India's 65th Year of Republic

Hello everyone! Yesterday marked three weeks of being here in Kodai and I am quick to say that the time has gone by so fast. Knowing that the semester is just starting back at home, I feel like I have had a great head start. The next three and a half months are going to go by quicker than you can say supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Well I guess not really that fast.

This last week went great. I am starting to get in the groove of things and now that I am set in the everyday stuff, I am searching for those adventures that are easily found here. Again, I went to dance class on Wednesday but this time Karissa and I taught some line dance to Cotton Eye Joe. By the end of class I found myself laughing so hard that I almost fall over. We are beginning to pick up Merengue, which is just the simplest dance but just so much fun!

Thursday after school I was the teacher in charge for a first time club meeting for the Math Squad. This club is of juniors and seniors who go to the middle school and help the students with their math. It went so well! It was exciting to see both the older and the younger kids learn new things and get to know each other. Afterwards I heard a few of the seniors saying “I am only seventeen but I have a kid in 7^th grade”. The students were proud of their time they spent working on math. This has been great for me to see especially because the last two years I have been putting a lot of time and passion into just this, student-to-student aid in mathematics. I am glad that the teachers in the Math Department saw my passion for this right away and let me kind of take over.

On Friday I helped out with the students’ dance club and got to meet a lot of great 11^th graders that I have had the chance to talk with at school in between classes or after dinner. After dance we needed to buy some Indian clothes for the upcoming Republic Day on Sunday so our great friend Leah came to a few stores in town. I ended up buying a beautiful, white kurtha (shirt) and some amazing purple Aladdin-type pants. To top off my outfit I ended up buying a very nice purple scarf. After dinner I went to my friend Leslie’s house and we watching the new movie called Her. Such a thought-provoking movie and talk we had about it.

On Saturday, I went on another hike to a place called Gundar Pool. Getting there I felt like I was in Jurassic Park. There were so many interesting new sounds and vegetation such as bamboo and the noises of black monkeys from far away. This path was a normal path for the KIS students and staff so for the last 50 years people have been tying knots in sapling trees to mark the confusing trail. It was weird to see these grown trees with knots in them. I have some pictures below. After getting back from the hike I pretty much did laundry all day and hung out at the house.

Sunday, like I said, was Republic Day and it was the 65^th Celebration for India being a Republic, which was reached with a very peaceful approach. It was interesting to talk to a few of my Indian friends who are very much disappointed with the government and politicians here because of corruption and what not. But in the same conversation she expressed her hope of the future India and what God can do with a country like this one. Celebrating this holiday has helped me really appreciate all of the freedom and rights we get as Americans. How blessed are we to be born in a country that so many citizens of the world want to be apart of. I have talked to many students who are Indian, Korean, Thai, etc that want to end up in the United States for the rest of their lives. I have never met someone who is an American who says they want to live the rest of their life in a different country (I am talking about growing old). I truly believe that the USA is one of the best places to live in the world because most cultures can be who they are right beside another culture.

The rest of the day on Sunday was full of relaxing and what I can only call comfort. Karissa and I sat outside watching our neighbor kids play soccer. We talked for a bit with our other neighbors (the principal and his wife). Then after the game was done we were invited to what Karissa named “a compound tea”. Everyone who was around gathered on the lawn in the sun for tea and friendship bread. People here LOVE teatime and I am really starting to get used to that. After the weekend in the sun, I have a nice sunburn on my neck that still stings.

This week seems like a regular week and will resemble to past weeks so I will be highlighting more of the revelations I have had and the different opportunities I have been apart of. I ask for prayer in being diligent in reading my Bible and finding someone who I can approach and ask to intentionally disciple me. Thanks for all of the support and I love hearing about what you guys like about my blog. Love you all!