Namaskar Global Scholars!
I hope everyone had safe but exciting travel to their countries! If anyone is in as a remote area as LeeAnne and I, you quickly realized internet access is a pretty rare occurrence, which is why this is my first update!
Our travel went very well. We had a 14 hour layover in London, which was fantastic because we have never been to Europe before. We got to see all the London sites - The Big Ben, The London Eye, Abbey Road, Buckingham Palace, The National Gallery, and so many more beautiful London sites. We had a blast.
When we first arrived in the Delhi airport, we were a bit overwhelmed. It had been almost three days since the last time we got to sleep, and we were exhausted. We didn't speak the language, so trying to navigate our way through the airport was difficult. But we made it to Guwahati! Parijat Academy is incredible. We have been here for a week, and have already done so many things! We began teaching at the school - and one thing we didn't realize was how big the language barrier actually is. It's very hard to communicate with the kids, because they understand English but they do not speak it very well. But just like we hoped, using art and photography is really the best way to break that communication barrier. The kids love the art projects we have been teaching, and next week we are going to start photography lessons. We are hoping to teach the kids how to take photos and upload them to the computer and internet to share their stories. One problem we have run into with this though is the lack of internet. LeeAnne and I are going to start a fundraiser for Parijat to raise money to get them internet, so the kids can being learning to navigate the web. The internet really is the best learning tool, and it puts so many opportunities at your finger tips. We think giving the students access to the web will substantially increase their English skills, and also allow them to begin exploring things they wish to learn more about. Uttam, the principle of the school and our host, has been incredibly supportive and helpful with our project. Once we finally got the chance to sit down with him and explain what it was we wanted to do with art and photography, he got very excited and began giving us some more great ideas for the project!
We have become very close with the family here as well. People live very simple here - no air conditioning, no one really uses computers or cell phones, and electricity isn't always working. The houses are all made our of bamboo, straw and tin but it's very cozy. There are goats, cows, and pigs just roaming the property and it makes for a pretty interesting walk every time we venture about. The weather is hot and humid - but it's nothing we aren't used to in Tallahassee! We are completely surrounded by mountains, and it is so beautiful here. I have never seen so many new plants and fruits. Last Sunday we ventured out of Parijat to a few of the locals homes, and it was very nice to see more parts of the village. Everyone is very kind and welcoming, and I couldn't be happier with the way things are going here.
Like I said, internet access is limited, but I will be sure to get on at least once a week to keep everyone updated! I can't wait to hear about everyone else's adventures. But our tumblr blog is something we try to update as much as possible, for our friends and families, so if anyone is interested check it out! http://bridging--the--gap.tumblr.com/
Namaste!
I hope everyone had safe but exciting travel to their countries! If anyone is in as a remote area as LeeAnne and I, you quickly realized internet access is a pretty rare occurrence, which is why this is my first update!
Our travel went very well. We had a 14 hour layover in London, which was fantastic because we have never been to Europe before. We got to see all the London sites - The Big Ben, The London Eye, Abbey Road, Buckingham Palace, The National Gallery, and so many more beautiful London sites. We had a blast.
When we first arrived in the Delhi airport, we were a bit overwhelmed. It had been almost three days since the last time we got to sleep, and we were exhausted. We didn't speak the language, so trying to navigate our way through the airport was difficult. But we made it to Guwahati! Parijat Academy is incredible. We have been here for a week, and have already done so many things! We began teaching at the school - and one thing we didn't realize was how big the language barrier actually is. It's very hard to communicate with the kids, because they understand English but they do not speak it very well. But just like we hoped, using art and photography is really the best way to break that communication barrier. The kids love the art projects we have been teaching, and next week we are going to start photography lessons. We are hoping to teach the kids how to take photos and upload them to the computer and internet to share their stories. One problem we have run into with this though is the lack of internet. LeeAnne and I are going to start a fundraiser for Parijat to raise money to get them internet, so the kids can being learning to navigate the web. The internet really is the best learning tool, and it puts so many opportunities at your finger tips. We think giving the students access to the web will substantially increase their English skills, and also allow them to begin exploring things they wish to learn more about. Uttam, the principle of the school and our host, has been incredibly supportive and helpful with our project. Once we finally got the chance to sit down with him and explain what it was we wanted to do with art and photography, he got very excited and began giving us some more great ideas for the project!
We have become very close with the family here as well. People live very simple here - no air conditioning, no one really uses computers or cell phones, and electricity isn't always working. The houses are all made our of bamboo, straw and tin but it's very cozy. There are goats, cows, and pigs just roaming the property and it makes for a pretty interesting walk every time we venture about. The weather is hot and humid - but it's nothing we aren't used to in Tallahassee! We are completely surrounded by mountains, and it is so beautiful here. I have never seen so many new plants and fruits. Last Sunday we ventured out of Parijat to a few of the locals homes, and it was very nice to see more parts of the village. Everyone is very kind and welcoming, and I couldn't be happier with the way things are going here.
Like I said, internet access is limited, but I will be sure to get on at least once a week to keep everyone updated! I can't wait to hear about everyone else's adventures. But our tumblr blog is something we try to update as much as possible, for our friends and families, so if anyone is interested check it out! http://bridging--the--gap.tumblr.com/
Namaste!
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