February 3rd, 2003
We arrived in the village this morning to what seems like a heroes welcome. I honestly feel that I have just stepped out of Hollywood (minus the nice, hair, make-up and clothes) as everyone just smiles at you, runs up and wants to shake your hand. I feel almost guilty as we haven't done anything yet, but they are just so happy that someone has taken an interest in them and their little village.
The house of course has no running water meaning that the "shower" is a very cold bucket of water and the toilet is a hole. It obviously doesn't flush so no loo paper for us, which means you have to go native. (Enough said.) I have now forgotten what cutlery looks like as you eat with your right hand here. More tricky than it appears as you need some nifty thumb work.
February 19th, 2003
I live with about 10 people half from the West, 4 Indians and one Nepalese girl. I don't know who has had more of a culture shock, them or us. I have to say if I do nothing more for the rest of my life I will feel my life has had some purpose as I have convinced one of the Indian boys that burping at the table (we actually eat on the floor.) is just not right. (I know when in Rome… but straight after breakfast?!)
March 14th, 2003
The First Aid Training Day we organized for some students as well as women in the village all went well. There are no doctors or midwifes in the village, and the Women's group we worked with were interested in learning about how to set up a Health Group in the village. We also brought some younger medical students, both male and female to talk t the children separately about adolescent health issues. This was all organized with a local NGO called CHAD. By involving them, we have increased the chances of our work being continued once we are back home. They put us in touch with an Eye Hospital who came to do a mass check up on the school kids as well as the any of the community who turned up. It was a real success as after all of Jo and Reema's advertising there were queues most of the day. Not everyone can afford glasses but I think there maybe a scheme they can get in involved with, so hopefully it will all work that way. There are a couple of people running in around in Harry Potter style glasses which to say the least is quite strange!
March 31st, 2003
Today, after weeks in the sweltering heat of holding sports heats, the Event Day is finally over. It really could not have been more perfect. All the children in the Health Awareness and Environmental drama skits, remembered their lines and the Sports Events all ran smoothly, and only about half and hour late, (almost early in Indian time) so all in all a true success. What really made the day was that so many members of the community turned up to support children and us. This has meant that the messages we have tried to get across in the school have spread further into the village, therefore really doubling the importance of the whole day.
April 6th, 2003
I was in Vellore, (the nearest town to our village,) this morning, as I had been away buying books. This therefore meant that I had to hire a truck to bring them back to the village. My counterpart and I separated so he could go and buy a toilet pan, (his code for chasing women).So, I was left, just me and the non-English speaking truck driver. All was going well until the passenger door of his truck flung open. Half of me fell out, the driver tried to grab me but took a long time to do so, making sure he didn't grab me in the wrong place! I really don't know who was more shocked me or the cow I nearly landed on. Needless to say there is no such thing as seat belts. The only thing stranger than this whole situation is how normal crazy things like this have become. I think living in the village has really thrown us into the Indian way of things, and I would have it no other way.
April 18th, 2003
This morning we loaded the contents of our home for the past 3 ½ months into the back a truck and said our good byes to everyone who had taken us into their families, fed us constantly, (with or without our consent) and greeted us every morning with flowers for our hair. It wasn't as sad as I had first imagined purely because we know we are leaving with people who have been inspired by the work of SPW.
