When you least expect it…

Friday, February 27 2009

I’ve learned in India, when I least expect something, something happens.

Likewise, when I most expect something, nothing is doing.

I randomly came across a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) on Monday while I was searching for opportunities abroad online; I emailed them and was pleasantly surprised by a reply back the next morning. I made a call, and was able to go that day to the NGO, about 20 minutes by rickshaw from where I stay in Juhu.

It had been a bit of a challenge thus far to find a volunteer opportunity/job (though admittedly this has been affected by my acquired wanderlust to travel more since arriving). I had met with a few contacts and NGO’s prior to my trip to Rajasthan, but upon my return I found the most promising one difficult to reach. Thus I started my search again, and this time was lucky enough to make what seems like a very promising connection.

The NGO I am now volunteering with is called One! International is a Canadian-based NGO run by a woman here named Tania, who is a few years older than me, along with her mother Marilyn who is in Canada. The NGO operates two schools; one in the northernmost part of Mumbai and the other is near me in an area called Khar Danda.

Khar Danda is near the sea, and to reach the school I turn down a winding, narrow road, navigating past veggie sellers, fish markets, live chickens, freshly made pakora, and any salty snack you can dream up. I stop each day near where the lane ends and opens to a small playground, a temple for Rama, a small slum area, and then, the Arabian Sea. It seems this area of the city, like many here, hardly ever sleeps and the playground doubles as a space for a market on Thursdays and for weddings many other days of the week.

I’m helping teach a variety of classes, including: Crafts (watching 12-18 year old boys sew and ask me to cut out hearts has never been more fun); math; English; Exercise--revisiting skipping rope and playing soccer while trying not to touch the ball when it goes into the “water”, which is really sewage from a small slum where some of the families live. The students also study camera (taking digital photos), Hindi, computers, and science. There are about 40-60 children in school on any given day, and as you may expect the days fly by quickly. I had asked Tania if initially finding a space was difficult as real estate is a prime acquisition in Mumbai; she said definitely; the first year she taught the kids on the street (she started the NGO in 2001).

Some highlights so far include two young boys saying “Didi Didi! (older sister, what they call all of the female volunteers) I know a song!” and then breaking into "Jingle Bells." Also, an 11 or 12 year old girl told me that I needed a bigger nose ring, like hers, and then asked if I was a Christian; she proudly stated she is a Hindu. The biggest surprise was on Thursday when, upon my arrival, a bare-bottomed baby was handed to me, wailing, and I had to try and sooth her for 10 minutes. By the time I could return her to her mother, I had a fresh deposit of baby slobber on my shirt, which was better, I realized, than the pee I could have had all over me (she saved that for the floor later in the day).

I also learned a song and tested it out in school today. Last week Sunitha had shown me a video that has been popular for years to help kids learn their numbers. When I started singing “Ek, Do, Ten” (One-Two-Three in Hindi) the children were delighted but disappointed I did not know the dance moves accompanying the song just yet.

See the video here.

There are some permanent teachers there--one being there for five years--who are all Indian (both male and female). The other volunteers right now include Megan from Rotterdam, Netherlands; Zoe from London, England; a family of four (including two girls ages 11 and 9 I think) from Edmonton, Canada and a few others I bet just briefly.

I’ll be volunteering here Monday - Friday up to March 10th, then I go to Australia and have more travel plans in India scheduled, but if all goes well I will return again in mid-April.

The experience thus far is definitely reminiscent of teaching the kids at Curtis Park in Denver my first year. There are lots of behavioral problems--the children are very aggressive with each other, much like my kids back in Denver, but are also very eager to learn. The older students are especially well-behaved, though it is noticeable that there are many more older boys than older girls.

Referencing back to one of my previous posts where I discussed public displays of affection in India, Zoe from England, who is dating an Indian man she met here, told me the two of them were fined $3,000 rupees (roughly U.S. $60) for kissing in public, as the police wanted a bribe.

It brought me back to something my old co-worker Grant said in an email to me: "if you can get over the dirtiness, poverty, and inequality of women" you'll have an amazing time in India (Grant did an International auto-rickshaw race down the eastern Indian coast in January).

Everyday I spend here, I learn more and more that is true.