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Posted: Monday 22 November 2010

Through Indian Eyes

26 Nitte]Dr Ken Greig, Rector, and Manjit Jheeta, Head of Biology, accompanied Yasmine Coll [S4], Stephanie Kerr [S5], Eleanor Lumley [S4] and Jane MacRae [S5] to India in November. The four pupils report on an extraordinary trip to southern India, funded by the British Council's Global Partnership.

 

Piled into the back of a small vehicle, bouncing down a country road, we were becoming increasingly aware of the adventure we had got ourselves into. Having left Facebook, texting, Twitter and technology behind, we all felt somewhat stripped of life's necessities. We were all exhausted from the journey and running solely on adrenaline. 04 NitteHowever, our moods picked up when we were warmly greeted by teachers and pupils of the Dr NSAM English Medium High School of the Nitte Educational Trust, our home for the next week. This action-packed week was to be not only greatly enjoyable, but also eye-opening.

On the second day, we visited our partner school, the main reason for our trip, and we were amazed by the hospitality and kindness of the people. We spent the morning in school, visiting various classes and speaking with the pupils. The time we spent in the school was undoubtedly the highlight of our trip. Our partner school is in many ways very similar to us, but also very different. The assemblies, for09 Nitte example, are held outside by the head boy and girl, who conduct a ceremony with military-style precision, in three different languages, supporting three different religions. Although no-one spoke every language and followed every religion, they all support each other and respect each other's faiths. The pupils, in height order, stand in lines facing inwards to a central circle, so that a bird's eye view of the ceremony would have the shape of the sun. The school caters for a wide variety of interests, from the keyboards used by the whole school to the karate classes on offer. The school put on a wonderful production for us, telling the tale of Diwali and showcasing the school's talents including singing, dancing and a very daring yoga production!

21 NitteEvery day was different; we spent mornings in the school and afternoons and evenings soaking up the area's unique culture. Visits to temples, museums and churches gave us a real feel for Karnataka culture and the local people's beliefs. While in Nitte we also had the opportunity to visit a local hospital in which we observed procedures being undertaken and visited different departments. We met with the head of the Nitte Educational Trust, who answered questions we had on the education system.

24 NitteAnother main purpose of our visit was to promote the Hutchie-Nitte challenge. Education in economically less developed countries is a huge issue in global politics. We are encouraging children from our partnership school to become actively involved in increasing awareness of this issue. The pupils who are most successful in doing so will be rewarded with a trip to visit Hutchesons' to find out what the education system is like in Scotland.

The ten days we spent in India provided us with fantastic memories and a very thought-provoking experience. The trip was thoroughly enjoyed by all and we are now eagerly anticipating the arrival of four exchange pupils in January.

Tags: India, International, School Tours

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