The Last Day of Class

Today was the last day of class. Tomorrow I head back to Lahore after two weeks of observing and teaching in the Government school. The past few days gave me a chance to talk to the girls about their experiences, their perceptions of the outside world and their responses to the computers. Many of them seemed excited about internet and email; although they had no previous knowledge that such a thing existed. I told them about America and how email would enable them to get messages extremely quickly from one country to another. At the same time, I saw how far the computer lab had progressed. By my last day, a simple roof had been constructed and the walls had been cemented. The toilets were progressing slower. This week the contractors will put on the floors and fit in the sinks and basins.
The girls were very sad when I told them today would be our last class together, some of them asking why I was leaving and when I would be back. We put up the best pictures on the walls and I gave prizes of colour pencils and water colour paints to the top three. All in all it was a fruitful two weeks. Some of the girls made beautiful pictures and many of them wanted to put them up as well. They promised they would keep working over the year. Their enthusiasm was heartening, showing that further initiatives such as installing internet will be well met. Even some recent graduates of the school walked in during class. It was even more heartening to know that they would be applying to classes 11 and 12 once the government finished construction of the new intermediate college next door.
I felt a little sad once I left the school. My time here was short but well spent.