|
Experiences of a
A United Sikhs' volunteer
WSN Network
This year's United Sikhs Oxford University TravelAid (USOUTA)
project team in Amritsar consisted of four Oxford University
students - Emily Corran, Laura Watts, Maria Patoczka and Sophie
Preuss. We were from differing subject backgrounds – modern
languages, history, biochemistry and medicine. We were assisted by
the United Sikhs volunteer coordinator, Kiran Kaur.
We met, in Delhi , with Harjyot Kaur, the USOUTA project
coordinator, to discuss our aims and intentions and travelled to
Amritsar the following day. The main aims of the project was to
teach conversational English, and also to gain some awareness of the
Sikh culture that we can take back to Oxford. The project created a
sense of connection and affiliation.
Our teaching programme consisted of teaching at Khalsa College two
days, and at Standard Public High School Dhulka on three. At Khalsa
College , most of the students were studying for a BSc and had a
high standard of English and Laura and Maria also taught one class
of arts students.
We were taken on a tour of Amritsar's INTACH heritage walk of the
‘walled city', covering Jallianwala Bagh, the old marketplace and
several gurdwaras and culminated in an impressive rooftop view of
the Golden Temple. We also went to Pingalwara. We also witnessed a
gatka (Sikh martial art) demonstration.
A weekend was spent in McLoed Ganj, the headquarters of the Tibetan
Government in Exile. -- Emily Corran
17
October, 2007
|
Read More