Community School

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So, it's official- Sara and Jason are the proud proprietors of a free adult education center in Mcleod Ganj, originally named "Community School" for lack of better imput from you folks back home. Located on dusty Tipa Rd, 3 minutes uphill from the bus station, Community School has three full time teachers (take a lucky guess at who, plus one volunteer left over from the Dogga days) providing a delightful array of classes, including creative writing and poetry for advanced students.

It has been wonderful, even though it's only been one day. Monday was Gandhi's birthday, which was a government holiday, but we still held classes. Today we had an unofficial holiday, as HH The Dali Lama arrived and was teaching in the morning, and we wouldn't have had many students anyway. So yes, it has been one wonderful day.

Mom's coworker at Woodbury donated some books, which should be arriving this week (!), and tomorrow we are having cusions and a whiteboard made. A bookshelf and a shoerack, and we are fully decked out. The room is huge, which means we can actually conduct classes instead of directing traffic in and out, and students can actually write in their notebooks on the floor instead of on eachother's laps. There are windows on two sides, and we have our own balcony. I don't think we could have asked for a more ideal location. The students are thrilled, and we even had some newcomers who had heard via word of mouth about our classes which we haven't even advertised yet.

Just a quick update for now. We have been unbelievably busy, but are managing a good time on occasion, and are reteaching ourselves how to cook on a one burner electric stove which a friend gave us. It's all well and good. Photos sometime this week- we're making cds, which we will mail home, as well as post online.

Peace & Such,
Sara & Jason

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Photos

Teaching
From the back of our classroom. Intermediate Englsh Grammar.

Community School
Early in the AM, Sara attempts to spread the love of English to the masses.

Brr...
Jason toughs out the approaching winter mountain cold with some high class herbal tea.

Waiting...
While Sara forces her students to do group work!

Comments

[Donnie]

WOW
Damn you guys are making me proud. Im glad to see that everything is going well. I cant wait to see pictures. Let me know if you need anything.

[db]

hey. got your postcard, thanks much. glad you're alive and such. do you need stuff for school? like paper or childrens books or pens or something? the lighter the better, but let me know.

[dad and bev]

books
hi kids glad to here your off to a good start if theirs any books in general you would like jason let us know and send a address and ill try to send them to ya you know us we find books all the time just a couple of thrift shops and you have your books,let us know love ya dad and bev

[dad and bev]

things you need
jay if you need any note books or pencils things like that let us know between all of us theirs alot of dollar stores here we can send some out to ya ok do you know my email [e-mail] love dad and bev

[Lauren]

Good luck
Sounds great! I am coming back to Mcleod Gang in April and May to do some development/human rights work. I would love to volunteer at your new school. Also, you might want to post on idealist.org for more volunteers or donations.Please contact me at [e-mail] Lauren