I know it has been a few days since our last post. Apologies!!! We have been very busy working with two exciting partners- Buddha Smile School and Raj Ghat Besent School.
The majority of our time this week was spent with the Raj Ghat Besent School in Varanasi. It is a very progressive school and the students and staff have been delightful to work with. The school has beautiful campus that spreads across 325 acres, and borders the Ganges River for most it. Although the scenery is exotic with peacocks running all around, its proximity to the river makes it an unfortunate target for drownings to occur (although none, thankfully have!).
We were able to teach all 300 Raj Ghat Besent School students, along with the 50 faculty and staff that run the school. All of the students, and especially the staff, were very excited to hear our lesson. Every class we taught had students asking countless questions!! This truly made the group feel that everyone had understood our water safety lesson, and that it was something that would stay with them for the rest of their lives. The faculty especially, was eager to learn about the advantages of CPR and how it related to drownings.
The school was also kind enough to offer us a delicious Indian meal every day for lunch, as well as many cups of chai and biscuits! At lunch we were able to eat with the students giving us more time to talk and answer questions, which was something very special for all of the volunteers.
When we haven't been teaching, we have been exploring the maze of Varanasi. A few nights ago, the WolfPack took a sunset boat ride down the Ganga to look at the city by night. It was a once in a lifetime experience that offered a great view of the city. Tomorrow, we will be walking a few ghats down to watch the evening Hindu ceremony that takes place every night. Lots of bells are rung, and everyone sends lit candles down the river. We are all excited to see it in action!
With our time in Varanasi ending very soon, I know that we will all be sad to say goodbye. Although the weather (which has been very, very cold) has been a bit of a burden, everyone has gotten a great feeling for this city and, I believe, India as a whole. This group, as a leader, has been a pleasure to work with. They have all done a great job teaching despite the weather and illnesses that have popped up along the way. Everyone should be truly proud of their hard work and dedication to Project: Swim International's mission!!
Until next time,
The Leader of the (wolf)Pack
aka Bree
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