This morning when I visited www.dakshinayan-volunteer.blogspot.com to see if others had posted something, I was shocked to discover that Yvonne's blog entry was missing! I am still wondering how that happened. I've written to Yvonne, but haven't got a response as yet.

However, since I fear the worst, I've heeded Gabriel Lau's warning and suggestion and have now changed the password to the site and I've made many people authors. As an author you will be able to post at the site but not make any changes. If you wish to make changes or post something and are experiencing problems, please contact me at sanyalsid@gmail.com.

It's Sunday. Khagen has gone home for the day. He was here this morning helping Bansi and Nilambar sort out the books in the boxes. We had lots of books but they haven't been looked after properly. So today Nilambar decided to catalogue them and rearrange them and pack them away for future use. He's taken out a few books for reference.

The well-diggers are here. The first well is complete and they have started digging the second well. I've already paid them for the first well. Hopefully by the time I get back from Bangalore, the second well will be ready too.

I'm leaving the project on the 15th evening. I could have left earlier, but decided to stay back till the 15th because it's our Foundation Day! In 2005, I laid the foundation to Roldih Project. It was Poila Boishakh, the Bengali New Year. It was a coincidence. But it's good it's on this day or else I may have forgotten when I started! I can't remember the exact date when I came to Cheo or the day I laid the foundation to Paharpur or Barai.

Sharad left on Friday. Bhola and I went with him to Deoghar. There the three of us checked into an airconditioned room and spent all our time watching TV. We had been dreaming and talking of chilled beer. But three of us could only manage to go through 3 bottles! We talked a bit, slept a lot and on Saturday we saw Sharad off at the station. Bhola and I got back to the project by 5:30 pm only to find that the plants had not been watered. Bansi and Nilambar were on a village visit. And I suppose Khagen and Suman were too busy to do what they do every day at 3:30 pm!

The school routine had to be changed after Sharad's departure. Nilambar, Khagen and Bansi are going to be teachingn in classes 2, 1, and Nursery. Nilambar will take Hindi and Maths in classes 3 and 4. I'll be teaching all other subjects in these two classes. Of course they won't have a teacher while I'm gone. But I hope to give them a lot of assignments before I leave. That should keep them busy and and hopefully creative.