On Sunday, we had our outing with the girls… an afternoon at the Subhash Bose Park. Everyone piled into the school bus with smiles, laughter & singing. The whole trip to the park was filled with rounds of Malyalam songs (and probably some Bollywood hits) and dancing in the isles.

(Just a side note about school buses in India… unlike U.S. school buses where windows could rarely be opened without some sort of knuckle-busting feat of strength and assigned seating prevailed, Indian schools buses have no windows, or rather, no glass in the windows, with very relaxed seating plans. They are open-air rides with children sitting or standing wherever they could… in the isles, on the steps to the door, in Americans’ laps, etc. The relief from hyper-safety concerns and excitement from the girls going on a field trip made for a truly joyful experience)

Before unloading at the park, Sister Sophie laid down the rules or the afternoon (she was the one with The Whistle around her neck). The Buddy system was in effect… the each older girl was responsible for one of the younger girls on arrival & departure. And when the whistle is blown, it is time to come back to the bus.

The park was filled with tons of Indian families enjoying a Sunday afternoon together. And as a group of Westerners palling around with nuns with little Indian girls dragging us around by the hand from swing-set to jungle gym, we did get some curious looks and questions from the locals.

The afternoon was filled with playing & laughing and swinging & sliding. There was also an international exchange of group hand games (i.e. Miss Mary Mack, Tip-Top and some sort of Eye-Spy game). Some of the girls enjoyed a change to grab some of our cameras and play photographer for the afternoon as well.