A shrill noise shatters my sleep. It’s 4 in the morning, and the phone is ringing in my ear. Why did I go to bed with the phone on my pillow? For precisely this reason: my groggy ‘hello’ is met with a tentative voice asking, “Is this teacher?”  I was determined not to miss the chance to talk to one of the students. Since returning to the cold of Colorado, these moments of interaction keep me warm and help prevent my TMS experiences from fading into the realm of memory.  Treasures such as an email from Bansilalpet class or a Facebook message from a teacher at Audiah keep me going.  Even though we successfully completed our final ceremonies and have all returned to the US, I seek comfort in the fact that we did not have to say a final goodbye.

Emily and I held ceremonies at each school in addition to the annual end-of-semester event at Railway. The smaller ceremonies allowed us to recognize each student for their unique contribution to the class.  The events at Audiah Memorial and Bansilalpet were especially characteristic of these schools and are worth remembering in some detail. From cake to garlands to quavering voices (mine and Emily’s) and a lot of laughter, these ceremonies were a very special way to round out our TMS classes.

We arrived at Audiah early in anticipation of the usual technical difficulties. As expected, certain unknown and dark forces of the universe prevented the sound from working on the main computer, which was connected to the big screen. Luckily, Emily came prepared with her portable speakers. Her incredible agility should be recognized, as she had to play the videos on her laptop and the main computer at the same time while holding a microphone to the portable speaker so the sound carried right to the back of the room. Students of all ages and classes packed the computer lab, eager to be included in a TMS event. It was a hot day and we were certainly sweating by the end!

The videos captured the attention of the normally rowdy Audiah students, who burst into laughter to see Bhushan acting sick in Rainy Day, covered their ears at the clanging cacophony of noises in Sound PSA, and called out the names of the students in our TMS Oath video.  The grins on the faces of our TMS students, who were certainly the stars of the hour, let us know that the day was a success. We finished by calling each to the front to accept their certificates and plaques.  I will treasure their expressions and the hand-made yarn marigold garlands presented to us for the rest of my life.

At Bansilalpet, we weren’t surprised to discover that Prashanti, Geeta, Headmaster and the students had prepared a beautiful event for TMS, complete with speeches, cake and lush jasmine and rose garlands. We were incredibly moved by the kind words of our co-teachers and students.  Throughout our six months at Bansilalpet, I was especially appreciative of the way in which the teachers and HM never lost sight of the most important individuals at the school: the students. As usual, the TMS ceremony gave the students a chance to shine while simultaneously making Emily and me feel very special. Once we had handed out certificates, the students presented us with their gifts—a touching collection of knick-knacks and cards that reflected their personalities and thoughtfulness. Throughout the day, Emily and I refused to look at each other because we knew that seeing one tear would set both of us off (we later discovered at Railway that once you start, it’s impossible to stop the waterworks!)

I’m so thankful to have had the opportunity to work at both of these schools with Emily. Tuesdays and Wednesdays were easily our most challenging days of the week, but at each of these two schools we experienced significant triumphs. At Bansilalpet, the class as a whole became more confident and creative and never lost enthusiasm for the projects. At Audiah, individual students became markers of success: Rohit stepped into the role of leader and Rahul becoming a pro at Windows MovieMaker.  Both schools will always have a special place in my heart. The friendships forged with the teachers and the larger-than-life personalities of the students made these schools some of our most memorable.