Summer serendipity

Written by Meenakshi Menon

An academic requirement it was. So it shall be written; so it shall be done. Cecil deMille immortalised this universal tenet in the biblical classic and I suddenly realised, cocooned in the comfort of campus life at Fergusson College that my time too had arrived to comply with the challenging task of undergoing an internship programme at an institution of substance and repute.

When my father announced that he had managed a slot for me at Bookworm, the feeling of responsibility sunk in, loaded with trepidation.

The two words buzzing loud inside my  brain were CAN I?

Soon it was the day I would find out.

On the first of May, I reached Bookworm, and all I could hear was my heart racing.

Deepali came in a few minutes later and explained to me all that Bookworm did and I was in awe. One little organisation was making such a large impact on society. She gave me a tour of the library and gave me some data that needed to be entered.

The work was easy and I enjoyed it. The atmosphere was friendly and soon all my worries were put to rest.

A few days later I witnessed my first Read Aloud Session. I got to see what happens in a MOP session sitting in the Bookworm library and I was so mesmerised that I asked Mrs Sujata, our Director if I could go for a session and she was more than happy to send me to observe one.

My first interaction with children​ however came much before my first MOP session. It was at an Art Room Session about Frida Kahlo. It was amazing to watch Sujata ma’am keep the interest and attention of 5 and 6 year olds focused on her and everything she was saying.

A few days later, Sujata Ma’am asked me if I would like to take Spoken English classes for children at the MOP site in Chimbel.

I was honoured. I want to teach after I finish my education and I thought this would take me a step closer to my goal.

But it was nothing like I expected. I expected a bunch of kids who, like in most classrooms today, would try to make the life of the teacher a living hell. I was so nervous about the class that I asked ma’am if I could do a mock session at the library the previous day. On the first day of the course though, I was pleasantly surprised.

As soon as we reached the site, the children started wishing us good morning. They were so happy to see us that all my apprehension melted away.

Even during the class they listened intently to everything we had to say. They obeyed every instruction we gave them. They were the perfect group of students. I felt guilty about the picture I had painted about them in my head the previous day.

Bookworm aims at inculcating a love for reading among children from an early age. It also aims at making its team members read. We are all encouraged to borrow books from the library on a regular basis. An activity called the Thematic Analysis of books ensures that every member reads children’s​ books, appreciate them and analyse them.

The Bookworm picnic in which I was a reluctant participant, too metamorphosed into a very enjoyable outing.

My time at Bookworm has been one of the best  summers I have ever had.

I made new friends, an achievement in itself for an introvert like me. I learnt how to work with people of different ages from different backgrounds. I learnt how a little time and effort from one person can change the life of another.

Bookworm has helped me grow as an individual and I will be eternally grateful to them for letting me be a part of the team even if it was for a period of one month.