Little Moments from Kolkata
Aisling Gavin explains the wonders of what a volunteer teaching programme has to offer This summer I volunteered with the Suas Educational Development programme as an overseas teaching assistant for ten weeks in Kolkata, India. Arriving into Kolkata airport on the 6th June, I felt a mixture of excitement and terror. Excitement at finally beginning this overseas adventure after months of fundraising and attending preparation weekends, and terror at the unknown and at being so far away from my family and friends. I needn't have worried though as Kolkata quickly became my home, and my team became my family.The highlights of the programme for me were the little precious unpredictable moments that happened daily in Kolkata. Strangers striking up conversations with you on the street, bus, or tuk-tuk, curious to know, “Where are you from? What is your name? Why are you here?” A few stand-out moments include the day I wore a sari to school and the tuk-tuk driver asking me, "You like saris?” “I love saris,” I replied, as he proceeded to show me photos of his wife and child, while driving his tuk-tuk at breakneck speed through spaces even too small for a goat. Later that day a school bus full of children passed us. Once the children saw us they quickly gathered at the windows and started smiling, waving frantically and blowing kisses at us.I worked with Vikramshila, Suas' partner organisation, on the Active Learning Library project with my teaching partner Jonathan Farrell in a school in Narkeldanga. The goal of the library project was to bring the library books to life through art, drama and games to foster a love of reading in the children.At school the children were so generous, animated and entertaining. Every day after school the children would run outside, pick flowers from the bushes and give them to us before leaving for home, “See you tomorrow Mam.”Thumb wars with Junaid were a highlight of every day. The day we introduced Word Bingo to the class Reshmi's face was comical when the words randomly called out weren't on her bingo sheet, ‘Doctor’, ‘Nooo Doctor Mam’. Tears of laughter rolled down my cheeks. Word Bingo was a huge success and for weeks the children would chant “Bingo, bingo, bingo” whenever we played it. The day we tried to introduce phonics songs to the class, Wasim, one of our brightest students and best actors made our attempts look hilarious “We are clicking castanets c-c-c.” Castanets in India?! All I could do was laugh.The children successfully showcased their work at the annual Speak IT Festival, held at the end of summer. I had the proud moment of leading the conga line on stage at the end of my students’ performance. When my children won prizes at the festival they immediately jumped out of their seats, took my hands and pulled me on stage with them to receive their awards. Their excitement and smiles were contagious. On our last day of school, the children hugged us and told us, “No, you India” and the teachers hugged us and told us that they'd really miss us and that we were like their family now.These are just a few examples of the precious moments that became the highlights of my summer in Kolkata but there are so many more. I realise that they are probably "you had to be there" moments for other people, but for me they mean the world. Luckily next year's volunteers can be there and applications for the Suas Volunteer Programme 2015 are now open. The Suas Volunteer Programme has enriched my life and taught me to enjoy the little moments in life; for someday you'll look back and realise that they were the big moments.
