Well this was to be the highlight of the trip and we really didn't know what to expect -we had phoned and previous emails had gone unanswered, but the last email asked us to come after 14.00 but it was 11.00 and we wanted to get on if we could.
As it happened we actually stopped at a government run hotel to ask directions and it was opposite the entrance to the school which was perched high above us.
We had a quick coffee, which was very nice, grabbed our things and started the walk up what turned or to be a long walk, and at 4800 feet we got a little more breathless than we should.
It's difficult to explain the air, it feels clean and fresh and even though it was quite warm, there was a chill to it that was a bit like a blast from an air conditioned room when you enter a chilled room.
We got some pictures of the sports area as we walked up, and caught up with a lady carrying a small urn of milk. Heather got chatting and she stayed with us for the walk up talking away.
The first impressions are of a school that has probably changed very little since it was built in 1850. Perched high it looks out at spectacular views of the himalayas, and is painted a very light blue with small diamond shaped glass windows. The are number of peaks to the house and it reminds of an old Victorian building that would have probably been replaced many years ago in the UK and something of a bygone age.
We were lead through to the office which was on the first floor, and a lady came out smiling called Jean, and shook our hands. It turns out her brother lives in Glasgow and her father was British, so she spoke excellent English and she called sister Rose for us.
The sister was lovely and looked like a typical Nun, around 5ft tall and slightly rounded with a beaming smile and bright sharp eyes.
We dug out the pictures and certificates we had and everyone gathered around to look, and were fascinated by what we had and that we had come so far to visit.
The sister took us on a tour of the school and showed the places where Yvonne would have slept, studied and played the piano.
She explained a typical day was wake up at 5.30 to 6.00 and study until 7.30 for breakfast. At 8.30 after washing and changing lessons would start and last all day until lunch at 11.50 for washing, then start eating around 13.00 after a session in the playground. Lessons resumed at 14.00 until 17.30 for another break, then final studies from around 7 m to 9pm.
That was 6 days a week! Some weekends there were competitive sports, but the girls were never allowed outside the school premises. Bearing in mind the school term was 9 months and Yvonne boarded there from 3 years to 18 years old it must have been a huge part of their life.
It was a lovely tour round the school and we saw the dormitories she each of the age groups stayed. The 3 to 5 year old stayed in cots, which were stacked side by side, each with a little set of draws.
In the corner was a small covered area where one of the sisters would sleep to keep an eye on things. The area was empty as they are no longer taking new boarders on.
The second area was for the 6 to 11 year olds and it was row after row of beds all covered in a blue blanket, with a set of draws and a chair. The gap between the beds was about 2 ft and so it must very cosy and I guess you all needed to get along!
Next to each area was a little pile of clothes and a towel. The sister explained that after the children changed for school their clothes were cleaned and returned to their beds.
The final area was for the seniors, and as before rows of beds with a similar Blue blanket, but more of the beds had small stuffed animals such as teddy bears on them. Also there was a little more room.
There is no double glazing or heating, and it was cool rather than warm, but in this area of India they can have snow so I can guess some days it must have been freezing and in the summer months too hot!
There is a number of strip lights, but not much else, and given there is no wifi I imagine there is very little use for technology here.
After this we were shown round the classrooms and the desks were Victorian and the chairs solid, with around 30 to a classroom. There was a chalk board and books and that was pretty much it. Compared to modern Western classrooms it was very old fashioned but also had a charm about it, like a forgotten corner somewhere, but turning out very bright and successful students.
I did get a glance at the computer room, with around 20 monitors all covered up, but I am not sure how much use they got, as we were whisked on for the next part of our journey.
The sister explained that the school was no longer taking boarders and that by 2017 there would only be day students.
We then stopped in a parlour where we were made tea and Jean came struggling through with a pile of photo albums to show us. Out came the hot gram and biscuits and they started going through the pictures trying to identify Yvonne.
Eventually we found what we think was an early picture which I copied and Jean came back with the students register all written nearly by hand, and showed us the entry for Yvonne.
Interestingly Yvonne was the only student with a 'very good' final remark.
So we had finished our visit, we offered a contribution to the school (which I thought was ok, but the sister thanked us for our 'small' contribution) and we made or way out.
We took some final pictures, Heather got a hug and we made our farewells. One thing we didn't realise was the number of monkeys, which were watching us with amusement.
What a day, more than we could have wished for and beyond anything that we hoped when we set out.
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