Friday, June 19, 2009

Pre-Summer Festival

I honestly can not believe that I have been here for just a month. I just realized that this whole thing was not a dream two weeks ago. Then, it had settled in that I was blessed to receive an opportunity as such to do things I love to do. It seems like only yesterday I got an email from Susan saying that I was a Global citizens Grant recipient which allowed me to take the first step in my international service dreams.

Although I have been here only one month, I am so comfortable I often feel like I have lived here for years. I wake up at five in the morning to the sound of roosters, I eat with my hands, I am used to the smell of cows and their excretions , I walk the village alone, I'm allowed to help in the kitchen...I have even gotten used to looking out for hundreds of hopping toads and cows that escape the shelter during late night, blurry-eyed walks to the toilet. This is a home away from home for me and I am really happy to be here.

Yesterday Uttam's father had to be sent to the hospital. He had fallen ill over the past week and doctors recommended sugery for him to get better. Everyone was a little tense and extremely worried. Uttam has been very busy getting things together for the students midterm exams, taking care of his fathers with frequent visits to the doctor, and helping Promona and I prepare for the sumemr festival. I admire the passion that he puts into the school through all of these things.. WIth techers coming late, leaving early, or nit showing at all, makes sure to be three for the children at all times. Since I have been here he has been like a big brother to me. He trieshis best to make sure that I am safe and comfortable and while at times it can be overbearing I understand that he wants to make sure I make it back to America in one peice. He always finds a way to make me laugh with his Bihu dance or robotic dance and has practically taken me in as a member of his family. I am grateful that things have turned out this way because prior to coming, I hadn't the slightest idea of how things would go.

Today is the summer festival and I have been working diligently this entire week in preparation for it. The work would have been much more pleasant if it hadn't been 200 degrees in the shade for the past week. I honestly felt a film of something on the surface of skin at the end of each day. We have done many different types of artwork with the children, from drawing to painting to papier mache. The 8th and 9th graders did papier mache and I honestly wanted to papier mache them at the end of the project. The boys decided that it would be nice to play kickball with the freshly covered balloons and the girls were afraid of the flour water mixture so they made a huge mess trying to prevent it from getting on their uniforms. Anyway, I am super excited about the festival, I got up at five this morning to paint the classrooms so that they could be ready for the students at ten and Promona and I decorated the entire outdoor entrance to the school. Today is going to be a good day...the children are amazed at seeing their own work displayed.

I will definitely put up the pictures from the festival as soon as the day is over!!!!

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