Work and Play in Shillong

cute little girl at the Bethany Society
Cooking class at the Bethany Society...smelled SOO GOOD!
Workshop at Saint Edmonds School
Maitri Interns at the Army School of Shillong
PRO in the making.
Shillong has proven to be a highlight of my time in India. It is a progressive jewel in the region, filled with hospitality and kindness. We were able to meet and work with the Maitri team here. It seems that Maitri’s access to schools is better here than in Delhi, and we were able to conduct two HIV/AIDS related workshops to educated students about the realities of the disease. We also had the opportunity to explore the various nooks of Shillong, eat at some fabulous restaurants (I ate meat for the first time since I’ve been in India), take some golfing lessons at 7:00 am and experience an extremely oily traditional Kerala Ayurveda massage. (The massage was a jolt of culture shock as we were completely naked, sprawled and greased…no body part excluded.)

The workshops that we conducted at the Saint Edwards School and the Army School of Shillong were highly successful. The students were receptive and active participants. I was surprised with their candid responses to some of the questions that were being posed, as well as their confidence to confide in us and ask questions related to HIV and sexuality. While it is disconcerting that the reality is that the students are exposed to risky behaviors that can result in HIV, their willingness to get personal and ask questions is encouraging. My hope is that they take home our messages and that they will think before they act, respect themselves and others, and engage in healthy living habits.

I’ve been impressed by the level of commitment to education for children of all socio-economic levels and mental abilities. Visiting institutions like the Bethany Society and the Mother Theresa Home are inspiring examples of how significant change can start out at the smallest levels, and have an enormous impact on the community and the lives of the students. Then Bethany Society is a rehabilitation center and vocational training center for those living with disabilities. After speaking with the man who runs the institution, we learned that it is their ultimate goal to integrate the students with disabilities with other students at normal public schools. They also are training older students with disabilities various vocational skills to equip them with the skills to be self-sufficient. Their facility is pristinely manicured, and the students are provided with quality tools to aid in this process, such as machines that convert books into brail and new sewing machines. The Mother Theresa Home was equally inspiring. This institution was also home to children living with disabilities, as well as orphans. The children were eager to show us around and sing for us. With continued support from the government, I predict that improvement in rehabilitation centers and those centers envisioning integration for all children will continue. Currently, the government support is on a state level. The Indian government should value these small institutions and provide funding for the work that is being done.

It was a pleasure working here. I was especially excited to visit another region of India that very few, if any, tourists visit. The northeastern region is incredibly green and hilly. The weather is about as unpredictable as the future. One minute you are enjoying a nice cool outdoor stroll, and the next minute, you are stuck indoors from a windstorm and downpour. Despite this, it gives the city of Shillong a certain charm that is irresistible. As I look outside now, and listen to the rain dripping off of the rooftops and slide down to the ground to generate masses of mud I can’t help but smile and dread returning to Delhi’s sticky heat.