I really think one of the biggest parts of any experience is the people you meet along the way. My time in India is no exception. I’ve met some of the most incredible people. Dr. Krishnaya (he keeps the program running, and makes sure none of us blow anything up or get arrested) Mitra Vinda (Krishnaya’s amazing niece! She’s a kindergarten teacher that has helped me a ton with translating for my project and has become a really good friend.) The other translators. The cooks (Durga, Gari, Nagamani, Saylaja, and Raju. They live with us and cook some rockin’ South Indian food). Siddhu (Raju and Durga’s baby who might just be the cutest baby in the world) Friends from church. Girls from the hostel. Backpacker friends we met on Spring Break. Missionaries. And of course my study abroad group homies.
The last but most certainly not least on the list of people important to my India adventure are the kids from the deaf school. We first started hanging out at the school because of Andia (one of the girls in my group) because her project was going to be on deaf culture. At first going there was mostly just a time killer. Hanging out, playing cricket, picking up some Indian sign language, but before we knew it the kids there became some of our closest friends. We each have a sign name, all based on physical features. For mine you point your fingers down in front of your forehead representing bangs on account of my Justin Bieber swoosh. If you do it right if kind of looks like a gang sign, which I think is sweet.
Before India, I’d never really thought that much about deaf culture. I mean, I thought sign language was interesting but it just wasn’t really on my radar, you know? Being here has shown me how amazing sign is. It just makes sense. You wanta know the sign for elephant? You move your arm like an elephant trunk. How bomb is that? I wish all languages made that much sense. These kids have just taught me so much. They’re so patient. Anyone that knows me (which I believe is most of you, aside from dedicated my readers in Mexico, SHOUTOUT!) is aware of the fact that I’m pretty animated and I talk with my hands, a lot. Making my hand motions actually mean something has definitely been a work in progress.
I feel like I’ve learned a lot though, at least enough to really get to know these kids. A lot of the boys we’ve gotten closest too are teenagers living at a hostel on the school grounds because their families live too far away for them to commute. They’re such amazing kids! So smart and funny and sweet. We’ve had a lot of fun together, birthday parties, frosting fights, late night card games, karate kid reenactments, movie parties, trips to the zoo, swimming in the ocean, henna nights, silent dance parties, and a lot of storytelling. We talk with them about movies, cricket matches, happenings at school, and their favorite conversation topic: loooooves. Crushes and heartbreaks. It’s really cute. I’m definitely planning on setting up a couple of my favorites with my little sisters. :) I absolutely love these kids. They have seriously been such a huge part of my time here and I’m never going to forget them. Wow sorry this post is a little on the long side. I’m going to stop and now post pictures of their adorableness, even though photos really don’t do them justice.
Movie party in my living room!
Me, Avatar, and Paolo Just bein G’s.
The traditional Indian practice of feeding the birthday girl cake inevitably turned into a frosting fight. let's just say me and Satish's battle got pretty intense. haha
Satish’s little brother, Ganesh. This kid’s such a baller.
