This was taken during my first week in Dharamsala, India. I worked in a Government Day Care and this is Priya, one of my favorite students. She was the youngest and started school not long before I arrived to help teach. At this point in my trip I had never seen her talk, smile, or play with other kids. Six weeks later Priya’s time on the steps in front of our classroom were full of language, laughing, and jumping into my arms. As we waited on the steps for parents we’d review our colors. Pointing to the classroom I would recieve a chorus of “Neelaa!!” (blue in Hindi). It is amazing to look back at this photo and remember how nervous both Priya and I were. By the end of my time in Dharamsala both of us were right at home in our little classroom.