India Trip 2011: The football playing, Eglish teaching, Boogey Man.

This was my last day seeing David as he is traveling around for a bit, visiting other areas of India before he departs home. It has been great spending a week with a real master, a truly gifted man and inspiration. (He said that he is going to read this when he gets home). The day was pretty standard and I have certainly seen my fair share of Ecosan toilets being built. It is good to see a Charity spending the money and this is certainly a charity that puts all there money to good use. Paramasivan used to work at Water Aid, but left when admin was taking up more than 40% of their contributions. He said the figure now is around 60%. The day was productive and David got the majority of the photos and film he needed to take home. Watching him take the video interviews is interesting. In no way does he script it or tell them what to say, but he does have to remind them frequently and ask them to say it in a certain way, often giving a false illusion that it is being read off a script and not there own thought. I think this frustrates him. One of the small girls today burst out crying when he tried to take there photo, she was even more terrified when he tried to show them the photo. I learnt today that if children are naughty they are told that the white man will come and take them away, I am sure we are familiar with our parents telling us similar tales. It is quite amusing to see some of their faces when we turn up, I now know that it is not a look of wonder I am seeing but slight concern and possibly deep thought about their behavior.
We had lunch at the small village I visited a while ago. (I took a picture of the room where I had a nap in.) I was really glad to be back there and it was so peaceful, just as before. We had lunch and were relieved to be out of the heat. This was certainly a nice life but David and I agreed that if you were actually given the choice, you would certainly stick with the one where you get Internet and an iPhone. After lunch we had some Jack Fruit, google it just to see what it looks like in full. I am haven't actually got a photo of it in all its glory. They are huge and produce up to 400 seeds. Around each seed is the actually fruit. Its slightly rubbery and not very juicy but has a fantastic tropical taste. And with the capacity to feed up to a 100 people at 20 Rupees a fruit, it is certainly good value.
When we got home I was glad to see that we actually had something to do. The children had received a football and some smaller rubber balls that could be used for cricket. We started with the cricket but the children soon lost interest, so did I to be honest. I was so looking forward to it, but the ground was so uneven and there really wasn't enough space. I miss playing at Biddenham nets with Laura Milner. I was more annoyed at the attempt at football though. The boys picked it up not really knowing anything about football and started playing volleyball, a more popular sport here, although not with me. They are really not into sport here, which really surprises me. I don't know if it is the heat but they are never out playing. I am 21 and still spend my life throwing, catching or kicking a ball. By the end though I was drenched and a double bucket shower had to follow.
At 7.30 my English class began. I am finding it very hard. Some children don't really speak at all and I am lost sometimes as what to do. We go through the alphabet but often come across problems when we try to find words that are mutual. K is for Kite is what I and I am sure the rest of England have been taught but these kids don't have parents, money or toys. How the hell will they be able to know what a kite is? I will have to come up with something better.

Take a look at the photos, I am now in the habit of taking some solely for this blog.

A very sweet girl at one of the schools.