EIL Intercultural Learning

Well after traveling 23 hours two connecting flights and two Indian bus rides which was an experience!.. We finally arrived in Himachal. The smells and humidity of Delhi and Jaipur will never be forgotten. Trying to sleep in 49 degree heat without A.C and a basic fan blowing the hot air around the room will not be missed!. The scenery of the beautiful back drop of the snowy Himalayan Mountains when you open your door in the morning would take your breath away.

On arrival we settle in and explored Palampur market which is typical traditional market found in rural India towns. Each stall selling the same item and not competing with each other in price relying on their regular customers to make a living would boggle your mind, nothing like you would see at home with different shops promoting 'special offers'. We tasted the typical things Indian is renound for such as the Chai tea, Vegetable Somosa's and Jelly B sweets.

         Day two, we visited all the different project sites and had to make the hardest decision of picking one for your period spent here. But the advice given to me was pick the one which made you feel something!, therefore I picked a local school 30meters from Bundla camp (the volunteer house) called Neugal. It is a government school, meaning each child receiving free lunch which ranges from sweet rice ( semolina) or plain rice and additional sauce and the odd few beans scattered within the gravy ( local slang for sauce).
The teacher gave me the previous history of the kids’ education, whether they speak basic english/hindi and  let me work from there.

Each morning is an early start getting up for some yoga at 6:30 getting you ready for breakie and a hards day ahead. The breakfast is nothing like you would expect at home consisting of Chappati (Indian bread) spread with Ghee (unclarified butter) and some very sweet jam really waking up your senses in the early hours every now and again you get something westernized thrown in (boiled eggs/ toast). From there the lesson starts. Firstly with an opening song to get everybody involved

Say good morning; say good morning                                            

how are you? How are you?        

Lets begin the lesson….lets begin the lesson                                                               

NOW NOW NOW’

I really didn’t know where to start with all the kid’s not knowing their names, age or level really landed me in the deep end. I went around the circle asking everybody their name out of 10 only getting 3 answers and 1 being mine, I then knew we had to start with the basics. Now being week 5 and the majority of the class can say the full alphabet and write from A- G, puts the biggest smile on my face seeing the improvement they have achieved, I have grown a really strong bond and connection with each child and after being called ‘Didi’ (meaning older sister) I honestly feel I am.

In the afternoon I carried out two projects one working with the "mentally challenged" which stopped two weeks ago for the summer holidays and the other working with the kids from an Orphanage, each one really opening your eyes to the ‘unseen’ reality of India. The founder of the MCS (mentally challenged school), Damini was an inspiration to each volunteer giving her back round of her younger brother being Down Syndrome was the reason behind her setting up the school, brought a few tears to your eye. The afternoon classes I taught a young boy no older that 13 (In Indian your exact age is unknown) the different colours and fruits. In the 3^rd week I swapped to the Orphanage and began working with young girls with homework support and being a friend, getting to know them more and learning a few things from them also.

After the last few weeks I feel I’ve learned more than anyone can imagine, and met the most amazing people. I still have another week to go and trust me I don’t want to leave. The volunteer house is like one big family each of us supporting each other during the journey. There is nothing I would rather wake up to every morning than the thought of going to teach in Neugal and going to the Orphanage in the evening. So far this is one experience I will NEVER forget.

Peace and Light,

Jade J