Weekend 1 = sort of

Well, actually we all worked today because we were traveling on Monday. Next weekend we get S/S off and can go on an expedition. So I was back in the classroom with scissors, paper and clay teaching shapes.

A couple of the mothers stayed to "talk" today = I showed them the picture book of family photos. The women were our daughters' ages so they could relate to everything but the blond hair and blue eyes. On the way out, one tried her first words in English: thank you. She did fine, but it brought on a fit of hysterical giggles!

News from home: If the CUBBIES are winning I'll never know. We get BBC which may or may not be in English = what is a "boot" on a car? hehehehe Then we get National Geographic in Hindi, but snakes swallowing rodents twice their size translates well. We get the Indian papers in English but it is all about the news of the Indian states and politics and economics. We did get a picture of the Obamas when their Protocol chief slipped in her dinner gown. I thought she landed quite gracefully and did not deserve international coverage. We also heard about redefining "nude" = alert the Crayola people that "flesh" is out, too.


But a new generation of Indian children have now been introduced to "Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see?" so all is right in the world.

Where we are NOT

We are not in the bad storms on the coast or where the Naxals are blowing up things or where 2 people were trampled when a train changed boarding platforms. (Well we were in Delhi that day but went by air.) Up here it is just another sunny day at the foot of the Himalayas.

At school the classroom teacher had a meeting today so I was flying solo again. (There is an aid.) We are singing every song I know without a CD player! How is that possible? Today I actually risked the glue sticks and most of them knew not to lick it...

I walked home alone from daycare today = about 1km = but hardly a straight path. There are no straight paths. The hairpin turns are tight and right in the center of town. I only made two wrong turns. Anyway the teacher aid could not believe that I had access to a ride and choose to walk. When I thought about that, it made a great deal of sense she was amazed. For women, walking is the only option unless you unless you are going far enough to go on the bus or have a male who will drive you. When I see couples on motorcycles he has a large protective helmet and she has a veil. On the tip of my tongue was "It is good exercise," but I realized how even more amazing the concept of "needing to exercise" would sound.


I have seen lots of cows - one in the epicenter of a massive traffic jam - plus chickens, horses and dogs. Not a single cat. (Or a married cat for that matter - heheheh) There are supposedly 56 birds that are only found in India. I probably saw at least one.

I am not even remotely afraid here - I wasn't in China either, but in South Africa I never went out at night and did not even walk 1/2 block between houses on the advice of the locals. Here everyone is enormously respectful. The children love to try out a little English by yelling "hello." People always respond to my "namaste ji" with the same words and a smile.

Drop off

Yesterday our cultural excursion was being dropped off in a nearby town and having 1 hour to find the post office or a bank or some other assigned spot and make a transaction. So we are set for shopping now!

In teaching, colors today was stickers and markers. Two new students. Apparently when word gets around that an American is here teaching English, even 2/3 year old registration and attendance increases quite a bit. I'm not sure where we'd put more than 10, but it is good for the teacher. Who in fact took the day off so I was alone with my stickers and markers. When I think that at home my 2/3s have power point, CD player, puppets, brand new books...But it turns out Ring around the Rosy is universal! Why is a song remembering the effects of the Black Death international?? So far I have not heard any Wiggles or Barney.

Bathing - a bucket shower. OK - shower is in name only. There is a raised spigot but it has been disconnected. So there are two taps with a drain below, a large basin, a cup, and a bucket. Fill the bucket with water, wash hair first and rinse into basin. Then get into basin and wash self by pouring water from cup. After the bucket is empty and the basin is full, you are clean so dump basin down drain. The entire bathroom is now awash so grab the industrial sized squeegee and clean the floor. Rinse out everything. (I am actually afraid when Bob realizes how much water this saves it will be instituted at home!)

It is very nice being with a group of volunteers doing different jobs. Good interaction and always something going on. The food is absolutely fantastic!

Stretching percieved limits

So yesterday I had a choice of a nap or keeping my body in tune with today's young people and scaling the local mountain to see a temple. I set off with 4 college kids and slowly slowly - with a fair amount of heavy breathing on my part - we made it to the top! One guy has a fancy watch with all kinds of dials and measures but claimed it was calibrated to his home in Alaska. So maybe it was 200 feet up via mostly rocks and either "a few" or "6K" stairs. Down was easy! And at the top we found a cafe...with cars in the parking lot from driving up the other side! But where's the fun?

We work all morning and have classes in Hindi, discussions and Cultural Experiences in the afternoon plus a fair amount of reports to fill out since we are all working with NGOs and that means paperwork. Dinner is at 7 - today is Tandoori Wednesday and we are all excited to get meat! Well chicken.

Today the little girls in class wanted to wear scarves because I was. Their teachers wear them all the time but so easily they are not noticeable. I was noticeable since I kept adjusting. But when I put it over my head they did too and we all laughed.

My #7 child said BLUE today - that is the first word she has said ever in the school.

Day Care

I started work today at a daycare. Only 7 students, 2-3 years old. I was dropped off at 9, went down the outside stairway under a store to a lower level room no larger than 8x10 with two small tables, rugs on the dirt floor, a single light bulb, some alphabet posters, a shrine area featuring what the teacher's call an Alien - apparently a free give away from a movie of outer space. One small set of plastic blocks. No paper, crayons, clay, pencils, scissors, glue or space to do anything but sit. They are not allowed outside because we are right under a curve in the main road. All cars and trucks speed by honking and we have to have the door open for light and air. We did see horses go by, too, and that was fun.

I started at 9:15 and by 9:30 the teacher said, "OK - you go ahead and do what you want." I ran through every song I had listed, all the pictures I had cut and put in photo albums. By the end, 6 of the 7 children were responding - doing "hands in front, hands behind..." and the last one actually gave a little twitch that might have been a smile. (Sort of like what Bob makes when I get mooooving on the cow jokes...) At noon we ended and I felt like I had done a week's worth of teaching. I hope they want to hear the same things tomorrow.

Outside it is cool and gray - I hope the sun comes out to get some pictures of the mountains and do some hiking.

from my window

snow capped mountains! The Himilayas are outsdie the back door. We took the 1 hour hop to Dharamshala today = more time in the airport than on the plane. Then a 40 minute ride up the side of the mountain with curves to rival anything I saw in Yellowstone = narrower lanes and no rails. Honk and dart method of driving in and out of the cities. But actually less traffic = and fewer people = than in China. I think there are more rural residents here.

Dharamshala is a wide place in the road compared to Delhi but on both sides of that road are colorful items for sale in the tiny shops. Auto parts, bottled water and chips, fresh fruit, shoes and locks with keys. Or keys without locks. Their primary work is support for the heavy touris in the next town up the hill, McLoed, the home of the Tibetian government.

It was 100+ in Delhi = much cooler here with a breeze. Cloudy over the mountains at the moment, but we can see enough to know we are close.

We start work tomorrow!

The language is smooth and the people are so polite and intrieging. It is a wonderful adventure already!

Astonishing

Oh the places you go - in 13 hours, in and out of a day and several time zones to India! Surrounded by the language it is mellow and gentle. No gutteral sounds. We are in a guest house with AC -it is stillover 100F at 9 pm. If it is 9pm. Or Saturday.