I'm not sure how to express everything that has been happening and in no way can I begin to type out the richness of the colors, smells, etc. I'm going to try and give an example of what my day here looks like. Yesterday (Sunday) is the only day that the children have off from school. So tried to sleep in but failed and got up at 7am. I made myself some bread with tomatoes cut up on top. mmm haha you kind of have to get used to organic tasteless food after awhile. Which reminds me, I am kicking myself for forgetting the Emerils Essence Joel gave me before I left, darn! Then I had my first washing-my-clothes-in-a-bucket experience. I think it went well though. As a scrubbed the clothes against the cement ground with soap and water, a smaller than average sized boy name Akash "took in shower" meaning he just frantically splashed himself all over, it was really cute. When I was hanging them up to dry it started raining, I laughed because it had not rained since I have been to India, yet as soon as I hang my clothes to dry in was pouring! Then I played soccer/football with Bikash, Akash, No'rbu, and Bhoom. Then the 4 of us walked to a market about 25 minutes away and we got some onions, green beans, potatoes, pomegranets, apples, jam, and some spicy nut snacks. This is what I will eat for the next week. I'm going to try to see how many different ways I can stretch these few ingredients into new dishes. Luckily the Italians left me a couple bags of pasta before the left for Italy, although I will lament the day it runs out. So after the market we walked to a 'zoo' it was kind of sad all the animals looked depressed and hot. I tried to learn some Hindi animals names but I didn't have my hindi notebook (copi) so I cannot remember. Then when I got back Valentino introduced me to a nice Italian man who has been living in Varanasi (Benares) for 3 years. He started a school there that has adopted the Alice Projects philosophy. A boy who lives at the school made us a feast of boiled potatoes, bread, and pasta with tomatoes and onions. It was sooo good and the conversation was better. Valentino and I talked about a class I will be teaching from 3-6 pm every day. It will be an intensive English course for the younger teachers and bright students Valentino recommended. There will be around 18 students (all male) haha. All of the young teachers are my age who live at the school and they are very nice and respectful. They treat me like a sister and are always offering to make me some chia ('tea' in Hindi.) When I changed rooms they ran and begged me to let them carry my stuff so I didn't have to lift anything heavy.
Later that night Valentino, Rishikar, Sanjay, Pankaj, and I went into Varanasi, a 30 minute drive where we visited a school/orphange that overlooks the Ganges (Ganga in hindi) river. It's huge, very slow moving, and very very polluted due to the cremation of bodies, factories, and holy oils poured into it. The orphaned children where so happy and vibrant as they jumped off the dock to swim in the river, I sat there with Sanjay and watched the kids and the sun retreat behind an enormous old Palace built by the British, during their rule. Then I was offered some chi (and I never refuse because it's so good!) and stayed behind while the others went to eat dinner. Rishikar, Sanjay and I stayed to be a part of/witness a Hindu ceremony the orphans do every night to worship the mother goddess and the Guru who founded the school. Legs crossed and eyes closed we repeated 'om' several times while a 'priest-like-boy' passed insense for everyone to rub their hands in and pretend to wash on their face. Then they sang a very long mantra then got out a bunch of drums, bells, and conch shells that they used as horns. It was sort of beyong words, very relaxing yet crazy. Then we took our Jeep to the ghats and ate pizza (score!) and apple pie (double score!) I felt sick on the way home, I think the ice cream was fermented a bit, at least it tasted like alcohol and that can't be good.
Today was a school day and the students arrived at 7am and sang matras and did some meditation for 20 mintues or so. Then I ate apples for breakfast while reading Harry Potter VII. Then for a change of scenery I went to my room and peeled a pomegranet whilst listening to "Everytime" by Britney Spears on repeat (yes, and why? Because that song rules and you know it.) Then I visited Sanjay and we talked about getting a cell phone for me then I did some work preparing for the English class that starts tomorrow. So if you don't already know this I'm not and English teacher by any stretch of the imagination. So my lesson plan is as follows:
First we will discuss China's one child policy and they will prepare a solution in paragraph form and read it out loud. Then I'm going to read The Hobbit to them and discuss it and pick out new vocabulary words. Then will have a break for chia! Lastly I will play them The Lighthouse Tale by Nickle Creek and they will try to figure out the story behind it. Their English is just okay so this all will take 3 hours, then class dismissed! Who wants to join? So basically my making preparations for the class is reading the Hobbit and listening tomy Ipod. Yes please. So after I 'prepared' I went to a 5 grade class of students and helped with an English lesson then taught them to play hangman. Oh, and I also taught them "If all the raindrops were lemondrops and gumdrops oh what a rain that would be..." because it was raining at the time. They like the song but honestly their pronuciation of words is so poor that their singing sounded like a bunch of goats who were very thirsty (which thanks to India, I know what that sounds like).
Then went to Tara Temple and attended a philosophy lesson that Valentino teaches every day for the older students and teachers of older students. His lessons are crazy interesting but difficult to follow because of his Italian accent, then of course I don't understand the Hindi translator. But I think since it is every day I will pick up of his accent and get more out of them.
Then I made myself lunch potatoes, green beans and onions and drank apple flavored water while saying namaste about 700 times to students and reading about the Silver Doe, the mysterious patronus that led Harry straight to the sword of Gryffindor! Now, I'm waiting for Sanjay and Shukindruh to pick me up and go shopping in Varanasi seeing as I have 2 pairs of pants and a skirt. Okay, I can't type anymore but I hope you are all having a great time in "Amedika." :)
Next time I will write about the specific needs of the school if anyone is interested, oh yea and yoga and crikett.
Namaste