Root Institute

While in Bodhgaya, I spent time at the Root Institute, a Buddhist meditation and teaching center. I had read in my new Lonely Planet guide (which is digital and amazing!) that the center had 6:00 am meditation classes every morning. I had planned to attend these classes but due to the new year festivities that were taking place, they were canceled. I did however, enjoy walking around the beautiful grounds and reading up on Tibetan Buddhism in their cozy library. Besides the teaching and meditation component of the Root Institute, “The centre has established a number of social welfare projects, benefiting Bodhgaya and the neighboring villages.” (rootinstitute.com) It runs a medical center for the poor, the Maitreya School,  as well as  Tara Children’s Project, a home for children affected with HIV. I would like to possibility go back to do some long term volunteering. However, while there I spent a fun afternoon with some of the children. Spending time with these incredible kids was by far my favorite part about Bodhgaya

Great organization

Entrance to Children’s Project and Maitreya School

I found out about two and a half hours beforehand that I would be able to go to the center. Being a teacher, I like to be prepared and sometimes I might go a bit overboard! My lesson was geared for younger children but even if I had not “prepared” something beforehand, I am confident enough with the little ones. I also have enough “tricks up my sleeve” to be able to entertain a group of children in a meaningful way. However, teenagers are a different story. I just don’t think a group of 15-year-olds will be as excited to sing songs about animals while acting them out! I did not even think I was going to spend much time with the teens but at the last minute I brought the card game UNO because who doesn’t like UNO?! Some of the teens were so excited when they found out I had UNO, and we ended up having a blast playing for (a long) time!

Great kids 🙂

The rooftop of the building was converted into a hangout area for the kids

Uno 🙂

After UNO, one of the fifteen-year-old girls, along with an eleven-year-old had fun giving me a tour of the Maitreya Universal Education School. They had fun posing me in different “teacher” shots and kept asking me questions about my school and students in Hawaii.

Playing School!

The children sit on pillows on the floor

A beautiful art room! I wish we had this at my school!

Most of the schools that I have been to on this trip have seemed pretty depressing in terms of color and artwork. This was certainly not the case at Maitreya school.There was artwork, science projects, student work and motivational posters and sayings everywhere. There was also color everywhere! I took many photos for ideas in my own classroom and I could tell the girls were really proud of the fact that I wanted to take “their school” back to the USA. They even asked me to send a photo of my students completing some of the projects.

A beautiful young woman posing with The Kindness Song “Be kind to all your friends and family. Be kind to cats and butterflies and trees. Don’t hurt the fishes swimming in the sea. Here is what the Buddha said to me. To love is to care for all the livings around us. To love is to be kind to all beings around us.”

So much beautiful color and artwork

The meditation room for the kids

Another thing I noticed in the school was that there were health posters and projects hanging everywhere. I have learned that in India, sex and human reproduction is not really taught and it is a taboo subject. What I assumed was public knowledge, is far from it! I would not be surprised if these young students are more aware of their bodies, health, and reproduction than many young adults in India. In fact, one of the teens started asking me questions about college. I asked her what she wanted to study and she said health. I was really impressed with the organization and I feel The Root Institute is doing great work! If you are interested in learning more about this great organization, click here. Multiple volunteer opportunities are also available and if you feel moved to make a donation, your money will go to a great place.

I liked this poster 🙂