Arrival

I have just arrived in New Delhi and wow it is a different world! Last night I arrived at the housing provided by the CCS program around 11pm Delhi time so I went right to sleep after meeting my 2 austrailan roommates. This morning (because of the time difference) I woke up before 6am! Right now it is 7:02 pm here but it is 8:35 in SC so I'm really tired. For my program we had orientation today and I am getting to know my fellow volunteers who are mostly Australian. I spoke with Jaggi (one of the staff members) here about my project and he promised to set me up with my the director of the NGO Mobile Creches which I will be working with. He also can arrange for me to stay at my placement longer so that I can sit in the office with the NGO staff to learn more about what they do and how it works. He is also going to arrange for me a meeting with another NGO. The staff here is very helpful and accomodating. It seems that they will be very helpful with my project.
Mobile Creches is "a non-profit organiztion that provides day care facilities to underpriviledged children in the slums and construction sites of Delhi...The centre caters to the holistic development of the child, which includes nutrition, education and basic helath care facilities and community outreach." (from the CCS description of the NGO in the program) The director, Bella, said that the number of students who come to school increases when foreigners come. She really has emphasized that we can make an impact in our placement even if it doesnt seem like it. There will be a language gap especially with children, but as Bella said this morning, there are other ways to communicate.
I am very excited about being here and to start work. I will actually be expected to create full lesson plans here with another girl named Jackie. Here we do not simply help out someone else, but we are responsible for organizing the activities. The staff will follow our lead. That is intimidating, but also very exciting.
I havent seen too much of the city yet, but I look forward to seeing more of it and speaking to more natives.