As our first week comes to a close we find ourselves having many interesting discussions with Stephen and his wife Sheeba. Why is there garbage everywhere? Even in the nicer areas? Is it lack of infra structure? Stephen says no, there
Is now daily garbage pick up. He says its generations of habit and it will take years of education to clean things up. Homeowners sweep their small front drives very day, while all around them is trash. Not any easy problem to solve especially when you have cows roing the streets freely.
One of the teachers at our School talked with Phil about the severe alcohol and domestic violence issues effecting the mothers and therefore their children. She said it makes it
Very hard to do well in school when things aren't going well at home. Not a problem unique to India.
On arrival at school today we were greeted enthusiastically by our kindergarten class who now know our names and routines. Still shy of speaking English they are definitely getting more comfortable and the older Kids are really making progress. It was steamy hot and hard to concentrate but the kids persisted. Clifford the Big Red dog was a particular hit. The teen boys tested Phils memory on the Tamil words he learned yesterday then spent lunch hour
Discussing why I phones are better than Samsungs.
Hot and tired we had a brief siesta before heading to SEAM. There we admired Karhy's newly organized library and the fresh coat of paint on the outside wall. With growing excitement about the Diwali holiday on Tueasy the boys were distracted and tired but managed to draw pictures and do flash cards. Phil slipped away and we later found him settled in the local
Barbers chair with a very short Haircut and enjoying an intense upper
Body and head massage.
It has been a week filled with new sights , sounds and smells. The initial discomfort and anxiety about how to function, keep the electricity on, eat well and learn how to teach has faded. It's been replaced by amazement at all we are learning and experiencing and with the hope that in some
Small ways we are helping these beautiful and happy children to succeed.
We leave early tomorrow morning for a
A much needed Break to see temples, rock carvings, ruins and the old French Colony town of Pondicherry. More to come from there.
Love from India
Barbara
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