Given that classes are so short, it is a blessing that we have class on Saturday. The kids are quite demanding but I like it and am gaining more and more confidence. Some interesting notes about the kids - I have noticed a few of the girls (maybe 10 yrs old or so) have tattoos. Siddarth said that the tattoo on the forehead is a caste mark and some of the girls get necklace tattoos but was unsure of their significance or at what age they get them. I guess the girls marry as early as 12 and usually have babies soon after. As with the villagers, picture taking is a hit. As soon as the camera comes out, everyone is vying for attention. Donning turbans, flowers, or yelling “Didi, Didi” (trans. sister) to grab my attention. When the battery runs out, I resort to running around and tickling them. This has been almost as popular as the camera;) Some of the names: Lata, Parvati, Stella, Poonam, Pooja, Bindu, Pinki, Anuj, Anand, Dinesh. We play Karam, a board game like pool with flat disks worth varying amounts of rupees. I tried to play but my fingers are just to big and clumsy. Jump rope (only one for the whole school:(), football (soccer), and a form of hopscotch are also played. The kids help to clean classrooms, water plants, take care of the trees, and cut grass. Tomorrow is Sunday and considering all the hard work done during the week it is deemed a holiday. Not bad having a holiday every week;)
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