Inside India | Work Begins..

17/08/2015 | Volunteering work begins: By Emma..

"After breakfast this morning the group were taken on a community walk. This was a walk around the villages that the people we will be teaching come from.

We saw the water tap where they collect water and saw how the families live. They live in small huts made of mud, straw, cow poo and other natural resources.

The children in the villages greeted us with waves and 'hello's'.

We walked to the day care centre where the children aged under 6 go, before they start school. The centre was just one room which was very small and bare.

Some of the children were scared us so we started to sing to them... 'Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are...' They loved listening to us sing.

The community walk led to the school where we will be teaching for the rest of the week. The children were wearing school uniform which was blue but many of them were not wearing shoes.

They ran and grabbed our hands and started to play with us!

We learnt the 'good morning song' and the 'goodbye song' and spent time playing and taking photos with them which they loved!

As we left they all waved goodbye to us.

It was good to meet the children as we spent the afternoon preparing our first lesson plan for tomorrow.

I was paired with Paddy and then it sank in.. I am actually going to be teaching in a school!! I am petrified and worried - I never thought this would happen to me! Paddy and I were given the youngest age group to teach so we are going to teach colours, numbers and play games in English.

Every afternoon we visit the orphanage and play games. We played football and cricket today - it was so good to play with the boys and see them smiling as they don't have much and have very structured days.

Before bed, we were taught more Hindi phrases that will help us with our teaching; such as, make a circle 'gola banao'; sit down 'bath jao'; don't be naughty 'shararat nahi'. I hope I don't have to use the last one!

So I'm teaching tomorrow - I'm scared - but at the same time pleased to be here. It's a once in a lifetime chance so I'm going to make the most of it!"