Kids will be Kids

      It feels very cliche to say so, but I have to admit that I find myself thinking it often as I spend time with the students in Taktse and in Sikkim: kids are the same anywhere in the world.  Yes, there are differences -- habits, customs, languages, wealth and resources -- but the fact remains, kids are the fundamentally driven by the same desires and motivations no matter where you go.
     Today the girls were entered in an inter-scholastic competition representing Taktse.  The "Inner Wheel" of the Rotary Club sponsored this event that included activities like a spelling bee, a drawing competition, debate and "Dumb Charades." The competition was fierce and good-natured.  The students laughed with and at each other, paid attention, got bored and restless and overall had fun at this event.

Corrina spelling "souvenir"

      Taktse students won a good number of awards for their accomplishments at the competition, including Corrina who won 2nd place in her age-group's spelling bee. (The 1st place winner was also a Taktse student in her class....) Corrina was very proud!  We waited all day for the 30 seconds it took her to go on stage to collect the prize, but it was worth it to see her beaming at her accomplishment.

    At this competition there was wholly too much standing around -- the legislative minister gave a 40 minute speech while over 600 students and over 150 adults stood by -- and too much sitting around -- we waited 4 hours for the final ceremony to happen where Corrina went on stage to get her prize. But all the students were anxious and invested in the possibility of winning in their categories, so they sat and waited, and they handled both success and defeat with grace.  Everyone watched the general knowledge quiz and I felt the contestants could have been competing on the Granite State Challenge!  There were boys mostly, eagerly sitting forward into the microphone to shout their answers first.

Listening, sort of...

     I know that Grace will never choose to go to another Interscholastic Competition, but Corrina may; and I will happily sit all day, watching the kids be kids.