5th of december 2011
Today I participated in school meeting of one of our boys - Juan Carlos. The meeting was about “Fiesta de Promoción” ("Graduating Party"). Teacher together with some parents wanted to establish some points of this event. And yes – Juan Carlos is that boy who hasn't spoken to me for one week (I don’t know If I’ve already mentioned about it, but he just simply stopped talking to me because the other day I did not allow him to turn on the computer). I tried to talk with him on friday. But without any results, he even didn’t want to look at me. In the end it was Arthur who spoke with him and I think it has worked because he started to answer my questions. Today there was this possibility for me to go to his school. And it was a good moment for me to talk with him. We have eaten a “candy of peace” and established that we will start once again.
That is so amazing that sometimes we can forget some things and build on the much stronger fundaments. I still think about that moment. Maybe this seed that we sowed will bring some fruits... :)
Today I participated in school meeting of one of our boys - Juan Carlos. The meeting was about “Fiesta de Promoción” ("Graduating Party"). Teacher together with some parents wanted to establish some points of this event. And yes – Juan Carlos is that boy who hasn't spoken to me for one week (I don’t know If I’ve already mentioned about it, but he just simply stopped talking to me because the other day I did not allow him to turn on the computer). I tried to talk with him on friday. But without any results, he even didn’t want to look at me. In the end it was Arthur who spoke with him and I think it has worked because he started to answer my questions. Today there was this possibility for me to go to his school. And it was a good moment for me to talk with him. We have eaten a “candy of peace” and established that we will start once again.
That is so amazing that sometimes we can forget some things and build on the much stronger fundaments. I still think about that moment. Maybe this seed that we sowed will bring some fruits... :)
But let’s come back to that meeting. I don’t know if I’m able to describe it. Supposedly it had to begin at 3.00 p.m. According to the peruvian habit I came there about 3:15 p.m. and I’ve noticed only two mothers sitting on the concrete stairs and observing the pulling down of some part of the school buildings. I’ve joined them and while I was listening their conversation I started to fear that there will be some kind of the fight at this meeting. About 3:30 p.m. appeared the teacher and 10 minutes later all of the mothers whose have just arrived started to scream and forced that poor teacher to start the meeting. The main problems they wanted to speak about were: MENU, type of the invitations, decoration and amount of premiums they needed to pay. I felt like I was on the market day next to the the stall. Profe (they call teacher like this) tried to control all the mothers who were all talking very loudly. I started to laugh. Each mother had her own idea, the students who participated in meeting, of course, too. When they were discussing about the MENU I bursted into laugh. One of the women shouted: 'Un poquito de silencio por favor al respecto de estos bocadillos!' - less or more it means: "A little bit of silence, please, in the respect to these snacks”. That mother had a very implacable face, and probably belonged to the “parent-teacher association” that here consists only of two parents. With her splendour outshone poor profe. This meeting and its climate reminded me a bit one of the polish movies “Rejs” (‘Voyage’) ... total surrealism! Two of the mothers didn’t mind about all the mess and they were producing small parts of earrings, other woman who was sitting next to me was knitting a sweater. And I was making notes writing down all what profe has written on the blackboard. I forgot to add that he was earsing it with the toilet paper that they use here in Peru almost to everything – for example instead of the tissues in a case of nagging cold they put into the nose two scrolls of the toilet paper and breathe through the mouth.
So..after they’ve already set a MENU, drinks, appearance of invitations, napkins and interior decoration of the ballroom profe announced that most of the cost will be covered with the money from "parent-teacher association” and the rest will be covered with the money of overdued tickets. The women looked indignanted. Let me explain you why...Parents who did not take part in school's life and who did not participate in school gatherings had to pay for a snacks and small gifts, because here they receive tickets (fines) and they have to pay for school if they are not present. Woman with that implacable face pointed a finger at one of the students whom father did not appeared at school on Sport’s Day because he was sick and she commented it with the words: “It can’t be like this”. She was explaining, fully convinced, that for sure it was just an excuse. "Public injustice. Some parents pay the premiums and take part in school events and others don’t." Absence at school gathering costs 20 soles. Parents of Juan Carlos should pay 3 tickets, that means – 60 soles. I even did not think about arguing with the teacher as other mothers did screaming that they they haven’t missed any school meeting and that they would not pay. But their protests did not help because a woman from “parent-teacher association” had a notebook where she was writing down everything.
So..after they’ve already set a MENU, drinks, appearance of invitations, napkins and interior decoration of the ballroom profe announced that most of the cost will be covered with the money from "parent-teacher association” and the rest will be covered with the money of overdued tickets. The women looked indignanted. Let me explain you why...Parents who did not take part in school's life and who did not participate in school gatherings had to pay for a snacks and small gifts, because here they receive tickets (fines) and they have to pay for school if they are not present. Woman with that implacable face pointed a finger at one of the students whom father did not appeared at school on Sport’s Day because he was sick and she commented it with the words: “It can’t be like this”. She was explaining, fully convinced, that for sure it was just an excuse. "Public injustice. Some parents pay the premiums and take part in school events and others don’t." Absence at school gathering costs 20 soles. Parents of Juan Carlos should pay 3 tickets, that means – 60 soles. I even did not think about arguing with the teacher as other mothers did screaming that they they haven’t missed any school meeting and that they would not pay. But their protests did not help because a woman from “parent-teacher association” had a notebook where she was writing down everything.
I was not able to stay there any longer. I stood up, said goodbye to the profe and I came back home. I have no idea how long still this meeting lasted.
I like to be here.
Juan Carlos is smiling to me again.
Brak komentarzy:
Prześlij komentarz