Natasha is spending a few weeks' internship at SISP's school in Kovalam. She sent us the following report:
The summer is here!
A week ago, after 3 tiring flights, I arrived in Trivandrum, the capital of the southern state of Kerala. It is now summer and temperatures are easily 35C and more (I suspect, because I do not have a thermometer at hand). To be honest it is too hot. If you just want to be at the beach then it is obviously good, but to teach at these temperatures is so tiring. Last week, extraordinarily, it rained twice and cooled things off a bit. That was fun. Throughout the rain there were blackouts. One evening I was without power from 5 o'clock until a quarter past midnight! Then I used a candle in my room while sitting reading a book, which was most pleasant.
Mosquitoes lust after Belgian blood!
In my room I have 2 beds, 2 wardrobes a table and 2 chairs. The tap on the sink didn't work but that has been restored. Fortunately, there is also a big fan on the ceiling that allows for a little refreshment. I also have a refrigerator, a toilet and a tap at 1m height which serves as a 'shower' since the showerhead itself doesn't yield a drop! For 300 rupees (= € 5) per night you can find nothing better in my opinion. However, the mosquito net which I have suspended over one of the beds has proved quite necessary! |
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At the airport I was met by Hanne and Anoda, 2 Belgian girls who are also on placements at SISP. The school bus took me to my hotel room where I unpacked everything. Having not slept on the plane I went to bed relatively early. The next morning I was up early because it starts to get light at around 6am. Together with Hanne and Anoda I took a rikshaw to Kovalam Junction, where SISP school is located.
The children are motivated to learn English
In the school I taught groups B, C, D, E and an additional group of children who go to a normal school. Group B has the oldest/best students in theory. In practice, it is a mix of young and old, good and less good at English. The biggest problem for me is that I cannot speak sentences because they don't understood me. They speak English in words. My lecturer will not like to hear this but it is sometimes impossible to find another way to make something clear because of the way they have been taught. For example, if I say "Take your books and write this down." then no one will respond. While if I say "Take book. Writing." then they know what is expected of them. But I always repeat a few times the sentences so that they also hear the proper full version. Hopefully, after a few lessons, they will know what those sentences mean, and I won't have to give instructions consisting of individual words.
The teaching is very pleasant. Although the children sometimes speak very little, they are motivated to learn English. I make extensive use of drawings, prints, posters, colouring, games, ... and expression of course. Their vocabulary is fairly extensive but they can write little of it. Communications succeed when it comes to fixed learned phrases like "What's your name?", "How are you?", Etc. As soon as you ask something else then they fold up. I try to teach the students more than just those 2 phrases. Pronounciation is a major problem. Practice makes perfect but the teachers speak some wrong sounds themselves. This is not a criticism because that is how they themselves have been taught but it's difficult for someone like me, a trainee, to point out the faults. The key here is making yourself understandable and accuracy is of less importance. |
After the school day, home visits
The lessons finish at 16:00. Then I go along with a teacher to students' homes. There we talk with the parents to find out about the social situation, how the student was before he/she came to SISP and whether the change is noticeable. This is also to see what the parents expect of the school and how they see the future for their child. For each child a sheet is created to record the necessary information. It is really terrible to see the circumstances these people live in. In one house there were chickens in their living rooms. I was happy being there briefly and sitting on a chair but the people who live there (with six in one dirty room) do not work. In another house, I saw a rat just as I was about to enter. Yuk! And then you have to leave your sandals at the door too. This is a sign of respect. Everyone at the school runs around barefoot too.
But returning to the social situations of the SISP children... their parents often have no job, or just the father, for example fishing, but no fixed income. People have also incidental costs for medical treatment and save very little money, if any, because of the costs of house maintenance, water (mostly obtained from wells or taps at the start of the street, transported in big jars), electricity and food. Despite everything, I try to think positively. They remain friendly and show respect for others. It is noticeable that their religion (Hinduism, Islam or Christianity) is important and I think they draw much power from it. |
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A land of fragrances and colours
India is a country of scents and colors. In most places a smell will remind you of perhaps a cheap but delicious Indian meal, pleasant incense, jasmine flowers that women wear in their hair ... But unpleasant odors such as exhaust fumes, rotting waste and burning waste also penetrate the nostrils. The clothing of Indians is colourful with many motifs, and their streets are decorated with flags, flowers, posters and lights in various colours. Really beautiful and fun to watch.
The people here are very friendly and stare incredibly. For them, unlike us, it is not rude. But there are still some things which are annoying. Men make very loud coughing sounds and then spit on the street. I sometimes wake up because the sound of men from the hotel clearing their throats loudly. And here on the beach the people can be very pushy, trying to sell their sandals, fruit, towels... Sometimes it's very difficult to consistently say "no", especially if you know that people really have nothing and that their only income is small.
People throw their waste in the street
The culture is so different from ours. What has shocked me greatly is the waste. There is no waste collection, no recycling, nothing. People throw their waste onto the streets and on the beach ... occasionally it will be set on fire and then there's the air pollution. I'm very sorry that such a beautiful country is so polluted because the necessary resources are lacking.
Four more weeks ...
But the rest it is very beautiful. The tropical climate with palm trees is just super. The food is dirt cheap and mega tasty. Fresh fruit to eat and fresh juices. The people are very helpful and friendly. Fortunately I still 4 weeks. I love it!
Natasha |
