Uttaranchal Public School

You can find Uttaranchal Public School in Haridwar, not too far from the main parts of town but far enough that we avoid the worst of the tourist crowds. It’s a simple place. We don't have those big glass buildings you see in the magazines. Instead, we have thick brick walls and simple classrooms that stay relatively cool in the heat. Haridwar is a busy place with all the bells and the river nearby, and you can sometimes hear the distant sounds from the temples if the wind is blowing the right way. We have a small staff of teachers who have been here for a long time. Most of them know the families of the students quite well. I spend my days mostly dealing with the small stuff, like making sure there is enough chalk and that the fans are working. The playground is just a patch of dirt where the kids play kabaddi or tag. It gets dusty, but they don't seem to mind much. We have a lot of stairs in this building, and I feel it in my knees by the end of the day. Every morning, we gather in the yard for some prayers and then everyone heads to their rooms. It’s a straightforward way of life. We don’t try to be anything we aren't. We just provide a place for the local kids to get their schooling done without any unnecessary drama or fancy talk. It works for us.