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Out of Town Trip
It was fantastic to take another trip out of town after missing the annual trip last year (lack of responsibility taken by the families for paying their loans). This year we decided to do something different. The children were a little reluctant not to be going back to the beach, but excited all the same. 25 students were chosen according to attendance, parent’s responsibility, and effort and behaviour in school. The parent’s of the children chosen were proud and the children even prouder. We left by bus to go to Aurangabad and within minutes it turned from being a transportation vehicle to a Bollywood hot spot. Few people were sitting. Everyone was dancing in the aisles! After 12 hours, we finally arrived in Aurangabad—the central point for our adventure. After a good nights sleep in a fantastic hostel we picked up past volunteer Nedi’s parent’s and grandma, and visited the Ajanta caves (200 BC to 500AD). A teaching opportunity should never be missed, and so after a brief explanation of the caves, the children looked in awe. They understood more than we expected and were asking questions continuously. After a lot of intellectual stimulation, what better way to cool down than by swimming in a stream. The missed beach was no longer a problem! Exhausted, we all turned in for the day after a sing-along. The following day was even bigger—the children saw a historic fort and another set of caves, Ellora (600-1000 A.D.). After the long day, we got back on the Bollywood bus and headed home. The girls and boy really seemed to gain a level of respect for each other through the trip. It was great having our special guests, the Algu family, with us—they have been long term supporters from afar; it was nice to have them close! |
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 The foreign / professional contingent at Vinod’s wedding. What a proud guy! |
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News Shorts
17 of our children had their second visit to the American school in December. The children did a special photo frame craft together, ate, played outside in the playground, sang songs for each other, and generally seemed to feel more comfortable with each other. A return trip to the One! school is being planned. Catherine the American School Kindergarten teacher sends supplies no longer needed at her school to One! School and encourages her children to raise money for One!. Our children are benefiting in many ways from the partnership. Wes Hosford Elementary School in Sherwood Park gathered school supplies, hygiene items and toys once again in November. They also raised money through a bake sale which will be used to replace sports equipment (the local Hindu shrine refused to return a soccer ball which was accidentally kicked into the temple). One of One!’s newest supporters, Cole Bonnar, was killed tragically while on a trip to Thailand. His family remembered him talking positively of the work One! is doing in India. They asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to One! International. Through the generosity of those who loved Cole, his legacy lives in on through the work with the children in India. |
Vinod’s Wedding
We (Marilyn and George as ‘grandparents’) were there for Vinod’s wedding along with three current volunteers, three ex-pat ladies, four teachers, one social worker, one past volunteer and Tania as ‘mom’. It was very prestigious for him to have the large number of professional and foreign people at his big event. It was a very nice wedding; rituals, tradition, good food, music and the happy bride and groom (Asha and Vinod) looking beautiful and handsome. Vinod is struggling with the realities of married life—establishing a relationship, working out the wrinkles of difference, and thinking of someone beside himself. Its hard enough when you have been dating your mate for months or years, but must be exponentially more difficult when you have only talked to her a handful of times.  |
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