Well, here I am! After approximately six months of discernment, a good amount of flip-flopping, several scrapped application essays, hours of research, an acceptance, a few vaccines, and two flights I am finally in Aymanam! I have only been in India for a little over 24 hours, but I have already seen and felt so much.
This upcoming year will be spent serving a community in Kerala, India as a teacher at the Holy Cross School of Aymanam. The students at the school range in age from playschool (pre-K) to class 10 (tenth grade). It's pretty ironic that I have ended up as a teacher, because I began my first semester at Stonehill as an early-childhood education major, but quickly changed this when I realized that having my own classroom was simply not something I wanted to do. Despite this early aversion to classroom teaching, I could not physically be more excited to help the students of Holy Cross School improve their English, and supplement whichever subjects need extra teaching help. I am, of course, incredibly nervous to command the attention of a 30 student classroom without any formal education training other than a few ECE classes I took three years ago, but I am (perhaps naively) up for the challenge! I have decided that this must be my attitude going into the classroom because children, like spiders and other things I am afraid of, can smell fear.
When I studied abroad in Athens, I remember being overwhelmingly ecstatic to arrive and start having adventures immediately. I did not feel a shred of homesickness. Of course this was a different scenario, I was there purely for fun (yes Ma I went to class sometimes too) and to travel and see the world. This time around it is different. I do intend to explore, travel India, and have much fun, but I am here to serve and teach. The difference in responsibility, and the starkly different culture are juxtaposed to the fun and frivolous time I had in Athens. Now, I feel a little homesick, but I'm choosing to blame it on jet lag for the time being. This year will be a challenge and an adventure. I will learn so much from my students, the community, and this culture. I will also hopefully learn how to not throw a hissy fit every time I see a spider. I will learn how to master the bucket shower, eat things I have never tried before, and wear full length pants when it is one million degrees outside. I brought with me a mindset of openness to experience, and I will tackle the challenges this year brings me the best I can.
Am I avoiding full-time postgraduate employment? Yes and no. Sure, I am not technically employed because I will not be paid for my work, but this was an intentional decision to spend a year giving thanks for my education in a meaningful way. Don't worry Eddie P, I'll get a job when I come back, but I knew this was an opportunity I would be silly to pass up. Don't miss me too much friends!
