The girls are aged 12-20. They are sweet and smiley (except one who seems sad). Under their zens, they wear identical red fleece jackets printed with the name of their school. Their heads are shaved. They are nuns.
As I enter the classroom, the girls jump to their feet and chant enthusiastically in unison, "Good morning Miss!" And today, one girl in class 7 sweetly said, "You look so pretty today Miss!" with other girls echoing the compliment and one girl saying I looked Japanese. Hmm...
After greeting the class, everyone continues to stand until I realize they won't return to their cross-legged positions on the floor behind their tiny wooden desks until i tell them they can sit.
After checking their simile homework assignments, i copy Langston Hughes' poem, A Dream Deferred, onto the board. What ensues is a discussion of the meaning of the words raisin, fester, sore, syrupy, sag and load.
Then I ask the girls to make a list of 5 of their dreams or wishes. In class 5, 3 girls finish before time is up and their lists just about break my heart. Both 12 year olds wish they could be with their families or return to their villages. The sixteen year old says she wishes she could watch television or read stories before bed....
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