Pune blast

Pune the city I live in had a bomb blast. Pretty closeby to where I live. I was more then scared,speech less once I read about it. But it was Karneval the last couple of days. I ofcourse did celebrate it my best. I had time to sit online and read to after 6 days. I read the news. I saw the number of dead people. It was first 6. Now its 10. This girl,who was 18 years old was the one I just read before I decided to write this post. I saw her age,and was pretty sure she would be on facebook. I just looked up her profile and saw her introduction. Which I'm going to share with everyone who reads this.

'i am 18 years old. and i try to enjoy every bit of life.i believe that the small things in life can give us the most happiness.lyk when my frnd tells me that i am the one with whom s/he can share everything.. i am the happiest person on earth. i dont like people who are not honest.funny people appeal to me.i feel that though ihave a hell lot of friends, i dont have a buddy who is completely mine..sometimes when i need someone to share my secrets or when i want to lay my head on a strong shoulder and wanna cry or want a warm hand to hold me ..i feel im alone. i beleive in being a beautiful and strong woman who will make heads turn and eyes look up. i am my own princess and i need a prince who needs me!'

I had tears. I didn't even know her. I can't imagine what her family and friends are going though. The blast was in a German bakery. A very common place for students to hang out. 10 dead, so many injuried. Why are people doing this? Why is always killing the end? Is killing the only way to show they have more power?

Anindyee Dhar was just one person I wrote about. 9 other such cases. I feel so powerless. So helpess. All I can do is write this? All I can do is pray that it shouldn't happen again? This should end somewhere.

Gog bless all these souls.

Peace.

Kindergarten as days went by^^

I was kind of scared at the starting. I thought they wouldn't understand my German. But my first few days were full with variety of reactions ;). Some of them were scared,because of the green colour,some of them were amused. I this favourite kid right on the first day. She came to me and just sat on my lap. And from then it was the same till the last day :). Where as some children,just gave negative reactions. I was asked a billion of funny questions like , 'Why do you talk so funny?' , 'Your mother didn't yell at you for having black and green hair?' I have like around three piercing in my ear,I wore all the three earnings,and this girl started crying because she wanted it too and her mother didn't allow :). I was talking to this boy from my school,and I looked down and this little kid was like ,' You are married to him? ' I was like 'No,Why?' And he goes like, 'then why did you ask him if he has eaten?'

To my surprise they understood my german better then the adults. Maybe because they don't know german themselves ;). But I couldn't use English words at all. So I had to be very careful to not use words like 'Run, stop, don't' what we normally use for talking to children. All I that to do the whole day was play with them. But trust me,its as difficult as a teacher. If you don't listen to them,they are angry. And each child has something to say. Oh so one of my first weeks, this boy came to be and said something. Something I didn't understand. Then he kept saying it the WHOLE time,but I just didn't know what it means in German. And then he was angry because I didn't listen to him,but I really was. And ofcourse as you have good experiences you always have bad ones too. I did have some bad ones too. Children are straight forward,maybe thats one of the best things I like about them. If they like you,or a game or something they will show it. And if they don't they will show it too. I even read out stories to them. They loved playing 'hair styling' games with my hair. Oh. And maximum what I did was art and craft things. I did a lot of painting and making things from paper like a bird or something.

I also danced with them. Like everyday the same dance. It was so much fun! And teachers were also really nice. I wasn't well for 3 days and they made me tea and things. The best part I like about children is their imagination skills. We can't think like they do. I was sitting in one place and they made that place a circus, then they made it a road with a police man and one child being a car, and the next minute it was a zoo. And they had days in which they would just imagine they are animals and talk in just noises. But you have to understand them :). And its a skill being a teacher at a kindergarten I think. The teacher would just take a name and say, go to the toilet and that kid really wanted to go to the toilet but because he was playing he didnt want to. And I always wondered how they understood. But at the end of the 3 weeks,at my second last day I told this child to go to the toilet too and he did :D. You have to notice their movements. And thats how you know.

There were many differences between Indian and German kindergartens. Each child has around 3 shoes,one for playing,one for the kindergarten and one for going out. Normally indian kids wouldn't ask,' Can I play with you?' They just think they are games for everyone and everyone is supposed to play with them. But here if the kid doesn't want you to play with him, you shouldn't. They have really good eating habits,and are neat children.
This one time we were going out in snow,and I had to help my group children dress up. Each child should have 3 jackets, a snow pant, boots, shawl and a cap. And trust me people. This is real WORK! I did it for around 7 children and the last one I just zipped his pants and he said,' I want to go to the toilet.' I was about to say just do it in your pants ;). But then that would be even more work! They were really small children,so we had to do almost everything. But the thing that amused me the most was. After we came in from snow, I helped them remove their clothes again. And mark my words, each and every child when and put his clothes where they were. AAt such a small age they are taught to take care of their own things. Something I should learn,even now :D.

My last day they gave me a little farewell. I got the best gifts. I got around 8 paintings drawn by them. They are so cute. This one drawing is little random grey coloured lines. And I asked him what it was,and he said its a luck pig :). And these two little craft things. We played games, and I baked muffins for them.

It was amazing how fast the time went by. But one thing remained the same. My first week,these two children asked me what my name was. I answered 'Ved'. Second week again the same kids same question same answer. And the third week the question changed a little ;). They asked me, 'Ved what is your name again' :D

Its awesome that I did the practical. I'm sure I wouldn't ever learn things like, 'Can you please remove my pant button?' in German in my whole year stay;)

And now. Back to school.
Love.

Kindergarten^^

Germany has this cool system in the school in which all the 11th class people have to do a social practical. This practical is for around 3 weeks,in which students have to visit places like old age home, mentally challenged people 's hospitals, hospitals, kindergarten etc. And as the title says, I did my practical in a kindergarten :).

I have always loved children. And thats the reason I wanted to do this practical. The other exchange students had to go to the 10th class for the three weeks we did this. That does mean we didn't have school for three weeks :D. I thought being in a kindergarten would be easy. Just play with children the whole time and thats good. But hehe.. I was so wrong :).

I went to a Kindergarten closeby in Gimmingen. The kindergarten system is totally different compared to India. We have kindergartens in the school. Even in the kindergartens children have to wear school uniforms, because the school just wants them to get used to it. I had children from 2-5 age. The five year old children would have a 'school group' every Mondays for around 1 and a half hour. In this hour the teacher would teach them a little math, Alpahets or school related things. Other then that the whole time was just playing :). Ofcourse the playing factor reminds same in India too!

The kindergarten had 3 groups. Red, green group and a group for mentally challenged children. I had two boys from my school who did the practical at the same place with me. We were all divided into groups and I was in the green group. We had around 20 children with 2 teachers. Other teachers would come in the afternoon time. I had to be there from eight in the morning to four EVERYDAY,for three weeks.

All though the mornings the children would generallypla around the gym room. Well I don't really know the English translation for the german word,I'm sorry :P. But its a room for playing in short. Wait. I first need to describe the place. The kindergarten was full of colours. As you enter there was a passage, after which once you look left there was a playing room. I bet the children would think its HUGE or something. It was similar with me,when I was young I would think my play ground is the biggest place in the world,but now that I see it,its so small. The playing room had these colourful all shaped blocks made up of cotton. Children would make a house,or whatever they wanted with them. So note: They had to change their shoes before entering this room. They had to put on the playing shoes. At the right was like a pretty big space, attached to the kitchen. In the middle of this big space was a little house with was full of colourful little balls,and the children had to jump in them. And everytime the children jumped,I felt like jumping in myself :). Surrounded by this ball house were two rocking horses. I had one too when I was small :D. And there was also a 'breakfast table'. Attached to this were a bunch of rooms,and two of them were also the doors to get into the green and red groups. The green group room (the one I was in) had craft made my children all over the place, again a breakfast table. And two other tables,one of them always had a plastic on it so children can play with clay,or paint things on it. And there was also a COMPUTER. I was more then surprised to see a computer there,but the teachers told us that once it was new everyone wanted to place with it,and now that its old not many want to. And the kindergarten had ALL types of games possible. They had this little kitchen with plastic plates,and oven,food things. One corner was full of clothes, a mirror and a small bed. All types of games from card games, board games, cars, tracks, railways there had everything! There always was light coming in the room as one side was totally glass. And on the wall was everyone 's photos,and their birth dates. It was amazing to see people born in 2007 and things. It like Oh god! I went for this new year party and thats when he was born ^^. It was such a awesome feeling.
There was a room for teachers, a storage room. And Oh god! The toilets for children were adorable. The wash basin were really small,so children could reach them. And so were the toilets.

And this is about the place. The next post is about me and them :)

Czech Republic

I feel so awesomely lucky to have country names while writtting my blog posts. So yes. As the title says I did go to Czech Republic :D.

My host dad has this office in which they make advertises for people, places. I don't really know the details. But his office has all the nice things that interest me: Photography, graphic designers etc. So that how it started. Thats how it was planned :). He was going with his bunch of models and photographers to Czech. And so I went along. I get to see the new
place, plus get to learn a bit about photography and plus all the fun that comes with it. I would be stupid if I didn't go!

We were set to go to Marino Limpno in Czech Republic :)

My excitement usually at a high level when my phone gets welcome messages. It was a 6-7 hour drive. We left on a Friday. We were total seven people including me. Dominik Ketz , Olaf, Sally, Maren, Rike, Erek. Dominik was the photographer. He was the actual professional photographer, the ones with BIG lens! Olaf and Sally were married from 3 years or something. One of the cutest couples I have seen till date. The ever smiling one :). Maren was around 13 years old,but no one could say that. She looked around 17 and would talk all the time. She was really pretty though. Rike is my sweet sisterrr:D. And Erek. Hheheh.. :P. Yes. My host dad. The best entertainment for everyone on the trip.

We reached really late at night.And next day around 8 were woken up for breakfast. The days were packed and totally well planned. And they carried the light sheet and things. I went like walking with such stars ;). It was a work shooting after all. The first day they took pictures of all models in snow. Then we ice skated. It was awesome! This HUGE sea was all FROZEN. Like totally. And then we ice skated on it! Like imagine I can proudly now tell people I ice skated on a sea ;) . Imagine ice skating on this sea with like forest around. But the forests were on hills,so we could like see it. And the forest trees were the ones I have never seen in my entire life. They were huge size christmas trees. I have no clue what they are called. The food all time was great. We always ate in outside,and usually quick. I can hardly remember how fast the first day went. It was super fast and trying.
The second day was great too! After breakfast we went to this forest. And it was the prettiest thing I have ever seen! The christmas trees looking like trees were totally covered in snow. But not only that the little leaves looked like small needles,and these needles were ice. And HUGE trees. And everything white. It was so very beautiful! Ofcourse I have to mention I was given these shoes to walk on the snow,and they are big so one can balance and not go deep in the snow. But it was almost impossible to walk with them. And the others had to smile while Dominik was taking pictures. Wait. I didn't mention. All the models were really natural and you didn't really have to tell them to smile. And it was great seeing Dominik work. He didn't say much but he totally captured it at the right moment.

Czech Republic has a funny language with a different currency. The place was pretty cool, filled of all types of winter sports. I didn't really talk to any of those people, so don't know how they are. But I'm glad I got a chance to see that place.

I was basically just trying to help and being around while they were working. I could also help them smile if they needed it :D. And plus me and my host dad are usually a good entertainment team. The car journeys were always full of laughter and great music!

And well. I do have some photos of me taken for fun :D. I will post them as soon as I get them ! It was such a total amazingly fun trip. I can always go back with the same people :).

Hip Hip Hurraa! Alles ist super. Alles ist wunderbarrr!
= Hip hip hurrreeyy! Everything is superb. Everything is wonderful.