Front Row Seat to Colliding Cultures

About a week ago Ricardo and Glaucia arrived back in India. They are the Brazilian couple in charge of Ashasthan who went home to Brazil after three years of staying grounded in India. There son was tiny when they left so he was completely unrecognizable to all their family and friends. They were happy to have had time in brazil but you could see they were thrilled to be home. It is so nice to know them and have them back. The girls especially were ecstatic to see them again. It has also been incredibly neat to get to know the 7 other Brazilian women they brought with them. The women range from ages 24-55 and are all very excited to be here. They all come from the ministry school that Dad spoke at during his time in Brazil. This is the same school that started Ashasthan.
With their arrival comes a new challenge set before me. I have now begun three weekly classes with these Brazilian women. It is difficult to teach women older then me but they are very grateful for the help and I am happy to give it. These new classes have helped me grasp a little more the reason God has placed me in this role of teaching English. Ashasthan has been praying for more staff to come in as it is their only hope of being able to open new homes. God has brought the staff to work for this next year, possibly longer, but the only obstacle is the language barrier. I have this incredible honor of being able to help both sides communicate with one another so that on my departure I can see a lasting fruit to my time here in the way these Brazilian women will be serving and loving these girls after I leave. While I still feel completely ill-equipped for the role a lot of the time I am finding new creative ways to try to teach. It was a huge blessing to me to see Glaucia’s shocked face as she heard the girls speaking in English. The improvement has been hard to notice at times for me but her coming in having not witnessed the process brought fresh perspective I really needed.
The other really cool thing about the Brazilians all being here for me has been to watch two very different cultures from my own interact with one another. I have been blown away by this experience and have never seen something like it. I loved seeing the girls all meet them for the first time. The Brazilians are very loud and energetic and the girls are all very quiet and shy at first. Indians by nature are very timid and drawn back for introductions. It was hilarious to watch these women tackle these girls in huge hugs and serenade them with high-pitched squeals. The girls were a bit shocked and one came running to hide by my side. Once the newness wore off the girls were very happy to talk and laugh with all their new Di-Dis (big sisters). Every moment form then on has continued to add to my captivation with this blend of differences I am seeing. It has also proved a delicious blend as I had a Brazilian lunch and Indian dinner today.
Last time I wrote things were a bit up in the air in regards to where I would be living. The plan (at least for the next couple weeks, which is kind of how things go planning wise here) is that I am living half of the week at Sani’s house with all of the younger girls and half of the week at Ricardo and Glaucia’s home. From Ricardo and Glaucia’s home it is a lot easier for me to get to the other 3 homes of girls. This way I am getting to see all of the girls each week, time to experience living on site with them, as well as time with Ricardo and Glaucia. Yet again God has proved himself a better planner of my days.
A little more then two weeks to go now and then the girls will be out for summer break. I think I might be more excited then some of the girls. Summer vacation in India sounds like good times to me! It will be an especially fun way to end my time here. I am so happy I will have got to see Ashasthan both during the school year and the summer break. I am nearing the mark of my second complete month her in India. I am so stunned by this. Time is slipping so quickly by and I am trying to eat as many Indian street snacks, take as many photos, learn as much Hindi, and savor as many of these girls smiles as I can.