Day 12 - Friday/Sukrwar - Life In The Projects

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We all got up at 9 this morning for breakfast, and were then shown round some of the different volunteer projects that are available to us. In the morning we toured two Day Care Centres, and two Primary Schools. These were nowhere near as bad as Kusum had us expecting - they all consisted of one or two rooms, but the primary schools all had desks and the class sizes seem no larger than those back home. The kids look a little thin, but aren't the malnourished disease riddled wretches we'd been led to expect! All the kids looked amazed at us when we arrived at the day care centre, some shouting "Namaste! or "Hello!", and they all look so cute in their little red and white chequered uniforms! The kids in the schools all came running out to meet us, asking our names and telling us theirs, asking us where we are from - they mostly spoke English surprisingly well! We went back to camp for lunch, and in the afternoon were taken to the Special Needs and Deaf school. The children here were equally pleased to see us, and we were shown around the classrooms by the head. The children seem happy and well looked after, again nothing like what we'd been made to expect from Kusum!

After visiting the projects, although we still had to visit the ASRO (AIDS Support & Rehabilitation Organisation), we were herded into the rec. room. Personally I wanted to go to one of the Primary Schools, but there were only 4 places and 5 of us who wanted them. As I'm going to be here for 4 weeks after the group leaves, I let Kristian have the last place, on the condition I will get to go to the Primary School next. Until then, I'll be at one of the Day Care Centres, which should still be fun.

In the afternoon, I had a walk round some of the shops in Colva, while Keith hired a scooter. I had a bit of a ride round on the back, then left him to explore on his one, while I went to the beach with the rest of the group, then a beer at Pasta Hut.

After dinner - more of the same, rice, dhal and veg - we went out to the bar for drinks. I had a difference of opinion with Louise regarding the attitude of some Indian men to the girls on the beach in bikinis. She argued they shouldn't stare so much, and they follow the girls along the beach to get a good look. I argued that admittedly, it wasn't on, but their culture forbids women to wear so little clothing in public. You can say something to them, but if they don't change, you can't get too upset as that won't change anything. We agreed to disagree, but I looked over 5 minutes later ansd she was in tears! I apologised but she wouldn't listen, so I disappeared to my room "to get my wallet" and when I came back just sat elsewhere. I didn't stay long and came home after two beers, on a bit of a downer.

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