Halloween!

Today we had a Halloween party at school. It was super fun. The kids looked quite skeptical as we put out newspaper, pumpkins, spoons and a bucket full of water and apples. But they had a blast as soon as things got going. Yesterday I saw a lady selling pumpkins at a vegetable stand. They weren't as orange or quite as big as the ones we use in the US, but I was really excited because it was my first time seeing them in India. She thought I was crazy when I asked for a whole one (she was selling it in chunks, by weight) and the fact that she didn't speak any English didn't help. Then she must have thought that I had completely lost it when I came back later that day and bought two more. How was one girl going to eat THREE whole pumpkins? Anyway, we split the kids into three groups: little kids, older boys, and older girls. I mostly dealt with the older girls. They looked at me like I was crazy when I told them that we were going to cut a face into a pumpkin. But as soon as I cut the lid out and told them to scoop out the insides, they loved it. They were happily disgusted by the orange goo, and all five girls put their spoons into the pumpkin at once. They took turns cutting out two faces on opposite sides of the pumpkin.

Next we bobbed for apples. The kids had done it once before so they all knew what to do. It involved much giggling, slobbering and splashing. Only Manisha was completely successful in getting an apple out of the water. Prativa and I both got bites out of an apple, but couldn't lift it out of the bucket.

I made Manisha let me paint her face, and she reluctantly said she wanted to be a cat. None of the other girls let us paint their faces. Two of the older boys got theirs done, and all of the little kids did. I have to say, all the ones who got painted were insanely cute. The girls painted all of the volunteers face. Manisha did my face. She copied the picture of the girl painted as a lion on the front of the face paint box. But when she finished, she decided I wasn't nearly colorful enough (especially compared to the other volunteers, who were getting original Indian designs), so she added splotches of color to my eyes, cheeks, nose and lips.

We handed out goody bags and Special K bars, and Subhamita gave out the new CRAWL uniforms. They're collared shirts with brown and white checks and black pants or skirts. When she described them to me, I was quite skeptical, but they're actually pretty cute.

When we cleaned up, Bobby and I balled up all the newspaper and other trash. She took me up to the roof and we threw it all down into the little stream that runs by the school. From all the other trash in it, its apparent that that's what everyone else does, too. Now I know where the man who collects the trash from the flat puts it. Its crazy.

I asked Bobby about leaving the uncarved pumpkin (the girls did one and the boys did one, but the little kids didn't) in the classroom as decoration, she looked at me like I was crazy. I may as well have suggested that we hang potatos around the room. I told her that in the US people decoarte their houses with pumpkins at Halloween, but I think she was unconvinced...

When school was over, we walked back the flat like always. People were staring with awe at the crazy Westerners with out faces painted in bright colors. Some people sneered, others laughed. I can say with complete honesty that all eyes were on us as we walked up Station Road.

~m