Merry Christmas from Mussoorie

Merry Christmas to all!

Have had a few Viber conversations after being entirely drunk and cold last night in my hotel room. The hotel gave me a small gift, an address book, I believe my one and only material gift today :)

Whilst lonely and bored last night, I am well and happy today. Spoke with my beautiful man, Daniel, my brother, mother and the boys, Kodie, Jerome and Scott. Also spoke with Jo who was very happy her funds were being well allocated.

Lunch time, and time for a veg thali, garlic naan and water. Miss all my dear friends and family, and wish them a wonderful and happy day

Breathless and bleary eyed

Began the incredibly steep walk to Laltibhur yesterday and by jimmenies it was worth it. I rounded the top off the hill and what I saw took my breath away and left me quite bleary eyed as I looked around. I just wish the photos I took could even come close to sharing what I saw.

I think a part of my emotional dam broke as I viewed this. There are moments in time that will stay with us forever and this was definitely one of them. Our world is a wonderful, wonderful place.

As I walked back I came across these signs, I thought them very apt

The next thing I came across was a van and a family of about 15 had the Indian music up and all dancing, I gave them a smile and wished them a good afternoon. Silly silly me, next I was drawn into the dancing and festivities, blushing as they took a bunch of photos while trying on my dance moves, I'm sure ill be on Facebook somewhere, hahaha. 

Today is a new day and Xmas eve, not sure what I'll do today, I think the cable car will be the go. Think tomorrow might be a little lonely, wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and drinking coffee by myself... Maybe I'll plan a trek or something... Or perhaps return to that awe inspiring view, if my poor old knees can handle another walk like that ;)

Carols and cognac

I am sitting in a rattan chair in the sun, with a coffee and cigarette overlooking Doon Valley from a comfortable vantage point of 6000 meters above sea level. Padmini Nivas is an old colonial style hotel once favored by the raj set, the dining hall has stag heads, there are expansive balconies and gardens all set with tables and chairs. And so I have come to Mussoorie!!

                                                         Doon valley

Local housing

My monkey mate

The last few days have been fun, school closed out on Friday with visiting carolers from two of the local private schools. Meeting with the head of one school I have booked a meeting in January to see if I can get the school social club involved in promoting Raphael products from the work shop. To gain greater interest I am will promote it as a positive extracurricular activity for uni admission and look at providing a certificate of appreciation. Fingers crossed.

Dave and some of the girls, Pooja, Ashu, Chavi and the house mother 

That night, Dave's last night, we visited a local teachers school for Chai and then went to dinner with one of the directors here, her husband and her two girls, one returned from Cambridge and the other Washington DC. Great meal with great company followed by cognac and coffee back at their plantation style home.

David has had a fantastic win with the Lions Club in Ballarat who have agreed to donate $200 towards buying track suit, shoes and spending money for a resident who has been selected for the special Olympics in Seoul, playing hockey!! Jo, if you're following my blog, your $100 will also be helping to ensure Sumit is warmly clad and can afford to have a meal out, thank you!! We had some photos taken for the local Ballarat rag, so I'll post those when I get a copy. The coach and I will be shopping next week with Sumit's father.

If anyone else would like to donate anything to help out Raphael and its residents let me know and I'll give you my banking details. I cannot tell you how much your money can do. These kids sleep with out heating, only one or two old TVs and eat simply. What heartens me is the pure joy they get from just a little music and sports, despite the fact there is only one basketball that is not half deflated.

Sleepy snoozer

So much for getting up at 5 and doing some exercise, it's 7:20am and cold...

Daniels folks are here for a wedding in in Punjab at the end of January, I'm going to pop over and see them but am feeling a bit edgy about long 6 hour bus ride, what happens if I need to pee?? Or get on the wrong bus. The Interstate Bus Terminal is a mine field of confusion. I have a few shorter excursions planned before then so hopefully I will have a better understanding of what to expect.

Well I need to shower and try not slip over, seem to have sprung another new leak in the bathroom. At least I have water back again and the power is on :)))

Learning outcomes and Lessons

17/1212012
Full school day, from assembly, to yoga and exercise, community engagement etc. Closed out the day writing lesson plans with the teacher Rajini.

After created a series of Christmas cut outs and coloring exercises with an accompanied Learning outcomes highlighting the different skills needed to complete the project.

Looking forward to tomorrow, I wanted to run a piece on money usage, so will be demonstrating by simulating a shop environment.

Not the best but it'll do until I can have the gs at the local print shop whip me u something a little more professional ;)

Train tragedy

16/12/2012

Went to Campbeltown to the Buddhist community and monastery, man that was one big Buddha. Then out for Chai with David and Bhola. He's been a resident here since 1964, at ten his mother laid him across the train tracks as the train was coming, he has very little movement in any of his body, basically a quadriplegic. Fortunately the driver saw Bhola and stopped the train. Such a bright intelligent man left like that is the tragedy that may have faced many had it not been for Raphael and its amazing work!!

                                          * David and Bhola @ Chai shop

                                          * The Chai shop

                                          * Typical scene

                                         * Prayer wheels

                                                    * I have size envy :/ My Buddha isn't that big :|

VIP treatment

15/12/12
After a trip to town where lunch was excessively priced at $1.63 for the two of us we went to the watch a Christmas performance by a local Christian school. Maryem, a teacher here at Raphael, invited us as her daughter was performing. We sat in prime position with members of parliament and priests and treated to drinks and food as VIP guests. In Indian culture "The guest is god". After this went along to Maryem's house for Chai and snacks. She lives with her daughter and husband in a space less than half the size of my unit. As a gift David and I had some pix of her daughter printed to card. She seemed very chuffed when I gave them to her this morning showing all the other teachers.

A wet black dog wakeup

Woke this morning to Muslim prayer chants echoing across the valley. Jumped out of my chilly bed and opened the door to let some fresh air in, the room still smells like as moldy old sock. Jumped back into bed and started reading, I hear this creak and some footsteps, I didn't really pay much attention until I felt a wet nose, a soggy, wet, black dog thought he'd greet me a happy morning, funny bugger.

School starts with morning prayer and songs I was excited when there was even Jingle Bells in Hindi. Then there's role call, followed by calendar practice; rehearsing the day ie Friday and the month in English with sign language. Then there is vocational practice, today was the 3rd step in creating paper bags out of newspapers with home made clag, the frequent blackouts were bloody annoying. After this there is a few other exercises and lunch. After lunch my favourites - Sport, playing with a couple of half deflated volley balls and a basketball. Then music, lots of Bollywood moves, the music teacher is brilliant, seems hip and up to date and watching the kids do their Bollywood moves is funny. I have been dancing along but am pretty embarrassed as these kids have awesome rhythm and and can move their hands and swing there hips with the best of them.

After school has ended the day kids went home, Dave and I headed for a Chai and then came back and played with the kids 'til dark. By then Dahn our cook had dinner on the table, dhal, curry, rice and chapatti. Curry for lunch and dinner and my pee is starting to smell like caraway and cardamom, feeling pretty darn local now.

I have been helping Dave with a couple of projects tonight and tomorrow we're off the Carols by Candlelight for one of the teachers daughters.

So all is good and well, can't wait to load some photos!!

13/12/12 All is very new and a little mind boggling ;)

13/12/12

Arrived in Dehradun yesterday,the hour drive from the airport was hair raising, traffic was incredible and endless along a drive that was filled with rubbish, cows, monkeys and on coming traffic in the wrong lanes.

The Raphael centre is amazing and has a number of broad community programs, there are some 70 resident disabled children and adults. They run a early intervention programs, schooling, prevocational training, craft work shops and one on one high level care to people unable to function in a class room situation. There are also day classes and these children head home at the end of class.  Raphael also has some looms and work shop where people who have been cured of leporasy work but are sadly still not accepted in the general community due to social stigma. Some of the people have been here for over 50 years.



There is also a learning centre where there are opportunities for people to learn nationally recognised qualifications in special education and dyslexia. People may also attend to learn unit specialities in care and support.

There is a TB hospital here caring for people with multiple drug resistance to cures for TB that requires and a two year program of painful and expensive medical treatments.

My room is two single beds with a mattress that that is slightly more giving than a concrete floor. A couple of the lights work and they have managed to find me a small radiator that I would guess is older than me but it has taken the chill from the room, drying my towel in front of it seems to have released the mould in the towel and the room smells musty but some incense should fix that.

Thanks to David another volunteer who has been here for a couple of months, for helping me to gain my bearings and understanding.  I was treated to a local chai at a small dingy place, at 6 rupees it was little more than 3 cents. The shop, if you could call it that is only a few steps from the local store, ten minutes walk from Raphael... I think this will become a regular haunt for me.

At this point everything is new and mind boggling so I could ramble for ages. Let me just say I went to bed before 8pm, I never expected this lifestyle in my wildest dreams but I think I will be up to the challenge and I know that working with the kids that all my concerns regarding the lifestyle "challenges" will fade to black.

This post will be delayed as I have no hope of a local SIM or internet for a few days.

Pre-flight thoughts

Morning all, 

Very excited, flying out today and should reach Dehradun, India by 12pm (India time) 12/12/12. Its all come together so fast from a quick coffee with Leo from Ryder in the CBD; to police checks applications then 2 weeks in Thailand and now I'm packed and ready to head off. 

I'm trying not to set any expectations and go with the flow. My biggest hurdle will be my utter dislike like for excessive and noisy crowds but I guess that's why I chose somewhere to push my boundaries and comfort zone. I am expecting a bit of a heart wrenching time looking at the beggars and poverty but hope to take solace in the fact that I am there to to help in my small way.

 We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop

           Mother Teresa