Written by Jewel
Working in Bookworm has been a very unique experience for me all together. It has been a great opportunity for me to work in a place like Bookworm where I not only got to read different types of books but I also got to interact with children from different backgrounds. A place that was so completely different to me when I joined. I do not know how and when I became a part of it.
In the beginning when anybody would ask me where I was working and I would say Bookworm and they would say,“Oh! That Library… what do you do there in that Library?” I just felt like beating that person because many people think that we do nothing except lend books to children and conduct some programs for the children.
It has changed a lot of things for me as I have learned to become more responsible for the things I do and taking up initiative to do things on my own. I also learned about working in a group of 10-14 people and then think about where I fit in this group.
I was confused and under constant tension to work with people who were good at doing so many things. But there were something’s I could do and the others could not do or I was better at. This helped me to survive. Bookworm has given me the chance to grow into an individual with unique identity. From where I used to get angry very fast to control it and have patience, to getting used to a different name given to me like Jewellin which has turned to a pet name.
When I started, I was doing only 2 MOP sites as an intern but now I go to all the other sites and meet the children. It was a totally different thing to see how the children are in the community. Also with every session, there was a kind of relationship that has been built with the children but it seemed as if there was a little effort put to build on it.
As months went by things changed and then came the month of January when I was told by my father that I have to leave Bookworm for reasons of his own. Trying to get used to the idea of leaving this place is a bit difficult. I will no longer be surrounded by books. I will miss my MOP children dearly and also the friends that I have made at Bookworm. It has a been a great learning year for me.