Kendriya Vidyalaya

Being located in Ramgarh, Jaisalmer, means we are right in the middle of a very dry and sandy environment. This Kendriya Vidyalaya follows the usual government routine, so things are pretty organized but in a very plain way. The wind blows sand against the windows almost every day, and we’ve given up on keeping the floors perfectly clean. The building is a simple, sturdy design that stays relatively cool, though the summer heat is still a big challenge for us. We have kids from all sorts of backgrounds, mostly from families working in the local government offices or the nearby army posts. In the winter, it gets surprisingly cold in the mornings, and everyone comes to the assembly wrapped in heavy sweaters. Our playground is just a big open space of dirt where the kids play when the weather allows it. We don't have any high-tech gadgets or air conditioning. We use regular blackboards and the teachers spend a lot of their time writing out notes by hand. The office is full of old metal cabinets and stacks of files that go back years. Sometimes a sandstorm will blow through and we have to close all the windows tight and just wait it out. It’s a quiet life out here on the edge of the desert. We just do our jobs, teach the classes, and go home. It’s not a fancy life, but it’s ours and we are used to it.