Sorry I haven't written in a while, I've been busy! I finished work at Christel House on Friday and I start travelling for a couple of weeks on Tuesday. We're taking a flight to Kerela and then on to Mumbai, Jaipur, Agra and Dehli. Then I come back to Bangalore and Sara, the friend I'm travelling with, heads off to Thailand (pretty good huh?).
I move out of Bishop Cotton's when I get back, I've got a place lined up in Cooke Town, directly opposite to a friend of mine! It's fantastic luck, and I owe it to Raj, a friend out here who sorted it out for me. It's on the 3rd floor, with a terrace, for the bargin price of about 50 pounds a month. It has no kitchen, but I don't even enter the kitchen I have at the moment anyway, and no hot water (which is slightly more of an inconvienience, but I'll just call Ellie and she'll let me use her shower...although she doesn't know this yet!). Pictures will follow!
Got to go and book flights now! Write soon! xx
Monday 26 February 2007
Monday 19 February 2007
Hampiness!
We went for a long weekend up in Hampi, it's a gorgeous ruined Hindu city that had it's glory days about 400-500 years ago. The city had canals, long bazaars, temples and lots of roses! But when the Sultan got involved with muslims nearby they invaded and a 6 month siege signaled the end of the city. It's not one of the seve wonders of the world but it should be! Hampi is now a small village, FULL of guest houses, restaurants and shops selling items for tourists. As an estimate, tourism accounts for about 95% of the villages economy! But even so there still aren't hideous numbers of tourists, we went out of peak season thankfully!
We took a train through the night both ways, 10 hours (express train)there 16 hours back, which wasn't too bad (especially since we had bunks each or nearly each). The guest house we found was fantastically cheap! The guide book said 150 Rupees (Rs) per room but we got them for 100 Rs (50 Rs each, that's about 60p per night and cheap even by Indian standards!). We befriended the man who worked there and found out that the other guests were paying 350 Rs per night!! We can bargin baby!! He was a great bloke, and offered to take us to a great place to see the sunrise, an offer we accepted and it was a good choice! It was on top of a mountain of boulders, topped by a temple to Shiva (hindu creator goddess). About 600 steps, although steps is probably the wrong word and stone planks in a reasonably random order would better describe some of it! Slightly scary at times, especially climbing up in the pitch black, and I'm gutted I didn't take a photo of the route! We had an amazing view of the temple complex we walked round the day before and the village (and of course the surrounding area). If anyone could tell me how Hampi's rocky landscape was created I'd be really grateful, it's so Flintstonesque!
We went cycling for part of a day, down to a nearby village with kids that loved showing us their spinning top toys ad having their photos taken! They were so friendly! On the last day, much to Miles' disgust, we had a 'designated shopping time' (he went off climbing again instead!). I bought 3 gorgeous skirts for the equivalent of 8 pounds, loving Indian prices still, and made friends with the bloke who runs the shop. He's got 7 shops one of which is in London (Portabella, i think it's called Topic and I've promised to visit it!).
But anyhow, I'm now back in Bangalore safe and sound, waiting to go to Mysore next weekend!
School is going well, I've got classes everyday with standards 2 and 4, they're great kids. We're doing a project on extinct and endangered animals, so far we've only done the dinosaurs. They drew the cutest pictures for it! I'll write again soon and add hotos later xx
We took a train through the night both ways, 10 hours (express train)there 16 hours back, which wasn't too bad (especially since we had bunks each or nearly each). The guest house we found was fantastically cheap! The guide book said 150 Rupees (Rs) per room but we got them for 100 Rs (50 Rs each, that's about 60p per night and cheap even by Indian standards!). We befriended the man who worked there and found out that the other guests were paying 350 Rs per night!! We can bargin baby!! He was a great bloke, and offered to take us to a great place to see the sunrise, an offer we accepted and it was a good choice! It was on top of a mountain of boulders, topped by a temple to Shiva (hindu creator goddess). About 600 steps, although steps is probably the wrong word and stone planks in a reasonably random order would better describe some of it! Slightly scary at times, especially climbing up in the pitch black, and I'm gutted I didn't take a photo of the route! We had an amazing view of the temple complex we walked round the day before and the village (and of course the surrounding area). If anyone could tell me how Hampi's rocky landscape was created I'd be really grateful, it's so Flintstonesque!
We went cycling for part of a day, down to a nearby village with kids that loved showing us their spinning top toys ad having their photos taken! They were so friendly! On the last day, much to Miles' disgust, we had a 'designated shopping time' (he went off climbing again instead!). I bought 3 gorgeous skirts for the equivalent of 8 pounds, loving Indian prices still, and made friends with the bloke who runs the shop. He's got 7 shops one of which is in London (Portabella, i think it's called Topic and I've promised to visit it!).
But anyhow, I'm now back in Bangalore safe and sound, waiting to go to Mysore next weekend!
School is going well, I've got classes everyday with standards 2 and 4, they're great kids. We're doing a project on extinct and endangered animals, so far we've only done the dinosaurs. They drew the cutest pictures for it! I'll write again soon and add hotos later xx
Tuesday 13 February 2007
Christel House
I've been at Christel House for about a week now, and have only just got my timetable today. For the rest of the time I've been observing to see how they teach and what level the kids are at, which as you may imagine can be quite boring. I've got standard 2 and 4 kids for reading and standard 4 kids for remedial maths, which I'm relatively pleased with. So I start following the timetable this afternoon, and will let you know how it goes!
Thursday 8 February 2007
Night life!!
Bangalore is where it's at!!...if you don't mind being kicked out of the club at 11:30! The laws are old and it's illegal to sell alcohol or keep the music playing after 11:30, some clubs will ignore this every now and then but most will turn the lights on and kick you out. We have been out nearly every night since last Wednesday; 5 different clubs (twice on the guestlist!!), complete range of music from English usual (Oh my hips don't lie...') to every kind of Indian dance ('salame isch isch isch, salame isch...' and the peugot song which was amazing!). Alcohol is pretty much the only thing that's not heavily discounted, which is probably a good thing because it means I haven't been and hopefully wont get even close to drunk. In reality it's only the same price as England but I think in Indian prices now and seeing 300 Rupees for a cocktail seems like such a rip off when you can get an all-you-can-eat buffet for 9 rupees! Even though the cocktails just under 4 pounds, which is normal.
Last night was Barbara's last night as well as Ellie's birthday so we celebrated in cultural style! We went to a piano recital, a lot more upmarket than our usual night out, followed by the most gorgeous bar called Pebble. It had the whole sophisticated beach hut thing going as well as beanbags!! We danced the night away and when the music stopped we kept singing until they turned it back on ("na nana na na nana na na nana na nana na...." very persistent!). A drunk Barbara decided that we had to go for ice cream and chocolate brownies at Corner House, the sober rest of us knew there was no chance it was still open and after trapsing all across town we were proved right! Ah, twas a good night!
Most weekend nights when the club shuts there's an after party at some random person's house, they go round everyone in the club handing out the address. The sense of community is amazing!
Last night was Barbara's last night as well as Ellie's birthday so we celebrated in cultural style! We went to a piano recital, a lot more upmarket than our usual night out, followed by the most gorgeous bar called Pebble. It had the whole sophisticated beach hut thing going as well as beanbags!! We danced the night away and when the music stopped we kept singing until they turned it back on ("na nana na na nana na na nana na nana na...." very persistent!). A drunk Barbara decided that we had to go for ice cream and chocolate brownies at Corner House, the sober rest of us knew there was no chance it was still open and after trapsing all across town we were proved right! Ah, twas a good night!
Most weekend nights when the club shuts there's an after party at some random person's house, they go round everyone in the club handing out the address. The sense of community is amazing!
Thursday 1 February 2007
Goa baby!!
When I visited Christel House I met Barbara, one of the other volunteers there, we got talking and within 10 mins she had invited me to go to Goa with her and her friends that weekend! I had to pack my bags and get ready to leave for 8pm that night, it was already 2pm and my lift home got me there for 6pm. I rushed about like a headless chicken packing, going out for supper and then catching an autorickshaw to the other side of town.
I had been told we were going in a taxi, umm quite a long way but it doesnt look that far on the map - oh wait that's a zoomed out map...What was suppose to be 12hours by taxi was actually 18hours!! ouch!! Not only that but we didn't go on a single road that resembled a motorway and quite a few that didn't even resemble roads! I felt so sorry for the driver who drove straight through the night. Out taxi would have held 6 people including the driver in comfort, we had 9 people plus luggage - tight squeeze doessn't even come close to describing it! We had 3 people in each row, including front row which was the worst place to sit by far. We played musical chairs at every stop, to make it fair on the people in the front. The person in the middle at the front didn't even have room to sit straight, they had to have one leg up on the dash board and even then the gear stick vibrated against your arse! But even though the most uncomfortable moments of my life were in that car it didn't feel like 18hours.
The group I went with were fantastic, they're all here with Gap Guru (a student travel company, who charge for finding you accomodation and volunteer placements or adventure trips, but you still have to pay for them! they literally just find it for you and act as a safety net for you, and they give you a T-shirt!). I've met most of them but I think there are still a few people I haven't met who didn't go to Goa. They're mostly UK and US gappers, really friendly and open.
We spent the whole weekend on the beach, gorgoues sand, palm trees, not a cloud in the sky, warm sea....ah beautiful! Because it's not really Indian tourist season yet, the beaches weren't overly packed. There were cute little huts with restaurants or cafes all along the beach with sun loungers in front for customers use. All selling Kingfishers, India main beer (and cheapest drink you can buy in any club! ie my drink)
I may have spent quite a bit of money....we went to a market and there were these gorgeous embroidered rugs/wallhangings and I could only think uni accomodation and bought two. They each took about a month to hand-embroider with beads, sequins and thread.
The best night was when we went for pizza at a local restaurant (only customers!) and then went to the beach. We made a campfire on the rocks by the sea and sang songs around it! Our Lion King renditions were a joy to the ears - particulary since one of the girls has been accepted to Cambridge with a coral scholarship and did loads of harmonizing! Palm leaves burn well.
A good weekend!
I had been told we were going in a taxi, umm quite a long way but it doesnt look that far on the map - oh wait that's a zoomed out map...What was suppose to be 12hours by taxi was actually 18hours!! ouch!! Not only that but we didn't go on a single road that resembled a motorway and quite a few that didn't even resemble roads! I felt so sorry for the driver who drove straight through the night. Out taxi would have held 6 people including the driver in comfort, we had 9 people plus luggage - tight squeeze doessn't even come close to describing it! We had 3 people in each row, including front row which was the worst place to sit by far. We played musical chairs at every stop, to make it fair on the people in the front. The person in the middle at the front didn't even have room to sit straight, they had to have one leg up on the dash board and even then the gear stick vibrated against your arse! But even though the most uncomfortable moments of my life were in that car it didn't feel like 18hours.
The group I went with were fantastic, they're all here with Gap Guru (a student travel company, who charge for finding you accomodation and volunteer placements or adventure trips, but you still have to pay for them! they literally just find it for you and act as a safety net for you, and they give you a T-shirt!). I've met most of them but I think there are still a few people I haven't met who didn't go to Goa. They're mostly UK and US gappers, really friendly and open.
We spent the whole weekend on the beach, gorgoues sand, palm trees, not a cloud in the sky, warm sea....ah beautiful! Because it's not really Indian tourist season yet, the beaches weren't overly packed. There were cute little huts with restaurants or cafes all along the beach with sun loungers in front for customers use. All selling Kingfishers, India main beer (and cheapest drink you can buy in any club! ie my drink)
I may have spent quite a bit of money....we went to a market and there were these gorgeous embroidered rugs/wallhangings and I could only think uni accomodation and bought two. They each took about a month to hand-embroider with beads, sequins and thread.
The best night was when we went for pizza at a local restaurant (only customers!) and then went to the beach. We made a campfire on the rocks by the sea and sang songs around it! Our Lion King renditions were a joy to the ears - particulary since one of the girls has been accepted to Cambridge with a coral scholarship and did loads of harmonizing! Palm leaves burn well.
A good weekend!
Christel House
I think I wrote before that I was going to visit the school that I found through the daughter of the doctor I had lunch with. Well I visited last Thursday and it was fantastic!! It's called Christel House, after Christel Dehann (I think I spelt the secong name wrong) who set it up in 2001. They work with kids from the slum and deprived areas and aim to break the poverty cycle.
The only criteria for entry to the school is that you're parents must earn under 2500 rupees per month (someone told me they though it was per year but I think that's probable not true) which is equivalent to just over 30 pounds, and they should have siblings (the more siblings, the higher the chance of getting in, particulary if you aldready have a sibling at the school). At the moment they have girls and boys up to 8th standard, and each year they add a year group until yr12 when they graduate.
Because these students haven't had any education previously, and neither have their parents, it's hard work. They cant set the kind of homework you get in other schools because not only can the parents not help them, but they have to do it before 6pm when the sun sets because most the houses (slums) have no lighting. The kids are doing really well though, by standard 2 they all speak really quite good English and most of the lessons are taught in English. However if some of the children fall behind it's difficult, because there are 40 kids per class the teacher cant do one-to-one and the parents cant help. This is where the volunteers come in, they teach remedial maths and english classes to small groups of struggling kids who are taken out of their lessons for this purpose. The volunteers also help the kids with their reading and in some of the classes they have particular interest in (eg music, art, PE, IT) but they are not teachers.
The school not only provides for the educational needs of the kids but through working with dieticians they offer a full balanced diet. The kids get breakfast, juice at break and a large lunch, this covers 82% of their dietry requirements and means that if they don't eat at home, they are still healthy.
I start there on Monday!!
If anyone is interested in donating to Christel House, which has schools in many other developing countries as well, or learning more about it, the website is www.christelhouse.org I'd like to point out that Christel Dehann pays for all the admin and staff wages, so every penny of donation does actually go to the children.
The only criteria for entry to the school is that you're parents must earn under 2500 rupees per month (someone told me they though it was per year but I think that's probable not true) which is equivalent to just over 30 pounds, and they should have siblings (the more siblings, the higher the chance of getting in, particulary if you aldready have a sibling at the school). At the moment they have girls and boys up to 8th standard, and each year they add a year group until yr12 when they graduate.
Because these students haven't had any education previously, and neither have their parents, it's hard work. They cant set the kind of homework you get in other schools because not only can the parents not help them, but they have to do it before 6pm when the sun sets because most the houses (slums) have no lighting. The kids are doing really well though, by standard 2 they all speak really quite good English and most of the lessons are taught in English. However if some of the children fall behind it's difficult, because there are 40 kids per class the teacher cant do one-to-one and the parents cant help. This is where the volunteers come in, they teach remedial maths and english classes to small groups of struggling kids who are taken out of their lessons for this purpose. The volunteers also help the kids with their reading and in some of the classes they have particular interest in (eg music, art, PE, IT) but they are not teachers.
The school not only provides for the educational needs of the kids but through working with dieticians they offer a full balanced diet. The kids get breakfast, juice at break and a large lunch, this covers 82% of their dietry requirements and means that if they don't eat at home, they are still healthy.
I start there on Monday!!
If anyone is interested in donating to Christel House, which has schools in many other developing countries as well, or learning more about it, the website is www.christelhouse.org I'd like to point out that Christel Dehann pays for all the admin and staff wages, so every penny of donation does actually go to the children.
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I'm changing the way people write comments, I had it set to no anonymous comments because I wanted to know who had wriiten what but too many people are saying they cant work it out so I'm gunna change it. You will no longer need to sign in with a google account but PLEASE write your name by your comment!! I really want to know who I'm reading stuff from!
So remember to WRITE YOUR NAME BY YOUR COMMENT!!!
So remember to WRITE YOUR NAME BY YOUR COMMENT!!!
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