To truly understand this place, you need to live it.
I wake up most mornings around six and head on about a 15 minute hike straight up the mountain to the gym. Depending on my workload, I either hit up the fitness room for about an hour, or I plan. Every Wednesday, I have fitness room duty from 6:30-7:30 am. Every Tuesday, I work with the senior school gymnastics club. After my workout, I shower and start prepping. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I go to the senior school assembly from 8:30-9. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I go to the junior school assembly from 8:30-9. Being a "special," means I get the best and worst of both the senior school and junior school.
I begin teaching senior school at 9 am. Most of my junior school classes are after lunch. In the 6 period day, I have 5-6 classes every day. On all days, except one, I have at least an hour for lunch, which is a nice luxury when teaching six full classes a day. School ends at 3:45. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, I help coach cross country. On Tuesdays, I teach junior school gymnastics. Then depending what my energy level is, there is staff gym night on Mondays and Weds from 6-8.
Three times a week, I return home to a nicely cleaned home from our ayah (maid). She also cooks for us twice a week. The only trouble is we're never home when she's there, and we have difficulty communicating with her. Even if she is just coming to fix my bed, it's still a nice luxury.
Evenings are filled with various social gatherings with the staff. Most nights are very relaxed and just involve pep talks to each other and venting. I have been truly blessed with knowing some amazing people here. We keep each other going when things seem to be hitting an Indian wall.
Some of the best advice I've gotten since arriving:
You can fight India, but it will fight back. It will fight back, and it will beat you down.
I find myself experiencing this fight often. There are rules and behaviors here that I simply don't understand.
While it's nice to be looked at and adored, constantly feeling like a parade whenever I'm in the bazaar is getting tiresome. Maybe it's because I sport my neon shoes, bright headbands, and white girl attitude.
My days are full of highs and lows.
10th grade boys soccer-low
10th grade girls fitness room-high
1/2 PE-high
6th grade unruly PE-low
8th grade racquets-eh
eating various sauces in various colors-eh
living a life of pe-high
working with students who are passionate about life, academics, and sports-high
having the best roomies India can offer-high
getting to walk down the mountain at the end of a long day seeing a clear sky and city lights at the bottom-high
I wake up most mornings around six and head on about a 15 minute hike straight up the mountain to the gym. Depending on my workload, I either hit up the fitness room for about an hour, or I plan. Every Wednesday, I have fitness room duty from 6:30-7:30 am. Every Tuesday, I work with the senior school gymnastics club. After my workout, I shower and start prepping. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I go to the senior school assembly from 8:30-9. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I go to the junior school assembly from 8:30-9. Being a "special," means I get the best and worst of both the senior school and junior school.
I begin teaching senior school at 9 am. Most of my junior school classes are after lunch. In the 6 period day, I have 5-6 classes every day. On all days, except one, I have at least an hour for lunch, which is a nice luxury when teaching six full classes a day. School ends at 3:45. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, I help coach cross country. On Tuesdays, I teach junior school gymnastics. Then depending what my energy level is, there is staff gym night on Mondays and Weds from 6-8.
Three times a week, I return home to a nicely cleaned home from our ayah (maid). She also cooks for us twice a week. The only trouble is we're never home when she's there, and we have difficulty communicating with her. Even if she is just coming to fix my bed, it's still a nice luxury.
Evenings are filled with various social gatherings with the staff. Most nights are very relaxed and just involve pep talks to each other and venting. I have been truly blessed with knowing some amazing people here. We keep each other going when things seem to be hitting an Indian wall.
Some of the best advice I've gotten since arriving:
You can fight India, but it will fight back. It will fight back, and it will beat you down.
I find myself experiencing this fight often. There are rules and behaviors here that I simply don't understand.
While it's nice to be looked at and adored, constantly feeling like a parade whenever I'm in the bazaar is getting tiresome. Maybe it's because I sport my neon shoes, bright headbands, and white girl attitude.
My days are full of highs and lows.
10th grade boys soccer-low
10th grade girls fitness room-high
1/2 PE-high
6th grade unruly PE-low
8th grade racquets-eh
eating various sauces in various colors-eh
living a life of pe-high
working with students who are passionate about life, academics, and sports-high
having the best roomies India can offer-high
getting to walk down the mountain at the end of a long day seeing a clear sky and city lights at the bottom-high
I like this advice. Well, I don't exactly like it, but I respect the truth of it. Glad to know I'm not the only one walking the gauntlet when in the bazaar. I wore a kurta and those sultan pants last on Saturday and felt like I didn't get stared at for the first time (well, a little--there was that drive-by photo). But this could also have been because the bazaar was full of Woodstock kids, too.
ReplyDeleteIf you stopped swinging your arms in opposite circles while you walked, you wouldn't get looked at SO much...
ReplyDeleteWord to the highs and lows... I will have to write some of those sometime too.
-MR. Jay