I STARTED PAINTING AMKA! Hooray! After rallying several of the other volunteers, organizing a time to paint, and going into town to find and purchase brushes, rollers, tape and two huge buckets of paint (cheery "ripple green" and "summer blue"), we got started on Operation Colorful-Classroom... and it's looking AMAZING so far! No longer will my children learn in a front porch jail cell -- oh, no. Now they'll be surrounded by a brilliant oasis! Sound dramatic? It kind of is; the contrast is unreal.
I am so happy I decided to do this. It feels so good to brighten up these little punks' learning space. Just the knowledge that I'm leaving something physical and lasting of myself behind there, too, feels terrific.
The plan now is to go back on Sunday to give it a second coat (because I want it to last more than five seconds, being that they are prone [literally] to climb the walls)... and then I'm (FINGERS CROSSED) looking into "hiring" a local student artist at Upendo Artist Association (a local NGO in Rau where my roommate is volunteering) to paint some friendly safari animals on one of the walls. The kid I talked to is so sweet and talented, I think he and I could come up with something pretty great. Nothing says preschool in Africa like smiling twigas, tembos, and simbas, yes? Thus this could, potentially, turn out awesome. Long story short, I'm going to bend over backwards until I'm satisfied this classroom looks like a warm, bold, and happy haven.
Anyway, just an update on one of the better projects I've thrown myself into recently! More pictures to follow...
The best paint crew this side of Mt. Kilimanjaro: Craig, Jennifer, Some Blonde Chick, Lucetta, and Ian! Magicians with a paint brush, each and every one of them.Many thanks to Sarah S, Mama Sarah, and Lois, too! Woo!
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