St. Mary's High School, Shillong, India
I've been enjoying some comments that take me back to my past. A recent one said, "Joan, if I remember correctly your hair length was below the waistline. Sometimes it nearly reached the knees. And do you remember the schoolgirl whose hairline nearly touched her ankles?"
I do remember her. She was a classmate and good friend. Her name was Phimklet. Phimklet means "you won't forget," so of course, I never did.
We hiked from Mawlai on the outskirts of town, three miles to St. Mary's High School and back each day. No wonder I still walk everywhere.
Another reader who found me online some years ago sent me these pictures of my class. I had such good friends (Rani, Mala, Madhumita Roy, Neeta, Poonam) and although I wasn't famous for academics I knew every way in and out of that school. We were always playing pranks and practical jokes. I my fill of Italian nuns poking hard fingers in my chest demanding to know why I "wasn't more like my sisters." Heheh.
I am in the center of the top picture with my hair pulled back, big grin and dorky glasses. Fun days.
Googling around I found this poem about Mawlai.
Very good memories, yes. You had a most interesting childhood.
ReplyDeleteHow great that your old friends found your blog and got in touch.
ReplyDeleteI always love reading your blog about your childhood in Shillong. My mother is also in those class pictures and she also has great stories about the sisters at St. Mary's! In the top photo, she is in the top row, fifth from the right :)
ReplyDeletecalifgrl - Thank you! It is so fun hearing with people who have ties to my past. Your mother and I could tell some stories. Did you know that there is a Shillong Facebook page?
ReplyDeleteOh yes! It's amazing how Facebook now has a forum to discuss Shillong and the Northeast. It's nice to be able to share it all with my friends so easily instead of just pointing to Shillong on a map!
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