Saturday 11 June 2016

The days are becoming a blur! We volunteered at the slum complex this morning, teaching the children English and maths and working with the teachers on their English skills. We're teaching a real mix of abilities; some are the slum school teachers whilst others are just mastering a couple of colour names. It's really nice to see how keen they are to learn.

We finished at around 12 and went back to our accommodation for lunch. We were planning on going to a local mall to go shopping but some other volunteers said that there wasn't much to do there and recommended one in Delhi. We set off about 2 and got a rickshaw to the metro station. It took about an hour and a half on the metro despite costing 29p, and when we arrived we got a rickshaw to the shopping centre. It was huge and very western, whilst I wasn't massively keen on the shops (literally the same as back home with the same prices) I appreciated the air conditioning massively. We also got a drink somewhere which was nice and then at 6.30 ish headed back to the metro station.

We had to get one train for a few stops and then change, and as I stepped onto the second train I discovered to my horror that the doors had closed and left the others on the platform! Daniels and I signalled to each other and I misunderstood and thought she meant that we'd meet at that station, so I got off the train at the next station and went back. They weren't there. I realised what had happened and got a train to the next station but they weren't there either! Unsure what to do I got back onto the train and stayed on it back to where we were staying. I contacted our volunteering leader to explain the situation. Despite it being rush hour, being alone in a train where I was not only the non Indian but also the only woman, I felt safe. A man offered me his seat which was a blessing as it was packed and I doubt I would have felt safe stood up.

After 40 minutes I got off and got a rickshaw back to our accommodation. The guy spoke hardly any English and I called vishy to get him to explain the address to the driver. After some well needed dinner I was reunited with the others and we had a well needed early night. More than enough excitement for one day!

Laura x

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