The other week Mr Arasu asked Nicolas and I to visit a remedial school in the slum area near the old lighthouse so we would meet some potential candidates for our new boys orphanage, Janani. I had already visited two of Prime Trust’s remedial schools so I expected the visit to go along the same lines, greet the children, practice some basic English, observe and then leave. Things don’t always turn out as we expect them to, especially in India, and this was one of those times.
Walking into the classroom, we were quickly seated on plastic chairs in front of the children who were sitting spaced out on the floor in even rows. Some stared at us shyly whilst others beamed at us with excited eyes. Within minutes, small groups of children voluntarily came forward to sing for us and welcome us into their school. Nicolas and I watched them smiling and nodding along to words we didn’t understand but still applauding them whole-hearted when they finished each song as a new group came forward to sing or dance for us.
Soon the songs came to an end and we were pulled to our feet by the children, the boys naturally gravitating towards Nicolas and the girls towards me. Out came the camera and there was lots of giggling and pushing and posing for photos and then it began….the most fun you could have…ever!
For the next hour, the girls took it in turns to hold my hands as we twirled round and around in a giant circle, before uniformly falling down as we sang “Ring-a-ring-a-rosa, a pocket full of posa” (well it was their interpretation of the song). Then it was up again to repeat the song again, and again, and again. One at a time, they took it in turns to hold my hands crossed over in each of theirs as we span around and around as fast as we could until dizzy we both fell down and then got back up to repeat the spin in the opposite direction.
They gathered around me asking me to teach them a dance. So, put on the spot, I teach them the only dances I know. We start with the childhood classic, “Hokey Pokey.” They sing along even though they don’t know the words but when we get to the chorus, they all sing loudly.
“Ohhhh, the hokey pokey! Ohhhh, the hokey pokey! Ohhhh, the hokey pokey! (clapping hands) That’s what it’s all about!”
We sing it again and again but then they want more dances. So I teach them the Nutbush. Yes, Tina Turner’s very own Nutbush because it’s the only other dance that I could think of in the moment. We make it though one round but it’s not quite the same without the music.
“Another dance, another dance” they cry.
By now I’m really running out of options so I pull out the only other song in my unprepared dance kit…wait for it…yes, The Bus Stop! We get through a round of this as well but it also is not quite the same without the music so before long we’ve reverted back to “Ring-a-ring-a-rosa” twirling around and around in a giant circle sometimes on our feet and sometimes on our bums.
We laugh, we dance and before I know it, it’s already 8pm. We’ve been there for two hours! It’s time to leave although the children don’t want us to go. They hang onto our hands and ask us for more songs, more dance, more play. But I am sweaty and exhausted and it’s time for the school to close. We stumble out of the classroom and into the cool of the night, tired but elated. I can’t wipe the smile off my face. This really was the most fun, ever.
Until the next adventure,
Kym
aka Gypsy K
you can read more of my adventures here....
Sadly, my external hard drive died and it had all the photos from this night except this one...
But here's another couple of photos from the other remedial school which has beautiful children as well (they just don't make me dance with them!)
