Li li li: "She's reading the book."

  This morning I sat down with some little ones who were reading their readers. A little first grade girl read to me from her reader.  So sweet to hear.  I can't wait till my grandson Ethan starts reading to me next year!  They were too young to actually have stories yet, so I asked if anyone had a story in his reader. A boy about 4th grade handed me his, and I opened it to a page where a boy wakes up grouchy because it's Monday. He has too much to do in school and he's mad the weekend is over and he decides he's sick. I said, "Does that happen to any of you?" and the 4th graders all nodded yes!
   These are pictures from videos I shot this morning.  I have the nicest videos that I've taken and I can't seem to upload them anywhere. It goes slowly and times out or I get the 'error' message. I can only send 10 MB in my email and that pretty much precludes anything longer than about 25 seconds. I am sure I will figure something out. This weekend I thought to try my college student account, and this is a possibility because it is definitely made for larger uploads, but Jeff, who is my advisor, said all he got this time was the sound. In March the Lear brothers are coming for their annual visit, and they are computer experts! If they can't figure it out, I am sure they will take my videos home in their computer and send them to you when they get a chance.

   Here you see a little kindergarten student.  You can tell she is a kindergarten girl, because she wears a plaid dress, instead of the blue jumper and shirt all the other girls wear.  Also, the kindergarteners have a 'mouchoir,' a hanky, pinned to their shirts.  Even the little boys. I noticed the first day of school they were all starched and pretty, and now some of them aren't.  I don't know if it's for identification purposes or to be handy (which doesn't seem like a bad idea for a little one.)

   Finally, one of the last scenes of the video:  In the morning, the students all come in and are supposed to get out their books and read while they wait for the bell to ring.  The inner courtyard is very pretty and shaded.  There is a huge palm tree in the center called a "Traveler's Palm."  I believe it has to do with a traveler being able to get a drink out of it.  Also, Agnes told me that since it has been planted it changed its growing orientation toward the sun.  So here is a miraculous shot of some of the kids surrounding the courtyard in the morning, about 7:30 at Les Bons Samaritains, Haiti.  I say 'miraculous' because by the time I shot this picture I had had the camera out for two or three minutes, and by that time the mob is usually so thick, and there are so many hands reaching up to say hi, that I can no longer take a picture!