Reach Out

ReachOut  is one of many community service programs provided by students at AES. Each Thursday afternoon hundreds of children who live in the jhugee (slum) across the street come to particpate in activities led by the high schoolers. This time I am supervising the "Beauty Aid" station; mendhi (henna tattoos) and nail polish.

Although the program is primarily for the children, young and old participate.

It was as if they were in Disneyland! Not sure who was happier, me or them?

India fills my soul deeply.

Report Monkey Sightings

One of the funniest things that happened recently is that the kids were sent back from recess early because of monkey sightings. Of course they live all around here in the parks, but getting onto the playground could be quite a problem (rabies). So a few days later I saw this tethered langur near the play equipment. When I asked the kids about it they said, "Oh yeah, he pees all over the playground and keeps the other monkeys away!
This is one of the custodians whose job it is to "pee" the monkey.

Aarti, my very beautiful and pregnant assistant. Any day now.

Tibetan Teachers

This past week I was honored to host one of the 17 teachers visiting from the Dalai Lama's Tibetan Children's Village School.The school was founded in 1960 as a response to a dire need for housing and education for children and adults fleeing Tibet following the Chinese takeover. AES has begun a partnership with the TCV schools to provide training and resources to these schools. I will be traveling to their community, Dharmasala, in November.

 The women wear traditional
"wraps" as uniforms when teaching. If married, they wear a striped version.

 No, the dog was not theirs, but from one of the host families (from Bellevue, WA!). Of course they wanted to take it home. Who wouldn't?

Along with the gift of spending time from such dedicated and devoted people, a long-time favorite educator, Georgia Heard, joined in this week from NYC to provide training. I was sooo delighted as I have used her writing lessons (poetry) for years. We all celebrated with dinner and a concert on Friday  night.

 We were gifted with white silk Tibetan scarves and tea.

Georgia with her gift of a model tuk-tuk. We all said our goodbye's in tears with another universal connection that I could not have imagined a year ago.

Universal Responsibilty

I believe

that we must

consciously develop

a greater sense of

Universal Responsibility

We must learn to work

not just for our own

individual self,

family or nation,

but for the benefit of

all mankind.

H.H. The XIVth Dalai Lama

Reflection Journals

Being a reflective student is an integral part of the philosophy of The American Embassy School. Every Friday elementary students paint/draw in a Reflection Journal and then write about their paintings. Usually they choose a topic to represent how their week went, or about a special activity that week. Need I say more that I am in awe of their personal reflections, both in art and words.

"My painting represents this week and all my friends. The colors emerge as my friends emerge." Sophia

 "I painted all the colors for how beautiful India is. The blue is for the massive monsoons and the red for all that is new in India."  Sam

Following a trip to the National Museum of Modern Art to see the poet, Tagor, exhibit, Samsara wrote: "I painted thinking about Tagore's last poem.  He died after writing this poem on the same day. His poem was called Clear Path to Heaven. So I imagined his soul in the middle of nowhere going to heaven."


Today I get to meet a visiting teacher from Tibet who will be staying with me for a week. Can't wait to ask a million questions about life and education in Tibet.