8/15/10 8:30am
Just a brief post, as I am jet-lagged and busy unpacking... I returned safely from India yesterday afternoon. It was a long journey, and I still have a lot to think about and learn from it!
I'll be writing more in the coming days because like I said, even though I'm home I still have a lot to reflect on.
Thanks for all your well-wishes and prayers during my journey to keep me safe. They definitely worked.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Friday, August 13, 2010
Goodbye to India!
Well, this is going to be the last entry I'll post from India. In a couple hours we're going to the airport, arriving with plenty of time to go through security and check our bags and all that. Then, as I've probably mentioned, there's a flight to Frankfurt, a 7-hour-or-so layover there, and another flight to Philadelphia. I hope to be home by dinnertime on Saturday!
India has been truly wonderful, and I think that as time passes, I will continue to reflect on the experiences I had here and they will prove to be a wealth of knowledge. I know that this experience has made me a better teacher and a better person. I hope I have positively affected the lives of the Indian students and teachers I met along the way. I also expect that my experiences will have a positive impact on my own colleagues and students.
Last night, a few of us got mehendi. I got it on my hands and feet- and it looks great. It was a fun experience! The person applying it puts the designs on your hands and feet, then you have to let it dry for a couple hours. When it's dry you apply coconut oil, let it sink in, wait a bit longer, scrape off the excess, and then apply lemon juice and more oil. It darkened overnight and should stay on my hands and feet for a few days. Yesterday was a holiday, so that meant a lot of the mehendi people were busy and unavailable, so we were lucky to find two people who would come to the hotel room and do it- otherwise, you're sitting outside waiting for the henna to dry or trying to make it back to the hotel without using your hands! I got some sweets and snacks, and it was a good time.
Today, it's been packing and hanging at the hotel with a break to go over to the salon and get a facial. My one suitcase weighs 48 pounds, and my second duffel bag weighs about 30. I'd estimate my carry-on is about 15-20, meaning yes, I am carrying almost 100 pounds of STUFF back home. I unfortunately had to leave some shoes and clothes behind, which I feel is a bit wasteful, but if I hadn't done that I wouldn't have been able to bring home all the gifts the teachers at my school gave me! I mean, I can buy another pair of running shoes at home, but gifts cannot be replaced.
So, here I go, signing off from India. I'm hoping for a safe and uneventful journey, filled with lots of sleep and good airplane movies. Wish me luck!
India has been truly wonderful, and I think that as time passes, I will continue to reflect on the experiences I had here and they will prove to be a wealth of knowledge. I know that this experience has made me a better teacher and a better person. I hope I have positively affected the lives of the Indian students and teachers I met along the way. I also expect that my experiences will have a positive impact on my own colleagues and students.
Last night, a few of us got mehendi. I got it on my hands and feet- and it looks great. It was a fun experience! The person applying it puts the designs on your hands and feet, then you have to let it dry for a couple hours. When it's dry you apply coconut oil, let it sink in, wait a bit longer, scrape off the excess, and then apply lemon juice and more oil. It darkened overnight and should stay on my hands and feet for a few days. Yesterday was a holiday, so that meant a lot of the mehendi people were busy and unavailable, so we were lucky to find two people who would come to the hotel room and do it- otherwise, you're sitting outside waiting for the henna to dry or trying to make it back to the hotel without using your hands! I got some sweets and snacks, and it was a good time.
Today, it's been packing and hanging at the hotel with a break to go over to the salon and get a facial. My one suitcase weighs 48 pounds, and my second duffel bag weighs about 30. I'd estimate my carry-on is about 15-20, meaning yes, I am carrying almost 100 pounds of STUFF back home. I unfortunately had to leave some shoes and clothes behind, which I feel is a bit wasteful, but if I hadn't done that I wouldn't have been able to bring home all the gifts the teachers at my school gave me! I mean, I can buy another pair of running shoes at home, but gifts cannot be replaced.
So, here I go, signing off from India. I'm hoping for a safe and uneventful journey, filled with lots of sleep and good airplane movies. Wish me luck!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Last day!
8/12/10 6pm
Today was a very bittersweet day for me at KV No. 2, filled with many surprises and tons of love. I received so many gifts from the teachers, and had kids coming up to me all day asking for my autograph and giving me small tokens of affection, like pens and homemade cards. I don't think that I can really put into words how much today meant to me- but suffice to say, I have never had an experience like I did today and probably never will again.
I was able to address the whole school this morning during morning assembly, and I hope I expressed my gratitude adequately. The school community, from the very beginning, treated me like a member of the family and I felt at home right away. The teachers were all so nice, especially the ladies, and the students have all been so sweet and loving and inquisitive, if a little shy. I told the students that I hoped that they learned from the experience of having me around, and that I learned from them too. In fact, I probably learned more than I was able to teach. I encouraged them to continue to work hard and in all their endeavors and be kind and compassionate to others, and show everyone they meet the same kindness that they have showed me.
The day was a blur- I went to my regular classes and did a little bit of teaching, but mostly I got pulled from classroom to classroom meeting with classes for a few minutes at a time. I really felt like a celebrity and even kids I hadn't met before said how much they were going to miss me. It was really cute!
The teachers threw a little surprise party for me- everybody got called into the library after school and we had pakoras, sweets, and chai. I didn't expect such a to-do, but the teachers and administrators were all coming up and making speeches about how much they enjoyed having me, and I got some nice gifts that everybody chipped in to get me. Everyone said the most wonderful things: how I fit right in and never seemed like an outsider to them; how much they loved that I wore Indian clothing to school; what a great teacher I am; how friendly and cheerful I am; how excited they were to bring me food every day; how I have such wonderful values… it was amazing and wonderful. The principal also described me as "perfect" which was quite flattering! I have never before had the experience of people saying so many nice things to me at one time and being so genuinely appreciative.
Teachers don't usually get any glory, and I am not used to being the center of attention, so being here in India and having so much positive feedback and praise lavished on me has been a totally new experience. The school appreciated me immensely just for being there and talking with them, and I am not used to people being so excited just to have me around. It has been a month of living almost like a celebrity- staying in a fancy hotel, getting driven around, room service, so much appreciation and smiles from everyone constantly- being treated this way, how could anyone NOT come off as a friendly and happy person?
But alas, all good things must come to an end, and so I look forward to my last evening in India. A mehendi artist is coming to our hotel to jazz up our hands and feet with lovely henna designs. Although mehendi is traditionally done just before a wedding, it is acceptable to have it done to mark a special occasion, and I cannot think of an occasion more special than coming home from this 5 week journey. Since it's best not to move or sweat for a couple hours after mehendi, so that the henna really looks sharp and lasts a long time, I am glad that we won't have to venture out to do it. As you can imagine, India is extremely hot and humid and just the act of stepping outside to walk to the convenience store next to the hotel leaves you dripping with sweat! So, any opportunity to avoid that is a good thing.
And then tomorrow night we go to the airport for a 2am flight. Yeah, I've never taken a flight that leaves at 2am but apparently that's how they do things here. We'll be taking off from the new "T3" at Indira Gandhi International Airport- there's been a lot of hullabaloo about it in the papers because there are still some things that haven't gotten worked out- for example, none of the counters have land lines to other terminals in the airport. The terminal has been open for about 2-3 weeks, and it seems that international travelers aren't facing the same amounts of problems as domestic travelers who have to make international connections- or something like that. Anyway, I'll be traveling for about 24 hours, approximately 7 of which will be spent at the Frankfurt airport. It's going to feel so great to get home!
This month has really flown by. I've had mostly good times and a couple difficult moments where I felt homesick and lonely. (Not to mention the abuse my digestive system has been subjected to.) It's hard to leave behind everything and everyone you know and go halfway around the world not knowing what's going to happen or what to expect. But I did it. And this trip, really, has made me a different and a better person. I am so lucky to have been given this opportunity, and I can't wait to get home to share my experiences with everyone.
Today was a very bittersweet day for me at KV No. 2, filled with many surprises and tons of love. I received so many gifts from the teachers, and had kids coming up to me all day asking for my autograph and giving me small tokens of affection, like pens and homemade cards. I don't think that I can really put into words how much today meant to me- but suffice to say, I have never had an experience like I did today and probably never will again.
I was able to address the whole school this morning during morning assembly, and I hope I expressed my gratitude adequately. The school community, from the very beginning, treated me like a member of the family and I felt at home right away. The teachers were all so nice, especially the ladies, and the students have all been so sweet and loving and inquisitive, if a little shy. I told the students that I hoped that they learned from the experience of having me around, and that I learned from them too. In fact, I probably learned more than I was able to teach. I encouraged them to continue to work hard and in all their endeavors and be kind and compassionate to others, and show everyone they meet the same kindness that they have showed me.
The day was a blur- I went to my regular classes and did a little bit of teaching, but mostly I got pulled from classroom to classroom meeting with classes for a few minutes at a time. I really felt like a celebrity and even kids I hadn't met before said how much they were going to miss me. It was really cute!
The teachers threw a little surprise party for me- everybody got called into the library after school and we had pakoras, sweets, and chai. I didn't expect such a to-do, but the teachers and administrators were all coming up and making speeches about how much they enjoyed having me, and I got some nice gifts that everybody chipped in to get me. Everyone said the most wonderful things: how I fit right in and never seemed like an outsider to them; how much they loved that I wore Indian clothing to school; what a great teacher I am; how friendly and cheerful I am; how excited they were to bring me food every day; how I have such wonderful values… it was amazing and wonderful. The principal also described me as "perfect" which was quite flattering! I have never before had the experience of people saying so many nice things to me at one time and being so genuinely appreciative.
Teachers don't usually get any glory, and I am not used to being the center of attention, so being here in India and having so much positive feedback and praise lavished on me has been a totally new experience. The school appreciated me immensely just for being there and talking with them, and I am not used to people being so excited just to have me around. It has been a month of living almost like a celebrity- staying in a fancy hotel, getting driven around, room service, so much appreciation and smiles from everyone constantly- being treated this way, how could anyone NOT come off as a friendly and happy person?
But alas, all good things must come to an end, and so I look forward to my last evening in India. A mehendi artist is coming to our hotel to jazz up our hands and feet with lovely henna designs. Although mehendi is traditionally done just before a wedding, it is acceptable to have it done to mark a special occasion, and I cannot think of an occasion more special than coming home from this 5 week journey. Since it's best not to move or sweat for a couple hours after mehendi, so that the henna really looks sharp and lasts a long time, I am glad that we won't have to venture out to do it. As you can imagine, India is extremely hot and humid and just the act of stepping outside to walk to the convenience store next to the hotel leaves you dripping with sweat! So, any opportunity to avoid that is a good thing.
And then tomorrow night we go to the airport for a 2am flight. Yeah, I've never taken a flight that leaves at 2am but apparently that's how they do things here. We'll be taking off from the new "T3" at Indira Gandhi International Airport- there's been a lot of hullabaloo about it in the papers because there are still some things that haven't gotten worked out- for example, none of the counters have land lines to other terminals in the airport. The terminal has been open for about 2-3 weeks, and it seems that international travelers aren't facing the same amounts of problems as domestic travelers who have to make international connections- or something like that. Anyway, I'll be traveling for about 24 hours, approximately 7 of which will be spent at the Frankfurt airport. It's going to feel so great to get home!
This month has really flown by. I've had mostly good times and a couple difficult moments where I felt homesick and lonely. (Not to mention the abuse my digestive system has been subjected to.) It's hard to leave behind everything and everyone you know and go halfway around the world not knowing what's going to happen or what to expect. But I did it. And this trip, really, has made me a different and a better person. I am so lucky to have been given this opportunity, and I can't wait to get home to share my experiences with everyone.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
DONE shopping!
8/11/10 4pm
There's not a whole lot to report from New Delhi. It's not like things are boring, or that I'm not busy- I guess it's just that I am exhausted from this whirlwind of a month. If I were more alert, I could think about writing a long philosophical entry about everything I learned on this trip, but I haven't figured all of that out yet, so I think I'll procrastinate on that entry. Besides, we haven't left India yet- so that means there are still things to learn!
Anyway, my presentations are over and now there are just a few things left on the agenda. One of them WAS finishing my shopping. I went to Sarojini Nagar Market again and bought a cheapo duffel bag plus some more scarves and a couple tops and about 80 million bangles. I'm glad to have gotten that last shopping trip out of the way. I was into the shopping for a while, but I've actually gotten kind of sick of it. After a while everything starts to look the same, and I start to feel overwhelmed. I like that everything in India is so inexpensive, but that makes it all too tempting to get stuff you wouldn't ordinarily get because "who knows when I'll be here again!" So, I hope I didn't err too much in that direction.
Another item on today's agenda is a celebration. Today is Christopher's birthday, so we are going to celebrate that tonight in place of our last weekly meeting. I'm very much looking forward to some good times!!! Who knows what the night will bring?
Tomorrow is my last day teaching at KV No. 2 and I am sad about it because the experience has been so wonderful through and through. I have gotten really attached to the teachers there and they have really taken me under their wings and treated me like family. And I love the students- they are so sweet, affectionate, and curious. My Philadelphia learners will always be #1 in my heart, but these KV kids are a close second! After school tomorrow they are hosting a small party for me with samosas, chai, and sweets. I will also speak at morning assembly so I can formally thank the school for having me and teaching me so much. I am so thankful for having been given this opportunity- it is going to be really difficult to put my gratitude into words.
There's not a whole lot to report from New Delhi. It's not like things are boring, or that I'm not busy- I guess it's just that I am exhausted from this whirlwind of a month. If I were more alert, I could think about writing a long philosophical entry about everything I learned on this trip, but I haven't figured all of that out yet, so I think I'll procrastinate on that entry. Besides, we haven't left India yet- so that means there are still things to learn!
Anyway, my presentations are over and now there are just a few things left on the agenda. One of them WAS finishing my shopping. I went to Sarojini Nagar Market again and bought a cheapo duffel bag plus some more scarves and a couple tops and about 80 million bangles. I'm glad to have gotten that last shopping trip out of the way. I was into the shopping for a while, but I've actually gotten kind of sick of it. After a while everything starts to look the same, and I start to feel overwhelmed. I like that everything in India is so inexpensive, but that makes it all too tempting to get stuff you wouldn't ordinarily get because "who knows when I'll be here again!" So, I hope I didn't err too much in that direction.
Another item on today's agenda is a celebration. Today is Christopher's birthday, so we are going to celebrate that tonight in place of our last weekly meeting. I'm very much looking forward to some good times!!! Who knows what the night will bring?
Tomorrow is my last day teaching at KV No. 2 and I am sad about it because the experience has been so wonderful through and through. I have gotten really attached to the teachers there and they have really taken me under their wings and treated me like family. And I love the students- they are so sweet, affectionate, and curious. My Philadelphia learners will always be #1 in my heart, but these KV kids are a close second! After school tomorrow they are hosting a small party for me with samosas, chai, and sweets. I will also speak at morning assembly so I can formally thank the school for having me and teaching me so much. I am so thankful for having been given this opportunity- it is going to be really difficult to put my gratitude into words.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Power Cuts
8/9/10 5pm
This morning I gave a presentation to a group of English teachers from KV schools around Delhi. I'll be giving a similar talk on Wednesday to a group of teachers at my own school, so it was nice to only have to prepare one presentation. It feels like forever since I was at my host school (it was actually last Thursday) and let me tell you, I am extremely excited to get back there tomorrow… especially since our last day is Thursday!
The one thing I forgot regarding this presentation was that in India, the power goes out fairly regularly for minutes or hours at a time. This is all well and good until you are in the middle of a PowerPoint presentation and both the power and the backup generators stop working… which is what happened to me today! But really, it's not like things were ruined by any stretch. I was able to finish saying what I needed to say (forgot a few minor points, but oh well) and from the feedback I received from the teachers to whom I was presenting, it was a success.
But oh, the heat.
We don't have this kind of heat and humidity in the States, and while I have made major strides in putting up with it, I still don't feel adjusted to it completely. This is the kind of weather that makes it hard to climb a flight of stairs without getting winded, where your clothes stick to you, where drops of sweat roll down your back, where you sweat in places you don't normally sweat like your knees and the tops of your feet. And today it was bad, worse than usual, to the point where during my (hopefully last) souvenir and gift buying excursion I actually felt my heart pounding because my blood pressure had risen. So I gave up officially on trying to find something for Jason's dad (that man is impossible to buy for unless you are in Cabela's) and headed back to the air conditioned comforts of my hotel room. And consider myself lucky because a lot of people in this city don't have nice places to go, let alone air-conditioned ones.
I'm pretty tired from the heat plus the three late nights in a row I've had, so I am going to take this opportunity to enjoy some room service for dinner and get to bed early. Not a whole lot going on tomorrow, but on Wednesday the end-of-India whirlwind begins with some birthday celebrations and other festivities. At some point I need to figure out what size bag I need to buy to lug all the stuff I've bought home- this was part of my plan, and I really should have taken care of this sooner- now I'm stressing about it because I procrastinated!
I am also taking some time tonight for making a list of foods I want Jason to have on hand when I get home. There are things I miss, such as our homemade burritos, blueberries, raw vegetables, salad, American Diet Coke (it IS different here), the tomato pie from the bakery across the street, and grapefruit juice. I know he really misses me and can't wait for me to get home so I need to have *something* to occupy his time. After all, it's been a whole month that we've been gone!
This morning I gave a presentation to a group of English teachers from KV schools around Delhi. I'll be giving a similar talk on Wednesday to a group of teachers at my own school, so it was nice to only have to prepare one presentation. It feels like forever since I was at my host school (it was actually last Thursday) and let me tell you, I am extremely excited to get back there tomorrow… especially since our last day is Thursday!
The one thing I forgot regarding this presentation was that in India, the power goes out fairly regularly for minutes or hours at a time. This is all well and good until you are in the middle of a PowerPoint presentation and both the power and the backup generators stop working… which is what happened to me today! But really, it's not like things were ruined by any stretch. I was able to finish saying what I needed to say (forgot a few minor points, but oh well) and from the feedback I received from the teachers to whom I was presenting, it was a success.
But oh, the heat.
We don't have this kind of heat and humidity in the States, and while I have made major strides in putting up with it, I still don't feel adjusted to it completely. This is the kind of weather that makes it hard to climb a flight of stairs without getting winded, where your clothes stick to you, where drops of sweat roll down your back, where you sweat in places you don't normally sweat like your knees and the tops of your feet. And today it was bad, worse than usual, to the point where during my (hopefully last) souvenir and gift buying excursion I actually felt my heart pounding because my blood pressure had risen. So I gave up officially on trying to find something for Jason's dad (that man is impossible to buy for unless you are in Cabela's) and headed back to the air conditioned comforts of my hotel room. And consider myself lucky because a lot of people in this city don't have nice places to go, let alone air-conditioned ones.
I'm pretty tired from the heat plus the three late nights in a row I've had, so I am going to take this opportunity to enjoy some room service for dinner and get to bed early. Not a whole lot going on tomorrow, but on Wednesday the end-of-India whirlwind begins with some birthday celebrations and other festivities. At some point I need to figure out what size bag I need to buy to lug all the stuff I've bought home- this was part of my plan, and I really should have taken care of this sooner- now I'm stressing about it because I procrastinated!
I am also taking some time tonight for making a list of foods I want Jason to have on hand when I get home. There are things I miss, such as our homemade burritos, blueberries, raw vegetables, salad, American Diet Coke (it IS different here), the tomato pie from the bakery across the street, and grapefruit juice. I know he really misses me and can't wait for me to get home so I need to have *something* to occupy his time. After all, it's been a whole month that we've been gone!
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