Back to School

Yoga at the Druk White Lotus School has been a blast. It took a couple of days to get into the swing of things ... but now I am teaching yoga during the Phys Ed classes of the Junior 3 to Junior 5 and Middle School 6 students. It has been such a learning experience. A typical day goes something like this:

~ Rise to the crazy barking of the packs of dogs at approx. 5am
~ Toss and turn on my thin matress and lucid dream about weird and whacky things until 6:30am

~ Get out of bed and take an Indian bucket bath to wake myself up
~ Go downstairs for breakfast in the kitchen - typically one piece of Ladakhi bread with Apricot jam. There has been a shortage of eggs recently as the road has been closed from Srinagar due to internal conflict
~ Padma and I walk hand in hand along the pathways to the bus stop downtown
~ The bus is a wild trip ... picking up little cuties left and right and just when you think you can't squeeze any more kids onto the bus a dozen more find their way aboard
~ The Hindi music blares as we bump down the streets en route to Sheh where the school is located approx. 45 minutes from Leh
~ We enter the school and the sun is scorching ... desert dry I am greeted by a multitude of smiles and 'Good Morning Madam'
~ Morning prayers in the prayer room led by a resident Monk who has the most friendly face ... the voices of the children sing the Tibetan prayers and I try to sit quietly in a cross legged position while my legs fall asleep
~ Outdoor prayers follow in the morning sun ... it resembles a military brigade somewhat ... it is so neat to watch the little ones with their palms together and their eyes closed
~ Classes begin ... I typically teach 2-3 40 minute yoga classes in the prayer room before lunch
~ You can imagine the dust and dirt on the floor from all the children wearing their shoes in this space for the past few months ... it was not so pleasant to be putting your nose into this carpet. I have managed to get it cleaned out ... much better now - whew!
~ The kids love the yoga - we laugh so much and now they are remembering some of the poses and their names. Some classes we start with a game like 'Over and Under', others we practice partner yoga or go on a jungle safari making all kinds of animal sounds together.
~ By 1pm I am famished. Finally lunch at the residence. The food keeps getting better and better. The first day I was a little concerned after biting into a deep fried egg. A typical lunch consists of dal, rice and a veggie ... I have yet to venture into the meat after seeing goat's carcas attracting a multitude of flies hanging in the various butcher's stalls.
~ After lunch I take a little time to visit Naropa Palace, a temple where Buddhist Nuns from the surrounding area and as far as Nepal reside. My first visit was incredible ... I have never heard such sweet, serene sounds with such a hypnotic beat ... I wanted to stay for days. I have been welcomed and sit behind the nuns for a short while as they chant the afternoon away ...
~ I then take a visit to the Nursery or the Kindegarten classes to say hi and observe the organized chaos. Sometimes we practice English and others we play games ... Duck, duck goose was a real hit!
~ And then it is time to go home - 3pm. I take the bus with the children ... the music plays and we are on our way.
~ By the time I reach home, I am absolutely exhausted. Working with kids takes a lot of energy but is so rewarding in so many ways. Hats off and my deepest respect to all the teachers in the world.