Soon after our trip last Saturday to Pondicherry we went tot the dining hall for movie night with the all of the kids. When we got there it was only to find that we hardly reconized half of them... all of the kids, boys AND girls, from fourth grade and younger had gotten their hair cut!! I wish I could say that they just wanted to cut their hair, however, unfortunately it was because the persisting problem of LICE! Some of the kids have had for a long time and now most of the younger kids have it. It was next to impossible for them to keep it under control so they just cut everybody's hair. :( :( The girls here have long, thick and beautiful braids and now the only thing distinguishing them between the boys is their clothes. It's sad to see their beautiful hair completely butchered and now most of the volunteers are paranoid! We do lice checks almost everyday, but so far only two of the volunteers have had it. Which is actually a funny story... they only reason those two got it was because one particularly ornery little girl decided it would be funny to pick the lice out of her own hair and put it into theirs when they weren't looking.... it's ok, you can laugh. ;)
If you're queezy, I would suggest not reading this part... but I want to share because it is a small but good insight into how the people live her. I guess somewhere in the back of my mind I must have know what I'm about to tell you and yet I was mortified the other day when I found out. Apparently the people here do not use toilet paper!!! I'd like to be able to tell you that they simply use some other material or decent method for wiping... but unfortunately I must report that their method is to simply use their hands. :( I might be able to get over it if I thought that they washed and sanitized well, but nothing in this culture suggests that they do and everything in this culture suggests that they don't. I understand that they don't have access to certain luxuries we do in the states but that doesn't mean that I don't get nervous when the kids try to hold my hand or share food with me. Thank goodness that toilet paper is provided for us 'high maintenance' americans and of course, thank goodness for hand sanitizer.
Now about eating...
I have always enjoyed eating... I mean, who doesn't? I love snacking and I love flavor! Most of the time eating is an enjoyable experience. Since being here however, it seems that eating has become a chore. One can only eat rice and really spicy curry so many times. Rather than looking forward to nice meal at the end of a long day, dinner has become an essential event that we all must attend in order to keep us alive and somewhat well. :)
If you're queezy, I would suggest not reading this part... but I want to share because it is a small but good insight into how the people live her. I guess somewhere in the back of my mind I must have know what I'm about to tell you and yet I was mortified the other day when I found out. Apparently the people here do not use toilet paper!!! I'd like to be able to tell you that they simply use some other material or decent method for wiping... but unfortunately I must report that their method is to simply use their hands. :( I might be able to get over it if I thought that they washed and sanitized well, but nothing in this culture suggests that they do and everything in this culture suggests that they don't. I understand that they don't have access to certain luxuries we do in the states but that doesn't mean that I don't get nervous when the kids try to hold my hand or share food with me. Thank goodness that toilet paper is provided for us 'high maintenance' americans and of course, thank goodness for hand sanitizer.
Now about eating...
I have always enjoyed eating... I mean, who doesn't? I love snacking and I love flavor! Most of the time eating is an enjoyable experience. Since being here however, it seems that eating has become a chore. One can only eat rice and really spicy curry so many times. Rather than looking forward to nice meal at the end of a long day, dinner has become an essential event that we all must attend in order to keep us alive and somewhat well. :)
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