She included my favorite candy, dry erase boards, stickers, and world maps for my students, a stationary kit, a journal, letters from my favorite girls in the whole wide world (my nieces), insect repellent, and lost of love (the lots of love is assumed).
The resources at the school where I am currently one of the two English teachers are sooo limited. I've told many of you the story about when I walked into class with the letter "B" worksheets for my first graders to color and they jumped out of their chairs and began cheering for us. I practically lost my hearing when I pulled out the new boxes of crayons I bought as an after-thought right before leaving. Also, everytime I pull out my sticker book to check their work, I practically get tackled down to the ground.
My first insight into how much this school was lacking both in supplies and knowledge was when I asked them to guess where the English lanugage originated. Most of the students guessed Lima, Ecuador, Argentina, and a few of the more educated guesses included Spain and the United States. Most my students didn't even know that Europe existed or that there was more to the world beyond South America.
This should not have come as a surprise to me seeing as how the only geographical reference in the entire elementary school with over 250 students was a tiny map of South America.
Needless to say the poster-sized maps I recieved from my sister brought me to tears. Literally. When I allow myself to think about what these students would do if they ever walked into a classroom in the states with their carpets, their globes, their toys, and their worksheets, I am overwhelmed by the thought. They would be stunned. The would be in awe. They would be sooo appreciative.
To have these maps and these personal dry erase boards is a little taste of what education can be like and I am so grateful to be able to donate these resources to further the education here at this humble school in Pucallpa.
To help you better understand the condition of our school, I've taken a coupld of pictures.
The school is constructed completely out of wood that has been painted. The only source of light in the classrooms are the tiny windows you see towards the top of the school and the doors have to remain open to filter in the most natural sunlight possible.
As you can see, it was impossible to get a quality picture of my class because the lighting is horrendous. On days when it rains or the weather is really bad, school is cancelled because the aluminum roof amplifies the sound of the rain and it is impossible to shout over the noise, not to mention that the students would have to trudge through mud roads and cross over creeks just to walk to here. Each classroom is separated by a wooden divider which can be easily removed, transforming individual classrooms into a multipurpose room to house assemblies and special events. Due to the lack of walls, students are easily distracted by what the teacher and their fellow classmates are doing "next door," making it extremely difficult to teach over all the noise. Even though the environment poses difficulties for students and teacher alike, students are eager to learn and it is a joy to be able to teach them day-in and day-out.
All of this to say, thank you =) Because for my students, these aren't just maps, it is a stepping stone to broaden their horizons and expand the world as they know it. These are not just stickers, they are a reminder that somebody from a country they didn't even know existed took the time to buy and send a little someting to encourage their efforts. These are not just dry-erase boards, they are tools that will help them exercise their full potential.
All of this to say, thank you =) Because for my students, these aren't just maps, it is a stepping stone to broaden their horizons and expand the world as they know it. These are not just stickers, they are a reminder that somebody from a country they didn't even know existed took the time to buy and send a little someting to encourage their efforts. These are not just dry-erase boards, they are tools that will help them exercise their full potential.
So thank you for the happy mail that's doing a lot more than just making me happy =)
I think you should have titled it "My family is better than yours" 'cause it is. I'm glad you liked your package. I had to send more of a fun package rather than things you need because a). running water wouldn't fit int he box and b). it probably wouldn't have gotten through the lovely postal service in Peru. Like I said, I was in pain crossing fingers, toes, etc etc etc, hoping this box would get there safely. I'm so glad it did!
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