Colourful India

My name is Shawnee Dean, and I joined the GVI India initiative on the 6th of April,
just over a week now. Mind you, it was the middle of the night and I was too tired
from around 24 hours of traveling to Kochi from Australia to even take in my
surroundings, but once I opened my eyes the next morning I knew I would have
a difficult time taking in all the wonderful aspects of this new world for the next
two months.

For my time here I’ll be working in various schools and children’s home/
orphanages teaching a fusion of art and English as part of the Arts and Childcare
program, and from what I have heard I will be following in some pretty
incredible footsteps.
As well as trying to encourage creativity and different art forms with the kids
for the next two months, I have also given myself a personal art project to draw
portraits of the children I meet throughout this project, immortalising their
beautiful and inspiring smiles. So far I have drawn 2 of the boys from “Sneha
Bhavan”- boy’s home (Sajin and Ajay), and seeing how much joy it brings them
when I show the boys their pictures makes me wish I could draw them all.

Every experience I have had in my stay so far, whether it be with the locals, the
food, the kids from the boy’s home, the places I have seen, or the music, has
embodied one of the things our program manager, Anita told me in the cultural
orientation; that India is all about colour. And not just in the physical sense, but
down to the core and in the air as well, there is a colourful atmosphere wherever
you go.

I’ve only been here for a little while, but I already know I won’t want to leave
when June 1st comes around. India has this abstract beauty that I think you need
more than 2 months to fully appreciate and understand.

Colourful India