Katie and I (Katherine) have now caught up on our sleep pretty well. After waking up this morning to a nice breakfast of eggs, chapatis, and chai tea, we took a couple of the children on a walk around the neighborhood of Nav Jeevan. We saw two Hindu temples, a small medical clinic, the bus stop, and many cows. But, what we enjoyed most of all was the children's company, laughing all the while and pointing out the sights for us. When we returned to the school, we walked around the back and the children showed us the field where the often play. After beginning a game, a family emerged from their home on the edge of the field and invited us to tea! Their kindness abounded as they showed us in for tea and rice. The man of the household discussed President Obama and Prime Minister Modi's meetings both in the US and the upcoming meeting in New Delhi on Indian Independence Day, January 26.
After Katie and I scrubbed some laundry and hung it to dry, we observed the children at play--they enjoyed reading, cleaning for the beginning of school tomorrow, and the school's playground. Some lounged while others were more rough and tumble, but all seemed to enjoy the time to themselves.
Lunch was then upon us with Mrs. Iris Wilkinson, Aneeta Patel, and Kiran and Roger Wingelaar at Mrs. Wilkinson's home. Mrs. Wilkinson is the President of Nav Jeevan and Aneeta and Kiran are her daughters. We had delicious (and oh so spicy!) Indian cuisine with a nice conversation about what Mrs. Wilkinson expects from Katie and me. She is very concerned about the children's cleanliness. Explaining that most children, whether orphaned, from broken homes, or from the slums, do not understand proper hygiene, Mrs. Wilkinson asked Katie and me to teach the children in this area during our stay.
Then, our afternoon was spent in the city of Nagpur. Nagpur has a population of about 2 million, but we are told that it seems like a small town to its residents. We toured Seminary Hill, the Parsi Cemetery, a Catholic shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe, a couple of country clubs, several roadside markets, India's federal gold reserve, and the High Court of India, all from the car. Being in the car was great, because we were able to experience the sights, sounds, smells, and feel of the city all at once. The streets were filled with people in cars, buses, and rickshaws, on bikes, motorcycles, and walking. Animals also wandered between, oblivious to the honking vehicles! By the end, the city became ensconced by the glow of the full moon, which in the picture looks tiny, but in real life seemed quite large.
For tomorrow, Katie and I continue to prepare. The first day of school for us surely holds adventures and challenges that we are ready to tackle, and from which we are ready to learn.
