"For me, Mama?" His big, brown eyes lit up. With two hands he held the precious jewel. carefully examining it. "Yes, for you" I told him. "Thank you, Mama." He hugged that exercise book the way a father would hug his prodigal son who had just returned home from a decade of absence. This moment was the first time that Ben had ever owned a brand new exercise book in his hand. At the tender age of nine, he has been at school for just two years.
The balloons that had distracted and excited the students for twenty minutes suddenly had lost their appeal and the new books took centre stage. The crisp, new, forty page exercise books and brand new lead pencils now meant that the students could learn to write.
I began to think about the childhood I had and that of students in grade four in Australia. One book for one subject. An entire pencil case of brand new pencils, crayons, felt pens and a whole cohort of other stationery to go along with it. I always had shoes, even if they were cheap, not the latest fashion or the colour I chose. Some of the students here don't own a pair of shoes.
As I said goodbye after another successful English lesson, and 156 exercise books distributed, the day had gone to plan.
I drove twenty kilometres down a road until i came to the tarmac. I turned right and started 100km down the road, avoiding pot holes the best I could....
