Poum Steung Dream Project (cont’ｄ）

On Tuesday Feb. 27th. Thai is the first one to put the handprint.

Mr. Eng and Sophat with the sponges in their hands.

Children tend to print their hands in perfect order from top left corner, right next to one another.

For the morning class where I don't have Sophat's help on translation, a new team of cool people I've met in town come to help. Sreynith (center) has brought origami birds for the children. And Alin (right), one of the tuk-tuk drivers at the greentown guest house, has turned down that day's client because 'I promised to Toshiro that I'd come.'
One of the afternoon class did get to practice workshop on acting a scene (thanks to Sophat's spontaneous creativity) The oldest children out of three afternoon classes did get to the stage in which, everyone had to think and draw or write their future. Many of them write 'doctor' or 'teacher' or 'farmer' and a few 'singer's, one drew a 'painter' very well.
As for the morning classes, we are behind. We did so far as to get children in one class practice drawing or writing on small pieces of paper, once again many teachers and farmers and doctors and singers.
So will they start writing a story and acting a play about a teacher and a doctor and a farmer and a singer, and practice every week?
I DON'T THINK SO.
The 'Dream Project' is meant to inspire the children into have their own thinking, opinion and question to the exsisting, given value, without 'candy into open mouth' type of foreign guidance. But I am one of those foreigners after all, who bought all the paints and materials. The children try to please me, fearfully write or draw what they think the right answer would be.
I don't have any more time to visit the school, but I tell one of the teacher that I'll try to come back in October. The teacher reply, "if you come back and find out that we haven't developed these handprints into the drawings or a play, will you be disappointed?" --I would be more disappointed if the children do practice the play out of obligation.
With bittersweet irony, I receive the finest farewel speeches from one of the older students and from Mr. Thai.