We wish you a happy christmas!
Sorry for not having uploaded in such a long time! I started a new unit with the kids and have also recently started watching an Indian Drama or Soap Opera during the day. I really enjoy it and love when I am able to pick out a few words that I recognize!
Most of the kids went home for Christmas, although I did get the opportunity to go to a Christmas program the Friday before. (My birthday!) I got all dressed up in a saree and got to watch everyone perform the dances and skits they had been practicing. I wish I had been able to get even more pictures!! They all did amazing! I already knew what the girls dance would look like because I had sat in on their practices and even practiced along side them, but it was my first time seeing the skits and the boys dance. I also didn't know that some of them would be singing! Overall I really enjoyed it! Not to mention I got a birthday gift from someone I'd only met once before! The kids did great!!
I was very sad to see the kids leave on Saturday but they were all excited to get a chance to spend some time with their families. Only a few boys stayed, along with the girls who were in 10th and 12th standard since they still had to study and the 12th standard girls even had to go to school over the holidays!
On Christmas morning we got up VERY early to attend a Christmas service at 6 in the morning. I'm sorry to say I didn't enjoy it very much. It was over two and half hours long and I only understood two words since the entire thing was in Tamil. Not to mention that I got pretty hungry by the end of it! Luckily they gave out tea and some sort of cake type thing at the end. They also set off these REALLY loud noise makers. They called them fireworks but there wasn't any bright colors or light displays, it just sounded as if a gun went off. Also while we were going home the van disappeared so we had to cram all of us into two autos. I think I counted at least 19 of us in one of them and there might have been even more that I couldn't see! It was definitely an experience!
We went home and I attempted to take a quick nap before we went to someone's house for lunch. I couldn't get a decent rest because the saree's blouse was so tight and some of the kids and Abraham were lighting fireworks off outside my room. I kept waking up thinking that a bomb had gone off or someone had gotten shot. Lunch was very nice. We went to the home of a family who hosts a Christmas lunch for the children every year. The food was delicious and everyone was very friendly. I also saw some more super creepy Indian Turkeys!
Afterwards the kids played and watched some Christmas specials on the television. Overall it was a very enjoyable, albeit different Christmas!
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| Just a pretty picture one of the kids took on Christmas. Absolutely no snow here. |
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| This picture shows how close you can get to a cow! We probably could have gotten even closer but neither of us really wanted to!! |
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| Jebisha and I with one of the neighboring children who spent most of the holidays here. He loved being the center of the attention since all the kids looked after him and doted on him. |
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| Here are some of the 5th standard boys performing a dance. I wish I had gotten better pictures! |
