A New Friend, and The Temple in Mantralya

On Wednesday Sushma, an eighth grade girl, walked me home and we stopped at her home to meet her mother and father. She was very happy to have me come to her home. The next day she brought lunch for me to school. Her mother made vegetable fried rice and a sweet bread. It was a wonderful connection for me and I will treasure our new friendship.

I had fun teaching a Social Studies class that was sitting on the ground outside of the computer lab. I created shapes of spaces with my hands in the air that represented different states, countries, rivers or mountains. I walked around the students in a circle that represented the location of those things on the planet. I named and located those things many times and they repeated my words, shouting them loudly. After a while I could just hold my hands in a shape or gesture and they would shout out the name. The Mississippi River was my fingers wiggling as I moved them through the center of America from top to bottom. Maine was a space in the Northeastern part of America. Bowdoin was a small space in Maine; and my house was a tiny space that I made with my thumbs and index fingers. They loved doing that and it was so affirming for me of my ability to be creative and have fun in teaching children. I am much less creative in the computer lab. There I am mostly supporting the teachers and helping the students.
Here are some pictures of Sushma and of teachers working in the lab. Also a few of VeeJay's house on the way to Mantralaya.

Yesterday evening I went to the Temple and Ashram in Mantralaya, about 20 miles from here. I was blessed by the elephant. I wore a Juba and Dothy. I am realizing in writing this morning that I don’t have a lot of energy or interest in going into detail to describe something like this visit. So I will give you this link to get more information. I also have some pictures that I took there.