The Wensleydale School in Amala, India 2011

2011-10-20T06:23:00.000+01:00

Here is a short video from the trip this summer. We will be holding an event later this term to show the full video and tell you stories from the trip. Thanks to everyone for your support.

New Amala Website

2011-09-02T16:32:00.002+01:00

There is now a website for the Amala Children's Home and School at www.amalachildrenshome.org/ Some of the pictures we took whilst we were there and the site looks very professional. I helped negotiate the deal for the website which was amazingly good value - I am tempted to outsource our own school website out to them. The IT team were based in Bangalore, India's Silicon Valley and were very professional.

Thanks for using the Blog

2011-08-08T10:56:00.000+01:00

Did you know that the blog has been looked at over 2000 times whilst we were away! Thanks to all of you who used it to keep up to date with events. We are in the process of sorting through photos and videos and will be putting up links so that you can see the best of them some time soon. Keep subscribed to the blog for future updates.

Landed at Manchester 7.15 pm

2011-07-28T19:15:00.000+01:00

In Dubai Airport

2011-07-28T10:37:00.000+01:00

We have landed in Dubai and are awaiting boarding. Quite a few of the students have headed straight for MacDonalds to get 'decent' food. I have gained a reputation for eating Indian food for the whole time we have been here but the lads in particular have tried to buy crisps, chocolate and fizzy pop at every opportunity they have had and then gorge on them. They have been fantasising about pizza, chips and burgers for nearly 3 weeks.

Anyway flight is being called should be in the uk by 7.15 pm.

Waiting for flight

2011-07-28T04:54:00.000+01:00

We are in Kochin airport waiting to board the flight to Dubai. We had a lovely day on the riceboats at Allepey yesterday and awoke at 5 am to leave for the airport.

We will text family and friends from Manchester airport to say what time to pick up from school or if being dropped off at home. Expected to land in Manchester at 7.15 pm all being well.

We have literally hundreds of videos and photos to share - we will pick the best and put onto a website to share. We'll then arrange a themed evening to explain more about the trip, show the videos and more.

Bye for now, Mark.

Nicely Settled in Kovalam, Kerala

2011-07-25T12:35:00.001+01:00

We finally arrived in Tivandrum Central at 11.45 pm. 12 hours after setting off. The train was reasonably quiet as crossed the plains of Tamil Nadu until we reached the very sudden tip of India. At that station it all went mad. Hundred of people boarded the train. Men moved luggage on the luggage racks, climbed over the seats and got themselves into a sleeping position. Ideal if your small and cheaper than a sleeping car. Some of the people had been to a wedding and there was lots of singing going on. It reminded me of what it is like if get on a train after a football match in England - I suspect any foreigners would have the same feeling. However, when we reached Tivandrum it went mad. The Indians still on the train were so desperate to get seats as we vacated them that they started moving into our places before we could even get up. It was a complete log jam and nobody could go anywhere. All you could do was to push very hard to get out of your seat and get your bags. The only exception was the kindly gentlemen who helped me down with my bags beacuse he was so keen to get a sleeping position on the luggage rack. The whole process sort of reflects the driving experience as well - no rules! Do what you want.

Once off the train we were met by the representative from Aries Travel who took us to two air conditioned coaches to transport us to the hotel in Kovalam where we were met with sandwhiches and cold drinks. Everyone has really liked their rooms in the hotel. Some of the lads were partularly keen to find TV's and watched things like James Bond and Indiana Jones - so much for the cultural experience.

The hotel is just above the beach and everything is covered in a fine sea spray from the crashing waves. The lighhouse nearby sends out 3 beams of light out to sea.

This morning everyone was up after a good nights sleep and the shopping for gifts for all of you at home has commenced. So if your child, partner or spouse is on the trip expect lots of gifts! Give them hell if you get nothing - that's me as a I hate shopping so much I prefer the hell! Haggling has become quite a sport!

The beach is black and the shops are restaurants are right on the sea front - no cars or honking of horns - wonderful. We are eating in the hotel tonight. Tomorrow we head out after breakfast to see and ride elephants, see the palace in Tivandrum and the amazing beaches and cliffs at Varculu. On Wednesday an early start to get to Allepy and join a houseboat for a cruise in the backwaters of Kerala.

Best wishes to everyone at home.

Mark.

On the train-4 hours gone 8 to go

2011-07-24T12:24:00.001+01:00

We have left Amala with lots of tears from our students and the children in the home. We are now in second class seating having expected to be on sleeper carriage. Still we have space just a long way to go!

One more day in Amala Left

2011-07-23T05:58:00.000+01:00

Yesterday was Kim Nicholson's birthday and we celebrated in style in the evening with a huge birthday cake, baked fresh in the local town. We were joined by a couple of local businessmen and supporters of Raja's work in Amala. Later in the evening we were able to hook up with cricket in England and watch the last few overs of the day whilst sitting outside in the cool evening air. It is dark here by 6.30 and light in the morning about 6 am. Being so close to the equator, sunset and sunrise times only change by about half an hour during the year. Liam and Sam chose to sleep on the roof last night (quite safe I assure you) and they said they had the best nights sleep so far.

I took some whole school photos in the afternoon and have put a copy below for you to see. This morning I hope to take a similar picture of the primary school. This evening we will be having some entertainment put on by the children in the home and we will also have to do some of our own - we don't know what yet!

Sam and Liam sleeping on the roof

High School 2011 - plus one extra - can you spot him?

Raja, Tannil and Kumar sitting with the students last night

More rain and a day in Pondy

2011-07-22T08:26:00.000+01:00

Wednesday evening saw rain and lightning in Amala. Almost all of us sat out in the rain and enjoyed a cool shower (downpour). See the picture below.

Yesterday we spent the day in old French Pondicherry buying saris, watching festivals and sitting by the beach drinking coffee - sorry that seems indulgent doesn't it. We didn't get back until midnight. Don't worry we were back today teaching and working hard again. Tonight we have to learn the lyrics to Summer Lovin to perform to the students. Pity Sully who spent the day in Amala thinking he had a dodgy tummy only to feel better an hour after we left.

Sunday we leave for Tivandrum on a 11 hour train journey. Next blog will probably not be until Monday midday at the earliest. We are all well here and looking forward to a cooler climate.

Mark.

P.S. Hoping to have video conference with school at 10 am UK time today!

Askrigg School Letters - a cultural exchange

2011-07-19T10:46:00.000+01:00

Yesterday, Elin and Jess presented letters written by some of the students in Askrigg School to the students in Amala primary school. The children here read the letters and then drafted their own replies before writing them formally. It has been interesting to compare the two different cultures here. One child here described their favourite animals as a peacock and a parrot, another a dog and a tiger.

I have taken a video of the children reading the letters and will hopefully show it to the children in Askrigg at the start of term.

An Unexpected Invitation

2011-07-19T10:12:00.000+01:00

I always maintained that I wanted to see the ‘real India’, and yesterday I think I caught a glimpse. Raja, our host here at Amala, invited us to attend a local Indian funeral and as the ever intrepid Religious Studies teacher I took him up on his offer. Sadly, none of the students came, as they were feeling quite uncomfortable about the event. However, as Raja informed me on the way to the ceremony, in India everyone is welcome, and if more people turn up, then a greater amount of respect for the dead person is shown. But you must never confirm your attendance, as this will bring bad omens, you simply say, “I will go and come.”

We arrived in a rural village with small huts lining a mud track, there was a group of around one hundred mourners dressed in bright, vibrant colours. The sound was the first thing that struck me, drums, bells and crying, a huge outpouring of grief. To say that I stood out would be an understatement, the only white person in a mass of wailing and screaming local men and women. My intention had been to be the observer, but the mourners had other ideas and included me fully in the ceremony. A man pulled me to the wagon at the centre of the crowd and showed me the body of a young man contained in the open casket. Women around me continued to shout their woes and slapped the floral garlands around the wagon. I was grabbed and held and both men and women tried to explain their grief through noise. At one point a man overturned a table on the road to make way for more people, sending candlesticks and offerings to the mud floor.

The combination of heat, sound and mass hysteria deeply affected me, carrying me away with the feelings and emotions of those around me. But then the wagon lurched forward, a few moments pass and calm is restored. We have paid our respects and it’s time to go home, the wagon continues to the local church for the body to be buried. Fundamentally the service will be a Christian one, but the rituals that I encountered were spawned from centuries of Hindu tradition. For me, this trip has been an opportunity to see Hinduism as a living religion, adapted and interpreted in the place where it began.

Kim Nicholson

Pictures from the Weekend

2011-07-19T06:17:00.001+01:00

The weekend

2011-07-18T11:06:00.000+01:00

Friday night's basketball match didn't happen, they must have been scared off when they saw how powerful our team looked! Instead we went on a trip into Vriddichalum to look at the temple and were treated to an amazing experience. We went right into the inner sanctum which is normally reserved for Hindus only, and witnessed the rituals they performed there this included our bus driver confessing his sins (if you have ever been on an Indian bus you would understand).

We spent Saturday playing with the children in the orphanage, planning lessons and doing washing. Liam had a particularly expensive and unpleasant experience when on returning to the home late on Sunday night after a rather blustery evening his Jack Wills boxers and two t-shirts had been blown off the washing line where he had lovingly placed them, into the next district!

The children in the orphanage loved all the gifts and toys we brought them and the pleasure it gave them really made it worth while bringing them all out here.

On Saturday night some of the group went with Raja to buy a new fridge for Victoria the cook. This was a good opportunity to look round the bazaar and purchase some much needed sugar fixes and taste the delicious cardamon tea. On the way back we stopped to look at one of the largest open cast mines in the world until we were shooed away by men with guns!

Sunday was an early start for a day looking at historic temples. Our first stop was at Chidambaram which celebrates Shiva as a dancer off the universe. The temple has a hall of a thousand pillars but in fact there are only 999 and is dedicated to Shiva as Nataraja which means lord of the dance. We dipped our toes in the temple tank which is full of mud fish and supposed to cure all ailments. Next stop was lunch were we enjoyed some southern Indian cuisine and service and two hours later we resumed our journey. The highlight of the trip was a visit to Tanjore which boasts the Brihadishwara Temple and Fort which was built at around the same time as Norman the Conqueror was attacking England and is a national heritage site and absolutely amazing. We caused quite a stir ourselves as white skin westerners and were photographed almost as much as the beautiful buildings by the Indian tourists. We were on the bus with open doors and windows (most refreshing in the heat) for about 9 hours in total but it was a great day out. - not for Liam though with the discovery on our return of his missing Jack Wills!

Phillip Carlisle and Barbara Orkney

P.S. Run out of time to add pictures, will add some tomorrow!

First Day Teaching in Amala

2011-07-15T05:41:00.002+01:00

The students taught in the primary school yesterday for the first time. Grouped in pairs, each pair taught two primary classes each. Whilst each class was meant to have a teacher, they sometimes found themselves teaching on their own to a group of VERY enthusiastic children. I think at least every pair had at least one good group lesson. After school the boys played cricket with the children and were very surprised when a ball landed high in a coconut tree and one of the boys quickly shimmied up the tree and effortlessly retrieved the ball. The girls played with the children dancing and having lots of fun. As usual we had excellent food in the evening cooked by Victoria. Raja and I have hatched an idea to bring her over to the UK, set up a restaurant with produce sourced by the children's home. I can see a chain of restaurants now. Indeed, Raydale Preserves has a chutney called Victoria's Spice from one of her recipes here in Amala.

This evening the boys are being challenged to a basketball match with the High School Boys at 4 pm and then in the evening we are off to see the famous temples in nearby Vriddicuchlum

We are all still very hot and enjoyed a burst of monsoon rain yesterday evening - just don't stand underneath a coconut tree when the wind is blowing! The local Lions Club came this evening to honour Raja and a group photograph is attached. It is wonderful to see so much charity and community work going on locally.

Arrival in Amala

2011-07-13T13:33:00.001+01:00

We arrived late into Amala last evening after many hours on the road
to be welcomed by all the children with garlands of Jasmine hung over
our heads. The boys danced and played drums. We were welcomed in and
had dinner and fresh water. Afterwards we were able to have showers
and get our beds ready. Much fun was had setting up mosquito nets.
After a reasonable nights sleep and some breakfast we went for a tour
of the school and meet the teachers and students. We were surprised
to see two interactive whiteboards being used with computers. Raja has
rented the equipment to try and see if it improves the learning - he
is not sure how long they can afford to do so.
This afternoon we have created a teaching timetable for the students
and they have been preparing their lessons for tomorrow. The water is
off at the moment as Jodie got a nasty surprise in the toilet when the
tap came off showering her with water. Amusing pictures will follow.
When the children came home from school our lads started playing
football and cricket which went down very well. Phil wants to bring
one of them home to play for Middleham.
We have a room set aside to set up the computers tomorrow, so I'll be
doing that as well as going into town to buy some loo roll - we are
running out already.
All else is well and we are getting used to the heat. There is very
little Internet connectivity so there may not be as many posts as I
would have liked and certainly no video conferencing as originally
hoped for.
Best wishes from everybody here to all those at home.
Mark.

Mallapurnum and Pondicherry Today

2011-07-12T04:37:00.000+01:00

Everyone has had a good nights sleep and feeling refreshed. Liam Murray could not be woken for tea last night but still managed to sleep through. The sound and smells of the city have surprised many of the students especially as it never abated all night. We are currently awaiting a bus from the children's home which will take use to amala via the world heritage site at Mallapurnum then Pondichery and finally late in the evening to Amala. Will try to keep everyone posted when we get to Amala.

All hot and bothered in Chennai

2011-07-11T19:02:00.000+01:00

It's very hot in Chennai. The bus did not appear to be here when we arrived which induced some mild panic. However it was there we just could not see the driver. We've rested up in the YWCA then we went out to the Egmore district to change money, eat some great vegetarian food and see a bit of city life. Mr Carlisle and Mr Murray managed to be expert hagglers and got the whole group excellent exchange rates. The hotel Internet does not work after 6pm (or before it seems) so this message is probably going to cost a fortune. Tomorrow we are being picked up at 9 am to travel to Amala. Will update the blog then. Mark.

All checked in and waiting around

2011-07-10T11:20:00.001+01:00

We're all checked in, through security and now able to relax and wait for call to board. From here on not sure what Internet facilities we'll get but home to update from Dubai and then Chennai. Staff are drinking coffee, the bright lights of the shops are attracting the students - wait until they get to Dubai!

We are off

2011-07-10T09:07:00.000+01:00

We are all aboard and setting off to Newcastle for the flight. Only hiccup was Mr Price almost reversing down the steps into the school kitchen.

Hand Luggage - what do I need?

2011-07-08T17:25:00.001+01:00

In case you are wondering what to take in your hand luggage on the trip I'd recommend the following:

Toothpaste and toothbrush - amazing how fresh it makes you feel on the plane
Reading / listening materials - e.g. ipod, kindle, books, mp3 player
Light jumper/fleece in case you get cold in the night on the plane
Boiled sweets - such as mints etc, freshens the mouth and stops your ears getting blocked on take off and landing

Don't cram too much in and don't take any forbidden objects unless you want them confiscated. See the Emirates website for more details.

Good packing and see you on Sunday at 8.30 am

All systems are go with rain forecast in India

2011-07-05T19:29:00.002+01:00

Only a few days before the off to Amala. The weather forecast is rain, rain, rain, rain. I've been told the rain is refreshing and a welcome break from the heat.

Thanks to all of those people who have contributed to the Amala fund and who have helped make this trip possible. In particular, The Yorkshire Building Society, Raye Wilkinson from Racing Welfare, The Upper Wensleydale Newsletter, the students and staff of The Wensleydale School, The Amala Trust and many more.

We'll be posting an update of the trip on these pages and we hope you'll keep track of all the goings on. If we can get the technology going we'll get pictures up to.

On our return we'll be putting together a roadshow to tell you all about the trip with a film and photos.