Sidetracked! Reading Road Trip, Turks & Caicos
Visiting local school children with children _________________________________________________________________________________________
side·track (sīd´trăk): n. 1. A diversion from the main course. 2. A detour taken with children that you would never, ever take without them. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Who:
Myself and two of my daughters, Zoe and Cora (6 and 5). I consider this a sidetracked adventure because the plan of the week was to relax and play, but this diversion was worth much more than that.
What:
Beaches Resorts offer a brief Reading Road Trip to its guests for a nominal fee. You are invited to visit a local school, read to the kids and donate some new or gently used books to the school library.
Why:
I had the chance to give my kids the unique, enriching opportunity to visit a school in a different culture, connect with some of the local children, and do some good. Why not?
The High Point:
Seeing my 6 year old daughter read to the attentive, exceptionally polite kindergarten class we met was something I won’t soon forget. My 5 year old also volunteered to donate one of her princess books. I don’t know if you’ve ever been around a 5 year old girl obsessed with princesses, but that is truly sacrificial giving. The brief time we spent at the school was a heartwarming highlight of our week in the gorgeous Turks & Caicos.
The Low Point:
I understand that the once weekly tour is frequently cancelled because not enough people sign up.
The Kids’ Take:
‘‘It felt like we were having a birthday for them and they get books for presents!’’
The Bottom Line:
Rewarding, family friendly outings like this are something I will surely look for again when booking a trip. If there are any you have heard of or done, please let us know!
January 29th, 2013 | by Julie Breitigan 3 comments
1. humanmama on January 29th, 2013
Incredible! When we (once, long ago) got to go on vacation, I thought of what the local culture must be like–outside of the gorgeous wealthy resort area. It sounded really neat to go and see the local kids and give back! Way to go!!
2. Jenny Jensen on January 31st, 2013
I’m going to do a school visit in Costa Rica (offered by La Quinta Lodge in Sarapiqui) this spring and my 2nd grade daugher’s class will be collecting school supplies to donate. We’re looking forward to it! Nice to see it’s offered in other countries as well.
3. Julie Tugwell on January 31st, 2013
Hi,
Thought your school outing with your kids was great
I am a mommy who very much believes in children being made aware of the less fortunate and since my son was small, Cameron is now 9, we have together joined a feeding progaming. I remember the first winter Sunday , we had made loaves of sandwhiches and went very very early in the cold to the old ex-rubbish tip of Sedgefield.
It was a shock to both of us, and in South Africa, to be shocked is not easy.
The tip , about 15km from our small seaside town, had drawn people in searchof food. It was closed down but an informal squatter camp had grown. There are about 60 children living in scrap wood and steel plate shacks.
There is a danger with drugs and alcahol isa very serious problem in these communities and HIV a growing disease.
Çlaudine, the care mother and angel in this Kleinkrants camp tries her best to look after the children and report any misconduct. The children greeted us with smiling faces and hungry bellies as most of these children suffer the most over weekends due to their parents binge drinking.
We poured them milk, a friend makes soup in winter and Cammie ate some sandwiches with the kids.
Our first drive home we were quiet. We are very aware of poverty but poverty comes in many different stages.
Cameron was about 5 years old, and as we walked into our tiny garden cottage , (recently seperated and starting out again….), a place i felt was too small for what my son was used too, Cameron said out loud, thankyou God formy small house, thankyou God for my fruit and my warm clothes. I smiled and too felt very grateful the road has been a long road but being apart of helping has always reminded us to be grateful and aware.
It still shocks me each day how we bubble our children and ourselves. How we all seem to want to help but dont make the effort. If it wasnt for Claudine, who who herselve struggles, these children wouldnt be going to school and little Jamsie who was born hiv positive would not be alive today. It is a viscious circle, as in these circumstances, the cycle claws behind each child , scratching and biting. They are stripped if nievity and often, in most cases by the time the teenage hormones kick in, are either pregnent or cought in the relief alchahol gives them.
But there is always hope. There is always hope that in one child it will make a difference. It has in our own lives…….
Most people in this area do not know about Kleinkrants.
We are a society that needs to make our children aware so that they can be shown that true kindness and compassion can save lives or at least feed a hungry child .
We live in one of the most beautiful places in South Africa.
I found your site while trying to market my guesthouse, and even though we went this past Sunday to Kleinkrants, your blog has made me think of a way to make tourists aware….
If you ever consider an affordable great holiday in South Africa, let us know.
What a paradox our Garden Route is….
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