My Summer Camp and
Other Adventures
So I am into my third week of my summer camp. It’s been lots
of fun but definitely not easy. I do not have good classroom management. My goal
is just to try to keep the kids as busy as possible so they don’t have time to
get into trouble. This only works some of the time. Unfortunately, I have to
compete with the computers for attention. All the kids want to be on the
computers constantly. The only problem is that there are only four working
computers and 20-25 of them. We do our best to give them equal time, but there
are the kids who sneak in there or won’t leave. Things have gotten more under
control because we are now three teachers instead of two, but it is still a
challenge.
Despite the noise level and headache after the kids leave,
we are having quite a bit of fun. We sing, dance, play games, play on the computer,
joke, chat, and make pretty pictures. I am learning a decent amount of Garhwali
and Nepali which is a lot of fun. (I now know some nice songs and am working on
the vocabulary and grammar. I think I will learn pretty quickly now that I am
getting the basics.) I am also improving my Hindi! The kids are super cute. They
are having so much fun! They really like capture the flag, scavenger hunts, and
“Down by the Banks” (for those of you who remember those games. Basically, I have
sectioned the kids into two groups: grammar for the older ones (16 and above)
and games and songs for the younger ones. We are planning our big program for
the morning of the 17th. I have put together a slideshow of pictures
from the activities, and the kids are preparing skits, pictures, songs, and
dances. Although it doesn’t look like it now, I think it will come together
nicely. The kids are really creative!
In other news, I have been doing some sightseeing within and
around the village. We went to Rakesh’s old house twice where they have
converted their farm into a Timeroo (tree) plantation with the help of an
American. This is an endangered tree in the Himalayas. However, it has
incredible medicinal potential. It helps get rid of parasites and cleans your
teeth. Eating the seeds is even more intense than using Listerine mouthwash.
Your mouth tingles from it! It’s really neat! HIMCON (NGO) is planning to make
toothpastes and essential oils in the next few years (the trees take a while to
grow). They will also sell some to farmers and for ornamental purposes.
One of my favorite things that I cannot get enough of here
is the fresh fruit off the trees. There are wild apricots growing here! They
are incredible! Plus, I just learned that you can break the seed open and eat
the nut inside. It’s a lot like an almond. Pretty amazing! Try it on your
apricots at home. I also got to eat some grapes right off the vine the other day!
Now if I could just be staying with a farming family instead of an NGO family, I
would be getting to drink buffalo/fresh cow’s milk and eating local millets. आने
वाला समय In
the time coming very soon.
Rakesh (from HIMCON) was telling me about the history of the
people of his village as we were walking up to his old house. The Bahuguna
family came from a village near Srinagar (in Uttarakhand) about 400-500 years
ago. They settled here and now there are more than 2,000 Bahugunas around the
world. In every village in Garhwal, it is a similar story. All the families have
the same last name because they were originally one family (which is why most
of the time people from other villages). In Sabli, the name is Bahuguna; where I
was in Pauri Garhwal, it is Bisht; near Uttarkashi, it is Panwar. This must be
part of the reason everyone calls each other uncle/aunt, son/daughter,
niece/nephew. Everyone is related even if you have to go back a few generations.
Depending on age you choose the appropriate title.
Even more interesting is that the people of Garhwal consider
themselves separate from India. They identify more with mountain people living
throughout the entire Himalaya – including those in Pakistan, Tibet, and Nepal.
The entire area did not even become a part of India until after independence
(which Rakesh calls a huge mistake – however, the alternative takeovers do not
look much better – China, for example). Since they did become a part of India,
the central government has taken the liberty of building destructive dams
throughout the mountains and disrupting the lives of these people who until
very recently did not operate on a market economy. According to Rakesh and many
others I have met (I would also agree based on my experience), the mountain
people as a whole are pretty honest and very respectful. No matter where you
go, woman or man, you are treated very well. You can eat in any house you want
even if they have no money. (Meaning you have no obligation to pay.) In my
travels throughout Garhwal, I have never felt threatened in any way. Although
there are some exceptions I am sure, my experience has been that this is a very
safe place to be. This contrasts all the news coming from cities in India where
people may or may not be that way.
I am here in Sabli another week before I head out for Ashwin’s
wedding. All of my young friends here tell me daily not to leave. I think it
will be hard to go because I really do like the people here. However, I am
excited to go catch up with some Xavier friends in India and move on with my
research.
I will try to keep posting. Stay in touch!
.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment