Last weekend, my REDES girls and some interested boys from the English Theater group joined together and painted a giant world map on the side of the school! This project was a long time coming -- I've been thinking about doing it since I first got here -- and it finally happened, just two short weeks before my departure!
How to Paint an HIV World Map in 10 Easy Steps
- Submit a grant request through Peace Corps Grants Online portal. The ridiculously horrible interface may make you want to kill yourself. Do not listen to the urge.
- Once approved, buy paint, brushes, pencils, etc.
- If you can, borrow a projector. At night, set it up and trace the world map image onto your selected wall. Expect LOTS of onlookers.
- The next day, trace the outlines of countries in the colors you want them. Carefully prepare little doses of paint and teeny-tiny paint-brushes for students to use, so they don't make a mess. Nothing could go wrong!
- CHAOS ENSUES!
- After everyone is covered in paint, hopefully the wall is also covered in kind of the right colors in more or less the right areas.
- Don't forget to paint the Peace Corps symbol in the corner!
- Have each student "sign" their name by making and signing a hand-print next to the map.
- When the paint is dry, go back and label all the countries with a permanent marker with the HIV/AIDS infection rate. As much as you try, you will label some countries wrong. ("Oh, that's Guatemala!?)
- MAP COMPLETE! Throw a party! Play some games! Let everyone feast their eyes on the glory of everyone's hard work.
Our map was a lot of fun to make. We did it all within one weekend, starting Thursday evening and finishing Sunday morning. The next Saturday (yesterday), we threw a big party, cooked a delicious meal of rice and beans with salad and grilled chicken, and then played a Geography/AIDS trivia game, sang songs, and played other games. It was a HUGE success, everyone enjoyed themselves, and while they were singing their favorite song (which involves stomping as a group in a big rhythmic circle) I got a warm fuzzy and
sad feeling regarding the fact that I'll be leaving this wonderful place in just two weeks. What a wonderful place to live.
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| Phase 1: Green paint |
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| Starting to fill in the ocean! |
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| Everyone takes turns to paint. |
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| Peace Corps symbol! |
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| Suzeta signs her name. |
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| Redi writes in AIDS info. |
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| DANCE PARTY! |
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| The final product. |
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| Isn't our school pretty now? |
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| Moçambique! |
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| The whole team! |
Wonderful! Leave paint for repairs so they can keep it up in good shape. Mrs. H.
ReplyDeleteMensch, warum hören wir nichts von Euch? Da kommen die beiden Professore Helenas zusammen und schweigen sich aus! Ich weiß, dass meine Helena keinen Computer mit hat, aber Deiner funktioniert doch? Ihr hattet hoffentlich so viel Spaß, dass ihr Euch einfach keine Zeit genommen habt, hier ein paar Wörter zu hinterlassen... Es ist mir auch bewusst, dass meine Hauptaufgabe für die nächsten zwei Jahre darin besteht, mich in immenser Geduld zu üben.
ReplyDeleteHelen, ich habe in den letzten Tagen Deinen gesamten Blog nachgelesen, daher nehme ich an, dass Du Deutsch sprichst. Deine wunderbaren Berichte haben mir sehr schön vorgeführt, was meine Helena erwartet. Danke!