Previously, on "Before I came to India"...

So, before I ventured off into this crazy adventure I stopped in London to surprise my best friend, Jules. Our mutual friends have asked me to put up some shots from the trip so...here ya go!

Drinking vino on the rooftop with Jules and her amazing friends. 

Enjoying a free raspberry cake from Pret Manger supplied by the very cute French barista behind the counter.  Yup, I still got it. 

Beautiful view of London in the evening from Jules' and Matt's flat in Brixton. 

And this folks is why I love Jules. I love her because she is quite possibly the cutest creature ever. I mean who else gets this excited about a fish umbrella? Yeah, Jules does. 

Relaxing at the flat...it felt like old times all over again. May the party never end my friend. 

Thank you Jules for teaching me how to love and how to never take myself too seriously. 

Becoming Indian...(oops post!)

Somehow this blog post was saved and never posted. Oops! So, for your enjoyment...here ya go!

So, due to limited internet resources this blog will be short and show a brief snapshot of what I have been up to over here. Chai every morning, noon, and night which is absolutely delicious. Personal space is non-existent and haggling for transport has become a part of everyday life.

Me at Pragati Resort and natural botanical garden. I loved the hand statue in the background. 

One of many new India Kurta's I will be wearing to work. Please note the shoes. 

Making new friends from all over the US who have amazing backgrounds. I am SUPER excited to work with these amazing people. 

This is the view from our balcony in Adarsh Nagar, Hyderabad India. 

Watching the neighborhood boys play cricket with their fathers. Chair = Wicket. 100 pts for creativity!!

Children at my flatmate's school, Pragati School, focused intently on Lauren saying hello for the first time. 

First day meeting the owner, teachers, and children! All 800 children are from the slums of Amberpet , Hyderabad India. 

Today was real. All 800 children with smiling eyes, clapping hands, cheered my name as they greeted me at Hymavathi High School and Primary. Duty. I feel immense duty and excitement to work with this school over the next 9 months to help increase the quality of education these children receive. 

What an honor and privilege. 

Today is the day...

While I have made lists, and more lists I could not properly have prepared for today's feelings more if I had another year.  Today, I leave for India. Not for a holiday. Not for a trekking visit. But rather to live and work within Hyderabad, India for approximately 10 months.

If you know me you know that as I construct this blog I want to go throw up due to nervousness. What an ADVENTURE though??!!! Wow! Little Deborah Lubbe from small town in the Georgia is going to India to work and make a difference. Observing everyone's reactions has been truly one of the largest blessings I have ever received. Excited, joyful, curious, and above all supportive. Jerome and I are so very thankful for all of the prayers, thoughts, gifts, and support we have received as we  prepared for this amazing transition.

The most frequently asked question is WHAT exactly will you be doing? SO....here is a run down! 

1) I work as a part of IDEX Fellowship in Social Enterprise  which was created by Gray Matters Capital , http://www.graymatterscap.com/ , and Oglethorpe University in 2009. 

2) I will be working in the APS (affordable private schools) initiative and will be partnered with an owner of a school to assist with the overall growth and development of the school as a consultant. 

3) This will entail helping with the school business model, marketing, rating tools to help standardize the APS system, fellowship growth, reviewing and enhancing teacher curriculum, grant writing, extracurricular activity involvement, computer literacy development, teaching occasionally within the school, career center development, and the list of possibilities and goals goes on and on and on. 

4) Connecting with other organizations across the country to gain more knowledge and to share resources to improvement the credibility and development of the school (social enterprise).

5) Embracing all of culture, food, relationship and opportunities that I will make along the way! 

For more information about what I will be up to and to review what the current projects last years' fellows accomplished check out www.oglethorpe.edu/idex/

Here goes EVERYTHING!!!! 

Cheers,

Deborah