Namaste!
After a ten hour train ride and a beautiful but extremely bumpy seven hour jeep ride that winded up through the mountains, we arrived in Gangtok, Sikkim. Originally it was supposed to take five hours to get to Gangtok via jeep however, after bouncing around in the back for an hour, our car came to a complete halt. As the Lonely Planet had warned us to be prepared for road blockages, a truck carrying two tons worth of rocks had run into some mechanical difficulties causing it to sputter out on a one-way bridge. Back home this wouldn’t be a big deal because there would be a detour that one could take. That is not so much the case here considering there is only one road to and from Sikkim. Fortunately, after being in India for over a month, our patience meters have swung far right.
From the moment we arrived we all fell in love with Sikkim. Getting away from the hustle and bustle of the cities into the mountains, where one can breathe and have a sense of personal space, is exactly what our group needed. It has been so calming and refreshing going to sleep and waking up to quietness. Also, not being sticky and sweaty 24/7 has been a major plus.
Sikkim is a state built into the mountains so every morning when I wake up I walk up to the roof and look out to a skyline of beautiful mountains with luscious greenery covering them. I don’t even feel like I am in India anymore because there is such a strong Asian influence here. From what I have observed, at least in Gangtok, a majority of the population is Asian. Also, all of the houses and buildings have a Chinese architectural influence. Sikkim borders Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan. It is quite interesting because Tibet and China won’t accept them and Southern India ignores them. It is like this lost world. In all reality, Sikkim is almost like its own country, yet, constitutionally it is under India’s control.
During our stay we volunteered at an elementary/middle school that was an hour outside of Gangtok. For the four days that we were there we taught the students a variety of different subjects including English, social studies, math, civics, and bio-chem. Saoirse found her future calling as a teacher. Seeing the energy and excitement that she brought into the classrooms everyday, that would then transfer over to the students, was touching.
The younger children, although they were adorable and I wanted to take each and every one of them home, were definitely more of a challenge. Every morning I would walk into a classroom filled with children ages 4-6 with no teacher to supervise them. With kids yelling and climbing in and out of the glassless windows, it almost had the atmosphere of a circus. I doubt that it is always like that but because we were there the teachers felt obliged to step back. In their minds, even though none of us have much teaching experience, our western ways of teaching are far better than there Nepalese ways. I wish they wouldn’t have had that mindset because I would have enjoyed seeing how a routine day of school looked for them.
Even though it was challenging, we all had a wonderful time and were sad when it came time to say goodbye. It is always difficult saying goodbye when you know it actually means goodbye. So often when I say goodbye, I really just mean see you later. This time I knew that would most likely not be the case; we all did. However, as a thank you gift, all of the students put silk scarves around our necks which is a symbol of deep appreciation and respect. Now, we all have a little something to remember them by.
Our stay in Gangtok was just what the doctor ordered. As our time comes to an end here, we are sad to say goodbye but are looking forward to our trek through the Himalayas! Hope all is well back home and get excited for the next blog which will be posted in about ten days.
–Sarah
PS. To all my friends and family back home, I love you guys the MOST!!!
