#voluneering

Greetings you beautiful readers you, welcome back to the #Laksh2014 blog. Whilst you're still reading can I shamelessly ask you to follow this spectacular blog, it's one simple button just up there - you won't regret it (and I know everyone secretly has a Tumblr account so no excuses).

Anyways, today was absolutely awesome: We were up at 6:30 this morning to go to the Bani temple in the forests of Mangar which was quality, a really peaceful place and there were loads of peacocks (The national bird of India) and it was just a generally lush place. We were even lucky enough to be welcomed in for a drink by this strange looking bearded priest man: everyone called him Baba (Hindi for Father), he was dressed in white robes and was being waited on hand and foot by his entourage and he had these wicked dreadlocks and a sweet as hell beard, he also had this weird aura about him, I wasn't sure whether to be scared or starstruck. 

After that we came back to the farm for lesson planning, where Sangeeta taught an English lesson confidently with Ellie's help. Every day the teachers' confidence and English competency (Both written and verbal) are improving and it is truly wonderful to see. (I know we mention this every day but I really can't emphasize it enough, it's what we're out here to do and to actually see a difference is simply the best feeling).

After that a man came to do a session with everyone on the farm about farming techniques, although it was told entirely in Hindi, what I understood was really interesting: All about growing crops in raised beds, rotating types of plants and planting with the seasons. We may jabber on all about education on this blog but Laksh Foundation is so much more than that, there's the farm and the women's co-operative, giving women in the village a wage for sewing some incredibly cool looking clothes. Check out the Laksh Foundation Facebook page for more information on all the awesome stuff that we don't get a chance to mention here, it's definitely worth your time.

The evening classes were as fun as always, sadly our last day actually teaching as tomorrow we will drive round each center together for fun times, photos and goodbyes (Scrap that, this isn't goodbye, it's see you later...)

I think I speak for all of us when I say that we do not want to go home, we truly feel like part of the family here and we've met some amazing and inspiring people. Why can't we have come out here for 6 weeks? 4 weeks is just simply not long enough for such an incredible place (I hope you're reading this Helen and everyone else associated with the wonderful organisation of this project)... Now before I break down into tears writing this, I'll remind myself that we have 3 more days in India and I hereby promise to you the reader that I will make the most of every single second.

There's some wicked stuff happening this weekend so make sure you navigate your browser back to this blog in the coming days so you don't miss out, and the photos we have to show you this weekend when we re encounter that sweet sweet thing called WiFi are absolutely legendary.

Peace and love as always,