This blog entry may be posted a bit after it's written, as we are having internet problems these days. I won't bore you with the details, but the upshot is: I should be reachable by skype, but not any other way (unless I go to an internet cafe in town... more about that later).
Rajesh and Nisha, the heads of the school, had the volunteers over for dinner tonight, and we had a wonderful evening, with mountains of gorgeous food and sweets and Indian rum and Nisha's own blend of tea. And conversation, of course. I am overwhelmed by the kindness everyone here has shown me, and how interested they are in making us outsiders welcome. There are four volunteers here right now: Sandra (from Malta), Sandy (from France and Canada), Michael (from New Jersey) and myself. I'm definitely the greenest one of the group- never having travelled in the third world before, let alone India, but everyone is wonderfully helpful.
A bit about where I'm staying: Dhampur is a small town, about an hour by car from Moradabad, which is about three hours from Delhi. You'll know you are on your way there when you start passing giant trucks laden twenty feet high with sugarcane, on the way to the sugar mill, which is the lifeblood of this town, and of our school. You also pass kids munching on bits, which have fallen off the truck. And dogs, so many stray dogs, it's absolutely heartbreaking. The school and the houses and apartments of the teachers and plant workers are on the same compound as the mill. I have a room to myself on the first floor (above the ground floor) with a big desk, a little bed and a bright red closet. They are still installing my bathroom, so I'm mostly sharing with Sandra, who lives across the hall from me. We share a kitchen, but for the first week, the canteen brings me plenty of tasty food... though I am looking forward to cooking my own dinners. When I arrived, my room was already stocked with a loaf of bread, butter, jam and of course tea. They have a water filtration system here, which everyone says is completely fine... and so far, it has been.
The school is an absolute dream. On the grounds there is a wonderful amount of greenery- trees, and a garden of flowers and vegetables which the children tend during the "community work" part of their day. As you walk into the school, the doors and the walls of the entrance way have all been painted with scenes in the style of cave drawings- showing animals, farmers, houses, plants, etc. All along the corridors and in the classroom, childrens' artwork is displayed.
Unfortunately, because of the cold weather Uttar Pradesh is getting, schools have been closed. Compared to Europe and Scotland, the temperatures we've been getting aren't so harsh, but considering the fact that many children do not have adquate clothing for this kind of weather, it's just not feasable to have classes. That said, on Monday, the government allowed students from class six and up to attend- these are the oldest children at the school, and about 12 of them turned up, all bright eyed and bushy tailed. They all seemed very excited to be back, and to meet the new volunteers, who they refer to as "----Sir" or "---Ma'am." So: "Michael Sir," "Sandy Ma'am." If you pass, they say "Good evening, ma'am." They. are. enchanting. They took us around the school, showing us all of the classrooms, and their Big Book, of which they were all extremely proud- it's a sort of collection of things they had done over the year, art, poems, workshops, excursions... and if anyone is wondering, these kids *do* actually do more than draw and sing and dance- several of the students said that maths and sciences are their favourite subjects, and on the walls of their classrooms were various scientific drawings (skeletons, descriptions of the respiratory system, plants, etc) labeled in English and in Hindi.
After the tour, Sandy and I settled down with Gautam, the art and theater teacher, to talk about plans for putting on the Wizard of Oz. For their founders' day celebration, Gautam put together a play about the Tsunami, presented outside on a quite sizeable amphitheater-style stage, with full lighting, live drumming (by the students), costumes, etc. Seeing the facilities we already have, it seems like we could really do something special here. It was suggested in the general staff meeting that we do some sort of an Indian take on it- and I hardly think that could be avoided!
On the wall outside the main office, there is a poem written by one of the students. I'm posting a picture of it, but in case the writing isn't big enough, I'll transcribe it here:
I am... by Aastha Gahlot in 4th class (this would make her about 9 years old).
I am Beautiful and Soft-natured.
I wonder why sun rises in the morning.
I hear the sound of rivers.
I see my beautiful earth is running.
I want Bright Sun.
I am Beautiful and Soft-natured.
I pretend to catch stars.
I feel that my world is changing.
I touch the solar system.
I worry about the pollution.
I cry about my mother's anger.
I am Beautiful and Soft-natured.
I understand that do not pluck flowers.
I say I have got the best parents in the world.
I dream I meet alien.
I try I walk upside down.
I hope God will come and meet me today.
I am Beautiful and Soft-natured.
No comments:
Post a Comment