do schools like these exist?

What if you open the door in the morning, come out, yawn, and see a wild elephant there greeting you, or a bunch of deer giving you a smile. This is the way they begin their life here. It was a village where I had been to yesterday, and it was a day filled with full of different experiences. As a part of our volunteering, we had been to several villages, specifically the Government schools in those villages to distribute some items like toothpaste, toothbrush, bathing soap etc.. to satisfy their basic needs. The conditions of these schools? Don't ask. This was my first visit to a Govt school. I didn't expect it to be so bad and ill-maintained. If it rains, the classroom would leak seamlessly! Govt has just constructed the school and left. No maintenance what so ever!  We were able to cover about 5 schools yesterday near SH. The children, needless to say, were so innocent, cute, and full-of-themselves. It felt so nice to be among them :)

In the first school, there were only 2 teachers in the whole school and they taught students right from Nursery to 4th grade (this school had only schooling till 4th grade). The teachers here travel for about 4 hours to reach the school. School starts at 11am and gets over by 3pm. I didn't know schools like this existed. Teachers were greatly committed to keep the school up and running. I was taken aback.
After distribution here we moved to the next school. Similar situation. The strength of the school was 30- and that was from the 1st grade to the 10th grade in total. 4 teachers here.

Since all these schools are surrounded by forests, the students had to walk the risk of running into elephants when they commute to school. Though it sounds like a day-to-day usual task for them, can you imagine our parents let us go to school by walk, and that too in a forest inhabited by elephants? I don't think so! That's the way they live. They live in the wild, with the wild. Swamiji taught them some songs, and then we left the school. Moved on. .

After finishing all visits as planned, we had tea in a roadside village shop, and we thought we'd venture into the forest to see if we're lucky to spot some elephants. Man, as it is I was kicking myself for not carrying my cam along. And things happen when you least anticipate them. We climbed up this watch tower to see if we can spot any. (pic taken from my phone)

Whoa! What a moment! We found 3 elephants, big ones. Full happy happy :P But they were far. We wanted a closer view. We got down and walked, climbed, and made our way to a small hillock which gave us a perfect view. There were 6 elephants along with a small baby elephant :) Throughout the way we were pricked by thorns, shirts got a little damaged; but to tell you, it was all worth the effort. We stood there for around 1 hour just gazing at them, their wild, and free life! Amazing sight I must say. We brought home memories, and some pics which I'll post in my next write-up coz I haven't received it from my friend yet. I'd love to write more, but I guess I'll stop here :)