Heavy rains put a damper on our Tuesday plans (pun intended ;-)) as we had a full schedule turned to multiple cancellations due to a “monsoon day” closing many of the local schools. Our host is incredibly diligent and made sure we had a full day loaded with great experiences anyway. We went to another school called MES Higher Secondary School where Riyas’ friend, Yasir, teaches, and despite the “monsoon day,” both students and teachers came to school to meet with us! I cannot imagine most students electing to come to school on our equivalent snow day, it was astonishing! It was another day of great exchange about our education systems and cultures through a round table discussion with teachers and an assembly question and answer session with about 200 students, including recognition on a level that we simply do not feel worthy! The students are so eager to see us and hear us speak, asking very thoughtful and insightful questions, reflective of their curiosity and passion to seek understanding. All of my Indian students have quickly found a place in my heart alongside all my American students; I love them all so much!!! After being given a plaque with our picture and name along with a beautiful sari, we were escorted outside to plant a tree, an event that occurs when they have special visitors to their school. Just too special, it is overwhelming and so heart-warming! After lunch in the hotel, we were picked up by Riyas and his wife and children to head to Calicut Beach so we could see the Arabian Sea! In Indian fashion, the children sat on his wife’s lap, and we sat in the back seat while Riyas made the way down the winding two land roads. It was so fun talking with Riyas’ sweet daughter, Irene Rose, who it didn’t take long to warm up to us! She loves accessories, the color red, learning English, and Frozen. She is so precocious and curious, asking us if we painted our skin white, and if she would turn white if she went to America. We made sure to honestly answered, “No!,” that this is just how we were born, letting her know emphatically just how beautiful her skin was. After the two hour drive, we were met by Roxana and Gita (sp), teachers at our school who are two of the loveliest human beings on this planet, and we had such a nice time gazing in awe of the Sea. I surely didn’t expect a beach visit on my trip to India! After our time at the beach, we had dinner at a restaurant that served both Western and Indian food, the Westerners ordering Indian food, and the Indians getting Western, LOL! Roxana’s son met us for dinner, and I had the pleasure of talking with him and learning about the Kerala culture and education system from the perspective of an 18 year old. He reminds me SO much of my students, and I made sure to let him know as he will be leaving home to attend Mechanical Engineering school in the U. K. completely on his own this fall. For high school, he attended a private, Christian Missionary School, where religion was not taught unless chosen (he is Muslim and chose not to) and his average class size was about 40. He loves football (soccer), hiking in the beautiful natural landscapes in Kerala, has a mature attitude towards his career (he’s going to the U.K. because the program is more experiential than theoretical, different than engineering schools in India), and is gregarious and easy to talk to. Talking to him made me miss my students! Teenagers everywhere, despite differences in culture and religion, are much the same. After dinner, we were given more extremely kind gifts, and had a run-in with some of Roxana’s family. We then headed back to the hotel, an intimidating 2 hour ride in the heavy rains, but we made it. Lots more is on the agenda for Wednesday, including some make-up sessions, so fingers crossed schools stay opened!
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Monday was a very important day for the TGC fellows of Wandoor! We were responsible for planning an American Cultural and Education presentation, a lesson in our content area, and a presentation on American Education for the after school staff meeting. We are very highly regarded by the school, so expectations were high and the pressure was on! Together, my TGC fellows and I came up with a plan to execute our presentations in the time allotments, with the goal of giving a variety of perspectives representative of each of our states, and back up plans should technology not be available. When we got to the school, it was clear we needed our back up plan. The heavy rains had closed most of the surrounding schools, and fortunately our school remained open, but the power was out! So we were ready to adapt, as I had brought my laptop and my fellow Michelle brought a portable projector. As we were setting up in the library, which was an outdoor climb up slippery steps in the rain, I realized my computer was not fully charged despite charging it the day prior! The red light was on, and I knew we only had a few minutes, if that, but we figured we’d give it a try and see what happens. And by miracle of God, my battery lasted through all three of our presentations! It was so much fun helping the students and their teachers, a room of 200+, better understand our beautiful country and education system. While I presented, I passed around copies of my presentation, pictures of my classroom and students, a picture of my whole family, my school’s yearbook, and my students’ personal definitions of their American Dreams with their picture attached from a Padlet assignment I had them complete at the end of the school year in conjunction with my trip to India. After we presented, the students asked questions, we passed out candy and other small gifts, and then were taken to another delicious, fully served, student-made lunch, all dishes they brought from home! We were also given bracelets as gifts, in addition to many smiles and kind words along side the plentiful spread of food. After a brief waiting period in the teacher work room, we were escorted to our classrooms for our lesson. My plan was to do a content area reading strategy that helped the teachers and students see an example of student-centered learning. There was a miscommunication, and I was under the impression that they had textbooks with them, but they did not, so again I had to adapt. All across the world, this is just what teachers do! And the lesson went great! There were 60+ students in benches of about 5, all of which were highly engaged, working independently, collaboratively, and communicating in small groups and as a whole class! The outside traffic that pierced through the walls of the classroom was just white noise to the students; their work ethic, commitment to learning, and respect is truly outstanding. After the lesson, I had a stampede of students begging for my autograph (this is no joke!), and unfortunately I couldn’t get to all of them as the news channel was waiting outside the classroom to interview me! The regard they have for teachers in India is so high, and being an American teacher is to a level I do not feel at all worthy!!! After the lesson, I passed out a PD I made to go along with my lesson to the teachers who observed the class, and then we headed to the teacher workroom where we were to have our staff meeting presentation. We wanted it to be more of a discussion, so we shared our knowledge on American schools, focusing on our individual states, and then took questions from the teachers. It was awesome! A teacher who is a published other wrote a poem for us, called Hope, which was the icing on the cake of this incredible day of global exchange. Another teacher, who is Riyas’ cousin, invited us over for “tea,” aka dinner after school. Her house was beautifully nestled in palm trees and in a close-knit neighborhood where neighbors are family. Her extended family was also there, all just so, so, so kind and gentle, helping us better understand just how important family is here and how beautiful their culture is; I love showing the families my family as we are close in such a similar way, helping break some of the stereotypes of the American family for my new Indian friends. On our way back to the hotel, we witnessed a motorcycle collision with a dog, which was terrifying and simultaneously heart-warming, as both boys on the motorcycle were okay and the dog ran away, a miracle accompanied by a swarm of bystanders who ran to the rescue to help, another piece of evidence of their communal, caring way of living. Tuesday will also require adapting, as the rains are the heaviest they have seen in years and many of the schools are forced to close. We are prepared for anything, it’s just what teachers do! To see my culture and education presentation: American Cultural Presentation To see the PD to my lesson: Strengthening Literacy: What's the Gist? Last night, the biology teacher from the school I’m working in invited us over for “tea” at her home. As we pulled into her drive way, captured in awe by her beautiful home lined with her beautiful extended family, we knew we were in for more than just tea! We were greeted with the warmest welcome, introduced to her husband, brothers, sisters, kids, nieces, nephews, in-laws and her mother, all so gracious to see us, serve us, and to make use feel at home. We talked extensively with all of them, no superficial small talk, and they told us their true stories and helped us gain a more full picture of who they are. The Grandmother is a well-known doctor who was recognized in 1999 by the President of India for her humanitarian work, which included bringing health care to isolated islands in India; on one occasion, her boat capsized on the commute, and she survived 7 days at sea before making it to shore! I was so humbled to be in the presence of people of such caliber. They kept saying they were honored to have us, and we quickly followed up that it is we who are honored to be here. The Atithi devo Bhava mindset, sincere kindness and welcoming to a complete stranger, is something I do not know from home; it is simultaneously overwhelming and just so, so, so refreshing. After a delicious huge meal, we sat in her living room, and talked with her beautiful children and nieces and nephews, who are very excited for the World Cup, split between France and Croatia (not much of a soccer fan, but of course I had to root for Croatia!). Roxana’s son just graduated high school and is attending college in the U.K. to study Mechanical Engineering; he was so humble and sweet, walking us to our car with umbrellas in the rain. I hope I raise my children to be like that some day! Another day beyond my expectations. My heart and my soul are very happy. :-) We almost had to change hotels last night due to the lack of working water, but fortunately our host immediately came to the hotel and insisted that they fix the problem. They sent a plumber, and for now the water seems to be consistently on, so all is well! Heading to my host school this morning to give an American Cultural and Education presentation to the student body and teachers, to teach a biology lesson, and to conduct a staff meeting presentation on the American Education System. The fellows I’m working with have told me that they come from very different places and school systems than I in their states of South Dakota and Missouri, so the students and teachers will be gaining a multi-dimensional view on our beautiful country! This weekend, we had the opportunity to see another side of India: the national parks! Thanks to the exceptional kindness of our host, Riyas, and his good friend, Yasir, we were picked up from our hotel and had a day long personal safari that spanned over three states: Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka! The parks serve as reserves for tigers and elephants and are highly protected by forest police, but they are open for visitors during day time hours. We had breathtaking up close views of wild elephants as well as some tamed, peacocks with the most beautiful adornments, monkeys of many varieties some with babies in tow, wild boars, deer, and so much more! Despite a few close calls with the spunky monkeys (I think my many sprints to the car when monkeys got too close were entertainment to our hosts), we had a day by which we were in harmony with nature in its most natural form. Immersed in beautiful, luscious green landscapes with cool temps and a light rain, it was quite the contrast from Delhi! We stopped for coffee along the way, got lunch at one point, and had lots of talks about our school systems (Yasir is a teacher, too) comparing how we discipline our students, the stress of high stakes testing, the impact of unions, and much more. We also talked about our cultures, politics, and history, learning about the culture of arranged marriages, the impact of having a communist government, and the roles of their national parks, to list just a few things! There is a bit of a language barrier, as they are used to speaking English to each other and so our accents and common phrases can confuse them, but we’ve been asking for clarity when needed and figuring things out as we go, so the barrier has just added more learning and charm to the experience! We also saw tea leaf harvesting, and visited a tea factory, and eventually made our way to the top of a mountain called Ooty. Just 36 hairpin turns in a small manual car, and we were all the way to the top, to be greeted by dangerous winds filled with mist, and very cold temps. After about 15 minutes (felt like an hour) walking around in those dangerous conditions, we were back in the car and down the mountain! On our way down, a tree had fallen, backing up traffic and blocking the two land road; no police or emergency crew could get through, so a Good Samaritan on a motorcycle came to the area with his chain saw, and with some bystanders hacked away at the tree, working to clear the road way. We sat idol in the car for a good hour, listening to the chain saw and lots of shouting in one of the 100s of Indian languages, laughing at the circumstances. What else was there to do? Someone came around to collect money to pay the chain saw guy for his service, and we were all amazed by the communal nature of these strangers turned comrades. When all was clear, a cop appeared to direct traffic, and we were on our way, driving through slippery sharp turns in a thick fog. Perhaps I was just saturated with optimism, but I wasn’t worried and knew we’d make our way back to the hotel despite the conditions. We had another food stop, and a few other stops as Yasir wasn’t feeling well, and just before midnight our adventure concluded and we were back at our hotel. It was an incredible day seeing wildlife in natural habitats, beyond any expectation I ever set for my visit to India, a blessing of a magnitude of which there are no words. It was a day of exploration, of learning, of adapting to cultural norms (hand to use a squatting toilet for the first time, and ate dinner with my hands!), of living in the moment. Our host and his friend are so very hospitable and very much want us to have a great time in the home of which they have so much pride; I’ve never experienced this kind of kindness from people I do not know. EVER. It was heart-warming, not only showing the beautiful nature of the people of Kerala, or the people of India, but of mankind. The good is there in all of us, and the harmonious, kind, loving people of Kerala set a positive example for us all! Just took another cold shower, with the power going in and out, and as I write this my water appears to be shut off again, but the power is on for now so all is well! We have another day of adventures with Riyas and Yasir, and are going to the house of a biology teacher, Roxana, before heading back to the school tomorrow. Oh, and we ended up in the Delhi newspaper last week, and the paper here yesterday, see picture below! Yesterday afternoon, I flew into Kozhikode in the Indian state of Kerala with four of my TGC fellows, two staying in Kozhikode, and another and myself, along with a fellow who flew in earlier, going to Wandoor. After a unique experience waiting for our luggage and some cultural misunderstandings as taped boxes and other random items made their way around the luggage belt, we were met by our host teacher, Riyas, and his friend, Yasir. They kindly lifted our heavy luggage into their car, a tight squeeze but somehow fit, and we similarly squeezed into the back seat and were on our way! Immediately, the diversity in India became evident, as Kerala is covered with trees, coconut, palm, banana, just so much gorgeous bright green, vibrant vegetation as they are in the midst of their monsoon rainy season. We drove through a two lane, mountainous road, marveled by the beauty of this state. We had an hour and a half drive to our hotel, so we stopped for lunch and had our first experience with Kerala cuisine, observing people eat with their hands and men wearing a unique garment that looks like a cloth made into a kilt. We became acquainted with our host and his friend, and started learning about the unique qualities of Kerala, a Malayalam speaking state with a communist government, where Hindus, Muslims, and Christians live in harmony. I ate my new favorite Indian food, chicken biriyani, a delicious dish native to the area. After a delicious lunch, we made our way through the mountains and into Nilambur, the sweet little town where we are staying. We checked into the quaint hotel, quickly learning that we were the only residents, and once our host and his friend felt that we were okay, they headed back home to their families. Feeling adventurous, my fellow Michelle and I decided to check out the town, by which we also checked out the impact of the monsoon, as we got stuck in a down pour after just a few minutes of walking! We found a store to stock up on water, ended up running into a teacher we will be working with in Wandoor, and then made our way back to the hotel. After a night of intermittent sleep due to the power shutting on and off through the night, and being awoken by the call to prayer as this is a mostly Muslim area, I was up and ready for my first day at our school in Wandoor! Being the only people in our hotel, we had a custom-made breakfast, and then our sweet host, Riyas, picked us up. We are about 10 km from our school, as Wandoor is a very small town without hotels. It was a tricky drive through the rain, but as soon as we got to the school, the rain softened and the sun slightly peaked through the sky, and we were able to clearly witness a spectacle of which none of us felt worthy. The students gathered outside with a sign with our names and pictures on it, cheering with glee as we paraded into the school lined with all the beautiful students of GGVHS Wandoor Secondary School, a government girls’ school of 3,000 students from the surrounding area. They smiled, cheered, and jumped with joy, grabbing our hands (they shake hands here), overwhelming us with joy! We gathered in their assembly area, and were recognized, had the opportunity to formally greet the student body and faculty, and then were graced with a variety of beautiful performances (lots of hydration prior to the unexpected welcome led to a Forrest Gump moment at one point LOL); it was mind-blowing! After our welcome, we spent some time in the teacher’s lounge; our host did not want us to get too overwhelmed by the experience and wanted to make sure we had a moment to rest. So kind! We had the chance to talk to some teachers, and after a few minutes, the police came in! They were not wearing badges or a uniform, but our host knows them well and told us not to worry, but they wanted to see our passports and visas. They took pictures of our documents, and after a few moments, all seemed to be okay and they were on there way; our host said they do that often when foreigners come into town. We then were given a robust lunch, homemade by the students, and served to us by each student. It was delicious and just so special; I do not feel worthy! We then got the chance to talk to the sweet students, who were just in such awe to see us. I made sure to try to eat each item made for me, even if it was just a bite, because never have I been served a meal filled with so much love; it is always those who have little who give so much. After our meal, I observed a chemistry class. The class was packed with over 50 students, all eager to learn, many holding deep dreams of pursuing medicine or engineering, but since they do not have a lab room, they do the labs directly in their seats. Fumes filled the air as they put magnesium into hydrochloric acid, and I had to excuse myself because the fumes made it difficult to breathe. The teacher said they are currently building a new school building that will include official labs, and I’m hoping that includes proper safety gear, too. After the lesson, the students asked me all kinds of questions. Prior to the lesson, the chemistry teacher made sure to let us know how courageous he thought we were for traveling the world independently as women, letting us know that most women in India cannot do so. He thanked us for setting a positive example for the girls in his school. It was so touching! With that in mind, I made sure to explain to them my life path, how I pursued my degrees, encouraging them to follow their dreams. They cheered with joy with all my replies, so I can only hope I was able to have a positive impact! The remainder of the day was spent with the students, who were just elated to a degree I can’t explain. They shook my hand and smiled, some not wanting to let go, many wanting to touch my hair and face, saying, “You’re so nice!” and “I really like you!” among many other sweet things. I was particularly touched when a student approached me and said she found a video of me online donating my hair for Wigs for Kids on behalf of one of my students years back! She asked if I would speak at her club, and I quickly replied yes; in that moment, I felt speechless and was just overwhelmed with emotion. When she walked away, I was in a flood of tears, just knowing God’s hand is here, making a local good deed now a global one. The students were so excited to see us, they couldn’t get them off the campus of the school at the end of the school day! Some parents came to meet us, as the PTA is very strong in the school. They were so kind! Once things settled down, we made our way to the car and back to the hotel. The power has been going on and off, as has the water, so it should be an interesting night! We are going on a safari tomorrow, and having dinner at a super kind Biology teacher’s house on Sunday, so lots of exciting things are on the agenda for the weekend! Monday, we will be doing a cultural presentation for the school, teaching a lesson, and then will be doing a presentation on the U.S. education system to 50 teachers at their staff meeting after school. I write this post completed exhausted, coming from a spectacle of a day filled with exuberant joy that I must share while it’s still fresh in my memory, so I apologize if this post is incomprehensible. There is so much I’m learning from being here, where 1.2 billion people reside, I honestly feel like I’m in a constant state of culture shock. It is different here in more ways than I can put in words. And as I think more about it, we are 300+ million in the U.S., there are 4 times that here in India, so I suppose when you look at the big picture, it is we who are the ones who are different. More to come this week! On our last day in Delhi before heading to our host communities, we had the opportunity to visit a college for teachers called the District Institute of Education (D.I.E.T.). It is a two year program, and this particular program is for primary school teachers (see picture below). We were able to observe how they opened their day with yoga, meditation, roll call attendance, a discussion of current events, and a discussion of the importance of understanding, experiencing and caring for the environment, led by the students and facilitated by the teachers. It was awesome! We then toured the school, talked to the students and observed classes, and then learned more about their program and also how Delhi schools are collectively applying the Happiness Curriculum (see picture below). The students were very focused and serious, driven to succeed and very passionate about learning to be a teacher, reminding me much of my students back home. The resources in the school were very limited, in fact the power went out at one point and no one flinched, as this is clearly a common occurrence. They take great pride in their programming, which is focused on preparing teachers to promote the humanistic ideals I’ve witnessed in the schools thus far, connecting students to each other, to others in the world, and to nature.
After visiting the teacher college, we made our way to the Red Fort, and had an excellent guided tour where we learned about the extensive history of the site and India as a whole; it was extremely hot and humid, but a really powerful experience. It is amazing how much has been accomplished, destroyed, and rebuilt in India. And, fun random fact that I learned: 5,000 years ago, to prevent the exchange of germs, Indians bowed to one another as a greeting rather than shake hands, a gesture that they still do today. If they do shake your hand, it is out of respect of Western culture, but is not customary for them. In addition to learning and exploring while we were in the Red Fort, WHOA were we stared at, and followed, and the “can I take a selfie?” requests were frequent, to say the least. I try to be kind and patient; many of those who live in villages have never seen a foreigner before, so although it’s not particularly comfortable, I’ll take a quick picture (usually ends up being a line if you don’t walk away right away). After all, they are going to take the picture anyway! LOL We also saw construction work going on, which included not just men, but also women in beautiful saris working equally as hard while also minding their small children standing near playing in the rubble, none wearing hard hats or any protective equipment. Very dangerous for all parties involved, including us as rocks were crumbling from a roof they were working on right above the exit we were making our way through. To put it simply, it’s very sad, and not fair; it’s hard to put in words the feeling it gives me witnessing such poverty. We concluded the day with an informational session on our upcoming host school visits over dinner, by which we were able to talk about what we’re excited about, what makes us nervous, how we deal with stress, and ways to get energy. We also got cell phones so we’re able to make local calls and stay in contact with Patrick, who has been so accommodating, organized, and kind throughout our time here, while we’re gone. After the session was complete, I picked up my custom-made sari that was personally delivered to the hotel thanks to Sonia, one of our in-country hosts, such a sweet soul. I spent the remainder of the day packing and trying to lighten my overloaded suitcase, as we are only allowed 23 kg (50 lbs) and I was way overloaded in CLE and paid A LOT for it. It took a good hour and a half and some creativity, but I somehow did it! It was a very chaotic morning making my way through the Delhi airport, but fortunately I was with several other TGC fellows, and although we got separated at the gate (because I forgot to save my e-ticket to my phone, long story of what happened but I made it!), we all made it through. It ended up being an interesting cultural experience in and of itself; I got the chance to see the wealthy of India up close, and had a very interesting conversation with an Indian businessman sitting next to me on my flight who told me all about the American Embassy School in Delhi. The school is taught by American teachers and from what he told me, it sounds like it follows the Common Core curriculum. He said that students of many nationalities attend the school, although preference in cost and seat availability is given to Americans. His daughter went there and had a very positive experience, and is currently in college in California. Very interesting! As I write, I’m currently on my connecting flight in Mumbai, and am making my way south to the state of Kerala where I’ll be working in a school in a village called Wandoor. I will be with two other fellows from my group, one of which was added to our school last night due to dangerous flooding in Mumbai where she was originally scheduled. We’re super happy to add her to our team, although it’s unfortunate with all the planning in Mumbai that won’t be executed. I am so excited to see Southern India, to see what Wandoor looks like, to meet my host teacher and his colleagues, and to meet all the students!!! Our schedule is busy, filled with time at the school, experiencing the culture, and visiting historical sites, but it will go by fast so I’m going to do my best to stay energized and live in the moment! More to come in the next few days! Over the past two days, we have had the opportunity to visit local schools. And once gain, the single world that describes the experience: joy! Before I share my experiences, allow me to share a concise breakdown of the Indian educational system from what I’ve learned. There are two main types of schools, government and public. Government schools are equivalent to U.S. public schools, and public schools are equivalent to U.S. private (yes, confusing!). For the sake of clarity, I will refer to public as private. 65% of all students in India go to government schools, that’s 113 million students, some of which are run locally, some are run by the state, and some are run by the central government. Generally speaking, government schools function to help all students achieve the Indian Dream, regardless of their background or location, for the good of the child and for society as a whole. There are various types of governmental schools, some of which are selective. In the selective government schools, students need to apply and are required to have certain test scores; to make sure all schools are equitable and that no groups are marginalized, a percentage of seats are saved for underprivileged students. There are also special facilities for girls belonging to vulnerable castes, working to bring them to the mainstream; once you move up in society, caste is irrelevant thanks to education. Private schools have 29% of India’s student population, and quality varies immensely. There are some very elite private school, and some with minimal resources; students who cannot get into government schools are often subject to the latter. Schools speak the language of their state as their primary language, and English as their second.
Our first school visit was to Rajkiya Pratibha Vikas Vidyalaya, which is a co-ed government secondary school in Delhi run by the state with a good rating and competitive admission. When we pulled up to the school, we were once again given the Atithi devo Bhava treatment, an overwhelming welcome filled with joy and kindness. The Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi and Education Minister, Manish Sisodia, who has been recognized by the President of India for his excellence and is highly regarded by all, also joined us; cameras were flashing everywhere! Students and teachers greeted us as we entered, and then we made our way into the auditorium, where students were sitting on the floor, smiling and waving, as we walked in. The assembly was incredible; students did various performances, including singing, yoga (they are national champions; yes, there is competitive yoga here!), and the principal, Sarita Batra, gave an inspiring welcome speech, as did the Education Minister. I was very moved by the Education Minister who spoke directly to students, asking the camera crew to back away so no student was blocked from his view. He allowed them to ask questions, and kindly responded, inspiring students to reflect on the true meaning of attaining success, fulfilling needs, finding happiness in one self, asserting that what they learn and how teachers guide their learning in school will ultimately connect to those achievable ideals. After the assembly, we met for a round table discussion with the principal and minister, discussing our education systems, how they compare and contrast. Students served us with food, food they made themselves, tea, water, and requests for lots of selfies! We then took a tour of the school, by which I was personally guided by two of the sweetest angels who are 12th graders in the school. I saw many classrooms, and hoped to be able to observe, but it didn’t happen; the kids were just too excited to interact! They were so kind, enthusiastic, and respectful. The positive, happy energy filled my heart with so much joy, so much so that the 100+ temps in the un-air conditioned school beared no weight on me! I answered their many questions, asked them questions, and talked with teachers; it was so much fun! We then concluded with the principal, which I ended up arriving late for due to having such a great time talking with all the students. Fortunately, I was not too late to hear more words of wisdom from this humble, brilliant, highly respected leader and to let her know how amazed I was by the positive, nurturing culture of the school, a reflection of her leadership. Our second school visit was to East Delhi Nigam Pratibha Co-Ed School, a local run government primary school for underprivileged students. We were warned to expect another hot day, and that it was going to be different than our previous experience. Honestly, although eager to visit the school, I was a bit nervous; the poverty I’ve witnessed in India goes far deeper than anything I’ve seen in the U.S. I wasn’t sure how witnessing the affect of such poverty in small children was going to affect me. But to my surprise, again, the single word that best describes the experience: joy! We had the Atithi devo Bhava, given beautiful leis made of real flowers and sprinkled with flower pedals as we entered. We were able to see the opening assembly which is common in all schools, which include singing, yoga and meditation, and connecting with their peers, teachers, and the principals. The students come from very difficult backgrounds, some with uneducated parents, some with parents who are alcoholics, and a multitude of other issues, so this opening assembly is very important for calming their energy into positivity and a readiness for learning. To provide extra supports for the students, meals and basic necessities are provided, the teachers get to know the families intimately with home visits, and above all else, they give the students love, care, and hope for a better future. As I was walking through the school, and exchanging smiles with these beautiful little angels who are facing hardships I can’t fathom, watching them engage in class and show so much enthusiasm for learning, I was deeply moved; again, the heat had no weight on me. The school is painted with positive affirmations for learning, both literally and figuratively; they even have a science club! From the principal, to the teachers, to the students, I just felt so honored to be in the presence of human beings of such high caliber. They were so humble, and our visit was extremely important to them, and I tried my best to convey just how amazing they are for the work they do. Many hugs were exchanged as I made my way out of the school. In both schools, what impressed me the most were the relationships. There was such a sincere, positive connection between the principal and the teachers, teachers and teachers, teachers and students, and students and students; an interconnected web of kindness and respect that has lead to the creation of remarkably positive school cultures. To be completely honest, the culture of the school of students who lack privilege was extremely similar to the school of students with more privilege, a result of all the amazingly dedicated, skilled, and loving teachers and administrators. I feel so much hope for these students, and all students in the world, especially those who’ve gotten an unfair hand in life, thanks to the incredible experiences I had visiting these schools. We also had the chance to visit a facility for children with conflict with the law (their synonym for juvenile delinquents), and although there were no flower pedals, but rather a guard letting us behind a barbed wire gate into an unairconditioned lockdown facility, it paralleled to the other schools in terms of its function to help the troubled children. We toured the facility, and had the chance to observe the kids, who smiled and seemed very happy to see American visitors, while engaged in a lesson with a teacher. I looked closely and could see the kindness in their eyes, and made sure to smile as we didn’t get the chance to interact with them besides a distant “hello.” We also stopped by an area in the facility where children were being taken into foster care. Small children to teenagers, sitting alone, already hardened by life. Heart breaking. We then went to the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights and learned more about the effort to protect abused, exploited, and sick children. I’ve been astonished by the number of children begging on the streets, persistent, sometimes grabbing my arms, trying to sell me something or pointing to their mouths and stomachs saying “hungry.” It is so painful to witness, and so painful not to help them, but the passion and mission of the DCPCR gives me hope that these seemingly abandoned children will get the help they need to live safe, good, meaningful lives that all human beings deserve. We’ve also had some cultural experiences over the past few days, including delicious Indian fast food at Haldiram’s, a look at the India Gate, and a visit to the incredible Akshardham Temple, which included a robotic, animated show that explained the foundation of this particular sector of Hindu, a boat ride tour that explained all the great historical contributies of India, an outstanding light show that made me feel not so sad about missing 4th of July fireworks this year, and an interior view of this beautiful place of worship. All of these special extras thanks to our incredibly kind, generous, and thoughtful Indian hosts. I can’t express enough my gratitude for this experience and all the kind, welcoming, good people of India I’ve met over the past few days; an interconnected web of kindness. India has its challenges, but it is a truly beautiful country, teaching me so much, inspiring me to be a better person. I am so blessed to be here, and can’t wait to make my way to my host school in Kerala on Thursday! After an amazing lunch that was more like dinner in the early afternoon, our programming began later that day with an introduction by our fantastic IREX program coordinator, Patrick Dunlap, who gave us all the details that lie ahead over the next few weeks; our itinerary is filled with so much learning, teaching, exploring, authentic cultural experiences, world wonders, just simply amazing! After his introduction, our in-country hosts Mamta, Sonia, Poonam, and Rajesh gave us an Introduction to Indian Culture and History, beginning with a beautiful ceremony by which we were given the warmest blessing I’ve ever received; I had to hold back the tears because I was just so overwhelmed and humbled by their kindness. In Indian culture, “Atithi devo Bhava” which is Hindi for “Guest is God,” are words that are lived as that is exactly how we have been treated since our arrival! After the ceremony, they gave their presentation, through which we had the opportunity to learn more about India and connect their country to our own. We also had that chance to get up and do some Indian dancing; it was so much fun! We then went to dinner at Barbecue Nation. The food was so full of flavor and plentiful, and I definitely ate way more than I was hungry for but it was just SO good. Compared to my normal bland, boring, mostly raw diet, it is definitely different, and so far, my intestines are hangin’ in there! We’ll see how they do! Ha :-) Struggling with jet lag combined with anticipation for the next day, I had a sleepless night before beginning our early adventures the following day. We left the hotel at 5:15 a.m. to visit a village outside of Delhi, a village that served as the childhood home of our host, Rajesh, where much of his family, including his Mom, still live. As we drove through the city of Delhi, it became clear again that this is truly a city that doesn’t sleep; people were up and about everywhere! It was an intriguing trek that lead to a bumpy, dirt road, that lead to the village, Pachayara. If I were to summarize the experience in one word, it’d be joy. Pure, absolute joy. Again, Atithi devo Bhava, Guest is God, became evident as we were greeted with warmth, kindness, and hospitality well-beyond my expectations. I expected to meet a few people and to more or less observe village life as a spectator, but the people of Pachayara were so thrilled to have us; rather than spectators, we were made a part of their life for this special moment in time! Our time in the village was truly a celebration, beginning with a special individualized blessing, which I now believe to be an Indian custom, followed by eating lots of tasty treats (but had to skip on the non-pasteurized, ice-filled drink made special for us, I felt so bad, but am trying hard to not get sick), hookah (I skipped that, too, LOL) and lots, and LOTS of dancing (didn’t skip that!). We also saw some monkeys swinging in trees, a Hindu temple, and washing of their sacred cows, and took many, many, MANY selfies with the villagers who wanted pictures with us. We learned that we were the first foreigners to visit their village, and it was clear that they were in just as much of a culture shock as we were. I made sure to let each young girl know how beautiful she was as I took her picture, knowing she may not know the meaning yet, but should she learn it in the future, she will remember someone telling her she was. We were taken out of the village by an oxen-driven truck with an entourage of children giggling and running along the way, it was so much fun! The entire experience felt straight out of National Geographic. I was truly blown away, almost delirious by the unanticipated enomority of the experience as we drove away. They were so kind, generous, and welcoming for no personal gain, just out of pure love for the guest, love for their village, love for God. I can only hope I am able to make visitors who come to my home feel as welcomed; it was an experience filled with a joy of which words cannot explain. The heat and humidity were at a level of intensity beyond anything I’ve ever experienced and I was literally dripping in sweat, it was also very early as the day starts early due to the Indian heat, but the challenges just made these precious moments that much more authentic and memorable. After driving back to Delhi, we had a quick breakfast, a short break, and then a session on the Indian Education System. It was very enlightening, and has me doing much reflection on the American Education System, what we do well and what we need to improve on. I was amazed to learn about Indian’s ancient Gurukula System, centered on practical, inclusive, student-centered learning through a teacher-student partnership, focused on understanding and caring for nature; many aspects of this age-old system very much align with my personal educational philosophy. I was also amazed to learn how Gurukula System was torn apart during British rule, and how they are now working towards building it back to what it once was. There’s lots of focus on equality and allowing the Indian Dream to become a reality for all, and from the passion, heart, and skill of the educators who are our hosts, I know their focus is going to be a reality. We spent the remainder of the day wandering the city of Delhi by foot, definitely not a particularly safe city for pedestrians (or drivers for that matter!). It was also extremely hot and humid, well-over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the air feeling like that of a windowless attic! But it was fun to gain so much up-close perspective, and with the help of our hosts, I got my first sari! Our hosts, again, living the Atithi devo Bhavz, are kindly making arrangements so I will be able to have it tailored so it custom fits, although eating three full meals of all this delicious Indian food may influence my measurements in the future! Our hosts REALLY wanted us to get saris and other Indian clothing, in particular for our final dinner a few weeks down the road, and I’m also planning to wear it to a wedding I’ll be going to when I get home. What was not so much fun was seeing all the children, along with women carrying babies, that were begging on the streets. It was heart-breaking. The children already seem so worn by the world; it’s awful and unfair. Also, there are stray dogs everywhere, which is extremely saddening, and also terrifying considering they could bite and are both unleashed and unvaccinated. We ended the day exhausted from being filled with so much to contemplate, and after another great meal, a few of us decided to walk back to the hotel, by which we encountered our first fender bender (which resulted in both parties driving away immediately after, very interesting to witness!). We have a full day of school visits and other cultural experiences, so fingers crossed I’m able to get a good night sleep tonight, but I’m so excited to see all the different types of Indian schools we learned about today so it won’t be easy! More to come later! :-) I was brought to the CLE International Airport thanks to my awesome sister, and niece, nephews, and Mom who came along to see me off, with an overstuffed carry-on and suitcase, the former overloaded due to 5lbs of Smarties making for some interesting looks and a side inspection in the security line and the latter due to things I’ll need for my school and essential toiletries allowing for a crazy expensive “heavy” fine of which the United Airlines check-in guy showed me no mercy. From there, I had a little bit of time before my flight took off to take care of some personal affairs; life goes on at home even when you’re gone, which is by far the most challenging part of traveling in an adulthood. Trying to live life simultaneously in two places is not easy and definitely stressful! The flight from CLE was smooth, and I made it safely into the Newark airport. With a few hours in between, I roamed the airport a bit, and then the travel anxiety kicked in; any possible concern with leaving my home for the next month starting hitting me! So much so that I completely ignored a fire alarm in our wing, and missed hearing my name over the PA system in the airport! Yes, they called my name, something that I’ve yet to experience in my travels!!! But thanks to WhatsApp and one of my travel companions who heard the announcement, I was informed of the announcement, and after a few minutes of panic waiting behind the insanely busy desk and an extra check of my passport and visa, the flight attendants asked if I would change my seat so they could put a family together. PHEW! And, I got a solo seat next to me out of the deal! SCORE! The flight from Newark was...interesting! My seat change allowed for not only a solo seat, but some super kind people to be seated near me who clearly could sense I was a bit out of sorts as I was fumbling to find the USB ports to plug in my phone. But once the flight took off, and I had said my final good byes to my family via WhatsApp, all was well...until it wasn’t! About an hour in, two rows in front of me, a woman had a physical meltdown. Wailing something in German, holding her head, sweating, and flailing her arms, she was carried from her seat by the flight attendants, all of which speaking German, as they tried helping her. Left behind was her little girl, maybe four years old, crying in the arms of a flight attendant who was trying to soothe her; I felt so helpless and was completely terrified, but I smiled at her and tried nodding because there were no common words to share with this German speaking scared child. I grabbed hold of my rosary and began to pray. They then came over the PA and alerted us that there was a medical emergency and that a doctor was needed, and quickly several people jumped up to help. I’m not sure what happened from there, but they did not turn the plane around, the little girl was taken to a new seat, and the woman was presumably cared for. CRAZY! But other than that, the flight to Frankfurt was smooth and comfortable! LOL! I watched the movie, Lion, (of course!) had several meals, did a little bit of chair yoga, and then was in Germany meeting up with my amazing TGC cohort! We have been in daily communication for weeks now, so we all just picked up where we left off and had a nice time chatting and hanging out in the airport. After several hours of wait-time, and witnessing some gentlemen get escorted from our plane’s gate before taking off (no clue what happened!), we were packed into the overstuffed flight and on our way to Delhi! I did some reading, praying, watching the movies I, Tonya and Peter Rabbit (quite the contrast, LOL) and 7 hours later we were at our destination! As the plane hit the ground, I couldn’t get the smile off my face; I was really here!!! Once we all got off the plane, we gathered together to go through Customs. It was a bit confusing and intimidating as always, but we all made it through and safely got our bags, exchanged some dollars for rupees, and met up with our in-country coordinator, Rajesh. Seeing his smiling face at 3:00 a.m. after what was likely a long wait after a long day for him, was really wonderful, just pure, genuine kindness! I was feeling a bit frantic about getting bottled water, so I bought several bottles from the airport, adding to my already heavy load. As we exited the airport, I could feel the intense humidity and as I looked around at all the people, I again couldn’t stop smiling! But after a few minutes of pulling my heavy load, it became very trying and I was struggling a bit, and suddenly a gentlemen grabbed my suitcase and said he would help me. I assumed he was with Rajesh. MISTAKE! He was not, and would not stop pulling my suitcase to our shuttle bus, telling me I owed him rupees. What a fool I felt like! As we arrived at the shuttle, a beautiful woman was smiling, greeting us, named Poonam, who is one of our in-country hosts. I asked her how much I should tip him, and she said not to. I felt bad, but he eventually walked away after waiting angrily for his tip. I will be sure to hang on tight to my luggage from this time forward! YIKES! Once we got into the shuttle bus, we made our way through busy Delhi; despite being past 3:00 a.m., the city was bumping! I couldn’t believe my eyes, this is truly the city that doesn’t sleep! I was feeling delirious, just trying to rap my ahead around where I was, looking out the window watching the busy streets, and just feeling so excited, shocked, and in awe to be here, so far away from home, on the other side of the world! After a tricky drive, we made it to our hotel, Le Meredien, where we were greeted like royalty; just amazing hospitality and so much kindness! After checking in, I made my way to my hotel room, overwhelmed and ready to crash. I brushed my teeth with bottled water, took a shower and tried my best to not get water in my mouth following my travel doc’s recommendation (but that just wasn’t happening, we will see what happens, LOL), and crawled into my bed. After tossing and turning a bit, I finally passed out and was up by 11:45 a.m. for a ridiculously amazing lunch! After some good Indian food and good conversation, I made my way back to my room to write this post and get ready for the program to begin. We have our first official session at 4 p.m, and then will be heading out to dinner. I am just so grateful to be here and to be having this experience; words can’t describe how I feel right now. I know this won’t be easy, and it’s a weird feeling being so far from everything and everyone I know, but I just feel so beyond blessed in this moment and want to soak this all in as best as I can! More to come later! One more day to go! After months of planning and preparation, lots of time spent with my sweetheart nieces and nephews, all that’s left is some laundry, cleaning, and last minute packing. As I read over my itinerary and think of all that is to come over the next few weeks, I can’t help but look back and think of all my years of teaching, all my travels, my running career, my growing family, my milestones, and my setbacks, and know that all the moments, things, and people I have encountered along the way have led me here. Reflecting has me thinking of Steve Jobs when he said, “You cannot connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something- your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.” A revolutionary who changed human connections through his creations in technology, making our large world a small one, Steve Jobs’ wise words, among many of which he is well-known, prove true with each passing year. Life, like nature, requires a delicate balance; when God gives you one gift, it usually means giving up another, and when you say “yes” to one opportunity, it usually means saying “no” another. That’s life. That’s nature. And you just have to have faith and trust that you’re on the right path, and that should you be on the wrong path, as long as you keep faithfully moving forward, life will redirect you where you need to go. With that said, as I’ve taken on TGC, my running career has taken a back seat. I have not run one race this year, and have only casually run about 4 consecutive weeks! I just couldn’t take the risk of injury, nor could I dedicate the physical and mental focus that goes into training and racing, and figured this was the perfect opportunity to take time off to fully rest my joints, muscles, and all the other systems of my aging body. I’ll have lots of rebuilding to do when I get back home, and I know any fall race will be slow-going, but I can say with confidence that the time off has been well-worth it! As I make my way to India, I can’t help but think of St. Mother Teresa, a modern saint who showed the world that no matter the circumstances, it is possible to make a difference simply by focusing on just one person at one time. With her compassion, love, and cheerfulness, she changed the world, through one humble act of kindness at a time. She lived not solely on her word or by pressing her faith on others, but through love and action; she was a true Missionary of Charity. Every morning, before taking on the challenges of each day, I look at her picture, a beautiful smiling face weathered by many years of self-inflicted poverty and service to the poorest of the poor, and any worry, frustration, or insecurity in my mind seems to dissipate. Becoming more familiar with who she was has brought me closer to Jesus, and has helped me take life’s more difficult roads with faithfulness and confidence. Of all things St. Mother Teresa has said that has inspired me, over the past few weeks, “Find your Calcutta” has been in my heart. When I received my assignment and learned I was not going to Calcutta (now called Kolkata) on my trip, I knew immediately why. To those who wanted to follow in her footsteps, St. Mother Teresa was known for saying, “You don’t need to come to Calcutta to discover Jesus in the poorest of the poor. The poor are right there where you are, very often in your own families. Look for them, find them and put your love for Jesus into a living action for them.” St. Mother Teresa is my greatest role model, and I can only hope to emulate even a sliver of the quality of who she was and what she stood for as I make me throughout the beautiful country she loved with all her heart, India, and connect what I do and learn with my classroom at home. I’ll try my best to blog frequently throughout my travels. I’m sure I will be tired and my posts may be blurred with typos and nonsensical phrases and run-on sentences, so I apologize in advance for my grammatical errors. I am going to deeply miss my family and CLE when I’m gone, but like our beloved LeBron James, I know I’ve got a purpose to fulfill where I’m going! Happy July 4th to all Americans, our Independence Day! And to all, wherever you are and with whatever you do, Find Your Calcutta. :-) <3 MP |
Mary Patricia PavicicAurora High School Science Teacher and IREX Teachers for Global Classrooms Fellow 2017-2018. ArchivesNo Archives Categories |