Our weekend was quite the adventure. In India, the week preceding Valentines Day is steeped with excitement. First there was hug day, then teddy bear day, rose day, kiss day, ect. It seems like in India there is no small celebration! Needless to say the kids were bursting with excitement when it was finally time for Valentine's Day.
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| Simran celebrating Valentine's Day! |
To be festive, we planned a sex education class for the 14th to talk about matters of love. It was the first time these female students had sat down and had a formal class on sex education. I'm sure many people in the United States know the challenges of incorporating countless views into the sex education curriculum. It's hard making sure the students have a proper knowledge while not simultaneously offending any groups or cultural opinions.
In India there are many of the same challenges when developing a sex education curriculum; however there is also a societal sense of modesty which increases the difficulty of preparing an acceptable presentation. Many schools offer a censored, brief version of sex education that leaves kids wanting more answers. We were shocked to find that in 2014 the Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan suggested a ban on sex education in India because it was against Indian values.
With these challenges in mind, we delivered a comprehensive yet sensitive version of sex education. If one subject gets attention, it's sex education! The girls listened with rapt attention and asked many serious questions. We were proud to be a part of (what we feel!) is a vital part of their education. We are so glad that Nav Jeevan sees the importance of educating students on this topic. Hopefully, this is knowledge the students can use to protect themselves for the rest of their lives and knowledge that they will pass down to their daughters to insure a healthy and strong community.
After school, the children participated in Katherine's craft project, inspired from the website Pinterest. It never ceases to amaze us how the children can take an idea and create so many wonderful additions and interpretations.
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| Repurposing toilet paper rolls to create art. |
On Sunday, we visited Swaminarayan Temple with our friend Dr. Prasad, an established dentist in Nagpur. The temple was an amazing, intricately carved masterpiece. It was very helpful to have Dr. Prasad to help explain the many stories associated with Hindu gods. His vivid explanations made the temple come to life! We are grateful that he arranged this tour for us.
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| One of the many carved pillars - all of them unique! |
Afterward we dinned on some of our favorite food here in India, Indian-Chinese food! It might seem like a surprising combination but the result is delicious. Dr. Prasad graciously showed us his temple as well, where we were warmly received. At the temple they gave us fruit because it is a pure food and offered us another meal!
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| On the stairs of Swaminarayan |
