Its been a few days since we arrived back from Tamil Nadu but the story is not quite finished. The final chapter in our trip of a lifetime started on Monday morning and the final assembly. All packed up and ready for an immediate departure we headed over to the school for one last time.
Normally closed for the day after the Thanksgiving Ceremony, the Head had opened the school for a half day to say goodbye to the Mill Hill party. And what a farewell it was; ending as it began, the whole group on stage once more to receive yet more gifts and for Mrs S to give her now customary address, during which she got rather carried away and promised to always wear white on Mondays from now on ( in solidarity with the pupils at SJ whose tradition it is!). She was rightly ribbed for that one with promises of holding her to it back in Mill Hill! There was also a final twist when we were invited to perform our song repertoire from the night before- thank goodness for the Sri Jayendra choir who boosted the sound as we were terrible without the song sheets, but mimed very well. We finally exited the stage, but the farewells were far from over and we eventually had to drag the pupils away from the SJ children 30 mins later than planned. After that it was into the buses, more farewells to the hostel children and staff and we were on the road to Kerala. An uneventful journey saw us arrive in Kovalam, in Kerala state, 4 hrs later. Very different in atmosphere, the region seemed more developed and Charlotte and Joe B explained why- thanks to Miss Bull and a geography case study. The aptly named Sea Face hotel, whilst a little run down, did the trick- sea facing, great food and a pool! Not that we were there long enough to take advantage of everything Kovalam had to offer. A walk along the beachfront allowed us to make some last minute purchases and to take in the final Indian vistas as the sun went down on another day. Supper was a buffet of .....yes you guessed it... curry! With the camaraderie within the group holding strong to the last we enjoyed our last meal together before retiring to our rooms to complete final packing before the journey home. 4am and the staff alarms went off signaling the start of the last leg; an hour later everyone was packed up, on the buses and ready to go. Breakfast of jam sandwiches ( hand made by Mrs S and Miss R the night before) and fruit, was consumed at the airport; although take up was initially slow it picked up quickly until all that was left was the plain bread and butter! A dream journey followed- yes, we were all tired but the flights flew by (no pun intended!) and the connections all worked (we even had time for shopping in Abu Dhabi). Arriving on time at London Heathrow all that was remained was the final bus journey to school.... in the rain (surprise surprise!). We arrived at school bang on time and dispersed with our respective families, sorely in need of a hot shower, a meal that didn't include curry and a good night's sleep, but nonetheless very happy! A huge thank you to the staff who accompanied the trip and to the pupils for being officially awesome! Over and out from Mrs S!
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The first day felt like yesterday, but yesterday felt like a lifetime ago.
Yesterday started like any normal day, an early start, with the usual breakfast and then a briefing with Mrs Sanchez. We then went for a final trip into town, visiting a pottery shop on the way and spending much time (and rupees) in our now favourite store 'Pothys'. We came back for lunch, did some packing and tidying, and then the real party started. We put on our traditional Indian Dress which we had bought last week and had tailored, and took as many photos as we could to remember the night, with House photos, friends, CCF, teachers and the whole group. We then moved to the school, which had been transformed into a theatre able to seat three thousand. We visited the impressive mural Miss Randell had been busily painting, with the help of Charlotte Block, Joseph Cansfeild and Ilayda Kayardi. We then joined the audience, were invited on stage to be welcomed, and then returned to our seats to watch singing from the school choir, in a variety of languages. It was then our time to shine as we took the stage, sung "Don't look back in anger" and then our Tamil song "Ya Ya Mayaya Ya", one which we all enjoyed with our last minute dancing additions. After returning to our seats, we watched a variety of dancing spectacles, one of which the girls on our trip were featured in, but the highlight was the closing act, which involved Jayandra students dancing on both the stage and the roof of the school, and could rival most West End Performances. Finally, we had dinner on the basket ball court and finished with some dancing with the students, before finally turning in for the night (or morning by that time), in our beds for the last time, left with memories that will last us a lifetime. Joshua Dennis It was an uncharacteristically quiet day today with the focus on preparing for the Thanksgiving ceremony tomorrow (Foundation Day equivalent), an event which promises to be truly spectacular. That said the day started with everyone teaching their groups for the last time, although there was little teaching going on and quite a few games and present exchanging. All very emotional. The assembly was switched to break time and yet again the MHS staff were asked to go on stage, this time to present a cake to the Sri Jayendra staff. In true Jayendra style there were more presentations of gifts, moving speeches and cake cutting, but not before Mrs S and the Head of SJ had blown out the candles! 3 lessons later it was all over...... no more teaching for another year! Having distributed their final stickers and signed their last autographs the group returned to the hostel to begin their greatest challenge yet- packing for the return journey! It was then onto dancing practice for the girls and more packing for the boys before everyone joined up for a final singing practice- we've now perfected our song in the local dialect and have taught the SJ pupils an Oasis classic. We have learned that best laid plans always get changed and tonight was no exception! Believing we were going to dinner with the Head for 7.30 we were all ready to go, henna and all, on the dot. But no, we had to fit in an impromptu martial arts display from a visiting troupe- fire act and all and a visit to the little monks' boarding house. The display was really quite a sight, and well worth delaying our dinner date for, and the monks' home gave us an idea of just how few things you actually need and still be content with life! We finally arrived at around 8.30pm, only an hour late, to the warmest of welcomes. Did I say this was a quiet day??? 2 hours later, after a wonderful feast of curry, ice cream and rice pudding, we got up to go- but not before we were presented with individual gifts- ties for the boys and bangles for the girls.... each one matched to the colour of the saris. Impressive!!!! When we got back to the hostel the group settled into its usual evening routine; all crowded around the wifi hub to connect to the outside world. That said it is always a super time of the day with the opportunity to chat, play cards, do henna/loom bands and generally chill with the Sri Jayendra boarders. Awesome! Bedtime was a little later this evening with everyone finally settling at 11.30pm.......let's hope they get some sleep ready for another big day tomorrow- our last here in Sri Jayendra before heading to Kovalam for an overnight stop and opportunity for some last minute purchases before catching the plane on Tuesday morning. Jane Sanchez The idea of a day of rest in Tamil Nadu is simply impossible. The day that promised to be free of teaching and relaxing turned out to be perhaps our most intense day yet. It began with the cart festival in town, which surpassed every ex pectation. There were mixed feelings as the group boarded the rickety bus, which had so far served us well, with anticipation of immense beauty and culture contrasted with the concerns about the hazards of being in such a big crowd, , instilled by previous years. I'd say the group exuded a nervous excitement. We arrived near the town centre and only had to turn the corner before we reached the bustling streets, where there were chanting monks, painted elephants and notabley friendly people who did not fit the picture painted by the previous years and were actually very pleasant. This sight had an immediate effect on the group as we buzzed with an awe ridden lust for more. We manoeuvred around a maze of small streets and hoards of enthusiastic people, all the while being surrounded by the human chain of the Sri Jayendra boarders, whose help prevented anyone separating from the group. It took a five minute sludge through the masses of people to catch our first sight of the cart. Even from a distance the master crafted woodwork and the vibrant colours of the cart was clear to us. Afterward we reached the safety of a balcony to get a clearer view of the procession. There we could see the sheer amount of men turned mules dragging the holy tank, which boasted a gargantuan size, and wildly cheering and dancing every time they managed to pull it a centimetre. As it passed by the balcony, it became apparent there were monks sitting on it meditating, a stark contrast to the scenes below where a man with a microphone was screaming what I could only assume to be the Indian version of 'heave-ho.' After it passed we had to once again cross the busy streets and there was a surreal moment when a cow proved to be not so holy ran through the crowd, almost knocking some of us over. We reached the buses safely, all thanks to the work of the boarders who we're' all grateful to. After a break at the hostel, we got on the minibus and began our drive to the jungle. A brief stop at a traditional artisan potters acted as a brief portal to solitude, away from the hectic fast paced nature of the day. After a two hour drive we reached our destination. The jungle environment was a nice change from the barren land we were used to and the monkeys, whilst being relatively aggressive in their resolve to nick our food were still cute. A short trek up to the damn allowed the group to fully immerse themselves in the beauty that the area had to offer, with its towering trees complimenting the broad sloping hills, that promised an abundance of life be it termites or tigers. Once the sight settled in we drove to a waterfall. Under the intense force of the waterfall, I utilised the moment to turn Fritz's head into a bongo and composed a nice tune, without him thumping me. After the waterfall we returned to the hostel for some well earned rest. As I sit on the wooden plank of the bed writing this blog, I can say that this was my highlight of the trip and a fantastic day all round.
Louis Zenios Today we had a fairly laid back day as we didn't have any difficult activity planned, but we had 5 lessons to teach instead, of which our response was "Oh god". Throughout the day we had to say goodbye to 3 of our year groups, meanwhile we had to hold back sadness and fight back with waves and smiles. Everyone's lesson plans tended to follow the same trend; 30 minutes of "work" (stressing the inverted commas), and then finishing off the lessons with massive games of splat/bang between as many groups as possible. Although another game that we have learnt while being over here was something called "Fire in the Mountain". Sounds pretty grim, doesn't it for a place like India! As it turns out, the game is very light hearted ... ish. What they do is run in a circle while chanting "Fire in the Mountain, Run, Run, Run". Meanwhile the person in the middle yells a number and the children then get into groups of the respective number. Once we had finished our lessons we were hurried back to the hostel and made to change ahead of our small shopping trip in town and preliminary visit to the cart festival. Having picked up our final bits and pieces for friends and family we were ushered past the crowds to see the big cart- the central part of this important festival which will be dragged around the town by the people tomorrow! It was a hugely stressful affair with lots of people, noise and movement and more policemen than we'd ever seen before! Mrs Sanchez conducted her mandatory risk assessment, deeming it safe for us to be there! When we returned to the Hostel we immersed ourselves in another highly competitive basketball match before and after supper. After the match, everyone was looking forward to a cold shower. However when we arrived we found that there was no water- the first cut of the trip. Dun dun dun....22 Millhillians panicked thinking they would be going to bed without their customary shower but Jenny, our Housemistress, saved the day and the water was restored in less than 30 mins... phew! Bedtime was at 11 and we all crashed out after another eventful day. Roll on tomorrow! Ilayda Kayardi Alessio Grespi Another prompt start at Sri Jayendra school started with showers and breakfast, followed by an insightful assembly delivered by Francesca and Mike on protection of the environment. Having been received warmly and rather quietly by the 3000 odd pupils, the Millhillians made their way to the conference center for an early morning and ever energetic singing practice. With everyone in high spirits, we headed off to the GSK free school, where we were lucky enough to look around several classes and get to know some of the pupils. Despite the initial shyness, a good old game of 'Bulldog' quickly sparked their interest. Having made a rather impromptu pitch, numbers quickly soared to just over 50 pupils, shouting and laughing. Having said a sad farewell, we made our way back to Sri Jayendra, having been humbled by the experience. It was eye-opening to see the similarities and differences between the two schools; the genuine passion and dedication to being at school was evident. After a quick turnaround back at Sri Jayendra, we were thrown straight back into our first lesson of the day. After the lesson, luncheon was, surprisingly, curry! Having been refuelled, we headed back into lessons, teaching classes 7 and 4. At the end of the school day, we once again clambered into the minibuses for a short trip to some of the local homes of the pupils. It was truly remarkable to see how content and driven they are with the little they had. We were fortunate enough to look around their homes and talk to some of the pupils and their parents and get a real insight into their lives. Another short journey took us to the home of one of the art teachers at Sri Jayendra, who was very warm and welcoming to us with refreshments. Despite the differences in lifestyles and living conditions to us, their happiness was equal, if not greater than ours. After another quiet journey home, our evening buffet was hosted on the basketball court. We were accompanied by some of the Jayendra pupils, for an evening of good food, loud music and an electric atmosphere. After some initial hesitation on our part, we quickly got into the true Jaydendra dancing spirit, as the volume was turned up and the tunes kept on rolling. After another packed, humbling and exciting day, we all headed to bed willingly and with no complaints. Charles Plumme and Mike Tuft Due to the much-anticipated basketball tournament, assembly was cancelled. However Millihillians found the extra time to watch the exciting matches before the start of our lessons. After school all the girls were gathered together for a dance practice with the Sri Jayendra girls. There was a role reversal with the children becoming our mentors. This opened our to eyes to the elegance of the ancient traditional Tamil dance. Our hard work can be demonstrated by Francesca Weiss' resulting red face (she became a tomato)! Then we were invited to watch the Priory Basketball tournament as honoured guests. Despite melting in the baking Indian sun, every player pushed to their limits. Unfortunately, the Sri Jayendra team came 2nd but their lively spirt, diligence and hard work would not be overlooked. They were awarded a dazzling trophy for getting so far in the completion against the others schools in the state. As soon as the celebration finished, we were whisked off to an Indian Christian church. The difference between a British and an Indian church was evident. It made us realise how accepting India is to other religions -not just Hinduism. A notable moment was when bats flew towards our heads in the church, shocking many of us! Finally we were treated to the beloved DOMINOES. Here we shared a lovely meal with the Basketball Team and watched an exciting match of Football and WWE. Sports is definitely an important part of the Sri Jayendra life as it is in Mill Hill too. Written by: Angel & Nhi. It began on a calm, tranquil Monday morning in Tamil Nadu as we dragged ourselves back into our routine. We found out that on Mondays the children of Sri Jayendra wear white uniform as it was their old uniform until their parents got annoyed that they had to do too much washing so they changed it to green. It was quite a sight to see three thousand immaculate white uniforms standing in perfect order for the entirety of the assembly. They also displayed their passion and pride for their country and heritage by singing their national anthem whilst raising their flag. This display of patriotism got us motivated for the day. Also that morning, before the spectacle of the assembly, we watched the heated opening basketball match between Sri Jayendra and another local school. This marked the start of a two day annual tournament, which we have very much enjoyed so far and are hoping to win. Due to a very productive planning session on Sunday night with the help of Mrs Sanchez, Mrs Patel and Fritz, we had our lessons ready and raring to go for the next day. Although we had had a two day break from the pressures of teaching, we found that it had become almost natural to slip back into the routine of life at Sri Jayendra. The lessons flew by and before we knew it, we were spending our evening desperately trying to keep up with the Sri Jayendra basketball team. We all enjoyed it so much that the hours flew by and it was dark by the time we finished. Even though our feet and muscles are now sore, and the cloying heat had the sweat pouring down us, we will always remember it as one of the highlights of the trip. Despite their amazing efforts to coach us, we think the next basketball session tomorrow is much needed and anticipated. Its getting late now and we have lessons to plan for tomorrow so we shall sashay away. Until tomorrow my dudes. By Kim, Issy, Inessa, Bella After an exciting game of cards last night, we endured a slightly earlier start then yesterday of 8.30, then eating breakfast that some deemed to be under-par in comparison to Sri Jayendra's morning meal. At about 10.15 the group set out for some last minute shopping by the sea, many buying some handcrafted elephants and other such souvenirs. Being one of two tourist 'groups' in the area- the other an American backpacker from Seattle- we were confronted by many a street seller. It had to be pointed out that authentic Ray Bans do not sell for 100 rupees, so unfortunately this took many of these impromptu salesmen out of the race for currency issued from the Mrs Sanchez Bureau de Change. Most of the group then went on a short boat ride to a small temple island, finding a stone with a man sitting on it inside; a statue of course. The attraction of wearing oversized, loose orange life jackets on both the outbound and then return trip was arguably the highlight of the journey. Michael can be seen below finding a cooler place to stand in the heat. With Mrs Sanchez, Joe Boyd and I explored the town a little more, finding a stunning Catholic Church among Favela-like colourful housing, coming across some fish drying along the way and way too much rubbish that literally littered the beach and streets. There was an air of calm (away from the blaring Indian Dancehall music in the 'car park') in the area although stray dogs and dirty alleyways characterised the scene. On the way back from the Church we even had time to voyage to the end of a rip rap pier (big stones to stop waves that had a walkway on top), observing sewage entering the Indian Ocean and then meeting the first tourist we have encountered: the infamous Seattle backpacker, who wouldn't take any pictures of herself on her 3 week tour of the country for fear of narcissism. Back on land, our trio met back up with the bigger group. After a somewhat Western-style lunch at the hotel, all headed off to another temple with a monument in the middle of a body of water. Perhaps more problematic was the fact yesterday's Birthday Girl Angel decided to give a child beggar money, enticing an army of such beggars to surround the group and ask for a similar reward. After some passionate language from some in the collection, we eventually got back on the busses and arrived back at Sri Jayendra. A shoutout to Ms Randell's bus- of which Zany and I are proud members- for the calm setting and generally sleepy emotion that swept all of the passengers to sleep at some point. It was great to see Josh better again on our arrival, followed by some planning of tomorrow's most certainly brilliantly prepared lessons and then some dinner. Tomorrow we look forward to some teaching, but more excitingly a basketball tournament in the evening Darragh and Zany 7:00 - Body clocks set ready for an early start as usual, we had a rude awakening as it occurred to us that we FINALLY could have a lie in.
9:30 - With a knock on the door, Miss Patel announced that a buffet breakfast would be served within 5 minutes. The fact that we had become complacent with our comfortable surroundings lead us to the false idea of a fry up that simply didn't exist. What we were presented with was an assortment of grey boiled eggs and slightly questionable curry. The disappointment was evident. 10:00 - Thankfully things started looking up as we had the opportunity to relax by the pool to the sound of Lana Del Rey. Tentatively dipping our toes in the water and smothering on factor 50 (apart from Joe "I haven't been burnt in 2 years" Cansfield) we became the idiots abroad. 11:30 - The cries of "Ms Sanchez, Ms Sanchez, they're here!" welcomed the Monks to our supposed day of relaxation. The idea of shopping lifted our spirits as we all walked along the promenade taking in the sight of the beautiful Indian Ocean. Followed by an eccentric man with the desire to repeat himself touring us round the Ghandi temple we had a true cultural experience. 2:30 - It was a photographer's paradise as we appreciated the views from the Circular Fort. We could see the beach, a river, the mountains in the distance... and an ever so subtle nuclear power plant. 4:30 - The much anticipated return to the pool allowed us a chance to cool off after our packed day out. With the help of a frisby and other classic pool side games we were able to spend quality time with the Monks. 7:30: Bringing the day to a close we sat down for a poolside buffet and to every Westerner's expectation, the first point of action was to nab the chips and naan. With bloated stomaches we bid farewell to the Monks until we reunite tomorrow evening. Charlotte Block, Luis Christofi, Laini Miller, Fran Weiss, Joesph Cansfield |
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