School

I think part of the reason I am attracted to living in this country is the excitement of it all. I can wake up every single morning and know, without fail, that I will see or do at least one thing I have never seen or done before, at least one thing that it is not possible to do in the United States. I had a few of those moments yesterday. I needed to re-charge my phone and we needed some more mangos so I volunteered to take the government sponsored twenty-minute Jeep ride into the nearest town. I have never been in a vehicle with more people in my life. A small Jeep, made for maybe 8, crammed almost 40 people. 6 in the front seat, 6 in the middle, 5 on the hood, 8 in the back seats (not including the 4 children on laps) 3 hanging out the driver side, 4 hanging out the passenger side and 6 on the roof. It was quite a squished and sweaty experience, and the same on the way back.

While I was there I shared a pack of cookies with the children who surrounded me gawking, bought some nail polish and henna to do with the wives, picked up the mangoes and got caught in the pouring rain. I have never been dripping sweat in the pouring rain before; it was scalding hot water falling from the sky and the heat penetrating from the pavement as it hit didn't help either. But overall, it was a nice trip; it was good to get off the farm for a bit and walk around.

I guess I should describe the school I've been teaching at for the past week or so. It's a one-room school-house, but not really. It's a rectangular shape, with one hallway and six little "alcoves" cut out from the main hallway where the classrooms are. The children sit on the floor in rows. There is a small chalkboard in each one as well. There are 2 nursery classes with small children, and the teachers who are less educated teach them. Right now two girls, maybe my age, who have only completed tenth grade are working with them. There is one second/third grade class that gets somewhat left behind, shifting teachers daily. Then there are two more classes, one of fourth and fifth graders with about twenty students and one of sixth and seventh graders with about ten students. I alternate first and second periods between the two. (There are only two periods in the day, one before lunch and one after).

The government school just down the road is much more expensive, requiring a large initial fee and then 25 rupees a month. Our school requires a one-time payment of 50 rupees (and this is the first year they've required that). Still, there are many children in the village who cannot afford that, and there are many children at the school without pencils or pens. But, as I have noticed in the older classes, the students are bright, interested in learning and for the most part well-behaved. They study hard (most of the them) and are prepared for class. I have so far very much enjoyed teaching here the past week.