Anne Daftary
Today is the last day of the two week program and we will be saying goodbye to our precious “aunties”. Birgit will be going home to Seattle, Wa loaded with gifts for friends and family and to teach her grandchildren Indian manners! Eula returns to Tucson, Az to the residents of her long term care facility to continue her loving care and Jenifer flys on to China for a two week tour before returning home to Hyannis, Mass.
Breakfast was a happy and melancholy affair as we took a look back at the last two weeks to reflect on our successes and near misses. E mail addresses were exchanged with promises of sharing some of the wonderful photos taken. A tearful Jenifer read her journal and the rest of us started tearing up. Stephen went over the itinerary for those of us remaining for the third week and who are embarking on an overnight train trip to Kanyakumari on the southernmost tip of India.
Off to work, the four aunties did numbers and ABCs and played a Nursery Rhyme DVD for all the children. Helen and Peter finished up painting the gates at St. Josephs, Margery class thought she must be sick because she was leaving to take a rail trip. After two weeks, Rae is starting to lose her voice, maybe because she started doing ten little monkeys instead of five.
Our final good byes to Eula, Birgit and Jenifer made, we were off to the train station with Stephen. He saw us onto the correct train compartment and advised us in Indian train etiquette. Then, left on our own, we settled in for the trip. Dinner consisted of chips and an occasional peanut butter and jelly sandwich and oranges. Larry offered Biscuits to his fellow Indian travelers and of course they all refused. Could he be the infamous “American Biscuit Bandit”? After some interesting acrobatics we all settled into our lofty bunks. Peter had to swap for a middle because the air conditioning was too intense. Lights out and Kanykumari here we come.
Quote for the Day: “ Be the change you want to see.” Mahatma Gandhi
No comments:
Post a Comment