5 Months in India

It has been exactly one month since I have been back. This just happens to be my 40th blog post, too! I've been meaning to have my wrap up blog sooner than now, but I really have not had time! My life has been going about 100 mph since I got back I haven't had a lot of time to sit down and think too much. Let alone write a blog! I have been trying to think about how I would wrap everything up so I hopefully I am able to express everything I have felt and thought since I've been back.

India is an incredible place. I wanted a life changing experience... and I got one. I have traveled to Europe and Thailand as a tourist but after volunteering at a place like Shishya, I feel complete and I know now my life has amazing purpose. I know now what I want to do with my life, and why God has a plan for every single one of us. You have amazing purpose, too. How do you think God has planned to use you with your life? Have you listened to Him when he has called you? For a long time I chose not to listen to God about a lot of things, and there were consequences. I feel so in tune now with what God is telling me I am so full with overwhelming joy. It's like his voice is so clear I don't have to think twice. I was able to tune into His voice by studying His word, praying a lot and reflecting on my day to think about how I pleased God, and in ways I did not. After being back I am faced with challenges of paying for school, friendships and work. Being at Shishya displaced me from the 'drama' from home. I was able to reflect and think about my life, and what needed to be changed, and how God needed to take complete control of every aspect of my life. Once I gave that all to him, I felt a sudden release and overwhelming happiness. Forcing myself into situations in India like teaching at Shishya and doing devotions with the little boys has made me a stronger person and christian. I feel like I got a little taste of what motherhood would be like with the challenges and rewards I faced living with the boys. I admire and respect all the mothers I know even more now. I enjoy going to church every weekend more than I ever have I think. I missed this weekend because of work and I felt so distraught and empty. I crave hearing more about Christ and receiving the Eucharist. I feel hungry without it.

Liz asked me the last few days I was there what I learned while I was in India. There were lots of things. I learned a lot about myself and God. I have always been a pretty simplistic person but I appreciated even more the simplicities of life and how much more it has to offer than other things we could have. I realized the importance of telling other people about Jesus and sharing what who he was and is. I learned how to pray better and more effectively. I learned how to love more.

Times are changing so fast. Time is just flying by! Good friends are now having babies, my sister is getting married, people are getting older and moving on. Sometimes change happens more drastic than other times. It’s bittersweet. Life is bittersweet. I love everything about it.

Some girls at Shishya school kept asking if the reason I was coming back was because of marriage. That was a logical reason for them! I had to tell them no, but my sister is getting married! It's fascinating that having light skin over there in India is the desired thing. Commercials over there advertise the different products men AND women can do to make their skin lighter. Woman at their weddings apply very light makeup to look 'beautiful'. It's so interesting! Our culture is so much different than there! I just wonder what they would think of our commercials...

I read over 10 books over in India and I plowed through 4 journals. Is there much more to say? I learned a lot about myself! It's amazing how much you learn when you read...

So now I am back in Juneau working about 10 hours a day. I commute to work 1/2 a day one way and I got my school internship placement for next fall. I have worked for CLAA for 7 summers... this will probably be my last but I'm so glad to be in Juneau. I love it and I feel at home.

I felt like 5 months in India wasn't long enough. I left when things were still very much happening. I thought it would have been a different departure experience than it was. I didn't feel ready to leave at all. The transition back to this aspect of my life after being in India was quick and smooth for the most part. Every once in a while something will trigger in my mind and heart about what I saw and experienced and I react to it in ways that are hard to express. Sometimes I'm not sure how to express how I feel about things or thoughts I have being back with different situations. I then give it to God, and I feel fine :)

I miss the little boys that changed my life. I miss their smiles, and their little looks and desire to learn. I miss all the other volunteers I met that opened my eyes. Everyone I met while I was over there changed my life and heart, too. Traveling India and being there changed my life. If I can give any advice it's this: Push yourself. Pray. Laugh. Explore. EAT! Life is challenging. But oh so rewarding.

If you live for Him, your life will be filled with so many blessings.




Pictures from India!

Shishya photos


Winter Trip photos
Spring Trip photos

My Last Week

All the girl volunteers with Frieda and her granddaughter went on a picnic last Thursday when we had a holiday from school. Everyone cooked all morning and we had such a feast! We drove past Selaqui right up against the Himalaya foothills to a pretty forested area with shade. It was really nice! That night we went to Deepak’s new house with leftovers and met the British woman who built the house. We all had a really nice time!

I regret more than anything not being here for Easter. Ratan said something in devotions the other day when I said something about this thing they could do for Easter in regards to my stations of the cross stuff and he said with a sad smile, “ But mam, you won’t be here.” I am going to miss so much that day! I almost started crying right then and there. On my walk home after, I did let tears come in the dark. I hope I don't beat myself up too much thinking I COULD have stretched a day or two longer in India.

On Good Friday, the day Jesus died for us, the boys presented our stations of the cross to everyone. When I told Ratan I had to fly out on Easter because of visa stuff, he said “Mam, just tell them it rained.” Oh if only that would work. The Good Friday service was awesome. The worship at Shishya doesn't compare to anything else.

Two boys in my project class with Nibha were fighting the other day. I had them stay after dismissal and made them apologize to each other and then shake hands. One boy tugged on his ears and said sorry. I saw that as well earlier that day. Maybe that’s what some do to say sorry?

The moon rising one day this week was awesome. There was clear sky above with stars with thunderclouds surrounding the valley. You could see lightning right to the side and below the moon as it rose so bright and big above the clouds. It looked incredible!

Swaliya, one of my 7th class students invited the teachers and me for food one last time so we took the crazy school bus in! It was fun! We stopped by Sabiya’s to say goodbye one last time and insisted we stay for tea… and she gave us henna too. People just beg you to stay longer and come back! I thought I could pull off seeing her one last time after that but it didn’t work out. Ruth and Kiran had Liz and I over for dinner and we had Chicken curry. It was great to just relax with them and talk. They are amazing people. Linds and Sonu also had us over for dinner and had great conversation as well.

My last day of school was Thursday. I came into the school on a whirlwind in November and I’m leaving on one. They called a special assembly with the whole school and thanked me. I got a school magazine and a big round of applause. I feel so appreciated here. I feel like it’s the most I have ever been. My kids finished the ABC flip books for Deepak’s slum school. I hope it works out good! On Thursday night Kiran and Ruth had Liz and I over for dinner. It was really nice to just talk with them in a different way. More relaxed with good conversation with chicken curry and chai was nice :)

So it’s wheat harvesting time. The boys wake up early before school and work the fields then again in the afternoon from 4-7. Shishya has 10 fields to harvest! I got out there today and carried some wheat piles to be threshed. In the midst of all that I lost my Alaska ring. Two days before I leave I lose it! It’s okay. It was a good place to lose it I guess. My India footprint!

The day before I left I had to finish up some last minute lesson plans. Frieda took all the volunteers for ice cream and we went into the jungle and ate them! We drove a little loop around back to Shishya. It was like a Sunday drive… on Friday. Beautiful. Before we jumped back in the car, everyone prayed for me. Needless to say, I cried. Tears of sadness… but of joy too. So many people impacted my life over the last 5 months. My last, and final post will be more about that.

Friday night there was a going away party for me at the small boys house. Some older boys that I taught came and joined us. Some boys thanked me for things (even got some sweet hand made cards) and Ruth and Kiran said a few sincere heartfelt words. I tried so hard to keep the tears in but couldn’t. It was so moving. I felt so appreciated by so many people. I kept stealing glances from Ratan, and the expression on his face was hard to read. I just wanted to run across the room and give him a big hug.

Vijay took the bus with me with my big bag and Liz's too to Delhi. It was nice to have someone with me. Delhi was a lot hotter than Dehra Dun. When Vijay hugged me by at the airport, I choked up because he was my last Shishya contact. He, along with lots of other people, asked if I'll be back some day. I said I hope to sometime in the future. I said most volunteers probably feel that way... but I don't want to say that then not come. Vijay admired that, and said that since I said that.... I'll for sure be back.

For 2 whole days I will be traveling by bus, plane and ferry to get home.
I still can't believe I left.
Why did 5 months have to go so fast?

Google maps and ABC flip books

I’m only here for another week and a half. I can’t believe it. Liz says, “This has been the fastest 6 months of my life”. I agree. I feel like I have seen and done so many things in that time. I feel like a different person in a lot of ways.

Before Liz and I left on our trip the big boys house got new parents. They are a younger couple with a little baby girl named Gracie who is just a couple of months old. She is so sweet. Her eyes have changed from blue to grey since they have been here. I love holding her.

I learned that it’s normal for two working parents with a small child to send the baby away for a period of time to family (even if it’s all the way south) for them to care for it. I couldn’t even imagine. And to be honest, it doesn’t make a lot of sense here…especially at Shishya.

I’ve been busy teaching life skills to 4-8. For 6-8 I am making lessons for boys and girls in regards to body and emotional changes in adolescence. It’s been challenging and really interesting. School is a bit hectic. Deepak and mine elective has 50 boys! Community service has three parts; community service around Shishya, reading/playing with younger classes and I am in charge of making ABC flip booklets for Deepak’s slum school. It’s the closest I’ll get to going there. I’m glad I came up with this idea at least!

The weather has been a bit weird lately. It’s hot and muggy but the last few days it has been raining and thundering off and on which is kind of neat. Walking to the small boys house tonight, there were stars right above me but off to the right pushed up against the Himalaya’s foothills thunder clouds with lightning were there. They were going to start cutting the wheat, but the rain keeps pushing that back. There is news of snakes around campus. I hope I don’t run into one!

A little shout out to my friend Andrea Sears. She sent me a package with lots of goodies for me, but she also included a Ripley’s book the boys just can’t get enough of! Good send, friend!

Google maps is awesome! My roommates and me took a stroll up Alan road to my driveway in Haines. We walked by the big horse field I used to work at in junior high, and past my junior high science teachers house. You could only go as far as standing at the bottom of my driveway looking up it. But it was still SO AWESOME!

Liz and I watched Mary Poppins this week. I was smiling the whole time. I don’t think I have watched it since I was in elementary school! Seriously! Good flick.

When Liz and I were in Darjeeling I HAD to buy 7 Years in Tibet. So we found it for about 2 dollars. We watched it earlier last week and the POW camp Brad Pitt goes to in the beginning is in Dehra Dun! Weird! Great movie. The scenery in that movie is fantastic. I had only seen it once before when I was young. It’s one of my Dad’s favorite moves. Liz, me, Lara and Charlie went to Dehra Dun on Tuesday ( two school holiday's this week). I got to go to Kumar's for the last time and did some shopping too. Surreal!

I’ve had to do some last minute scrambling in regards to my ticket from Seattle to Juneau but it’s getting sorted out. Now I’m just trying to decide if I want an escort from Shishya to Delhi on the 23rd. I don’t want to inconvenience anyone on Easter! But it might be for the best?

Story time!

India beat Sri Lanka in the final game for the World Cup Cricket! Everyone got to stay up and watch the game on the big screen on campus (it was about a 12 hour game that ended around midnight!) I turned in early but I heard fireworks going off and things. The boys are nothing but cricket cricket cricket lately!

Charlie read in a newspaper somewhere that motorbike riders have to wear helmets now but Sikhs don’t have to because of the turban they have to wear. Of course!

In the newspapers here there are personal classifieds for people seeking spouses... or letting people know they are available. It’s pretty incredible. I’m bringing a newspaper home specifically for that reason for people to read! It’s amazing how people still marry into certain castes only. Sometimes, if a woman doesn’t want to marry a man … he’ll just kill her. The newspapers are so graphic here. There is no respect for people whose brains are spread out all over the pavement.

The boys go to school tomorrow. When Liz and I got back we went straight to wrapping textbooks. I’m pretty sure I can do it in my sleep now!

I got to put the boys to bed the other night while Kiran and Ruth went to a wedding. The boys were really riled up and I had to scold a few. I wasn’t their best friend the next day but today was better. Devotions went really well as we are going through the Stations of the Cross. After dinner I stuck around which was fun.

My dad is a great storyteller. He has always told good stories from his childhood, and after the boys were playing with a toad outside after dinner, I couldn’t help but tell the story about how my dad used to send frogs up with helium balloons. One story after a next the boys wanted to hear. They would say “ about animals” or “about mountains” or “about snow” or "travel adventure". “One more story, mam” I was having so much fun! I think the boys could tell!

Frieda encourages all the teachers this week to READ to their students. She read a few pages from Heather Lende's second book “Take Good Care of the Garden and the Dogs” ( her blog) that I gave her for her birthday a month ago. She read a few pages about when Heather was smoking fish and hunting to the teachers. I got to share a little bit about my home town to the teachers which was really fun :) Frieda told all the teachers from reading Heather's books, she wants to come to Alaska more than ever! She feels like she is learning a lot about where I am from. She said that the way the mountains are described, it is exactly what the bible talks about! I’m hoping for our community service elective our older kids can go read to the younger ones. I think it would be a good buddy system!

Last Sunday I went to Dehra Dun with Lindsey and Sonu to Vineyard Church. It was really nice and I’m glad I went. I felt like in the sermon God really spoke to me. It was really neat. It was the longest I had been away from Liz since I got to India, which felt weird! When I was telling stories to the boys I said one about ice-skating when I was really young and when my sister fell through the ice. Ratan said, “And Liz mam was there”. I had to remind him I just met Liz in November when I came here!

As a staff group we were all supposed to go on a picnic today a little ways away from Shishya but we had too much work today so we all just sat in front of school and shared food. Delicious!

I'll just be teaching life skills the remainder of the time I'm here to grades 4-8 and helping with the community service elective with Deepak. I won't have Saturday school anymore and I only have 10 school days left. Incredible!

Spring Break INDIA

Grass huts, yoga, rafting the Ganges, night trains, awkward men, Holi, Taj Mahal, burning bodies in Varanasi, bouncy/spectacular jeep rides, delicious food, tea gardens, awesome shopping, meeting amazing people from all over the world, cozy/artsy coffee shops, colorful birds and amazing animals, pretty sure saw one of the 3rd tallest mountains in the world on a plane (where the pilot updated the passengers every 15 minutes during the India/Pakistan cricket game) and being in Delhi when India beat Pakistan in the semi-finals World Cup Cricket game!

Check out Liz's more detailed blog post about our trip here.

March 17 Bus to Rishikesh
March 20 Taxi to Haridwar where we got a train to Delhi
March 21 Train to Taj Mahal then Varanasi
March 24 Train to Darjeeling area and took a jeep up. Amazing.
March 30 Flight from Darjeeling area to Delhi. Night train to Dehra Dun
March 31 Taxi early AM to Shishya

Check out the trip photo album here.



When we got back the boys were swimming in the pool here at Shishya. It’s much hotter now. The wheat has turned golden and so many more beautiful plants are in bloom. The students come back to school on the 6th. I won’t be teaching English anymore but helping with the school project on the different states of India, teaching Life Skills, and leading the community service elective with Deepak up until I leave Shishya on the 23rd! The big final World Cup Cricket game is tomorrow with India and Sri Lanka. Everyone on campus is getting together for a big cook out to watch the game!

Life is amazing.

God is Love

Fruits of the Holy Spirit:
LOVE*JOY*PEACE*PATIENCE*KINDNESS*GENEROSITY*FAITHFULNESS*GENTLENESS*SELF-CONTROL.

Good choices lead to good consequences.

How we spend our time indicates what we value and what we think is important.

In these bodies we will live, in these bodies we will die. Where you invest your love, you invest your life. (Lyrics from a great song by Mumford and Sons)

Always try to become better than you were before. When that happens, everything around us becomes better too.

Every person on earth plays a role in the history of the world.

"If anything matters then everything matters. Because you are important, than everything is important. Every time you forgive, the universe changes. Every time you reach out and touch a heart or a life, the world changes. With every kindness and service, seen or unseen, my purposes are accomplished and nothing will ever be the same again." -God (from the book The Shack)

Romans 8:28
“We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”

Our day’s work isn’t done until we build up someone!!

Humility, poverty and happiness are better than pride, ambition and pursuing wealth.

Those who know God will be humble; those who know themselves cannot be proud.

Forgiveness is key to Christianity.

Willingness to learn is a mark of those who are truly wise.

Our lives are not small and significant. We are not isolated or alone.

Do to no one what you would not want done to you. Simple as that.

Prayer is faith+love

Your eyes show the strength of your soul.

From Prayer of Francis of Assisi: “Lord, make me a instrument of your peace.”

Love without conditions or motivations. It chooses to serve without expectation or service of return. Love without counting the costs.

Philippians 1:9-11
“And this is my prayer: that your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception to discern what is of value, so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.”

Baptism is the first time we receive the Holy Spirit in our lives and all our previous sins are wiped clean.

As God becomes a regular part of our daily lives, our worries begin to disappear.

As we study God’s word and honor God with our lives, we experience his joy in our lives.

The Holy Spirit helps us to be the people we are called to be.

Trust God.

When you do wrong, blame yourself, not others.

Do all you can do to make the world better with your own life.

Hebrew 10:24
“We must consider how to rouse one another to love and do good works.”

Prayer of St. Patrick:
Christ be with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ were I lie, Christ where I arise, Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me. In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The secret to happiness according to Gianna Molla: live each moment to moment and thank God for everything He gives us day after day.

Whatever is done; is done in the glory of God.

Awareness of God’s presence beside and within us will shape how we approach each person and situation. God dwells in everyone!

Jesus is in the people we meet, when we pray together and in the Eucharist.

“To care for a sick person is to pray.” - Vincent De Paul

Turn away from things that take away from a Godly life.

Continue to exam your conscience about the priorities in life.

Our sins can be forgiven if we seek forgiveness.

1 Peter 1:6-9
“… without seeing him you are already filled with joy so glorious that it cannot be described…because you believe.”

The purpose of prayer is not getting what we want, but to become what God wants.

Our life is God’s gift.

With God’s love, love one another.

Phillipians 1:20
“To live in Christ and die is gain.”

Pray to God by opening your heart and acting on what we hear inside ourselves as God’s voice.

1 John:
3:17-18 “If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him? Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.”
4:8 “Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.”
4:12 “No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us.”
4:16 “…God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him. “
4:19 “We love because He first loved us.”


The heart of the Law is love; our love for God and God’s love for us. We express that love in the values we live out. Conflicts occur when the way we rank our values comes into conflict with the way others rank their values.

Stay focused no matter what obstacles try to keep us from doing the right thing.

Encourage and thank those people who sacrifice but also look for what you can do too.

Pray before you act.

James 2:24
“See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.”

Use the gifts God gave you. If you don’t know what they are, ask God to tell you what they are and how to use them.

Knowing God gives meaning to life; obeying God gives purpose to life.

When you see God’s goodness, thank him!

Do you talk to God in prayer? Study scripture and devote? Do you minister to others and spread the Good Word?

Time is short; ask God to help you spend time on things that count.

Thanks be to God.

~I pray that this post, along with the rest of the blog, exposes and expresses God’s love to all those who read it. Perhaps some of the things I wrote bring up questions within you, and I pray that you do not let them go unanswered!

"Jesus loves me and He's my friend!"

After homework time, I have been reading the chapter book, The Tale of Despereaux to Bharat and Ratan. They ask me to sit up on their top bunks and read a few chapters each night. When I have to go, Ratan reads some more to himself :) I look forward to it every night and I, myself am really enjoying the story too!

I have recently acquired a lifelong pen pal. She is one of my 8th class students and her name is Sabiya. She invited Liz and me to her home on Tuesday for food. Indian people are so hospitable and I am SO excited to keep in touch with her and see where her life leads her!!!

Final exams are this week so I am finished teaching English. Now it’s just correcting so. many. tests. How many do you ask? 180 until next Wednesday when Liz and I leave for our travels (we also need to figure out final grades as well). When I get back at the end of March, I’m only here for about 3 more weeks! I leave on Easter, which in some ways seems really ironic to me. In devotions with the little boys, I’m going to be doing the children version of the Stations of the Cross twice a week. We already made a list of each persons name and how they can become close to God in the next 40 days :) I got to go to Ash Wednesday mass last week, which was a real treat. The catholic teacher at school was going so we went with her family. It was in Hindi, but it was nice to go to mass. I’ve only been able to go about 3 times since I’ve been in India. The power went out about half way through… but just a typical Indian day, I guess. The mass was a good reminder of what our lives are really about.

I always wonder what kind of impression I am leaving on the boys and students at school in regards to what they are learning and things like that. I had reassurance a few days ago. I guess at the campus wide devotions with all the boys, Thapa shared some versus in 1 John (I discovered how much I love that book in the Bible since I’ve been here) he had to find for his Moral Science final that I wrote for his class. Also at devotions, since Ratan has been listening to The Tale of Despereaux when I read it, shared about always being brave and having a good outlook on life, no matter the circumstances and that God is always with us, even when we are scared. Also, I teach moral science for Ashish’s class and during big devotions too he said out loud the verse he had to memorize for school. I think our “ Getting ready for Easter” poster from small devotions was shared at big devotions too :)

I’m beaming.

For our weekends on I wake up the boys on Saturday morning. It's so fun being there for when they wake up. I like hearing about the dreams they had the night before... yesterday I found myself dancing to Rahul singing, "Put your left foot in... put your left foot out..." Whatever gets them up and moving in the morning!!

Every morning and sometimes in the afternoon I can hear one of the 5th grade boys singing at the top of his lungs. Yesterday it was "Jesus loves me! Jesus is my friend!!" I smile so much here!

It's March!

Nibha told me Shishya means “disciple” in Sanskrit.

I learned from one of the boys' Adventure Bibles that the name Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua. Interesting little fact.

I didn’t know that almost all of the women and girls in India have pierced noses until I got here!

I feel like my dad when I’m running around our apartment turning off lights with no people in the rooms and turning off outlets with nothing plugged in. I have always been environmentally conscious but I just feel even more compelled here to conserve energy!

Lots of visitors at Shishya lately. An old volunteer was here for a week. Her name is Anna and she is from England. Lisa’s older brother is here this week as well. Her and him made PASTA for us last week! The people that introduced the Lord to Frieda and Yip when they first met are visiting Shishya as well. Anyone who would like to come visit me still can! :)

I learned last weekend that marijuana grows wild here. You can see it growing on the side of the road sometimes. Crazy.

Shishya had a going away party for class 8 with skits, music and games last Saturday. It was fun! The picture of class 8 is below.

I will be doing devotions two times a week now with the little boys. I’m excited to interact with them in a different way! For the last couple of weeks Ratan and I have been reading Revelations together after homework time.

The Shishya boys went and played basketball again at Hope Town Girls School. Last week I went with Yip to interview some girls who were elected leaders there who are graduating high school and leaving this spring. Yip and his team from the youth center implemented some leadership structures in schools and this was kind of like the girls exit interview. I took notes. It was interesting.
The campus at Hope Town is absolutely beautiful. Apparently these girl’s parents are very well off and some even work in parliament!

We celebrated another birthday last week; Pradeep is thirteen!

It’s cricket (the game) time and all of India is so pumped up about the games! I think the Indian team is doing quite well.

Speaking of bugs, since it's getting warmer out there are a lot more in our bathroom and bedrooms! That also means snakes will be about....

I can officially say, “I leave next month” now that it is March. Insane! Time is going so so so fast. We have final exams all this week then Liz and I leave for our two week trip on the 17th. Darjeeling tea anyone?

When we went for a little walk around Shishya last week. I walked by an tall, slender old man with a stick standing in the middle of a dusty road with a cloth wrapped around his head, wearing blue. He looked old and tired and he was just standing there. I regret so much not snapping his photo when we walked past. I should have stopped! I miss so many great pictures of India….but please enjoy these!

Shishya Volunteers While I Was Here

Volunteers are always asking each other how they found out Shishya. Every single volunteer that I have met here has been amazing!

Amanda from Chicago (25): Her mother knew Frieda when they were young! And apparently the family stayed in touch over the years. Amanda’s mom actually remembers Frieda saying at a young age she wanted to run a school and orphanage in India! Amanda volunteered off and on at Shishya for the last three years and left right after New Years. Amanda did everything here it seems and left such a great impression behind!

Sharon from Maine (64): Frieda and Sharon were snowed in at the airport in London and had to wait until planes could fly. They struck up a conversation and the rest is history! Sharon was the first volunteer Shishya has had her age. The boys referred to her as “Grandma” while she was here. Sharon has been a real inspiration for me. I hope I have the same stamina, adventurous spirit and independence when I am her age! She was here 3 months from September to December.

Nibha from India (21): Nibha is Frieda’s daughter! :)

Abby from Michigan (19): Abby’s family knows Amanda’s family and the pastor that inspired Abby to come to India knows Amanda. Abby was here for 5 months from July to December.

Liz from Ohio (28): Liz and Amanda have a really good mutual friend that has also been to Shishya. Liz leaves India for 3 more months of traveling Thailand and Indonesia the first week in May. She would have been here about 6 months. She got to Shishya the same time I did. She has been a great India travel partner!

Lisa from Germany (20): Lisa came here through a couple of different Christian programs. There was a German girl that was here a few years ago that knows Lisa. Lisa will be at Shishya for 5 months total and leaves at the end of May.

Lewis from England (20): His dad and mom volunteered at Shishya previously! He got here end of December and leaves end of Feb.

Mike and Charlie from England (24/22): They are friends with Lewis and another couple they know has been here and has connections to Shishya. They got here the beginning of Jan and leave mid May.

Lara from Kentucky (23): She met two of Frieda’s children in Kentucky when they were both visiting a mutual friend a few years ago! She got here the first week in February and leaves mid May.

Me (24): I’ll give you all the details! I took a photography class at UAF my junior year of college. I became friends with my teacher and I went to Thailand after that and she told us all these great places to go! We talked about travel and I told her I had always wanted to go to India to work at an orphanage since high school. She got me in touch with her friend Heidi that had been doing missionary work here all over. Heidi and I emailed off and on for a couple of years and last summer Heidi sent me the Shishya information. She is friends with Frieda and has been a volunteer here. Rest is history! I have never actually met Heidi in person. Would love to, though! Oddly enough last summer in Skagway I became friends with a guy and I told him about my India plans and he told me him and his soon to be wife were planning on going to India as well after they were married to volunteer. Few days after we were facebook friends and he noticed we both had Amanda as a mutual friend. Long story short, Amanda’s brother is marrying him and his fiancé, and the place him and his wife want to volunteer at is Shishya! Small world, indeed. I think I was meant to come here for sure! When I leave on Easter, I will be here for exactly five months and a week.

Lewis leaves at the end of this week… then I am next in line to go home.

Complete Satisfaction

The power of prayer can sometimes be a bit overwhelming. Especially when you are laughing so hard your stomach and face hurts (I cannot remember the last time I have laughed so hard for so long!), while playing games with other volunteers, then the conversation gets more personal and we all decide to pray for each other, other people in our lives and so forth. It’s so moving when you can feel God’s presence all around you amongst good, honest friends who genuinely care about you and the people you love in your life.

When Sharon left in December, Yip said to her at church that she might never feel completely satisfied ever again after leaving here. I thought that was a bold statement at the time, but after being here for three months; it makes sense.

I’ve been talking with some of the volunteers and I think that leaving here and going home will be more of a culture shock than it was coming here from home. Adjusting back to my ‘western’ life will be a lot different than what I have been doing here the last 5 months. I seem so busy that I don’t have enough time to dwell on myself a whole lot. I guess I feel the most selfless I have ever felt. I feel like sometimes I can be really selfish and thinking about things back home that I’ll go back to are a little stressful. I feel like I have the self-control and strength to balance my life when I go back, but it may take some adjusting and perhaps some permanent life changes, too.

3 months

I have been in India exactly 3 months today. Frieda wants volunteers to try and be here as close as 6 months as possible to really get the cultural experience and so forth. I feel like it took about a month and a half or so to get into the routine of being here and I just now feel like everything is sink in for me.

We got an awesome Valentines Day box from Amanda with so many goodies! Chocolate always goes over well!!

Teacher conferences were interesting last weekend. The parents didn’t really talk to us… and we only saw about 7 or 8? There were quite a few parents there all together and a little dramatic with some feedback from parents about certain things in regards to the school as a whole… but I am learning drama in a school can be found everywhere, all over the world! Lata offered to take over drafting the final exams for Liz and me. A HUGE weight off our shoulders, but we still have lots to do!

There is a girl’s boarding school near by called Hope Town and their basketball coach invited the boys to come for a practice so we all went last weekend. It was so fun to shoot around and do some drills! I asked the coach if he ever needed people for a scrimmage (friendly game) I could come. I’m not 100% sure if he understood what I meant but I hope so!

People call flashlights torches here. I’m starting to call it that too! When someone asks what your “good” name is… they are asking for your first name.

I have a whole new appreciation for Christian music. I just got a bunch from my long time dear friend Holly and future brother in law Andrew. I have always loved Third Day… and I’m loving newer things too!

For my masters degree in Education I have to do a research project or thesis. I would like to do something in relation to India but haven’t been able to pin down something specific yet. Here are some ideas:
-Western education in an Indian school
-Indian public schools vs private
-Girls and education opportunities in India.
-Any other ideas out there? I think Yip, Frieda’s husband, would be a good person to talk to so I will soon.

My 6th grade students wrote a story about giants, fairies and three headed monkeys and I asked them if they have read The BFG and they hadn’t even heard of it! Our library didn’t have it but I was able to read the first 5 pages on Amazon.com today. They listened for the most part… and it made me want to read the book again!

It has still been pretty cold here. Last night there was a crazy thunder and lightning storm with lots of rain. When we woke up this morning, the foothill’s of the Himalayas in the foreground of Shishya where Musoorie is had snow-capped tops!

I have decided to make my pictures more private from my time here. If you would like the link to view them, please email me and I will give it to you.

Just heard last week that two people were murdered in the village near Shishya due to a jealously issue of some sort.

A few weeks ago a train going from one place to another carrying a ton of people to only a few selected job interviews wrecked. The train was over booked and people were all over the outside and it went under a ledge and literally scrapped the people off killing like 30 or so. The newspaper even had pictures of the train just draped in people before, then the after shot of the blood. It was horrific.

Alaskax2=India

In square miles, Alaska is about half the size of India! I had a discussion with Bharat about it and wasn’t sure because maps we saw were obviously not to scale. I looked it up online and got it sorted out! Bharat turned 10 last week!

Wanna know what I have been eating? Liz has some great pictures and descriptions on her latest blog post.

Shishya is one of the better schools in the Dehra Dun area. Many parents want their children to come here and teachers want to work here. Some teachers now were once students at Shishya! There was a new teacher hire and her name is Latika (like from Slumdog Millionaire) and she is really nice. She has great English and a Christian, too. I told her my younger sister is getting married and I am helping with the planning. She said, “Will you plan your wedding when you go back?” She was shocked I didn’t even have a boyfriend! I said everything is in God’s hands… she liked my response. I asked her similar questions and if her marriage would be arranged or not. She said depends, and then we got interrupted. Nibha said that some people have a choice, but when they hit a certain age their parents step in arrange something. Could you imagine?

Latika offered to teach me Hindi… Charlie and I are going to ask if she was serious and if we could maybe have lessons once a week or something after school. Hindi is the most common spoken language in the works after English, Chinese and Spanish… which makes sense if you think about how many people live in India. It’s the 2nd most populated country in the world after China (Bharat fact). Latika and me are the same age. We’ve already had some friendly, personal conversations and we’ve exchanged emails a few days ago. If I lived here, I think we’d be really good friends.

I wasn’t so sure before, but I’m thinking I would like to come back to Shishya in the near future as a volunteer again. Maybe the July- December session eventually… and maybe learn a little more Hindi by then too. Been thinking a lot about how much I’ll miss the place and all the people I’ve met. . Maybe in a few years after I get my degree? That’s planning way in advance. If God wants me to come back, I believe he’ll open that door.

A volunteer from 15 years ago stopped by for a quick visit this week on short notice. His name is Darren and he is from Scotland. He got to see some of the teachers that used to be students of his while he was here. He was 18 or 19 when he was here last so he has seen lots changed since then. He is taking a year sabbatical from being a teacher and traveling Asia for a year. His students remembered him throwing chalk as a teacher!

With Lara the new volunteer here now there is lots of help during homework time at the little boys house. I only take a few boys at a time now and little Ashish and I have become quite close buddies. I teach his class moral science twice a week so we’re pretty tight. I did an activity with Rohan briefly during homework time and he has learned so much already! Over the last few weeks Ratan and I have gotten into water bottle chugging water contests at dinner… it’s funny. He reminds me to bring my bottle every night. The boys got new PJ’s for Christmas and Ratan and Rohan were having a Superman/Spiderman battle last night. Cracks me up.

When I was in Musoorie I got these really neat sandals and apparently they are uniquely Musoorie style! I love them! I love shoes…

I got antibiotics for my bad cough finally. In the states you need a prescription for them but here you can just but them for about 5 dollars over the counter.

One of the boys in the home, and whom I teach English to, left to go see his family in Delhi because his mother is sick. Sometimes boys leave like that during break or an emergency or something… and don’t come back. Makes me sad to hear that. Amanda has a heartbreaking story of when she went looking for a boy in Delhi she cared for and his family never did tell her where he ended up.

There is a girl in my 8th class who looks JUST like a girl my sister Christine went to high school with. She even has the same mannerisms! There is a lot happening in the school now. Liz and I made English entrance exams for new students for each grade this week. We are all drafting final exams and syllabuses (I have to make and distribute 8 I think?!) and reviewing with students. We’ll also be reviewing the boys at the home during homework time too. Busy busy. I know time is just going to fly by until I leave.

I think there is a mouse in our room and the cockroaches still squeeze under the door from outside into our bathroom! When I want to get the flat mop bucket in the kitchen with old towels in it last week I moved some and saw a towel move up on it’s own… and out jumped a mouse! Nibha and I were screaming like little girls and eventually it ran out the hole in the wall. We but a rock in front of the hole. I’m so glad we are on the second floor so we don’t have to worry about snakes.. AHHHHH!!!

Liz and I are taking off after finals to go to the Taj again (pray it’s open) then Rishikesh, Haridwar, Varanasi (yes… where the bomb went off a few months ago I told you about) then up to Darjeeling far north near eastern Nepal hopefully for some trekking. We’ll be traveling for about two weeks… during a popular Hindu holiday called Holi. Should make for an interesting time while we are at the Ganges.

Tomorrow is Saturday school and I am doing parent teacher conferences… with a translator. Wish me luck!!

Fun Indeed

After I first got here class 6 laughed and giggled when I was writing on the board and said out loud, “ quiet guys”. Apparently guys means cows in Hindi. I just figured this out a few weeks ago!

Today Frieda asked me if I had ever thought about teaching in the sates. She told me I would make a good teacher with some ideas I have and things (mostly from Mom and other things I experienced in classrooms as a student). I was flattered to say the least. Right after that in 8th English some boys said that I am a good teacher. I’m not sure if it was sarcasm but it seemed sincere. Put me in a GREAT mood for the rest of the day. Teaching is going much better.

Deepak, who helps me with life skills assembly with the older ones, and calls me “Alaska” all day every day, lives on campus and is a teacher. His story is pretty remarkable. He was raised basically by a man from Wisconsin and while living in Mussoorie as a young adult, met a western lady who introduced him to Shishya. She is now building him a house near here! He goes and teaches in a nearby slum a few times a week. I’d like to see it sometime, but need permission to go. His blog/website is here.

A new volunteer came this weekend. Her name is Lara and she is 23 and from Kentucky! Mike and Charlie’s blog can be clicked here.

Lack of communication is India. Even at Shishya. “Oh, we have parent teacher conferences in a few weeks?” I’m still trying to learn the names of my 105 students I teach English and moral science to.

It is noticeably warmer now. It's even starting to get a little humid!

I went to Friday night devotions for the first time this week. All the young and older boys get together and anyone else for about 45 minutes. There is music then people who want to can say something either what they are thankful for, something from the bible or whatever. Most of it was in Hindi, and for the first time I felt really irritated and sad I couldn’t understand what they were saying. I could tell some things were really sincere and heartfelt and I so badly wanted to understand. I cried when Ratan spoke because I had heard he is very spiritual (he is 8 or 9) and got upset about something the night before during our homework time (I couldn’t figure out why) and I’m sure what he said was incredible. I also cried because I couldn’t understand what he was saying. In Hindi I found out that Rohan said, “Thank you for brining me here.” More tears.

This was our weekend off from taking care of the little boys so all the volunteers (besides Nibha) went to the hillside city of Musoorie at 7000 ft for the weekend. I had been there once before when I first got here. It was nice to go back. We shopped and got to see a little bit more of the area. Lewis found a few really cool antique shops and found a telescope made in 1885! We went to dinner and pigged out at this place called the Tavern. We all discussed out much Jesus loved food too! The Himalayas were in view during the day and I got a great sunset picture at night.



On Sunday morning I suggested we go to St. Paul’s, where Frieda and Ken were married, for church. It’s part of the Church of Northern India and it takes six different traditions and methods of worship from other churches to make their own service. It was interesting and like nothing I have ever really experienced before. Sunday morning I met a girl at the hotel named Johannah from Michigan. She had been studying at the language school and I invited her to breakfast with us. She invited all of us to hike to the Everest base camp with her in a few months. Sure, no big deal. The road is so windy and narrow to and from Musoorie and I felt a little sick going back down. The taxi driver was a jerky, breaky driver. There are signs all the way up that encourage a healthy, respected environment and one sign reads. “Plant a tree or three, it’s like having ten sons indeed.” Or something like that…. but for heavens sake, if I lived in India I wouldn’t plant a tree for that reason.

Fact: India is the second most corrupt country in the world after Somalia.

Bharat, for some reason, says “babes” at the end of sentences or statements sometimes when he is talking to a girl volunteer and with his accent and voice it is quite funny. Ratan’s eyes get so big when you explain something to him he has never heard of before—like how in America we drive on the other side of the car and the road. His eyes are so full of wonder and awe… I love it.

I have seen my first cockroaches this week. They are big… and show up in our bathroom.

I bought Red Delicious USA apples from a small fruit street vender last week in Selequie?

New favorite soft drink: Limca

With my wool socks on I seem to sleep through the night without night terrors…just dreams… but a few nights ago Liz said I sat up in bed and was speaking a language she didn’t recognize. I haven’t been feeling so great so maybe that has contributed to the weird dreams I’m having. Frieda got me some medication for my sick self from a pharmacy that only cost about two dollars. Cheap drugs. My cough is still really bad and I might need more. We had a volunteer meeting last week and all the volunteers prayed for me and my night terrors and restless nights for me and my roommate Liz. Since I have been here I have strengthened my faith very much and my relationship with God has gotten a lot stronger. My dreams could have a spiritual meaning I guess. I have finally been sleeping better at night. This week God answered a lot of prayer requests. It’s pretty incredible. Has anyone experienced a prophet or prophetic word? A friend of the McRae’s visited Shishya for a few days and some people on campus experienced his spiritual gift personally. It sounds incredible. I can’t stop thinking about it.

It’s not feeling AS cold at night now. Even with the cold, it is has always been quite dry since I have been here. I noticed they are watering the fields now. When the sun comes out it gets really warm during the day!

I played cricket for the first time this week with my 8th grade girls and also played soccer with the small boys. I accidently nailed Rohan in the chest with the ball, but I did make a goal. Some of the boys play barefoot and apparently who plays the best that way… is the most cool? Mike the volunteer cut his foot open! After we played, Nibha and I picked a few juicy lemons from a tree and added it to our water. I notice Rohan is talking a lot more now (in English and Hindi) which is really exciting! His little voice is so sweet! I feel like a lot of the little boys are completely warmed up to me now. They cuddle up close to me and interact with me a little differently now. It makes my heart so happy.

Liz and I got away from campus on Friday to Dehra Dun. Got some shopping done and we went back to a coffee shop Amanda took us to called Barista. I feel like we are back in the states or something. Right now there is a guy playing the guitar and a group of guys singing Oasis, the Beatles and Goo Goo Dolls just to name a few. Picked up a wireless connection too. All is well.

Shishya school will be celebrating 25 years this summer! I am bummed I’ll miss out on the anniversary festivities!

I had my older class life skills assembly this week and Deepak helped me, which was nice. We talked about different kinds of conflict (with acting!) and I read this from the bible and thought I would share:

James 3:5
“…the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do. A tiny spark can set a great forest on fire.”

James 3:19
“… be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Your anger can never make things right in God’s sight.”

I was talking to junior high students, buy many adults can apply this to their lives as well I think. I know I can.

India Weddings

Omprakash, a teacher at Shishya, got married this week (it’s a three or four day event) and the Republic of India holiday was the same day so we didn’t have school the whole day. The school day consisted of raising the flag, a few speeches and games. The teachers were invited to the wedding festivities but we just attended the lunch, which was a cultural experience in itself. You walk in with loud music playing and the couple is sitting on the stage in fancy seats that look like thrones! There are chairs out like an audience set up so people can sit and watch them. There is another room for food. Our teacher friend was all smiles! His bride looked beautiful in the wedding attire. The food was delicious, of course. We didn’t drink the water because it was a bad idea so the hot food was a little intense. We gave money all together and it’s bad luck to give an even amount, so we contributed 901 rupees.

On Thursday night we went to the wedding dinner for the teacher I took over teaching English. Her name is Lata. I wore my first sari (between 5-8 meters of cloth!) I felt pretty in it! It took about 15 minutes to put on and Ruth, a parent in the small boys house, put it on me. It’s wrapped and tucked around you and pinned in a few areas to keep it up. I felt like the connection at this wedding event was closer since I knew Lata. When we showed up she hadn’t been out of her house yet for her appearance. She walked down the isle around 1045! She called us all in before hand and we got to talk with her and take some pictures. I was so taken away with how beautiful she looked and how incredible her wedding outfit was. She asked how teaching was going and if the kids had been naughty! The groom was up front before she was but when she walked down the isle with a sheet held over her head like a ceiling, she went to the front and they exchanged flowers they wear around their necks, which concluded their marriage. She looked absolutely incredible. It was an amazing experience. Enjoy the pictures. Liz got some good ones with my camera of her since I wasn’t at a good angle in the room to do so.

To see the rest of the wedding pictures click here.

Elephants in the room

If you leave a comment on a post, please remember to leave your name so I know who left the comment!

Snail mail from Alaska takes about 25 days to get here! From the lower 48 I am seeing it takes about two weeks. I wouldn’t recommend sending mail to me after April 1st. Thank you so much to everyone who has sent me mail so far. It feels like Christmas every time I get something in the mail.

I am connected on facebook with the Doon Youth Center in Dehra Dun that is run through Shishya. I have told Frieda that I would like to attend a meeting or something since it’s all right up my alley but she said it really isn’t for foreigners to get involved in. On Facebook I get invited to events they’re having and last Friday there was a free photography workshop. Nibha was already going so I registered online for myself, Liz and Lisa. I have so badly at least wanted to get my foot in the door! Ken gave us a ride and picked up the photographer and her husband too who were staying at the Forest Research place nearby (he is a professor of some sort in genetics and they live in Huston but he is from India). We would have been on time if it weren’t for the Hindu holiday parade we hit on the way there. Music, dancing and people pulling this trailer with more people on it with a rope held up traffic. The photographer’s name is Michele Wambaugh and her passion is photographing the gypsy women in this area. Before we hit the traffic jam we pulled over in a place for her to take pictures and she got a few, and so did Nibha. This is Michele’s website: http://www.michelewambaugh.com/. She photographed a lot of ballet companies and Broadway shows among other things. It’s ironic I attended a photography workshop here; since photography is how I came to be in Shishya in the first place.

Liz got a cell phone figured out in Dehra Dun after the workshop and a little barefoot boy out front of the shop kept looking at us with his hand outstretched. He walked by a few times. While we were waiting I bought a small bag of chips for him but he wasn’t out front anymore. So I wandered down the ‘sidewalk’ and saw him. He eventually turned around and I gave the bag to him. He walked along side me on the way back and he crushed them in the bag. I wonder if he ate them. I hope so. It cost me only 30 cents or so.

After the workshop and cheap cell phone purchasing, Liz, Lisa and me went to dinner at Kumars—the same place I went with a big group of girls about a month ago. Delicious food once again was consumed. I ate so much I said, “I can’t eat anymore.” Liz’s response was, “ Kelly, you’re not the same when you’re not eating a lot.” Ha!

It rained (Shishya got hail during the day!) last Saturday and there was thunder and lightning too that night. One big bang was right above us in the middle of the night (that woke up everybody) and I think it blew our electricity box out. I had morning duty with the boys on Saturday so I woke them up and helped them get ready for school and the day. All day the thunder rolled and lighting in the sky. Most of the kids from the area didn’t even come to school. All the rain we got the last few days reminds me of how it rains in southeast, Alaska and it made me a little homesick.

Last Sunday I actually lost my appetite all together. I ate too much chow mein on one of the boy’s birthdays with too much oil in it and I was so sick the next day and couldn't make it through church. I still haven’t felt back to 100% and it has halted my food intake tremendously—which is probably a good thing.

In 8th English the other day the boys were laughing and I figured out it was because the way I was sitting on the ground, you could see the string from my pants hanging out... which is a big no no. Kind of like having your fly down I guess. Oops.

It isn’t uncommon to see men of all ages in India holding hands with each other. It’s a way of expressing friendship!

I put the boys to bed the first time last week one night. It was fun praying with all the boys before bed. Apparently there is a song I need to learn… Amanda can you help me out? ;)

I have had a cough all week and have been feeling a little under the weather. Since school started up volunteers have been subbing at the last minute. For those that know me, I can stress big time. I’m trying to work on that here but having night terrors every night since I got back from my trip hasn’t been helping either (Poor Liz. It’s always something exciting happening every night. A few nights ago a big elephant walked in our room through the window.) I now help about 4 little boys with homework 6 nights a week and at the end of the night I feel exhausted and sometimes still have to plan for school the next day. I just wish I felt completely normal again. The night terrors add to exhaustion the next day. I again couldn't remember the last time I showered yesterday so I thought it was time to do so. I have been wanting to start running again but I don’t feel good enough too. So I decided today during the day I would finally bathe myself (going to bed with wet hair is coolllddd)—then I learned that our water tank to our apartment needed to be filled. So I bit the bullet and went to bed with wet hair.

I did my first Life Skills assembly this morning for grades 1-3. (We talked about times we feel angry and good ways to deal with it). There will be some adjustments for the next assembly... but overall it was okay. I'm glad to be doing it! Rahul said to me when I walked in the door for dinner, "Life Skills was so nice ma'm!!!". I'm glad someone thought so!

For Some of You

The experience of being in India so far has been absolutely incredible and I am learning so much about myself, God and other people. Shishya is such a neat community. The school I help teach at has about 550 local students and the home has about thirty boys I help take care for. With all the pollution, shortage/bad water, poverty, crime and corruption in the rest of India, this oasis here is clearly reflecting God’s love in so many ways. The children that live here help work on the farm that produces a lot of our food we eat. Self-sustainability and the importance of taking care of the environment is so strongly enforced. I feel so at home here and I feel very much apart of this wonderful family. The boys that live here at Shishya come from underprivileged homes where their parents, if they have any, are unable to provide for them. Indian families at Shishya, with their own children, raise the boys in a home and volunteers come in as needed to help in any way possible with helping raise them. I have been here since mid November and I go back to Alaska at the end of April.

Ever since high school I always had the desire in the back of my mind to volunteer at an orphanage in India. Connections through my photography teacher my junior year of college got me in touch with Shishya. God had me come to this place for a reason, and the way I ended here was definitely His will. I figured with one year of my Masters degree under my belt, and with no other real obligations to report to, these five months seemed like great timing to volunteer in India. As soon as I get back to Alaska I hope to dive right into my masters program again and finish in two years. The timing has been perfect for this experience and I feel so lucky and blessed to be here.

Besides helping the boys in the home, my biggest contribution has been mostly teaching English to junior high grades but starting this month I will be doing more than just adding to the life skills curriculum and teaching it to 8th graders too. Up until I leave, I will be doing assemblies on life skills topics, which I am really excited about! I will continue to teach moral science (Sunday school) to first grade a few times a week. With my undergraduate degree in psychology, and gradually working on my masters now in school counseling, this place has been a good fit for me and I feel like I am contributing in many different ways.

I am so happy to be here to contribute to the lives of all the children I meet. I’m taking time off from work and school to do this volunteering and there have been some different expenses I’ve encountered. For example travel costs, visas, Shishya room and board, insurance, vaccinations, life skills supplies I will leave behind and not to mention the price for taking time off work and/for school add up. Everything so far, in regards to Shishya, has cost about $3,000 for me. Since some of you have offered, anyone who would like to may contribute to my expenses through PayPal or check. Your continued prayers, thoughts, and words of encouragement are just as important and will continue to impact my service here immensely.

Please continue to check up on my blog. It is the best way to keep up with all my experiences here. The link for donations is below which is a PayPal link to me. If you would rather send a check, the address is PO Box 1667 Haines, Alaska 99827. I welcome any questions or conversation about my experiences, so please feel free to email or write. If you would like a mailed letter please email me with your home address.

To donate through PayPal click here:
--from here you click "Send Money" on the top margin (you’re paying someone in the United States), enter amount and then select payment for Friends and family then keljhansen@gmail.com in the To: space. You’ll need PayPal account to do this, but it’s free and easy to set up. If you’d prefer to skip this method and send a check or money order via mail, the address is listed above.

Being back!

Being back at Shishya after our travels has been fantastic. The first night we were with the boys we walked in before dinner and they were huddled around a little burning coal bowl and they were singing songs. I swear some of the boys are growing drastically over night! Rohan looks bigger every day. It’s cold here. Some mornings there is frost on the ground and there is no heating in India so at night we have to bundle up!

There was supposed to be two days of school this week coming back, but unexpectedly Thursday was a holiday too, and we didn’t find that out until Wednesday afternoon AFTER school was out. Thursday and Friday are Hindu holidays so no school in India is happening. So much for lesson planning ahead! Seems like holidays spring up out of nowhere! India time is funny. People take their time on most things so people always said before I came here ‘don’t plan on planning anything when it comes to traveling or school… things just happen!’ So true.

I knew that arranged marriage happened in India. But what I didn’t know was that everyone does it-regardless of what religion you are. Hindus, Muslims and Christians have arranged marriages. There are few “Love Marriages” here. A teacher is getting married in a few weeks and we are invited!

I have yet to take a picture of how some of the women here carry things on their heads. Long piles of sticks and wood, bowls, piles of clothing all get stacked on there and often times with no hands. They all seem to have really good posture…

The farm here produces a lot of our food we eat. Near the house there is mustard seed from the farm on tarps the boys are going through that will eventually be made into oil for cooking. I think they sell it too. Self-sustainability and the importance of taking care of the environment is so strongly enforced here. Everyone recycles and there is never trash anywhere on campus. I learned that kids at school are not aloud to bring food in plastic. Like I said before, Shishya is such a great little oasis from the rest of India.

A couple from England came the same day we got back to volunteer. They are in their early twenties and their names are Charlotte (Charlie) and Mike! It’s always great to see new faces.

The night we got back we realized right away that Amanda was gone. She has been here off and on for three years and we missed her big send off party. We thought and prayed for her a lot while we were away. Miraj, who celebrated his birthday a few days ago, asked me around the coal fire at the house when I was leaving. I said end of April, and little Ashish, who I am now also helping with homework asked me, “But you will be here for next Christmas.” My heart sank. I said no… and should have said my sister is getting married around that time. But I see the pull to what to come and spend so much time here. It’s amazing that the boys allow themselves to attach to volunteers, even though they know they will eventually leave.

My mom sent some Alaskan children's books for the boys and they were like kids in a candy shop! They're great books! Thanks, Ma! I wrote little messages in the inside covers telling the boys to remember how much I love them when they read it and that even under the midnight sun I will be thinking of them always! For the ABC book I said "You will Always Be Completely loved by me" :)



After reading a few Alaska books at the small boys house last night, I walked back in the dark by myself using my headlamp as a flashlight. I felt so at peace about so many things. I stopped, turned my light off and stared up at the stars and thanked God for the opportunity to be here and everything else in my life. I could have stood there all night, and even in the cold I felt so content and filled with overwhelming joy.

India Holiday Vacation

Liz and I traveled for two weeks after Christmas at Shishya. Over night houseboat in the Kerala backwaters where we saw rural lifestyle of people living there, sitting on a beautiful beach in Goa for five days with a unique parasailing experience and where we met an Indian man whose response was “Petersburg Pilot” (local newspaper there) when I said I was from Alaska, shopping in Jaipor (where camels are used instead of horses drawing working trailers and things) and seeing how beautiful things were made, with sightseeing of old forts and palaces built as old as the 1500’s and randomly meeting the artist that made the piece of art Liz walked by on her way to work every day in Chicago at a small roof top restaurant. We saw a Bollywood movie with a joke about Alaska in it, and among other things a failed attempt to see the inside of the Taj Mahal.

In between these places with overnight trains (one closed the doors before we got the car and it started leaving and we were screaming from the outside for someone to open it! Someone did thank goodness… that would NOT have been a good train station to get stuck at night!), crazy rickshaw rides, bus rides (only one available round new years was the local bus which was cheap and long and crowded and bumpy overnight with all the smells of India streaming in…) long taxi rides, plane rides (one was late… and luckily so was our train we needed to catch!) late trains (sitting in cold Agra station with your train 10+hours late over night is not fun when there is a bathroom in the room smelling up everything and everyone. The Taj wasn’t even open that day so it was a lot of unnecessary chaoticness!) shopping all over, meeting people from all over the world (everyone we saw that wasn’t Indian were carrying lonely planet books!) and of course consuming lots of delicious food. Some Indian people wanted to rip you off but some were genuinely nice. Of course no Indian vacation is complete without getting a little sick, too. The trip was an awesome experience but it’s so nice being back at beautiful Shishya!

December 25- night train to Delhi
December 26- flight to Goa
December 26-night train to Kerala
December 27-Night in Alleppey, Kerala
December 28-House boat over night
December 29-night bus to Mangalore
December 30-taxi to Goa
January 4-flight to Delhi
January 4-night train to Jaipor
January 7-early train to Agra to see Taj Mahal
January 8-taxi back to Dehra Dun

So many stories in between!

Please check out the rest of my pictures here!