Jan 14

Today was frustrating again at work. I switched with Jackie and took the older kids today. Most are pretty smart and several are in school so they get bored easily. They like busy work so I brought worksheets today for them to do. I was excited about today because I thought it would be a lot better, but it was worse. Turns out the younger kids were really good and quiet today and things didn’t go so well for me. I gave out worksheets with counting and they loved them, but the teacher took them away. She said “no no no” but because of the language barrier I had no clue what was going on. I was really frustrated. Everyone else plans whatever games and activities they want and seem to have a great time. Their teachers allow them to do whatever they want so they can be really creative. Also they seem to actually teach a lot, even math. I, on the other hand, never feel like I am really teaching them much and our teachers keep complaining about the activities we do. We always feel awkward. I’m never sure whether I should just come in and take control of the class or what my role should really be. It kinda seems like they just want us to come in and just observe because every time we try something they disapprove, yet when we come they leave us alone with the kids.

What really made me frustrated was the driver who had helped me out yesterday came in today and the teacher started fussing! She seemed mad and she kept pointing and me and over where Jackie was. I could feel my face getting red with anger but I wasn’t sure what was going on. He never told me too much of what she said but apparently she was saying that Jackie and I aren’t doing what they want. We are supposed to do things with numbers and counting. Well the worksheets I had brought had to do with counting so I’m just at a loss. I really have no idea what to do. I’m so frustrated that I want to just give up and just come in and sit down and watch the kids sit there and draw on their chalkboards for 2 hours rather than planning anymore in vain. I can’t do that though because I came here to work. I didn’t come to India for me but to work. Giving up would make the trip seem pointless. I already only get to be there for two hours plus I have a hard time feeling like I’m doing much good since I’m not actually teaching much, but to just go each day to sit is really frustrating. I talked to the directors and they offered to come with us tomorrow. I told them I’m going to try again tomorrow to do something with them and if it doesn’t go well they can come on Monday. I guess as a volunteer for such a short time I can only do so much, but I feel like my role is very small and that is hard to take.

Today I talked to Bella for a bit, but since we talked about my placement for so long I ran out of time for the interview so it was rescheduled tomorrow. Tomorrow will be busy. I will be meeting with the head of Mobile Creches and I will also interview Bella, the director of CCS. Both will be very useful for my project.

I went to the memorial to Gandhi at his home where he was assassinated. Wow Gandhi was an amazing man. I am going to post some pictures tomorrow because I don’t have the time to do it tonight, but it was amazing. His room was so humbly decorated. There was virtually nothing in it other than his bed, a desk and his staff. He was truly selfless. I followed the last footsteps that Gandhi ever took, wondering why on earth would anyone want to kill a man like Gandhi. I read some of his quotes which I had never heard before and was shocked. He talked constantly about how men should not live beyond their means because it is impossible for all to obtain an expensive lifestyle. When one is really wealthy and does not share this wealth, he makes it so that others do not get what they need. Men should not live beyond necessity. Hmmm Americans would do well to take that advice. Many of the things he said were tough and would require sacrifice, but truly would pave the way for a world in which more people had the necessities to live. Today in India there is the biggest wealth gap of probably anywhere else in the world. Most of the population has very little, yet a very small percentage is incredibly wealthy. It doesn’t seem to make sense. It also doesn’t seem to make sense that a person who is considered poor in the US would be rich here.

I went to Dilli Haat today which is a wonderful market! There was a lot of neat stuff and bargaining is tough but I think I did pretty well. I got a few things that were so cheap. This is exactly what I mean. I came to India with very little spending money, yet I will still be able to get a ton of nice things because the exchange rate is so high. There was a freshwater pearl necklace (real) that was the equivalent of $12.50! I got a few things unbelievably cheap. Some of the girls in my program are even going to get massages and facials and haircuts because its all so cheap here.

I didn’t get to stay at Dilli Haat long. We were at Gandhi’s house longer than expected and we had to be back around 5 pm for a program. A famous classical Indian dancer brought several of the girls she’s trained to perform for us. I hope to include pictures and videos of this tomorrow so check again for those. They were so beautiful and very talented! The dancing was incredible and so precise. They had been studying for about 15 years. They wore traditional saras with silver belts and lots of jewelry on their face, head and clothes. There was a hairpiece of flowers in their hair too. The dancers wear bell ankle bracelets which ring at the correct time with their dancing. They stomp their feet making the bells ring throughout the dances. It was truly memorizing! Such a neat part of older cultures is dancing. This type originated from within Hindu temples during sacrifices and ceremonies. Later it became more of an art form. It was one of my favorite things about this trip. The reason we were able to get such talented dancers to perform is that the woman is a close friend of Bella the director.