volunteer story

Experience, expression and enrichment were the words that rang in her mind as she tried to articulate the reasons for being there.

She was in the heart of San Francisco, in the second floor of a school building on golden gate avenue where others like her, were assembled to attend the orientation program conducted by the San Francisco school volunteers. The San Francisco school volunteers were a Government supported organization that helped select focus schools enlist the help of volunteers to tutor and mentor students.

Two reference letters, a TB test and a fingerprinting id would allow her access to connect to the education system in the US which was a country she had only stepped into.

She looked at the other volunteers assembled around her and wondered what their story was? Why were they here? What duration would they volunteer for, and how would they use this experience to improve their lives?

The ice breaker- the natural starting point of the orientation gave her many answers. Most of them had a compelling reason to be there, their profiles summed up to:

A woman who lost her job, and her son to city crime wanted to volunteer to overcome her grief.
Another woman who was on a dependent visa and wanted to continue teaching through volunteering as she had given up her career as a teacher back home in Australia.
An old retired professor who was one of the founding menbers of a school initiative in the 60s was returning to his first love and passion as he felt he would feel closer to his granddaughter's stepping into school.
Four others were interested in linguistic education and were teachers who wanted to work in special education and classes that offered English as a second language to the large and culturally diverse student populace
A student who had benefitted through his mentor from SF volunteers and wanted to continue the cycle
A person who had lost all motor control and still wanted to volunteer as he felt his life was testament to hope and would inspire students

And, finally, it was her story.

The other volunteers looked at her with surprise and some amount of curiosity. She had worn an attire they weren't familiar with, and had an accent which was sometimes hard to understand and follow. She had a ringing voice and a laughter that almost seemed impolite in a group of strangers, her easy smile seemed like it was too happy to be true.

She was an Indian from Bangalore who had volunteered all through her life- from being a child nurse with Missionaries of charity, to working with Janaagraha in their communications wing to finally teaching through the baala janaagraha program, she had worn diverse volunteering hats.

When the realisation dawned among the group that she may probably be one among the two experienced volunteers in a room of first time volunteers, they felt a sense of ease to interact with her, and ask her questions on her experiences. Some even inquired about travelling to India and getting certified in yoga. Subjects she wasn't an expert at, but that which reminded her of people back home.

The eyes that looked suspiciously at her seemed to look at her with warmth, kindness and understanding.

Her smile only grew wider as this sense of familiarity grew and the relative anonymity of their existences began to decrease.

Compelling

I have had two wonderful life altering experiences in a week. Sunday was a day where I discovered what artistic perfection meant, and today is the day I became a part of a structured teaching movement.



The San Francisco Ballet is one of the oldest and most established ballet in the world. Every year they produce performances which leave behind a sense of absolute admiration by the audiences that experience the magic of art taken to the level of effortlessness. As indicated in one of my earlier blogs- effortless is a manifestation of beauty that is achieved after it manifests as competent, magnificent and divine which means its at the highest level. Read the blog again here:http://somethoughtsoftough.blogspot.com/2008/08/excerpts-from-four-manifestations-of.html

As I sat in rapt attention as angels(my interpretation of the ballet dancers) flew by and sailed through forms colors and music I realised what it meant to be a true performer. If one could achieve beauty and magic to this extent, doesnt it serve to say that existence as a pursuit of perfection is achieved?

What is life if it cannot induce passion, pleasure and power?

The ballet artists created these emotions collectively. The dedication, commitment and single minded pursuit required to become a dancer of this calibre would only allow these dancers the distinction of being torch bearers.

I have seen time and again that the emphasis and appreciation that our forefathers gave to the the encouragement and growth of arts and pure sciences is on a downward spiral with our generation.Our sense of achievement usually doest recognise the impact of the arts as much as our recognition of academics. We tend to focus on a child's growth and perceive education to be the means through which you get high paying tech jobs - it is only a perception- as this form of education limits one's natural need for expression and by and large affects the freedom to appreciate, enhance and commit one's time to the pursuit of an art form.

There are trends that indicate in India that there will be more and more people who will be able to afford a higher standard of education for their children, however, due to the availability of lucrative jobs teaching as a profession and a passion is considered a complete no no by people who have a potential to make a difference. What is the point in earning and being able to afford better education if there wont be quality providers? I wouldnt want to get into diminishing returns theory but I would want to consider the prospects of the future of our children. I speak so loftily of encouraging arts and pure sciences what if our children wont be able to discern the interconnectedness of the two?

I don't want to give any answers to these questions as I believe each of us are capable of choosing our paths and understanding the needs of an unborn generation.

Maybe this ted video may add some more thoughts:

I added this video as it reiterates my need to find answers to the questions that ran in my mind and I think I have found a start - by volunteering through a structured program of teaching and being involved with children who belong to homes that come under the poverty line(which is less than 15K of drawn salary in a yr by the parents of the children according to state laws) And I think doing it through the district makes this voluntarism accountable and measurable from an impact perspective. I do not want to either belong or encourage volunteerism as a fad. It cannot be an option because you have nothing else to do but because this is what you have wanted to do always.

More thoughts and compulsions will follow...