Keeping Busy

I've been back at Woodstock for two full months now, and life is busy! Just as I thought the newness of being back would wear off and life would take a slower pace, things have picked up and I'm overwhelmed. The last few weeks especially have been packed with activities. Here are a few:

Wilderness First Aid Training:
Woodstock brought in two instructors from the NOLS Wilderness Medicine Institute to train dorm staff in Wilderness First Aid. I've done a similar training twice before at WCB. Much of the information was familiar, but I found this three day course more comprehensive. As you can tell from the photos, we had fun faking injuries.

Our NOLS instructor demonstrating how to splint a leg on a fellow dorm parent.

We successfully splinted Priya's leg!

Three head-injury patients, and one shock patient...working at Woodstock is tough!


Cooking with Geeta
Laura and I took a "cooking lesson" from our co-worker Geeta, who is an excellent Indian cook. Our plan was to make Aloo Paratha, which is a fried flat bread with potato, onion, garlic, ginger, and chilies inside. We showed up with eager hands, but ended up using only our eyes. Most middle class families in India have an ayah (a maid to cook and clean for them). Despite Geeta's fabulous cooking skills, our "lesson" turned out to be watching her ayah make the parathas while we sat and had chai. Geeta, to her credit, did explain how to make them, but I don't feel like I really learned.

Geeta explaining, while Lakshmi cooks.

Lakshmi frying the parathas.

Drinking chai and anticipating delicious aloo parathas!

Bear Hill Day Hike
Four of us dorm staff headed out on a day hike earlier this week. Because of limited time, we went to Bear Hill which is only about an hours hike from campus (just past Flag Hill). It turned out to be a beautiful sunny day and we caught glimpses of the snow-capped Himalayas.

Picnic atop Bear Hill.

Real Cooking Lesson with Saroj!
After our delicious, but not educational, cooking lesson with Geeta, we asked our ayah to teach us how to properly make Aloo Paratha. This lesson was much more hands on and I feel like I might be able to do it by myself sometime!

Saroj kneading the atta dough.

The rolled out atta dough with stuffing (potato, onion, garlic, ginger, chilies). Next, you pinch the sides of the atta around the stuffing (like a dumpling) and roll it out into a pancake. Then fry and eat...yum!


Cross Country Day
Last week was the Annual School Cross Country race. It was held up on the Chukar (the top of the hill). Thankfully, after calling a "rain check" twice, it didn't rain.

Grade 9 girls running as they pass their cheering friends in the background.


Local women unknowingly join the race!