Some Observations.

It has been exactly a week since I arrived at Bal Ashram. The days are flying by and I've already cried once thinking about the fact that I'd have to leave these boys in a few days. This place has been incredibly healing and therapeutic. The boys are teaching me so much about life and how to lead life - lessons I could not have learned anywhere else. 

I've been spending a lot of time observing the children and their mannerisms/behavior. Here are a few things that I've observed about the boys:

1. They are very protective of each other. As in any group or school setting, the children at Bal Ashram also have their own small cliques at times. They have their own best friends and core groups and they're very protective of those in that group and all children, in general. For example, as one of the kids was telling me something that his friend had done as a joke, I too jokingly said that his best friend is a 'bad boy.' The kid looked at me and said "No Didi, he isn't. He's a very good boy." The fact that the boy didn't want anyone to talk badly about his friend showed that they respect each other greatly. Another example of the relationship between that kid and his best friend is that they wait to eat and make sure both of them eat food at the same time. Respect, love, and friendship. I love it. 
2. They are extremely observant. Majority of the time, all the children come after me and all at once yell 'Esha Didi' to get my attention. As a result, I sometimes get a bit overwhelmed and may accidentally show it on my face. Thus, one day when I was eating dinner, one of the kids came up to me and asked "Esha Didi,  Aap aaj udaas kyon ho?" meaning "Why are you sad today?" The fact that that child had the concept of noticing another person's body language and facial expressions showed me that the kids at the Ashram are extremely observant of those around them and can pick up on things very easily. Another day a kid asked me why I keep putting my hair in a bun if it keeps falling out. Putting my hair in a bun just became a habit of mine, even if it falls out 3 seconds later. I hadn't realized that I was doing it that often until that kid pointed it out. Again, I was astonished. 
3. Every kid is multi-talented. The kids at Bal Ashram are extremely well-rounded students. They have academic classes, play soccer, cricket, and badminton, paint, sing, play different instruments, garden, make food, etc. 
4. All of them have the utmost gratitude for their teachers and staff. There's a sense of deep gratitude amongst all the children at the Ashram. They know that they were rescued from situations that they never should have been in to begin with. Thus, knowing that the faculty and staff at the Ashram work to protect, heal, and encourage them is something that they all imbibe. 
5. Therapy is normalized. There are currently 2 counselors on-site. Every time a kid sees one of the counselors, they chase after them and ask for a counseling session. This showed me how normalized therapy is at the Ashram and I freaking love that. I love that the faculty and staff were able to create that space for children and ensure that they understand that talking about their feelings and their past and working on themselves is not a bad thing; it's a very good thing. 
6. They are eager to learn. All of the kids are always eager to learn something new all the time. They love learning new languages and are actually, in fact, very fast at picking up new languages. Their love for education has been heartwarming to see. This also shows us the power of education and its ability to remove children from their dire situations and uplift them into better situations. 
7. They're very physically affectionate children. I call one of the boys 'Bobby Deol,' who is a Bollywood actor. This kid is a tiny little boy, whose smile radiates across his entire face and to his eyes. Every time we see each other, we grab each others hands and he clings to my arm the whole time. For someone who was always a 'touch me not' child, I grew to adore these children's signs of love through touch - the grabbing of my wrist, the pinky promises, the shoulders grazing my abdomen as we walk, the constant tapping on my knee to get my attention - I adore it.