
My time here in
his family knowing there was nothing he could do about it. Currently, it is the start of the rainy season and the excessive rainfall is only going to make their difficult lives inevitably m
ore difficult. 


his family knowing there was nothing he could do about it. Currently, it is the start of the rainy season and the excessive rainfall is only going to make their difficult lives inevitably m
ore difficult. 

I have been at St. Patricks for over a month and it has been a truly life-changing experience! Before I tell about the many new and exciting experiences I have had here, I would like to explain how I came to my decision to visit rural
During the winter, I had the opportunity to participate in the Service Adventures Program with Dalit Solidarity. I really did not know much about the Indian culture but, as soon as I read the description of the program, I knew it was something I wanted and needed to do. From the moment I arrived here, I knew my life was forever changed. I came with fourteen other students from
The time I spent with these extraordinary children, each with such promise, made a lasting impression on me. It broke my heart when it was time to go after two very fast weeks. I have been on other service trips throughout my college experience, but there was something very powerful about this experience and this organization. Since then, a day has not gone by where I have not reflected on my time spent there. So, four months later, I could not wait to pay another visit to the children that made such an impact on my life.
Coming back to rural
Aside from teaching and the fun activities here on the St. Patrick’s campus, I also visited and conversed with a lot of different people. Each time I met someone new, they would thank me for my presence here. They viewed me as a person from the
Needless to say, I have greatly enjoyed my time here and am sad that I only have one more month left. Stay tuned for more…
Kristen Bilous
The past few weeks here at St. Pat’s have been fairly tame. I am happy to report the children’s spoken English is progressing quite nicely. Their sentence structures improve everyday and I can’t help but wonder if I was able to retain that much information when I was 11 years old. Speaking of which, I am working on my own Tamil language lessons. But seeing as my memory is not what it used to be, I just can’t seem remember as much as I would like. The children do a good job teaching me vocabulary (I am fluent with most farm animals, fruits, vegetables and parts of the sky) and Brother Philip has been very helpful with my pronunciation of common Tamil phrases. I usually put my knowledge to the test while at the Sunday market. Last week I had a wonderful conversation with a 4 year old. Yes, I am now successfully speaking at a pre-school level!
I also feel as though I am living on Noah’s Ark. Not only have we had two to very unseasonable days of heavy rain, but the school is also abuzz with babies (or kootie in Tamil). Currently on the property, we have: 4 puppies, a couple of ferial dogs, 2 baby bats and a nest consisting of 3 tiny baby squirrels (which look like our chipmunks only gray in color with a bushy tail) and an undetermined specie of bird egg.
But my most exciting news is that I had the great fortune of celebrating my birthday last weekend. If I had it my way, I would spend every birthday at St. Pat’s. Everyone made me feel so special. The entire day was filled with love and affection and I am still buzzing from its events. I should have known it was going to be a grand affair when the kids started wishing me “Happy Advance Birthday” a week before! My fabulous adventure began much like that of a bride on her wedding day. At 7:30am, I had an entire swat team of children in my room applying makeup, painting my nails, doing my hair and helping me into my sari. I must admit this is no easy task and learning to self-sufficiently cloth myself in a sari is on my India to do list. Nearly an hour later (extra time was needed to reapply the makeup that scarily resembled that of Tammy Faye Baker), I was ready for my unveiling and all the children applauded as I was escorted down the steps. They all raved that I finally looked like a Tamil Nadu girl. I told them I felt like a Tamil Nadu Princess!
Following my grand entrance, I was seated into a chair where I was showered with cards and floral bouquets. With my mouth agape, I was truly speechless as flower after flower and card after card were bestowed to me. Each one was as creative and special as the previous and never in my life have I received so many flowers. Just when I thought all gifts were given, I was handed a beautiful plaque with my name and birthday greetings written on it. But we were just getting started! Next came the singing and then the cake. Reminiscent again of a wedding, I was fed a bite from the first piece of cake and in return fed it to one of the girls and then repeated with one of the boys. Next it was time for me to teach class. What started out as a lesson in English song lyrics quickly turned into an American dance party. I showed them my “American dance moves” and by the end we were all panting and giddy with joy. I also discovered how confining and hot a sari really can be. It was at this time that one of the priests paid me a visit and presented me with a beautiful red and purple paisley shawl. After a delicious lunch, I introduced Pin the Tail on the Monkey on my cut-out-the-night-before-make-shift poster. I decided to alter the title to be more conducive to my Indian environment. Plus, I totally love monkeys and I could not find a picture of a donkey to save my life! Anyway, the game was a total success and the children still have the poster hanging and can be spotted playing it during free time. The rest of the day continued with more love and compliments and by its end a feeling of euphoria was permeating throughout my entire body! I still smile at the thought of having shared such a delightful birthday in such a magical place.