Ode to the Children: Take 1

This is something I should have started doing a long time ago but for some reason only just thought of now....sometimes I'm a little slow. Anyways, in case you haven't noticed, I am a little obsessed with the kids here at Rising Star. I can honestly say I have really come to know every single one of them since I have been here and I absolutely adore each special, sweet, individual spirit.

So, what I am going to start doing is highlighting the kids and letting everyone in the blogosphere get to know the wonderful spirits I have had the privilege of working with this year...here we go!

Ruthish

 Ruthish is a fourth standard student at Rising Star from the Bethel Nagar colony. He is one of the smallest boys in his class but is SO SMART and an amazing reader. Ruthish is as sweet as apple pie and so loving but he is not afraid to share his opinions. Sometimes, he gets the funniest, "what the hell are you doing/thinking" look on his face when he sees people doing crazy things or sees something he doesn't understand. Ruthish also loves to give me fashion advice. When he sees me with my hair back in a tight ponytail or bun (which is everyday) he will always tell me my hair looks very bad and I need to wear it down and "like this" (motioning that it needs to be parted on the side). He also isn't a fan of chuddidhars and is always telling me I need to wear saris. He is absolutely adorable and (as you can see) is QUITE the Rising Star fashion man.

earmuffs and a suit--India fashion at it's best

Kristraj

Oh what to say about Kristraj. This kid is filled with more energy and love than any kid I have ever known. His scratchy little voice and GIANT crocodile smile just make me start smiling from the minute I see him. With so much energy, you'd think Kristraj would be a handful in the classroom but he's actually an AWESOME student and a great help to his housemother. He is always obedient and respectful and loves to help people when needed. If he sees me walking down the hall with a stack of books, he always asks to help carry some and walk with me to my classroom. Kristraj is also one of THE BEST dancers on campus. He really feels the music and just lets his body do whatever the music tells him to do. I think he could very well be a Tamil Superstar one day. One of my favorite memories I will cherish with Kristraj is tucking him in to sleep at night. His big, sweet eyes looking up at me sleepily and a half little crocodile smile as I kiss his forehead and tell him goodnight.

V. Vignesh aka "The Baby"

 Vignesh is (I think) the youngest Rising Star on campus--hence my nickname for him "The Baby" (there are already two other Vignesh's on campus so it's also just easier). The Baby has one of the cutest faces I have ever seen...anywhere...ever...except for Easton when he was a baby...but other than that he's the next cutest. When The Baby first got to Rising Star, he wandered around not speaking to anyone--just looking everywhere with an intensely furrowed brow (probably trying to figure out why there were so many crazy white people at his new home). The Baby has now been at Rising Star for 9 months and still doesn't speak any English--he's still really young. A few months ago, though, I was shocked to hear The Baby calling my name from across the playground--HE HAD LEARNED MY NAME! This was a milestone for The Baby. Now it's an everyday occurrence to hear The Baby calling for me from somewhere on campus.

The Baby is fawned on by all the older kids at Rising Star--especially the older boys. They just love to carry him around, pinch his cheeks, wrestle and play with him, teach him crazy dances, and just be around him in general. I have a game with the older boys where we will all hold out our arms and see who The Baby chooses to pick him up. Whoever he goes to, everyone else ends up chasing after them and trying to get The Baby to choose them--it's loads of fun.

One of The Baby's all-time best moments (in my opinion) happened in school one day. I was teaching Seventh Standard (7th grade) when I look out my open classroom door and lo and behold The Baby was standing there...just smiling sweetly and watching me teach.....with no pants on. I immediately stopped teaching and asked, "Baby! Where are your pants??" This got my class' attention and within minutes we were all laughing at The silly, pantless Baby--and he was laughing too. I sent Ashok (one of the boys in my class who is in his house) to take The Baby to find his pants while I kept teaching. The moment was over but I will never forget The Baby standing in the door with no pants on--oh the joys of living with 200 children.

Just a regular dar for The Baby

Arun

Arun is a student that I am just getting to know better and he is completely awesome. Arun has been in my 6th Standard English class since August so I get to see him everyday although it has only been in the last few weeks that we are really getting to know each other (it's hard to really get to know every, single kid!). It's a very hard competition but I Arun has it won for the best smile and laugh on the Rising Star campus. He has an ear to ear grin that lights up his entire face and countenance and his laugh...oh man his laugh! Arun's deep, throaty giggle/laugh is one of the funniest/best laughs I have ever heard. It's one of those laughs that immediately make everyone else in the room start laughing too. On top of his awesome smile and laugh, he has a GREAT sense of humor and loves to joke around and play. 

Besides having a great laugh, Arun is an ATHLETE. The kids recently had sports competitions for their upcoming Sports Day and he took first place in high jump and shotput AND was on the winning volleyball team AND on the winning Kabadi team (a crazy Indian sport to be explained at another time). I was recently playing a game with Arun and he revealed that he would like to be a doctor. Even though he struggles in school and especially with reading, I think he will DEFINITELY be able to reach his goal one day. I feel very blessed to have been able to teach Arun this year and help bring him one step closer to reaching his goal.

Deepanraj

 Where to start with Deepanraj...I have a very deep love for all the children at Rising Star, but Deepan has carved out a special place in my heart. He has become one of my best buddies on campus and I already know that saying bye to him will be one of the hardest. He asked a few weeks back when I would be leaving and after I told him he got a very sad/mad look on his face and said, "I don't want to think about that." Deepan is in 8th Standard and has a spirit that shines with joy and optimism. Deepan is one of the biggest kids on campus, yet he is gentle and kind  to all the other kids. One of my favorite things about Deepan is his child-like nature. Although athletic and very strong, he loves simple activities like playing with his yo-yo or playing Uno. One of Deepan's favorite things (and one of my favorite memories with him) is flying kites. Deepan is a MASTER kite-flyer and actually does kite-fighting when he he is home in his village. On clear, beautiful days, we take out his beat-up Spiderman kite and his enormous spool of string and fly kite all afternoon until the housemothers call the kids in. As evidence to his kind nature, once he gets the kite flying steadily in the sky, he has the little boys all line-up and let's them take a turn holding the string and flying the kite--what an awesome big brother.

Besides being an amazing person, Deepan is also insanely creative and talented. The last few months, he has been choreographing and staging these big production dances for himself and Ashok. He does lighting, costumes...the works. He also has been named the technical director for LifeDance and did an AWESOME job at the MonaVie show directing the lights and the cameras. He has the potential to do so many great things in life and I pray everyday that he has the opportunity to do so. Deepan is one Rising Star child that I cannot imagine not knowing what he does with the rest of his life. He recently really wanted me to come to his home with him to go to his sister's wedding. As Jim and I were telling him I couldn't go, Jim jokingly said that I would come to his wedding when it happened. Later that day I was thinking about it and realized it was completely true--I totally WOULD fly out to India to be at Deepan's wedding! He is like another little brother to me and I hope we can continue to be buddies even after I leave Rising Star.

Boy, these kids are awesome. As we would say here, they are "Roomba roomba SUPER!" Hopefully there will be more "Odes" coming soon!

Vanakkam