Yesterday morning (Christmas Day) our young women students came to class late and extremely subdued. They told us that Sunita, the warden from the girls hostel who has been coming to our classes to improve her English, had an accident on a motorbike late the previous night. Many people here ride motorbikes or scooters but very few use helmets and Sunita is no exception. We were told she was unconscious and the hospital feared brain damage. We were all very worried for her. Later in the day we heard that she had regained consciousness and should recover - the best Christmas present we could ask for.
In case you're wondering what my Christmas was like it went like this: woken at 6.45am by Shanti, the lovely campus dog that has taken to sleeping curled up in the corner of my room. He belongs to some people who are in England at present and, unfortunately, has fleas! My colleagues clearly think I'm mad but the fleas don't seem interested in me and it's become quite cold here at night so I'm allowing myself to enjoy his company. I decided to do my ironing while I had access to The Iron (the single iron for the entire campus!) then marked some of the students' handwriting homework before having breakfast and teaching from 10am until 1pm as usual. We had a special lunch outside in the sunshine: paneer and spinach with a desert of fresh papaya (we don't normally have 'pudding' but the amount of sugar Satish puts into our tea and coffee makes up for that!)
After lunch some of the students came back to the Paramita buiding, where we live. Ken taught the the young men to play backgammon while the young women took great delight in dressing up in turn Jess, Shakyajata and me in Manju's regional costume. (She comes from Arunchal Pradesh, in North East India, on the border with China). Then we had a photo session, which the students loved. After that Ken, Shakyajata and I had a planning meeting to prepare for the next three days' classes and at 5pm we went on our amazing adventure into rural India (see Ken's last post).
All for now - still no internet connection on campus so we need to leave the internet cafe and find a bus or auto-rickshaw 'home' for 7pm or our dinner will be in the dog - literally!
3 comments:
Hi all,
I am so pleased that Sunita has come through her accident and will be okay.
Christmas day sounded lovely. I hope you all enjoyed it.
Thank you very much for your voicemail messages Julie. I have passed on your love ad best wishes to all at the centre. We had a good Light festival on the Thursday before Christmas and managed to aoid setting fire to the carpet this year. We separated into two groups thr regulars upstairs and the beginners doownstairs. It was quite well attended altough many people have been unwell. Addicibandhu led a puja which was really beuatiful.
I am not suprised that the dog has been adopted by you Julie. I hope he doesn't snore.
Any way continue to do and enjoy the wonderful job you are doing. I look forward to hearing more about it on your return.
Love and hugs all round,
Wendy
Wishing you all a peaceful and happy New Year.
Lots of love and hugs, Wendy
Dear Shakyajata, Ken and Julie
Thank you for your wonderful and literary descriptions of the project - a real sense of India comes through. The anecdotes really bring the relationships and activities alive - so don't hold back! I am sure that the project is offering real benefits for the students - being able to speak English in India is such an advantage on so many levels - real empowerment. Being able to practice Buddhism in India with your students and Indian colleagues must also be a profoundly humbling experience, and to see and be part of the cultural life - such joy! The idea of each student sharing some cultural side from their region was inspired.
Happy New Year to you all - may it bring blessings and joy.
Love Liz
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