Wow! Kids are Great!
(After reading my blog postings about my October trip to South Sudan, the Principal and 4 teachers from Merton Community School District invited me to present to their students. Over 2 days, I did 9 presentations to about 500 kids in 4th-8th grade. I thank Principal Jay Posick, Mrs. Kasprowicz, Mrs. Reuter, and Mr. and Mrs. Rheineck for the opportunity. The presentations were made to correlate with classroom topics, state standards, and the observance of Thanksgiving.)
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I'd like to share some of the dialogue from the kids
"That's an airport?"
"How did you feel, coming back to all you have, after spending two weeks in these conditions?"
"Trauma is like getting in a car accident. It is also from seeing something really terrible, like seeing someone die."
"He's skinny, barefoot, old, poor - he also looks happy. Why is he happy?"
"What language do they speak?"
"4th Graders speak 2-3 languages?"
"Why no men carrying water from the community wells? Are they at work? Are they in the fields? After 30 years of civil war, many are dead."
"They are playing soccer - no, I mean futbol!"
"I have that futbol shirt at home!"
"What is 'the bush'?"
"Why are you going back?"
"When are you going back?"
"Hey, that's my doctor in the picture. He went with you?"
"You can tell Elizabeth is malnourished by her arms, hands, head, hair, and stomach."
"Were the kids singing Amazing Grace in that recording? I know that song!"
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