Peace Corps 50th Anniversary

While the Peace Corps staff and ten lucky volunteers are partying the day away in Kingston for the 50th Anniversary of Peace Corps- the rest of us are at site working with the people, as we do everyday!  I honestly forgot what today was.  It is a Tuesday, and its the 1st of March.  In my planner, which I am addicted to, I have written: "Fairy Hill to Read to Kids".  I knew it was something today, It just feels like any other week, but I thought maybe it was world literary day or something.

We have so many days that are suppose to mean something, and the funny thing is, most of these days we dont even realize it.  There is World Wetlands Day, I was excited about that, but then I figured out I would be out of town and couldn't participate.  Like its the end of the world, I cant teach wetland importance if its not "World Wetland Day".  Theres Earth day, theres AIDS day, theres Black History month, theres a ton of other "holidays" and days to promote this or that.  I just penciled it in..

I got a email from our country director saying "for those of you unable to attend" aka not chosen (randomly out of ~60 volunteers?), please go to a school and read to a child for the 50th anniversary.  I am not sure why that would be a good way to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of a program that we have dedicated two years of our lives, but I penciled it in.

I spent the afternoon in Fairy Hill, where a volunteer I work with and her counterpart started up a library (much needed).  Kids started slowly coming in after class and I asked one small girl if she liked to read, she said "yes", and from there I let her pick out a book to read with me.  Before we could sit in our chairs a few others came over to join us and we had ourselves a little reading circle.  I spent a few hours with these girls, and one boy, taking turns reading.  I needed a break from the heat, a one room cement community center with no air circulation, I was getting faint.  I said I needed to go outside, they all followed.  We "exercised" by stretching and doing jumping jacks and running in place.  Lauren and the kids all brought our chairs out and we continued our reading circle outside.  After 5pm and the kids were still loving it, but we had to close shop.

In the taxi on the way home I was chatting with Lauren about who is going into Kingston soon, she mentioned that Raz was in Kingston for the "celebration".  OH YEAH!  Is that why we are reading to kids today?  Well- I still wasn't sure so I checked Facebook!  Sure enough, there it is.. 50 Years! I guess all the Kingston folks were too busy planning and partying to send us a reminder "Happy 50th Anniversary", or maybe we shouldn't worry about it until were finished with Peace Corps?  I am still confused.

Moral of the story, just pencil it it!  It doesn't matter what day it is, you will probably have a good time doing it.. and why do you need a excuse to read to kids anyways?