India Service Program Blog

Sunday, 24 July, 2011

"We should come home from adventures, and perils, and discoveries every day with new experience and character" -Henry David Thoreau

Wild Mongoose, black bear, water buffalo, eagle, warthogs, deer and two kinds of monkeys were some of the animals that we saw today in the Mudumalai forest. As I lie in the bed high up in the trees, (I am sleeping in a treehouse in the Safari Land resort!) and listen to the stream below and the calls of the animals outside, I am still trying to take it all in. We woke up early this morning on the the sleeper train from Chennai to Mysore. Some of us slept better than others in the cramped quarters but spirits were high as Stephen found a cab and we headed to a restaurant for breakfast. It was a combination of Indian and American food. I had toast, papaya and coffee. Then we began our two hour drive to the forest. There was a little "hiccup" when the taxi ran out of gas, but this was quickly remedied by the gas station located less than a quarter of a mile away. The volunteers all slept for some of the ride but woke to see fields of blooming sunflowers followed later by the entrance to the forest.

It was quite a change from Chennai There is lots of green and the air is cool. The forest is so large it covers parts of of three states. We drove through it for an hour or so on our ever elusive search for wild elephants. Although we have not yet spotted a wild one we have seen some others that were working for their owners. Then we arrived at the Safari Land resort where we are staying for our visit. After lunch Sylvie and Katie napped while Marion and I explored the grounds with Stephen, Sheeba and Roshan. We played on the slide and swings with Roshan and then Sheeba showed us all of the the fruits that were growing around us; mangoes, sweet limes, and small oranges were the ones I recognized. She also showed us this amazing ground cover that looks like a one inch long fern. When you touch it the leaves fold in on themselves so that it looks like a little dried stick. This must be how it protects itself from the goats that Sheba says like to eat it. Marion and I spent the next half hour finding these plants, touching them and watching them fold. They open up again after a few minutes. At 4:30, after a quick cup of coffee or tea, we left for a two hour jeep tour of the forest. The part we were in is nestled by the mountains of Nilgiri which made a beautiful backdrop for the tour. This is when we saw most of those animals I mentioned above while braving a heavy rainstorm in the open jeep. Dinner was a buffet at the Resort Land including French fries, macaroni and cheese along with some Indian favorites of biriyani and naan. We are going to bed early to be ready for a 6:45 a.m. departure for an elephant ride. This is great!

Heather

Celebrating 100th Team in India

Celebrating 100th Team in India

Saturday, 23 July, 2011

“The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are”

Today started off like any other work day except for the fact that it was Saturday and breakfast would be later. Since we're scheduled to go to Mysore via overnight train, our weekend became Sunday and Monday instead of Saturday and Sunday. So, like usual, we all headed out for Assisi. Today, they were throwing a celebration and the kids who live there that we don't normally get the pleasure to see were there. They were dressed in their best from frilly skirts and tops to clean shirts and jeans. Katie and Alex, a boy helping out at the orphanage, began giving the children bracelets and headbands made of sparkly ribbon which the children loved. I spoke to some little girls who taught me some silly dances and would stand on my feet as I walked. They wore purple sparkly dresses and all had jasmine in their hair. Soon all the children had came downstairs and we sat down to watch the celebration begin. A girl named Priya, who wasn't one of the children dancing, sat on my lap as we watched the older and younger kids dance. Some performances were well synchronized, full of colorful outfits and dance moves. Others were silly, children laughing or making up their own dances. Afterwords, we played games, starting with who-can-finish-their-banana-first. I specifically remember after this game, Sheeba came up to us and announced Roshan had placed last as he gleefully held up his banana, barely touched. Next was some sort of balloon game where the children tried to pop each others balloons while running around in circles. Lastly, the volunteers, nuns, and Alex played musical chairs. Katie and I joked about how vicious we would get during playing, already circling the chairs. The game was still a lot of fun and for some reason it didn't surprise me Sister Rose won first, pushing Alex off the chair. After that, awards were given, including presents and flowers to the volunteers. Sylvie and I gleefully pawed at our presents, wondering what could be inside. Like children. Next we had lunch of vegetable briyani, beets, cucumber-yogurt salad and some soup. It was all delicious and after every bite, the children next to me would yell "Suuuppeerr!". Soon after, we drove home for a relaxing afternoon before SEAMs. We went shopping, where we all bought something and explored the stores. We packed for the overnight train and left for SEAMs early. Tonight we had one-on-ones as usual, but I was nervous about working with a seventeen year old, Charon; what can I teach to someone older than me? It turns out the answer is rhymes and reading comprehension. After Charon, I spoke with Siva and Charons older brother, Kabilan. We all joked around and overall, couldn't stop laughing. As always, I was sad to leave SEAMs when the time came, high-fiving and handshaking everyone goodbye. But we hurried home, taking quick showers and eating dinner before leaving for the train. We got there right on time, finding our "berths" and quickly dibs-ing which one we wanted (top bunk!). We stayed up till around ten, before one by one we all headed for bed, snuggling into our blankets, stuffing earplugs in, and hoping we wouldn't roll off.

Marion

Celebrating 100th Team in India

Celebrating 100th Team in India

 

Thursday, 21 July, 2011

‘The happiness of one's own heart alone cannot satisfy the soul; one must try to include, as necessary to one's own happiness, the happiness of others.’  Paramahansa Yogananda

Day 13 began with the charming diversity of bird’s songs and the first rays of sun.  The promise of a beautiful, hot and sunny day in Porur.

As usual, the team and our kind hosts shared a delicious breakfast before starting the daily schedule.  Heather, Marion at Assisi Illam as for Katie and myself at Grace School.  Needless to say that it is always a new pleasure to be with the children day after.

By the way, our friendly driver Stephen just purchased a new car which he was proud to show us all.  And fortunately, we have been lucky enough to try it! 

As our daily activities followed the usual rythmn, a very special one took place today : a drawing contest for all the children of Grace School and SEAM as well.  Katie, Heather, Marion and I had a lot of fun watching them all concentrated on their white sheet of paper which slowly but surely revealed shapes and colors.  We spent unforgettable moments at both places, observing them all, the young and the old, drawing and erasing, drawing and erasing again and again!  The result has been just amazing.  After a couple of hours of intense creative work, plenty of colorful mountains, flowers, fruits, birds, butterflies, pumas, etc. appeared before our eyes.  And the challenge did not stop there.  After eating a splendid meal for supper, the team, Sheeba and Stephen had the challenge to decide who would be the winner for each grade.  Personally, I would have all given them the first price!  They all deserve it!  By next week, the students will found out about the winners of this fun contest!  I just cannot wait to see their reactions, and I hope that from now on, this new activity will take place every year.

Ho yes, before ending here, I have to add that the team also spent the day with a new movie star : Roshan in person!  The little boy just looked so cool with like his new sunglasses.  A star is born, and I am positively sure that he has a great future in front of him.  For real.

Sylvie

Celebrating 100th Team in India

Celebrating 100th Team in India

Wednesday, 20 July, 2011.

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. - Theodore Roosevelt

Today was a "regular" day, which is a good thing. We have been so busy with the children and traveling and shopping that we have not really had much down time. I am not complaining, I am just observing.
This morning, after a breakfast of eggs, noodles and mango, Katie and Sylvie went to the Grace School and Marion and I headed off to Asissi. Now that it is the third day I recognize the children and they recognize me and they don't always cry when they see me. Sanjay and his cousin were happy today and had a lot of fun combining the blocks to make a tall tower. They kept asking me to count how many blocks they used, not with their words, but with their gestures. They took pride in making them as tall as they could. Karthic, the five-year-old boy who is living at Assisi and waiting till next year to go to school counted with me. Marion spent most of the day watching Athina, an strong willed thirteen-month-old, making sure she did not ingest any small toys or take any from the others. Danny finally came out of the kitchen to look at some books and fell asleep on Marion's lap, which was fine, but hot for Marion. We practiced some English with the children as we played with the blocks and books and the plastic jungle animals that we brought with us.

I also got to meet Arockia Das Christu Raj, a priest who is a friend of Sister Rose's at Assisi orphanage. He is an intelligent and widely travelled man who spoke with me for a while then enthusiastically asked if I was on Facebook and could he "friend me.” I said yes and, right then and there, he sent the request, had me sign on to my account and accept it. For the next few minutes we looked at each others pictures and interests but then it was time to leave.

Stephen's brother, Stephen, who is also our driver, was trying to buy a new van today so we travelled by an auto rickshaw. This experience brought the road, and traffic, even closer to us. I could have touched a hundred people simply by poking my finger out the side of the windowless carriage. Wisdom prevailed however and I refrained. We got home safely for a lunch of poori, a yummy deep fried bread, spinach and cauliflower curries, jackfruit (an Asian fruit which can grow to 83 pounds and feed a family of at least ten) and mangos. Katie and Sylvie gamely ate the mangos like Indians, by peeling and eating the fruit as we would an apple. It was very messy and entertaining.

After lunch, Marion and I headed to the Grace School where we met the headmaster's parrot named Becky and an 8-month-old boy Samil, from upstairs, who was eating his lunch and visiting. Then we headed to our respective classrooms to teach the exuberant children some English. Marion's class was visited by a tailless lizard, whom they named Peanut, making good use off the compound word lesson Marion was teaching. I worked on shapes and word scrambles with the first and second grades.

After a brief rest at home we headed back to SEAMS to continue our one-on-one tutoring sessions. For the life of me I cannot remember anyone's name, but that does nor seems to bother the children as they enjoy asking me who they are and laughing when I give the wrong answer. The other volunteers are so much better at this than I am. Today I worked with Sneha who sat touching my side as we sounded out our book. Then, as it was almost time to leave, we played tic-tac-toe. I loved seeing the glee on her face as she won her games.

Another American dinner from Pizza Hut with coca-cola. Marion was in heaven. Tomorrow are looking forward to judging the Grace School's 100th team coloring contest!

Heather

Celebrating 100th Team in India

Celebrating 100th Team in India

Tuesday, 19 July, 2011

We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give. - Winston Churchill
Day 10

The team has recovered from our weekend out of town, but this is going to be a busy week. There are many extra activities to look forward to. There is a performance at Assisi Illam scheduled, as well as a dinner at Stephen's parents' house. We also hope to catch a classical dance performance and maybe even a Tamil movie.

In addition, we have a busy teaching schedule to keep up with. There are classes in the morning and afternoon, and English conversations in the evenings. We have each settled into our new teaching assignments. Sylvie teaches the 1st and 2nd graders, and I teach the 4th and 5th. We both teach the third grade in the mornings, but the other classes do not get shortchanged, because they get either Marion or Heather in the afternoons. By 5th grade (or 5th Standard as it is called here) the students are able to carry on conversations, and they can read basic books pretty well. Stephen says they do better than average students on English examinations because of their work with Global Volunteers.

In the afternoon while Heather and Marion were teaching, Sylvie and I decided to explore the neighborhood. There are daily power cuts in Chennai, so we left the house during the hour that the power would be switched off (and hence no air conditioning). We bought some much needed chalk and tape for the Grace School, and we purchased bangles and bindis at a local jewelry store. However, I think our biggest accomplishment of the day was crossing the busy main road without being hit by an auto rickshaw, motorbike, car, or bus. Traffic in Chennai makes New York look like a small village. We returned safely to the guesthouse, and then went to our evening session at SEAMs.

Admittedly, we cut our evening session a little short to go shopping in downtown Chennai, but one cannot go to India without visiting the clothing and jewelry shops (especially when you are with a team of women). And looked at in another light we were "learning more about Indian culture," which is one of our team goals after all.

Katie

Celebrating 100th Team in India

Celebrating 100th Team in India

Monday, 18 July, 2011

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

Today we woke up stumbled downstairs to breakfast. We're all still tried from the long weekend, jam-packed with adventure. We were welcomed with a breakfast of rice cakes with coconut chutney and eggs mixed with cheese and green pepper. I washed my down with some left over mango juice from the week. Mmmm. It's the first day of switched schedules, so Heather and I left for Assisi. I was pretty nervous as I rarely work with children this age and wasn't sure how to handle them. When we got there, some children were crying and others were running around. But soon after, a little girl fell into my legs and looked up with eyes that were ready to burst with tears. I immediately held her hand and said soothing words to her in a language she couldn't understand. Still she calmed down, and within a few minutes (with the help of some ridiculous dance moves) I got her to laugh and smile. After that, time at Assisi became a blur. One minute I was playing with blocks and the next coloring with crayons. When Stephen and Roshan (adorable in his school uniform)  arrived to pick us up, the children were sad to see us go. We went home for a lunch of Lemon rice (my favorite), cabbage, beets, and mango. While Katie and Sylvie were done till SEAMS, Heather and I still had work at The Grace School. I was comforted to see familiar faces and calmed down from my rambunctious morning. Before I knew it,  it was the last class and I was high-fiving student’s goodbye. We went home and shared our days with the rest of the team. After some relaxing and reading (yes Dad, on the kindle) we left for SEAMS. Katie and I made a quick stop on the way to get fitted for our Saris (which shall be done by Thursday. Yay!). At SEAMS, we did the regular one-on-ones, reading \ books and discussing school. I especially had fun playing with Tamil and John, two boys around my own age, as I owned them at Hangman AND managed to correct their spelling. We ended the day waving goodbye to the children and telling them we'll see them tomorrow. We went home for a wonderful meal of chickpea-potato curry,  white rice, flatbread, and squash before returning to bed, ready for some well needed sleep.

Marion

Celebrating 100th Team in India

Celebrating 100th Team in India