India

I checked my calendar today I realized I will be done teaching in three weeks. This means I have been with the same children everyday for over two months. Please excuse me for I have not properly introduced these fine young students. Each one of these children has made my journey in India amazing and I love them all. I would introduce you to both of my classes, but seeing as my younger class is comprised of some forty students, that could be a bit hard. So, without anymore stalling, here is the PappanKalan class one.

ABDUL

Abdul is definitely the smallest kid in the class. He is a energetic six year old who is noted for his strange sounds and ability to make anyone laugh. He stands out because of his loveable attitude but also because of how different he looks from the rest of his six siblings, three of which are also in the class. He nose is the first you would notice about him. It is curved up because of a fall he had when he was a baby. All these characteristics put together is what makes Abdul so memorable.

DEPAK

Depak is the obviously leader of the class. He reminds me of Rodriguez from Sand Lot. Always looking out for even the weakest members of the group. I was first exposed to this when he led me around the slum telling everyone to back off as they came close to shake my hand. He would yell at them then look up at me and say, “sirji, bad.” Depak’s protection is what first made me feel at home in India. You can tell his devotion to looking out for people goes deeper then cultural norm when he tells you how he wants to be a soldier when you grows up. Not only would Depak be a great soldier because he always puts people’s safety first but, also because of how worldly he is. He loves studying the countries of the world and says he would love to travel to Canada, while his favorite food is pasta.

SANJAY

What first stood out to me about Sanjay was his ragged necklace. He was a shyer kid, but when he finally opened up he let me know that the first thing he noticed about me was my necklace. One day without saying a word he climbed on my lap and pulled the silver out from underneath my shirt exploring what dangled on the end of the chain. We compared and became friends right then. Sanjay is a very handsome young boy whose intelligence is sure to take him places if he can get the resources. Along with school he also enjoys playing football. Everyone loves Sanjay and you can tell he enjoys being the quiet one.

NERRAJ

Neeraj lives quite far away and having no mode of transportation makes it quite hard for him to make it to school. Nonetheless everyone knows when he is in class. He is another quiet yet loved one. He is one of the smartest students and has better handwriting then any guy I know. He dreams of being a pilot and traveling to the U.S.A. “To visit me” I smiled. To my surprise he nodded his head, “Yes, Sirji” he smiled back. Neeraj also enjoys playing cricket and can produce a mean goat sound. Neeraj seems to be good at whatever he tries so I’m sure if he has the opportunity he would be great at his dream occupation.

PRADEEP

Pradeep is the big man of the group. This thirteen-year-old boy is very tall for his age, but is also one of the gentlest students I have. He constantly looks after the younger students and uses his height to entertain his classmates by picking them high in the air. He is a hard worker and is always looking for ways to help. When I was in Pappankalan over the weekend painting he was always right behind me asking what he could do to assist me. He loves cricket and says he wants to become a professional cricket player when he grows up. He is also very into his studies and I know he will go far with such a positive attitude.

GAURAV

Along with everybody’s’ “good mornings” I receive when I first walk in, I also get a very special treat from Gaurav. Everyday Gaurav runs up to me and gives me a giant hug pressing his head hard into my stomach. “Welcome, Sirji” he greets me with a smile. This is often my favorite part of the day and for acts such as these I have recognized Gaurav as the loving, affectionate member of the bunch. He constantly has a smile on his face and his laugh is impossible to ignore. He loves learning about the world and dreams of traveling to South Africa. Gaurav’s hugs are something I know I will miss dearly.

RAJKUMAR

Even at only eight years old Rajkumar is still one of the most mature students in the class. Rajkumar seems to really enjoy his life and the class as he runs around flashing his missing tooth through a huge smile. While walking through the streets of PappanKalan you can often find him hanging out with his best friend Abdul or taking a bath. Rajkumar seems to love getting and staying clean. He says he would love to travel to Canada and he dreams of being a policeman. He is a very fast runner and enjoys playing cricket. He is also a very bright student who could easily go far if given the opportunity.

FARUK

Faruk is one of the middle brothers in my class and he looks almost identical to his older brother Sharuk. All his brothers are at the top of the class and he is right up there with them, often actually above. Also like his brothers he has an amazing smile. He is very creative and loves arts and crafts. He gets along great with his brothers and you can tell he really looks up to them. He is usually the first one into class and has yet to miss a day while I have been there. This very animated boy is definitely a key player in the success of this class.

SALMAN

Salman is the oldest of the brothers in the class. He comes to class everyday he can, but it is hard for him to often because he works with his dad. His father has a job cleaning and fixing motorbikes and he has thirteen-year-old Salman working on the bikes during school hours. This isn’t uncommon here in India, so I am happy that Salman comes to class as much as he can. He likes learning, but you can tell what he really enjoys is spending time with his younger brothers. He is a smart kid, but it is obvious he is behind his brothers because he has had to work because of his age and the lack of availability of classes in this neighborhood. He definitely is catching up though, which is a really great thing to see.

SHARUK

“Sharuk the astronaut, I like the sound of that” I said smiling up at him from the floor as he informed me about his dream job. This twelve-year-old boy is very worldly with his dreams of traveling in Egypt and is also the glue that holds these four brothers together. He is always on everyone’s best side and the other classmates come to him for a talk or a laugh quite often. He is definitely a people person who loves to express himself. You can often find Sharuk on music days moving like a snake to the tunes. He says that dancing is his favorite thing to do and I don’t think anyone would disagree with this. He is an artist who loves to do things for others. The other day after our project was finished for the day he used the scrap paper to cut out two small hearts to give to me as a gift. I was so touched by the gift and I continue to be touched by Sharuk’s hard work and big heart.

SUSHIL

Sushil also loves to dance and can often be found doing so with Sharuk. Also, like Sharuk, he dreams of traveling to Egypt. The twos similarities aren’t that surprising when you see the two in action together. They are definitely great friends. Sushil is always wearing colorful clothes and he really enjoys learning about Africa. He is one of the better photographers in the group, so you can tell he really looks forward to Thursdays when we all go out and take photos. Though he is only eleven he looks forward to becoming a pilot when he’s an adult. Sushil is really good at comprehending things and memorizing facts. I know his intelligence will serve him well in the very near future.

SONIA

Like Salman Sonia comes when she can. She is one of the daughters of Bonu, the lady who makes us tea. Bonu’s husband died earlier this year so she is stuck raising he six children in a small shed all by her self. To try and help out we have agreed to take in Sonia whenever she needs a place to go. We have really enjoyed having her in the class and I hope she has enjoyed being in the class. Just like her mother you can read everything she is thinking through her facial expression. She is constantly smiling, winking, sticking her tongue out, or just hiding her face in an effort to disguise any visible thoughts. She is the daughter of an amazing women and Sonia is definitely following close in her mother’s footsteps.