Planetarium Field Trip for Tamil Medium School students

Thanks to the organizing prowess of Anupama from Workbench Projects, today was a great field trip for students from Tamil Medium School RBANMS in Bangalore or Bengaluru or whatever you want to call it. Many places in India have kind of an identity crisis in which there’s a desire to erase away colonial remnants but it’s tricky. History. It was my major in college and I’m still really interested in it. But like my interest in using technology, history is really just a tool to help live life now, to learn from mistakes of the past.  If I had to choose between reading a history book and having a blank canvas to paint on, maybe I’m starting to lean in the art direction.  And I guess it’s all been done before (empires rising and falling) but modern science and reality show politics does feel unprecedented.

Back to the kids, these children are so cool and Anu has been working with them after school, putting on events and making a difference in their lives. It was her idea to organize a field trip for them, and I got to play Daddy Warbucks using some of my Fulbright PD grant funds to pay for things.

The students loaded the bus and a puja or blessing for the bus and journey was conducted. I have no idea what it all means, but I can say now that it did “work”.

I’d secured the awesome planetarium show just for the students.

The teachers did mini lessons in their native Tamil language around the exhibits.

Then we let the kids loose in the Science Park just outside.

After that we loaded up to go to the Science Museum across town.

We started with lunch at the canteen, and an Indian meal always begins with hand washing. Not sure if it’s just a common sense health practice or has some religious meaning.

Everyone seemed happy to eat.

It was a basic but still delicious meal.

Then we let the students loose in the Fun Science exhibit at VITM, and it looks like fun was had.

One girl was taking notes all day on everything she saw. Prediction: she will be a success in life.

They had a cheesy Bugs 3D movie on offer, so why not?  Getting the tickets was a bit of a hassle, but the students were very patient waiting.

There was more to the day but I had to catch a flight to Delhi for a week of PD and presentations, so I missed the rest. Anu had planned for more fun time in Cubbon Park and then going over to the musical fountain show as a nightcap.

This is one of the big highlights of my trip to India and I feel so lucky to have been able to facilitate this memorable day for these deserving students and teachers.