The Good News: I've gotten REALLY good at killing bugs.
The Bad News: I still have 23 mosquito bites (yes, I'm counting/scratching).
Thanks for all of your positives vibes and energy! I definitely think they worked because I had an amazing first day teaching!! I was surprised how easily it came to me and afterwards how motivated and excited I was to try and elaborate on a lesson or plan something new. The kids are INCREDIBLY smart, it completely blows me away. And not just smart but internally motivated and excited about to learn something new and to try and perfect their pronunciation. They are eager and listen intently to everything that I say (although sometimes a nun has to step in and translate a little). I ended each class with a Simon Says sesh... but I changed it to Allie Says (heehee). THEY HAD SO MUCH FUN! I don't think they'd ever played it before! It was a little challenging explaining the rules, but as I said, these kids are crazy smart, and caught on after just one round. I hope to end every class with a game or something fun because then they leave smiling and laughing and that, to me, is the best part.
Afterwards, I spent some time with Lilly, drinking tea and teaching her a little bit more about email and some other tools online. Later, Natalia gave a presentation to the junior sisters (and I came along) about the importance of recycling. FINALLY! Brent said it best in a recent email, "the go green movement has yet to catch on in India." But Natalia showed videos of toys you can make with water bottles and newspapers and suggested we create bins (paper, plastic, bottles) and then teach the children the usefulness and necessity in such actions so that the future of India can be a cleaner one. I was super impressed and totally on that bandwagon, so I'm excited to see the progress we make here with recycling.
Then, silly me, took my malaria meds on a empty stomach (reason #13586 that I don't like taking medicine) and my stomach went nuts and the pains were unbearable. Just when I thought I was going to have to call it a night and skip dinner, I noticed the little boys doing their homework out on the patio outside of the convent, instead of near their building like they usually do. So I went outside to investigate and I met/FELL IN LOVE with the most adorable Nepalese boy, whose mother had died and father remarried to a woman not so keen on having a little boy. So now Santosh (I'm sure that's not how you spell it) stays here in the orphanage. This little boy, simultaneously broke and filled my heart, if that's even possible. He didn't even say a word to me, but his sweet and bashful demeanor and interest in something so simple as the alphabet (which we were going over on his chalkboard) completely swept me away. As he was leaving for the daily prayer, he gave me the most precious smile and I waved and told him I'd see him tomorrow. I absolutely cannot stop thinking about him and can't WAIT to see him again. These children have a way of doing that. Not just him but all of them.
Santosh again...my internet is being ungodly slow, so I'll upload more photos of the kids tomorrow!
The Bad News: I still have 23 mosquito bites (yes, I'm counting/scratching).
Thanks for all of your positives vibes and energy! I definitely think they worked because I had an amazing first day teaching!! I was surprised how easily it came to me and afterwards how motivated and excited I was to try and elaborate on a lesson or plan something new. The kids are INCREDIBLY smart, it completely blows me away. And not just smart but internally motivated and excited about to learn something new and to try and perfect their pronunciation. They are eager and listen intently to everything that I say (although sometimes a nun has to step in and translate a little). I ended each class with a Simon Says sesh... but I changed it to Allie Says (heehee). THEY HAD SO MUCH FUN! I don't think they'd ever played it before! It was a little challenging explaining the rules, but as I said, these kids are crazy smart, and caught on after just one round. I hope to end every class with a game or something fun because then they leave smiling and laughing and that, to me, is the best part.
Afterwards, I spent some time with Lilly, drinking tea and teaching her a little bit more about email and some other tools online. Later, Natalia gave a presentation to the junior sisters (and I came along) about the importance of recycling. FINALLY! Brent said it best in a recent email, "the go green movement has yet to catch on in India." But Natalia showed videos of toys you can make with water bottles and newspapers and suggested we create bins (paper, plastic, bottles) and then teach the children the usefulness and necessity in such actions so that the future of India can be a cleaner one. I was super impressed and totally on that bandwagon, so I'm excited to see the progress we make here with recycling.
Then, silly me, took my malaria meds on a empty stomach (reason #13586 that I don't like taking medicine) and my stomach went nuts and the pains were unbearable. Just when I thought I was going to have to call it a night and skip dinner, I noticed the little boys doing their homework out on the patio outside of the convent, instead of near their building like they usually do. So I went outside to investigate and I met/FELL IN LOVE with the most adorable Nepalese boy, whose mother had died and father remarried to a woman not so keen on having a little boy. So now Santosh (I'm sure that's not how you spell it) stays here in the orphanage. This little boy, simultaneously broke and filled my heart, if that's even possible. He didn't even say a word to me, but his sweet and bashful demeanor and interest in something so simple as the alphabet (which we were going over on his chalkboard) completely swept me away. As he was leaving for the daily prayer, he gave me the most precious smile and I waved and told him I'd see him tomorrow. I absolutely cannot stop thinking about him and can't WAIT to see him again. These children have a way of doing that. Not just him but all of them.
Too cute.
Meet Santosh. Notice that his shirt says "just chillin." Too perfect.
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