Thank you Rising Star

Today was my last day at education also my last day at Rising Star. To start off my day I did circle time with the UKG kids again! It was a really fun and cute time. The second I got there a darling girl motioned for me to sit next to her. I went and sat next to her and we started the alphabet song: " the a days aaa, the a says aaa, every letter makes a sound, the a says aaa" etc..., then we sung eyes, ears, knees and toes, also there was monkeys jumping on the bed, then old McDonald had a farm, so many more I can't remeber! After singing we played duck duck goose then off to class.

The same girl that I was sitting next to in circle time came and sat next to me during our letter learning! We learned today about the letter "B" she was not wanting to have anything to do with the letter " B" the entire time I was helping her. I would point out words that had the letter "B". She would just then start to scribble over the top of them. I would then read her a poem and we would underline the letter "B" again she just wanted to scribble. So I just decided to have her trace over the letter on a sheet that already had the letter "B" trumped on it. But that took nearly two seconds. Finally we got to play bingo and that made her happy! So I felt so relived because it was so stressful and frustrating! As we were playing Bingo she was very hesitant on which letter was the right so I had to help her out extensively. But we got Bjbgo eventually and the bell rang then she ran off to play at recess!

After recess was time for the computer lab with the 4th standard, we did the math. It was easier than the sixth standard, however I did still struggle with some of the problems. The problems were mostly on writing out the numbers in extensive form. For example like spelling out 757,458. Or something along those lines. What made me very happy was that Sudah is in this class and so I got to sit next to her and help her out a little bit. I learned that she is a very smart cookie! The boy I was helping was struggling significantly, he wanted me to tell me the answers basically to all the problems. I felt bad because I didn't know how to explain the question the computer was asking him. But I did eventually find some ways to help him out a little bit. 

Our next activity was value education. This is the class about self confidence.  I got a boy in the fifth standard. We had to think of some situations in which we had self confidence. I came up with an example of when I had to get up in front of the class and do a presentation ( although that was really not a good example). So we also had to do a skit. 

In our skit we had the two Indian kids kids draw a picture then we went in front of the class and told them that they were afraid to present the picture but me and the chaperone were encouraging them to do it! Then we say back down. Sorry that was kind of confusing but it's hard to explain. 

Next we had PE and it was super hot! We played soccer  with the third standard kids. It was super fun I tried to stay out of their way put kick the bal here and there to get it going a little faster. The only down side was the heat, becuase he sun was shinning directly down. Then we got to have lunch or just a break

I went back to the school for computer lab with the fifth standard and they were all doing soo well! I was very impressed! They did not need much help. The main thing they were focusing on was finding how many thousands, ten hundredths, etc were in the millions, ten millionths place, etc... Some were also working on Roman numerals.

Once the bell rang we went back outside for P.E. This was kind of a hard/ good period for me. I had it with Sudah and the first thing I had to do was tell her I was leaving tonight. What was hard as well was she slipped this little stone into my bag, so that I would remeber her. I walked her around her lap and the tears started to break that's when my heart just sunk and I felt the tears run... I did hold it back becuase I knew showing her would be the worst thing I could do so I was happy and played as many games wih her and made her chipper as can be! I do get to see her one last time at play time tonight and I am going to spend every last minute with her.  

Thank You Sudah

PAROTA

Today was for sure a good day! I woke up and got to talk to my family, had kind of a bad connection but that's to be expected right?! So that was a good start. Then got ready and I was off to medical!

We went to a colony that was near the place that we did the Micro Grant Tours. I was originally assigned to go to the preschool but I talked to the coordinator and we figured something out. This made me really happy because this was my last time doing medical and I actually wanted to be with the patients. This colony was tiny we helped, only 4 people. Our group actually split into two, one to the colony the other to a preschool in the village. The preschool had about 10 children. As they arrived to school and saw us Americans I think it was a little overwhelming so they would cry. Eventually the children did chipper up but they just had to get used to us. A very cute thing that happens with the girls is that they wear these cute anklets around their ankles that jingle, it is darling!

The children got their check ups from the nurses and then we left to the colony! 

When we got to the colony we set up our video about taking care of your self, wounds,etc... So they watched the video then we set up our assembly line to take care of their alysers! I had the same job as last time. The water manager which involves taking the dirty water to the designated area and dumping it out. Then swishing around just basic water and dumping that out. Then using antiseptic water, swishing it around, dumping it out. Then I go and put the bucket underneath the chair of the patient having their feet washed. I like this job because I get to watch but it kinda stinks because I don't get to actually do anything with the patients...

After the colony we went and picked up those at the preschool, just down the street. Then went to go get lunch!! At the restaurant there was parota. I love PAROTA now, it is so yummy! It is basically a flaky nana bread. Some people actually got a meal there, I would give an example but I can't remeber the names! 

After the restaurant, which they call hotels here! We went to the junction. To get some henna for those who didn't go to the junction yesterday, which was everyone but Amberlee and I. We got out of the bus and went to the shop to buy some and they had 1 box! So they bought that box and we went to like 3 other stores and everyone was out! So that kinda stunk! But there is always delhi! I bought some Indian treats to eat though and I am super excited! 

Then we headed back to Risng Star!

Thank you sweet Sudah!! 

Last construction day!

Today was my last construction day and that was such a good feeling!! Don't get me wrong! I do feel like I am making a good difference when I am doing construction I just do not feel like I am making that big of difference of the rising star campus with construction.

For construction we gathered our hats, gloves, and colorful bowls and headed to the sight. The sight was just by the school and was made of dirt and rocks. Our plan was to move the rocks so that it looked better and I think so that the cars were able to park there as well, like another spot there is available for the cars to park.  

So we got there and the first thing we did was start taking rocks to a cute little tractor type of automobile that the workers had. The front had the motor then some me teal rods leading to a foam pad for the seat which was connected to the back carrying all the rocks in which we were putting. After we got all the rocks into the tractor they drove them to the other "parking lot" and dropped them off on the very edge to make it look nice!

As his process was occurring we would fill in the holes by using the dirt we dig would dig up with very different shovles from the U.S. They basically fold in half.

So we did that and tried to level it out as much as we could and stopped because we were tired. 

I got the true ultimate Indian experience today! The group that I have calle the Karyat group wanted to go to the Junction becuase we hadn't gone yet. So we made plans to go with a coordinator and a chaperone. Then more people came back from their oration as the day ended.  The group was slowly getting larger with all of the volunteers and chaperones and coordinators. Then we got talking about transportation, the goal was to walk there and it is about 5 km. this did not float with a lot of the people, especially those who already went so our group decreased again. Then there was a little talk about rickshaws but that was put down so quick I didn't even blink. Then the last obstacle is if we would be back in time for play time! There go 3 more... So here are Amberlee and I and 3 coordinators/ chaperones. So we decide that that is enough to take the bikes! We hop on the bikes have a little ledge on the back, just enough for someone to sit on so I plop down and we are ready to go. This was not a speedy trip we struggled to get going but then all was well on the paved road! I rode with Carson who is the overall Volunteer Manager. It was an interesting experience. 

Once we got to the junction I was super excited to buy my henna for Sudah. We looked around in several places then found the place it was awesome! Then we were off to find Amberlee her chudidar for our Dehli trip coming up VERY soon! We shopped around for a bit she dug through a big stack of them, tried on a few then finally found the best option there was! 

The bikes

A little conscience shop

Junction

With Matthew my chaperone 

Let me teach you something

Today I did the education rotation. I just want to remind everyone that I can't take pictures while I'm with the kids, because it will distract them so that's why I don't have very many. I was in doubt of whether I was gonna have enough patience today or not. I was in doubt because last time the kids were wearing my patience quite a bit. I will tell you that for me the day was a good day but not better than my last education I did not get better kids. However we did get to go to the school at 9:15 rather than at 8:30. We went at 9:15 because we did not go to the singing group with the UKG group.

To start my education day I was doing the letter practice with the UKG kids. I did get pretty lucky with her because she was very sweet and did know a lot of the alphabet. However she was very quiet and did not know very much English at all.  Anyways we got the letter "G" and it was a fun and unique letter. We traced the letter with her finger, found it in other words, and traced the letter with her expo marker. Afterwards the kids played alphabet bingo. They had to fill a whole sheet of 9 to get bingo. Everyone got the joy of getting bingo!! Super fun. 

Next the kids had a quick little recess to go and get their wiggles out and of course PLAY! 

We ran down to the library and grabbed a couple of books to read with the Sedond Standard. They ran up and sat down next to us, we started to read. I realized how much of the book I was having to read because she didn't want to read it. That was kind of annoying because then she won't be getting better at her reading skills. I was fine with just reading to her but I was worried the teacher would be mad. I kind of just had her read a line every here and there. She was really cute so it was worth it. After we were done reading they were called to go and spell out words for us. They did so well.

We then headed over to the computer lab to help with UKG. The girl that I got was doing really well in the beginning. Then I think she got sick of it and wanted to just play games so she just stopped using the mouse and took off her head phones. I was like you need to put those back on. She wouldn't, so I put them on her. She would take them off again this happened about 10 times. Then the house mother saw and put them on her and she kept them on her for a little bit. She kept them on for like 5 minutes then fell in a deep sleep. I shook her to wake her up and she would not. I took the head phones off her and she looked up then went back to bed. So I got the house mother and she told her to go stand up. Then she came back and there was no more problems! It was a real struggle I had never really struggled with a kid but I do know that kids easily get on my nerves. However I am still nice to all of them! 

Then the sixth standard came in and I had no idea how much I had forgotten! They came in and sat down logged on and got started. We were told to help the ones who had a lower score that was shown on the computer so they can get a gold medal. The math was mainly simplifying fractions from decimal form, going least to greatest, writng out the names of the decimal form, etc... As I was helping the kids it got easier and easier. The kids were much easier to work with than the UKG. 

We then headed back to the elephant house for some lunch real quick, I had beef jerky and it was really yummy. 

At 12:45 we were back at the school to talk about self confidence to the ninth standard. I really enjoyed this! The gal that sat with me saw me as she walked down the hall then ran up to me her name was seetuah ( I have no idea how to spell it!) she was the most amazing gal!! I was sitting there with her and she smiled the entire time. We had to do a skit, and she was super scared because we were going to dance and that is something that she does not like to do so she would burry her face into her hands while laughing. As we were planning our skit we decided that seetuah would be the teacher telling us a girl had to dance on front of the class. However the girl is way to shy to dance so I told her I will dance with her and that she can do it so we got up and danced. It's pretty silly and dorky but that was our skit. After the skits we got to just talk and have a good time.

Finally we had P.E with the sixth standard. This was super hot!! We had no idea what to play so we played a variety of things. We played little Sally Walker, Red Light Green Light, Tag, a few more but I can't remember them. I was soo hot. We basically all just struggled to stay under the shade of the tree! 

At play time today after about 15 minutes Sudah came running up to me and gave me the biggest hug! She was super sweet and so excited to see me! It mad my day completely! 

let's go to the mall

Today was my first day to actually be able to see Chennai in the day time! Our drive to Chennai was like any other drive, a crazy one! As we got closer and closer to Chennai the traffic got crazier, and crazier. The cars were bumper to bumper and side mirror to side mirror. The thought of even wanting to stick your head or arm out the window would be something for someone who is fearless. If you were to do such a stunt your limb would be chopped off by the on coming car! 

When we arrived at the mall I did not realize at all how modern, american, and not what I had expected the mall was. We walked down a pathway and to the security. The security consisted of two lines one for the men and one for the woman. They were checking the men very thorough and the woman could just walk right through, however we did have to put our bags through a scanner like at the airport. So we did that and all went very smooth for us.  

As we entered the mall the shock I felt was overwhelming. I felt like I was in America but two seconds ago I was in India! I looked straight and there was so many stores, I looked up, more stores, I swear there was about 4 floors! Bigger than the utah mall. 

The very first store that we went to was called big bazaar. This store I can best compare it to was a super target. They had clothes, food, and  toys. Everything that a target would have but much more compact. I did not end up buying anything here because it was just not cheap enough and I could find all of that stuff in delhi! 

We moved on to go and eat. Let me tell you how happy I was of where we were  going to eat! We ate at CALAFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN!!!! I ate an entire 9" pizza all by my self! The taste was so good. The first bite of when I put it in my mouth was like the feeling of when you touch your foot to the most soft sand of the most amzing beach. I felt really happy and satisfied when I finished my meal that cost only 758 ruppes with tax. 👌👅

When we were done with our AMAZING lunch we headed up to a really cool store called FabIndia. It had a good selection of chudidars and men's indian style shirts. They as well had bags, earrings, essential oils, and a small variety of shoes! 

Then very lastly while there we got to have some gelato. The taste of the gelato was fairly good, not as good as the U.S (as expected) but not to bad. I enjoyed the flavor of vanilla coca chips.

Then we were on our return home at the time of 2:15. The buss came at around 2:30 and we headed to go get pizza for those who were coming from church. The church goers were coming from 3 hours of church and they had not eaten that whole time I think. We drove to Dominos piled out and bombarded the poor employees of the Dominos. When they had finished eating their pizza we piled back into the busses and headed back to Rinsing Star. 

It was a fun day overall, however it was not like the beach day! I loved the weekend days they were a good time!

This was all piled into ONE scooter!