One of the big reasons I came back was because I’ve spent the last few months corresponding with and coordinating for various volunteers to come to RDF, but none of them had come yet. To really take on this role and see it through I figured it was probably a good idea to still at RDF when they actually arrived! I am already loving this part of my job and the opportunity it provides me to meet with so many different and interesting people.
Have already met Nick from Austria and Sammy and her mother from California and AP, respectively. They are currently up at Matendla School but I will get a chance to interact with them more when they come to Kalleda in a couple weeks. Then Stuart from England and his two young children Abi and Charlie arrived by train. Spent the five-hour drive to Kalleda chatting with Stuart and hearing stories of their extensive travel including the most recent impressions of India. Upon arriving at Kalleda, I met Marena who arrived a few days earlier but had also volunteered here last summer. She will help by teaching some classes but is here on a research grant and has a very different area of knowledge about this community and India in general. Coming up will be college students from WashU, Will from Australia, Piya from UW, Robert from England, Sophie from Seattle, hopefully two women from Iceland, and many more who have yet to make themselves known!
It’s wonderful to be a part of introducing people to RDF and seeing how enthusiastic they are about the organization and the work that we’re doing. Plus I’m looking forward to a constantly changing flow of volunteers and guests bringing with them different knowledge, stories, and impressions of India. Who would have thought my life in a village could seem so cosmopolitan?!
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