Indian Welcome And Talking About Montessori

Indian Welcome

Claire and myself under a mango tree

Our long airplane journey finally ended in homeland in Chennai.  It still feels very much like a dream.  A very good friend came to pick us up at the airport.  Baby and I were exhausted and dehydrated when we got to Pondicherry.  We stayed at the Carmel Convent's guest house.  This convent was built in the 17th century,  a significant piece of the history of this coastal town.  The sisters welcomed us and we were comfortable. We visited with sisters while they busily made hosts for the whole archdiocese here.  I recalled my retreats here when I was a student at the Pondicherry University.  Ever since I have landed here I have been feasting my eyes with the view of the Bay of Bengal, coconut trees,  fresh mangoes and  the joy of being around family members fills my heart up to the brim.  People just consider any baby as their own here, often strangers passing by stop to tickle Claire.  Everyone here is very warm and although the daily struggles of life are amplified there is still peace and certitude of a better tomorrow.

Talking About Montessori

I have been meeting a lot of people among who are many parents and their children are in schools.  It seems that there are many playschools in the area and all of them say they are either Montessori or Montessori inspired.  Although these schools are doing good work there is room for a Montessori school dedicated to Dr. Montessori's principles.  When I expressed my ideas to my father he told me the story of the island where nobody wore shoes and how all the salesmen from a shoe making company failed to sell any shoes until one salesman came along.  This salesman said "The market is here, I just have to teach them how to wear shoes and the benefits of wearing shoes!!"  I feel the same, however it is so different from wearing shoes to bringing awareness about early childhood development and an education that will lay foundation for the rest of the life of the child.  I visited one of the prominent schools in the town and found that a huge classroom of four walls and a few fancy tables defined the child's environment where he is to learn and discover.  I am evermore eager and impatient to have a classroom ready.

We are in the process of finding a building suitable for our needs for a classroom and an outdoor space.  The town is pretty compact and to dream of a garden space is a lot but there is no harm in dreaming.

So much for now! I will be able to write more often now, as I finally have internet.