March 31, 2008

Photo: Some of the beautiful teachers that came to lunch

Well things are progressing in Bodhgaya at the Bakrour school.
But instead how about a story. The other morning I went to take a shower. We flip on the switch to the water heater on for a few minutes and then we have hot water. I flipped the switch, waited, turned on the hot, mixed with cold, fabulous. In the afternoon I was all sweaty and grimy, so wanting a cold shower I didn't flip on the switch. I turned on the cold and out came blasting scalding hot water. Scalded, I turned off the cold and turned on the hot, out came cold water. Hmmmm. Apparently the "cold" water was sitting in a black tank on the roof all day getting scalding hot, and the "hot" was sitting in an insulated water tank in our bathroom all day staying nice and cool. Only in India can hot and cold water switch during the day.

We had a board meeting with the school's board and all the staff. They requested many things. Some we accepted, others we rejected and some we said we would have to take to a higher authority. All the things they requested were reasonable. Stuff like there are four teachers at Busardi but only 2 chairs so there wanted two more chairs. The roof leaks. They want books. They want more salary.

We bought lunch for the school today. The cooks arrived early. They built there own stove out of mud and bricks. They used charcoal. Five men chopped up fresh vegetables, ground there own masala spice, made bread and served 160 meals. Price $77.00 everything included.

We are doing stuff at the school everyday. It's tiring, but a good tiring. We met another traveler and brought her to the school. She broke down and cried. I guess the experience reminder her of her own simple eduction she had in Guyana, South America.

One little girl we adore. Her name is Pinky. She is so bright and sharp. She tries so hard. She walks straight backed and fast and wearing the same two year old school uniform everyday.