We did try to teach as often as possible, but it is quite hard with the younger ones because of language barriers until you develop some kind of sign language everybody understands. It is quite fun, though, and the students are absolutely lovely and so cute! Once Alice and me did some drawing with all the year 1-4s, and because they enjoyed it so much, they did some Indian Dancing and Singing for us at lunch break. It was just so fluttering!
As far as I know, I also was Didi Sampriiti's first volunteer. So she was not only new to the area, didn't know Malayalam AND was (home) sick in the fist weeks, but also didn't really know how to use my help and how to handle a European girl, I guess. After I realised Didi was unsure, I took initiative and asked her what I can do to help her all the time. And I offered her that we could settle in together which we did as well as establishing a contact with a very nice Malayalam family just across the street. So when Alice arrived, it was much easier for Didi already, and I was very happy for Alice.
Alice and me got along really well, and besides travelling, we had some plans for the school like painting a world map on the wall, Palkolangara School and "our" kitchen which we did in our last week.
So after all, I had an awesome time in India and learned to really love the country due to its people, nature and climate. (I'm awfully cold here in Germany now!). Didi Sampriiti and me became good friends and Alice and me are making plans about going to Uganda together next year - I really found a wonderful travel companion and friend in her!
There's one thing I would advise for your webpage, though: You should definitely tell how young the students are (many are 5 and 6 years
old) and that they hardly speak English, because that would make it easier for volunteers to plan their stay and they aren't taken by surprise. Also, you say on the webpage that old English books and children's books would be very helpful. Well, Alice and me brought some and didn't really have any opportunity to use any of them, as hard as we tried. The younger children can't understand the books yet and aren't able to concentrate long enough, and the older ones aren't able to read sufficiently for even children's books. So the best way to use our books was in showing the pictures and then teaching the words, but as we left our books there, there are enough books accumulated in the past years of volunteer visits - future volunteers really don't need to bring anymore! On the other hand, hair clips and stickers etc were a hit, but you can buy them in India and also don't really need to take them.
Thanks for enabling my wonderful experience in Trivandrum and I hope our photos help advertising for the project - after all, I would be very happy for Didi Sampriiti if she had some more support and help at the project!
Many greetings from Germany, all the best,
Raphaela Rieke
