Day 11 Teaching

Tuesday

Same old routine on the auto across Delhi 200 rupees for the 45 minute journey. Slightly cooler today but no wind which is perfect conditions for the smog to decent on the city. Very stuffy especially when you are parked in traffic two feet from a bus engine pumping out smells and heat. On the journey we go under the approach path for the airport and a jet came out of the smog its thick up there.

So today was a lesson on time. We formed the lesson around o'clock, 1\2 and 1\4 past. Indians talk digital time and not say 'quarter to five'. However they all had a pretty good knowledge of time. The old favourite of bingo was used successfully again. The boys also were given balloons and some string they had great fun. The girls was a similar lesson with making paper plate clocks with pipe cleaner hands.

The younglings was a story about Seth the snake and following the story we had a discussion about the animals. Then we made crowns and masks as in the story it was Seths birthday so we all made hats and masks followed by photos. (Thanks Jenny for the gift)
A bit of colouring and the day was done. Jumped in an auto and back to the apartment (45 mins later).

We decided to go out for dinner we felt we deserved a beer. India is not a nation where alcohol is freely available. So a restaurant giving happy hour on food and drink is a must. I had Nachos to start with a jalapeno veggie burger and fries and a fair quantity of Kingfisher ultra.

To get back all four of the volunteers jumped in an auto together completely illegal and dangerous but saved 20p on the fare. Only when I got in did 'washing gate' erupt. The maid should only take laundry in the bucket. But she had been around the flat and removed all spare clothing, taking all my clean clothes for washing. Not happy bunny. (UPDATE THEY WERE ALL RETURN FULLY LAUNDERED THE NEXT DAY)

Bed xx

Masks and Crowns

Happy hour

This how close the mornings buses are!

Day 10 Teaching

Day 10 Teaching

Back into the routine of teaching up early and out to catch an auto across the city. Arrived at the slum centre to meet the ladies. First class was the older boys and started late as they all drifted on Indian time. We did the usual songs and used a book we found in the Big Bazaar yesterday to work on animals. We played animal bingo, animal book walk through inculding where they live and what country they live in. A quick animal hangman before the lesson ended with friendship bracelets. Yesterday was friendship day in India. Mrs G has been given a number of bracelets from the girls today. Such kind and generous kids.

The girls was a simpler version of that lesson with the bracelets however the lesson was late again due to lunch. On Mondays all the children bring in food well nearly all and they share it with their friends and peers. It was loverly to watch them sharing food with each other and making sure the children without food had something to eat. One boy had a little tiffin box like the one I bought at the weekend.

The younglings was a animal walk through then animal masks followed by bubbles and hopscotch in the yard.

On the way home in the auto I asked the driver to stop by the metal box seller in RK Purham Sector 6, (If you fancy popping over to get some yourself is by the CNG station and Mohan Singh Market). I bought a standard box for 400R £4 and ordered a box which is a copy of the Alpos topbox on the Bykebitx website costing £95. Ready in 24 hours costing 400R £4. Bargain Bargain.

Home to Monsoon rains, clothes washing, omlettes and lesson planning. Next week its a holiday this week is still work.

Bubbles in the yard

Yard on lookers

Bubbles

Friendship bracelets

Sharing Lunch

Animal masks

Day 9 Sunday rest day

Woke up late as usual its hot, hot, hot and the horns are beeping outside. Coffee for breakfast then sat around the apartment reading books.
Polly went out to Old Delhi and later in the day the new volunteer will be arriving. ASHA had asked if we would be around to meet him on arrival.

Went out on the bike up to RK Purham sector 6 which is about 5/6 miles away to the ASHA office to try and find out when Stuart was arriving. ASHA office was closed...oops. Anyway I had seen a roadside shop I wanted to visit a few day before just up the road from ASHA. (Dorothy stop reading now)

Anyway good old Indian style I went against the traffic on the edge of the road (compare the road to Townwall Street). tooting the horn and riding through the market stalls to where I wanted to go, needless to say Mrs G was doing her nut on the back. When in India......

The stall makes metal  from sheet galvanized steel. I had seen one I liked so asked the price.......wait for it 400R - £4 (picture below). Hiding my joy I asked if they made boxes.Yes was the reply and one similar to the one I was looking at 500R - £5 made in 24 hours. OMG

I took his business card and said I was going to made some calculations.

We then went back to the apartment tooting away with the Union Jack helmet going with the traffic. What must they think of me. Stuart was at the flat so we spend the next 90 minutes filling him in on the house rules, Indian rules, teaching and everything else we could think of.

Out we went again this time in the opposite way on the airport road to a mall called Big Bazaar. Inside was the Delhi Triumph motorcycle dealer. They even had a Tiger 800XC in the showroom. They had a KFC and bar with a super happy hour - by one get three free. Sadly I was driving. We then went into the Big Bazaar and Mrs G bought some more Indian clothes and we found some resources to help teach. Bought a bag of Kasmiri chilli powder (78p), Chai teabags and some bits for the apartment.

I paid the 15p parking charge and rode home.

The afternoon was reading and chatting veg omelettes for tea (again). I didn't feel my best so I went to bed and left Mrs G to Plan for Monday.
Had a good 11 hour sleep.

Honda Hero Impulse 150cc. Please note the Indian protective sandals shirt

with Union Jack helmet

My £4 metal box to be put inside my luggage for the trip home.

Day 8 Saturday rest day

Saturday

Got up late -toilet (Had Delhi Belly bad numerous times and so did all the others.)
Alex left for the airport.
Toilet - Typed up blog -toilet
Took Immodium - which worked slowly.
Toilet
Monsoon rain
Lunchtime

After lunch when we all felt slight more alive and the rain stopped we jumped on an auto to the Metro Station and went into the city centre. We headed for Parjang Market which is opposite Delhi railway station. We walked through the market and Mrs G bought some Indian clothes I bought a tiffin box and a toy auto. I hear you ask what is a tiffin box well its a metal round tin made up of three parts to carry your Dal and rice to work. Cost the handsome price of £1.50
Had a nice time in the market and bought a few gifts.

We then went into the station to the International tourist office to see about trains to Amritsar. Well it was easy peasy and within 20 mins had booked travel there and back. Total cost £30 inculding food on the train. Brilliant. The station staff we so helpful. We have reserved seats and air conditioning.

Once done jumped back on the Metro and came home for veg omelettes and an early night. No more Delhi Belly tonight hopefully, however did stop and buy some bog roll on the way home.


Good night blog fans.

New Delhi Railway Station

Tiffin box

Tiffin box - open

Day 7 Slum School

Friday - We have now got into a routine in Delhi. Jumped on a auto and spent the usual 45 minutes to East Delhi, as usual had to show the driver exactly where we needed to go. Started to get to know South Delhi quite well. (available for hire if anybody needs a tour guide).

Today was a lesson about body parts and the children had to label a body drawn on the board. They were good, some spelling was a bit off but was impressed. One child even told us we had 32 teeth. I didn't even know that!

We then went outside with chalk and the children drew around each other and labelled the body parts. They had great fun. Farzana from yesterday was in the class and she can't speak english but knew 5 and 5 were 10 when drawing on toes. Her little face was a picture joining in with the class especially the sing along (Mr Wiggle and Mr Waggle).
We ended the lesson with emotional bingo (happy, sad etc).

The girls and the younglings class was cancelled due to the womens empowerment meeting (Indian WI).

The people turned up at the centre during lunch to talk to Farzana about returning her home. She had her belongings wrapped up in a cloth with her. The people took Farzana to a safe childrens home and would be producung her to a court so she can be returned home to Bihar. When she left it was a little bit emotional (and choked up) she looked so scared but she was not safe at the slum and the best place for her was home. We managed to snatch a photo and a cuddle before she left.

Following lunch we were taken into the slum and shown around. Its very compact with tiny alleyways between buildings. The slum houses were small, we went into one house and had Chai and cake which was about the size of my garden shed: it slept 6 people. Everybody was very welcoming and everybody invited us in to their houses we met loads of the children and we had a Pied Pipier moment with all them tagging along. They had an open sewer but all the pathways were concrete. It was colourful and seemed a pleasant place to live.

In the afternoon we were the star guests at the womens meeting. They asked us loads of questions about us, our life and our reasons for being in India. They have a very British view of us and the best question was "How many servants and maids do you have?" "One me" I replied. I think they still believe that the stereotypical British Raj still exists. Although we are not rich by any means we are compared to their lives.
At the end of the meeting the ladies sung some songs and had both me and Mrs G up dancing Indian style.

At the end of the day we travelled back to the apartment and met with Polly and Alex. Friday was Alex's last night so we went out for dinner. We went to a local Punjab restaurant in a local mall. Very posh but reasonable prices. The food was fantastic. We all ate veg and had a Kingfisher beer (or 3) with the meal. Great laugh with good company. We then went into the sports bar next door and had as couple more beers before retiring home exhausted in an auto.

A very hot sweaty night and complicated by Delhi Belly. We had decided before the trip we would go out to Agra to see the Taj Mahal but what with the heat, late nights and early mornings we abandoned the idea to stay in Delhi. We are still going to Amritsar next weekend by train.

Weekend off to relax catch up on sleep and plan for next week. Going to see the Lotus Temple today and possibly a market tomorrow. A new volunteer arrives tomorrow as Alex flew home today.

Bye for now Blog fans weekend update coming soon - Need some soft toilet tissue.

                                            Delhi Auto

Drawing for the body parts lesson

End result

Boys class in height order

Farzana just before she left

Slum house

Narrow slum streets

At Sunils house with him and his sister

Anjali outside her house

Bianca's house - Parents and brothers family also live there.

Me and Mrs G India dancing

Punjab Restaurant - things were going so well 

Day 6 Delhi - My Birthday

Morning Blog fans....

Its Saturday here and finding some time to catch on the blog.
Thursday morning 31st July jumped on the bike with Alison to ride to the slum but a few miles down the road it was clear the bike was happy. A misfire probably from the crap in carb, so as we had to go all the way across Delhi decided to go back and get an auto. That made us about 10 minutes late getting to the slum. On our arrival the children were waiting at the gate with a large banner saying 'Happy Birthday Geaff' (haven't told them its spelt wrong) they presented me with flowers and hand made cards.
Everybody wanted to shake hands and wish me happy birthday. Overwhelmed. The whole centre was decorated with posters and balloons.

Into class and we did. Played bingo and matching pairs with word cards. Making the children describe the colours and items. The centre leader Anita had bought crisps and sweets for all the children which I had to give out. It was a great days teaching and it was a simple lesson plan which the children really enjoyed.

At lunch the ladies cooked Dal and rice with chapatis for me as a birthday treat followed by a birthday cake with my name on it. I had to cut the cake and blow out the candles whilst they sang happy birthday then.....Mrs G had to force feed me a slice of the cake, good job it was a small slice whilst the ladies then smeared cake frosting over my face. In return I then had to force feed Mrs G cake. Everybody laughed. So grateful to all the staff.

Last two lessons of the day went well with variations on the morning pair cards. Sweets and crisps given out. Both classes sang happy birthday to me. In the older girls class some of the girls gave me presents. It was so sweet and so generous from children who have nothing. I got 3 biros, a mini dairy milk, wafer bar and a packet of masala munch crisps. Just incredible.......touched. One of University lads popped by (Sunil) and gave me a card with a message written inside. Such a intelligent and kind man.

In the afternoon we we introduced to a 13 year old girl called Farzana. Some of the children had found her lost and wandering close to the slum and had taken her to the centre. She comes from Bihar about 700 miles away and was working in Delhi as a maid but was being beaten by her employer so ran away. She had since been taken in by a lady pickpocket and two alcoholics who live near the slum. The centre contacted a womens helpline to get her reunited with her parents.

So at the end of the day we left with another round of high fives and hand shaking with the children to get an auto home. I opened my cards from home, skyped the kids and had a Dominios pizza which was quite difficult to organise having it delivered.

Early to bed as completely exhausted from such an emotional day.

                                           Birthday welcome
                               

                                           Flowers

                                            Birthday poster

                                          Cake and candles

                                             Cake on the face

                                               Farzana the lost girl

Slum School days 4-5

Day 4 - Arrived at the slum school for 10am and met with supervisor Anita. We had a prayer reading and the ladies sung a psalm. A weird experience as this was all done in Hindi. So off we went to class, Alison taking the lead. We have 3 classes a day 10am to 12 the older boys, 2-3 the older girls and 3-4 the younger boys and girls. Each can range from 10 - 17 children. We are in a very small room and the children sit on the floor, we have two plastic patio chairs. The children's spoken english ranges from nil to not bad. Written english needs a lot more work.
Basically we have a lesson plan and then do it 3 times through the day getting simpler as the day goes on. The girl's english is not as good as the boys. We started with songs and are teaching the Mr Wiggle and Mr Waggle song. (SPT do not worry I am going to teach you on my return). We have tried out numerous other songs 'wheels on the bus' etc. I don't really know any of them so I am blagging it.
We read the class a story about a fish called Titch and then had a discussion about the story and the values contained in it. We then did cutting out and coloring on a fish. We then did sticking onto it. They seemed to enjoy it but all wanted sharpen pencils and continually shouting 'mam' or 'Sir'. I definitely could not be a primary school teacher.
Following on from the boys we have a two hour break where we have been talking with the college and university students to give them our thoughts and opinions and allowing them to practice english. Sunil is one of those students who we have become very friendly with, he wants to study Psychology at UCL.
Take two was with the girls but a simpler version.
Take three was with younglings - They were a hard bunch very little language skills and all squabbled over the pencils, glue and sticking. Continually shouting.....arrragh.
During the day we had a visitor to the slum from America. That all went on outside whilst we were teaching. We did meet her afterwards she was delivering medicine and called by the slum to see the good work of ASHA.
We took an auto home costing about 200 rupees £2. I spent the evening working on the motorbike trying to get it running...hurrah the bike is running a quick clean out of the carb did the trick.. Tea was an omelette and we planned for the next day 'the water cycle'

Oh and by the way today is EID.

Day 5 - I taught the water cycle followed by the children drawing it and naming the parts. I was very impressed with the standard. Loads of songs and a very sweaty version of duck duck goose in the yard. Its too hot to be running around.
Take two was with the girls again a simpler version
Take three with the younglings which was coloring in in paper plate umbrellas.

After school had her hands painted with henna and we jumped onto the Metro and went into the city. We ended up in Karol Bagh where we stayed last year. We bought motorcycle helmets (mine is a open union jack helmet, Alison has a pink open face with visor Total cost with gloves £30. We also bought a lock. We had dinner in a veg restaurant where mistakenly ordered a sharing meal twice. Oh what a lot of food. But they were good enough to package the spare food for to take home. A long trip back to south Delhi on the Metro and a 20 minute auto ride. By the time we have planned for the following day and watch Alex and Polly finish off our sharing meal it was late and close to midnight by the time went to bed.

                                            Making Fish
                                         

                                             Jeevan Nagar Slum Centre

                                             Some of the younglings

                                             Teaching the water cycle

                                                         The results of the lesson

                                             Henna hands

                                             New motorcycle helmets