Tales from the Country.
on Mel and Steve in Nepal (Nepal), 01/Jan/2010 16:20, 34 days ago
Hello once again and a very Happy New Year to you all. Since Mel wrote the last blog single-handedly, and not to be outdone, I thought that I would take a turn. Unfortunately, being somewhat lazier than Mel, most of this blog consists of a poem that I wrote for the VSO Education newsletter and have pasted here. First though, the customary update on our news for the last month:We have been trying to keep busy during school closures for festivals, exam marking andbandhs(protests) but have managed to get into schools sometimes. In particular, we spent a very enjoyable and interesting week in the most remote part of our district, which we visited for the first time. We spent several nights staying at a residential school for the deaf where we had fun getting to know the children and learning sign language:We also got the chance to visit several small, rural schools. As we near the end of our placement (5 weeks and counting) and think back on all the interesting times that we have had here, it is travelling to and working in such schools that is probably the thing that I will miss most. Back in the UK, there are few schools that can compare with this:You never know what you'll encounter next. If you are very lucky and quiet, you may even get the chance to see some hobbits:To illustrate some of the ups and downs of working in rural schools, I composed this entirely unique and original poem for the VSO newsletter. Any similarity with a certain well known children’s book from theUK, is purely coincidental.I'm Going on a School HuntI’m going on a school hunt. I’m not stressed.What’s this? A busy bazaar.Can’t cycle round it, can’t cycle over it, must cycle through it.Honk honk, beep beep, vrooom vroom, ring ring (people smiling),Phew! Made it!I’m going on a school hunt. I’m not stressed.What’s this? A herd of cows in the road.Can’t cycle round it, can’t cycle over it, must cycle through it.Moo moo, ring ring, Dong Dong, ring ring (people smiling).Phew! Made it!I’m going on a school hunt. I’m not stressed.What’s this? ABhandh.Can’t cycle round it, can’t cycle over it, must cycle through it.Protest protest, chant chant, smelly burning tyre (people mostly smiling).Phew! Made it!I’m going on a school hunt. I’m not stressed.What’s this? Un-made up road.Can’t cycle round it, can’t cycle over it, must cycle along it.Bumpy bumpy, dusty coughing, bounce crash (people smiling).Phew! Made it!I’m going on a school hunt. I’m not stressed.What’s this? A river.Can’t cycle round it, can’t cycle over it, must cycle through it.Splish splosh, splash splish, gooey mud (people smiling).Phew! Made it!I’m going on a school hunt. I’m not stressed.What’s this? A swarm of children.Can’t cycle round it, can’t cycle over it, must cycle through it.“Hellogoodmorninghowareyou?”, “HellogoodmorningIamfine” (people smiling).Phew! Made it!I’m going on a school hunt. I’m not stressed.What’s this? The school’s closed for no apparent reason!Back through the children,“Hellogoodmorninghowareyou?”Back across the river, Splish splosh, splash splish, gooey mud.Back along the un-made up road, Bumpy bumpy, dusty coughing, bounce crash.Back through theBhandh.Protest protest, chant chant, smelly burning tyre.Back through the cows, Moo moo, ring ring, Dong Dong, ring ring.Back through the busy bazaar, Honk honk, beep beep, vrooom vroom, ring ring.And safely home to bed (or at least, the office, same difference).To discover thehighsof working in rural schools, read the poem again but substitute the phrase‘school hunt’ with the word ‘adventure’. With apologies to Michael Rosen.For more photos from the Country and of our life here in general, don't forget to look at our photo albums. The latest one including some of our Christmas and New Year's parties, where we bemused our Nepali guests with 'Pass the Parcel' and 'Lucky Dip'. The latter was Mel's brilliant idea for getting rid of all our unwanted stationery and ornaments, prior to having to pack up. It worked a treat!