15 Oct - Home from Home - Adaptation

Pedong has become very familiar. We have now explored it as thoroughly as home. In fact it feels a lot like home: we are comfortable with the hustle and bustle; there is routine to our wanderings and jogs, from a route perspective as much as as knowing who we're going to bump into, where and when; our place in the community as teachers, volunteers, friends or entertainment (as we do laps of the playing field in our trainers) is settled; there's the path that takes us home to the little room we call ours; and the familiar intricacies and surrounds which make Pedong Pedong.

But it's not just the place that feels normal. I remember turning to Sarah before we left: "I feel such a fraud. I mean, they're trusting me to go and teach English. I'm not a teacher, far less a language expert. No training, nothing." And yet, in similar fashion, here I am inventing activities, making resources, and teaching as if it were what I always do. Gosh, I've learnt, no, am learning so so much about myself, my respect for Sarah's profession, and about children and some pretty basic people skills.

Yet we've only been here 4 weeks. Four quick weeks, most of which have been spent in the classroom, planning for the classroom, or away for weekends exploring the surrounding area. What evidence to prove individuals' abilities to adapt, to remove the norms, and reasonably quickly be able to fit in, and, I suppose, use the new environment comfortably. It's not that different to deploying to Kandahar or Camp Bastion really; a bit more colourful, less routine, exciting in entirely different ways, and of course not constrained by the harsh reality of war. Getting used to the new, a concept so readily avoided and feared, it transpires is not so tough, because the new isn't new for very long.

For our teachers here at KCS however, the new is causing some interesting reactions. Anmol, Parsuram, Samrat and Jyoti are getting it: varying levels of effort to understand, appreciate, and use modern techniques. Great. But others are displaying a surprising behaviour. Despite our openness, our clearly stated intent that we are here to help them, they have regressed. It may be due to laziness or other motivations, but their apparent maturity and social skill has markedly regressed. The pressure they perceive has seemingly pushed them back to the last point in their lives where they were comfortable: being children at school. The evidence is plain to see; whispering, gossip, shy giggles, the tendency to look at the floor when being spoken to, and an embarrassed grin if faced with anything other than agreement or trivial conversation, a challenge which makes them have to think or act. And a strange desire to complete childlike tasks. I caught one of them recently colouring in an outline from a nursery book, others trying out reception level puzzles - and not to test them before handing to the children. Of course, for many of them, teaching at Kids's Castle is indeed the first foray they have taken into the real world, and certainly the first time they have met the likes of us with our unusual manner and crazy ideas. Human behaviour then, here, appears to be functioning entirely normally; something I never thought that I would say.

Talking of normal out here, my final observation from today is one which I have heard nearly every day since our arrival. "Good morning, PD" I greet Gautam's father, who lives downstairs. "Yes, yes, yes" is his normal reply. Looks like his generation must have been indoctrinated too!

Pictures:

GB teaching students (reflection of light) and helping teachers.

The teachers frantically colouring in.

A couple of Pedong centre. Indian competition for Bradford's Building Supplies!