Placement - Week 4

This week has been a week of dancing.....yes, me.....dancing.......crazy!.... its been busy and at times exhausting, but I think I can comfortably say that it has probably been one of the most enjoyable weeks so far.

Monday and Tuesday were spent in the office, dealing with expenses (Restless are kind enough to give us back all of the money we spend on travel), and typing up a few short documents about our take on the modules successes and improvements that could be made. It was a fairly easy two days and a great relief to have a few days off traveling around Vellore on the disastrously sweaty buses. It also gave us the opportunity to catch up on some reading and boring things like washing..... the absolute bane of my life as its all done by hand!

Wednesday saw a complete change of pace. We were up early and set sail just after 8am (which is incredibly early for Indians, plus another small miracle worth a mention is that our cook had lunches prepared before this time - amazing! - its not happened since though and I doubt it will happen again). The whole team joined together once more, our destination...... a school! It was quiet an expedition to get to with a substantial bus journey followed by a good 20mins in a rickshaw (with 7 of us wedged in - I think Jack still holds the record though for about 10 and a goat but apparently they fit 16?!?).When we arrived I ended up taking 9th standard (Volunteering and the Right to Information Act), it went very well, kids were really interactive and it was pleasure to teach. After the lesson however, some of the girls wanted me to dance, I agreed and one of them taught me some Indian dance moves.... I ended up dancing in front of both 9th standard classes, I probably looked a complete wally but they absolute loved it and it was such good fun - until a teaching with a cane chased them away - felt a bit bad about that because I had been the source of their shouting and screaming. We had lunch and then (after being followed by a ridiculously large group of girls as I walked across the field to the toilet) we spent the rest of the lunch break playing with the kids. Will and Jack attempted to teach the boys football - which resulted in them constantly picking the ball up. The news of my dancing must have spread around the school as I was now confronted by the all of the girls in the entire school begging for me to dance..... and I of course obliged - it was such good fun and (I've no idea why) but they absolutely loved it! It also turns out that there were too many of us in the rickshaw as on the return journey Will's bum was hit by an oncoming rickshaw as he was forced to sit half in, half out.... fear not though he is quiet well.

Given the success of the previous day, VadiValen decided to set up some time for us to simply go into the schools and play games with the kids...... well this is what we were told anyway. When we got to the school the headmaster was expecting us to teach a lesson on hygiene?!? Bit of a shock as you can imagine but  we think it was more of a logistic issue to get us through the door, although we did still had to teach a lesson on hygiene. It was a bit shaky to begin with as we had to think on our feet but we delivered some key messages.After the break however I quickly devised a lesson structure for 6th and 7th that worked a dream. It covered all the areas you would expect (washing hands, clothes, flushing toilets, don't eat street food ect) but I animated each with a physical action and got one volunteer to help me with each one, by the end I had the whole class up singing and acting away to 'This is the way we wash our hands, wash our hand, wash our hands.....early in the morning......' It was so much fun and its incredibly rewarding when you have to think so quickly and it really pays off. We also (given that we were outside) took the opportunity to play some active games. We taught them bulldog and they taught us an interesting game called 'GoGo" - its absolutely brilliant!

As if the week hadn't already been a success, Friday was a perfect end to the week. We again found ourselves at an all girls school and they were......... brilliant. I again found myself teaching 9th standard and they were so engaged with the material. They were very interactive and went wild for the team games that we're using to get the kids thinking for themselves.I don't know if news of my dancing is spreading across Vellore but they also had me up at the front of the class at the end of the lesson dancing away to their cheers. Lunch was pretty mental as we were surrounded by loads of girls clambering and climbing across tables and chairs just to get a glimpse of us. I am constantly shaking peoples hands and answering the question 'what is your name?' Many of the kids at the front were getting crushed as their classmates were pushing them from behind trying to get closer to us - a little claustrophobic to say the least. It was good fun though and we sung songs for them as they did for us. After lunch we tackled 8th standard (Civic duties and Civic rights) which was (if possibly) even more of a success. They were also very keen to see me dance. The highlight of the day though was a last minute game that myself and Rekha quickly devised. It so hard to play games with the kids in Indian schools because the classrooms are so small and the number of kids in each class is so high. But we utilized the small space in between the rows and the game of course involved me looking silly a lot of the time acting out different scenarios and being different animals. It is still the most bizarre feeling when the kids gather round, pens at the ready screaming..'autograph....autograph'. After an awkward toilet trip where I had to ask Rekha to tell the 9th standard students from the morning lesson to leave the toilet so I could lock the door (and when I say toilet I of course mean hole in the floor). We went to find Jack and Razier, the girls from their lesson did this thing where they pinch my cheek and then kiss their forefinger and thumb, apparently its a sort of blessing. It was very sweet until they all then started grabbing at my cheeks. However, it was still a great end to an awesome week.

This weekend we were all invited to an Indian wedding (one of the guys that work at Restless brother was getting married). Indian weddings are strange in that they have a party Saturday night and then get married early Sunday morning.... obviously there was no alcohol but its still a bizarre set up in my opinion. The wedding wasn't really interesting the boys so I went lone to meet the girls from Chennai. I was lucky enough to get a lift from Kartick (another guy on the Restless staff), he pulled up in a car that looked more at home alongside grease lightning, with essentially two sofa's inside. We arrived in true Indian style..... late, and I quickly got changed into my saree. The whole wedding was so colorful!! We had a traditional dinner (on banana leafs) and sat in the main room, where we quickly learnt, that only Indian men dance, until they invited us to dance that is - the whole place went crazy! Everyone was trying to film it and even the wedding photographer shone his bright light to capture the scene for the couples wedding video.We then shortly found out that at a wedding everyone stays at the venue, which basically means there are no beds! We eventually manage d to wangle a room ( we were going to sleep on the balcony above the main room with loads of Indian women) we were provided with...... nothing.... just a room and a hard tiled floor, not the most comfortable nights sleep I've ever had if I'm honest. The wedding ceremony in the morning though made it all worth while. It took place on the stage in the main room and  they do some peculiar things, they set fire to coconuts and smash them, they also have a rope that the tie their heads (that signifies different things), and wash their in laws feet. We were also invited on stage, which was wierd given that we were complete outsiders. We got to chuck rice at the couple though which was pretty cool (kind of like our confetti tradition). Anyway a great experience, we are so lucky to have been able to experience an Indian wedding in India. Its been quiet a week to say the least.

Placement - Week 3

The adventure continues here in India - we are now well into the youth empowerment programme, in fact there's only one more week left! I am comfortably settled into India life now, but it definitely doesn't stop me missing home comforts........ I would love some meat right now! Plus, living we two boys is wearing off on me even more as Jack is now teaching me boxing, as the house has gone a bit exercise mad this week in an attempt to get fit (we even brought a skipping rope).... eating rice everyday is getting ever more tedious! We have also had many power cuts this week, so thanks for the torches Mum and Dad!

The week began quiet routinely in a school teaching 8th and 11th standard, it really is great the amount of schools that we get to teach in and each one has a unique character of its own. We spent Tuesday delivering poetry books (written by the students on HIV and Aids) to the schools that participated in the previous dance for life module.Wednesday saw us travel far and wide to a beautifully rural school in which their playground was covered in palm trees, it was a lot of traveling to only teach 11th standard.... but the more kids we reach the better. We spent Thursday and Friday at the same all girls school, and it was quiet frankly in a league of its own in comparison to most of the other schools we have taught in. In that, primarily there was some structure in place for the school day. They were so well behaved, and very intelligent, we were able to teach each standard in its entirety (which for 11th meant over 300 students). I think it was part government, part private from what I understood and it also served as a boarding school for many of the girls, it was a real treat to spend two days working there. Because of our disastrous cook (never preparing meals on time) we had to leave Friday morning without lunch, but in true Indian style we are still being fed wherever we go (hence the daily exercise) I can also report that we have already exceeded the new 10,000 target we set ourselves, so all is going well for team Vellore.

Also without exception, the weekend has been jam packed! We were joined on Friday night by Sam and Candice from Chennai. On Saturday we were awake and ready at 6am our destination......... Amarthi falls and forest. Our tour guide..... Vadivalen (our delightful programme manager in Vellore). We quickly learnt that there was no need for us to get up so early (even though Vadi had informed us too so we would avoid the worst of the sun) because in true Indian style he was late.... and didn't turn up till at least 8. Undeterred we headed for the bus stop and stocked up on lunch (bread and an abundance of fruit). The falls were absolutely beautiful, the whole area was breath taking, after climbing up the waterfall we paddled (and often wadded) up stream to enjoy lunch, feet submerged under the shade of a tree. Vadi was the perfect tour guide, and protector..... from monkeys, (they will try to steel anything, several scared the life out of me as we stopped for a casual cucumber, they were growling at us and proceeded to follow us, I instantly gave up my cucumber). A fabulous day that ended up in a zoo - if you could call it that. As the monkeys ran wild around us, terrorizing us for our fruit we stood there looking in a cage full of...... pigeons... it was very backward zoo. Plus not particularly safe as you could easily of picked up a stick and prodded the alligators they were in no way secure. Plus, despite our 6am start we evidently did not miss the scorching sun and I got a little sunburnt...... not looking so pasty white now!

On Sunday we were joined by Katie and Becca, so with nearly the whole team reunited we set off with one of our local volunteers to the market, and in the afternoon she kindly invited us all round to her home for lunch. We spent much of our time dressing in saree's and getting henna on our hands.... much welcomed female company...... although I believe there's another boxing workout planned for tonight!

Placement - Week 2

This week has been far more relaxed...........and I have welcomed it with open arms! The beginning few weeks were exhausting, because we quite simply had very little time off. The time we did have off we spent exploring and travelling. But, this week I can gratefully say that the pace has slowed. We have had time for reading, and the boys have even taught me the art of poker - I'm a natural.

Monday saw the Vellore team unite as Will, Jack and myself all trotted off to a school fairly close to our humble home. Jack and myself tackled 7th standard together in which the kids thoroughly enjoy my re-enactment of one of the stories. Although we were not there long and found ourselves with most of the afternoon to spare....... I snapped up the opportunity to have a cheeky snooze!

For much of the beginning of the week we often found ourselves in schools teaching. We are all more comfortable with the style in which these lessons need to be delivered, and it really is a case of reading the situation. Some kids can still go absolutely crazy just at the sight of you and when some kids asked for a group photo after one of the lessons I was happy to oblige. Forgetting of course how easily the kids got excited... I wedged my way through one of the rows and sat down, only to be bombarded by the entire class wanting to sit next to me. The situation could easily have gotten out of control and as I attempted to leave the mass of children I had about six kids attached to each arm.....lesson learnt: the simple prospect of a picture is far too exciting for the kids. There are a lot of things that I have had to learn since going into the schools on placement. Sometimes I have had to change my ideas on what 'non-formal- education techniques are. As there as so many ideas that we have to make the lessons amazingly interactive, but it's just not always possible. The space is sometimes so restricting that it limits our options but more what I have noticed is a simple instruction like 'stand up were going to play a game' excites the kids to a limit I never thought possible. The simple instruction to 'stand up' is something so foreign to what their understanding of 'being taught' entails. Going into schools here kind of reminds me of Victorian day when I was at primary school..... it's kind of like living in the past.

I also had the opportunity in the middle of the week to go to a temple with some of our volunteers. It was beautiful, set high up on a hill. Quiet funny though that on my way to climb to the stairs I was just about to put my foot on the first step when an old man started wildly yelling at me (I had no idea what he was so angry about as he was speaking in Tamil), the local volunteers angrily yelled something back and we proceeded. I quickly found out that the man was yelling because he thought I was about to enter wearing slippers....the volunteers had to explain that no, no, that is in fact the colour of my skin...... I really am as white as paper it would seem.

Thursday and Friday was not spent in schools but all the local volunteers came round for meetings and such things. I can also announce that we have already reached over 5700 kids. As our target for the month was 6000 we are very nearly there. We have since raised our target to 10,000. We have also been discussing the logistics of the after school clubs which we intend to start setting up shortly.

This weekend we were joined by Katy and Becca from Chennai.On Saturday we went to the Golden Temple.It was spectacular! Although no cameras or electrical are aloud in, (so we had to give these up at the gate, for which I was very dubious), which in turn means I have absolutely no pictures of this truly amazing place. On the other hand it was nice to just experience being there and not be distracted by the need to capture it. Plus I am sure there are many pictures on-line. Anyway I can't really describe how beautiful it was, but I will say........there was lot of Gold!

Today we spent the entire afternoon walking around the fort that is in Vellore. It has been an absolute scorcher of a day and we have spent much of our time running from one area of shade to the next. But it has most definitely been worth it. Given that we are in India and health and safety is non-existent, you can actually walk on the walls around the fort which made all of the views that much better. We also ventured into the temple that is situated in the middle of the fort which (like most of the temples I have been to recently) is home to many monkeys. So it was great fun to watch their antics and wonder around the temple. We were again asked for many photos today and the novelty is beginning to wear ever so slightly thin. Give it another week of so and I think we will all be sick to death of our new found fame.

Placement - Week 1

The first week of placement is over....... I am....... Exhausted!  But honestly, its been absolutely brilliant.

When we left Chennai last Saturday, (wedged between Jack and Will) the sudden realisation that for the majority of my placement I would only be with only two people hit me like a tonne of bricks. But, I had nothing to fear, it's been a real treat. Sunday... supposedly our day off but we had no choice but to spend it preparing for the week ahead as it's been a non stop roller-coaster from Monday to Friday.

The week began for me and the national volunteer Rekha with a focus group in a near by community. Basically, we're doing some research into what the out-of-school youth would want from our livelihood's programme in March. It really was interesting but at times tough to comprehend just how difficult their lives are. I have held several of these focus groups throughout the week and travelled very rural in order to reach as many youth as possible. It's been great to see some Indian countryside and visit the rural villages. One of these sessions even lead us to the slums, which was an experience to say the least. Despite their obvious poverty they provided such a warm welcome but oh my lord the flys.....they were constant and everywhere...any attempts to fight them off are futile.

I also spent a good portion of the week travelling around Vellore meeting with Headmaster's gaining permission to teach our youth empowerment programme. I can happily say that we were successful in all the schools that I've visited so far. The school's in India are crazy different from the school system back home. The headmaster's really have a air of authority that can be quiet intimidating. Like the temples shoes must be removed before entering their office and on several occasions I have seen headmaster's use a bell to call a student to their beck and call. Boys and girls have to sit on separate sides of the class (which seemed ridiculous when in on class there was masses of space on the left with four of five benches full of girls and on the rights boys were crammed ten or so onto benches that filled from the front of the room to the back). Schools in India are also a lot stricter, and the cane is still very much in use. In my first week I have seen several kids punished with this method. Most of the schools that I have visited so far have been government schools so the level of English in minimal and most of the time non-existent. So when it comes to teaching we are paired with a national volunteer that translate after every sentence, and then translate the kids answers back to us. It can be time consuming but its a method that works so we can get the best out of it. There has been a few lessons that have definitely stuck out for me, in which I really felt we made an impact on the kids in the class. It really does place you on such a high when you walk out of a class knowing how much they enjoyed it. This is more often than not due to the in-formal approach that we take. School's here are still very regimented and teaching is seen as simply talking to children.

The response from the kids when we arrive in schools really is great...they are sooooo excited to see us. Like much of India we are the object of much interest purely because we are white. Many kids here have never seen a white person before (one child on the bus showed this  by poking me in the face - and proceeded by asking her mum if she could have a bath - all translated by a national volunteer I didn't have a clue why she felt the need to jab me in the face). Because of this we are instant celebrity's and many of the children swarm around me wherever I go, and in one particular school we were hounded for autographs and drew so much attention that whilst teaching a teacher with a cane had to stand at the door to stop other kids coming in. It is very much a 'fish tank' feeling, and we are rarely left alone in schools even stared at through doors and windows as we eat our lunch. Although I do think its very wrong to be treated this, it's great to see the kids so happy and to know that they enjoyed the lesson so much.

A truly packed but amazing week and if I thought the weekend would be relaxing I couldn't have been more wrong. We had decided to meet up with the other guys from Chennai in a place called Mahabalipuram. So myself and Will set sail on Saturday and for a journey that was only meant to take 3 buses and 3 hours we were in fact on the disastrous buses for 5hours with a grand total of 4 buses. As we neared the end our journey on a sweaty packed bus, constantly standing on people's feet (shoes are not seen as necessary attire), I began to question if I should have stayed in Vellore with Jack... but it was most definitely worth it. Mahabalipuram is a tiny little town with a beautiful beach (apparently good for surfing - though I did not attempt it), and is set up for back packers travelling through India. The first time I have seen anything for tourists since landing in Chennai. It really was great to eat some western food and chill out on the beach with a bonfire....perfect! and for only 250rupees for the night (less than 3 quid) it was a great weekend. Plus it was great to catch up with the guys from Chennai. A jam packed week........... but I can't wait for the next!