Sarah McVey, originally from Indiana, has moved for a year to Bangalore to teach Special Education at Christel House India. Here are some highlights from her most recent email to Christel House International:

December and January have brought new thoughts into just how profoundly different my life is from "typical." In the beginning of 2011, I was looking forward to finally being finished with my bachelor's degree and being "on my own”.

But here I am in Bangalore India and I cannot think of a place where I would get more satisfaction out of my job.

The relationships I've built at Christel House (and other schools) are something I value more than anything else. For many, home is not always a great place to be, and the toll it takes on some is truly heartbreaking. It is, however, amazing to see the children acting like any other kid. There are certainly cultural differences, but in many ways, "kids are kids," and they have proven the extreme resilience of the human spirit.

I worry about them everyday. My stomach twists and turns at the thought of something happening to one of them, but they don't and cannot live with fear, they go on. Generally, they are happy. They revel in getting a rise out of their teachers and coming up with clever ways to play tricks on each other. (I'd argue Indian kids are much more creative in their antics than American kids). I absolutely cannot get through a day without some student putting a HUGE smile on my face. Be it a tiny little kindergartener skipping happily through the corridors, or some cheeky 9th grader trying to write a poem. I revel in their joys and also in their sorrows. These kids are exactly why I'm here.

I even get choked up now (still 8 months from finishing my contract) thinking about when I will have to leave this place and these faces behind. My experience has definitely changed my outlook on career goals. One major priority will be finding ways to stay in contact with the amazing people here and keeping tabs on my students--all of whom I want to succeed more than anything! I wish I could show them how far they could go because it's difficult for them to see sometimes, but I know that at the very least this generation will be active members of society.

Namaskara & வணக்கம், xoxo

Sarah E. McVey

If you want to read more about Sarah’s experiences in India and at CHI, please visit her blog at: http://transplantind.wordpress.com/.