CAMBODIAN BABY JUMPERS

The future has many names: For the weak, it means the unattainable. For the fearful, it means the unknown. For the courageous, it means opportunity.

 Victor Hugo

I am trying to be courageous about the future. My future is changing. I am hoping that for me it offers opportunity.

I work as a teacher in a very small school of 15 students. They are aged 15-18 and have major behavioral problems. They have been unable to finish their education in a mainstream school. Things are changing. A different organization is taking over my school, the name is changing and we 3 staff members are having our positions advertised. Well the jobs have now been advertised and it is time to apply. The powers in charge have said they hoped we would apply for the positions.

I will have my current job until the end of 2012.

It was a bit of a shock. I have had my current position for over 14 years and had thought it was mine as long as I wanted it.

If worst comes to worst I won't starve, there are a number of options I can follow - craft, tutoring. Or I can apply for another type of job completely. (I am limited by a bad back.) In some ways it is very exciting.

Our School Knitting Circle

Talk about excitement - we are knitting at school. A lovely volunteer has been teaching the students to knit (with a little of our help) and we are knitting jumpers for Cambodian babies with a AIDs.

We have a colorful   assortment of wool. The variegated colors are particularly pretty.

There is a specific pattern that has to be followed.

Below is one example knitted by Kerry, our volunteer.

Below  are a couple of jumpers started by students.

This is the jumper that I am working on.

It is really quite enjoyable sitting around knitting with the kids. Some of the tough boys are especially amusing. We have suggested they start having knitting parties instead of drinking parties in the evenings, but they were not impressed, even though we pointed out it would be much better for their livers and their brain cells.

A lot of our students are heavy drinkers, and drink quite heavily every night. They often come to school hung over. Of course it is illegal here to buy alcohol if you are under 18, but many of the parents supply it or is is bought by older siblings or friends.

No matter how much we try to point out the dangers - year after year to different kids - they won't be told. They either don't believe us or think that any problems are too far in the future to bother about.

We had a girl turn 16 one year and her grandmother bought her a case of beer and two bottles of Jim Beam for her birthday. With such family influences teenage drinking is very hard to combat.

Anyway, the people who are taking the jumpers to Cambodia are going in October, so I wonder how many we will have finished by then. One good thing is that the babies won't notice the mistakes.

 Interesting Sites

1.

Photo source

A new study pinpoints Monsanto gm crops as a reason for the decline of the Monarch butterfly in the USA. Click here to read more.

2.

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  Air pollution could be making us fat. Just my luck! Click here to read more

3.

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Click here  to read about this beautiful floating house in Sweden.