An Average Day at SB

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So, I decided to write this blog because I had the following conversation in my head:



Friend: Well, Lynn, you’ve been at Shanti Bhavan for over a week. You’ve surely fallen into a routine by now!

Me: Well, gosh, I guess I have.

Friend: Tell me, Lynn, what is that routine?

Me: Shucks, I’m sure glad you asked. Let me tell you…



An average day at SB starts around 6:30 a.m., when the youngsters have PT (like PE). Three lucky volunteers get to encourage (/plead with/chase) the children around the PT field before doing stretches. Then they are basically free to do as they will until breakfast at 7:30. I’ve been taken under the wing of the fourth and fifth grade girls, who like to play games like “langori” (a game a bit like jenga with a pile of rocks that you try to knock down then rebuild) and “chicken run” (a tagging game where the person who is “it” hops on one leg). Earlier this week, I fell while playing chicken run and scraped my knee and elbow for probably the first time since middle school. Feels a bit like a badge of honor.

At 7:30, breakfast is served in the open-air cafeteria. I often take a bath after PT and go to breakfast late. For the average American, breakfast can seem overwhelming. Unless we’re having pancakes, the food is rich with spices and ingredients (rice, vegetables) that the volunteers automatically categorize as “dinner.” But the masala chai tea served with breakfast, tea, and snack is wonderfully sweet and creamy, with the same consistency as hot chocolate. I could live off of the stuff.

After breakfast is the first three classes of the day. I have both of my main English classes at this time (1^st and 3^rd period). Depending on the day, I will also have an additional period for these classes later in the day. My busiest day is Fridays when I teach for six of the eight class sessions.

Afternoon tea and assembly follow. Assembly is always an adventure, with a mish-mash of presentations and announcements. It always starts with a universalist prayer, followed by a small skit performed by the 3^rd-5^th graders. These skits are my daily dose of cute, as they are meant to teach the nuances of the value of the week. This week was “unity” week, and had some winning moments such as when one little boy explained that we can compromise when we play, so “don’t worry, be happy.” Assembly also includes a group of older students giving “the news for today,” which includes local, international, science, and business news. After the news, questions, and announcements, Vice Principal Miss Beena rises and says, “Good morning,” to which the whole school replies, “Good morning, Miss Beena.” Needless to say, the whole affair is very formal.

After that, we have two more class periods, then lunch. Followed by three more class periods. After I finish that (around 3:35 p.m.), I have until 6:00 p.m. to do as I please. My mission today? LAUNDRY! But wait a second, world! This isn’t just any ordinary laundry. This is hand-washed, hang-dried, electricity’s out in the building laundry! In other words, I won’t know how clean my clothes are until later. Electricity outages are frequent—you can expect it to go on and off at least three times every 24 hours. We use the electricity for so little here: lights, charging computers, and ceiling fans, but when it’s dark, or your computer is out of juice, or the weather is unseasonably hot (as it has been here in the past couple of days, with little rain or air-movement), you become acutely aware of how much you depend on electricity to make your life comfortable. Even right now, I’m racing against the clock because my computer is nearly dead and there’s no telling when the power is going to surge back to life.

From 6-7:30 most nights, I have to supervise prep, which is basically study hall. Then off to supper, then off to a fifteen-minute story-time with an assigned grade. This week I was given the fourth graders, which is a rowdy but loveable group. They are fascinated by the snake-light I use each night, and ask me about my clothes or my jewelry or my education. Today one noticed a picture of my cat, Cleopatra, attached to my backpack, and asked me about her. They also act as if they’re really picky about the books read to them, but today I brought along Millions of Cats (Millions and billions and trillions of cats) and Are You My Mother? and they were totally into it.

And now, after all of this, I get an opportunity to write to you, and show you pictures, and check my email (some habits die hard). This next week is a break, so I will be traveling a bit and I hope to have lots of fun stories to share by the end of the week! Take care, and happy Friday!

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