Our first field trip in Mentor, to Mastek Office - Selva Kumar

Ok... this is a write-up by one of the mentees in the program I spoke about- Selva... so not wasting much time, I just post his write-up...

On Saturday, we went to Mentor at M.B.P. We all went there at 12.00 pm. We all sat there for two hours. We played in the garden. Then Ankur bhaiya came and we went inside the canteen. Then bhaiya ordered vada-pav for everyone. We ate and we all waited for our mentors. The two three bhaiyas came and we discussed how to behave inside the office.

Then we went inside the office. There we saw machines which work on swipe cards. We had to swipe and go in when the door opened. I learnt that when we enter we should not allow anyone behind us. He or she can be dangerous for the office.

Then we went up by lift. We went to fourth floor. Then bhaiya took us inside the office. We all saw computers in the office. We saw sensors which set the alarms on when the office catches fire. There are guards who guide us to the door from which we go out.

Then we went to conference room to see how meetings work. All of us saw on the computer from the projector. We have to have our username and password to start the computer. Then we saw google.com and how computers work.

Then we went to another building where each floor had a theme, like the second floor had the theme on sports. Taking photos was not allowed there, but we took photos outside. Then we went back to the canteen and then back home. I liked that place very much.

Mentoring with Akanksha

Its been quite a while since I blogged, and quite ironic too that when I didn't have any work, I didn't blog and when I am about to have quite a lot on my plate, I am starting again...

Anyways, its almost a month since we started mentoring these kids in our office canteen on Saturday afternoons and frankly speaking I get shit tired and pissed off traveling for about 4-5 hours in the traffic, but those 2 hours that we spend with the kids is absolutely worth it.

Some of them are so bright, so confident, so enthusiastic that I cannot help imagining what heights they can reach if given proper backing and support.

Some of them are struggling so badly in their English, that I can't even imagine what kind if schooling they're going thru'.

They are all 9th and 10th standard kids. They go to school and Akanksha centre as well where they are taught mainly Maths and English. But what they lack and what is our aim is to help them identify their goals, a direction to move in, the motivation, strength and backing to move on in that direction.

The first session back in June was quite amazing. As mentors, it was on us to break the ice, but the kids were so enthusiastic that we really didnt have to do anything. They were more comfortable with us than we were with them. We played dumb charades and a couple of more fun games. At the end of the session, they didnt want to leave at all :-) That was quite a sight.

Then in the next 2-3 sessions, we played a few games which brought out the importance of team work, co-ordination and delegation. We gave them a few quotes about team work, which they had to apply in their day-to-day activities. And in the last session, we prepared skits to demonstrate these activities.

On my group was this bright young fellow Selva Kumar. He is really the star of the group and everyone in the group looks up to him as well. Given the right exposure, he can do wonders. And he proved that well that day. After we collated the experiences of the 4 mentees on our group, Selva put them all together to form a story and started writing the script as well. All I had to do was say 'And then... And then...'. Selva: 'Kya bhaiya, sab main hi likhun kya. Now you write'. The kids address us mentors as bhaiyas and didis :-) 'Bhaiya, during the act, you don't laugh and spoil it haan'. He was quite serious. It was his directorial debut :-) But I did spoil the show, Selva himself was playing the bus conductor and was to say, 'tumne ghanti kyun bajai' and he said 'tumne meri ghanti kyun bajai' and I burst out laughing and got the angry look from him :-P

Anyways, he was laughing too after a while. We all were having fun after all :-) In one of the sessions before, we had played Scavenger hunt and at the end of it, it was he who highlighted the learning that in whatever we do, irrespective of whether we win or lose, we should enjoy doing it :-)

So thats for now, more about the other kids in the posts to follow. For now, I am really having fun on Saturdays, look forward to them. Hopefully the roads of Powai will be done soon, and lessen my traveling woes. So long then till my next post.....