Shrunga International School

Out here at the Dodda Dunnasandra Cross, things are usually pretty quiet until the school buses start rolling in. Shrunga International School sits right near the junction on the way to Devanagondi. If you’re driving past, you’ll see our gate right off the road. It’s a dusty stretch of land, and we spend a lot of time sweeping the hallways because the wind kicks up a lot of grit from the open fields around us. The building is solid, though, and it stays relatively cool even when the sun is beating down on the roof. We have a routine that hasn't changed much over the years. Staff show up early, usually grumbling about the commute if the train crossing was closed. The kids start appearing around eight, some coming from quite far away in the vans. You can hear the murmur of classes through the open windows all morning. There’s a small shop down the road where we grab tea if there’s a break. It isn't a flashy place, just a lot of concrete, some desks that have seen better days, and a playground that gets pretty muddy when it rains. We try to keep the garden patches green, but the soil here is stubborn. By the time evening rolls around and the last bus leaves the cross, the place gets dead silent again, except for the birds and the occasional tractor passing by on the way to Devanagondi.