Himachal Pradesh
Taken from emails sent home over a period of two months
Having now seen all the venues and met the children, I have volunteered to work with my roommate Sara with the ‘Differently Able Children’. This was only set up about a year ago and there are around 8 children all of whom experience difficulties. Some have had abuse at home and all have extreme learning problems and none has had any formal education (age range from 5 to 17 - this is the only form of education the 17 yr old, Labu, has ever had since he arrived last summer). Anish has behavioural problems (he’s a bit violent) and Rahul doesn’t speak. Raj has Down’s Syndrome and sings like an angel. Seema has Spina Bifida and cannot walk at all nor sit for any length of time. Anchal suffers from cerebral palsy, cannot speak and has difficulty walking but at 4 years old is SO determined to try. She smiles all the time. Here in India the difficulties these children face are often considered a stigma for the family and the child can be hidden away. Certainly no effort seems to have been made by the Government to integrate or get special help for these kids. Labu has several siblings and a dad in the Indian army - one wonders why the army could not have helped in some official way. So, deep breath.
I eat my breakfast ...wearing my coat. Our dining hall (grand description of a small roof-top extension to the kitchen) invites in the great outdoors – big spiders are O.K. but at 8am the invading fresh air is bitterly cold. The roof is held up by bricks arranged at intervals. During these intervals there are icy draughts. But all heads down as we tuck into hot coffee, 'guess what this is' runny grain mix and toast (limp and pale white – rather like I am most of the time!)
Each day Sara and I (attempt to) teach Sachin and Malik, who are brothers. They come from a very poor family. Poor should not necessarily also mean dirty; many people have little money and yet can remain reasonably dressed AND CLEAN. For the past five weeks these two children have appeared every day in the same clothes which are very dirty, un-mended and too small for them. Sachin has had trouble with his trousers for the duration of our stay here as they are too tight around his waist and he therefore leaves them undone. For the past week the zip was not functioning at all. He does not wear underpants. I leave the rest to your imagination!
AND DID YOU KNOW? - well how could you? Hilary Swank actually came to volunteer here 2 years ago and we have the room she used! I believe we must have the best view of all the rooms here – albeit through BARRED windows covered with wire mesh. If one then looks out, ignoring the huge piles of rubble and empty water bottles, plastic bags and debris; if one glosses over swinging trousers and underwear on our washisng lines; the badminton net, the hanging cables and then lifts one's gaze beyond the top of the half built block with two storeys and no roof, THEN one sees the most spectacular hills and mountains. Crisp and clear in the dawn, half hidden on misty mornings, full of colour most days.
Attempting yoga each evening in this same draughty ‘dining’ room is taxing. A large tarpaulin sheet is placed upon the concrete floor and upon this are our mats, each of which resembles fifteen skinned Yorkshire Terriers sewn together (smells like this too). Our instructor, Arun slowly sings to us 'TOE TLEEE REE LAX'. I find this particularly difficult. What with the poses that he likes us to hold for ages and ages and the fact that my back does NOT seem to improve with these sessions, I only lasted about 5 classes. Free time is precious and I just relish using this hour to rest, write, gather thoughts, go on the internet, wash my clothes, read or to prepare for the next classes.
The mountains had completely vanished when we arose at 7am this morning – it was all low cloud and a bit windy too. But soon the sun appeared and by 10am it was very hot as usual. Tonight there is a beautiful light. Tonight the snowy peaks are faint pinks and oranges in the setting sun. They float, separated by cloudy mists from the earth below; the rocky and wooded hills on the lower slopes showing varying shades of blue, blue-grey and grey in neat layers. In the foreground a spindly tree with tiny white blossoms stands proudly alone. Stunning!