For one week of May, John and I (along with some Malayalam-speaking friends) joined Ariel at her site to host a camp for her Lower Primary students. These children, many of whom come from the nearby Dalit community, attend the C.S.I. (Church of South India) Kallumala School where Ariel teaches a few days a week. We spent our mornings with the children reading stories, singing ridiculous English songs, playing games and (my favorite) doing arts and crafts. In the afternoons we visited the homes of children and teachers in Ariel’s community. Although the India YAVs live within 100 kilometers of each other, share common challenges of cross-cultural living, and act as a support network as we navigate life in Kerala, the nature of our site placements allows for great diversity of experience. Each of us will certainly come home in August bringing memories of a YAV year that was entirely our own. Though I have visited all the sites, Ariel’s is the first I truly experienced. It was wonderful to participate in the life of her community, meet her friends, and see how Ariel and her site have embraced each other.
By Sudie
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