Enjoying Yaznet

Hellooooo, we made it!!
I am currently sat in a small wooden box, using increddddddibly slow internet which for some reason won't let me write emails. Don't let this stop you though, please email me!!!!!
So after a ten hour flight which we shared with some truly delightful children (!)we landed in Chennai about 4am Saturday morning, and were picked up by Cathy Rob and Isaac, after a couple of us disposed of our illegally imported fruit and cucumbers. We spent Saturday trying to keep our eyes open, changing money, failing to keep our eyes open, meeting the general secretary, having Indian Brunch, wishing we didn't have to keep our eyes open, and celebrating independence day eve. Team A and b joined together to go to two different celebrations. The group I was in went to Esplanade Branch, to a room where Ghandi himself once gave a speech, and 'enjoyed' some speeches (mostly in Tamil), entertainment (language unknown but the hats were funny), gift giving (we all received a tasteful vase), a raffle (Shauni won a prize which was a nice birthday present for her, and I got to draw out a ticket)and a huuuuuge dinner of mostly nice food.
After the longest day in history we finally got to bed, and were up again by 7 for a flag raising ceremony at Vepery, after which team A went all over the city to more celebrations, and we got to relax with a fresh lime juice :)Then this afternoon we got to go and see the boys!!!! Yay. Much fun was had, and a couple remembered me vaguely. Baby elephant is still there and still cute, though not quite the smallest anymore.
Before we went to greet them and run a short programme we go a tour of their cottages. it was shocking. I had visited them two years ago and seen how basic they ere, but this time it was flooded, which happens fairly often. The room with the cupboards where the boys keep all of their possession was flooded by a couple of inches, and the areas between cottages where the toilet blocks are was completely covered in standing water. The water is such a regular feature that there is algae all over it, which stays even when the water finally recedes making it very slippy. The toilet blocks themselves are in complete disrepair, which large chunks of the roof missing.
Team A must have felt the same as we all did though as they have decided to spend their half of the money on renovating the toilet blocks and putting in showers (the boys currently bathe in a large outdoor bath of stagnant water), and also digging a drainage ditch along the back of the cottages. When we arrived today work had already begun on digging so progress is being made.
And now we are here, though we will sooon be off for dinner, and then tomorrow we head to Yellegiri for four days. Eeeeeeeee so exciting, and the boys are looking forward to it too. There was a lot of naale sandepum (see you tomorrow) and Yellegiri sandepum (see you in Yellegiri) being shouted as we left today. I will let you all know how it went when we get back.
byeeeee xx