Almost a month has passed since I arrived here and although I have started to find my feet there are many days on which I am still aware of my inherent Englishness. An interesting example of this is the way in which I have embraced the recent change in the weather here. In February it is usually hot and entirely devoid of even the smallest cloud on the horizon, however in the last week we have experienced extremely unusual amounts of cloud and on most days a shower of rain, this has given the general sense of English summer time and I must admit I am enjoying the slightly cool dampness of it.
On Wednesday of this week, despite the slightly damp weather the charity had plenty to celebrate. Three new area centres for education and community health care were inaugurated. The buildings had been standing empty for a little while waiting to become useful because the funding had been received from a Japanese government grant for grassroots development. This meant that using the facilities was out of the question until a Japanese ambassador had come to our rural setting to cut some ribbons across the thresholds. We were quite literally waiting for the red tape to be out of the way…
So Wednesday dawned in all its cloudy glory and the celebrations begun. Streamers made of palm leaves lined the pathway down to the nearest building behind the school. A large bamboo and bright fabric tent was erected in the grounds for the inevitable speeches. Tribal men were wondering around in traditional dress with drums and pipes. It was really quite a show. The Japanese ambassador (looking rather hot in his suit) even managed to deliver a couple of lines in Tamil during his address to the crowd which had gathered. After the cutting of the ribbons, the lighting of some candles, grand speeches and tuneful singing by the school choir the time came for a massive communal free lunch. I have attached a photo of the children lined up to receive their veg biryani.
It was a lovely day and in true British form despite the clouds I managed to get sun burn on the back of my neck.
This is only a short blog for now but I am in the middle of writing a much longer one. I hear all of your cries for more photographs so here are a few.
The mobile van we do clinics in
a child in one of the villages playing with a spinning top
Love you all, more writing and pictures very soon!
A x
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