Wednesday, August 12, 2009

New Beginnings

In a few weeks, I will begin a new chapter in my life. On August 31 I will leave the country and fly to Kerala, the southwestern-most district of India. I will spend the next year there serving as a Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) through the Presbyterian Church (USA).

I’m excited about the joys and challenges that this next year will bring. I will be keeping this blog as a way of charting my experiences over the next year both for myself and for any family and friends who are interested in hearing about my time as a YAV. Although I won’t have much to post here until I’ve been in India for a little while, I can, for now, give you an overview of the work I will probably be doing next year.

I will be living and working at the Nicholson Syrian Girls’ School in Tiruvalla, a boarding school for girls with the equivalent of grades K-12. I will be teaching spoken English classes to a variety of age groups and maybe a literature class or two for the older students. I will also probably be leading the school choir and helping students with creative writing exercises, such as writing poetry and short stories. If you want to learn more about the Nicholson School, you can visit the school’s website at www.nicholsonsyriangirlsschool.com.

Look for some updates on my experiences in India (after I actually get there) in September and October!

The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow if I can.

-J.R.R. Tolkien