way; Kaliban got frustrated; Shanthi picked up her accounting book; and Rogesh stuck with me but managed only a few times to get away from the world as he knows it.

For dinner we went to the Grand Residence and enjoyed dining on the roof-top terrace. We also had a good laugh when they forgot to bring Stephen’s order of fish that came as chicken and failed to get dessert because they simply did not get around to dessert today!!!

Bil

"Everything happens for a reason."


Kendrick Cloud

October 8th, 2010
Well here it is my final journal entry for team #93.

Bill and I woke up and headed out to Grace School for our final day. Not knowing what to expect like most days, I packed the bag full of just about every teaching supply available.. I taught all 3 classes like a pro (well the best I could) and even let each class finish with coloring. At the end we sat with Esther and Selvi. Said our goodbyes and were able to take some photos. Unlike the kids at SEAM, the Grace kids were more interested in lunch then pictures.
So that was it! Bill and I completed all 3 weeks teaching English I’m an official Global Volunteer! There was only thing left to do is say goodbye to the SEAM kids. So in the evening we headed over to SEAM. They have done this many times but it was all new to me. I really don’t like goodbyes and really enjoyed the last 3 weeks at SEAM.

The kids had a going away celebration ready for us. They sang a few songs and even did a few dances. Bill got up and sang "This land is your land" and even put his own twist to it. We bought some cookies handed them out and spent the rest of the night just saying our goodbyes. Words cant describe the way this made me feel. I hope the kids learned just as much from me as I learned from them.

This was an amazing program and coming into this I did not know what to expect. It was probably better that way because we needed to be flexible and patient. That and a few other things to be the successful team we were. I have so many memories. Cows in the street, horns beeping, controlled traffic chaos, smiling faces, the heat and humidity, the list goes on. I met a young girl in the streets the 2nd day we were here and she was just so nice and welcoming, it turned out that she was one of my 4th grade students. I didn’t realize it until tonight when Bill and I shared some photos. And I will never forget my final day with Sophie at Assisi Home. It probably was day 14. She forced her way up to the second floor where I was teaching computers to the older kids and forced me to read flash cards. Well I shouldn’t say force cause I don’t think I could say noJ

I just wanted to thank all the children, their hosts, the local team, Bill, Global Volunteers, and all my friends and family back home.

Dustin

Official Global Volunteer - India


"Goodbyes are not forever.


Goodbyes are not the end.


They simply mean I'll miss you


Until we meet again!"


~Author

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

----------------------------------------------------------------

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