India: Day 13-18
>> Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Finally, my last post about India!
The second week of the workshop went well. The consultant came on Sunday. She was a very nice Indian woman. She and her husband had done a translation project and were now consultants and trainers. Then another consultant, a guy from SIL in the US came on Monday. We had no idea he was coming, but it was sort of nice to have another westerner around. Ironically, when we first got there we were wishing there was someone we could ask questions to. You know, about cultural things we should/shouldn’t do, about the generator, brushing our teeth with the water, paying the ladies that helped around the house, etc… We had figured all of that stuff out by the time he came so at least we were able to tell him about it. The participants spent the week listening to lectures and writing their papers and we were there to answer any questions with regards to FieldWorks. I gave one of the wives a one-on-one tutoring session. The kids did much better with the food during this week. Either they just grew to like it, or they finally gave in and ate it because they were hungry. Hopefully it was a growing experience for them. The two ladies who took care of the kids were sweet. They didn’t speak English well. The also did our laundry and cleaned some. Often times we’d come home on a break and they’d be off doing something with Sora and the boys were home alone. They were basically on their own all day. I’d give them a schedule for the day. When we’d go to class they could play, then watch a movie, then from 11 to 12 they would read and do worksheets. We’d have lunch then we’d go back to class and they would rest for an hour and have free time to play the Leapster or something. Luckily Orin is good at keeping track of time. I was proud of them that they didn’t really fight (apart from one time where they scratched each other on purpose) and could obey my rules and schedule and take care of themselves. I loved coming back home and seeing their completed worksheets – Orin often with a 100% and a smiley face written at the top of his sheets (that he wrote himself).
Trying to get a picture of the boys but they just had to be silly.
Eating lunch for the last time in the dining hall.
There were a few little playground-type things that the kids enjoyed.
The grammar consultants were there for the last week. We were there to answer questions as the participants used their data in FieldWorks to write their papers.
Our house-mate for the last week. He is an SIL linguistics consultant that came from the US to help teach the Grammar aspect of the course.
Sora was a little nutty by the end. She was ready to go HOME. The last day she woke up from her nap and ran screaming from the house to the classroom. She really wanted Damien or I to be with her. Other than the last two days she did really well.
The lady on the left was the other grammar consultant. She and her husband have finished a translation of the Bible for a group in India and now they are consultants helping other translators.
People bribed the boys with candy to take pictures. :)
These men had probably never seen a "white" child before, nevertheless interacted with one. They had a lot of fun playing with them for the time we were there.
Not a lot of Koreans in India either so Sora also got TONS of attention.
The second week of the workshop went well. The consultant came on Sunday. She was a very nice Indian woman. She and her husband had done a translation project and were now consultants and trainers. Then another consultant, a guy from SIL in the US came on Monday. We had no idea he was coming, but it was sort of nice to have another westerner around. Ironically, when we first got there we were wishing there was someone we could ask questions to. You know, about cultural things we should/shouldn’t do, about the generator, brushing our teeth with the water, paying the ladies that helped around the house, etc… We had figured all of that stuff out by the time he came so at least we were able to tell him about it. The participants spent the week listening to lectures and writing their papers and we were there to answer any questions with regards to FieldWorks. I gave one of the wives a one-on-one tutoring session. The kids did much better with the food during this week. Either they just grew to like it, or they finally gave in and ate it because they were hungry. Hopefully it was a growing experience for them. The two ladies who took care of the kids were sweet. They didn’t speak English well. The also did our laundry and cleaned some. Often times we’d come home on a break and they’d be off doing something with Sora and the boys were home alone. They were basically on their own all day. I’d give them a schedule for the day. When we’d go to class they could play, then watch a movie, then from 11 to 12 they would read and do worksheets. We’d have lunch then we’d go back to class and they would rest for an hour and have free time to play the Leapster or something. Luckily Orin is good at keeping track of time. I was proud of them that they didn’t really fight (apart from one time where they scratched each other on purpose) and could obey my rules and schedule and take care of themselves. I loved coming back home and seeing their completed worksheets – Orin often with a 100% and a smiley face written at the top of his sheets (that he wrote himself).
Saturday was spent mostly just waiting until 6pm when we’d take the 2 ½ hour taxi to the airport to catch our 1:30am flight. Yes, the middle of the night. Renee actually gave an hour long demo of a section of FW that the translators and consultant were interested in. Otherwise we just relaxed and sat around. The kids played with some of the other kids and staff.
One the way to the airport we stopped at a Indian Restaurant. Yes, we had eaten Indian food for almost 3 weeks, but this restaurant had Northern Indian food. In the US we usually ate Northern Indian food, but since we were in the South, the food we had at the center was all Southern. Southern Indian food is yummy, but not the same. The food at the restaurant was SO good. I wish we could have eaten there again. Maybe one day!
The flight back home was great. We flew out at 1:30am so the kids slept most of the almost 4 hour flight. We landed in Bangkok, had McDonald's breakfast and then another good flight back to Chaing Mai. Friends picked us up and we got home around 11am. Unfortunately, I realized I lost my keys somewhere on the trip (why I even brought them I don't know). It was so nice to be home. The kids and Damien all napped for a a few hours (I unpacked and got the car cleaned). All in all it was a great trip and I hope we get to go back one day!
The sweet ladies who took care of Sora.
Trying to get a picture of the boys but they just had to be silly.
Eating lunch for the last time in the dining hall.
There were a few little playground-type things that the kids enjoyed.
The grammar consultants were there for the last week. We were there to answer questions as the participants used their data in FieldWorks to write their papers.
Our house-mate for the last week. He is an SIL linguistics consultant that came from the US to help teach the Grammar aspect of the course.
Sora was a little nutty by the end. She was ready to go HOME. The last day she woke up from her nap and ran screaming from the house to the classroom. She really wanted Damien or I to be with her. Other than the last two days she did really well.
The lady on the left was the other grammar consultant. She and her husband have finished a translation of the Bible for a group in India and now they are consultants helping other translators.
People bribed the boys with candy to take pictures. :)
These men had probably never seen a "white" child before, nevertheless interacted with one. They had a lot of fun playing with them for the time we were there.
Not a lot of Koreans in India either so Sora also got TONS of attention.
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