Whistle While You Work...

This was definitely the theme song for the day. We spent the whole day on the Rising Star compound getting everything ready for the kids to come back on Sunday. We started the day by cleaning out a closet filled with P.E. supplies that seriously I don't think had been touched since the school had been built. We scrubbed down all the shelves and organized everything until it looked like a whole new room--I even took a picture of it I was so proud. One of the craziest things about working in India are all the creatures and things that are everywhere you go. The closet we were cleaning out was FILLED with frogs of all shapes and sizes. There was even one that hopped out at us as we opened a basket filled with tennis rackets. There are also wasps nests in just about every room and they are in the most random places. They will be attached to the bottom of a desk or on the chalkboard or on random walls. They are seriously ALL OVER!!! We were cleaning out a room today where there were the remnants of at least three broken wasps nests on the ground and one on the wall. Thankfully the Indian women who work at Rising Star are fearless and when we find the wasp nests they just march right in and knock them down. After the closet we did all kinds of different odds and ends things trying to get the new wing of the school ready. There is still tons to get done before the kids arrive on Sunday.

One thing we did today that broke up the monotony of cleaning was that we went to "the Junction" during our lunch break. "The Junction" is a crossroads in the town nearest to Rising Star's compound that has all the basic things you need (Sari's, cold drinks, jewelry, drug store needs, etc.). The best thing that the junction has, though, is.....ICE CREAM!!! I cannot explain how amazing cold ice cream tastes when you spend all day working in 108 degree weather with 90% humidity--it is heaven. I got a mango creamsicle and a chocolate ice cream bar (everyone got two because we were so excited). It was so amazing.

Well that's basically it for today. Tomorrow we are leaving at 5am to take an overnight roadtrip to some outlying colonies that haven't ever had volunteers. It is the first time Rising Star has ever taken volunteers on an overnight trip and I'm super excited--it will be a really cool experience so more to come soon! :)

Namaste