Kendriya Vidyalaya

Located on Chirkute Road in Ponda, our school is surrounded by a fair amount of greenery, which is typical for Goa. The weather here is often damp, so the walls sometimes get those mossy patches that we have to clean off. It’s a government school, so things are run in a very specific way. We follow the standard schedules and have our routines down to a science. The students come from all over the area, some from families who have lived in Ponda for generations and others who have just moved here for work. The classrooms are basic, with the usual benches and big windows to let in the air. During the rainy season, everything feels a bit soggy, but the kids don't seem to mind much. We have a big gate at the front where the security guard sits all day. There is a lot of paperwork involved in running a place like this, and you’ll often see the staff carrying thick folders around. When the school day ends, the walk down Chirkute Road is filled with students in their uniforms heading home or grabbing a snack. It’s a very normal, everyday kind of place. We just focus on the classes and keeping the building in one piece. There is a small bakery down the street that the teachers go to for pav during their lunch break. It's a small routine that makes the day feel a bit more manageable.