In India the month of March means exams. This involves a week of preparation (mock) exams and revision and a week of end of year exams. This meant for Daniel and Philip that they would be writing and marking preparation exams for the subject they have been teaching for the last 2 months.

As the exams take precedence, no lessons were being conducted. Because we aren't allowed to invigilate the exams Fr Eric gave us a few days off. We chose to visit the historical sights of Hampi to have some time out to bond as a group and to celebrate Philip's birthday and Anna, the volunteer from Germany, leaving. This was all a big success, with the 7 of us enjoying good food, good sights, although only Charles and Philip actually went round temples off their own bat, and were greatly rewarded by finding a huge ruined temple practically deserted.

The 18^th of March marked Philip's birthday with the usual dancing and chicken biriani and us forgetting to buy him a present (Philip hasn't forgotten this however!). Anna's leaving also gave us a taste of what leaving will be like 3 ½ months' time.

Fr Eric took Simon down to Bangalore so that he could spend some of the money he raised on books for the School Library. This involved many hours spent in a huge book shop with shop assistants running all over the place to find what he wanted, and a very helpful shop manager fetching cold Pepsi for Simon and Fr Eric. This was half the money that Simon has raised for the project with the other half going on furniture and book shelves.

As food has been quite an important part of our stay here we thought that we should explain a little about our diet. The majority of it is based, unsurprisingly, on rice, three times a day, everyday, week in week out. Food has to be quite basic because of the sheer number of people to feed. Breakfast is everyone's favourite meal providing different varieties of rice and the occasional spicy couscous. Lunch and dinner are always a lentil-based vegetable curry called sambar, and rice. Occasionally the children get chicken or boiled egg to go with the sambar. Every now and then we buy some fruit, bread, and possibly the worst cheese we have ever tasted. This small re-supply helps stave off insanity brought on by a surfeit of rice.

You may remember from last month (and if not, why not?) that inspectors were coming to see if the school had stopped teaching in English illegally after being caught at the last inspection. They have not shown up yet.    

The major problem that has been overshadowing our month, however, has been the problems they have been experiencing here in Loyola School about the teaching of and in English. Under the state laws of Karnataka all schools are required to teach in the official state language, Kannada. They are also required to teach Hindi, the common language of India. They are also not supposed to teach in English until the 6^th Standard (11-12 years old); however the standard of teaching in most of the government schools is fairly poor and some completely skip English lessons even when they are allowed by law. The reason for this is that there is a feeling in the state government that if Kannada were not the main language for education that it will die out in favour of Hindi or other state languages, as it already has done in certain areas (most notably in the districts on the borders with other states where Telegu and Konkani are used more frequently than Kannada). Fr Eric, however insists on teaching the children English from 1^st standard (6-7 years old) and teaching as many subjects as possible in English. The state does allow a small number of "English Medium schools" to run but these are mainly expensive private schools which can afford the cost of obtaining the permits and pay the bribes that are required to get the application through the many layers of bureaucracy at any sort of speed. Fr. Eric has put in an application for such a permit but has refused flat out to pay any sort of bribes, so his application is proceeding very slowly. If Fr. Eric's application is successful the classes will be taught in English legally.

This took us through to Holy Week which we spent in Pannur. We arrived just in time for the water pump to break. We then spent the next few days fixing the pump; it broke shortly after we fixed it each time. It turns out that the problem was that the valve that prevented water flowing back from the tank into the bore-well was not working properly until a replacement valve could be found we had to fill the pipe with water manually twice a day so that the pump could fill the tank with water. It was tiring. And hot.

On Good Friday there was a Way of Cross service in the village. As the mission at Pannur has the parish church for the area, all the services were attended by a large number of the village people (pun intended, and no it does not get old) Simon arranged for two goats to be slaughtered and cooked for the children who enjoyed it as much as we have ever seen anyone enjoy food. It was, however, slightly disconcerting to see these led down with the offertory procession on Saturday evening Mass.

After Easter, there was a large programme marking the end of school and the start of the summer holidays. In this Simon, Phillip, Daniel, Maica and Rucio danced an Indian film dance, much to the amusement of the children.

After the programme we hitched a ride with a passing truck and headed out to Goa.  

Simon Darvill (Campion School, Hornchurch), Phil Simmons, (Wimbledon College), Charles Graffius, (Stonyhurst College, Lancs.) and Dan Crowley (St.Ignatius College, Enfield) are all volunteering with XVP at Loyola School, India, which provides Jesuit education to hundreds of Dalit (low-caste "Untouchables") children and young people. To contact them or to support their work, or to donate to the school, please contact Jesuit Missions - www.jesuitmissions.org.uk

 

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