After an enjoyable night of team-bonding and reminiscing about our two weeks spent in Tamil Nadu, the boys woke up for their final morning at RTU bleary eyed, but ready to begin the long journey home. A feeling of accomplishment was in the air as we finished our final breakfast, packed our bags and took one last look at our surroundings.

We said farewell to the Brothers and our tireless and wonderfully generous tour guide Samy, exchanging a few gifts and donning our distinctive tailor made red shirts for one last team photo. A special thanks to those back home who donated gifts or money for the village – these were all gratefully received by Father Anthony and will go a long way towards helping those in need. We still have some donated money left over, and this will be put towards some much needed stationary for the local primary schools.

A two-hour bus ride to Madurai was followed by a flight to Chennai where we met our tour guide Ranjith, who proved very popular with the boys as they discussed everything from the politics of India to the best fantasy film franchises. Ranjith’s disdain for Harry Potter was met with incredulity, as was his choice of lunch spot, but an enjoyable time was had as we toured some famous landmarks and learnt about the history of Chennai, in particular the British colonisation. We were also able to visit St Thomas’ Cathedral, one of only three churches in the world built over the tomb of an apostle of Jesus Christ.

The final few hours in India were spent with some much needed retail therapy, as the boys treated themselves to a western meal and bought some fresh threads at the local shopping mall. A few frappes at Starbucks got us through the two hours at the airport as we waited to board our 1:30am flight home via Bangkok.

Our bright red shirts turned plenty of heads as we made our way through immigration, but finally it was time to greet our loved ones and share stories from our amazing experience. Thanks to all those who patiently waited for us and delivered us to those creature comforts of home – we missed you all and are so grateful for your support as we embarked on this life changing experience.

-The Whole Group

Finally, as team leader for this trip it’s my job to sum up this remarkable experience, so let me do so with a few thank-yous. First, to you the readers, thanks so much for all your comments, e-mails and messages of encouragement – they may claim they were embarrassed, but it meant the world to the boys to hear from you and know that you were following and sharing in our experience.

To the boys themselves, thank-you for your unwavering commitment to the purpose of our trip and your willingness to embrace the local culture and immerse yourself in daily life at RTU. When the names for the trip were announced, many teachers came up to me and told me what a great group I had – the fact that my expectations were still exceeded is a credit to just how well this group came together and took advantage of this wonderful opportunity.

To my colleagues Kirk, Kevin and Matt – thanks for raising your hand to accompany me on this trip and for your fantastic support. Among the many other tasks they took on – Kirk volunteered to moderate this blog and I’m sure you’ll agree he did a fantastic job, Kevin was our incredibly hard-working first aid officer, and Matt ran our nightly reflections – continuously prompting our boys to think about the impact this trip was having on themselves, along with the future that may be possible for the families and children we’ve met thanks to RTU.

Finally, to the community of Reaching the Unreached. Thank-you for allowing us to spend time with you and for so generously opening your hearts and homes. Whilst we only saw a fraction of what you have accomplished, witnessing the pure scope of the impact you’ve had on the families and children of the surrounding villages has been a true inspiration to us all. Or, as famously translated by our own Jono Vinent – RTU super!

From the bottom of our hearts – nandri,

-Ben Wilson

We left RTU at 8:30am to go on a 2-hour bus drive towards Madurai. We began by visiting the Meenakshi Amman Temple, with huge towers on the all sides. After giving up shoes, bags and phones before entering the temple, we walked around the ancient structure admiring the statues and art whilst learning about the culture meanings of the things we were looking at. We then continued into the 1000 pillar temple displaying lots of Hindu heritage. This room included many Hindu statues of gods and depictions of past events.

As we left the temple we went to get lunch which many regarded as the best food we’ve had all trip. We soon went to a shopping centre similar to Myer where we bought gifts for our KK’s given the night before.

As we returned to RTU, many of the boys took the time to relax after a tiring couple of weeks. Soon after we attended our final mass in India, with Jono’s Uncle as a special guest who had travelled six hours to visit us. The boys and girls from the nearby hostels greeted us with the usual joy we’d seen over our time here, many of the boys upset as they realised this may be our last time seeing these children. After the final dinner we had our final reflection of the trip, exchanging our gifts (including Joerie’s Bollywood movie for Joel, Jesse’s Speed Sunnies to Toby and Declan’s two 1.25L bottle of Bovonto (Indian Coke) to Mr Wilson) while also providing a kind affirmation about the gifts recipient. As the joyful night came to an end with all the boys united, the group reflected on our wonderful trip and prepared for the long journey home.

Declan & Darcy

 

Rain struck RTU for the very first time, as the boys made preparations to head over to the building sites one last time.

Emotions ran high as we were greeted with smiles and signs of extreme gratitude. Within what seemed like seconds, the first ribbon was cut and house number 1 was officially unveiled. We all gathered inside as the ceremonial candles were lit by members who worked on the house. Following the house opening ritual, both Wilson’s and Rafferty’s group assembled out the front with the new home owners for a heartfelt group photo.

Next up was the house predominately worked on by Matt Blake and Mr Thomson’s group. The festivities continued, with handshakes and kind displays of appreciation. It was clear to the boys that they had made a significant impact on this family as the parents looked as if they couldn’t express how joyous they were. The next house was also worked on by Thomson and Blake’s group, however this time the group was treated to a bindu (a small red dot) on their forhead, inviting them through hinduistic tradition into their community.

The fourth site was familiar to all students, as it was the primary introduction to the labour that pursued in the following weeks, where the hut was demolished in a matter of minutes on day 1. It was made apparent to the group, the stark contrast between the initial sticks and branches of leaves that they called home, to what is currently standing, a strong, sturdy collection of bricks and cement.

The fifth and final home worked on by Wilson’s group was visibly more emotional as tears were shed collectively. The group had formed a strong connection to the family as the students, workers and family made conscious effort to communicate in both Tamil and English. The family was thoughtful enough to embrace western traditions and provide a celebratory cake with the words “Welcome St.Bedes College Students” iced on the top. A sweet and wholesome group hug was shared before the final walk back to the bus.

It was a bittersweet feeling. As we walked through the village, we reflected on the accomplishments and the bonds we built also, begging the question when or if ever we’ll see these people again. As the kids ran alongside Declan and Liam, Joerie and Kai held hands with Surya and his mother, homeowners who quickly became family amongst Wilson’s group. A moment that would stay with them forever.

Back at RTU, the heavy rainfall continued. This brought to mind how the original homes would have struggled in these conditions, unlike the newly constructed houses that provide comfort and safety from the elements. The day was then capped off with a RTU dance showcase, put together by the kids that we’d grown close to over the past two weeks.

As the end draws near many will have difficulties parting with this once in a lifetime experience.

Looking forward to seeing you all,
Joerie, Joel & Liam

The last day of work for us started like any other, with the boys super tired we all struggled to head off to work ready to finish off the jobs we started 2 weeks ago.

Luckily, the work wasn’t too intensive, and with most of the groups completely finished already a lot of the time was spent sitting and conversing with each other and the locals. A couple of the boys even managed to teach some of the kids classic Aussie primary school games to pass the time.

Leaving the sites was very surreal as we’ve really gotten into the work rhythm and leaving seems so strange at this point. In the afternoon most of the boys went to ‘teach’ at one of the schools (playing Simon Says) while a small group of boys valiantly volunteered to go back to their worksite to finish off the last little bit of their house.

With an afternoon off, we played with the kids for maybe the last time – frisbee, cricket, skipping and soccer were popular and plenty of fun was had before the children went inside to study. Afternoon tea and dinner was just as we’ve grown used to during the past 2 weeks, and round 2 of trivia produced a new victor which was great to see (even if it wasn’t us ☹). The team of Liam, Gus, Marcus and Toby got over the line with their knowledge of Brother Kimpton.

All are ready for the house reveals tomorrow and the weekend ahead of us. The travel home seems right around the corner even though we’re all dreading the 14 or so hours of flights and buses that lie ahead.

Pat & Lucas

 

Day 12 was very eventful for all the boys, starting with the release of our ATARs at 1:30am this morning. Some chose to see it this morning, whilst others stayed up late to see it. One of us (Sarge), went the extra mile and stayed up all night, going on to struggle throughout the day and sleep through our evening Mandalorian sesh. The mood was uneasy and full of mixed emotions as we contemplated our futures.

Even though the morning was full of discussion and support for one another, there was work to be done and we ventured off to our second last day of work. Whilst the work was slow, consisting of passing concrete as workers put the finishing touches on the brickwork and cementing the floors – it gave us the opportunity to get to know both the workers who are helping us build the houses as well as the people we are building them for.

That afternoon the entire group gathered to try and teach at the local primary school. Whilst it was challenging at times due to the language barrier, it was an experience the boys will never forget as we taught maths, colours and parts of the body. As the lunch bell rang at the school, each one of us  was treated like a celebrity as hundreds of kids took out their pen and book and asked us to write down our names – and those who didn’t have a book asked us to write on their hand. It took almost 30 minutes for each of the kids to get our names down, creating a real buzz in the school yard.

The next part of the day, we drove 20 minutes to visit a children’s hostel we had been to earlier on the trip. The children all remembered us and we made our best attempts at remembering their non-western names. The kids gave us a tour of their houses and we were all a bit overwhelmed to witness 10 children looked after by 1 host-mother, all sharing a tiny room to sleep in and a few bits of furniture – yet we were offered the upmost hospitality as we were given tea and light food. Games in the yard and a great time followed.

All in all, today was a massive day that took every member of this trip on a rollercoaster of emotions, but at the end of the day it is all worth it to see the smiles on the kid’s faces!

James & Toby

 

Day 11 brought about a slow start as some of the boys found it difficult to wake up for breakfast. However, when these boys found out that Indian French Toast with the Brother’s special coconut topping was on the menu, they swiftly jumped out of bed to make sure they didn’t miss out on this Indian delicacy. We have never seen Benjamin so worried when he had come to the realisation that half his prized honey that he had brought from Australia had disappeared, who took it is still a mystery!?!

The boys then laced up their steel capped boots. The lads knew that it was going to be a tough day as the early morning heat had already started to take a toll on the boys. We were lucky enough that there was a smaller workload than usual that was required from the boys. This allowed a little group of us (Kai, Jono, Joerie) to meet some of the locals who were already living in a close proximity to the houses we are currently building. After chatting with this family and seeing their living conditions, we were able to quench our thirst with fresh coconuts that we cut from the tree.

After the boys filled their stomachs with some freshly fried fish and rice, the group split into two where one group was continuing work and the others were teaching in the local primary school.

The afternoon workers were set with the task to put the final touches on the cementing and roofs of the five houses, it is surprising to see how what was once nothing but a hut house is starting to look like a house.

While this was happening, the other group of boys had a newfound respect for teachers as they learnt that teaching was not such an easy task. Our time at the school consisted of teaching the kids English and Maths as well as playing some classic games like Heads Down Thumbs Up.

We then made our way to the DGH Hostel which was home to a small group of secondary school girls. As some of them were roughly the same age as us, it was interesting to see the differences in our lifestyles. We also spoke to them about education, the different cultures and had some funny jokes with them along the way.

After dinner was eaten, we had our daily reflection with Blakey where we spoke briefly about our ambitions for next year. This was followed by a new game called ‘Werewolf’ which had been introduced to the group by Captain Kirk.

The boys then nervously made their ways to bed waiting for the 1:30am release of ATAR results!

Jono, Kai & Marcus

 

Editors Note: We are continuing to have wifi issues here so can only upload a few photos to each post. If you’d like to see more, a reminder to download the app ‘PhotoCircle’ and join our folder using the code 033899 (it has now changed!). Naṉṟi.

Day 10 began with a trip to some of the previously completed houses, built by the 2017 groups of which Mr Wilson was a part (shout-out to Mr Di Toro, Mr Reidy and Mr Bainbridge – the houses are all still standing!). We were able to see what a completed house looks like, whilst also meeting the families for which the houses were built. The generosity of the families was on display as they offered us soft drink and several bunches of bananas.

We then travelled to the worksite, where we continued to dig out the septic tanks. The work was hard, but rewarding as we finally completed digging out the 5-foot-deep holes, despite the large rocks. As the children had a day off school, we also were able to meet and talk with many of them.

Following the morning shift, we returned to RTU to find that there would be no work in the afternoon. This prompted competition within the group as we commenced an intense cricket match. At the end of the second innings, Marcus’ team came out on top with Joerie being named man of the match, whilst Kirky also provided a stellar performance attaining three wickets in his only over of bowling.

This was followed by a soccer game, in which Joerie’s team took the chocolates, winning 3-1, with goals to Kirk Thomson (2), Pat Howell (1) and Jono Vincent (1). The match was followed by a quick afternoon tea, after which we headed across the road to play games with the local children. We played both soccer and cricket as well as an Indian tackling game known as ‘kabbadi’.

We concluded the night with a walk around the local villages to see the houses which were alight with candles and drawings to celebrate a local holiday. The children in the RTU village were proud to display their floral drawings to commemorate this holiday.

After a draining day in the sun with hard work and lots of sports, we were all eager for an early bedtime to rest up for the last three days of work to come.

Gus & Jesse

Back at the site following a big weekend, we all took a while to get back into the groove of things. Motivation was low when we heard the majority of the groups would be spending the day digging septic tanks for the houses. With very mediocre digging tools, (or average at best as Kai would say) the layers of rock, roots and hibernating frogs were not easy to penetrate. The sun was out in full force and plenty of drinks were required as the boys rotated through the excavation. One of the lucky groups worked on cement as their septic tank was completed last week. The boys claim to have done this themselves on the first day, however evidence of this is yet to be provided.

Over lunch a tailor came to take the boys measurements for our custom-made shirts which will be made later this week. After another hour of work in the heat we returned to the local kids eager to play and get to know us further. This evening we were blessed with an invitation to attend a gala at the girl’s resort, as they celebrated the anniversary of their school’s establishment. We enjoyed seventeen performances from a wide range of age groups, with a special act from the house mothers. Fortunately, the boys they were not asked to perform a routine of their own, as the dancing skills referred to previously in this blog have been wildly exaggerated.

On a serious note, the four of us have been thoroughly impressed with the boys work ethic and willingness to embrace everything RTU and India has to offer. They’ve remained positive under tough conditions, open to new experiences and some have even attempted to learn the local language in order to better communicate with the children. We look forward to spending this last week with the group and seeing our hard work pay off as the houses reach the final stages of completion.

The Staff

 

As the working week ended we left for Thekkady where we would stay for the night. We began the day with a 2-hour bus ride listening to some Indian bangers along the way. We arrived at the Forest Inn to discover the rooms all to be double beds and we’d have to be sharing for the night. We went to the Bamboo Café to eat lunch and then went shopping with the help of Joerie and his bartering skills to lower the prices. As we walked around the shops we feared the monkeys attempting to take our bought goods, and had to have creative ways to hide our things such as under our shirt.

We experienced some local culture by attending a stick fighting/ martial arts performance, with displays of weaponry and gymnastics. Jono, Joerie, Darcy, Declan, Pat & Jesse were asked to assist in an act as performers leaped over them. The show finished with some tricks involving fire sticks and a ring of fire.

After a great day, some stayed up to watch a soccer match which finished at 1:30am. Sadly for those involved, we had a 5:30am wake up call in order to go Periyar Tiger Reserve. We embarked on a river tour to see local wildlife. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much to see other than a few water buffalo and a lone lizard. Luckily, others were able to catch up on some sleep on the boat. We then continued to do some more shopping after breakfast before heading back home to RTU in time for Sunday mass and Blakey’s reflection.

Declan & Darcy

Editors Note: We are continuing to have wifi issues here so can only upload a few photos to each post. If you’d like to see more, a reminder to download the app ‘PhotoCircle’ and join our folder using the code 634042. Naṉṟi.

Another early 7:30 morning commenced as all the boys poured into the heavily populated wifi zone, before we gathered for another feast of Indian cuisine.

The work day started off in typical fashion with an exchange of “hellos” in both broken Tamil and broken English all met with cheerful smiles. As a few groups waited for their cement to dry, they were swiftly relocated to other work sites leading to new dynamics forming and friendly banter. Due to the unexpected merger, new dance duos were forged such as the illustrious combo of Jesse and Declan. However, Jono’s Tamil tunes failed to distract us from the hard work at hand. We continued to grout the walls and place the bricks and much progress was made before lunch.

Lunch was delicious as always, consisting of Indian fried rice, spicy chicken bits and the crowd pleaser, the staple lunch snack, homemade potato crisps, doused in pepper. With a full belly and an energised mind, the second shift flew by as fast as the buses in Batlagundu.

Sweaty, dirty, but not yet fatigued, we jumped on the bus excited once again to make new friends and memories at the Miriam childen’s village. Playing with the children allowed us to discover the impact that St. Bedes has had on the village, as we threw frisbees stamped with the St. Bedes logo of the 2015 India Outreach Program. Seeing the children cherish the seemingly insignificant gifts from the previous outreach groups made us ponder our privelage and reevaluate what is truly important, community and togetherness. Many of the boys left with memories that’ll stay with them forever.

To cap off an action packed day, Mr. Wilson hosted a screening of ‘Lion’, a film linking Australia and India, as it highlighted the vast contrasts between Australian and Indian cultures. Everyone’s looking forward to the first weekend in India, as tommorow we travel to Thekaddy for an overnight stay.

Hope all is well back in Aus, it sure is here.

Joel, Liam & Joerie