one whole week in India

Hello!

Sorry we have not written for so long, internet is very slow and we don't get theat much access either. So much to tell from the last few days...I will try and mention some highlights! We have started yoga at this stuido near our place, which was recommended to us from the girls who went on this same placement last year. I am not sure what kind of yoga it is but they look at you and then make up a special set of exercises for you to do individually each time you come. When you are more advanced I imagine you can do the moves alone but as Rach and I are new, we get one to one attention with these yoga teachers for our whole session. I have both times gotten the strict one who repeatedly tells me I am doing things "wrong" and to "stop looking around" and she really frowns if I start to laugh! But after the session is over she is all smiles and asking me where I am from and if I am married:) The funniest part of yoga is that Rachel has a special excercise for her eyes. She was wearing her glasses the first day we came and the head instructor asked her what her perscription was and then designed a special activity to improve Rachel's vision. The pose involves Rach sitting outside on the balcony of the studio and blinking a few times and then covering her eyes with her hands a few times...fingers crossed she will have 20/20 vision when we return! I cannot look at her when she does this pose or else I canont stop laughing:)

We had a good day at placement on friday, getting to do a full physical assessment and practice a handwriting assessment. We are both really looking forward to hydrotherapy which apparently starts this week and getting to do more and more hands on stuff. I am really enjoying getting to know the kids in the one class where Rach and I have our assigned student in, they are so cute, one of my favourites is a little girl called mumpy who does not have cerebral palsy but is deaf had taught us sign language and some dance moves already!

We decided to stay in Kolkata this weekend and see some of the sights. On saturday morning we went to volunteer with 3 of the physiotherapists from the ICCP at one of mother theresa's charity homes, it is one that houses children with disabiliites (mainly CP and Downs) who are orphaned, apparently they are often just found on the street. It was a really interesting experience, it is so sad in one way but also I was amazed at how many inernational volunteers were there to work with the children, so at least the children seem to be getting a lot of attention and love. We also went to a famous hindu temple, a memorial for Queen Vistoria, botanical gardens, and this amazing bridge and flower market. We have taken a lot of public transit lately which has been an eye-opening experince for sure! I actually love the buses when we get a seat because it is so amazing to watch what is going on outside the window, the people, the animals, the clours, the sounds...its so much to take in. The trains and buses are so crowded I cannot really explain it except to say that every part of my body is touching comeone else...worse than the 99 in rush hour! But despite the ridiculous number of people (mainly men), I have felt completely safe, I am not worried about my things being stolen really at all and often people have given up their seatsd for us and insisted we take them. Also people on the streets are generally pretty helpful when they see us two looking completely lost, if they cannot understand English they find someone else who can speak a little:) The times when I have found people to be rude or pushy or really taking advantage of us is at touristy places, otherwise, I have found Indian people to be so friendly and helpful.

We are planning to got away next weekend, but just need to decide where and figure out the next public transit method..trains! Hope eveyone is doing well in Canada:)