Final days

Leaving the students and staff behind was again very painfull and I wonder if it will ever get any better. It has been my third time to India now and every time I come the welcoming is warmer and more wholeheartedly than ever. We immediately found our connections again this time and quickly built up friendships. Leaving everybody behind and going back to a totally different world that had become so far away was very very hard.

I have had a very good time in India, observing classes, teaching the students, talking to people, playing, singing, helping where help was needed and just beeing with the people just like one of them...

I used the final days do give some more presents to the kids and spend some final quality time with them.

The weeks before I had already given balls to the blind students. Now I finally got the chance to do the same for the deaf and mentally challenged students. It was amazing how happy they were. I had told the deaf boys a few weeks before and the day I returned from the blind school I was permanently asked about the balls and when they would get it. They were really very excited.

 

Everybody told me that they would be very sad because I had to leave and that they would cry. Some of the girls did indeed. They requested me to stay there or come back as a teacher after my course had finished. 

I managed to hold back my tears until I arrived at the airport. Once the gates had closed behind me I finally realized that I was leaving India again and could not stop my sadness. 

India has got a very, very big place in my heart and I already started missing it when I had not even left. I can't explain what it is.. the people, the culture, the food, the music... everything plays together and forms a big part which I really want to get back to.

the teachers in the deaf school

Now, having been back to Germany for two days, I can only say that a big part of myself seems to be missing. Studies will go on and I am already busy, but I am also remembering India and everybody over there every day, every hour, every minute and I hope I will get the chance to go back very soon!

Finally I also want to thank everybody who supported and helped me to go to India. I also want to thank everybody who donated something for the students. I thank you in their names and I think their happiness is witness enough of how well used the money has been.

THANK YOU !!!

5th September, Teachers day

On this day students take over the school and manage the classes. Days and weeks before they were already excited because some of them would get a chance to wear a Saree and suddenly be in the position of a teacher for a few hours. Whereas the students in the deaf school had brought their own Sarees from home, rich and colourful, it was a lot simpler in the blind school. 

The evening before that day the girls tried the teachers cloths and chose one each. The 5th happened to be a Sunday and thus they “performed” the “Teachers Day” on 6th. Instead of the real teachers suddenly 12 students were sitting in front of the whole group of students and managing the prayer, the announcements etc. Than they took over all classes and taught different subjects, just like any other teacher would have done. The students greeted them with “Good Morning Sir or Teacher” and took classes/lessons as usual, Gujarati, Hindi, History, Maths and English. The students performed quite well, but it was very obvious how they copied their own teachers. Unfortunately the teaching techniques here are not very developed and like in the deaf school the teacher here don’t differ very much from each other in class. Lessons are read to the students and questions asked. The students hardly ever get time to be active themselves apart from standing up and giving reply to the teacher. Nevertheless it was nice to get the chance and see something so different and maybe we will find that in our schools one day as well.

Janmastomi – Lord Krishna’s Birthday

Everywhere in India people celebrate this day. It is a bank holiday and especially in big cities there are parties held in the evening. People have a clay pot, filled with some special type of milk, coconut water and other things which has to be broken. They make a lot of music and dance, eat special dishes and celebrate until late in the night.

In the blind school they put up two long wooden posts in a distance of about 10 meters where they attached a rope on which they hung the clay pot. It was filled with coconut water and other liquids and flowers. Some of the bigger boys built a pyramid, 3 stories high, and the top boy broke the pot. It was light and thin and thus not very difficult to destroy. Some staff member trough coloured water on the students building the pyramid. They came down totally wet, but because having been successful, they were happy and with the music coming up they started dancing. Especially the boys were very keen and excited and I think they really enjoyed the time. Some people from a nearby village had brought speakers and drums and thus students, teachers and guests that had arrived were able to make nice and loud music. – Afterwards everybody met in the hall and had a nice, rich and special dinner, donated by some guests from Valsad.

Because the festival generally continues until late in the night, quite a few of the bigger students went to a nearby village to enjoy the time there with praying, singing and dancing.