The first school we went to today was a special education school. And seeing this institution has definitely been the hardest experience to handle during my time here. Even though the teachers were dedicated and the philosophies were sound, it physically hurt to think about how difficult these innocent lives will be. And there is very little these hard-working students can do about it.
I had to excuse myself from the classrooms multiple time to release the build-up of emotion that I've held in for the past 18 days and wipe my eyes.
These kids however, warm your heart in every way. They are so friendly, warm, and all-around wonderful! They were so proud to show us their notebooks and what they had learned and what they were capable of.
We got to see a section for mentally-handicapped adults as well. Grown men and women who lived at the school and had learned different trades took such joy in showing us what they could do and what they could make. The look of excitement and pride on one man's face as he showed us how he manufactures paper cups (similar to dixie cups) will never leave my memory.
This school does not charge tuition, yet the government only pays for the teachers salaries. The buildings have cracks, holes, mold, and are clearly falling apart, the smell is unbelievable, and one girl was crawling on the ground due to lack of a wheelchair. The rest of the budget comes from donations alone, which the school receives very few of. Vidya gave a large donation, and then the 8 of us pitched in to give around 5,000 rupees in total. It's not much compared to what they need, but it's something. And we had to do something.
Immediately after leaving the school, we arrived at Stella Maris University. This college is Vidya's alma mater, and similar to PLU in both population and area, and (like most of India and PLU) was very aware about going Green!
It was great to see aspirations similar to those we witnessed in some of the schools come to fruition for these students. Like a reminder that even though there is hardship and despair, there is also success.
Being there was also a good reminder that two weeks from now we will be ready to begin Spring semester at PLU. I still have no idea how much this trip will affect my future and my life...
comments:
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