A British Young Man Visit Kuru Om for Teaching and Learning
William Pearson with Principal, Mrs. Shagufa Afzal
William Pearson, an 18 year old, from Britain visited Kuru Om School between July 12 and August 19, teaching students English and use of multimedia for communication, learning Hindi and culture of rural India. William, who just finished his A-level exams (equivalent to intermediate college in India) took this audacious journey because of his interest in India in general, and its culture and religion in particular.
His tourist visits in the area included Ayodhya and Varanasi, and he was able to visit Sultanpur a couple of times, including a visit to Rotary Club to learn about community activities in the area.
William endured heat, humidity, and at times loneliness away from home, although he was able to talk to his parents over phone, and communicated with others, including Founder of Kuru Om School via email and skype available at the school.
Answering a series of questions posed to him, he elaborates his experience during this visit.
1. What prompted you personally to visit a rural area in India?
William: For me it was a general interest in Indian culture and a desire to see the vast expanse of the plains for myself. I have always had a great interest in Indian religion, and where could it be more in its genuine form than in a non-globalised Indian village like Kuruom? It was a also a geographical interest, I had/have an interest in rice-producing/agriculture-dominated lifestyles, and of-course UP (Uttar Pradesh) is one of the 'rice-bowls' of India.
2. What was your initial vision of rural India, and how did it compare with what you ultimately observed?
William: Admittedly my initial vision of rural India was rather vague and incomplete but generally very positive. It is now still very positive, but a lot more detailed in terms of landscape, how a village economy works, how faith effects different aspects of life etc. It is much more isolated than I imagined, generally not very in tune with the happenings of the outside world which, being from London, was probably the largest culture shock. Oddly enough, I generally felt very comfortable going into the cities like Sultanpur and Varanasi, they were more of what I was used to.
3. How was your experience at Kuruom, the people associated with the school, and people in general?
William: Kuruom school was absolutely lovely to work in, the staff are very welcoming and curious to know about you. As for the people in general, they were the highlight of the whole stay. I made some great friends, Ramu being my best friend outside of school and taking great care of me, while Adarsh Mishra was my main aid in teaching English within the school and was generally very good humoured and friendly. The Principal - Mrs Afzal - was also a fantastic help on a daily basis and was very keen to laugh. Again, one main thing about being a westerner there is that people are very curious, its something you have to get used to, but as long as you have a sense of humour its alright - Cricket is a great 'ice-breaker'.
William Pearson with Faculty of the Kuru Om Vidyalaya4. What was your experience at the guest house, and what can be improved to make the guest house experience more convenient?
William: The guest house is of a good standard, and you kinda feel privileged when you notice that there are straw huts a few hundred yards away. Although generally quite comfortable and liveable, there are a few notes of improvement.:
1: It could really use a sofa, its quite hard sitting on plastic chairs all day.
2: In the toilet room, it would make more sense to have a lowered drain, so that water naturally flow down it. I generally had a problem with standing water.
3: For the more squeamish westerners, the toilets need to also be kept very clean, because of the nature of the water supply and it can become grimy quickly.
4: It would also be best if the bedroom was dusted (and cleaned of gargantuan spiders) before arrival, as there was a lot of dust all over curtains.
5: In my particular room (the Sumit room), there seems to be a frog living in the drain, which comes in at night and screeches very loudly (on occasion). Drilling the drain cover into the floor would probably stop the frog from getting in.5. I know you did not have much experience in the cities of India, but do you have any thoughts of life in cities and rural India, for you and others?
William: Life in the cities seemed pretty similar to life in most cities, very fast, hectic and full of people. I have generally found that the difference between urban and rural in countries like India is greater than the cultural difference between some nations. The village, while also full of people, was slow-paced, and people to seemed to spend a lot of their time sitting around and talking (I don't know if this is just because of the time of year I was there). Just as a footnote, I would recommend that people who want to stay in the village spend some time in an Indian city before arriving, like Maureen did. For me it took some adjustment going from Urban England to rural India, as you can imagine.
6. What is your impression of India’s culture and tradition after your this brief visit?
William: The culture and tradition is very engaging and wonderful to be involved with, and I will definitely go again, perhaps to a mountainous region, or do some study at university on the subject.
William learns Yoga concepts from Dr. Bal Ram Singh, Founder of Kuru Om School7. What do you think of the manner, potential, and outlook for young people in India?
William: The young people are fantastically polite and friendly. There is a strange mix of those who don't know what they will do for work in their future or are fatalistic, and those who are endearingly optimistic, hoping to become rich. Education is clearly valued very highly. As for the outlook, the general world-view of the young people is an odd mixture of despising Pakistan, and thinking that everyone in America is equal.
William visit Sultanpur Rotary Club meeting to learn about Club's community service activities8. Any other thoughts.
Thank you for the fantastic journey! I greatly enjoyed my stay, and would love to visit everyone again next time I'm in that part of India. I've been keeping in touch with the staff and the school seems to be going well, I hope that continues. :)
