Last Day of Summer Camp!

Hello blog readers!

Today was (sadly) the last day of camp in Walchandnagar.  The activity students completed today was building solar cars.  We taught the students a bit about sustainability, renewable energy, how to build the solar cars, and how to take data and analyze it.  Everyone seemed to really enjoy it, especially racing the cars at the end of the day.

I think my favorite part of the day is lunch time, because we get to sit and chat with the kids and they are super social and always ask us random questions.  I also learned how to introduce myself in Marathi! To say “Hello my name is ____” one says “Maza now Monica.” Turns out Monica (Monika) is an Indian name, so people asked me if I was Indian. Papa and Momma Walker, is there something you’re not telling me? ;)

After the engineering activity, we invited the parents of the students to come and see some of the projects that the students have built throughout the week. During the discussion, our favorite trouble maker, Anchu, snuck in and sat with the parents, which made us all chuckle.  We also got to see some of the students’ science projects that they worked on for school, including a submarine powered by syringes, a robot that picks up dirt, and a motor powered boat.  Then we got to see all of the kids’ art work from throughout the year, in an exhibit set up by the super enthusiastic art teacher.  My favorite were all the drawings of peacocks.

In the late afternoon, we had a musical performance from the students and a few of the teachers of traditional Hindi and Marathi songs.  They were fantastic, and I speak for all of us when I say that the songs gave us chills.  Next we all got up on the stage and sang our alma mater, Yellow and Blue, followed by the Victors.  Then we received a couple wonderful gifts from the school, such as a magazine of the students throughout the year, and a calendar/alarm clock.  The magazine included a page about SWE Overseas from last year, featuring a picture of Dean Munson visiting the school from last year.

Saying goodbye to the kids was really sad. L We would all be totes cool with staying here for another week. Or month. Or year.  We’ve all become really close with the students and this week has been truly life changing.

As I type this blog, we are all piled together on the floor making a thank-you card and present for our marvelous guide Krutika, who has basically been our mom during our stay at Walchandnagar.  We are going to give her a lizard and an ant made out of play-dough as a memory of a couple friendly house pets here. J Yeah we’re pretty weird.

Off to Mumbai and then Jaipur tomorrow morning, early!

~Monica