Wednesday, 6th July 2011.

“So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth". - Baha'u'llah (an Iranian theologian and philosopher)

Today marked the middle of our third and final week here in India.  It was yet another wonderful day.  Again, we started the day with a good breakfast.  As always, I anxiously waited to see what food would be waiting in the container, ready for my indulgence.  To my surprise, it was a new food! Pungul.  I liked it. I would say that I like the dosa or kasari more; however, this was pretty good. I was sure to remember the name of it as everyday at Grace the teachers as me what I had for breakfast. I have been doing a good job of remembering the names the past week and a half whereas before I would scrunch my shoulders and state, “Uhhh, ummm, a yellowish dish”. Much confusion across their faces.

Today I told me students that I only have a couple days left and I will then be flying on a plane back to America.  They were curious, asked a lot of questions and stated, “So you will be back next week?”  So, I then explained it again. Aw, awwwwwww, they said. “So you will be back next year?”  I responded by saying to them I will miss them dearly and hope to someday come back to India.  They seemed satisfied with this answer.  In my first grade class we played number BINGO. Oh wow, this is quite the activity with the group. Every time they get a number on their card each and every student, every time, and I mean EVERY time, needs to inform me they got that number by shouting, “Mam, mam” and they will not stop until I confirm with a head nod that they do indeed have that number. Needless to say, I do not think I would attempt this activity with them again; however, they sure did enjoy it so I was happy with that. The bell rang and each of the 1^st graders lined up to give me their daily hugs and then they grab my head to pull it down for a kiss on the cheek.  This has been our routine for the past week. I must say, it is so very sweet and a great way to end the class.  I only had 3 students in my 2^nd grade class today.  Although a small group, we sure did have a lot of fun. They are clearly great friends and care a lot about each other. It is so nice to see.  Again, our daily routine of a big, giant, squeeze of a hug and then out the door.  I am always in such a pleasant and content mood after seeing my 2^nd graders. On to my third graders I go. The time with my 3^rd grade always passes so quickly. Before I know it the bell has rang and they are on to lunch. One little boy in this class, Victor, just fascinates me. I have written about him before. Victor is always lost in space, thinking about something else. Always the last to finish his work. However, he is so incredibly smart. His cute little face always scrunches up, evident that he is thinking so very hard about something.  He is my translator as well. If I cannot get a message across to my students clearly, he will translate my English into Tamil for the other students to understand.  This child, clearly, has a bright future ahead of him. He probably has the most English out of any of the students I have met in Chennai!

During lunch time I again chatted with the teachers.  We always have fun conversations and many of them are quite interesting as well. Today I wore a beautiful blue saree. I was looking pretty fancy and also pretty Indian today! I had my blue saree, a bindi, jasmine flowers in my hair, bangles, and a beautiful blue necklace (many thanks to Sheeba for helping me blend in with India!).  The teachers had much to say about my dress today. It was a fun conversation. We also talked about how few days I have left in India and how we are all feeling sad about that. It will be sad to leave everyone I have met here in India. Great relationships have been formed.

Again, in the evening, we all headed over to SEAMS where Zach and I went through the routine, working one on one with the children.  As always, such loving, gentle, heartfelt kids are at SEAMS. Eager to please, eager to learn and eager to be loved.  One thing that I have recognized even more from the children and this trip to India is that it doesn’t matter what color our skin is, what religion we are affiliated with or what country we come from, for we are all the same underneath. All of us want to just be loved and cared for, the most important thing in life. All of us just want to laugh and be joyful. We all have that same inner need. I believe that if the world could recognize this, we would be more easily united. I do believe we continue to get closer to that and that is why I love global volunteers. It is a program that helps to unite countries and gain respect for each other through acts of service.

Naomi

July 5, 2011

Today we began our third week working with the children. We spent an amazing week in the forest this past weekend but I must admit, as wonderful as it was, I was ready to get back to Chennai and work with the children again!

Greeted again by their wonderful smiles, beautiful eyes, kisses on the cheek and their prideful exclamations of knowing my name, I again felt that reassuring feeling as to why I came to India, to impact the children in some way, shape or form.  I truly hope that the hugs I give, the lessons I teach, and the care I render will affect the children in some form after I leave.

My first graders worked on their shapes today, something they appear to struggle with. An activity at the board followed by a drawing activity on shapes, appeared to hold their attention well today. Of course, there were those whispers on the side, jumping out of the seat, and the constant “mam, mam” to get my attention so I could see the work they did, were all present, however, they worked pretty hard.  My second graders were again sweet as pie. Happy to greet me with the greeting song they had learned.  They are so sweet as the always want to be as helpful as possible; erasing the board for me, turning on the fan, placing my bag of supplies in a good spot, whatever they could do to help.  My last group, the 3^rd graders, did their regular routine, a morning message, question of the day and then various work activities. One of the boys had a piece of wood that was covered with some blue crayon.  It was a piece of “art” he had made me over the weekend. The gesture was so sweet as this piece of wood was nothing but a scrap, however, the thought and love he put into it made it a treasured artifact.  Another great day at Grace school. I never leave that school without smiling on my way out.

We ate a great lunch today, as always. A couple of my favorites were present, Chapatti bread and also mangos. Give me those to things at any meal and I am one happy girl. I am realizing how much I am going to miss this food. I look forward to opening the round containers at each meal to see what pleasantly awaits us. I am always happy with what it is because I have liked everything. My two cups of coffee in the morning and the delicious meals will be missed terribly!  Tomorrow night we will be learning how to make a few items we have come to love. I know they will not turn out near as good as Roni’s, however, I hope I can master a portion of the deliciousness so I can continue to eat some of this divine food at home.

After lunch and a MUCH needed nap from the weekend, we headed over to SEAMS. Zach and I both worked one on one with the children again. I love their eagerness to work with us and learn.  One of the girls, Saranya, was so funny as all she could do was giggle and hide her head in my arm. It took some time getting started on our work. I giggled along with her though as I just could not help it.  Toward the end of our time together so begged, and I mean begged, for just one more book mam, just one more.  I have into one. Then she did it again. I now had to figure out how to say no more books (which is so hard for me to say to child when they beg to read). Putting all the books into my backpack and zipping it up appeared to do the trick!  I worked with about 4 children tonight, seesawing between working and talking with each one.  Such impressions they each leave on me. Such sweet kids. The end of the night all of the sudden got a little out of control as it appeared they just wanted to play. But, all in all, it was a successful night, another night of memories.  Only 3 days left to make as many memories as possible with the children.  I will miss them, that is one thing I know to be true.

Don't spend your precious time asking "why isn't the world a better place?" It will only be a waste of time. The question to ask is "How can I make it better?”

Naomi

July 3 – 5, 2011

This past weekend was quite the experience. We hopped on our overnight train to the town of Mysore. No I have never experienced an Indian train ride nor have I heard of the “vast” accommodations on these trains. However, it was definitely worth the crammed sleeping conditions and constant sounds of “coffee coffee chai chai”. When we arrived in Mysore we were greeted by our driver and headed to a small restaurant for a simple breakfast. Then into the forest (more like jungle) we went. The car took us to a small village where Naomi, Stephen, and I were met by our jungle expert. He took us deep into the center of the jungle to a small coffee plantation. On this plantation rested two beautiful cottages with simple living necessities. Here, amenities included an electric fence to warn off strange pretenders as well as a very nice viewing point. We unpacked, showered, and rested on the terraces admiring the absolute magnificence of the nature. Around 5pm we headed out onto our jeep safari. The forest was so quiet, and almost no animals were to be seen. We searched for nearly an hour, until the driver brought us to the main road where it seemed all the action was. Our drive spotted a few elephants in the distance and instructed us to remain silent. We admired the beasts from a distance and eventually moved on. Throughout the night we heard sounds of peacocks, bison, elephants, various birds, and leopards. The jungle seemed to be filled with hidden creatures that dared not to reveal their identity. After, we ate dinner on the terrace and listened into the jungle. Upon finishing, we sat in the dark listening for any animals who decided to indulge in the tasty salt laid out by our hosts. Suddenly, the mahout called that an elephant was close by. After a moment, he shined the mega flashlight into the night and there stood a magnificent baby elephant. We searched around for the mother, but she was no where to be found. The baby elephant eventually fled, and we remained in silence. Upon going to bed, I heard the sounds of something else strange outside our cottage. I woke Stephen up to find that an elephant and two bison made their way to the salty treats! We admired for a bit and went back to bed. The next morning we woke up promptly at 5:30am (yes that early) to attempt to go on an elephant ride through the jungle. The elephants were booked so we did some sight seeing instead. Throughout the village and forest we could see spectacular views of the large mountainous terrain. There exists on the top of the colossal mountains a village called Ooty. Ooty is home to tribal Indians who have rested there for a long time. Although many of these smaller villages are filled with nothing but unemployed drunks who enjoy their lifestyle of mooching off the government, I found the idea of living on top a huge mountain very interesting.

            After our failed attempt at the elephant we headed to a small sanctuary for elephants where Naomi, Stephen, and I got to touch and see a baby elephant. This little fella was only 1 year old and was no bigger than the size of a SmartCar. He was very playful and watching his trunk flail around in the air and grabbing string was very entertaining. Later, we trekked through the jungle where we only saw some spotted deer. It seemed as though the animals knew we were coming much sooner than we knew where they were. It was disappointing walking around so much and not seeing much. However, the sights were so gorgeous. As we rested by a rock briefly, our mahout noticed an elephant at a distance. It was a baby and a mama elephant. We watched in silence at these beauts, and admired their natural habitat that they lived. The mother and baby elephant seemed so natural and untouched, and I really admired that. The forest was extremely silent, with air only pierced by the sounds of wild birds and tiny insects. We packed up back at our temporary home, and made the long drive back to the village. Naomi and I proudly received complementary chiropractic adjustments by the generosity of the 4x4 jeep. As there are no roads per say, it was a bumpy ride to say the least. Rocks, dirt, mud, and lack of pavement seemed like no problem for this bustling vehicle. Our driver, as fearless as he was, seemed as he was taking it easy on the roads too. American roads have nothing on those in the jungle, that’s for sure! We started the drive back to Meysore an incredible palace. Here, we saw beautiful gold architecture, amazing dancing halls, and some authentic ivory-crested doors. The king of this palace was amazingly wealthy, and this obvious. Throughout the early 1900’s he was perceived as more of an idol, and when his former palace burnt down. An outstanding new palace was built at the low cost of only $100,000. If I could build that structure today at that same price I would definitely be taking out some loans. The architecture, history, and numerous artifacts were unbelievable to say the least. The palace had 12 temples located just on the grounds alone. There I got to ride my elephant around the palace (in the heavy downfall of rain) and admire the true gem of India. Later, we visited the marketplace that was hustling and bustling with hundreds of visitors and thousands of vendors. The true lifestyle of an average Indian could be seen in this small, crowded marketplace. Young boys preparing vegetables for sale and desperate men trying to sell their bananas next to 5 other people selling the same bananas was a common experience. The market was crammed with vendors, but few buyers were on the grounds. It was quite the experience seeing young boys trying to lure us in by saying “hello hello where are you from”. We then boarded the train out of Meysore and enjoyed the absolutely spectacular accommodations of the Southern Indian Railroad. The next morning Naomi headed to Grace and I headed to Assisi. The kids at Assisi were a bit difficult yesterday but it also may have been to my lack of sleep. As I have spent more time getting to know each child they seem to really feel more comfortable around me. The boys and girls each gave me a kiss on the cheek before I left, and it made me feel sooo special and important in their lives. That is why leaving India will be such a difficult thing for me. The kids at Assisi, Grace, and SEAMS all are purely amazing. At Grace, I worked with the kids on using a given noun in a sentence, and finished with letting them do some creative drawing. It’s quite comical how they always want to draw a house or some sort of an animal. I started to get creative and made one draw a dancing Veejay (a popular Indian actor/singer) and another draw an auto rickshaw in the forest and another draw a monster under a bed. They enjoyed these challenges and it helped to break them from the mold of traditional schooling, which I believe is important in all educational aspects. At SEAMS, we spent more time with the kids individually working on their English reading and conversational skills. The children always jump at the opportunity to read a book, but their attention span is quite short. It is necessary to come prepared with multiple activities and to always ‘play’ with the children in some way. I personally enjoy tickling them! The kids enjoyed some cake and then we had a bit of free-for-all time. Naomi and I were exhausted so we then headed back to the guest house and to simply put it…… slept like rocks. I’m anxious to come back home, but every time I’m spending time with the children it makes me want to stay for 2 more weeks soooo badly. The kids seem to love Naomi and me, and it will definitely be difficult heading back home after what seems sooo soon, yet so long.

Zach

July 1, 2011

“Love is when the other person's happiness is more important than your own.”

This quote was chosen after visiting SEAMS tonight. Tonight at SEAMS I sat next to a young boy, who is 14 years old. I have been quite fond of this young man since the beginning of this trip. He has a constant smile, takes such care of the other children, and has such a sweet, gentle heart. Some members of the community came into SEAMS tonight to give some food to the children: a banana, crackers, and a rice-crispy ball. We were advised to not take the food (for health precautions). This young boy next to me realized I did not have any food (unknowing of the fact that I had declined) and he offered me his banana and crackers. Of course I politely declined his offer, however, I think this is something I will never forget. This child does not have a whole lot in life, however, he recognized I didn’t have anything and offered his food to me. My heart literally melted by his generous offer. It was a clear example of how people should live; with self-less love and generosity.

We have been in India for two weeks. My feelings of India, the children, the things I have learned, the places I have seen, the people I have met, the culture, they are all almost indescribable. I talked with my future husband on Skype this evening and told him we must come back together. Even if he does not come, I know I will for sure come back. This has been an amazing two weeks and I look forward to the third week. Yes, I am missing things back at home, however, I also feel a comfort here in India. I look forward to seeing my students at Grace each day, the children at SEAMS each night, the teachers, our hosts, Stephen, Sheeba, and Roshan, and everyone else we meat along the way. It has been a far better trip then I ever would have expected. They say that India is one of the hardest Global Volunteer trips. As a past volunteer in Ecuador, I would agree, this trip has been harder but, while I loved my experience in Ecuador, I have really grown quite fond of the India program and all that the program has given to me.

Today was a good day. I was really tired today as it was a hot, hot, hot one however, it was still a good day. My 2^nd grade class again greeted me as I walked into the room, singing the greeting I had taught them. So very very sweet. There are 4 young girls in my 2^nd grade class. We all have so much fun together. Each day we laugh and laugh and laugh. We are probably a little bit too loud, but, I am okay with it as there is learning taking place and smiles on their faces. They now leave each day giving me a giant hug and saying “see you tomorrow, I’ll miss you”. Ok, heart melts again. I can see why volunteers come back again and again to India! My 3^rd graders had drawn more pictures and written more notes. The notes stated, “I love you mam”. Ok, again, melt my heart. These simple little handwritten notes are evidence that I have accomplished what I wanted to accomplish here; giving the children as much love and care as I possibly can. At lunch time one of my 1^st graders, who is as cute as a button but also tests my patience quite often, came over to where I was sitting on a bench, took my hand and just sat next to me for about 15 minutes. Ok, and again, melt my heart. These are the reasons why volunteering in India is so amazing.

At SEAMS tonight things became a little unstructured, however, it turned out to be a lot of fun actually. It is so very important to sit with the children to work on their English. However, once in a while having a “fun day” isn’t so bad! Zach and I worked with a couple of children and then the community members came in with food so we had to pause our work. It was then raining outside so the children could not go into the common area to play, read books, etc. so everybody was in the hall. Altogether, it did not lend to a good learning environment. So, we played 3 round of Simon Says in a big circle. This game tends to get very loud, however, I look around and I see so many smiles and so much laughter. After Simon Says we all just kind of hung out for a bit. I played many games of “hand slap”, “thumb war”, and “arm wrestling” with the boys. One of the older boys and I sat and played these games for quite some time. We were both rolling with laugher and were having a marvelous time. So, I thank the rain tonight as it provided us all with some fun times together and big smiles on everyone’s faces.

So, cheers to a wonderful third and last week in India. This week will be filled to the top with many emotions: sadness to leave, excitement to see our loved ones at home, reflection on our experience, and so much more. We leave tomorrow night for our train ride into the forest. I look forward to seeing a different part of India and experiencing more of the Indian culture! Luckily Zach is in charge of the journal entry because it will be cholk full of details!

Naomi

June 30, 2011

Today Naomi and I continued at Assisi, Grace, and SEAMS. I have been struggling with a young boy at Assisi named Setvet, he constantly hit the other children and loves to make the other kids cry. I have been trying to break him apart from the other children so they don’t get hurt, but it seems as soon as I sit him down; he’s back up and hitting the other kids. Danny wasn’t at Assisi today, so it was just me and the other children. They really love their building blocks! Sister Rose was not feeling well so it was basically Shiva and I who were watching the kids today. The younger boy, Rocshen, has been very quiet. The sisters told me he is very shy and never talks. I’ve noticed he always keeps to himself and never plays with any of the other children. Today, I picked him up, set him on the tricycle, and pushed him around the room. He all of a sudden was laughing a giggling, and he seemed like a whole new boy after that. He was interacting with me and loved the attention. Teaching the kids at Assisi is nearly impossible, as their attention span is about .25 seconds, but today I did manage to work on some English noun-recognition with them. When I got to Grace, I taught my fifth graders more sentence-formation and they are really starting to improve. The fourth graders still struggle, but they love the activities I plan for them! At SEAMS, Naomi and I have been working with the kids individually, and the results seem very effective. The boys absolutely love playing the “high-five game” and being lifted up into the air. They are sooo light because they weigh hardly anything that I even pick up the 13 year olds! Tonight, we headed to Stephen’s parent’s house for a lovely dinner. I could hardly eat all of the food on my plate, but I enjoyed everything. I was quite amazed at a young girl we met at Dinner. She lives above Stephen’s parent’s house with her husband. She seemed very unhappy with her arranged marriage, and almost depressed. She was sooooo excited when Naomi and I visited her home and she was very ecstatic to have “company” in her home. It was hard to hear how miserable she was, and not tell her to just leave her husband. I understand Indian culture is quite different from American’s, but my philosophy is, if you’re not happy, why would one put oneself through the torture. She sits at home all day cooking and cleaning. Her husband is never home cause he works 12 hour days, and she has no friends it seems like. My immediate response would be to do what she actually wants to and travel and see the world. However, the culture is different. If I had to force myself into a marriage and cope with the conditions, I would at least find a job (despite her mother and father-in laws demands). She should also find friends in the village and work towards accomplishing some sort of happiness in her life. India claims to be progressing in women’s rights and better-educated women. However, her story made me realize the customs that may still oppress women to an unimaginable extent. This experience was extremely impacting on my beliefs and my interpretation of the culture within the system.

Other than that, I am extremely homesick. I miss my family and my friends so much! All of my relatives and compadres are very supportive and excited for me to come home, but I just keep thinking about all the smiles on the kids’ faces when I walk through their gate. The gleam in their eyes when I teach absolutely stuns me. I truly believe I am making a difference in these children’s education, and I can’t wait to see how we can continue to progress throughout this trip. But I definitely still miss my home!

"You see, when weaving a blanket, and Indian woman leaves a flaw in the weaving of that blanket to let the soul out." -Martha Graham

I chose this because all cultures are flawed or different in some way. Society needs these flaws to work towards some progress and to uniquely identify themselves as human. Humans clearly are not all perfect, otherwise they would lose the essence of their soul; their spirit; and the foundation by which they live.

Zach

June 29, 2011

Think big thoughts but relish small pleasures. ~H. Jackson Brown, Jr

Half of the trip is over, half of it to go! Wow, I cannot believe how fast it is going. It is amazing! I cannot believe even more all the experiences I have had, memories I have made, new sights, sounds, smells I have experienced. We sure have packed in a lot in the last week and half. I have been told the next week will go so extremely fast so I am going to hold on tight and enjoy the ride!

Today was a typical day. We got up and enjoyed a good breakfast of Idly with peanut chutney, a hardboiled egg and of course, my two cups of coffee. It was then on to Grace School. Another wonderful day at Grace. My 1st graders were engaged with the lesson today which was wonderful. That makes the morning start off well. It was then on to the beautiful young ladies in my 2nd grade class where they were eager to sing to me the morning greeting song, "Stand Up", before I barely even entered the room. They were so proud that they knew the song. They now leave the classroom saying see you tomorrow and giving me a gigantic hug (oh, I wish I could take those sweet, large hugs home with me!). Last, my third graders who never, ever fail to make me smile. Upon arrival to my third grade classroom they all started singing as they are trying to teach me a song in Tamil. They go way to fast so by the time the song is finished I barely even remember how it started! However, they are so fun to listen to as they sing! Today we did our question of the day which was, "Do you like Mangos or Papayas better?” I have the students come up to the board and write their name under their response. Out of 7 of us (including myself) there was not one person who chose papayas. Now, I do like the papayas here. A lot actually. However, they sure do not compare to those mangos and it was evident by the student’s responses! I was also given two more beautiful pictures by two of the students. These pictures, by far, are my favorite souvenir I will bring home. There is nothing better than something someone made and put love into just for you! I will treasure those sweet pictures! In them they state, "I am happy", "God bless you", "I like you". Sweet words.

Zach ventured on to his morning routine, Assisi llam. There he had is patience tested by a young little boy, however, it sounded like he might have taken some good breaths, turned the other way, and let the sisters handle the student. One thing in teaching, you must learn how to take huge breaths and be able to turn the other way and let yourself scream silently! Zach continues to enjoy the little ones over at Assisi llam. He has started to get some of them into a circle to read stories and talk about basic skills. The job cannot be easy with that many little ones. Zach enjoyed learning a tongue twister today in which I heard him repeat over and over around the lunch hour, ensuring he would not forget it. He must be careful how he says it otherwise people will think he is saying give me a hug and roll over. Um, that would be a little awkward.

Our night concluded at SEAMS where we again worked with the children one on one. Because we are a small time it is hard to reach every child when we were there. I feel so bad but I turn that thought around and pour my love, care, attention and teaching into each child who sits in front of me, eager to see what we will be doing. The children's skills at SEAMS are a lot lower than the students at Grace so it takes a lot more creativity on how to present the information to the students. However, with patience and determination, it all comes around!

I was thinking about what are some of the items that were helpful that I brought to India and what are some of the items I could have done without. I thought I would write about my top five useful items while in India. The first one is my BPA free Nalgene bottle. Ohhhh, this bottle has been my best friend. It is filled up about 3 times a day and carried with me everywhere I go. A nice, solid water bottle is a must here in India. Plus, if you cool it, it will become a discussion topic with the children as well as the teachers at Grace for the rest of your time in India. Every day, "Ice-cold", i hear.

Another item to go along with that is my Peach Tea electrolyte tabs. I plop one in my water each morning to get an extra boost of energy while out in the heat. I have to say, I think they are working as I have been feeling pretty good is this exhausting heat! And, they create another topic of discussion among the teachers and the children, "Why is it that color" they ask.

My third item I am grateful to have here on the trip is my cheap, spongy, ear plugs. There are so many sounds each morning in India-beeping of cars, chipmunks, crows, brooms sweeping, pans clanging, all of them together make it slightly difficult to sleep in, however, with my ear plugs those sounds magically dissipate and I am then ensured a more restful sleep! My fourth item would be my handkerchiefs that I use as both an eraser to erase the chalkboards at school (as erasers are hard to find in the school) and also a way to wipe the sweat from my brow, which is constantly dripping. My fifth item would be my colorful array of pockets t-shirts from Target. I basically wear the same outfit each day, a different colored pocket-t with some shade of brown or black pants. These thin and cheap t-shirts are comfortable, they dry very fast and, I really do not have a lot of decision making about what I will wear each day. One less decision and thought among the million floating around my head here in India!

One thing I brought were four books. I have read a half of one. We stay so busy here and fall asleep pretty early so I have found I did not need to bring that many! I would say two would suffice!

So, we are on to our second half of the week. I look forward to what this half will bring to us. I am most certain it will bring all of the things the first half did, new experiences, joyful feelings of being here in India and love from the children we serve.

Naomi

June 28, 2011

Today was our usual routine. I went to Assisi and grace and Naomi headed to Grace and we enjoyed our evening at SEAMS. The kids at Seams sure do love their dodgeball! I am planning on buying some softer balls because some of the kids get hit pretty hard with the flying deflated football! Danny was not at Assisi this morning so it gave me the chance to spend even more time with some of the non-Danny children. I found that the new boy Svetwit likes to hit the other kids. He was definitely challenging my patience today, but I found sister rose and sister metilda knew just how to handle him! My 5th graders at grace were so upset when I left early today, but I promised them chocolate for tomorrow. Naomi and I visited the government store to do some more shopping damage! We bought all sorts of more gifts for our friends and family. I swear that store is addictive! I have found the power cuts to be quite annoying. The other day we all even placed bets to see what time the power came on. Once the bets were placed I announced the winner would have to do dishes that night. As shiva was the closest, Naomi was kind enough to do them last night! My stomach has been a bit upset these past few days, but tonight I had a great meal and felt okay. Hopefully it doesn't catch up to me later :( this has been such a great experience and the kids we are working with are absolutely amazing. It is remarkable the amount of progress you can make with children who are from such different socio-economic backgrounds.

"lifes a garden, dig it" -Joe Dirt
I chose this because these children really are living life to it's fullest and in the happiest manor possible, despite the conditions they may be in.

Zach

June 27, 2011

Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat. - Mother Teresa

 I chose this quote because working with the children at the orphanage gives the feeling of wanting to help them tangibly: with food, with things, with clothing. However, it is so very important to stop and recognize that the most important thing for these children is to be loved, cared for, and wanted. As the quote states, without that they are in much more poverty then having nothing to eat. We have started our second week here in Chennai. I can tell that my body is a little more used to being here as I slept until around 7:00 am!! Rather than getting up between 4:00-5:00am! After a very thrilling and adventurous weekend, I was ready to get back to the students at Grace school and also SEAMS. I get some a deep joy and satisfaction workin with each and every one of the students. My 1st graders, who have been a little more of a challenge, were awesome today! We did an activity where I put all kinds of letters mixed up on the board. I called the students up one by one , called out a letter and they then had to find that letter. They loved this activity because they were active and were able to take some responsibility for their learning. We also went through the shapes as they appear to not have these down yet. My 2nd graders, always a joy to be with, worked on reading simple sight word books, and also did the same activity as the 1st graders, however, I used words rather than letters. They too, liked this activity. Each morning with my 2nd graders I do a greeting. A way to sing and say hello to them and to each other. Today we did “Stand up”, a greeting that incorporates their name, with a song, and movements. To my surprise, all four of them have learned the words and actions to the song! I was amazed. I think we are going to do that one for the rest of my time here as they just love it! My 3rd graders, my favorite time of the day, were very hard workers today. We did our morning greeting on the board, question of the day, and we then read sight word reading books. Each one of them picked a small sight word book, came up to the front, and read the book to the class. We then talked about the book. They enjoyed reading to the class! When I walked into the classroom, two of the students handed me little notes in which they had drawn pictures for me with hearts and my name on them. Those are the little things that just melt my heart. Such sweet kids!

Zach spent another morning at SEAMS. He was still not feeling so well so he came home and just took a rest for awhile. I was able to get lesson plans done for the week, which felt good and then I took my afternoon snooze. At 5:15 we headed over to SEAMS where Zach and I worked one on one with students. We worked with the girls tonight. I have so much fun with the girls. They are so very giggly, sweet, and happy each time I see them. We did a hangman exercise and then read a small book together. One of the girls wanted to keep reading, and I can never say no to a child who wants to read, so, I let her go past her 10 minutes. It was a good night.  So, we finish up the first day of the second week. Everything just feels comfortable now. It is routine, it is home for now, and it brings me such joy being here. A thought came to me today how sad it will be to leave. However, I am sure I will be back again someday! The children and India have won my heart. For now, I will continue to give all I have for the next 15 days here in India!

Naomi

26 June 2011

This past weekend was our first of two spectacular adventures while in India. Naomi and I experienced the thrill of traveling along the southeast coast. Our first stop was Kanchipuram, arguably the most holy city in India. Here we visited the temples of the three primary Hindi Gods: Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva. At the Kamakshiamaan temple, I fulfilled my personal goal of riding a beautiful elephant! I found it amazing the elephant handlers, mahouts, took such phenomenal care of these magnificent creatures. They got baths daily, had their faces painted with spectacular designs, and were so people-friendly. After waiting for the elephants to be fully prepared, I got to climb atop the elephant and not only bask in its elegance, but got to experience a short ride around the elephant’s home. Although afraid of heights, Naomi even conquered the elephant climb. I think secretly she even enjoyed it! Our next temple was Ekambranatha where the 192 foot entrance was stunning. Hand carved, the entrance’s structure reaches 192 feet into the air. As we drove into the town of Kanchipuram these figures could be seen from kilometers away. Our next temple was the oldest dating back to 8^th century, Kailashnatha. This temple made of mostly sandstone was kept in quite impressive condition. The carvings throughout the temple depicted the stories of the three gods, and even reminded me of a class I took in community college. The epic of creation for the Hindu culture is called the Ramayana. Many of the gods from the Ramayana were prevalent throughout the entire weekend. As Naomi and I were taking pictures from outside of Kailashnatha temple, some young children approached us interested in our picture taking. They were fascinated as we took photos of them in front of the temple; they really enjoyed seeing the pictures on our digital cameras. Last, we headed to Varadarajasany temple where we wondered throughout the temple of 100 pillars. Each pillar was completely different and hand-carved, of course. There, Stephen told us magnificent stories of the 10 reincarnations of Vishnu and told us of the wedding that is held each year between Vishnu and Lakshmi.

            We then had a superb lunch, where I had my favorite; butter chicken masala and garlic naan. Naomi had a spicy chicken, and we both enjoyed our yogurt drinks; sweet Lassi. and I think the Indian people truly enjoyed having us in their towns. We then headed to our destination: Pondicherry. Once we arrived, we settled into our lodging and started sightseeing. Stephen, Naomi, and I walked from the Indian portion to the French portion of the diverse city. It was absolutely crazy the culture change as we went from obnoxious honking of Rickshaws to the quiet, almost-serene French buildings. The streets were clean, free of street venders, and I think we all enjoyed the change of pace. As we neared the beach I think Naomi and I had no idea what we were in for. The beach was filled with wondering tourists and cheerful locals. There were children and families everywhere. It was so refreshing to see such an upbeat, carefree scene in India. In Chennai, the streets are plagued with trash and dirt. However, Pondicherry’s beach was quite different. We stopped to admire the statue of Gandhi as well as the shrine of his partner in removing of the cast system; Dr. Ambedkar. The beach was a truly enjoyable experience. After, we stopped at a rooftop restaurant where we enjoyed dipping into a quick pool of American cuisine. Chicken burgers and cheese-stuffed chicken was on the menu for the evening. We then continued strolling along the beach where Stephen picked up a fun toy for Roschan and I got a trinket for my younger brother. We headed back to our lodging, FYI it is not a hotel because that is just the name for a restaurant, and we all went to sleep. I stayed up for a while watching some of the local TV where they hosted an awards show for Indy films. It was quite entertaining seeing the same 3 actors receive awards for a few films. One actor in particular lip-sang an entire performance, but everyone clearly enjoyed it. It amazes me how some traditions seem universal between India and the US, even though they are two completely different societies. The next morning we had breakfast and started on our way to Auroville. Here, people devote themselves to living in peace and accepting all religions and beliefs. The matrimidir was a structure unlike anything I had witnessed before. Its brilliant gold sphere shape was colossal. Although I do not completely agree with their society and way of life, it was spectacular to witness the grounds and be exposed to a lifestyle unfamiliar to me. The grounds were impeccable, and I was quite fascinated with the history of their people. The ashram was definitely a new experience for me, and Naomi seemed quite impressed as well. Afterwards, we headed to mamallapuram where we were introduced by Stephen to the stone carvings dating back hundreds of years old. It was amazing how these ancient carvings were from one single block of stone. As we walked around the park area, there was a HUGE rock lying on a rather steep slope. This rock was said to have been the butter that Vishnu dropped out of his hands in an ancient Hindu story. I tried pushing the rock off of the slope, but my lack of exercise lately proved to be the issue. One of the most incredible moments of the day was seeing the wild monkeys on the grounds of the park. They seemed to enjoy their resting spot atop some warm rocks, and it was impossible to not watch their every move. I even got the chance to take a picture within feet of these amazing little fellows. Following the tour of the carvings, we headed back to Chennai. It is nice to be back at the guest house and is definitely time for some recovery from our quite busy weekend. I look forward to seeing my kids at Assisi in the morning, and I know Naomi can’t wait to see little Victor. This week marks our second week of working with the children. This weekend has shown us a unique side to India that I’m not sure we realized existed. It was refreshing to do a bit of sight-seeing, but Naomi and I are both well aware that it is back to work this week. I’m sure the kids look forward to spending more time with us, and learning some more of our beloved language! I am hoping to purchase some balls for the kids at SEAMS this week so they no longer have to play their games with a deflated football. Although the kids at SEAMS enjoy our simple love and affection we give them, I believe that the least these kids deserve is a good old-fashioned play-ball for their dodge ball and basketball games. I want to close this journal entry with one last lesson I have learned this week. I have realized that though life in the States has many materialistic objects that we all enjoy (ie: Xbox, fancy cars, Louis Vuitton, and iPods), the root of happiness comes in the time we spend with our beloved family. Although the children at SEAMS may be lacking this experience, it amazes me that they live life happily through relying on each other and the love that people in their lives show them. I cannot wait to see what more I can gain and I can share with these children.

“the journey of a thousand miles, begins with one step” – Lao Tse

I believe my work with Global Volunteers may be that one step that sparks something greater within me.

Zach

24 June 2011

"Only when we give joyfully, without hesitation or thought of gain, can we truly know what love means" - Leo Buscglia

We are our ending our first week of teaching and caring for the children today. I am glad I am able to write this entry as the last day of the first week lends to some great reflection on what we have experienced and done here in Chennai. The first week has seemed to be a time of getting comfortable and adapting to our new home and surroundings. I guess that next week will be a time when a little more of the home sickness sets in and I estimate that the last week will be a week of sadness in leaving the children and this beautiful country and also anticipation to see family and friends.

The first week we have been getting used to all of the things that are different from home. At this point I feel so much more comfortable here in Chennai. The cows in the middle of the road are now just that, cows in the middle of the road. I have now gotten into the habit of ensuring not to flush my toilet paper down the toilet but rather place it into my garbage can. I have also gotten into the habit of making sure I do not run my tooth brush under the sink (a habit from home) rather, fill my plastic water bottle up and brush with the clean water. I now jump out of the van when I get to either Grace or SEAMS and I know exactly where to go--head to the 1st standard class at Grace and at SEAMS, greet the childern, hug them, give them high fives, say hello and then head straight into the madness of the girls room to see if they have picked up their rooms! It now feels like routine. Comfort. It feels good!

Today I was feeling a little under the weather. The excitement and business of the week finally got to me. I was doing SO good, feeling so good and staying healthy and then, bam, at 2:45 in the morning I started coughing and I awoke and a cold had visited me. I shouldn't stay visited, as it is still here, however, it is taking a longer visit! I did go to Grace, regardless of the cold as I was excited to see my students. I felt a lot less energetic then I usually do when teaching them so I had to tell myself to take a little bit easier. I usually go from one learning activity to another with them, mixed with some movement songs and poems. Today, we did 2 learning activities, 2 songs and I then let them color. I handed out crayons and a blank canvas of white paper. It was interesting to see what the students did as they did not just color away. They put their crayons in a pile, and started to draw with their pencils. I then modeled coloring for them in which some then started to do however, they were very hesitant to freely color. My 2nd standard class did the same thing; put their crayons in a pile and drew beautiful pictures with a pencil. They each, all 4 of them, drew the exact same picture. A house with windows and a door, a path leading outside, clouds in the sky, and lots of mango trees. They were so cute and it was so nice to see them just be creative and have a little fun. I try to laugh, smile and have as much fun as possible with the students each time I see them. My 3rd graders were great workers today. We did our morning message, question of the day and we then worked on building and forming sentences. They all worked so very hard. They then found it hilarious that there was a big spider web in my hair. One gal kept pointing to my head, talking to her friend and laughing. Then, they all started laughing. Sweet Victor then was nice enough to come up and say Mam, mam, down (put my head down). He then fished all of the spider webs out of my hair. Sweet, sweet boy. Very inquisitive boy. He seems to always be day dreaming and deeply thinking about something as he is always the last to finish his work and when I ask him questions he doesn't respond for a bit until he finally realizes I am talking to him. It is pretty funny. After interacting and teaching the students I again sat with the hilarious teachers who I am really growing to be fond of. Their humor is wonderful and kindness is appreciated. They continue to tell me they want my fair skin and I continue to tell them I want their dark skin. We laugh a lot and smile a lot with each other it is so fun. One teacher, Whanita, I am growing a great relationship with. She is around my same age and we both have so much fun talking with each other even though she is still not exactly fluent in English. With patience and trying to figure out what each other is saying, we have some great conversations. She said that I have to come back next year and she will then have her English perfect. I stated, If I come back I will then have Tamlin perfect. We both laughed as we know neither of those is realistic!

I haven't had a lot of chances to talk to Zach today to see how his morning went as Zach is too, feeling under the weather. He is having a bit of some stomach problems. So, we both got struck this Friday! The week caught up with the both of us. I think we are both looking forward to a nice, relaxing and enjoyable weekend in Pondicherry. We both did not go to SEAMS tonight. I felt terrible not going as I love to see those beautiful faces and get those great hugs and I know the chilldren love to see us as well, however, a few minutes before leaving to go I figured it would be best to just stay home and take care of myself so that I am fresh and ready to go on Monday, the start of our 2nd week in Chennai. Stephen and Sheeba so graciously took care of me and my bugger of a cold. Sheeba made some ginger tea which felt so good on my throat and Stephen went to the pharmacy to pick up some benedryl and lozenges. He then was sure to explain some tips to staying well in India. Do not drink cold water after lots of sweating or sit in front of the air conditioner right after sweating. Good to know! I hope to feel better very quickly!

This experience in India has given me so much already. Having done a Global Volunteers program before, to Ecuador, I am feeling the same thing; I feel as if India has already given me so much more then I have given them. However, whether that to be true or not, I will continue to give all that I have. Here is to a good nights sleep, health for both Zach and I, a good night for the children at SEAMS, a relaxing weekend for Sheeba and Roshan, and a safe and fun trip for both Stephens, Zach and myself to Pondicherry.

Naomi

22 June 2011

"Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.
-- Vincent Van Gogh

I chose the above quote because while one volunteers in India for only a short 3 weeks, it is sometimes hard to imagine that you are really making a difference in the childrens lives. It is easy to be hard on oneself if we do not see huge gains in the children from what we are teaching them during our time in Chennai. However, we must remember that our efforts coupled with the efforts of the previous volunteers and the volunteers yet to come, will produce great things in these children!

Well, another early morning rise here in India. I am unable to sleep in, however, I like getting up early as it lends me to writing emails, talking on Skype to family back at home, reading, getting some things ready for school and just reflecting on my experience here in India. The experience gets better each day as I become more and more comfortable with the Indian way of life, my "home", and the children. I look forward to getting up to see what is on the breakfast table and drinking my morning coffee. Today we enjoyed a steamed baked rice dish called Idli, with peanut chutney on top and also, our beloved mango's. I then look forward to going to Grace to see what the children will do to melt my heart today. Teaching here in India is incredibly different then teaching back at home. There is a lot more structure at home and also a lot, repeat, a lot more supplies to help engage the learners. Here in India, because of the lack of supplies the children have access to, you must be very creative! However, it is amazing how much these children appreciate even the smallest of activities you bring to share with them. Yesterday I spent a lot of time with my 3rd graders practicing answering a variety of questions in English. Simple questions such as, "What is your favorite thing to drink". They loved interacting and answering those very simple questions. I also had them write their names on a piece of paper so that I can begin to remember and learn their names. When I read them off of the paper the students would laugh and laugh and laugh as it was obvious and clear that I was not pronouncing them right. However, they displayed such patience and were so willing to help me learn how to pronounce their names in the right way. My first graders were a bit tough today since there are a lot of them and also because their attention span is a lot smaller then my 2nd and 3rd graders. However, all in all, they did a pretty good job. We talked about different animals and I then had them come up front individually, draw a card and do that animal sound. The rest of the class had to guess what the animal was. They had fun with this activity. My 2nd graders did a morning greeting called "stand up". This greeting greets everybody by name while also incorporating movement into it. They LOVED it. The 2nd graders were amazing today. I am really starting to feel the relationships grow with this group as well as my 3rd grade group. My 3rd grade group was also amazing today! We did a morning message on the board in which they had to help create and write in the the notebooks. We also did a question of the day where they had to come to the board to answer it and then we had to talk about the question and answer. They enjoyed this activity as well. Anything that gets them active, the appear to really enjoy. At lunch time the school found that a child was missing when the mother came to pick him up. Although I could not understand a word that was being said, I picked up very quickly on what was going on based on the tears and yelling from the parents. It was interesting to observe this interaction however, i also felt so bad for the teachers as well as the parents. The child was found, thank goodness, and everything was okay. Just left a lot of hears thumping very very fast.

Zach reported that his morning at Assisi went well expect he is finding that he just might have to make India his permanent residence as little Danny has grown quite fond of him and will not let Zach out of his sight without crying. Oh, poor little guy. But, what a sweet thing. He has grown close and comfortable to Zach very quickly. Zach displays a lot of patience and care to the children in which I think the children really appreciate. We went back to the house after our morning work sites to have lunch. Today's lunch was fish with vegetables and bread. And....a mango!! It was a delicious meal as always. I then retreated to my room for my afternoon nap and Zach proceeded on to his work site in the afternoon, Grace. This team is only the two of us, Zach and myself, however, I feel the two of us are giving all we can to the children and leaving imprints where ever we go and in the end, that is all that matters.

One thing I have noticed, appreciate and love about the children is that they are endlessly happy. Especially the childern at SEAMS. How, you may ask, can the children be so happy with such few clothing, food, family, etc.? These children are a stunning example of how life should be lived. It doesn't matter what we tangibly have in our life. We must wake up each day and fully enjoy and dive into life as much as we possibly can. The children at SEAMS do this each and everday. It is truly amazing to me. You can not help but consistently smile because they are consistenly smiling and it is so infectious!

The teachers at Grace have been exciting and hilarious to talk with. I look forward to talking with them each day. We laugh and laugh about the different topics we talk about and we also laugh because we sometimes just can not understand each other! Silve, a teacher, informed me that since my 2nd toe is slightly longer then my big toe, that means I control my "husband". HA!!! She said if your big toe and second two are equal then you and your partner are equal. If your 2nd toe is smaller then the first, then, your husband controls you. Now, I do not think I believe in this too much, however, I do think my toes are more equal then anything! :) They were also making fun of my t-shirts because they have tiny little pockets on them. They could not for the life of them figure out what the tiny little pockets are for. Honestly, I couldn't tell them because I do not even know what use they are!! Just "decoration" I guess. My clothing, which consists of usually a shade of brown pants or capris and a solid colored, tiny pocket, t-shirt do not compare AT ALL to the beauty in the sarees the woman wear. I just love to gaze at their sarees, jewelry and jasmine flowers they wear in their hair. So very beautiful!!! I am on a misson to buy a couple sarees in which I can wear a couple times while I am in Chennai.

Many have heard and experienced that India, espeically Chennai is HOT. Hot, hot, hot. Yes, i agree, it is very hot here. However, I have managed to remain pretty healthy and feel pretty good. I am surprised at this because I often do not handle heat well. However, I have found that the recipe to health success in India is to make sure you eat and have plenty of nutrients in your stomach, drink A LOT of clean water (I add an electrolyte tab that I boutgh in the states at REI. They are peach tea fizzle tabs. One of my best purchases for India), get a nap each afternoon (around 2pm), be easy on yourself, and just go with flow-let what ever will happen in India happen: do not stress out, do not put high expectations on oneself-just go with the flow, enjoy the beautiful country and most importantly just enjoy and love the children.

Tomorrow will be Thursday and we are approaching the end of the first week. I am happy how this week has gone thus far and my oh my, is it flying by. I look forward to many more hugs from the children, big brown eyes staring at me and wide smiles being sent my way, great conversations with the teachers, more knowledge about India and life from Stephen, great meals from Roni, the company of Sheeba and Roshan, and more experiences in this beautiful country! I am happy to call Chennai, India home for now!

Naomi

21 June 2011

“Now that economic realism has finally arrived in India, the future lies in becoming a strong economic power. Dominance in the world will come only from how well a nation can cope with economic realism and towards that India must work, must find its own place under the sun.”

Today marked the second day of our service trip in Chennai. Naomi started by going to the Grace School where she has become quite fond of the children as well as the teaching staff. She has been teaching the kids using her expertise in her job field as an educator. She plans to use the “zoophonics” method to correlate animals and the sounds of letters. I started at Assisi daycare where one of the young boys, Danny, became quite interested in me. He is an anglor-indian, meaning his father is British and his mother is Indian. He continually called me “papa” and was very affectionate with lots of hugs. It was very sad to leave him yesterday as he would not stop crying. After, the Grace School was quite interesting as I was explaining to Esther, the principal, and all of her teachers some of the basic cultural facts of the United States. They did not understand the concept of a girlfriend, so I helped to explain that it’s someone you meet in college have a fun time with. They were familiar with the term “lover” which I categorized as more of a passionate relationship. It was a very funny conversation! I worked with the kids at Grace on forming sentences using a given noun and verb. The kids took very well to it, and some of the children who previously struggled with sentence formation, were doing exceedingly well. At the end of the day, we headed off to SEAMS where we worked with the youngins’ on phonics and flashcards. They really enjoyed playing a game called “snapcard”. The kids were very familiar with the English nouns and subjects, but definitely still need some assistance with forming sentences.

On another note, I am amazed every single day by the culture shock I am surrounded by. In the US, we pay $400 for running a stop light; whereas in Chennai it is only about $10, yet almost never would the Police enforce this law. As we drive to Assisi Illam it is very common to become stuck in dead stop traffic. But rather than an accident or rush hour, it is because a cow pulling a cart is taking its time through a busy intersection. The smells, sights, tastes, and sounds absolutely amaze me. Every morning, Naomi and myself are awaken at 5:30am (on the dot) by chipmunks making a high-pitched scream! The neighbors clearly enjoy sweeping at 5am as well. The food has been awesome so far, Rani has been cooking up a storm of fine cuisine. However, my stomach is starting to yell at me more frequently as this is my fifth day of attempting to digest the goodness.

Stephen has been an amazing guide so far. My inquisitive mind continually tests his knowledge of the culture and history of India, and he has yet to fail me in answering my questions. We have had interesting conversations about the economy of India, and it amazes me still that in the midst of this poverty-stricken area that a modern high-rise building can exist. This didn’t make any sense to me until the words Foreign Direct Investment were mentioned. When a foreign company places a replica corporation in another country to offset costs or take advantage of a different business climate it is called Foreign Direct Investment. This was made aware to me how realistic this concept was when the one large, modern, and quite impressive building in Chennai happened to be owned by none other than IBM computers. The fact FDI is used throughout India is commonly perceived as “outsourcing” especially for call centers. However, IBM has clearly benefited from the Chennai climate as it is low-cost and high-skilled labor that provides 5,000 jobs to local citizens! It has been really interesting relating my economic background with the local culture in Chennai.

I can’t wait to continue working with the children while experiencing the full culture that India uniquely offers. Nineteen days remain and I can’t wait to see what is in store for us volunteers!

Zach

20 June 2011

"The true meaning of life is to plant tress under whose shade you do not expect to sit"

Today marked our second day in India and our first day "on the job". Zach, a 20, almost 21 year old from California and myself, a 28 year old from Minnesota, make up our very small, yet, power packed team #99! Yesterday we spent the day doing our orientation. Going through what we will be doing in India and information about India and global volunteers. We also came up with our goals for our team. We came up with four goals in which we agreed upon well. These goals include, Care and Love the children, teach the children, learn about the Indian culture, and effectively work as a team to carry out the Global Volunteers mission.

After orientation, Zach and I ventured out for a walk around the city of Chennai, being sure to keep an eye on the water tower so we know how to get back. Wow, it pretty much what sums up how Zach and I were feeling. The culture, atmosphere, and way of life is so very different then what we are used to in the United States. It was truly amazing to see and experience. I found such beauty in all of the colorful saris the women wear. Their dress is so beautiful! The people also appeared to be very kind along the streets. While walking back to our guesthouse we spotted a cow just walking along the sidewalk among st the people. Zach and I both found this incredibly amusing.

And now, the main reason we are here, the children. We visited the children of SEAMS orphanage last night and today we went to our designated work sites. I went to Grace Nursery and Primary school where I worked with the 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade classrooms. Zach went to the Asissi Home, which is a daycare that cares for orphans and semi orphans. We both enjoyed our work and enjoyed the children. All I can say is seeing those children's beautiful faces, hearing their laughter, and experiencing the joy they express just from our presence, is amazing and makes this trip worth while! They yearn for just simple love and affection and such simple interactions like doing hand claps together. They are truly amazing and I am thrilled to be a part of their lives for 3 weeks. Let the adventure continue!

Naomi

Spotlight on Country Manager Stephen

Summer is upon on us and our program in India is an excellent service opportunity for those looking for a summer adventure! You offer the "extra" attention many children crave and deserve, while also experiencing life in the spiritual land of India - with its diverse languages, culture, and lifestyles. Despite this awesome opportunity, many prospective volunteers worry about the intense experience offered in Chennai.

Our solution is our most talented and knowledgeable Country Manager Stephen who ensure a safe, meaningful and enriching experience for all Global Volunteers. Please read below and enjoy volunteer evaluations from a Summer 2010 volunteer team. Stephen is a true gem and invaluable member of the Global Volunteers team!


"Stephen is amazing! Extremely organized and kept us prepared for everything. He truly cares about his teams!"

"He is the most loving, caring, gentle, fun, interesting, intelligent, cultured man over all of India. You cannot find a better man for this job for his heart participates as much as his body and mind."

"Stephen seems to be an encyclopedia of knowledge on Indian culture and one of the most welcoming and kind people I have met."

"Helpful, funny, kind. Smart."

"Stephen was an excellent team leader. He was very patient, helpful, and always provided necessary direction."

"I couldn’t have asked for a better team leader than Stephen. He is fluent in English. He also shared a vast amount of knowledge about Indian culture and Hindu beliefs. He is a very caring person who is calm and stays in control in all situations."


Join us in India this summer and experience this fabulous service program for yourself!

India Staff Praised by Recent Volunteers

Volunteers in India help care for orphaned and abandoned children, teach in the classroom, and paint, repair and construct facilities for impoverished children. Four Indian staff facilitate the volunteers’ work.

The following quote from Asha Phillips is representative of what volunteers say about our India Country Manager, Stephen Raja Chinnappan: “ I cannot say enough about Stephan’s professional and caring manner. He assisted us whenever necessary. He and his staff made this an even more enjoyable experience than I could have imagined.”

Fellow volunteer Jon O’Shea added, “Stephen is the perfect fit for his job! He has incredible patience, great organization skills and a depth of knowledge. Stephen made this trip incredible.”

You too can help children in India. You too can leave your mark on the world.

Check out Global Volunteers Channel on YouTube

Curious about what Global Volunteers and numerous volunteers themselves are saying about Global Volunteers on YouTube? Check out Global Volunteers' YouTube Channel where you can view 50+ Global Volunteer videos and access dozens of our 'Favorites' contributed by volunteers from around the world!

In fact, two of our top viewed 'Favorites' feature the SEAM children we work with in Chennai, and we encourage you to take a look today!!

You can use the following link (please copy and paste the web address!) to access our Channel and view videos now and whenever you like: http://www.youtube.com/user/GlobalVolunteers

Thank you for your interest in joining us in Chennai, and a big thank you to our volunteer YouTube contributors! Keep the videos coming!!