Katie and Jess Madam's classroom

The children playing at school one evening couldn't believe what I was doing when I hitched up my saree like the sweepers do and set about cleaning thirty years of dust and bugs out of an empty classroom-come-dumproom. Mom and Dad, you would have been proud! Armed with lots of biscuits, Jess and I were determined to make the room a clean and welcoming space for the children and braving the grime and spiders was definitely worth it. We're still in the early stages of decorating the room but already it looks completely different from any other classroom in the school. We both love taking small groups of children down for extra help, revision and hand writing practice, and hopefully soon the computers will be working and I can start some computer classes. In terms of moving forward, we are hoping to paint a mural on the section of unpainted wall. We'll have to wait and see what our host thinks of the idea - converting the dump-room was a bold move so maybe we're being a bit ambitious - but do let us know if you have any ideas with regards to the mural!

 

Family fun!

A visit from Venkayamma madam's sisters led to a crazy weekend for Katie and Jess Madam. I don't think there have ever been so many children - Gopi, Dharani, Chendu, Jagadeesh, Raja, Balu, Ramkumar, Ganesh and Basha - for us to entertain! Our relaxing weekend writing letters and cleaning did not go to plan, but let's face it, this is much more fun than cleaning up lizard poo...

PS. Thank you for all the games Grandad, Val and Nigel - the kids absolutely love them!

Take a look back

If you get a chance, then take a look back at my post about the blind orchestra. Have tried to upload one of Jess' videos. Fingers crossed it worked!

A link with UK students

For those of you that don't know or remember, since arriving in India I have been working on a link with my mom, who works at Rydon Community College, Storrington, to connect my students in India with her students in the UK. So far things are going well and the Indian students have received letters describing school in the UK, Christmas and, most recently, snow. We have also received a variety of pens, crafty things, bangles and hair bands, which were given out to the children as New Year gifts. In return we have sent similar letters along with descriptions and drawings of different festivals, religions and Gods. Can't give away too much information about the latest set of letters waiting to be sent, but hopefully the UK students will enjoy reading some letters by my new classes, 5th and 6th class.

Cow trouble

Speed blogging because Jess needs to use the computer. Don't have any photos of the latest function I've been too, but it was certainly an interesting one. The evening went something like this.

1) We arrived home to find Ramana Sir waiting for us. All he was able to tell us in his broken English was that we were going to a new shop. Very confused that we weren't leaving until 9pm but we got ready and headed downstairs to wait for Ramana to finish watching TV.

2) On arrival at the shop we realised that it was just the shell; an empty room with a room with a decorated cow tied up at one end.

3) We crept around it and up some stairs where I was given a picture of one of the Hindi Gods (Lakshmi devi I think!) and I followed Brahmin Sir and his wife, who were also carrying pictures of Gods. We walked behind a man who was setting coconuts alight and then smashing them on the floor. The final coconut was cracked at the top of the second set of stairs, which were still on fire from the last coconut, when there was no power. Slightly risky in a saree!

4) On our way down we had to creep past the cow again, although this time there was a second obstacle. The cow had been so frightened by the coconut cracking that it had weed and pooed everywhere, and yes, we had to walk through it.

5) We watched various Hindu rituals, had kumkum put on our foreheads and tumeric power on our feet (still can't get the yellow colour off) and drank sugary milk, before heading upstairs again to eat. By this point the cow was gone and one poor man had gone around picking up all the mess with his bare hands.

6) It wasn't until gone eleven that we walked home with our bananas and flowers in our hands, laughing and joking with Ramana and the sweeper ladies

Such good fun, but was exhausted at school the next day!

"Holes" drama

Attempt 1: A gold shop in Bangalore resulted in very wonky holes - the hole on my right ear nearly missing altogether.

Attempt 2: A different gold shop in Bangalore to put the second hole in my right ear in attempt to even it out. A bit of a spur of the moment thing but wearing a bindi in the place where the second hole would go had made me feel slightly better. That failed too. The first shot went completely wrong and the hole was on the far side of my ear gushing with blood and ridiculously painful. After calming down I went back to the same gold shop so that he could have a second attempt (which thankfully worked) and I returned to Tangutur with one hole in my left ear and two in my right. Of course the teachers did not think that looked super at all and I quickly took the earrings in my right ear out...

Attempt 3: After walking around for a few weeks looking like a pirate with only one earring, I headed to Haseena madam's house to have my other ear pierced. She brought in a stick to show us that was covered in needles...needles that would be piercing my ear and Jess' nose. Walking down the dirt track being followed by a crowd of children to one auntie's house, we both contemplated turning around. But we did it. With everyone watching as we screwed up out faces and squeezed each others pain, we had the needle from a tree pushed through our skin. Every time I feel the stick in my ear, I still can't believe I did it... seems like I'm becoming more and more Indian every day.

PS. Mom, Haseena, and the aunties nearly convinced me to have my nose pierced. It reached the point where I actually thought I was going to do it. Haseena's constant badgering of "no problem Katie, no problem" was hard to say no to, but I played the "my mother does not approve" card so still no hole in my nose for now!

The Blind Orchestra

Had to stop myself from becoming emotional as I watched a group of blind adults, sporting matching orange t-shirts, set up their instruments whilst I was teaching first hour last Saturday. I watched as each class filed in and knew that a big event was about to happen.

 The music started off pretty tamely, with some people singing whilst others played. The Nursery children still seemed to love it though.

 As things started to hot up, Jess and I moved forward and the children were eager to leave their places too. Even the teachers couldn't help but edge forward when the movie songs started and one of the boys was called forward to dance. Soon everyone was screaming. The atmosphere was so surreal and Jess and I couldn't contain our excitement.

Eventually most of the children were on their feet dancing away to the music and after showing some of the children some of our moves, we fought our way to the front to show the whole school our attempt at Bollywood dancing. So embarrassing, but the kids loved it! 

Really cannot explain how much energy was in the air (and I'm supposed to be typing a grammar book so I'm feeling a bit guilty for blogging!), but hopefully this video gives you the idea. I really couldn't believe what was happening to our usually regimented school!

Everchanging view

Only a couple of days after the practice fire drill, it seems that the evacuation area has been taken over...by tobacco leaves.

Up and About

Finally put on a saree again after a week in bed for a visit from Bharavi and my desk officer, Jonny. Was lovely to see them and show them around our project. I'm off for a nap now (still haven't fully recovered!), but here's a little video of something one of our classes showed to Jonny. Enjoy.

Under the weather

Just to let you know that Katie has been experiencing a few issues with the internet recently and has since succumbed to a viral infection. In bed and feeling sorry for herself. Hopefully, the tabloid magazines that we sent, as requested, (astronomical UK postage charges), will soon arrive to help her feel better, along with a French translation to reinvigorate the brain and remind her of that languages degree course she signed up for! Good news from UCL to add to Durham's offer.

Get well soon!

Lots of love and hugs from Mum, Dad and Josh xxx