Before I came to India, I wondered how I would cope with not speaking Hindi. I need not have worried. Everyone wants to speak English, so you don't have to bother. However I try to at least say hello and thank you and I try to ask what the Hindi name is for things that I buy. Janet on the other hand doesn't mutter a word, she says Hi and Happy Monday. People look at her as if she is strange (they are not wrong) lol.
At St Mary's the children speak beautiful English and we are encouraged to speak to them all the time to improve their their pronouncation etc. This can be tricky and I think the children at times get confused with my accent. I begin a lesson with a Geordie accent followed by broken queens English and then a real odd thing happens. I start speaking with a South African accent that merges into an Australia accent it is so funny and I am aware it is happening. Janet just laughs.. I read one that some people who slip into a coma for a long time can wake up with a French accent etc.. That's happening to me but I haven't been in a coma.
Today however was the very first time at school that I struggled with not speaking Hindi. I was working with class 4 and teaching them about Vincent Van Gogh, their task was to draw a vase of sunflowers, listen to a story and make a tissue paper collage sunflower. OMG what a nightmare (even with teachers in the room). I asked Sister Jancy for teachers so they could held with translation but they just want to do the art projects and not bothered that the kids are climbing the walls.
I has 59 kids, that's way too many. I asked a teacher to calm them down, she came back with a long stick and banged the table several times. Janet and I burst out laughing. I told her I would be sacked for that and she just laughed. As soon as she left the classroom the noise in the room reached an all time high. I shorted QUIET, and low and behold they stopped looked at me and then in their beautiful voices said QUIET back. I said NO! Quiet please and put my finger to my lip. And you never guess........ They repeated my ever word. This went on for five minutes I was sweating and laughing at the same time. It was actually hysterical to watch. Janet was bent in two laughing. At the end the lovely sandscript male teacher entered the classroom and silence fell. I have never been so grateful for a mans helping hand.
So I have decided that the rest of my lesson plans I am going to pass over to the class teachers. I will teach them and they can teach the kids in Hindi. We will however be helping but I refuse to lead the remaining classes. I was exhausted.
At St Mary's the children speak beautiful English and we are encouraged to speak to them all the time to improve their their pronouncation etc. This can be tricky and I think the children at times get confused with my accent. I begin a lesson with a Geordie accent followed by broken queens English and then a real odd thing happens. I start speaking with a South African accent that merges into an Australia accent it is so funny and I am aware it is happening. Janet just laughs.. I read one that some people who slip into a coma for a long time can wake up with a French accent etc.. That's happening to me but I haven't been in a coma.
Today however was the very first time at school that I struggled with not speaking Hindi. I was working with class 4 and teaching them about Vincent Van Gogh, their task was to draw a vase of sunflowers, listen to a story and make a tissue paper collage sunflower. OMG what a nightmare (even with teachers in the room). I asked Sister Jancy for teachers so they could held with translation but they just want to do the art projects and not bothered that the kids are climbing the walls.
I has 59 kids, that's way too many. I asked a teacher to calm them down, she came back with a long stick and banged the table several times. Janet and I burst out laughing. I told her I would be sacked for that and she just laughed. As soon as she left the classroom the noise in the room reached an all time high. I shorted QUIET, and low and behold they stopped looked at me and then in their beautiful voices said QUIET back. I said NO! Quiet please and put my finger to my lip. And you never guess........ They repeated my ever word. This went on for five minutes I was sweating and laughing at the same time. It was actually hysterical to watch. Janet was bent in two laughing. At the end the lovely sandscript male teacher entered the classroom and silence fell. I have never been so grateful for a mans helping hand.
So I have decided that the rest of my lesson plans I am going to pass over to the class teachers. I will teach them and they can teach the kids in Hindi. We will however be helping but I refuse to lead the remaining classes. I was exhausted.
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