One month ago we arrived in India not knowing what to expect. We would be volunteering at a children’s home, an experience very few people we know had embarked on. Our three and a half weeks at RSO have shown us a little of what we had expected and a lot of what we hadn’t. We didn’t know the country would be so traditional or that there would be so much trash everywhere. We didn’t know that life was so cheap or that we would be spending our time with such incredible children.
We started off our time with the children just teaching them. They were very quick learners and impressed us with their previously acquired knowledge. They knew many songs in English, even some that we had never heard! They knew many words and some could speak in complete sentences to us. Soon we became more than teachers and befriended the children too. Although some were more hesitant to come out of their shell than others, they all eventually became our little buddies. We loved to play games with them at recess everyday and always looked forward to a chance to read them a story or take a photo with them on the computer. We enjoyed taking them swimming and teaching them how to dive and swim in the pool.
Soon we were inseparable from the kids. They shouted our names every time we walked into the room and asked us to play ball or flip them over our shoulders. We grew close to every last one of them, and during our time learned some valuable lessons. Through the creation of charities like this, these children are getting chances that would have been impossible otherwise. RSO has taught us a few people can make a difference and any amount of service you can give is worthwhile. So with heavy hearts and fond memories we leave these amazing kids. Until next time RSO…
Technorati Tags: Chennai, India, Rising Star Outreach, Round the world, RTW
