22 November 2006

New Work Projects

"So, now that your projects are finishing up, what will you do?" you ask. Well, that's a good question because life here is never dull! Courtney and I have found that working together on community projects is much more fun than alone. So besides finding more undeclared kids and following up with the stragglers, we have decided to dive into a very ambitious project. A few months ago, I was contemplating how I would keep in touch with my new "family" here, and I started thinking about ways to teach the youth computers. One option was to take some people down to Jarabacoa and spend time at the internet cafes. But this seemed very expensive and not very effective, so I began to dream bigger. In May, 2 days before the local elections, electricity arrived to Manabao and families living along the main road. Teaching computer classes at the liceo (high school) seemed a much more effective method. So I turned the idea over to Courtney and we began researching our new project. The director of the liceo is thrilled to get computers. The students currently have a Computer Theory class. Imagine... learning about a computer and programs without ever seeing a computer! But despite the enthusiasm, this will be a challenging project. For one, Courtney and I both have primary projects that we cannot neglect. Second, although electricity is now available in Manabao, the school is still not hooked up, nor are the rooms equipped with things like outlets. And naturally, the costs. To supply a computer lab large enough for a class of 25 students will be a challenge... but I think we're up to it! (And if you'd like to be a part of it, ask me how you can help!)

1 comment:

Krista said...

Sounds wonderful darling. Best of luck with having it work.