Sorry I haven't updated in awhile. There has been no internet for a few days. It has finally started to weigh on me these past few days that I will be living here for awhile, and even though it really isn't that long, I have had a difficult time adjusting to the culture shock. I am getting used to the food, but the way that people spend their time here is very different. People take multiple naps and generally have nothing to do for hours on end. It is these hours that I start thinking about America and missing home! Next week I will start teaching English in a Catholic College. They have a textbook that I can base my lessons off of, so it shouldn't be too difficult. I am excited about having something to do! Also, today was the festival of Onam. The legend is that a king used to come here every year on this day and the town would fancy itself up and live in a prosperous state for the weekend. Everything is closed and there is no school and there is a huge feast with 90 different helpings. We had a feast yesterday with 12 different helpings. It is served on banana leaves and we had to eat with our fingers, even the liquid dessert! It wasn't as bad as I expected though and the desert was made with sugar cane and coconut so it was amazing. Tonight they served us whole fish with the head and tails still on. It wasn't bad as long as you didn't look at it, but it was definetly hot! I will try to update soon about how teaching is going!
2 comments:
Hi Laura, I am so excited that you are willing to become involved with our 5th grade social studies classes. I will be passing your information to Mrs. Whalen and she will decide the best way to proceed. Do you think the blogspot or e-mail is best?
I will also pass along your information to Mrs. Anthony, our student council sponsor so that she can get in touch with you about your school there becoming our student council project. Although we don't have much money, our students do a great job of bringing in pennies to purchase supplies for wherever they are needed.
Laura, Hang in! I am so proud of you and the many lives that you are touching without even realizing it. I only wish that I had had the courage when I was your age to do something like you have chosen.
How do you eat a liquid desert on a banana leaf???? Love, Sheri
Hey Sheri!
I am really excited about the project too. It will be a lot of fun to hear from 5th graders and to write back to them. It might be best to do it by e-mail because I get on that as much as possible.
Also, it was hard to eat the desert off of the leaf! You had to scoop it into your hands like a spoon and then lick your whole hand. It's pretty strange how that is socially acceptable but using silverware isn't.
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