Perhaps you would like to hear about the first side project I've been able to complete at my school.Since I started my service I'd been wanting to complete a world map mural at my school. The World Map Project was started by a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Caribbean in the 1980s. She was assigned as a social studies teacher and thought it would be a good way to get the students at her school interested in geography if she could paint a giant world map on her school's walls. Today the Peace Corps promotes the project around the world as a means to building geographical knowledge, international friendship, volunteerism, and teamwork skills.
So last June another PCV and I started working on a world map mural near my high school's front gate. Prior to the work we did there, the wall was in sad shape, still banged up from Typhoon Reming and rusting in places. Our student helpers, M, and I spent many a good weekend sanding, drawing, painting and labeling until the map was officially completed a few weeks ago on October 13th.
While we were getting ready to take the mic that morning to announce the map's completion, I looked over at it and noticed six boys had gathered underneath. They were yelling things out to each other in Bikol, such as "Russia is so big!" "Why are the Philippines yellow?" "That's where my dad works," and, my favorite, "It's beautiful."
I hope you enjoy looking at the map too.
