Day # 49 Idea

Today was a good day; I started off by observing a special education classroom. The teacher in the classroom was so amazing, she spent so much of her time make up fun ways to teach the children and working one on one with each child. We only got to see the interaction with three children because the rest where on a field trip. So generally works with about 30 children in sets of about 7. I was sad to notice that a few of the children were not attending the field trip, that was because they required special attention and did not have aids to work with them. Also the one little boy that we observed the most was non verbal due to his home life situation, that was sad because they also do not have tutors for the children outside of class to work on their weakness at home. Some of these missing elements could be used as a secondary project for me, but I think I am going to work more in my area with art. Any ways I am hoping to maybe substitute teach an art class if I have time. When that was over I headed back to my training sight where some of the current PCV (Peace Corps Volunteers) were and they talked to us more about are second projects, how we can relate them to what are society needs. I was sad because the group that is youth development went to a farm while we were observing in the special education classroom, but this got me thinking once again about St. Lucia. When I was in St. Lucia there was a young man named Mikkie, he was about 30 with a cognitive disability, he could hardly speak, but he worked heard and was happy as could be. I was thinking about starting a community farm where people with disabilities could come and learn life skills and make some money at the same time. We could have a garden with pumpkins, carrots and so forth so they could eat what they had grown and sell the produce in the local market. We could also have some chickens so they could learn how to take care of animals, clean up and sell the eggs. I was also thinking that we could have the staff paint eggs during Easter; possibly have an egg hunt for the kids. This would show the community what they are dong and raise awareness. Also in October we could have people come and pick out pumpkins and have activities for the children. All of these things can help the community and the people working on the farm with disabilities. Mikkie has inspired me!!! Any way that’s a big project and I will have to start slow and work heard to get that where I see it. After that we had another group of PCV who talked about some of the secondary projects that had already been implemented in the society. This is the second year for Grenada to allow students who did not pass the entrance exam to continue past 6^th grade, I think this is kind of like the “No Child Left Behind” in the states. Any who one of the programs that a PCV started was a eight-week special education conference for teachers. It was a program that the ministry of education approved and now one hundred pulse teachers have gone threw this program and received certificates. We also had camp GLOW that was started last year; GLOW stands for Girls Leading Our World. It is a camp built to raise confidence, create awareness on gender roles, and sexual health. I am going to be a camp counselor. So it is a one-week stay over camp and I will be in charge of 5-7 girls between the ages of 13-17. I am looking very much forward to that experience. I also talked to my boss about traveling and I think I am going back to St. Lucia in August after carnival. I am not thinking of vacation I promise I am just planning for tickets and letting people know so I can stay with them. Any who I am also talking to the PCV who have participated in carnival before and I think I might be dancing in it this year. Soon after I change my tittle from Peace Corps trainee to Peace Corps Volunteer I can start doing dance groups, drumming classes and all of that fun stuff with the other PCV’s. Well I am in for the night just resting and eating. So I hope that you all have enjoyed this long long entry that I did for you all tonight.

Oh P.S. MOM

I called the bank today so that should be all set and they said you can call for me now J if I need that again down the road, but I should be all taken care of for right now!