Children's School
Chennai
I began volunteering as an English teacher's assistant at a School in November and it's such a wonderful school. It's run by the Theosophical Society so the grounds are very beautiful. Many of the children come from poor fisher
folk families who were affected by the tsunami. The headmistress and the teachers are fantastic and very supportive of the children. The school is made up of little one-room houses, each with a different class. The children are extremely enthusiastic and playful! I attend classes for the 5 - 10 year olds. The Resource Room is my favorite class, where the kids play educational games. I've been helping them with their reading, teaching them some phrases and Basic English, as well as some rhymes! They're crazy about 'Old McDonald' which they'd never heard before, and I had to make up a dance for it on the spot - quite a challenge! They also love the Power Rangers and, ever since I told them I was the Pink Ranger, it's become one of our main topics of conversation! I've become really attached to them, they're so affectionate and they insist on holding your hand all the time. Some of them are quite cheeky too! They're so keen to learn English and pick up on things really quickly. The school is also right next to the beach so I sometimes take my lunch there or go there after lessons. At the weekends I've been traveling with the other volunteers. We've been to Madurai, Mamallapuram, Kanchipuram, Auroville and Pondicherry.
The Meenakshi Temple in Mandurai was fantastic, and Mamallapuram was lovely and laid back. We've also been to the cinema quite a few times to see Bollywood films (my new obsession!) and recently saw a performance of classical South Indian dance. My home stay also took me to my first Hindu wedding which was really exciting and colorful! They're a Christian couple, and they took me to see a Christmas musical, as well as a choir performance at their church. So I'm getting into the festive mood!