Painting!!

This week was all about PAINTING!  People in the community have continually been asking us who was going to paint the library.  Whenever Adrienne and I explained that we planned to ourselves, they would look at us skeptically probably thinking to themselves, these two white girls can't paint!  But we sure proved them wrong!

Another little helper

Over the
weekend, we invited my girls group to help us paint the walls.  We mixed the paint ourselves, choosing a light blue and light aqua green color.  The girls loved painting!  They were singing songs and laughing the entire time.  For almost all of them, this was their first time ever painting.  It only took about an hour to paint all the walls and we returned the next day for the second coat.  The girls left with paint splatters all over their faces and arms saying how they were going to paint their own houses and would never need to hire a painter.  Adrienne and I went home extremely grateful for the additional hands and that we didn't have to do all the work ourselves.

On Sunday, Adrienne and I spent all day Sunday creating letter stencils for my English group members to use to paint the alphabet on the wall.

Again, for almost all of them, this was their first time ever painting and they couldn't have been more excited to help out!

Then on Tuesday, Adrienne and I took over the task of outlining all the letters in black. Here's the finished product!

We are also working on creating a mural on the wall using the hand prints of everyone who has helped with the library construction.  Eventually, the idea is to turn the hand prints in to flowers.

 And now, today, Saide is finishing up the patio, cementing the floor.

We have just finished the second trimester of school and are heading in to two weeks of vacation.  After an adventure overland to Zambia to visit Victoria Falls, I'll be back to finish the final touches of the library, work out the logistics, receive the Portuguese books and open the doors to the community!

What a Wonderful World

My English club has been busy the past few weeks writing a play for the English Theater competition in September.  They first wrote the play in Portuguese, coming up with a story line about domestic violence, following the assigned theme “The choice is mine.  The future is ours.” Then I translated their work to English. On Monday, we had our try-outs to assign roles for each member.  But, more about English Theater when it gets closer to the competition!  I don’t want to reveal too much now!

Meanwhile, this week I taught them the lyrics to “What a Wonderful World”.  They listened to the song several times, trying to listen for the words and fill in the blanks to the lyrics I had written for them.  I asked them if they liked the song.  Most music here falls in to the pop music category, mixed with some techno or club style background.  Louis Armstrong isn’t a very popular figure over here.  Most of them agreed that they did like the song, even more so after learning what he was saying.  They agreed, the world is pretty wonderful.

Following the song, I asked them each to write their own verse.  Here is what they came up with:

I see siblings hugging.  I see two children playing in the garden.  And I think to myself, what a wonderful world. – Eanes

I see people playing football.  I see children dancing.  And I think to myself, what a wonderful world. – Sadique

I see women winning rights.  I watch students studying.  People walking in the street.  And I think to myself, what a wonderful world. – Ibraimo

I see children going to school and their parents going to work in different areas.  I see Mozambicans travelling to anywhere in the world.  And I think to myself, what a wonderful world. -- Alberto

I see the older care for the son.  I also care for my friends.  I see people dancing and singing.  Others are listening.  I also dance to the music.  And I think to myself, what a wonderful world. -- Gaifane

I’m seeing people hugging daily.  I’m seeing people hugging everyday.  I see people saying Merry Christmas.  And I think to myself, what a wonderful world. -- Calane

My students are also extremely excited for the library and have loved reading some of the English books I have already.  These past few weeks, we've made a lot of progress in the construction and are almost finished!

Last week, the builder finished cementing the inside walls and the floor.

Saide, the builder, standing proudly in front of his work.

Inside view, soon to be painted

 This week, the carpenter fixed the door that was too big to close while the welders made iron grates for both the door and window and cemented them in place.

Putting in the grates

We are still missing a window, but supposedly it’s finished and just needs to be installed.  I’m trying to put the pressure on to get that finished in the next couple of days.

Fancy stamp

We also got a fancy official stamp made.

I am supposed to be receiving the set of 200 Portuguese books in early August and my mom has been doing an incredible job collecting donations of English books from friends and family.  Thanks to everyone who has donated, especially Josh and Maggie, and Patty, Reed, and Jack Dunnick.  Also, to Girl Scout Troop 166, Darien Book Aid, and Ms. Wile’s students at Wallingford Elementary School.  

So far, I have received over 75 English books, with a lot more en route in the mail.  All donations are welcomed and greatly appreciated!  Thank you again to everyone for your support!  Can't wait until I can show you all the finished product!

Murrupula Science Fair 2013

Saturday was Murrupula’s Science Fair.  After initial information meetings with about 15-20 interested students, 5 students actually created projects to present on the day of the fair. 

This year’s fair started off a lot like last year’s - waiting, a theme common in this country.  Again, like last year, the keys to the conference room where we intended to hold the fair were with someone who had apparently decided to travel that morning, despite his prior knowledge of the fair’s occurrence.  Different from last year though, this year I worked closely with a member of the district’s Ministry of Science and Technology, meaning I could delegate the task of searching for the keys to him. 

This partnership with the Ministry is the beginning step in attempting to transfer the responsibility of planning the fair to local counterparts in effort to make the project more sustainable without Peace Corps involvement.  I took the responsibility of working with the students, while they were in charge of the location and prizes.

Eventually, about an hour and a half later, my counterpart showed up with the keys and we could begin preparing for the event.  Only two and a half hours behind schedule, but right on African time, all the participants and important guests had arrived and we began the fair.

The event started with a theatrical presentation by Adrienne’s JUNTOS group (Jovens Unidos no Trabalho para Oportunidades e Sucesso – Youth United in the work for Opportunities and Success) about the importance of using condoms in the prevention of HIV/AIDS.

Then, the exhibitors began their presentations.  The five students were divided up based on their grade; first cycle students, grades 8-10, and second cycle, grades 11-12.

First up were the first cycle students, all three of them in 10^th grade.  Albino, who received third place, presented a demonstration on the inability of water and oil to mix.

Second place winner Jacinto created an economical shoe polish using chimney ash mixed with oil.

And Belfim, who earned first place, demonstrated how one can separate a mixture of sand and salt through filtration followed by evaporation. 

The two second cycle participants, 12^th graders, were my biology students last year and had a friendly competition going, teasing each other before the fair over who was going to win.  

Anifo wound up taking first place with his creative project using an orange to create a candle that lasts for over 6 hours.  He carved out the fruit leaving the white center part to function as a wick.  Explaining about capillary action, he then added oil to the dried peel.  Upon lighting, the candle created a surprising bright light.

Aires researched the medicinal properties of the Artemisia plant, the active ingredient in the medication Coartem used to treat Malaria, and created a cream one can apply to treat various illnesses like chicken pox, colic, and rashes.

Sitting in the audience watching each student give his presentation, I felt like a proud parent watching my children perform.  I could see their hands shaking, their search for the answer to the jury panel’s questions as they defended their project and showed their knowledge of the scientific concept they were demonstrating.  I sat their smiling, trying to be the friendly face in the audience, the sympathetic one who understood that this was probably their first time ever standing in front of an audience of about 25-30 people and publically speaking.  Maybe their projects weren’t scientific geniuses, but I was proud of them for their hard work and courage to actually participate, using their own heads and knowledge to design a project where many other students never would.

 

Following their presentations, JUNTOS presented another play and demonstrated how to properly put on a condom with a banana prop while the three professor judges conferred.  We ended with a few words from our guest administrators and presentation of certificates (very desirable items in this country) and prizes.  Prizes include a case, several notebooks and pens and pencils.

Overall, the fair wasn’t a grand spectacle, not very many people showed up to watch (partly due to a last minute scheduling of a conflicting exam for many students) but I am still happy with the outcome and am excited to take the top four students to the Nampula provincial fair in August.  It’s a great experience for them to see the work and learn from other students, an opportunity they otherwise would probably never have.  

Unfortunately, this picture came out blurry, but on the left is my Ministry counterpart followed by his boss and then me with the students.  Behind is the provincial representative who works to coordinate the provincial fair.