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!
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.
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