EIL Intercultural Learning

Cathal From Co Mayo shares his is experience of volunteering in the volunteer camps in India

Hey all

I hope everyone is well and good. where are these weeks going I am now half way true and entering into week 7

I am struggling with my update this week as i really dont know how to put into words the emotions i am feeling at present

I left the camp today. i am in jaipur at the moment for the night and I have a 20 hour journey to my new camp tomorrow in Himchal Pradesh. It was a tough week for the reasons which i have already mentioned and also it was a week of saying goodbye to the children that i have been working with. Because camp as been so quiet i have found myself contemplating a lot and analyzing my journey here in India, now that i am at the half way point.

I was reading back over my journal and amazed at how far i have come over a short period of time. after taking a while to settle in, these children really broke into my consciousness. you never really get used to seeing the poverty that these kids live in but you do learn to look beyond it and see and get to know them for who they are and that is when the special experience grows.

The biggest observation i can make on their lives is that there are no expectations on them and so there is no thought put on their development as individual people. wether they go to school or not is not of any importance to the system . i think it pays the society here to keep them weak and ignorant. But these kids want to learn and develop and even though over the last 2 weeks in my afternoon school i never saw sign of a teacher even present at the school, kids were turning up every day because they wanted to learn. it broke my heart to say goodbye to them and i can only hope that they are the next generation here in India and they will break down barriers for their kids. a little story:

we have been using empty water bottles from camp as props etc in the school for sports and such things and yesterday after the last class i said i'd give them out cause it was all they asked for each day. There was near riot for these empty bottles. i don't think i would of got a reaction like it back home if i was handing out Nintendoe wii's. When you have nothing the simplest things are appreciated. EMPTY PLASTIC BOTTLES

and thats what i have gotten so far from my trip is appreciation. i feel i am learning to find a level of contentment and appreciate all the wonderful people and things i have in my life. i talked about expectations and i truly feel that i am where i am today because of the wonderful backing and support i have received from my parents, family, friend and colleagues all my life. living such a basic existence over the last 6 weeks has reminded me that the important things cost nothing and they are what keeps us going true the dark days and make sure we appreciate the good days. I hope that when i go home I can be more content with myself and hey folks ya never know i might even settle down

Stephanie used a great line in her email to me the other day. she said its the difference between living and existing and i think that is so true and relevant at the moment when the value of life is so much on our minds

i had the last cycling club class yesterday and 3 of the girls didnt need my help what so ever this week which sure made the whole running around in the heat a lot easier for me. i dont think i have ever been as proud of anything i have done in my entire life than i have watching those girls cycle. They have done so much for me and i will be eternally grateful

i am hoping to work in an orphanage and mentally handicapped centre in the new camp. i think my teaching day have to come to an end. in a classroom i was using a map of the world that was painted on the wall and the other day i asked the kids to point out India and 4 of that pointed to Ireland and i was like oh oh i hope thats not on the exam. also some still didnt grasp the alphabet but could manage Mayo For Sam

thanks everyone for the mails and messages of support.

Stay good and well.

From India with all my thoughts and Love

Cathal