What a whirlwind these five?(I have lost count already) days have been. It took me 26 hours to arrive to India, but honestly it felt like four. Time passed quickly as I explored airports and talked to many people, some from Qatar and others from India. Also I had a little party (by myself) when I discovered a Dominos Pizza in the airport. Anyway, during the flight to Bombay I sat next to a very nice man named Atul who gave me much needed advice on the culture and people of India. When we arrived to Bombay it was comlpete chaos. He must have seen my look of horror because he simply said, "Don't worry. I will show you. Stay with me." He knew exactly where to go, what bus to take to what terminal and what forms to fill out. PTL because I would have beem SOTL. I experienced the infamous hole for a toilet in the Coimbatore airport, my final destination. That was fun. Sister Sufjad and a beautiful little girl found me very quickly which was a relief. We began the ~two hour trek to Tirupur. I came to the realization quickly that in India there are pretty much no traffic laws and by pretty much I mean ABSOLUTELY no traffic laws. There are two lanes shared by cars and motorcycles coming and going. There are no passing rules either, so if you want to pass you pass, while ignoring the 18 wheeler that is coming at you. You honk and scream very loudly to the 18 wheeler to slow down so you can pass the car in front of you that is going 65mph which is way too slow.
Marialaya is a Salesian rehabilitation center, school, orphanage, convent, day care and more. It is a beautiful place, gated and in the heart of Tiruppur. There are four groups of people living and attending Marialaya. First, children who are orphaned, destitute or at risk. Second, young girls and teenagers who have been kicked out of their homes because they are not married, quit school or are simply homeless or abandoned. The third group is women who are unwed mothers or homeless. Today, I was teaching English to some of the girls and a VERY pregnant woman dropped down and started puking, shouting and grabbing at her stomach. I jumped out of my chair and the girls told me it is normal, do not worry for her. Ummmmm, okkk. Finally, there are girls who have left their families to go to community college and Marialaya to learn English and other subjects.
Marialaya offers nursing, baking, stitching and software/computer classes. There are gardens full of flowers and fruits, a gym, cafeteria, computer lab, language center, bakery, "stitching department" and rooms for those, such as myself, living at Marialaya. It is bigger, nicer, and cleaner than what I had envisioned. There are about 4738927842 mosquitos though. I feel right at home with the mosquitos and 90 degree weather. My room is actually fairly large and has two windows looking out to the courtyard. My bathroom is a sink, toilet (an actualy toilet) and a faucet with a bucket and drain underneath- my shower. Taking a shower is suprisingly difficult despite the simplicity of it. It actually isn't so bad though and the pond in my bathroom after the shower goes away by morning!
Sister Isablella has many hopes and responsibilities for me which makes me unbelievably happy. My biggest worry was that I would be useless and in the way of things. Some of my responsibilities: I will teach "Spoken English," grammar, and conversation skills. I am also going to write a counseling manual for the sisters and counselor to use as a guide. I am also asked to observe each of the children individually and take notes paying special attention to their interactions with others. I will participate and come up with games, sports and dances (yeah!) So far I have gardened, played with the toddlers and pre-schoolers, written out study guides, and conducted a few group conversations in English. Has been a blastastic time.
Anyway, I apologize for awkward wording, incorrect spelling and bad punctuation. This keyboard is different and I am attempting to be quick on the computer. Also many, many thanks for reading. :)
Marialaya is a Salesian rehabilitation center, school, orphanage, convent, day care and more. It is a beautiful place, gated and in the heart of Tiruppur. There are four groups of people living and attending Marialaya. First, children who are orphaned, destitute or at risk. Second, young girls and teenagers who have been kicked out of their homes because they are not married, quit school or are simply homeless or abandoned. The third group is women who are unwed mothers or homeless. Today, I was teaching English to some of the girls and a VERY pregnant woman dropped down and started puking, shouting and grabbing at her stomach. I jumped out of my chair and the girls told me it is normal, do not worry for her. Ummmmm, okkk. Finally, there are girls who have left their families to go to community college and Marialaya to learn English and other subjects.
Marialaya offers nursing, baking, stitching and software/computer classes. There are gardens full of flowers and fruits, a gym, cafeteria, computer lab, language center, bakery, "stitching department" and rooms for those, such as myself, living at Marialaya. It is bigger, nicer, and cleaner than what I had envisioned. There are about 4738927842 mosquitos though. I feel right at home with the mosquitos and 90 degree weather. My room is actually fairly large and has two windows looking out to the courtyard. My bathroom is a sink, toilet (an actualy toilet) and a faucet with a bucket and drain underneath- my shower. Taking a shower is suprisingly difficult despite the simplicity of it. It actually isn't so bad though and the pond in my bathroom after the shower goes away by morning!
Sister Isablella has many hopes and responsibilities for me which makes me unbelievably happy. My biggest worry was that I would be useless and in the way of things. Some of my responsibilities: I will teach "Spoken English," grammar, and conversation skills. I am also going to write a counseling manual for the sisters and counselor to use as a guide. I am also asked to observe each of the children individually and take notes paying special attention to their interactions with others. I will participate and come up with games, sports and dances (yeah!) So far I have gardened, played with the toddlers and pre-schoolers, written out study guides, and conducted a few group conversations in English. Has been a blastastic time.
Anyway, I apologize for awkward wording, incorrect spelling and bad punctuation. This keyboard is different and I am attempting to be quick on the computer. Also many, many thanks for reading. :)
Em, so glad you arrived safely & that your expectations have been surpassed thus far. Looking forward to reading more about your adventure!
ReplyDeleteLove & Prayers, Nanny
I love this blog. Ughhh so jealous. Can you replace some of my little hellians with your beloved angels?! And by replace I mean....what? NOTHING!
ReplyDeleteEmily-
ReplyDeleteI am so excited for you! The Sisters are the most innovative ladies I know. I'm sure you'll find a way to take a paperclip, rock and scrap of cloth and make something out of it.
Keep us updated!
Liza