Us, the girls, and their housemothers on our first day.
Hello Our Kidders!
It’s Carly once more, alive and online from India. My time in this mystifying country is coming to an end – it has been 40 long days of heat, noise, and experiences to fill three notebooks. I’m sure there’s another to be filled with the lessons and perspectives I’ve gained from participating in a culture so completely different than the one I know in Canada.
Through all the places I’ve been – The Amber Fort in Jaipur, the desert in Jasailmer, the great River Ganges in Varanasi, the lush forests of the south, and only a few days ago the one and only Taj Mahal – there is one that I wish, I mean truly wish, I could go back to. In Ajmer, a mountainside town in Rajasthan, my travelmates and I spent some time working in the local boys’ and girls’ orphanages, teaching special projects we created for them. I worked with 28 beautiful, smart, and funny girls, ages ranging from 5 to 17. Our main project was an art book that promoted individuality and self reflection, but we ended up dancing, singing, laughing, and just goofing off a lot of the time too.
These girls have gone through unimagineable hardships, yet the spirit in their eyes was untameable. Without a traditional family structure, which is so important in Indian culture, they’re in for no easy ride. So once they turn 18, often they are encouraged to find a husband and start a family, and risk losing the opportunity to experience a real childhood, discover their unique identity, or pursue a higher education. Fortunately, more and more of the girls are opening their eyes to the possibilities out there, and many told us they plan to teach math, or become a doctor, or to work in an orphanage like the one they grew up in. They looked at me, an un-married, educated, 22-year-old North American female like I was a role model, the picture of what they aspired to be. And I’ve never felt more humbled or grateful of the opportunities afforded to me solely by my place of birth.
Meenakshi draws a henna tattoo on my hand.
We went to the orphanage hoping to teach the girls how to look inside themself and discover what makes them special, something we feared woud be lost by living with 27 other young girls. But in the end, I think they taught me more – about life, hardships, dedication, hope, and the power of friendship. There were tears on both sides when we left, and though they may not remember that 22-year-old Canadian girl who spent a few weeks doing art with them forever, I’m glad to know I’ll never forget Meenakshi, Poonam, Meena, Jayshree, and all the others who’ve given me the inspiration to overcome, overpower, succeed.
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