Books!

I guess this is my first real post since I have been home...and one that is about being home, not in Cambodia. I know that I still have to do some updates for Cambodia - pictures, Tuol Sleng, etc. That will come next week!

This morning I took my mom to school, and while there I noticed that the high school / middle school library was getting rid of a lot of books (available for free). A few were fun books for reading, and others were educational (drugs, science, women). I think these would be great for the girls in Cambodia, so I picked out a few big stacks to mail over. Some on topics that we talked about - affirmative action, racism, civil rights movement, women's rights movement, suffrage, feminism - and then some others I think they will be interested in. I might have to read a few of them before I send them over :) One of my friends has given me $100 to use for the dorm, so I hope that might be enough to cover the shipping costs!

I also stopped by the elementary school to see if their library had any extra books that I can mail to the dorm and have the girls take over to the orphanage that I visited. The librarian was very nice, and even though they don't have extra books from the library itself (they got rid of those earlier in the week - bummer), she is going to talk with the principle and put together a box of books for the orphanage. I am stopping by tomorrow morning to get that box. I am so excited to mail all of these books, and I think everyone will love them. People in Eastland have been so wonderful about gathering money, books, and everything to help me out. It is much appreciated!!

On a slightly different note, when I went to the elementary school to go by their library, I took a quick peek in a few of the classrooms (those for kindergarten and first grade). Wow, the rooms are so fancy and nice looking. The teachers really put a lot of time and effort into decorating not just their rooms but the whole hall. I didn't see any schools in Cambodia, but it is pretty amazing how much we do here to make kids comfortable when they start school. I think kids in Cambodia would be in awe of the schools here! I wish I had some pictures of the hallway to post - it is decorated like a rain forest - pretty cool.