This past week has been pretty regular. I am on my way out. Finishing up projects and helping with getting the new volunteers up to speed. One week left. I am off to Kochi this Thursday night to meet up with Tove for a lazy-ish couple of weeks.
Last weekend I spent in Madurai with Lyndsey, Tove and Roberta. It was the last weekend before they all left their projects. We found a less than exciting place to stay in Madurai after we first found the Domino's. This was the first time any of them had been there. Yay for pizza! We met up with a few other volunteers from other projects as well as with Hovard and Hadrian from the Farm. Hadrian and Hovard were heading to Pondicherry for the weekend. After pizza we all headed in our separate directions and headed for bed. The next morning we had breakfast and ran a few errands before heading back to you rooms. More new clothes made. I had two new pants and a couple of shirts made. These are my favorite so far.
Saturday evening we said our goodbyes to Lyndsey. She headed home to Arkansas Sunday morning. We were very sad to see her go. Roberta headed back to the farm for the rest of the weekend leaving me and Tove a nice quiet Sat evening and Sunday.
After saying a short good-bye to Tove on Sunday, glad I'm planning to see her again, I headed back to the farm with two new volunteers. Denise and Jaqueline. Sisters from Toronto. We now have have 5 Canadians on the farm. Woo! I really like these two. They are fun and energetic and open to being here. We are now up to 8 volunteers.
Monday morning brought everyone back from their weekend trip to Pondicherry. Two of the boys got arrested. Fortunately they made friends with the officers at the police station and were able to leave. They got caught riding motorbikes without international licenses. Oops! Oddly it wasn't Henry that got into trouble.They all took a night bus back to arrive Monday morning so they were all exhausted and were then off to Dindigul for an Ayurvedic outing. Since I have already done this I stayed back at the farm and worked on my chart project for Raisa. It proved to be a very long day for them.
Wednesday we went to a market hoping to by some vegetable seedlings but were not successful but it was still fun to see all the volunteers wander around as they have never been to a market here before.
Thursday we worked on a local farmer's banana plot and Henry actually did some work. I think Raisa had a few words with him or the rumor got out that I was going to dump cow urine on his head. He worked both Wednesday and Thursday with little complaint. So much for me needing to turn evil.
Thursday morning Roberta started her journey home. She was not ready to leave. She fell in love with India and was ready to stay. She loved the farm and the village. She would go for long walks early in the morning and after work daily. She is 6'3" and was quickly noticed by all in the nearby villages. She made friends with a number of them and was invited in for tea or coffee daily. We are now down to 7 volunteers.
Thursday afternoon we went to the orphanage that I had gone to my first week at the farm. We created another plot. This time with vegetables. We were wishing that these kids would come to the farm and help us. I think we might have done a 1/3 of the work. The kids did almost everything. Very enthusiastic. It was great to go back. A few of the children remembered me and I was very proud of myself for remember them as well.
So now we are at Friday. I am working on various projects and starting to get things in order to leave on Thursday. I am staying in the village this weekend while the rest of the volunteers head to Moonar. I am not ready for another volunteer's weekend. Figure I may go into Madurai for a day or might just read all weekend.
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