As other students have previously written about CRHP there’s a preschool here. Today, a few of us had the unique experience of going to visit the slum where the kids are picked up from. We went with the main teacher of the preschool, Mina. It was pretty amazing to see the relationship that Mina had with the people of community. As we walked around to make sure that all the children were coming for the day, Mina checked in with the families to see that everyone was okay. One woman in particular was pregnant, she had told us about how previously the woman had multiple miscarriages and Mina had taken her to the hospital to correct the problem. Going to the preschool two days earlier was a wonderful experience but to actually see where these kids came from made it worthwhile. Especially walking up to the bus and it shaking with excitement and energy they all had to go to school was something that made me see how important this program is.
We also started our volunteering today. Half of our group went and helped at the preschool while my group went to the helping hands store to make crafts. Helping Hands is a program by CRHP in which women make crafts to sell in the villiages and to visitor to provide money for CRHP. While there, we helped to make coasters made from recycled broken bangles. These were very time consuming and made me appreciate the hard work and concentration that it takes to make all of these crafts. Also working side by side with the women we got to talk to them with the little English they knew and the international language of laughter By lunch time the glue fumes were getting to our heads so it was good that we were done for the day.
After lunch we decided to go into town to pick up our clothes that we had made at the tailor and then go back to the store for further feed my shopping addiction, even in India I can’t escape it. We also ventured to the Tea stand at the corner , the only word we’ve learn before this evening “Cha hah” in order to order the delicious chai tea. Not to mention my very first rick shaw ride, which was not as terrifying as it look and a very convenient way to get back to CRHP.
Later in the evening we had a Maharati language course this evening with Mina, the preschool teacher. We had fun struggling to pronounce all the different words and it will be nice to atleast attempt to communicate instead of spiting out English words that people outside CRHP clearly do not understand. As with every day I’m learning more and more about CRHP and seeing the amazing change that they create in the community, and getting more accustomed to our life here.
P.S. Mom–I’m never coming home.
PHS HSS WT in India 