As we make it farther into our first week here at Nav Jeevan, Katherine and I are starting to settle in to a routine. The children are beginning to open up to us, seeking us out for extra help on homework or to read them a favorite book from the library. Our hard work pays off when we see the children are proud of the progress we have helped them achieve.
Today, we were in for a special treat. Aneeta, who runs much of the business side of Nav Jeevan, took us for an India thali. A thali is a combination of small samples of many types of Indian cuisine. Usually you can find dal, rice, curry, vegetables, yogurt, sauces, bread, and more. The flavors range from savory to sweet (and from spicy to extremely spicy!). We really enjoyed savoring the vast and diverse flavors that India has to offer.
The diverse cuisine of India is symbolic of the diversity of the population, illustrated by the range of children found at Nav Jeevan. For example, some children living at the school were picked up by concerned teachers when they saw the orphaned children begging on the busy streets of Nagpur. Other students from the tribal regions of India walked for five hours before they could even find a bus stop so they could travel to Nagpur. Some students have parents to visit, others do not. In addition to diversity of location and family situation, some students arrive at Nav Jeevan unable even to speak Hindi because of the diverse selection of languages found in India.
Despite the differences between the children at Nav Jeevan, it is hard to find children with more genuine enthusiasm and strong friendships than at Nav Jeevan. At dinner today the entire school sang Happy Birthday to Anjali while she passed out candy and cake for the entire staff and students. It is moments like these that show despite our differences we all have a similar need for connections and love. The students and staff of Nav Jeevan continue to teach us and help the children achieve this need, making us better volunteers and stronger individuals!
Today, we were in for a special treat. Aneeta, who runs much of the business side of Nav Jeevan, took us for an India thali. A thali is a combination of small samples of many types of Indian cuisine. Usually you can find dal, rice, curry, vegetables, yogurt, sauces, bread, and more. The flavors range from savory to sweet (and from spicy to extremely spicy!). We really enjoyed savoring the vast and diverse flavors that India has to offer.
The diverse cuisine of India is symbolic of the diversity of the population, illustrated by the range of children found at Nav Jeevan. For example, some children living at the school were picked up by concerned teachers when they saw the orphaned children begging on the busy streets of Nagpur. Other students from the tribal regions of India walked for five hours before they could even find a bus stop so they could travel to Nagpur. Some students have parents to visit, others do not. In addition to diversity of location and family situation, some students arrive at Nav Jeevan unable even to speak Hindi because of the diverse selection of languages found in India.
Despite the differences between the children at Nav Jeevan, it is hard to find children with more genuine enthusiasm and strong friendships than at Nav Jeevan. At dinner today the entire school sang Happy Birthday to Anjali while she passed out candy and cake for the entire staff and students. It is moments like these that show despite our differences we all have a similar need for connections and love. The students and staff of Nav Jeevan continue to teach us and help the children achieve this need, making us better volunteers and stronger individuals!
