A hot November

Ok, so here I am again on a Thursday telling you about my week. I can’t believe it’s already been a week since last time, and I can’t believe we’ve already been here over 3 weeks… it seems ages ago we were on the plane and arrived here, but the time’s going so quickly – it’s weird!

So since last time what have I done…? Friday was funday at school. In the morning we cleaned the front of it. It’s just so so dusty (due to complete lack of rain). Even this seems like this is a very boring task, it was yet another new experience. At first it was difficult to help – as soon as we picked up a brush to join in one of the girls who worked there would take it and clean for us, it was a task just to be able to join in! Eventually they let us, through doing this and washing down the front of the school (which takes a while when you only have tiny buckets to wash down quite a bit area) we were able to have a bit of fun and get to know the girls even better. In the afternoon all the children arrived – and as it was funday Friday this meant games! I learnt a new game called ‘Cocoa’ – it’s tig with a twist. After having fun with the children at village school we went straight to city school (30 min drive away) to run song practice. Here Lousise will be teaching a couple of people guitar and Tabi, Lydia and I will be teaching the children songs. The theme song at the moment seems to be ‘Jesus love is very wonderful’ – we’ve sang it so so much. Also beginning to pick it up in Hindi too!

After a very full week Saturday was a day to relax and regain some energy. We spent most of it in our flat, only venturing out once to the market to get a couple of things. A trip to the market is always an experience – it takes about 20 minutes to walk there (with stares from everyone!) and then we have to barter for fruit and take about 20 minutes to find toilet roll! And of course go to the incredible sweet shop! Trying to get a rickshaw home was interesting – we started off talking to this one rickshaw driver trying to explain where we wanted to go, but her didn’t understand so another man came over, and he didn’t really understand either. It ended up with about 10 rickshaw drivers all talking away to Hindi to us! Eventually we understood each other and were able to get a rickshaw back home, where we collapsed for the evening. We attempted to watch a film, but the DVD player didn’t work, so we ended up each jam and biscuits (we have a bit of an obsession with jam at the moment!)

(oh, and before I forget, our mouse called Freddie Mercury(which I may or may not have mentioned before) has just been caught in our (human) mouse trap – yay!)

Sunday, was church as usual – although we didn’t get home until 3pm after chuch. The service is fairly long and Indians do like a good natter! The little of the afternoon left we spent relaxing and planning for school this week. In the evening we went to ‘Piggery Farm’ – the nearest place to buy meet, about 50 minutes away from our home. Here we bought sausages and bacon ready to cook a full english breakfast on Monday morning.

We invited our host family over in the morning for this breakfast, it took us 2 hours to cook but is was so worth it! Meat, and food that wasn’t spicey – an english breakfast has never tasted so good. And it filled us up for the rest of the day. Monday was yet another holiday so no school, instead we planned and in the evening played badminton and had a bible study with people from church.

Tuesday, Wednesday and today we’ve been at school like usual. Devotions, teaching english to the teachers and to the chilren, playing game and learning Hindi and various church activities in the evenings. We’re all starting to get into the swing of things now, and India is definaltey becoming out home.

Tonight, we’re going to be celebrating Bonfire Night with our hosts – a BBQ and fireworks India style – on top of their house, about 3 meters away from where we’re standing!

I could ramble on forever about all the experiences I’m having but I think that’s enough untill next time!

Take care everyone, Love, Hannah