-Emily Broomfield

We have just come to finish our first full week here in Shamshabad. Each day has been an adventure, full of surprises around every corner. We have spent days on the MBCBC campus getting to know the students here and exploring different topics surrounding life in India. We have also spent many days out in the city, touring historical landmarks as well as getting to see how daily life functions in India.

One of my favorite memories from this week was the opportunity that a few of us had to drive out to a local village and spend some time with the children at school. The school taught 1st through 7th grade with two teachers teaching all one hundred kids. We took all of the kids outside and played with them through the afternoon. The kids were thrilled to not be in class! At first, we thought that we would be the ones teaching them new games, but boy were we wrong. They taught us a ton of new games, including one that has become notorious in our team called cupordi. The goal of the game is to tag someone from the opposing team before they have the chance to tackle you. If you can get back to your side without being tackled, you stay in. If they manage to catch you, you are out. We split the kids up between boys and girls, and it was hilarious to watch the difference of the two games. The boys were super intense about it, willing to hurt themselves if it meant keeping the other team from getting back. The girls however were a lot more timid, and not wanting to hurt anyone. You could tell that the children really enjoyed having us there, and we had a wonderful time getting to know them. Needless to say, we are all anxious for when we can go back again.

Along with the trip to the village, we were able to take a few trips out to some historical landmarks such as Golconda Fort and Charminar. It was incredible to see these 100 year old buildings and to learn the history behind them. It has been a great time for us to really understand what it is we talk about in lectures, as we have covered the historical time periods in which these landmarks were at their prime. I am so excited to continue to learn and explore India through the rest of this semester.