First few thoughts on India
Incredible India. I've heard the phrase many times before but after spending the past 10 days in India, I have to agree that there's probably no better way to describe this country. It's truly incredible in every way. Incredibly beautiful. Incredibly chaotic. Incredibly vibrant. Incredibly frustrating. Incredibly alive.
I've been in Jaipur, India working with an organization called Sankalp that works with street kids in the area. A huge THANK YOU to every single person who made this trip possible for me through their amazingly generous donations. The support and encouragement I received was unbelievable and I'm so grateful to have had this experience :)
Working with the kids has been phenomenal. I've been teaching English and Math to the youngest lot in the school. The group consists of around 8 to 10 kids between the ages of 3 and 8 years. Because they're all either really young or haven't been to school before, I'm basically teaching them the English alphabets and numbers from 1-10. They're absolutely adorable but boy, are they a handful! I have newfound respect for kindergarten teachers because I'm definitely learning that holding the attention of multiple kids is no small feat. They get bored after 30 minutes and the fact that they're all at slightly different (skill) levels makes things a bit tougher. I usually teach them outside in the "yard" which is pretty nice when the sun is out, but is also a wonderful source of distraction for these kids. Sometimes it's a kite flying in the sky. Other times, it's a goat trying to chew the plants inside the school grounds (yes, this has happened). It's also a challenge to figure out creative and fun ways to teach them the basics because they have no toys, facilities, or aids to help them learn. All they have is a notebook and a pencil and it's up to you to figure out a way to still make learning fun for them.
But it's all worth it because these kids are truly amazing. Firstly, just the fact that they show up for school every day is a pretty big thing in itself. They don't HAVE to be there. They're not paying any fees, they're not officially enrolled in classes, their families aren't very educated and there's basically no official reason for them to be here. But still, every morning at 10 am, you have a crowd of tiny humans wishing you good morning and shaking your hand. They're also some of the kindest and most loving kids I've ever interacted with. They really love playing with you, cuddling with you, and are incredibly perceptive to your likes and dislikes. Within a week of being here, I have received a bracelet made of flowers, chewing gum, flowers, and a card from the kids. I never asked for any of these things but the kids just seem to love giving, which is wonderful to see. Even if they ever accidentally hit you while being rowdy and uncooperative, they instantly apologize and stop fooling around. Not because of fear of punishment, but simply because they seem to genuinely care about you. It's amazing to see kids who, in spite of having so little, have such warm and big hearts.
Living in India (and not with family) has been a pretty unique experience as well. All the volunteers in Jaipur stay in the volunteer home, which is minimalistic but sufficient. You really start to appreciate the little things in life: central heating, hot showers, streets with lanes and about a million other things come to mind. I haven't looked at myself in a mirror properly in days because the only mirror is in a pretty poorly lit bathroom. But when you see people around you living with much less and more importantly, being happy, you really start to differentiate between necessities and luxuries.
That's it for now! I have a few more days left in Jaipur, so I'll probably update once more before leaving India :)
I've been in Jaipur, India working with an organization called Sankalp that works with street kids in the area. A huge THANK YOU to every single person who made this trip possible for me through their amazingly generous donations. The support and encouragement I received was unbelievable and I'm so grateful to have had this experience :)
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| Amber Fort in Jaipur |
Working with the kids has been phenomenal. I've been teaching English and Math to the youngest lot in the school. The group consists of around 8 to 10 kids between the ages of 3 and 8 years. Because they're all either really young or haven't been to school before, I'm basically teaching them the English alphabets and numbers from 1-10. They're absolutely adorable but boy, are they a handful! I have newfound respect for kindergarten teachers because I'm definitely learning that holding the attention of multiple kids is no small feat. They get bored after 30 minutes and the fact that they're all at slightly different (skill) levels makes things a bit tougher. I usually teach them outside in the "yard" which is pretty nice when the sun is out, but is also a wonderful source of distraction for these kids. Sometimes it's a kite flying in the sky. Other times, it's a goat trying to chew the plants inside the school grounds (yes, this has happened). It's also a challenge to figure out creative and fun ways to teach them the basics because they have no toys, facilities, or aids to help them learn. All they have is a notebook and a pencil and it's up to you to figure out a way to still make learning fun for them.
But it's all worth it because these kids are truly amazing. Firstly, just the fact that they show up for school every day is a pretty big thing in itself. They don't HAVE to be there. They're not paying any fees, they're not officially enrolled in classes, their families aren't very educated and there's basically no official reason for them to be here. But still, every morning at 10 am, you have a crowd of tiny humans wishing you good morning and shaking your hand. They're also some of the kindest and most loving kids I've ever interacted with. They really love playing with you, cuddling with you, and are incredibly perceptive to your likes and dislikes. Within a week of being here, I have received a bracelet made of flowers, chewing gum, flowers, and a card from the kids. I never asked for any of these things but the kids just seem to love giving, which is wonderful to see. Even if they ever accidentally hit you while being rowdy and uncooperative, they instantly apologize and stop fooling around. Not because of fear of punishment, but simply because they seem to genuinely care about you. It's amazing to see kids who, in spite of having so little, have such warm and big hearts.
Living in India (and not with family) has been a pretty unique experience as well. All the volunteers in Jaipur stay in the volunteer home, which is minimalistic but sufficient. You really start to appreciate the little things in life: central heating, hot showers, streets with lanes and about a million other things come to mind. I haven't looked at myself in a mirror properly in days because the only mirror is in a pretty poorly lit bathroom. But when you see people around you living with much less and more importantly, being happy, you really start to differentiate between necessities and luxuries.
That's it for now! I have a few more days left in Jaipur, so I'll probably update once more before leaving India :)
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