September 4

Morning

Our morning routine usually starts at 1000, though I always try to wake up earlier. Earlier, to take a cold shower, turn on the water boiler so Anine could take a warm one, turn on the kettle so we could have hot water for our breakfast - Chadbury's Bourn vita ++ (malt based powder) for me and Quaker's (religious affilation again) oat meal for Anine. I tried latter on several occasions, it still tastes like a horse meal.

Now listen, we like writing letters/blogs in the morning, so we couldreflect upon the past day. Besides it gets so hot and humid outside, that we do not leave our room until 12(3)00 and start planning our sessions. Otherwise we could do it in the room, but the possibility of having Ankit's wireless is too tempting.

Important notice, the abovementioned routine is only a few days old!

Still, since the early morning we arebeing awaken by the construction workers/loud streets but ears get used to that easily and we fall asleep again. Sad moments occur, once we remember hw much help our students need, instead of a morning prayer, I try to sketch a plan for today's class. Those early thoughts are always productive.

2nd visit to Bashing

This time we planned to review the ABC, put up some colourful letters on a string and hang it on the ceiling, so they could remember how towrite capital/lower case letters. It was obvious from the last time, that young ones couldn't write properly. Also, we planned to put 2 sheets with numbers from 0 to 20 and their spelling, so by this time they could introduce themselves with their name and age. For that purpose we planned to teach them some formal meeting vocabulary (Good afternoon./What is Your name?/My name is./See You soon). Finally the colours would follow. We would hang the sheets with 10 basic colors on the ceiling as well and ask them to remember it for the next time.

Unfortunatelly, we haven't remembered all of their names, I was ashamed by this fact and for the next day I will do so eagerly. Yet, the session went good, it was easy to get their attention. After the first 40 minutes we went outside to play some physical games for 20 minutes and came back for 30 more minutes for a final, colors session.

What really touched my heart was a little boy Nanakchand, 8. He had waterish wounds on his hands and none of the other boys dared to touch him throughout the games. So it was me, Anine and Sarla who held him and we still had fun. Apparantly, there will be a British volunteer doctors visitng them next month. Maybe they even leave a first aid kit there. Which is in desperate need. The ridiculity of this situation sums up in a fact, that's next month will the majority of them will be seing a doctor for a first time. It breakes my heart and tenses up the mind. We ough to help them.

Back to the classes, there were two obvious groups of students. The ones who managed our class material easily and ones (youngsters) who did not get it too much. So for the next time we have to find a way for maximizing teaching by either splitting them in a group, asking the elder ones help to teach young ones, or splitting a group throughout the session into two and assigning tasks of varied difficulty.

In general session went well, as kids were smiling by the end of it. On our way back with a pick up truck which we have hich hiked from Bashing we had some hard feelings as well. We should replan our sessions, so that advanced one could step further.

Straight after we had another fantastic dinner. This time we had vegetable balls and mantra smth (cheese swimming in a sour milk) and potatoes and asparagus beans with onions and 4 chapatis in total.

It has just started raining, so love of my live listen to Let it Rain by Eric Clapton, which I happened to be listening now.

Back to yesterday I saw my sweetheart again and will surely meet her today. I wish she was here as well, as Indiahas enough beauty for more than 1 person :) This evening we had a push up and sit up and leg press session with Anine, we promised each opther to exercise before going to sleep and keep in shape.

I fell asleep easily and was waiting for a lunch at Ankit's place, which commemorate his father's death anniversary. We were kindly invited.