What a whirl wind of a first week. Sirohi has greeted me already with
exotic animal sightings, festivals, parades, field visits and teacher’s
trainings. On my first day at work there was an ELEPHANT on the street. Later in the week 8+ monkeys were on my porch and numerous amounts of cows and dogs are constantly roaming the streets. I have already been involved in so many things and I have
been here only one week. My week has been filled with getting to know
colleagues, the town and simply learning how to live. It’s a whole new way of
living from customs, food and how to get around. I have 3 meals a day
prepared for me and my room cleaned by my caretaker. One of my life dreams came true, I'm a princess with a butler. I wake up in the morning and brekfast is prepared for me with Chai to accompany. He sends me on my way to work with lunch and then I come home and he's already in the kitchen cooking. I wash up and by 7 he calls my name and placed on the table is my full dinner. I love my life!!
I am interning with a Non-Government Organization called Educate Girls. They strive to bridge the gender gap in education and learning. They have created a structure of teaching called the Creative Learning Technique (CLT) that introduces Math, Hindi and English is a way of hands-on learning using flash cards, charts and the like. It is a 15 minute walk to work past the stadium, many school children, little vendors and whoever else decides to be wandering the streets that morning. People show up between 9:30 and 10:00am to the office. Time is not of true importance for this relaxed lifestyle. It’s quiet nice to not be rushed and ruled by the ticking hands of a clock.
This week I went on a field visit to a school in Pindwara and got to see CLT in action. What little gems the students are. As I left the school all the children rushed out of their classrooms as the waved and yelled, "Goodbye Madam!" That afternoon we visited a small begger community to continue in the negotiation of sending their girls to school. Since the daughter's are already engaged (even at age 6) the father's see no need in educating the girls.We have a long ways to go in the relationship but progress has already been had. I also got the chance to attend 3 days of teacher’s training. The trainings were required by government and were put on by Educate Girls in order to introduce CLT in the schools. On the third day I found myself sitting in the middle of the circle at lunch time and being peppered with questions about American culture and the education system. It turned into a time of singing and dancing even though I had no idea what I was doing. They brought me candies and sweets to enjoy while in the meeting, they knew the way straight to my heart.
What
a welcome to India, I couldn't have asked for a better first week of my
internship! Packed with excitement and joy, amazing food and people,
unusual wild animals and sights but this is my life now and I choose to
embrace it. ~Anna
"If you wish to travel far and fast, travel light. Take off all your envies, jealousies, unforgivness, selfishness and fears." ~Ceaser Pavese
I am interning with a Non-Government Organization called Educate Girls. They strive to bridge the gender gap in education and learning. They have created a structure of teaching called the Creative Learning Technique (CLT) that introduces Math, Hindi and English is a way of hands-on learning using flash cards, charts and the like. It is a 15 minute walk to work past the stadium, many school children, little vendors and whoever else decides to be wandering the streets that morning. People show up between 9:30 and 10:00am to the office. Time is not of true importance for this relaxed lifestyle. It’s quiet nice to not be rushed and ruled by the ticking hands of a clock.
This week I went on a field visit to a school in Pindwara and got to see CLT in action. What little gems the students are. As I left the school all the children rushed out of their classrooms as the waved and yelled, "Goodbye Madam!" That afternoon we visited a small begger community to continue in the negotiation of sending their girls to school. Since the daughter's are already engaged (even at age 6) the father's see no need in educating the girls.We have a long ways to go in the relationship but progress has already been had. I also got the chance to attend 3 days of teacher’s training. The trainings were required by government and were put on by Educate Girls in order to introduce CLT in the schools. On the third day I found myself sitting in the middle of the circle at lunch time and being peppered with questions about American culture and the education system. It turned into a time of singing and dancing even though I had no idea what I was doing. They brought me candies and sweets to enjoy while in the meeting, they knew the way straight to my heart.
- The parades were amazing. 3 festivals of different religions fell on the same day and it stayed peaceful amidst the pride.
- Mid-day meal at the school where I got to engage in some very good discussion with teachers
- The teachers also wanted their picture taken :)
- Meeta, a Team Balika member, engaging in the Creative Learning Technique with young students
- Each village gets to choose their own slogan with Educate Girls. This is the EG symbol.
- Teacher's training with the best Master trainer in the world
- This is my guest house where I have it all to myself!
- My companions at the guest house
- My first day at the office this guy was working right outside
"If you wish to travel far and fast, travel light. Take off all your envies, jealousies, unforgivness, selfishness and fears." ~Ceaser Pavese
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