First Impression, October 2009
Ms. Ruth Engler


After getting to know the Sambhali project last November during a trip through Rajasthan I came back to Jodhpur as a volunteer to teach the girls of Sambhali English. I arrived on Oct. 8 together with another volunteer from Switzerland.

Although Govind had told us a few things about Sambhali Trust last year and we had met the girls I did not really know what to expect and how I was supposed to teach. What worried me a bit was the fact that there were no volunteers in Jodhpur at the moment and I would not be able to sit in a class to watch or talk to other volunteers who already had some experience. My question was also: would the girls accept an elderly woman after having had young volunteers before? But the warm and friendly welcome at Durag Niwas Guesthouse made me feel quite confident.

I expected that after arrival we would have some time to relax and get used to things. Wrong guess! 10 min. after arriving Govind asked me to give an interview to two television people who were in the house. 15 min. later we were called to the first meeting with Govind and so it went on for the rest of the day! So our first but also the following days were quite busy: meetings, visits, reading a lot of documentation and of course working with the girls in class. Towards the end of the week things got more relaxed and we had 4 days off for Diwali Festival.

Margrit, the other volunteer, and I were also present when a delegation of 4 Swiss women from "Women Travel" visited Sambhali project. They were very impressed by what is done here.

Friday when we met the Sambhali girls in their class the first time I had the impression that some of the girls were looking at us rather suspiciously, but we soon found their confidence and felt definitively accepted after joining them in their Indian dancing. They tried to teach us - of course much too fast for us elderly ladies! - and were so amused when they saw what difficulties we had! We had a good laugh together and "the ice was broken" as we say in German. It was really fun! They call me "Nani" which means grandmother. Yes I am a grandmother of 3 lovely grandchildren.

On Monday I started teaching English. Of course the classroom and the material they have here cannot be compared with our classrooms. Everything seems so simple to us, but they have the ability to work, play games etc. with simple methods and little aid, that is great!

The first week was not normal teaching. Govind wanted me to take it easy by playing, singing and dancing to give the girls and myself time to get used to each other. I immediately got the impression that the girls were very eager to learn as well in Margrit's knitting class as in the English. How much they enjoyed the song "if you are happy ...". Of course it is not easy to communicate as the girls who have only been here since August know little or no English, but by gestures, facial expressions and with the help of the two friendly teachers Tamannah and Damyanti I could make myself understood.

Within a week I made so many new experiences and got such a lot of new impressions, it is unbelievable! After such a short time I already feel very comfortable and part of Sambhali and Govind's guesthouse. Now I am looking forward to next week when the real teaching starts.