This week, I have unfortunately thought a lot about when I have to leave, which is going to be impossible. I have reached my halfway point, but I am trying as hard as I can not to count the days. I almost started crying just watching session 1 say their goodbyes to the kids. It also of course didn't help that my Ismail ran up and gave me a huge hug, and then when I reminded him I wasn't leaving he just said "I know" and hugged me tighter. I had to walk away so that I didn't burst into tears, but apparently I didn't do too great a job of hiding it because when Thirthi saw me she made me promise that I wasn't crying and that I wasn't going to before she would walk away from me. Group 1 was so fun and I am sad to see them go, but I am also happy to welcome a new much smaller session of just 14 people.
On a brighter note, if you were shocked when I became a math tutor...get ready then, because I now have my very own math class, or maths as the Indians call it. I have 9 incredible students who are the upper level 6th standarders: Ismail, Vijaya, Angel, Keetthika, Balakumar, Misba, Suvitha, Prithika, and Manimegalai.
My biggest fear is not teaching these kids math, but that they are going to stop loving me. Who loves their math teacher?? (no offense to math teachers...) I came home from my first class and was terrified that my Ismail was going to hate me from now on (you remember him, he got his own post I love him so much!). He did almost fall asleep in my class, and then I had threaten to give him with an X. But, he quieted any of my fears when he gave me a huge hug after the movie Saturday and then asked me to come hang out in his hostel on Sunday (I love him <3 ). I am still really dreading the day that I have to give a kid an X for misbehaving!
And on the brightest note, Deepen is one of the older boys here (turning 15 soon) and he is so cool. I love joking with him. He calls me Dani the Dragon and I call him DJ Danger Deepen (or whatever variation of that I happen to say). In honor of my nickname he had a dragon hennaed onto his arm, and Ashok (or Shookie Cookie as I usually call him) decided that was pretty cool, and he wanted a "Dani the Dragon" on his arm too. My boys are so awesome.
Any of you who have ever even thought a little bit about doing a humanitarian trip or coming to India, come to Rising Star! Forget Disney World, this is the happiest place of Earth. (check out the website, e-mail me, facebook me, tweet me, send me a carrier pigeon, I would love to tell you even more about how in love I am with this place)
www.risingstaroutreach.org
peace. love. and maths.
as a bonus for reading all the way to the bottom, here is a link to a video of the long term volunteers cheering on a turtle at the Snake Park in Chennai that we visited on Saturday... (you are going to have to have a facebook to view it, my apologies to those who don't have one!)
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151282016183228
On a brighter note, if you were shocked when I became a math tutor...get ready then, because I now have my very own math class, or maths as the Indians call it. I have 9 incredible students who are the upper level 6th standarders: Ismail, Vijaya, Angel, Keetthika, Balakumar, Misba, Suvitha, Prithika, and Manimegalai.
My biggest fear is not teaching these kids math, but that they are going to stop loving me. Who loves their math teacher?? (no offense to math teachers...) I came home from my first class and was terrified that my Ismail was going to hate me from now on (you remember him, he got his own post I love him so much!). He did almost fall asleep in my class, and then I had threaten to give him with an X. But, he quieted any of my fears when he gave me a huge hug after the movie Saturday and then asked me to come hang out in his hostel on Sunday (I love him <3 ). I am still really dreading the day that I have to give a kid an X for misbehaving!
And on the brightest note, Deepen is one of the older boys here (turning 15 soon) and he is so cool. I love joking with him. He calls me Dani the Dragon and I call him DJ Danger Deepen (or whatever variation of that I happen to say). In honor of my nickname he had a dragon hennaed onto his arm, and Ashok (or Shookie Cookie as I usually call him) decided that was pretty cool, and he wanted a "Dani the Dragon" on his arm too. My boys are so awesome.
Any of you who have ever even thought a little bit about doing a humanitarian trip or coming to India, come to Rising Star! Forget Disney World, this is the happiest place of Earth. (check out the website, e-mail me, facebook me, tweet me, send me a carrier pigeon, I would love to tell you even more about how in love I am with this place)
www.risingstaroutreach.org
peace. love. and maths.
as a bonus for reading all the way to the bottom, here is a link to a video of the long term volunteers cheering on a turtle at the Snake Park in Chennai that we visited on Saturday... (you are going to have to have a facebook to view it, my apologies to those who don't have one!)
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151282016183228
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