Shangilia- First Trip

Today we had our first trip to Shangilia. We all jumped on the bus immediately after school ended, and ate our lunches during the drive there. We drove through a big town, which though busy was very poor. Me and Lucie couldn't help but remember what the manager had said last time about the things the children are willing to do to provide for themselves in this community. We finally reached the entrance to Shangilia, which was brightly painted with drums and other instruments.

When we stepped through the door we were greeted by a cascade of bright hopeful faces. They immediately began to go up to members of the group and introduce themselves. Many of the kids remembered some of the other students from last years trip. There was also a game of hockey going on while this occured, and some of the boys joined in! The children were all very friendly, and I was grabbed by a shy, but nice little girl who showed me around the buildings. She proudly presented me with her bed, her classroom and the other bits and pieces of the orphanage. She told me a lot about what it's like to live in Shangilia and how much she loves to do acrobatics and get an education. Afterwards we talked about each others interests, for example our favourite animals and what we want to be when we grow up (she wants to become a hairdresser for the actors in Hollywood!).

 Lucie, Nidhi, some children and I grouped up together and played clapping games, which I wasn't very good at! At one point two girls did it extremely quickly, with their eyes closed! We then told some stories (rapunzel!) and did some drawing with them, which they all loved. Other group members played football and hockey with the kids, swung them around, and participated in a number of other activities with them. This continued for about an hour until we were redirected to our teaching groups (math, art, music, storytelling, etc).

Lucie and I play clapping games with two girls

I was taken to a small classroom with a few desks and a blackboard. I was in the art group, and we decided to play pictionary with the kids. At first we told them what to draw, but it soon became apparent that they just wanted to do their own thing! The children loved being able to draw on the blackboard, and from the overcrowding in our classroom you could tell that art was a popular subject in Shangilia. The kids moved around from each group to another, and though some left halfway through there was always a consistent amount of kids in the classroom.

Nidhi teaches the kids math

After about half an hour we all said goodbye to the kids and departed back to the bus.

I really enjoyed this first trip, as it gave me an idea of what these kids go through in their everyday lives. It also allowed me to bond with the kids and make some friends. I am happy to be helping improve their education and live more fulfilling lives. I think that this trip will also help me improve my leadership, as teaching these kids is a real opportunity to excel in this area.
I can't wait for our next trip!