My daughter did her middle school in Ireland as we shifted to the country on account of her father's job. She had a good academic record here in India until then and she could very soon easily win the hearts of her teachers there too. Yet I was a bit worried as their academics seemed to be too less in comparison to what we have here in India - considering the fact that anytime our stay there could have to be wound up and we may need to go back to the hard book-oriented learning in India, right in the middle of some crucial high school year. But then we had opted this and so stuck to the decision and soon settled into the pattern. But learning there wasn't about academics alone. She got an opportunity to really explore and experience learning from real and raw perspectives. The school conducted nature walks, visits to boglands and the countryside and she got to be part of many writing clubs. That educated her about things I believe she would never have ever got from books….I was also very elated when she brought home handpicked pinecones, lichens and barks of trees and quite some knowledge about the trees and flowers I had only read in some Enid Blyton books. They had a poly-tunnel inside the school where children regularly tended to a wide variety of plants... We had pretty laughs when she described the way the children did 'beering'...a technique which uses beer to trap the snails and slugs that eat their lettuce..and their Principal, a very jovial friend of theirs indeed,  asking.."Who would do the honour today of throwing the slugs away?" Coming to think of the way she coped up with total strangers in a different land and making some thick friends with whom she still has contact, it is such a great wealth. There was not a single Indian student in her school. I was worried how she would feel on her first day. But then her best friend welcomed her with a tart she made on her own at school. They have baking hours for relaxation at school. The girls picked some rhubarb plant they grow from the polytunnel and make tarts some days. Or else it would be strawberry treats for the whole class.

The hard part was unlearning some things we take into ourselves as part of our custom.  She still says about her English teacher who was surprised when she walked behind her in the customary politeness usual in our schools.. "Are you used to doing this way? You don't have to! Come...walk along with me." It's also awkward when you call teachers by their name. It isn't disrespect..believe me, they respect teachers more than we all ever did.

Another character in the story who really touched our souls was Trevor,  the old man who drove their bus. He was too old to be driving a bus...still he cracked jokes and told the children about seasons, his life journeys, quizzed them on countries and continents and made the entire journey every day more eventful and knowledgeable than any textbook could give. Old people know when the seasons mature, when the transition happens! We cannot get that from books. It's a great joy to know. We thanked Trevor the last day with some homemade Indian food as it was his cherished desire to eat food made from an Indian kitchen and not a restaurant. 

The tryst with nature and the people of this benevolent culture has given her good perspectives…and  a certain love for some special things. They taught the traditional Irish instrument Tin Whistle in schools and they went down every year at Christmas to hospices and palliative care units to play for them. We just bury our head in books and entertain children to do so..what wealth nature and being with real different people can bring to children...it's unimaginable.

Well..the icing on the cake...she got to meet the Duchess of Cornwall..and was of the  nominated two or three to have a chat with her...her art works are still on display at the school - a friend has informed - her principal didn't forget to send her a calendar after we moved back to India so she doesn't forget her school.....cant ask for more..and what I imagined she would have, were some unproductive years, looking at a few printed textbooks in her bag!.. Well, as anticipated we had to return to India...must say coping back wasn't easy too for her..I did feel a bit upset when she fell sick sitting in a sultry classroom without even a fan after being just a month back in freezing 3 degree temp...it wasn't easy ..old friends kept back thinking she must have changed a lot.....changing everything back from body language to the spoken language wasn't very easy. ...unlearning and getting back into the fabric is never easy. But then life taught good lessons I believe. She soon blended back very well and got into the academics stream stronger than before. The knowledge she amassed, a few years away from hard academics and exam pressure, is infallible.. being amidst different people and nature has surely served more than academics and books!