I have never been more in love in my life.
Everything here is beautiful. Everything here is fascinating. Everything here is difficult, and requires thought, and pure human interaction.
Today, I went to Apne Aap.
Today, I went to Apne Aap.
Today, I. Went. To. Apne Aap.
This past summer, God decided to be AWESOME and put Michelle Sobon as my co-counselor at Timber-lee. Michelle let me know that there are currently waaay too many people in the world being sold into slavery. 12-year-old girls being sold as sex slaves to 45-year-old foreigners, mothers whoring themselves out daily, behind curtains, while their children wash the dishes. It's a mess. It's awful. It's what happens when a society is so deeply impoverished that the only thing there is to sell is a body, and time. Anyway, through her books, orange shirts, posters, and passionate soliloquies, Michelle informed me of all of this. And subsequently, I ended up researchingresearchingresearching, because that's how I function. And thus, for my Human Rights final this past semester, I wrote a zillion-page paper on Apne Aap, a local NGO that swipes women from the streets, and teaches them to be independent.
And now I'm working for them. Well, volunteering. Whatever. Here, I don't feel the difference.
This morning, I took a private car to Kidderpur, where I met a woman whose name I still don't know. She said Mahua had told her I'd be arriving, and sent me with Zareen to the Topsia location. Zareen might be the most beautiful woman I've ever met. She was wearing a bright magenta salwaar, and had henna on her hands and arms. At Topsia, I was toured around the center, shown classrooms, sewing labs, etc. I bought a bag that was too expensive, because it was made by the women at the center, and the money goes entirely to them. I sat in the office for a few hours, getting to know the women, and learning Hindi. Toom hara naam kyah heh? Meera naam Ani. Me drama si kaani ayi hoo. I am here for drama.
They know I'm not a drama therapist. They know I'm a student at a university, and that my major is English Education. Nonetheless, they want me to teach drama to women ages 14-20. Once a week. Omigosh. Oh, P.S., this needs to be in Hindi, so they're getting me a translator. I met some of the girls today. I saw Asha, Rose, Abby in them. I can't believe this. I'm not prepared to teach drama. Yes, I am. Am I? It doesn't matter. God knows theatre. God knows me. God knows these girls and women. Everything will be wonderful.
Here's my Apne Aap schedule, partially for my own reminder, and mostly for prayer - thank you. :-)
Monday - 12:00 - 2:00pm, teach English and creative writing @ Topsia
Tuesday - 12:00 - 2:00pm, teach English and creative writing @ Topsia
Wednesday - 2:30 - 4:30pm, teach drama class, ages 14-20 @ Kidderpur
Thursday - 2:00 - 4:30pm, observe girls' therapy group @ Kidderpur
Friday - 3:00 - 5:00pm, observe drama class, ages 20-40 @ Topsia
(every other) Saturday - 2:00 - 3:30pm, observe girls' therapy group @ Topsia
I start Thursday.
Oh, and I'm still doing mornings, 8:30 - 12:00ish, at Daya Dan.
At Daya Dan, I'm going to be playing guitar for meditation, teaching Mongol piano, and I'll be assigned to one specific kid. I haven't received my assignment yet.
Quick summary: every day, until April 7th, I will be in India teaching English, creative writing, drama, piano, and basic math etc., playing guitar, playing with developmentally disabled kids, and sitting in on group therapy for adolescent girls who are recovering from sex trafficking.
I have no clue what I did to deserve this.
I cannot think of anything I would rather do.
Actually, Apne Aap doesn't know I can play guitar.
This could only be better if they wanted me to teach the girls guitar.
Otherwise, this is absolutely, ridiculously perfect.
I'm going to be very tired. But my days end early. So maybe I'll learn to get to bed before midnight. Like, maybe at 11:00pm. Or 10:00pm.
This is amazing.
This requires a lot of money for taxis. 60 rupees to Topsia, 80 to Kidderpur. Twice a day. This means 120 three times a week, 160 twice a week - 360 plus 320...680 rupees per week on taxis. That's...doable. I can do that. Yes. That's possible.
Okay, time to go to dinner. Tonight is Matt's last night here. Weird. Then it'll be me, and God, and whoever God wants to put in my life.
Thank you for your prayers, comments, thoughts, time, funding, and everything else you've given me to support me while I'm here. I am very, very, very thankful. Donnobad. :-)
Love and kyehsi hoe?,
Stephanie
