Last Day at Saraswoti

On 11thMarch was our final day "teaching" at Saraswoti. Although it was the last day of term, the final day of proper teaching was the 10th. The kids all have exams starting on the 14th Mardh (the first day of the Nepali month) and so the Firday was a holiday for them to prepare.

We were asked to buy a pencial for each child we taught, and so I had to buy 164 pencils. As Ed had already been to the stationers I didn't get as strange a look as I expected.

I walked into my grade 4 class and was immediately inundated with yellow flowers. Each child had got me a bunch and so the whole of the front desk was covered in yellow flowers. I also got five of the best sudents a certificate and a stamper pen (and so by the time I left each child's hand was covered in stamps). It was strange leaving the classroom for the last time and it reminded me how much I'm going to miss teaching all of the classes!

Grade 5 was also much louder than normal and, cheefully, I could let them be as loud as they wanted :) We played hangman and they got stars for the correct letters. As I had a huge excess of stars I was giving them away to any child and so, in mamy of the pcitures, they all have stars on their collars. One boy gave me a picture he had drawn himself, which he obviously put effort into, and it was very kind, definetely one of the things to remember them all by.

Grade 6 were close to rioting. I don't know this class as well as the others as I have only taught them for a short time, but there are 55 of them, which is bigger than any of my other classes by about 15 students. There are also a lot more boys than girls and so they are much much louder. The behaved until the girls started giving me a tikka (this meant smearing my face with red power) and the boys started running about. To their credit they did sit down evenutally when I yelled at them. So, I left grade 6 very red, with two Nepali flags and two gifts!

Grade 7 were the final class I was saying goodbye to. It was the quietest they've ever been as I think they have a better idea of how important they're exams are. Still, when it came to photos the boys were relatively enthusiastic and the girls weren't; just by that it shows they are older.

We then had the leaving porgramme. I thought this would be standing on the stage and them saying thank you. I was very much mistaken. We stood on the stage, some teachers said thank you, tikka-ered us and gave us flowers. One of the boys in my grade 7 class said a short speech, syaing thank you and then a child (or two) from eachclass came up on stage.

They each tikka-ered us both (which meant smearing both cheeks with red powder and the smallest ones having to stand on tiptoe to reach Ed) and they also gave us gifts. It was very unexpected and very generous. I am now laden with presents and had a whole bag full on the way back from school. Not to mention a bagful of flowers.

Teaching for two months is a relatively short time. It takes that much time to get to know the kids as people and to know the dynamic of each class. Due to the ever-changing Nepali terms we weren't able to teach for longer, but I would have liked more. It's a shame but Saraswoti definetely didn't do the leaving programme by half-measures. It was a good way to say goodbye to the kids but I also think they enjoyed it as much as we did. Especially those who were tikka-ering us...

We have our final day at Saraswoti on the 17th March as all the exams for the classes we've taught are on the first four days of the exm period. We will then get the teacerh's goodbye and will leave for the final time. Which will be very strange and also very sad!