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A Volunteer’s First Impressions of Shanti Bhavan in India

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[Editor's Note: This is the first blog post from Caroline Orr, our guest blogger on the ground at Shanti Bhavan. Caroline is a rising sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She intends to study studio art, art history, and business. Originally from Memphis, TN, Caroline has a passion for travelling. She has previously traveled to Peru, Argentina, Tanzania, and China. This is her first time in India, and she is eager to fully embrace what each and every day has in store.]

Introducing Caroline Orr, our new guest blogger at Shanti Bhavan!

People commonly try to describe places by conveying their particular auras–certain intangibles of the atmosphere and the mood. We often sense a spirit, an underlying and palpable sensibility among the people. In the case of Shanti Bhavan, this tone is set forth by a pervasive energy and commitment not only to academic pursuits but more importantly, personal development and character growth.

This is perhaps best exemplified in the criterion which determines the valedictorian of the graduating class. Grades and academic performance are inevitably part of the mix, yet beyond that, leadership,personal integrity, generosity, selflessness, compassion, humility, and moral force of character take valid precedence. In my short time here, it is immediately evident that I’ve joined a community dedicated to fostering the “qualitative” rather than the “quantitative.” One’s character overrides the typical one-dimensional determinant for valedictorian, and it rightly should. Shanti Bhavan’s philosophy emphasizes those qualities indispensable to the “whole package.”

As Shanti Bhavan beautifully illustrates through its one-of-a-kind school model, the recipe for success is dependent not upon a single ingredient. The children understand this and are not driven by competition,but genuine collaboration and a self assuredness that surpasses that of most kids their age.

Throughout this week, graduation preparations and festivities are underway. Yesterday morning we were serenaded with choir renditions of Sweet Caroline (a coincidence?), Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina, and Memory from Cats, which will be performed during the ceremony. The children have phenomenal voices.

I paused for a second yesterday and smiled thinking about the last time I’d heard Sweet Caroline, in shag-beach music style in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where I go to school. In contrast, the children’s version here is marked by an arresting purity of sound. Their Indian accents make it light-hearted and charming, a refreshing variation on the jaded covers we always hear.

It wasn’t until later that I learned the kids chose Sweet Caroline for its role in the aftermath of the Boston bombings, and for its importance to the Red Sox and the city. A noble thoughtfulness is an interwoven and embedded component in the DNA of this community. Whether it’s the valedictorian’s willingness to divide up his award among his classmates or their genuine concern for Boston’s tragedy, it is humbling to see such strength of character in children so young.


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