Tuesday, August 24, 2010

closing speech

Closing Speech by Mr Sam Tumaku, Ketu-South District Director of Education

Africa My Home - Give to Grow Final Perfomance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=autNr_qIOvQ

enjoy!

give to grow 2 (142 photos), by Milica Paranosic


here are some of the photos from the trip. i used snapfish. doing a mot of photo and film editing these days and on the way, testing different services. (snapfish requires you to sign up with them and log on in order to view the photos. which is a drag, i know...)
I wish i could post a comment under each photo.
been busy and a bit sick since I returned. fearing that i have brought a virus, a bug, a parasite, SOMETHING real back form africa (as if the experiences, the memories, the constant dreams and gigabytes are not real enough) - I named her, the virus, the bug, the parasite, the SOMETHING 'my african queen'. I decided to write a song in her honor. she is tough one. my african queen. wouldn't let go. wouldn't leave me alone. had a big party in here for weeks. 'ohhhh, a new playground' she must've been thinking. a new, white, clueless body to play inside of' she danced. ironically, once i made a peace with her existence, once i actually did write her a song, she was gone. Ha! Ubi me prejaka rec!
The song was based on a recording I made with singing by one of my pupils, a girl named faustine, a precious girl who sang beautifully, but then got shy one me and deiced not to sing it in performance because she didn't have all the lyrics right. so i partly wrote it to inspire her to sing it next time. for real. for the next give to grow CD, to be produced in Rita Marley's studio. (seriously, I'm on it. The other album I'll work on in the next four years will be world s... uhm. i better keep this one secret. )
This blog doesn't take audio, so I'll post a movie of it soon. With Faustine dancing to it.
You're my african queen
oooo-la-lallalaaa

Click here to view photos

Friday, August 13, 2010

intriguing

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2010/08/04/magazine/20100815-dump.html

Sunday, August 1, 2010

a lesson


two days before the final concert, one of the Ketu district education officers came to meet me and confirm his presence at the the performance, along with the director.
after a brief introduction and a handshake, he decided it was time for the real talk.
"How will I personally benefit from what you have brought to Kopeyia?"
Nice. I was expecting this.
"You will benefit by ensuring better education for your youth, so that they can grow to be educated and productive citizens that will take care of, and improve the entire community" i replied.
"But, what about our office? Is six not enough for you?"
"For ME? This is not for me, Sir. None of it. It is for you. For your community. For your children."
"Well, I meant, for you, for Give to Grow. I was hoping I we could hijack one of your computers".
"That is absolutely out of the question" - the headmaster at this point started to feel uncomfortable, not knowing whose side to take if anyone called him responsible. (Which no one did).
And I was starting to enjoy it.
"What I brought for the school, remains in the school".
"OK, let this be as it is. Now let's discuss the future."
"What do you mean?"
"I need a laptop badly", he said. He just wouldn't let go. I suppose my disobedience pushed him to push, and I was happy to push back.
"Very well. May I suggest that you put that wish in writing and hand me that request. Next time when I fundriase in NY and ask for donations, I will make sure to tell them about your wish. If anyone decides to give a computer to you instead of the school, I will be happy to bring it over."
He was starting to get it. Nevertheless, he continued.
"A-ha, so you want to be really specific... We can just say 'It's for education'"
"I HAVE to be specific, Sir. If I get things and and promise to use them in a certain way, that is how I will use them. Otherwise, I would betray the trust of my partners and donors and that would be the end of donations. For anyone."
"OK. I understand."
Finally.
____

The day at show, he showed up, along with the director, and behaved properly. Neither him nor the director ever mentioned their personal (or office) need.
They enjoyed the show, then asked to take pictures with me.
The director (who seemed like a really nice guy) gave a touching speech about the benefits that the community gained by the efforts and generosity of "our sister milika".

I won. Tough I never fought - it tasted like a victory. I felt like a have thought children some music and computer lessons, and just as successfully, a lesson in morals and respect to their elderly.
________

I am back now, and will post more. About the show itself, about Prinscilla singing Kisa Pada in perfect Serbian language and 7/8 meter, about my rebel boys who dared to do something different on stage, about next G2G steps....

I am happy to be home. But I miss the shiny smiles of Kopeyia children already.