Yvonne from the United States, Originally Posted April 1, 2009

DAKSHINAYAN BLOG

Hi Everyone,

OK, I'll be the second to write!  I will summarize my experience and try to answer the kinds of questions I had in my mind 

My name is Yvonne, and I stayed at the Roldih Ashram of Dakshinayan in September, 2008. I was the only volunteer during that month. I am originally from Chicago, Illinois, in the United States, but now live and work 9 months out of the year in Phoenix, Arizona, as a Registered Nurse in solid organ transplantation. So I came as a volunteer without any formal educator background, but still found teaching the children basic English, math, and science very easy and very rewarding. It's an overused cliche, but I gained far more than I gave while there. I am most grateful for the basic understanding I gained of rural India, its peoples, its resources, its challenges.

The peace and quiet of the Roldih ashram is in stark contrast to the chaos and cacophony of Kolkata.  Most volunteers reach Roldih after an overnight bus trip from Kolkata (Calcutta) in West Bengal.   This bus trip is an experience in itself, suffice it to say. Loud Bollywood music is the soundtrack for the steamy trip, and the bus is loaded with people, some even sleeping on ledges over the seats--a real Indian experience. The bus travels into the state of Jharkhand, west of West Bengal, into the small town of Godda.  From Godda, we catch a taxi prearranged by Siddharth, and travel to get clearance from two police stations before arriving at the rural ashram several hours later.  Along the way, we pass rolling fields of rice paddies, fruit trees, and palms, passing by the small villages, most without electricity.   The long trip is your transition, through both time and culture. I arrived at the brick-walled ashram with only a back pack and was prepared for the lack of electricity and running water. Going slow with the food, eating small amounts only for the first few days, helped me acclimate without any GI issues. Following the sun was the rule; when it set, so did we, and when it rose, we said good morning along with it. This is beautiful for the body and mind! The diet was simple, vegetarian, local.

The children would be convening outside the gates before school even started. They looked prim in their bright yellow shirts and blue shorts, and lined up in such a disciplined fashion for morning assembly I could hardly believe my eyes! I mainly worked with the children in Class I, and they were a joy--very bright and full of energy as children should be. Early on we worked out a system that when I raised my pointer finger in the air, this meant "Choop!" or quiet down. We fell into a routine of doing some "speak easy" kind of exercises in the morning after roll call--using words to discuss the weather, the position of the sun or clouds in the sky, the number of kids absent that day, and the resultant total present. Thus we easily incorporated some informal, practical math and English into the formal lesson plan. The children loved being called on to answer questions and write answers/work equations on the board, so I tried to keep the classes interactive and participatory to hold their attention. This seemed to work. We played color games, "math contest," and had a weekly spelling test in addition to the text books. We meshed art and science together for a project when the children selected their own leaves to examine and sketch in detail. It was really very fun. I found the teacher in myself!

I spent my afternoons reading, doing laps around the ashram, yoga, trying to talk with Bansi and Suman, the ashram cook and caretaker (Suman was very keen to learn English and eager to teach me Hindi words), meditating at Baba's Temple, and visiting the cows and goats in the field. I would also do some lesson preparation for the next day. There was always some tidying up to do as well.  Bathing takes on new intention without a shower or bath; we would pump our own bucket of water, carry it into the "bathroom" and use a metal bowl to pour water over ourselves for a rinse after a refreshing lather. It was very hot and humid during the day at that time. Clothes were handwashed at the pump and hung to dry in the afternoon sun. I did make the trek to Cheo village with Chandrma (sp?) on a Sunday. He was such an angel. Torrential rain started pouring down soon after we left, and by the time we arrived we had rain in our bone marrow. I would not recommend that hike during the rain! Some dark evenings while dinner was cooking over hot coals, I would sit on the steps of Baba's Temple and see the milky band of the Milky Way in the pitch black sky, foregrounded by the twinkles of fire flies high in the palms.  Sometimes Suman would join me on the steps and we would hum "Ommmmm" together in long exhalations. It was perfect.

During the time I was there, Siddharth was very quiet, which I resented. Honestly, he acted like a cranky old man, which I didn't understand because he has obviously put in an enormous amount of work and devotion, which only a passionate human can do. So I knew there was a lively gent in their somewhere! But we have since talked about this and worked it out. He explained that it is hard for him to get close to any volunteers knowing they will be leaving in a few short weeks, and in the end he is not there to entertain. I do wish he would have shared more of himself, the language, and rich local and project history. Traveling solo, I felt very alone at times and in retrospect would have benefitted from a English-speaking companion.  But it is what it is. It sounds now that village visits have become the norm, which sounds like a win-win for all. I was invited to a local village by Parvati, one of the little girls from Class II one Sunday, and this was an incredible, enlightening experience. It was literally like living the pages of National Geographic.  I will post some photos!

I did meet Manami from Japan in Kolkata before I left for the project, and on the way back I briefly shared a taxi with Franca from Spain in Godda when she was coming and I was going. I felt an immediate closeness to both of these kind ladies, and I know the project was very fond of them too.

Dakshinayan's Roldih Ashram is very special place, kind of a holy place to me. As Siddharth says, the modern world is advancing, and these village and tribal people will have to be able to navigate, negotiate, and advocate for themselves when that time comes. The Dakshinayan Roldih ashram is a place where life is scaled back to is most bare, and the focus is on the children and building a place which can support India's future. This is good business for the soul, from wherever you have roamed.

If any perspective volunteers have questions, I'd be happy to answer them as best I can. My name is Yvonne Novak Matz and I can be E-mailed at YNovakMatz@gmail.com

</div><div>CLICK on the pics for close-ups:  Morning assembly with Bansi (left), Siddharth (center), and Mitali (right) standing on the steps of Baba's Temple.  The children line up in such straight lines, counting off one by one as they exit for class.  Guruji Siddharth makes the morning announcements, and together everyone sings the Indian national anthem, which I still hum to myself today. Mitali is a great lady who lives in Kolkata and volunteers at the project. She's the "city liaison" for the project.</div><div>

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</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59C4IQ5rv2GNMfzeX0NghX9QvDUWhiNWGQYK5pof7sRfibabVfHIaJW_ZvYnuqVqetIdsVAQ8jOvCSmkmsnfJZSzKcYQ5DdN00yxGJSFX4tq7IawE8PgQDgW4YyhdcA1mFHMX0XrZ6gw/s1600-h/PICT4064.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59C4IQ5rv2GNMfzeX0NghX9QvDUWhiNWGQYK5pof7sRfibabVfHIaJW_ZvYnuqVqetIdsVAQ8jOvCSmkmsnfJZSzKcYQ5DdN00yxGJSFX4tq7IawE8PgQDgW4YyhdcA1mFHMX0XrZ6gw/s320/PICT4064.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320930219403586770" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a>

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</div><div>Suman (left) and Bansi (right) in the kitchen. Suman is the cook/caretaker on the project at the kitchen table. Bansi is also a caretaker and teacher.  I told Bansi he reminded me of an Indian Jamie Foxx (a big film star in the US), but I think this was lost on him!  Our diet consisted mainly of rice, potatoes, legumes, root vegetables, pickled fruit/vegetables.  Remember, no refrigerators! There is a weekly run to a local market.</div><div>

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</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7-Gk6TeYguZ_guFj_n-ZR9FxAWvEsyvVlW6byLkgxSjqm1xgaNhT4SRaxp9zBTsBvyOCZn_6ChTMfGB3IiN1bvZZzgTD5DT26HgiWe7ym3MAxAqueS38Zk1NFAughwdHES-zOdJV3qwY/s1600-h/PICT4043.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7-Gk6TeYguZ_guFj_n-ZR9FxAWvEsyvVlW6byLkgxSjqm1xgaNhT4SRaxp9zBTsBvyOCZn_6ChTMfGB3IiN1bvZZzgTD5DT26HgiWe7ym3MAxAqueS38Zk1NFAughwdHES-zOdJV3qwY/s320/PICT4043.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320931229691930050" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a>

</div><div>A nice shot of two of the project structures, from the top of a granite outcrop on the project. These buildings were being whitewashed before I left, so it's even prettier.  The volunteers sleep in the rooms, or on the veranda where the night breeze can be enjoyed.  You can see the wooden beds moved into the courtyard the day--it was still sweltering during the day, so this was an attempt to catch any breeze! In close up, you can see Siddharth cooling off. The very old banyan tree is in the background; the hand pump well was behind it.  After I left, Western toilets were added to the "bathroom," and not a moment too soon according to my behind!</div><div>

</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5aN8GQLM4x3fGTbv4QgDYp6MYKwaWE2Q3M4pez2KrsRUHpez0uDO4oDSpvK8vVruwuN8epIihZO-oiPkOkZTNum7vcpHva6VnYizh9vFQs1bZRjztr2VH08RyrcyvJKYsfM4iG1eSHoo/s1600-h/PICT4087.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5aN8GQLM4x3fGTbv4QgDYp6MYKwaWE2Q3M4pez2KrsRUHpez0uDO4oDSpvK8vVruwuN8epIihZO-oiPkOkZTNum7vcpHva6VnYizh9vFQs1bZRjztr2VH08RyrcyvJKYsfM4iG1eSHoo/s320/PICT4087.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320932802043857506" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a>

</div><div>A picture of the kids in the classroom, all natural light. The subsequent whitewashing has brightened everything quite a bit.  The desks/benches were all handmade by local woodworkers. Note the umbrellas hanging on the windows.  Some of these kids walk in the barefoot miles to school. The floors were a clay/dung mix, easily kept clean with daily sweeping.  </div><div>

</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXPvqr1h04Yh5vSAHES8Cx-y3VGZM510wUghwfNP4TPbkWX1yKV1zkp15h0U4miEysxHkpZmKv2FA_D9OO7GWLvaVZQwN7ACQ1IffZ3S5AJ6pIxLHZILhJl-X7sHWk-0DQi4BdvYQyfk/s1600-h/PICT4118.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXPvqr1h04Yh5vSAHES8Cx-y3VGZM510wUghwfNP4TPbkWX1yKV1zkp15h0U4miEysxHkpZmKv2FA_D9OO7GWLvaVZQwN7ACQ1IffZ3S5AJ6pIxLHZILhJl-X7sHWk-0DQi4BdvYQyfk/s320/PICT4118.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320933623905426578" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a>

</div><div>This is Parvati, one of the girls from Class II, leading me down the road to her village.  This was an incredible experience, like a walk back in time. The animals would frequently be herded by the ashram on their way to grazing.  Cows are natural lawn mowers and fertilizers, and in India are revered as a person's "second mother," as Bansi told me.</div><div>

</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiAtbzNqk7nyS2nm5TijNUE96e2CoV0fbM_nqkQzr_QY8kdD-v9cK7ccperuPCotD0QjTlMi32MM7YQqY4ZIX0EwvEtRW9i1fIpYEzm17lUpFqFO2w_IkX8X-T8ecQ2ArtJ5nWHlrAoU0/s1600-h/PICT4129.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiAtbzNqk7nyS2nm5TijNUE96e2CoV0fbM_nqkQzr_QY8kdD-v9cK7ccperuPCotD0QjTlMi32MM7YQqY4ZIX0EwvEtRW9i1fIpYEzm17lUpFqFO2w_IkX8X-T8ecQ2ArtJ5nWHlrAoU0/s320/PICT4129.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320934368812174514" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a>

</div><div>Here I am with the villagers. They were slow to warm up to me initially, but then Parvati's mom came out with a cup of warm tea and biscuits.  As I left, one of the ladies picked three ears of corn and gave them to me as a gift. That corn was a delicacy when Suman roasted it!  Charred and sprinkled with salt crystals...mmm mmm!</div><div>

</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY1ieW16tWrKkRzansifHjKP2ik1swRqmWtvHmpCaMzpuWvLteHR4E8rKCOqJwSdcbhP1LChqcCRQ5FbJ88ODAzi4JgarvPhdYsF6g1pbFpiW4BmDuMkZm__ry7PdcwxvRtO_-kRTMSTY/s1600-h/PICT4148.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY1ieW16tWrKkRzansifHjKP2ik1swRqmWtvHmpCaMzpuWvLteHR4E8rKCOqJwSdcbhP1LChqcCRQ5FbJ88ODAzi4JgarvPhdYsF6g1pbFpiW4BmDuMkZm__ry7PdcwxvRtO_-kRTMSTY/s320/PICT4148.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320962782335003234" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbSNSFKbgOB8czhbyBCvOB_duHaO0akAuXGSr6DhHnA6706ml_2iszOEubjLUskwKdZVuCklBoKEIMtLcC_Mida84366DlCMwN4d_c7mmUBNytWPwzuwE5Jfni5rZOmUI1VRmawVAcz9k/s1600-h/PICT4099.JPG"></a></div><div>Chandrma, in the jungle hills on our the way to Cheo. These are some wild mushrooms we picked and wrapped in banana leaves. </div><div>

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</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbSNSFKbgOB8czhbyBCvOB_duHaO0akAuXGSr6DhHnA6706ml_2iszOEubjLUskwKdZVuCklBoKEIMtLcC_Mida84366DlCMwN4d_c7mmUBNytWPwzuwE5Jfni5rZOmUI1VRmawVAcz9k/s1600-h/PICT4099.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbSNSFKbgOB8czhbyBCvOB_duHaO0akAuXGSr6DhHnA6706ml_2iszOEubjLUskwKdZVuCklBoKEIMtLcC_Mida84366DlCMwN4d_c7mmUBNytWPwzuwE5Jfni5rZOmUI1VRmawVAcz9k/s320/PICT4099.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320935097896301234" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a>

</div><div>Brushing teeth.  The locals would simply break a small branch off the neem tree for natural antimicrobial action. </div><div>

</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhbA8LvecugJh4-7sAEDgktugjLdU5Q7daoyO3uD3SRkQzkRvCNpfmwOb0WTfDs_0Rh8PbBolGYUaH1Y3KSkVn066ZwOkC_OpHAKanMXtngO0D6FHTzdZ6tsiqITDrYdicdWIvMMYPH0/s1600-h/PICT4157.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhbA8LvecugJh4-7sAEDgktugjLdU5Q7daoyO3uD3SRkQzkRvCNpfmwOb0WTfDs_0Rh8PbBolGYUaH1Y3KSkVn066ZwOkC_OpHAKanMXtngO0D6FHTzdZ6tsiqITDrYdicdWIvMMYPH0/s320/PICT4157.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320935567658848818" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a>

</div><div>On the steps of Baba's temple in the morning before school.  I knew I had made progress with the kids when Pushpa taught me to count to twenty in Hindi, then she said, "Ms. Novak, you test Monday!"  They would hold me accountable for learning as well! Saraswati and Sunita liked to braid my hair in the mornings. All of the children had some special quality. </div><div>

</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhroS81u8XakUrZX-tTROYhXapsXvZIppur5Vtt3phtr80JL6xqPJd4bORtslcR4Yq6r6GNsozdnkKrZ8CungXxuwKeLeNzEITAUKy8trSuYWwNExn5vf4FnD-86a75dLDgFk6n05H-fwg/s1600-h/PICT4040.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhroS81u8XakUrZX-tTROYhXapsXvZIppur5Vtt3phtr80JL6xqPJd4bORtslcR4Yq6r6GNsozdnkKrZ8CungXxuwKeLeNzEITAUKy8trSuYWwNExn5vf4FnD-86a75dLDgFk6n05H-fwg/s320/PICT4040.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320936683278647618" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a>

</div><div>This is a picture looking east from the ashram. You can see the rolling terrain, neem and fruit trees, and beautiful rainbow in the sky. The Cheo village is about 12 miles, on top of the hills in the background.</div><div>

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Roldih March - April 2009

I had the opportunity to spend some time at the Roldih project during months of March and April of 2009. This was truly the most wonderful experience of my life. Following are some details of my time at the project. Please feel free to contact me directly if you need any additional information. I have posted some photos here and additional photos are available on Facebook.

A little background on how I got involved with Dakshinayan - I was born in New Delhi and moved to US 16 years ago. In US I have been working in corporate settings in New York for the past 12+ years. In January of 2009, I decided to leave my current position, take advantage of the bad financial/job markets and travel to India to get involved with some volunteer projects. I had been researching volunteer opportunities in India for past few years that provide a chance to work directly with rural villages. Initially, I was mostly disappointed by the web presence many of the NGO/volunteer organizations have setup that seem like a money making scheme and don’t highlight the nature of work or their mission or objectives. It was just pure chance that I stumbled upon Dakshinayan’s web site. I was mostly impressed with the simple description of the project’s goals and scope of Dakshinayan’s projects. I also found the background of Dakshinayan’s director Siddharth Sanyal particularly impressive. I didn’t have any volunteering experience let aside teaching primary school children but I felt comfortable enough after a few e-mail exchanges with Siddharth to visit the project. I wish this volunteer blog site was setup before I went to Jharkhand as I think the posts from ex volunteers will be very helpful to future volunteers.

Initial reaction from everyone when I mentioned going to Jharkhand was that the area is not safe and there are other projects in other parts of India that will be a lot more “comfortable”. I was warned repeatedly about the journey to Jharkhand and the instability in the area in general. A majority (approx. 80%) of Jharkhand is inhabited by some of the most underdeveloped tribes of India. Jharkhand’s demographics both introduce the obvious concerns but also provide an opportunity for someone interested in learning about the social, political, and economic issues that face Indian society today. Journey to the project was an adventure which included a 16 hour train ride from Delhi to Jasidih and a 3 hour Jeep ride from Jasidih to Roldih. I found the travel to/from Jharkhand and my time in Roldih completely safe and I cannot imagine any issues for anyone just following some common sense precautions.

The project setting was surprisingly pleasant. Being accustomed to the big city life and comforts it takes a few days to get settled into the basic amenities and all that wilderness has to offer. There are very comfortable bedrooms and bathrooms (English style) available. I carried a sleeping bag, sheets, and eating utensils but found everything was available at the project. I still recommend checking with Siddharth before getting to the project as I went during summer days when no other volunteers were visiting. Food is basic vegetarian yet tasteful. Suman always cooks with a smile on his face and all members dine together as a big happy family which is enjoyable. The scenery is truly picturesque - I have never enjoyed such beautiful nights and mornings in the cities or other places I have visited. I really enjoyed walking around the project watching sun rising over the mountains, reading during the day in shade of the 100+ year old Banyan tree that towers in the project territory, and having conversations with Siddharth after dinner just appreciating amazing skies on most nights.

Daily routine is at a slow pace yet the days aren’t a drag. Main focus of the project is of course is education but there is a great opportunity to start other initiatives for overall community development. After hearing about the sad state of education system in the area, I must say the work that Dakshinayan is doing even with 100 students is truly remarkable. I heard some horrible stories of corruption in the education system. Some of these stories have been documented by Siddharth on the project blog. Working with children was really a rewarding experience for me. Children are respectful, loving, and very enthusiastic about learning. I was teaching Social Science, English, and Living Science to class II and class III, and mathematics to class 4. Knowing Hindi definitely worked to my advantage as most of the children and villagers understand basic Hindi. School timings are from 8:30 AM to 12:00 which allows for a lot of free time during the day to do additional reading, water the plants on project premises, and just enjoy the surroundings. I enjoyed playing games with the students, flying kites, working on puzzles with them. It was difficult to build context around many things related to city life and outside world as the children have never been exposed to life outside their villages. But the children have an amazing sense of wonder and were amused by my stories of city life. I was fortunate enough to visit at a time when daily village visits were starting. I learned much about village life from our daily visits to students’ homes. We all agreed that daily village visits as a first phase of building community contact will be beneficial to the students and to our understanding of issues and problems in the area. Even after a month we were starting to build a good rep with the villagers and they were appreciative of our routine contact and willingness to get involved in resolving their issues.

Spending time with project’s director Siddharth Sanyal was truly a privilege for me. I really cannot be thankful enough that Siddharth was on the project and gave me enough of his time and shared his knowledge and experiences with me. Siddharth has dedicated his entire life to the development of this area and the people. The first hand knowledge that Siddharth has gained from being associated with the Santhals for past three decades is truly remarkable. From conversations with Siddharth I learned a lot about the history of the region, the social and economic issues, and the sad state of political, medical and education system. I requested Siddharth to document his experiences and thoughts as I think he can provide great insight into the issues and development needs of the people. It really takes a lot of patience and understanding of the deep rooted cultural issues in the area to understand and appreciate the day to day operations of the project and the approach Siddharth takes towards handling relations with the villagers. Some might consider the project’s involvement in community affairs a bit passive at times. In my opinion, a neutral stand is probably the only way to survive and to be successful in this area. It would be naïve to expect an overnight change when the issues and factors have existed for many centuries.

Unfortunately, Siddharth has had a difficult time finding people in the area who would genuinely be interested in these projects and build upon the platform that has been established. I completely understood Siddharth’s frustrations just watching attitudes of the some folks on the project and general apathy towards the cause and vision of the project. It is really is unfortunate, as I think Siddharth has a wealth of knowledge and experience to share and he can provide guidance for development of the Santhal people.

There is a lot more that I learned and could share even after a month on this project but I think the above summarizes my experience for anyone interested. Overall, I was very impressed by the commitment of Dakshinayan organization and will definitely support the project for as long as I can to the best of my abilities. I strongly recommend a visit to this project for anyone looking to learn about rural societies and development needs. Please feel free to contact me at Sharad_Dutta@Hotmail.com if you need any additional information.

My Simple Times in Cheo

I volunteered for Dakshinayan back in the spring 2003, it seems a long time ago but I am just as eager to talk about my experience as the day I left that memorable place. Arriving in Roldih from Delhi with other volunteers, I was assigned to Cheo Village up on a small hill. Cheo is only separated from Roldih by a 45minutes trek, but it felt far more remote than that at the time.  

Going through my first week of a real 

rural lifestyle is hard; without a TV or computer to occupied my mind and no longer having endless places to rush to and things to be busy about, I thought I would go crazy if I stare at the mango trees any longer.  However, before we knew it, we have already sunk comfortably to this new lifestyle.

I still remember all those daily routines that was my source of fun, beginning my day with a run around the villages, collecting water from the hand pump, chopping up firewood, taking a shower in the mountain stream, grinding up the turmeric for dinner, helping the villagers in the harvest and finishing my day off staring into the clearest star night I ever saw.

Of course, teaching was what we were there for and we started that duty also with a lack of grace. We couldn't even communicate with most of younger kids and with the older ones it was hard to tell where had the last batch of volunteers left off.  Though my impression with the Cheo kids was that they were never shy, full of energy, had unlimited capacity to laugh and most importantly eager to learn. And once we came up with a few games and songs to catch their attention while teaching them a bit of English the interactive teaching ideas just keep rolling in.   In the end the lessons became a real joy.  The older kids are more serious learners and we taught them pronunciation, they improved from reading singles words to longer and longer sentences, there were real encouraging progress in the 2 months that I stayed.

Life can be much simpler and we will still be able to have a good laugh

Looking back at this fulfilling experience years afterward, it still means so much to me.  And if I am just to share one thing that it has taught me, it would be that: Life can be much simpler and we will still be able to have a good laugh, just like the Cheo kids entertaining themselves day after day with probably the only two games that they seem to know.

- by Gabriel Lau, Hong Kong

I was there too

I was there! October 2008 volunteering for the first time with 62 flourishing years

It was really rewarding to teach in Roldih. The kids had a natural intelligence and ability; enthusiastic, very participative, raising hands at the slightest question, willing to read, write, draw… and even to go on the board! They were appearing early in the morning, by foot if coming from the nearest village or on a bicycle if from others further away, with their bright yellow and blue uniforms, stayed sometime on the playgrounds, and at 08:30, after a short assembly, they attended their correspondent class.

There were 3 modest but sufficiently equipped class units (there two more now) for the different knowledge levels and the students had a half hour break after each different subject. Up to midday and a half… Then you could see the bright yellow river of their uniform tops spread out from the small ground floor classes to the bicycles and gate.

There was also a lot of work being done in our place. Construction of a new building (with a western water closet), whitewashing of the different units, some maintenance work in them and in the wild garden. It was a pleasure to see the project grow.

*

P.S. SORRY, I DIDIN’T HAVE TIME TO MAKE IT SHORTER. My English is mostly autodidact, quite limited for this kind of writing. But it was enough for class I and II… So, non English mother tongue people –and/or with no experience in teaching- shouldn’t be discouraged, and apply: in Dakshinayan intercultural exchange is considered important too. You only need basic English. And love. Is there any better language than love?

With love,

Franca www.francajor@hotmail.com

Yvonne from the United States

First Entry

This is the first entry on this blog meant for volunteers who have been on Dakshinayan's programme. Since I am effectively the first Dakshinayan volunteer, the oldest and the longest serving volunteer, it's perhaps appropriate that I should make this first entry.

All those who have been on our programme are most welcome to join in. Write here. Upload pictures. Voice your opinion. What you have to say doesn't necessarily have to be about Dakshinayan. Only remember, I've created this blog so that volunteers who come after you should get an idea of what to expect from their visit to Dakshinayan.