Tess Raley
Step 1: Observe a great school! The low-income institution we visited today was amazing in the ways that we were able to communicate with the students (most of whom did not speak English). One little boy and I just made funny
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faces at each other, there was definitely some of the most entertaining children we had come into contact with! Further, even though the classes were in Tamil, it was relatively easy to understand what was going on in the classrooms, due to the teachers' utilization of visual aids! I understood and followed the Physics class because the instructor constantly referred to his written formula's and the Earth Sciences teacher used so many maps and charts to explain animals of the rain forest and charts of the food chain, etc. that we could still observe the classes successfully without translations! It is really hard to accep
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t that this is the last school we will visit because each institution has provided such a variety of insights into life in this amazingly diverse country!
Step 2: Get More Henna (Mehendi) Done!We went to Brinda's house after leaving the school and watched as the Henna artists made the clay-like material before they indivi
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dually painted each of us! It is seriously amazing how these guys can freehand these designs (which have similar patterns and shapes) yet all of our designs are so different!
Step 3: Wear Beautiful Saree's!We got our blouse pieces and (with Vidya's help) were able to put on our Saree's! This is a very traditional dress for women that is in three pieces. The blouse, the petticoat, and the 6 yards of fabric that wraps around your body (originally it was 9 yards of fabric, 'the whole 9 yards' was a saree reference!).
Step 4: Crash an Indian Wedding!When we saw the bright lights and announcement that a wedding was taking place, we jokingly asked Vidya if we could crash it. Her response, 'ok, but we're only staying for ten minutes!' So we walked i
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nto the beautifully decorated hall and started dancing with all the guests! People kept asking to dance with us! Then they asked if we would eat with them! and THEN one
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of the girls of wedding party asked Vidya why were there and she told her how we were students and just wanted to see an Indian wedding. The girl's response? 'We are so honored to be in your presence." Then the father of the Bride told us how much God had blessed him because of our presence there and would not let us leave until we had met every member of his family! This was a very uncomfortable (albeit amazing) experience for all of us. Although who knows how happy the bride will be when she watches her wedding video and constantly sees 8 white girls instead of her friends and family...
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I don't think 3 weeks was enough time to truly understand India or the people here, but this night is one I will never forget!
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