Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Turning Words into Photographs

By Jack and Barbara Clarke, CCF Donors and Rick Falco, President and Creative Director of Vision Project

All photos credited to Rick Falco/Vision Project


Yesterday and today were both busy days! On Monday we met at the school, were introduced to all the staff and given a tour so that we may choose a room for the class (a room with a view of the sea).

Then we were off to Rosseau, CCF headquarters, with Gelina who is our primary contact here to go over more details, have lunch and walk the town. We were also able to pick up a few additional groceries.

That was the first day we had any email access and we will not have Internet in the apartment but can use the school Internet each day, Monday through Friday. However, it’s painfully slow. Gelina brought us back at the end of the day so we have not had to take the bus yet! We are all exhausted after a long day.

The heat is oppressive, and we have no A/C; only two fans to keep the air moving. The room we have for the class, however, is one of the few that does have A/C. I wonder if they would let me sleep there!

Today, we hurried to an 8 a.m. assembly and we are introduced by the vice principal and by CCF director to the entire school. I gave a speech and so did Rick; Barbara took our pictures since she is too camera shy!

We also have our first mini disaster; the overhead projector they’ve given us to use is not working properly. Rick was trying to give a presentation to half of the school and the images are all green and distorted. As a last resort, he had to use just his laptop.

That was tough viewing for a couple hundred kids on a tiny screen! We hope to get another projector tomorrow or else things will be difficult when we start having to review the kid’s pictures as a class.

So goes working in a remote place!

After lunch, which was generously provided by CCF to each child in the class and the teachers, I took pictures of each child and printed them so that we can try to remember their names.

The kids also get their first assignment: write an essay about their family and make notes of how they would photograph them. Tomorrow we will review and discuss their essays, then they will get to take the cameras home and start photographing.

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