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gGetting started“Most of the kids were eager to learn, even though a bitunsure,” he recalled. “So I gave them a short demonstration,and they became all excited and started clapping.Presented with a cultural and linguistic challenge, I thoughtI’d break it down to something that everyone can relate to,that everyone can use. Skateboarding was just the mediumwith which to encourage the kids to learn something new.”Due to space constraints and with only six skateboards,the students had to be divided into three groups of 10, eachtaking a 30-minute lesson after school. There were a coupleof scrapes and bruises on the first day, even though theintroductory lesson merely involved balancing one foot onthe board and using the other leg for forward propulsion.“It was a completely new experience for them, so wemade very slow progress at first,” Nathan said. After acouple of days, the students graduated to putting both feeton the skateboard, squealing with delight at their daring.The next step was to attempt the 180-degree turn andto learn to lift the skateboard off the ground using thebody and feet. With the help of a chalkboard, Nathangave his students a quick lesson in math and biomechanics,explaining that by moving their body weight and muscles,they could manipulate the contraption under theirfeet. By the end of the third week, most of his studentshad mastered the basics of skateboarding and were eagerto learn more sophisticated tricks such as jumping andflipping the board.Having outgrown their 15-by-20-foot classroom, thechildren began honing their skills on the more spaciousgrounds of Bangalore’s Lalbagh Botanical Gardens. Acarpenter (the father of one of the students) volunteeredto build a ramp for the children to practice. As the kidsbecame more confident, Nathan adapted some of the gamesthey had taught him to be played while skateboarding.Several of the students showed off dance moves and gyrationsborrowed from Hindi cinema while precariouslybalanced on the skateboard. His students even undertooka field trip to a neighboring school to demonstrate theirnewly acquired skills.“great opportunity”DISS director Shobha summed up Nathan’s efforts as“a great opportunity” for the students. During thecourse of the skateboarding lessons, the children pickedup some English, and learned words like “legs,” “feet,”“hands,” “balance,” “jump” and “doing 180s.” Thanksto Nathan’s perseverance, skateboarding became a mediumto teach more significant life lessons: The children learnedto share resources (six skateboards among 30 students);to appreciate the value of patience, discipline and determination;and recognize the importance of getting alongwith others and working as a team.By the end of Nathan’s six-month stay in Bangalore,he had accomplished his goal of teaching the kids “toexperience life aboard a skateboard.” Both sides hadbenefited from Nathan’s initiative. For the inner-citychildren, who did not have many toys to play with,skateboarding proved an exhilarating and memorableexperience. For Nathan, it was the fulfillment of hisdream to “make a difference” as he brought joy andlaughter into the children’s otherwise routine lives.The entire adventure was recorded in scores of photographs,which were recently presented at a solo exhibitiontitled Another Day at the Office, courtesy the Dhahran ArtGroup. The Art Group show provided a glimpse of the“awesome experience” this enterprising and talented youngman had enjoyed in an impoverishedarea of Bangalore.“I hope I was able to imparta little bit of knowledge anda little bit of wisdom to thesechildren,” Nathan said. “Iwanted it to be an enjoyablelearning experience for them.I was trying to offer them aAt far left, skateboard noviceSandiya, left, and her friendSudha try a little street racing.At left, Gray demonstratesa ramp descent for studentsSelman and Ajay.14 Saudi Aramco Dimensions