Nepal

So with less than a week till I was flying out, I still hadn't booked the tickets, as I just couldn't face going by myself. And then one night just before bible class at Shunem, when Hannah and I were having our weekly chat over a bunch of grapes, Hannah decided that she was going to come with me!!

Sarah and I were booked for Rajahmundry the weekend before to check on some of Praveen's contacts who were supposedly ready for baptism (and who didn't even know about God when we arrived) and to visit some schools in the area to check on prices for Preethi's education.

So it was all pretty full on, trying to get in touch with the Nepalese embassy and ascertain how many days I needed to apply for the Indian visa there, and to book the tickets, and organise different dates for Hannah and I....but one afternoon I was coming home from work, and Hannah was in the compound, and we had the USD to get into the country (thanks to some daytime work on Sarah's part) and basically we were leaving.

What next? (if it's badly written, it's cause I'm feeling sick as I write)

I really don't know where I'm up to except that I haven't written for about a month.
A month is a very long time when you're living in India.

I remember getting back from Bangladesh and going back to school, feeling very confused as to what next when I only received a one month visa. Praying for God to show me the way.

So I spent the next couple of weeks checking online for the feasability of trying for a visa somewhere else.

While all this was going on internally Sarah, Hannah, Susie, Amy & Sarah Aunty and I travelled down to Bangalore for the Sister's weekend down there. Most of the topics were the same from the previous one in Hyderabad, with an extra set of meditations to close Sunday afternoon before the usual prayer groups. I led a quiz night which was fun. Indians are just so competitive.

Life at the school had changed dramatically from when I first arrived and during the last month all we were doing everyday revolved around our 'Wizard of Oz' musical which Maggie Galbraith was conducting. So that was quite unsettling for the kids...and then the teacher I was working for took time off for a wedding, and left me in charge of the kids by myself for a couple of days with supervisors checking on me.
It's quite hard work maintaining control of a class of 5 year olds. Especially after lunch!!
Made me wonder what the opposite spectrum would be like to teach.

Then Vasavi (my classroom teacher) came in one day with the news that she had to have an operation and would be going on leave the next week. Mayhem. It was at this time that I was trying to work out exactly what day I'd be finishing at the school before the holidays to go and get a visa in Nepal, and the poor students suffered again with both of their semi permanent teachers leaving even before their production.

Anyways basically, I left 2 days after Vasavi which meant the kid had another relief teacher for the 1.5 weeks before their holidays started.