crying for the camera

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Hi friends!
Wow, it feels like i have been here forever. is that a good thing or not? i cant imagine just getting in my car and driving or cooking or walking rudy. or playing scrabble! oh scrabble...i had a really good weekend though, i am definitely getting the hang of things now which is so convenient as i have less than 2 weeks left in the city!
I did some fun shopping on saturday and actually ran into someone i know in a store which was basically the most exciting thing that has ever happened and Karen and i made a scene as if a) we were the most wonderful friends in the world and b) we hadnt seen each other in 10 years. THe reality is far from that considering I see her everyday at class but it made us both feel like we really exist in this city of millions. fun stuff.
Saturday night there was an enormous party (about 300 folks) at the hotel my course is at in honor of all the kids and families who have been kind enough to come in and subject their children to the madness that is our daily practicum sessions and the party was so ridiculously fun and hilarious it was just really almost too much. The pics i have are just too good and i will definitely share with you all at home.
The kids were all dressed up to the nines and had some dancing and singing numbers prepared which they had all kept secret from us and at one point some kids were pretending to be indian fishermen singing "i love my india" and then another little girl was singing happy birthday just because she could! To see these kids up on a stage doing their best was for certain the most beautiful thing i will see in this country.
A mother of one of the kids got up and was thanking all the instructors and then got really serious and started to cry and said she wanted to sing a song and that she wanted every parent in the room to sing with her, and more importantly to sing this song to their babies every day and to believe it with all their hearts. she sang "we shall overcome" and it was one of the most touching things i have ever seen. all of us course participants were sitting together and i happened to be sitting next to some american instructors who with me were pretty much sobbing while we sang and we all just had to pretend there wasnt a man with a video camera focused directly at us recording our tears. isnt that kind of rude? i mean for a second is ok but to continue through the whole song? come on buddy! i was able to ignore it though and sing with heart, dont worry!
I wasnt crying because i was sad, i was crying because i am the luckiest person in the world that i get to work with families who love like that and kids who are this amazing. one of my hostel-mates saw some pictures of my kids here and made this face and said something along the lines of "oh my god, i cant imagine, the poor thing, that is so sad, how do their parents deal? oh, she is so sad!" i wanted to kick her a little, but i took a breath and quietly explained that there has never been a moment when i work with this kid that i look at her and think "oh, how sad!" no! i am usually laughing because she is teasing me or we are making up a plan to steal someone elses toy or how to get cookies before the other kids...it isnt sad! i kept looking around at these kids on saturday night and not a single one of them was sad about their lives...i guess it is hard to understand unless you are with the kids a lot but i just wish i could tell people to treat them like all other kids. you give them a microphone and a stage and a pretty dress and watch them be totally silly and have the night of their lives...it was such a gift to be a part of that. they definitely do it right here!
after the kids left we broke out the wine and the DJ and had a dance party like you wouldnt believe. yeah, i am gonna miss this place, these people quite a bit i think.

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Comments

[Rosanne Sharkey]

Learn from the Kids
Becca, I have been enjoying reading your adventures and this time I must write to let you know how true what you say is. John has worked with challenged children for over 13 years now in a sports league just for them. Their courage, energy and happiness is envious. They are not to be pitied but admired and those who help them in live their lives are to be admired too!

[beddy]

it just makes so much sense
that you are part of all of this. because that's how i always pictured you approaching your work. well, not as work at all. these kids are so lucky to have that kind of support ... and i know you're going to take away everything that is amazing and fun and good from all of your experiences there. well, that just goes to show you how lucky the kids are back here! just wait til you get your hands on them again ;) so great to hear that you are loving it ... so incredibly what you deserve, m'dear :) much love - beddy

[Colleen]

still laughing from the cricket ball story
Hi Becca! I just want to say thanks for making my co-workers think I am completely insane. It was fine to laugh hysterically at the computer when I was at Child's Play working in Meghan's office (with only Mooey as company) but not here at the library!! I'm afraid that the picture of you getting hit in the head (obviously you weren't seriously hurt or you would not have been able to write the blog...) HAD to be read out loud to everyone present in my office who all agree that it is a very entertaining story! (Although everyone is very glad that you're ok!) As for the laughter from the mean Indian men playing Cricket- you get the last laugh because you were not playing a ridiculous, never-ending game that nobody really knows the rules of. Just a suggestion- if you decide to ever use this argument with a cricket player (or a cricket team) make sure you get a running start because those sticks they use look pretty hard... Enjoy your last weeks and I look forward to catching up with you when your back in town!

[The Mom]

Reality
It has been proven - the Hokey Pokey IS what it's all about! I love your attitude. You may have told a few people on your blog about kids like yours. They have special needs but at the heart of the matter, they are kids. We Shall Overcome- today is Martin Luther King Day. How many millions of people have taken that song to their hearts. You are a treasure and I miss you.