Our First Day Teaching

Our day started out great. We ate a delicious breakfast (porridge and bananas). After reviewing our script and figuring out what everyone was doing we took a taxi to the school we were teaching at. It was a little out in the country i would say, but it was worth it. Everyone met the principle and the coordinator. They brought us orange Fanta to drink as we reviewed and everyone became more nervous. We were told we would start teaching one class of 40 students. Finally we went to the classroom and it started all at once. No one knew what to expect so it was very exciting. The schools in India are very proper. The students stood as the 8 of us walked in and every time they were asked a question. At first they seemed a little shy and would not raise their hands or answer questions, but after a while they were a lot better: especially after breaking into the little groups. After we taught, we talked to the students and took pictures with them. They were very excited to meet Americans and kept asking when we would be back. They even made us feels more appreciated by taking out their books and journals and asking us for our autographs. Finally we went back to the hotel and discussed how well the day went. We all agreed it could not have gone any better. Then we cooled of and ate lunch, but no pepper steak so we had more indian food. After that Me and Kyla went shopping and had a lot of fun exploring the city. There is so much here to take in, its hard to explain everything. I think later we are getting dinner, going to the beach one last time, and then heading to bed early because Ben, Kyla, Lindsey, and I have to be up at 5 tommorrow to catch our train to Maduri. Hope everyone is doing well. Its Amazing here and everything is going great.
Kristyn




Mamallapuram has been amazing!! I love this place, it's almost like paradise! The first day here we just explored - did some shopping and ate some really good food. I've got to say the Indian food is good, but I do miss food back home! The beach is a little dirty, but it's a beach and that makes me happy! Today was our first day teaching and it went great. Schools are so different here than back home. It was hard at first, Lindsey opened up and the first time she asked a question the students didn't respond. We had practiced our script at local schools back home before our trip, so I guess we expected to get responses like we did in Tucson. We asked if they knew what a lifeguard was or does and got no response, it was kind of funny but when you think about it that's not a common job here. Although, while laying out on the beach today we did see and hear a lifeguard blow their whistle (woohoo). Anyways, we learned later that in order to get the students to respond to a question we must address them, they have to stand up and either say I don't know or answer. They also don't sit back down until you say they can. So that was really different, especially from schools in Tucson. The students are so bright, they picked up on CPR really quick and that was really exciting. Afterwards, they offered us delicious Chai and asked us for our autographs. They made us feel like celebrities :) Bree, Drew, Rick and I will be returning to that same school, so hopefully we'll get to see our friends again. I'm looking forward to more teaching - it's a different, yet an awesome experience! The language barrier is makes it difficult, but we make it happen! Ben, Lindsey, Kristyn and Kyla leave tomorrow, so tonight we'll be our last night together :( Slowly our big group is dwindling down. It's sad...this is seriously such a great group! Hope all is well back home...
<3 Lea