Can't help but wonder.....

Not going paragliding after all. The statistics for accidents in this area means even the local Indian population tell you not to do it, it is too risky. I take their warnings seriously, I mean who thinks giving machetes to 3 year olds isn't dangerous but paragliding is if the risks weren't rediculous?

I have nearly set my mind against joining the Australian Army now. I see every day children being groomed to join the military and it just perpetuates the concept that fighting and violence are ok. I don't want to inadvertantly support that thinking within my own country.

It has me wondering what to do and who to become instead. I can't help but wonder whether I will now become a Uni bum for the next few years of my life....

I think I'm turning Hippy!

School Picnic

We have begun the solar system of Paper Mache with the children after spending ages making a model for them to work off...There are always problems when you have 21 children in your class and only 9 planets (including Pluto) and a star to work with!
Picnic near the river tomorrow which I am really looking forward to. Courtney and I bought 360 lollies to hide around the area for the children to find and eat! Really quite late at night here so had better make this post short as I want to be up bright and early to set it all up!
I am going white water rafting this weekend again on the Beas river and next weekend I am arranging (slowly) to go paragliding. Really jumping feet first into the whole extreme sports thing over here....just need to get fit so I can do the really hard core stuff!
Love to you all and enjoy your weekends!

Sickening Moment

Had a heart stopping moment whilst teaching today. I had just got the grade 1 class to begin playing the game sleeping lions, whoever invented that game deserves a Nobel Prize btw, when I turn my back towards the far corner of the room. A mistake I should have known not to make, as it is the corner where the two naughtiest boys in the class sit. I hear a loud, hollow thud sound and as I turn around I see a boy lying on the ground letting out a piercing scream. It really is a moment of shock when you realise a boy who was sitting with his head lying on the desk pretending to be asleep one moment can be seriously injured the next. I ran to him and it was immediately apparent that he had hit his head upon the desk. Whether from getting up and running or from clambering on his chair and falling I am still unsure, the only eye witness accounts are all spoken by 6 year olds in shotgun Hindi. He had a minor abrasion on his forehead as well as quite serious swelling which formed instantaneously.
What was worse is the attitude and actions of the teachers when I toke him downstairs to be treated. Instead of comforting him and providing medical care, they began admonishing him in loud tones and no one seemed to be moving to help him. It was a time like this that I wanted to scream at the Indian culture around me!
You realise the inadequacy of schools here when anything goes wrong. The first aid kit consisted of all of 6 bandaids and roll of Cotton wool and one bottle of dettol.
None of these were any help to a sore little head that needed a cold pack and a clotting agent. All I could do was sit and hug him in my lap until he stopped crying and make sure he didn't fall asleep as I image he would have had a concussion.
I imagine all teachers have to deal with seeing children hurt themselves, it is so heart breaking it would put me off teaching altogether!

The sight of huge bunches of balloons being carried through the streets reminded me so strongly of a short story written by Holly Flude, I just had to capture this image for her..so here you go Holly, this one is for you :)

Whilst just wandering in the back streets of Amritsar I came upon a bull, fully dressed in ceremonial garb. The people leading it were very admit that I should take a  picture and I was more than happy to oblige!

This is me taking one of those self conscious tourist photos in front of the Golden Temple in Amritsar, a very hot and dazzlingly beautiful day.

Those Moments....

Had a surreal moment one night ago.....
Had gone to Manali after school, already with a developing head cold and the bus trip back was in pitch darkness, the light only showing the very edge of the precipice as you drove along at such a rate you would become airborne on the ridges as well as the potholes. My signalling to the ticket master resulted in me being let off far past my stop and lugging my gear for twice the distance I needed to normally, I found myself walking beside a man in thongs, traditional Himachel pants and jacket and a Cabana hat!
His flowing fruits and flowers jolted with each shuffling step and I couldn't help but wonder whether I was hallucinating on my Cold and Flu tablets!
After parting ways, I couldn't but help noticing that I looked at all around me, considering how out of the ordinary everything is here and how much I have already accepted things as they are. It made me wonder how it is that people who are surrounded by difference, and what greater difference than that between humans, cannot come to accept and enjoy all as the wonderful extravagances of Mother Nature?  

Indian Life

There is alot to annoy one in their everyday life in India...
1. The constant ripping off....They make a profit off locals so why try to rip us off all the time, I appreciate a little honesty every now and then!
2. The inability to find a rubbish bin......the locals can't either apparently!
3. Seeing suffering with no avenue to change things......wish there was an RSPCA here or even just a vet with half a heart.
There is also a lot to fall in love with everyday in India....
1. The open smiles freely given to all......even on the faces of people who understand not a shred of English
2. The decoration and care taken by the people......of themselves and their homes
3. Seeing everyday the kindness....amongst students, family and strangers

Really India is a melting pot of all things, good as well as bad, but so long as you can see the stars at night and realise that your existence is just a blot in a huge swirl of time none of really matters.
 

My School Project

For my Grade 2 Craft class I have begun constructing a paper-mache model of the solar system. I am an expert at paper-mache so all is going well except what does one do with the Pluto dilemma? Should I put him in there, explaining he is now a dwarf planet or leave him out? People put the asteroid belts in around Saturn and they are technically not planetary objects..... and the solar system refers to all that orbits around the Sun, so should I put in all the asteroid belts and dwarf planets? Ahhhhhhhh so much to decide!

But really life is exceedingly cruisey at the moment, all I have to worry about every morning is what to teach my class today and how to do it. At the same time my heart is wrenched out everyday by what I see and experience, so it is hard to explain to anyone why I suddenly burst into tears or laugh out loud. The poverty and desperation is back dropped by the most exquisite scenes in the world and immeasurable kindness.

India is India and it doesn't matter how hard you try to describe it, with its magical power the real description will always evade your grasp.  

School Day

Had a big day at school today. I start the day with taking the year 1's into the library in two separate groups and teaching them the English equivalent of what their teacher is doing at the same time with the other half. This is to reinforce the learning process, I also try to make it a little fun for the munchkins. Today was all about the body and naming bones so I got them to sing 'them dry bones' they loved it!

Then Courtney and I take the grade 2's for an arts and craft lesson which today was colouring in a Kangaroo I had drawn earlier, lunch then three periods of games with the higher year groups. The Indian game of Kho Kho is a fantastic one and when played properly is super competitive. Going to introduce it back home!!! 

Hope all is well back home, intending to travel to Kullu town tomorrow after school so maybe another post from there ;) All my love xxx Billy!!!

Big Day!

Had a huge day, lugging my carcase up mountains so high that my lungs felt like they were going to burst, as well as have my legs fall off! There simply isn't enough air in some places to do anything other than plonk yourself down for every 30 steps you take. Well worth the effort though so many wonderful places and people met today, tomorrow here I come!

My Posting

Hey everyone,
I know it has been a long time since I last posted but the availability of Internet is small here without your on computer. Made it safe to my placement after an amazing 4 days in Delhi. What a country to behold!!!! There are so many drastic differences and complete contradictions within the Indian culture which I will be sure to touch on at a later date but for now just a little about the school I have been posted to. Tara International School is a rather humble two buildings made like all the other houses around here out of solid cement. There are enough classes to house each grade which stretch from lower kinder to grade 8 ( our equivalent to grade 7) as well as a craft room, a music room, a computer room and a staff room. Current construction of a science lab and extension to the computer room will make the school one of the most well equipped in the region. Don't take that to mean that it isn't very simple though. The teachers are great and the lady who runs the school, and with whom I am living, Bala is a kind hearted soul who insists we have much more fun with the kids than the other teachers often have, she is of the strong opinion that they will learn much more in this manner. Already I have formed attachments to some of the children but that if for another time. Until that time, Goodbye for now and all my love xxx

Waiting!!!

After a very long 7 hour plane trip to Singapore we are all now waiting for a further 5 hours in the airport to get to Dehli. We will arrive at 5:45 local Dehli time so desperately hoping for time at the hotel for a nap!
Missing everyone already but excited about the adventure ahead. Love to all xxxx

Last Day In Ulverstone!

This is my last day in Ulverstone, it has been a characteristic Tasmanian day, 26 degrees and sweltering hot and then humid rain clouds dumping water just as you walk outside! I have began to really notice everything around me, things which before were taken for granted.

Driving in George, my car, over the hill into the Gawler valley a wonderful panorama spread before me of the Dial Range with its rugged mountain sides covered in red tipped gum trees. A sight I would have seen many a time before but this time it bought a tear to my eye, considering all that will be left behind.

Then there are the more simplistic things like noticing a dew covered spiderweb glistening in the morning sun, golden and so fragile. It had me wondering how I would view things when I get back, whether I would still be the same person, have the same ambitions and dreams.
Whatever happens I will be changed and I feel ready.

My Posting

I have been assigned a posting at Tara International School in the Kullu Valley of Himachel Pradesh. It will be teaching 4-13 year olds English skills and helping with all activities around the school. I personally hope this isn't all I will be doing, I had hoped to be helping at an orphanage or hospital; all of which I am sure will be available if I look around for it. My partner is Courtney and our journey together should be an interesting one!

20 sleeps to go!!!!

It certainly is getting close now, I have begun to count down the days! changed the donations into American dollars today, it amounts to $925 US and I must remember not to leave it in my pocket when I wash my shorts, the paper would fall to bits.....very impractical! It will be so great to go over and hand my host the money, knowing all of it will end up being used as it was intended, not lost in organisation cost sheets. Also took a huge two bags of produce to the salvos today so hopefully there will be some nice salads for the homeless in the days to come. Love you all xxxx

Final Monetary Amount!

A whopping $800.85! That says it all :)

Revision of Money Raised

Although the cheque presented at the wonderful christmas assembly of Ulverstone High School was for $300, the real cheque is in fact for $350. This coupled with the Marist and Donation Box collection will be more than the required amount, making my host family more than happy. The grand total raised will be posted in just a few days time. Thank you for all the donations and please encourage more people to follow my blog as the more people learn, the better the world will become :) xxx