Grammar Gazette- Issue 1, 2016

/ 12

ANTIPODEANS ABROAD EXPEDITION ‘CHALLO! CHALLO!’ (LET’S GO!)

jackets over layers of polar-fleece jackets and thermals, and covered with gloves and beanies, we managed the walk through the snow and reached Kothi, cold and weary. Yet, despite the continuous snow, we were escorted to the school where a large group of families from the village were gathered under a tarpaulin outside in the cold, to greet us. We received marigold garlands and the school children threw marigold petals on us as we were ushered up to the verandah of the small school building and invited to sit down. Following the formal speeches of welcome, I responded on behalf of Girls Grammar and then asked Emily Powell (12E) to also offer a vote of thanks to the audience of families. Finally, each one of us was presented with a hand- made fez by one of the women from the village, and then we were served masala chai and biscuits. I leaned across to Julia Slancar (11G) and said, ‘You will never experience this ever again. Don’t forget this’, the whole time thinking to myself, ‘Remember this moment’. It was an event that I knew then I would never experience again — amazing and very humbling. This generous outpouring of welcome would be repeated on our final day at the project where we had a great celebration at the newly painted, renovated and furnished school: the local women dressed each one of us in their traditional Kullu blankets and head-dresses; some of the men brought out some drums and that’s when the singing and dancing started…

AUTHOR Ms Rachael Christopherson Head of Beanland House English teacher

‘CHALLO’, THE HINDI WORD MEANING ‘LET’S GO!’, TAUGHT TO US BY OUR INDIAN TREKKING GUIDE, CHANDER SAIN, BECAME A COMMON TURN OF PHRASE AMONG THE MEMBERS OF THE TEAM SIX TRAVEL GROUP TO NORTHERN INDIA IN DECEMBER 2015. It reflected an urgency to get organised and get moving; a determination to ‘push on’ even when we were tired, dusty and home- sick; but most often it was a reflection of our enthusiasm and optimism — a ‘What’s next?’ attitude — that spurred on our desire to be ‘in’ every moment of our extraordinary experience. Our intrepid journey to the remote Himalayan village of Kothi (elevation: 3200 metres) was one where we definitely had to draw on our ‘Challo’ mantra. Following our five-day winter trek in the Himalayas along the ranges between the Kullu and the Parvathi valleys, reaching altitudes of 2600 metres, we had an overnight rest in the alpine town, Manali, before beginning our community project in Kothi. It snowed the day we travelled to Kothi, and when the cars began to slide on the icy road we abandoned the vehicles and walked the last four kilometres in the snow to the village. Wearing our wet weather over-pants and Gortex

Team 6 trekking through the snow to their community project at Kothi, Northern India.

Julia Slancar (11G) being dressed in traditional Kullu dress by the women of Kothi village, Northern India.

GRAMMAR GAZETTE