What is your name? What is your age? What is your village?
Sonu Rathore, 16, from Radho.
When did you come to the hostel?
I’ve been here for two years.
Describe your family. Describe the family members, who they are, their ages, etc. Tell how it is to live with your family. What were the hardships and challenges that you faced, living at home?
I have a brother, 3. Two sisters, 8 and 5. My mother passed the 8th level. My father is a college graduate, liberal arts. He works in the tourist industry, as a driver in Jodhpur.
What did you do before you came to the hostel? Work? Study?
Just studied, lived in the village.
What challenges do you encounter here at the hostel?
I miss my home sometimes. We get to go home every 3 or 4 months.
Do you like the hostel, the school? In what ways do you like or dislike them?
There are no problems here at the hostel. I like it.
What makes you happy?
I like to watch movies on TV. Bollywood comedies, especially.
If you had three wishes, what would you wish for?
Money. With money I can do anything. I want to help poor people. I want to teach. I want to see an educated India. I would also like a home, car and mobile phone.
What would you like to do in the future?
Go to college. I will finish college before I get married. My family will agree to this. I’d like to teach. I’d like to visit the USA.
What is your favorite thing?
It would be great to fly in an airplane!
What is the most important thing for you?
Well, studying is more important than marriage.
Tell me about your mother.
She’s normal. (I couldn’t get her to develop this at all.) She doesn’t want to have any more children and has had her tubes tied.
What makes you cry?
Homesickness and fighting with room mates.