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I am sponsoring a girl, she's only six. I usually just get drawings from her and the same standard letter written by a volunteer (i.e. "hope all is well," "she thinks about you," "she likes to play outside"). I guess most kids her age don't write much anyways. However, I was just wondering if someone could tell me when children in India start learning English so that I can know when my child will be able to write to me herself. It'll be nice to have some contact with her and know what she has to say.

Thanks

Don't worry. Things will come along. At six all the kids need assistance for awhile. Learning and writing another language is not an easy thing. As all sponsors come to learn patience is the key to all things for kids.

I sponsored a girl in India from age 13 - 19. She said she was studying English, but she never wrote letters in English. Like Elemay, I suspect she just never had the comfort level about her English skills. However, she always filled the writing space in Bengali, so I did get quite a bit of information from her letters, although it was via translation.  She lived in a village outside of Kolkata. Maybe the kids in the more urban areas of India have more extensive English training, but I'm not sure. I tried to learn a bit of Bengali, but I was hopeless at it, although I did sometimes google Bengali phrases, like for Bengali holidays, which I cut and pasted into her letters. If they were incorrect, she was kind enough not to say. Even though her letters were always in translation, she answered a lot of my questions, and her warmth and friendliness came through.

Maybe I'm weird, but I like getting letters in their native languages.  It's interesting.  Especially a language like Bengali that has a beautiful script.  The only thing I don't like about it is that someone has to do extra work to translate it for me since I'm your typical one language American *hangs head in shame*.

I also enjoy when the children write in their own languages. I even encouraged my Guatemalan girls to write in Cakchiquel because it would be so fascinating to see this language! They never did, though (maybe CI has a rule about it?).

Having sponsored mostly in Bengal in India since the early 2000s,I've never received a letter in English  Sometimes the greeting is in English  though. This is not to say my kids didn't learn English, because all kids in Indian schools do and from an early age  but writing to a native English speaker would make them very self conscious. When I've met them on my trips there they are often shy to speak English with me as well, despite their many years of lessons. Once my sponsored boy's sister did a recitation of a poem she was studying in her English class at school though, which was lovely. My girls all tried to speak with my son on our last trip as well, since they are all of a similar age. 

I noticed the shyness about English, too. I sponsored a girl in India for several years. She was an excellent student (had even won a HOPE scholarship-- which tend to be in short supply, dependent on funding). Students who take grade 11 and 12 are considered college-potential. In order to get into college, they must pass a rigorous English exam. Sankari, despite her poor background, and the intense competition for scarce college slots, got in! We wrote each other frequently during the sponsorship. ....... But despite all this, she never wrote to me in English. I suspect that she was worried about making a bad impression about how well educated she was, if she made a mistake.

I sponsored an Indian Girl from 1998-2011 and am currently ready to see another graduate next month after a 2 year sponsorship.  There have never been English written letters. Over the many years of sponsorship Mamoni did become warm and friendly in her letters and filled the space to overflow in her language.  afreen who I did not begin sponsoring until she was almost 17 has always been very short more like form letters.  I agree with the idea of shyness at using English for writing. I would prefer more substance in the letter then translated than a short one in my own language.  I may be odd in that preference though 
Elizabeth

Thanks for all the responses! And sorry it took a while to get back to you all. My house flooded.
It is not that I mind getting letters in something other than English. That is not at all the case. English is not my first or second language. My only concern is that all the letters I have gotten thus far are quite stanrdard: "Khansha is doing well. She likes  ____and  ______. She is thankful for your help. She sends you best wishes."
I guess, I just want to make sure she is having the opportunity to actually communicate whatever it is that she wants to say or I don't know. Maybe I am overthinking it. I just think the letters are always quite standard and that is something that can be written on behalf of ANY child without actually talking to them and asking them what they want to write in the letter, you know?

My guess is that the form-letter feel of her letters is almost entirely due to her age. Staff members probably ask her specific questions like, "What is your favorite color?" as opposed to more open-ended questions like, "What do you want to say to your Sponsor today?" As she gets older, her letters should become less form-ish and more personal--especially if you write to her regularly! 

The type of letter she is writing will also affect how it feels, even as she gets older. Often for a CR (those are the two letters she is required to write each year, even if you never write to her), there is a guide or even a group activity at the center to help her with ideas on what to say. On the other hand, for a CP (a letter in response to one you have written), the content tends to be much more personal. 

Most CRs I receive tend to be about school activities or a recent holiday celebration. CPs are so varied, I don't even know where to start! It really depends on what I have written to them. For example, I recently wrote to Dianne about how cold this winter has been; she replied that the temperature in her area had dropped, but not THAT cold, more like she had "just opened the refrigerator". She also told me that she didn't think I looked at all silly in the photo I sent of myself all bundled up for the weather. =)

I've found it to be helpful to always ask 1 or 2 questions in each of my letters  They typically answer them and that way it's a bit more personal. 

I know this thread is from earlier this year but I just started sponsoring ​in March this year. My experience so far is that I feel none of the letters are actually written by the child. As someone mentioned before they all say the same thing every time. If the child writes them then they seem very much dictated. None of my questions in letters I wrote to my child were ever really answered. Then all of a sudden I received a letter written in English. It was written over a letter that was previously erased. It was very strange as this was the same with the previous one. So at this point I really don't know what to think about all this letter writing...LOL

Hi Doris - I would recommend that you just give it time. Anjali is only 9 years old, so she may still be reserved or shy, or may not have a lot of ideas as to what to say in her letters without coaching. I've noticed the same with some of my younger children also -- part of that could also have to do with the language differences. I've also seen the same with the letters written over erased letters. However, I have had specific questions answered in numerous letters, and as they've gotten older, they've become much more independent and informative in their writing. If you have a hankering and the means to sponsor a second child, you might want to consider an older child from a country where they learn and correspond in English (Philippines or Zambia).

Hi Doris, I totally agree with Bob's idea that you give Anjali time. Anjali may never have had a sponsor who wrote to her. If she has never received a letter and  suddenly an unseen and unknown person comes into her life, she may be too bewildered to know how to respond. I think, given time, she will begin to understand the concept of being sponsored and will offer you her friendship. For a sponsor​ it isn't always easy to wait through those formulaic, introductory letters!  (There is no doubt in my mind that letters are written by the child or if the child is unable to write by a parent or volunteer.)

I have noticed, too, that it's hard for the younger kids who write in English, especially one of mine from Zambia.  Most of her letters are only a few sentences long. I imagine trying to learn a new language is hard enough without the added pressures of writing letters, so I am always grateful for every little bit I get from them. :)

I have a 10 year old and a 12 year old in the Philippines and two 13 year olds, a 10 year old, and a 7 year old in Spanish speaking countries.  I do find that the letters sent from my Filipino kids are shorter and that's most likely because they are writing in their second language vs. my Central American, South American, and Caribbean kids who write in their native language.  Regardless, I usually get very personalized letters.  All my kids have answered questions I've asked and have filled me in on things going on in their life.  The first couple of letters have a very formal feeling to them and tend to repeat things, but I think that's mostly due to the fact that they didn't know me very well and were at a loss as to what to say.  Once they had enough questions from me to pick their favorites to answer and enough information from me to know a little bit about my family and my life, I got more informative letters.  Also, some kids may be shy or not really the sharing type and it may take them longer to open up.  Just hang in there for a bit and give Anjali the chance to get to know you.  I know that as a child, I would have been very unsure of what to say if I had to write to an adult I didn't really know.

Let's make this real.   Are expectations of an immediate, lively, connected correspondence with a child several thousand miles away and in a different culture, a culture which might not use greeting cards and letters to relate to each other --   is that expectation realistic?  When I was a child, I was afraid of strangers.  And I was born in Cleveland, Ohio, USA.  My definition of strangers back then was anyone who wasn't in my family.  In my early years, I kept my mouth shut -- adults labeled me shy.  I wasn't shy, I was wary of people I didn't know.  I did not write letters or send cards to adults I'd never met -- what a strange thing that would have been for me, why would I want to do such a thing?  How many children anywhere are instantly 100% energetic about writing to a stranger?

I agree rgfischoff.  I was painfully shy as a youngster.  Having to write to an adult I didn't know would have terrified me.  Kudos to these kids for handling it as well as they do.

I completely agree with you. I've even met many of my kids and still don't expect them to treat me like their best friend or even a close friend. I'm an acquaintance that is doing a very small thing for them in the hope that they will have an easier life and brighter future  

You are wise and kind jchak938b; your expectations are tempered and thoughtful.  Children, all cultures, are often a bit frightened of new things, a bit frightened of complicated things.  If sponsored children and youths grow to fully understand CI sponsorship, if they become truly involved with us, it is a very special event.  Like you, I do not expect every child/youth I sponsor to adore me.  That I help them on their way is enough.

I try to send my sponsored kids a picture of myself when I was their age.  And look for things in common that we share, like favorite color, favorite animal, favorite subject in school, etc.   That seems to open up some doors.