Relationship Building

Working with up to one hundred students at a time with minimal English skills was overwhelming at first, but I learned the necessary communication skills in order to build relationships. Never before had I realized the importance of nonverbal communication. Day to day teaching and conversations consisted of mostly charades. I became increasingly efficient at it as time passed, and my relationships with my students, school faculty, and girls residing in the orphanage on campus grew into friendships.

This opportunity has also provided me with an establishment of professional connections with the faculty at Lady Andal and Madras Seva Sadan for future work and research in India.