Painting in Progress

I have exciting news! I had a meeting this morning with SEFU (Skill and Education for the Underprivileged) who help fund and support my school. I was meeting with the President and Headmaster of the school to give them feedback on my work and to talk to them about a project that the McMaster Family has decided to undertake, of funding the painting of the interior of the school. Both the President and Headmaster were very happy and pleased that we wanted to help the school in this way and they told me they would assist in getting things started. After the meeting, the Headmaster and I rode back to the school for the afternoon classes. In Nepal 'getting things started' usually means they will not happen for months on end. To my surprise while I was having lunch in the office of the school, the Headmaster returned to the school with a small man, a painter. They had devised a list of things that needed to be purchased and brought along many colour swatches. We all agreed that there should be about 5 feet of dark colour from the floor up, and then white on the ceiling and top walls. We choose a very nice dark blue, and I told the painting man I wanted an off white for the top half of each room. Since I only have two weeks left the man said he would begin painting the rooms tomorrow, and it will likely take about one week for everything to be finished. I cannot describe my excitement with this project.

I explained to the people at the meeting this morning that I felt the rooms of the school needed light. I told them that my purpose for wanting to paint the school was to instill a sense of pride and importance in the students for their school. At the moment the school looks like a prison, and to be honest, many of the students run around as though they are in prison. To me school should represent an appreciation for knowledge which comes from education. If I cannot continue teaching at this school, and if I have to leave, even though it will be hard, I want to leave knowing that I left behind a lesson. I want the children to look at their clean, bright walls and understand the their school is an important place that needs to be taken care of, just like their education.