As my initial visa was expiring earlier this summer, I applied for a 5-year Indian business visa. Rather than my passport being returned to me within the customary five or six days, it took five weeks. Without the visa. I was told to apply for an employment visa instead. I did so and was turned down again, but they gave me absolutely no reason for the denial. This past week, I applied for a 1-year business visa. Now I'm being told that I can't apply for an employment visa one moment and for a business visa the next. It looks fishy.
They also mentioned that if I apply again within the next six months, I risk being denied an Indian visa for life. That was unwelcome news considering I am supposed to be running a school!
In the meantime, I am grateful for the volunteers in India who keep things afloat and with whom I have exchanged hundreds of emails. We talk about everything from which form of discipline for which child, to curriculum (the southern Indian government has changed its mind four times in four weeks over whether we are required to use their standard books, which, incidentally, are riddled with grammatical and other errors), to the all-too-common domestic abuse issues among our staff members, to admissions and its heartbreaking opposite: children leaving the school because of their inability to pay the annual tuition of 20 dollars (I would gladly pay it out of my own pocket if it weren't a more complicated issue of trying to help the family and relatives understand education as an investment).
I don't always sleep so well after receiving these sorts of emails. It's enormously frustrating to be so far away and to be unable to intervene more directly.
And then I sometimes spy on Rising Star via the blogs of our short-term summer volunteers. This week, I learned that a child in kindergarten has leprosy:
"Sadly, I just found out a few days ago that Sudha has contracted leprosy. So she is currently being treated for it. From what I understand they have discovered it early enough that she can be cured but it is still a difficult process. Yesterday Sudha had to go to the hospital to get a skin graft so they could take some samples of her skin. She had to get stitches after and was very sad, which made me very sad. I am thinking about sponsoring her. So keep Sudha in your prayers."
Is it safe to assume that blogs are in the common domain and can be quoted at random?
Sudha on the right
I also learned, from a blog, that one of the housemothers will soon be marrying her uncle (?). Let's hope that bit of news was somehow lost in translation!
Here's another blog excerpt. I love it because I can perfectly envision the scenario.
"Today was their day to use the bikes, which they only get to do every two weeks so it's a treat for them. It breaks my heart though, because they absolutely love cycling (as they call it) but their bikes don't have pedals or if they do they have a popped tire or only semi-working chains. But they still make it work and they still have the biggest smiles on their faces the entire time. It's very humbling to see the types of simple things that bring these kids happiness and joy."
I hope Audrey will forgive me for pirating this picture. It is perfectly apropos as it features girls on bikes and Sudha in the grey dress.
As for the visa, we will now resort to Plan B. I will not reveal any details lest Indian consulate agents track me down (I briefly considered, then rejected, the idea of entering illegally by refugee boat). Stay tuned!
They also mentioned that if I apply again within the next six months, I risk being denied an Indian visa for life. That was unwelcome news considering I am supposed to be running a school!
In the meantime, I am grateful for the volunteers in India who keep things afloat and with whom I have exchanged hundreds of emails. We talk about everything from which form of discipline for which child, to curriculum (the southern Indian government has changed its mind four times in four weeks over whether we are required to use their standard books, which, incidentally, are riddled with grammatical and other errors), to the all-too-common domestic abuse issues among our staff members, to admissions and its heartbreaking opposite: children leaving the school because of their inability to pay the annual tuition of 20 dollars (I would gladly pay it out of my own pocket if it weren't a more complicated issue of trying to help the family and relatives understand education as an investment).
I don't always sleep so well after receiving these sorts of emails. It's enormously frustrating to be so far away and to be unable to intervene more directly.
And then I sometimes spy on Rising Star via the blogs of our short-term summer volunteers. This week, I learned that a child in kindergarten has leprosy:
"Sadly, I just found out a few days ago that Sudha has contracted leprosy. So she is currently being treated for it. From what I understand they have discovered it early enough that she can be cured but it is still a difficult process. Yesterday Sudha had to go to the hospital to get a skin graft so they could take some samples of her skin. She had to get stitches after and was very sad, which made me very sad. I am thinking about sponsoring her. So keep Sudha in your prayers."
Is it safe to assume that blogs are in the common domain and can be quoted at random?
I also learned, from a blog, that one of the housemothers will soon be marrying her uncle (?). Let's hope that bit of news was somehow lost in translation!
Here's another blog excerpt. I love it because I can perfectly envision the scenario.
"Today was their day to use the bikes, which they only get to do every two weeks so it's a treat for them. It breaks my heart though, because they absolutely love cycling (as they call it) but their bikes don't have pedals or if they do they have a popped tire or only semi-working chains. But they still make it work and they still have the biggest smiles on their faces the entire time. It's very humbling to see the types of simple things that bring these kids happiness and joy."
As for the visa, we will now resort to Plan B. I will not reveal any details lest Indian consulate agents track me down (I briefly considered, then rejected, the idea of entering illegally by refugee boat). Stay tuned!
Great news about Harikrishnan being back in school; terrible news about the visa. What is going to happen? Is there a consulate one can actually go to? Could that help? Bad news also about Sudha. I hope it was caught early enough to be cured quickly and completely!
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