Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya

Down in Balesara, the place is a bit like its own little village. People stay here overnight, so it never really gets quiet except maybe late at night when everyone is finally asleep. We have different buildings for the dorms and the classes, and walking between them is how we get most of our exercise throughout the day. The grounds are quite large, and there’s always some grass that needs cutting or a fence that needs fixing somewhere. We eat in a big hall, and the smell of cooking usually drifts across the campus around noon. It’s a very practical place to be. We don't have many fancy amenities, but we have what we need to get through the daily lessons. The weather here in Balesara can be a bit unpredictable, so we’re always checking the roof for leaks when a storm clouds over in the distance. The staff here live on-site mostly, so we see each other at all hours, even when we aren't officially working. It can feel a bit isolated being away from the main town, but we get used to it after a while. We spend our evenings sitting out if the mosquitoes aren't too bad, just talking about the day. The classrooms have high ceilings which helps with the heat, but they echo a lot when someone talks loudly. It’s a busy life with a lot of schedules to follow, but it’s the routine we’ve all fallen into here at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya.