Happy Lohri!

The Lohri holiday is celebrated to recognized newborn babies and newlywed couples. It is the first holiday celebrated in the year, and people recognize it as the start of a new beginning. They also recognize this day as the closing of the winter season. A bonfire is made at night, and families gather around to eat supper together. Peanuts are thrown into the fire to represent the bad things in life being burned away, leaving all the good things remaining. To celebrate this holiday at Drishti, the 2nd standard students put on a show!


Since secondary students are preparing for exams these days, it was nice that teachers and students alike got to take this break. The sun finally popped out from behind the clouds, and the warmth of the sunshine felt so good! They burned a large bonfire and students were given peanuts to throw into the flames.

At the beginning of each school year, a list of programs are sent out to the teachers. Each standard gets the opportunity to host a program in front of the school. The school celebrates both national holidays, like Lohri and Republic Day, and international holidays, like Christmas and Halloween. Although Lohri was celebrated on Friday, the actual holiday is on Monday, January 13th. We will be off from school that day so that students and staff can celebrate with their families.

As I mentioned, families celebrate Lohri for newborns and recent marriages. I was able to visit the Lohri function of one of mentor teacher's families. What happens at a Lohri function, you ask? Dancing, eating, more dancing, and more eating!


Rupinder, my school coordinator.
A teacher's two daughters who I tutor in math after school.
Manpreet, my mentor teacher for my 6 standard class.

It has been an amazing first week here, and the generosity and welcoming nature of the school have exceeded my expectations. It's starting to feel like a home away from home as I get to know everyone a little bit more each day. Here we go, on week two, ready to finish up the chapter on exponents with the 7th standard students and geometric constructions with 6th standard students. I'm so proud of these students and their willingness to learn and engage in the classroom. Exams are coming soon, and students are getting nervous, so it's our job to prepare them well and keep them calm! Hopefully, after a long weekend, they will be feeling well rested and ready to take on the week.



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