Adventures in India: Learning and Feasting with Friends
Wendell Barnes | June 28, 2013 | 296 views
This is the third installment of a running journal that I am keeping during our servant leadership trip to India. This blog covers June 26-27.
Click here to read the first installment. Click here to read the second installment.
Wednesday, June 26
(New Delhi)
Hearty breakfast at the Hilton once again, and left for Sulahb Public School at8:45 a.m., arriving at9:05. Today, the kids were in their colorful polo shirt uniforms, and we learned that they are divided by "houses," like we are at Darlington. The houses are named for Indian mountain ranges, "Himalaya" (blue), "Nigril" (green), "Shivalik" (red), and "Vindhyachal" (yellow).
Brad had the icebreaker today, and he had developed a game show on his computer. Since the kids were already divided into four groups naturally by house shirt colors, it was easy to divide them into teams. Each team selected a captain. That person came forward to choose a category (such as animals, fruits, electrical, etc.) and acted out or described the item that popped up on the screen without saying it while the team members guessed. They were timed and red and green went to the playoffs. In the end, red won! Brad had brought Chinese rice snack treats for the winning team.
We then divided into groups again and attempted to have full rounds of each topic. Today, Ava and Natalie made slime and did origami with one piece of paper for the science team. Nic and Ali were very popular once again with volleyball and cricket. Vraj (who had recovered from illness) and Daniel played games on the computers, and were especially popular when they introduced the kids to games on their iPad, Macs and phones. They shared them with the students as many of the computer lab's antiquated computers did not work.
Shivani, Juliann and Chandler were making embroidery floss-woven bracelets, including some with colorful pipe cleaners. This was very popular, too, but unfortunately it took longer than expected and threw off the schedule -- but once again, the key is flexibility! It all worked out and before we left, the kids were once again clamoring to have their pictures made with us.
We got back to the hotel around 1 p.m. and had the rest of the day free to swim, nap, eat lunch or just catch up on communication before dinner at 7 p.m. We went to dinner together at Chynna Gold in the hotel and some had dessert in the lobby afterwards before going to bed.
Thursday, June 27
(New Delhi)
Up bright and early for breakfast at the hotel and then off to Sulabh, arriving at8:45 a.m.The kids were so excited and happy to see us once again, as we were to see them. Many of them have stolen our hearts and it will be so difficult to leave heretomorrowwithout several of them stuffed into our suitcases!
Shivani and Chandler had the icebreaker today, which involved dividing the kids into four groups and then teaching them how to play "Duck, Duck, Goose." They seemed to really enjoy it and got into the game. We had about 106 students today (remember, they are coming each day voluntarily on their summer break.)
About9:15 a.m., we started our rotations and were able to have all four planned rotations today. Daniel and Vraj continued with the computer games, and once again everyone wanted to play with the new Macs, iPad and iPhones. Shivani, Chandler and Juliann continued with the braided bracelets, and enlisted some help from one of the teachers (several teachers also came in voluntarily this week to help out on their summer break, too!) Mrs. Barnes and Dr. Johnson were even able to get in some dancing! Nic, Ali and Brad continued with soccer, cricket and volleyball. Ava and Natalie continued with origami and the bamboo skewers through the balloons, and these were once again very popular.
Time flew by and it was12:30 p.m. before we knew it! When we got to the bus, it would not start, and we went back into the conference room to wait while it was repaired. About an hour later it was back in working order and we arrived back at the hotel about2 p.m.Many of us ate a light lunch at the hotel and rested until we left for dinner at5:45 p.m. We headed to The Great Kabab Factory, which was about an hour away from the hotel. We made it in time for our7 p.m. reservation at this great restaurant, which Shivani had been to before, and it was a feast! They kept bringing out platters and platters of food until we were stuffed!
We returned to the hotel about10 p.m.and said goodnight. Tomorrowwill be our last day, and saying goodbye to the wonderful students and staff and Sulabh will be very difficult indeed.
