I just thought I would explain a little about the Ranaghat YMCA.
World Vision started a program to sponsor girls that live on the streets of Calcutta. They bring them to the YMCA where they will have a safe place to live, food to eat and a good education. Visiting Calcutta allows us to see how theses girls lives were before they came to the Y. Children and families are literally living on the streets, sleeping, bathing, and cooking. Some may have a small form of shelter. I have had a young girl hanging off my arm begging me for money, it is really sad to see and hard because we can not do something for all of them. But at the same time I am so happy that the girls at the Y got the opportunity for a better life. Hopefully more programs will turn up, to help even more children.
One thing we are all having a hard time getting used to is the trash system! There really isn't one. Trash here is just thrown into a pile and maybe once a week it them gets burned. I have had a hard time just throwing trash on the ground. In the market if you get a sweet or a candy, the wrapper just goes right on the ground. There are no trash cans to be seen! We have a few buckets at the Y but the trash then gets dumped into a pile and then burned.
The girls have not seen too much gymnastics so sometimes I will show them some moves. They love it! I have taught some of them cartwheels and bridges, and a few can even do back bends now!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Slip!
Yesterday was an exciting day around here.
It was Suman's birthday so Alison made her a necklace and I made her a card, She was very happy, and we all sang to her!
It was Republic Day so they did not have school. I brought out the nail polish and nail gems I brought with me for them. We had a nail session all afternoon, they were thrilled!
Tim Alison and I also started out work-out plan yesterday.
I came up with the idea to jog a lap to the stairs that lead to the pond, then run up and down twice run back to our guest house, do push ups and abs and do that whole thing 5 times. Were on the first lap, going down the stairs, they had me leading, I stepped on the last step, which was the most slippery surface I have every stepped on! Its like muck and clay and wet, so my foot slipped, into the pond it goes, I think I'm going to save myself when the other foot slips and like slow motion my whole body goes in the green, murky, snake infested pond!!! (thankfully my head didn't go under!) It was so funny! Tim and Alison helped me out! So then I rinsed off and we tried again! This time I didn't go down to the last step!
We played a huge game of capture the flag in the evening, the girls LOVE that game.
Alison, Tim and I have been helping out in the kitchen, we have been sitting on this huge blade that we cut the vegetables with, it is hard to get used to, but I think we'll be pros by the end! It is neat learning how the women cook and prepare the food here!
It was Suman's birthday so Alison made her a necklace and I made her a card, She was very happy, and we all sang to her!
It was Republic Day so they did not have school. I brought out the nail polish and nail gems I brought with me for them. We had a nail session all afternoon, they were thrilled!
Tim Alison and I also started out work-out plan yesterday.
I came up with the idea to jog a lap to the stairs that lead to the pond, then run up and down twice run back to our guest house, do push ups and abs and do that whole thing 5 times. Were on the first lap, going down the stairs, they had me leading, I stepped on the last step, which was the most slippery surface I have every stepped on! Its like muck and clay and wet, so my foot slipped, into the pond it goes, I think I'm going to save myself when the other foot slips and like slow motion my whole body goes in the green, murky, snake infested pond!!! (thankfully my head didn't go under!) It was so funny! Tim and Alison helped me out! So then I rinsed off and we tried again! This time I didn't go down to the last step!
We played a huge game of capture the flag in the evening, the girls LOVE that game.
Alison, Tim and I have been helping out in the kitchen, we have been sitting on this huge blade that we cut the vegetables with, it is hard to get used to, but I think we'll be pros by the end! It is neat learning how the women cook and prepare the food here!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Games
The girls have been teaching us some of their favorite games that are a lot of fun. A few running games, some hand games, and game with balancing and catching stones (which is very hard). I plan on brining them back to Silver Bay! I taught the girls the song "A boom chicka boom" and they love it!
Alison, Tim and I have been taking a large role in their study time, now that there are three of us we each take a room every night and help the girls with math and english. The girls got to pick what to study so there is a Hindi room, a Benal room, and an English room. The girls also have teachers come to the home. They have a dance teacher, a sewing teacher, a table tennis teacher, and a marching teacher.
Everything around here is done by hand and squatting. To mow the lawn, the garderns squat down and cut the brass with a sickle. To rake, leaves are picked up by hand. Cooking and building, and making things are also down without benches. It is so interesting to see. Also the nights are very loud! There is always music blasting, and since we live on a national highway, we constantly hear horns blowing and traffic going by. But our room is cozy and we fall asleep quickly, Boston will sound like Silver Bay to me when I return!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
First Week
I finally have my blog set up!
Arriving in India was like nothing else I've ever experienced. Alison and I were met by Tim and Mr. Sampson (The secretary for the girls school) at the airport. We got in a van right away and travelled the crazy streets of Calcutta. It seemed that there were no rules on the road, just get to your dstination however you can. We arrived at the YMCA and were greeted by Mr. Sircar. Everyone has been so friendly to us and they have been making sure we are comfortable.
The next day we travelled to Renaghat where the air is a lot more fresh than Calcutta and there is lots of green. We were greeted by the girls and given leis! The girls are so wonderful! Alison and I have bee working hard at memorizing their names, we still have to get a few more!
Our day typical day: Breakfast at 8am egg, thick toast, and the most delicious tea! Then we read the newspaper and say good-bye to the girls as they leave for school. Then we have teh afternoon to use the internet or go to the market, or relax. We have lunch at noon, rice with some vetables in it, and omlette, thick french fries, dhal, and we usually try a little of the Indian spicey vegatable dish the girls are eating. We play games and sing songs with the girls at 4. Tiffen (tea time) is at 5:30, then the girls pray. After prayer we help them stuf from 6- 7:30. We eat dinner which is usually the same as lunch (the cooking is great!) Then sometimes we watch TV with the girls, and we are in bed by 9:30. On holidays we usually spend the afternoon playing with the girls also. I love dancning with them! Their music is so fun and they teach us their moves! We have recently travelled to Calcutta to sit in on a swim team meeting, and also speak to the swimmers. I am enjoying my time here, it is so different, there is so much to see and learn.
Arriving in India was like nothing else I've ever experienced. Alison and I were met by Tim and Mr. Sampson (The secretary for the girls school) at the airport. We got in a van right away and travelled the crazy streets of Calcutta. It seemed that there were no rules on the road, just get to your dstination however you can. We arrived at the YMCA and were greeted by Mr. Sircar. Everyone has been so friendly to us and they have been making sure we are comfortable.
The next day we travelled to Renaghat where the air is a lot more fresh than Calcutta and there is lots of green. We were greeted by the girls and given leis! The girls are so wonderful! Alison and I have bee working hard at memorizing their names, we still have to get a few more!
Our day typical day: Breakfast at 8am egg, thick toast, and the most delicious tea! Then we read the newspaper and say good-bye to the girls as they leave for school. Then we have teh afternoon to use the internet or go to the market, or relax. We have lunch at noon, rice with some vetables in it, and omlette, thick french fries, dhal, and we usually try a little of the Indian spicey vegatable dish the girls are eating. We play games and sing songs with the girls at 4. Tiffen (tea time) is at 5:30, then the girls pray. After prayer we help them stuf from 6- 7:30. We eat dinner which is usually the same as lunch (the cooking is great!) Then sometimes we watch TV with the girls, and we are in bed by 9:30. On holidays we usually spend the afternoon playing with the girls also. I love dancning with them! Their music is so fun and they teach us their moves! We have recently travelled to Calcutta to sit in on a swim team meeting, and also speak to the swimmers. I am enjoying my time here, it is so different, there is so much to see and learn.
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