Happy Birthday to me!

Hello everyone!

Just a quick post to tell you how amazing my birthday has been - even though I'm not at home.

From 6:30 until 8 this morning, I received a steady stream of really sweet, thoughtful handmade cards and pictures from the kids, along with some photos of them, a banana and an alarm clock!

Some of them were sooo sweet that I have to admit I was subject to some tears. I just felt so loved and they were all so genuinely excited to come and shake my hand and wish me a happy birthday. Celia cried as well, as I think we both realised that we really are going to struggle to leave this place with our hearts in tact in a month's time!

I'm going for a meal in a moment with Freny and her family, and the other gappers, and then I think we're having a bit of a tea party this evening at DUF, as it is Buangpuii's birthday as well!

We are going on Bible camp for a week from tomorrow with some of the kids from the home, so when I get back I'll fill you in on some more!!

TTFN xxx

RADIO OXFORD 3:10 TOMORROW!!!!!

Dear all, I can't be certain about this as I've only just picked up a slightly confusing email, but if you can listen to BBC Radio Oxford at 3pm ish tomorrow (which also happens to be my birthday), you may hear me talking about GAP!!!

That's all I know and I can't promise, but there is a chance, thought you might like to know!!!

TTFN

Bananas from the CID!

Hello all!
I had a complaint yesterday that I haven't written anything for a while.
I'm sorry.
Well, sort of.
There is just so much going on here all the time.
Plus NOONE LEAVES ME COMMENTS SO I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S BEING READ!!!!!
Na, I'm not bitter really.
So settle down and prepare to read a very condensed version of some of my adventures in the last 2 weeks:

We decided that as we haven't actually managed to do any of the touristy things around here, we'd better get on with it or we'd run out of time. So last Saturday, we visited Old Manali. That really is the place famed for Hippies. And you could tell. It's where most Western tourists stay, rather than here in the centre of town, and all the stalls were full of hippy clothes and things. But some very cool stuff too. Celia and I now have matching jumpers.... actually, we've managed to accumulate quite a lot of very similar clothes since we arrived. We each had 3 new tops made for teaching this week as well and it wasn't until we got them home that we realised we'd each got one red, one blue and one green - despite spending a good 20 minutes debating together in the material shop!
It POURED with rain while we were in Old Manali, but luckily we'd both been sensible enough to take raincoats. It's about the only place I actually feel normal wearing my flowery mac anyway!!! We met up with Alex and Elyse there for lunch at a very chilled out place - food was pretty good and cheap so a bonus!

Then on Sunday, we knocked another 'tourist place' off the list, and went up to Washist for lunch with Emily. Have I mentioned her before? She's not with GAP/Lattitude, but has been teaching in Day Star School here in Manali for about the same time we've been here. That partivular trip wasn't overly impressive. It's very similar to Old Manali in terms of the type of people you find there, and the only real attraction is the hot springs, which we didn't go to. Lunch at 'Big Fish Cafe' was good, but we had to wait almost an hour for it to be served! But at least it's been ticked off the list.

We were planning to tick Kullu (about an hour and a half away by bus) off of the list today, but having been ignored by the bus driver and walked all the way into Manali, we decided to change our plans around, and I think we'll visit the Hadimba Temple here after lunch instead! And I guess we still ticked something off, as I've said from the beginning that I wanted to walk all the way in one day. But I wasn't planning to do it in plasticy flipflops that give you blisters if you walk in the heat and mud for almost an hour and a half......

In other news, Chris and Felix are on holiday from their placement in Dharamsala this month and came to visit us. They took our lesson with Class 2 for us on Thursday and were an instant hit - Chris ended up teaching them to sing 'Kookaburra' with his mandolin. Some of the girls seem slighly obsessed now. When we said we were coming into Manali today, the first thing they said was 'to see Sir Chris?'! Scarlett and Megan, who came to a placement in Dehra Dun in January and have now finished, have also arrived here this week, although we haven't managed to meet up with them yet.

First term exams at school are next week, so we've been doing lots of revision in our lessons, with posters and quizzes and pictures and whiteboards and all sorts of games; as a result of a straight 3 hours' worth of planning, our floor is absolutely covered in all the above and a whole load of stationary to boot. I'm about a week behind on my diary because we've been so busy...
We've written 2 exams out of 4 so far, but the first one might need to be changed as we think it's a bit too tricky and is for the lowest class. Unfortunate for Celia's hand - she's writing out all the neat versions as my handwriting would make the exam impossible!

Well I think that's about it for now, lots of fun things coming up and I'll be leaving before I know it, but let's not think about that right now.

Oh and incase you've been wondering all the way through what any of this has to do with bananas, the CID apparently check how DUF spends its money every few months, and they paid us a visit yesterday, armed with presents of bananas for all the kids. Celia and I found the concept of bananas from the CID rather amusing, so that had to be the title of this entry!

TTFN xxx

A trip to the snow and a wedding

Greetings!

It's been a very long but very good weekend. There was no school on Thursday and Friday so that wedding preparations could take place, so we've had plenty of time to chill (or rather, help out).

On Thursday, Celia was unfortunately not very well, so I had a trip out without her. Buangpuii's family were taking a trip up to the snow line at Rohtang, and I was invited along. We left just after 8 in the morning, and didn't return until 4. But it was a really enjoyable day and they were all really friendly. I sat on a yak, enjoyed watching them fall over on skis and learnt some interesting things about Mizoram. Oh and with my first step onto the snow, I sank right up to my knee! Typical!

Friday, we spent the whole day helping to decorate DUF in preparation for the wedding. The archway was covered in ferns, and then hundreds of roses made from tissue paper were employed in the decoration of the main hall and the church. We also helped to make a banner, and made friends with the visiting Canadian friends and family members of Wayne. In the evening, we attended the traditional ceremony from Mizoram (the state Buangpuii and most of the staff come from) at which Wayne had to officially 'buy' Buangpuii from her family for the princely sum of 420 rupees! The money was then divided between the bride's family, which included her 'sisters' from the home, who thereby made a commitment to always be there for her. It was really sweet.

On Saturday, there were a few last minute preparations, like helping to cut vegetables to feed 300 people etc, and then Celia and I put on our fabulous Mizo skirts which are like very long, very warm sarongs. The girls all told us how pretty we looked, but we were nothing in comparison to the really cute flower girls, the bridesmaids and of course Buangpuii who was absolutely stunning. We travelled to the church in the jeep with Buangpuii and her bridesmaids (Sangteii drove the jeep in her posh frock, quite an amusing sight) and were treated as close members of the family throughout, which was really lovely.


Back at DUF, we had tea and biscuits, and then the program began up in the hall, with all the dance practice the kids have been doing for weeks finally coming together, and many speeches from various family members etc. It was dark by the time we made our way out for dinner, and Celia and I insisted on being allowed to help serve water (the only thing they'd let us do, despite the fact we were to consider ourselves 'family' and the rest of the family were working) before eating. The food was really good; spicier than everyday food here; and we ate with a couple of the older boys and KK, who we'd met and was helpful in Delhi!

It was easily the most enjoyable weekend we've had so far, and everyone made us feel really welcome, whether they knew who we were or not! There are only 58 days left here, and I'm really starting to feel sad whenever I think about leaving this family.

TTFN