Im at this internet joint near the bus stop waiting for Rachna and Monique. I have this horrible fever. Other than the time I felt nauseous on the train, I have been lucky so far and havent got any colds or diarrhea or worse. But now I have this horrid fever. I am praying that I am heating up because of lack of sleep and not symptoms of something nasty! I have not been sleeping well. I have been waking up awfully early, which is very UNcharacteristic of me. I cant get back to sleep. So I end up getting up and making breakfast for everyone. And then I am at school this 5.30 because of the after-school program. They have this program for the Sumungali and Nebu street children because it is a better environment for them to be for a few more daylight hours than being kept indoors at the one-room hostel or roaming the streets. But I feel sorry for the older kids (grade 4-6) as they just have to do more academic work. The school have hired outside teachers to do some academic work with them and learning new material. I mean they are in primary school! and they have to do school work from 9am till 5.30pm! As for the younger kids, there is an adult supervising the kids doing homework. Thats why Bharati, the headmistress asked me if I wanted to do some arty work with them. I get so tired though after the craft session. I have new kids each day and each group seem to be louder and more demanding than the next. Today we made mini bulletin boards where they decorated the border and were given pushpins to pin up memos etc. I got my fever in the middle of the class >.< not good. The good thing with these craft times is that the kids get to take whatever they made home. You may think, so? but these kids can never take their homemade things home. Whatever art or craft they do, such as greeting cards or candles are given back to school for festivals, concerts and most of the time to sponsors/donors. And so when you say they can take it home and that its theirs they are so surprised and happy!two days ago, they finished making boomarks early and I told the kids they can play at the jungle gym. I offered to hold all the handiwork for the time being and one of the kids wouldnt let go because she didnt think Ill give it to her later.

got to go! sorry