First of all everyone chatted with the teachers in their room before visiting the classes. This time they asked us to tell them a little about ourselves, our jobs and our families. As we all know this is normally a very routine and brief ordeal. It wasn’t this time. The diversity of backgrounds not only in our military profession, but also in our civilian professions led us off into several interesting side conversions. My Bosnian classes really paid off. Just the previous class we practiced introductions, so I was able to spit out everything I wanted to say in Bosnian. Yeah, I know, I am being a teacher’s pet even with teachers that aren’t mine. If I can’t be an NB, teacher’s pet will have to do.
Just as we are showing them some of the gifts that people from the U S had collected for them, some guests arrived. The head of their regional school board and the equivalent of the town mayor showed up for a routine administrative inspection. Since our soldiers were visiting they called off the inspection. The school administrator, Mr. Smajlovic, was very nice and easy to relate to. The mayor was my vision of a post communist era politician. I toured the school with the big wigs while the rest of my group went their own way. During our visits I asked Mr. Smajlovic very specific questions relating to the business of improving the school. What happened next was very unexpected.
As we entered each class we got a standing ovation. No I did not stutter; we got a standing ovation. At first, I thought they were doing this for our high powered guests, but the other soldiers said they got the same treatment. It was flattering to the point of embarrassment. I was told that they were just appreciative of the assistance that we were providing for the school. Lord, I wish every US student could see how the rest of the world lives. Maybe they and their parents would stop complaining about stupid insignificant things and be appreciative of what they get. Here we are thoroughly enjoying visiting these children and really doing relatively little. For that we are getting standing ovations. I think of all the time and effort that PTA members put into schools and rarely get this kind of recognition from our children. Here’s to the Harper Valley PTA(see WOW page) they would love you over here.
When we stopped into the 7th grade class we were in for another treat. Not unlike our holiday performances, their students were preparing for their upcoming holiday celebrations. All the visitors were in the class. They pushed the desks and chairs to the side of the room and showed us a traditional Bosnian dance. The boys were even dancing with the girls. Well, I wasn’t going to allow dancing to go on right in front of me and not participate. I hooked with one of the students that was not dancing and joined the crowd. Considering the combat boots, height difference and not knowing what I was doing, it was not the most graceful performance, but fun was had. I would think that the poor child would have been mortified by the experience, but one of the teachers told me that she considered it an honor. Remember that ladies, some people think it is an honor to dance with me. God, I love this country.
As usual it was difficult to drag ourselves away from the school. On the way home we took a side trip to Tuzla to eat lunch and shop. Quite near our parking area was an open-air market. Everything was for sale there. It was refreshing to see fruits and vegetables being sold the old fashioned way. I was too overwhelmed taking in the experience to think of buying anything. The only thing I wanted to buy was some children’s books for that little girl in the refugee camp. I got some very simple ones. My hope is to understand them well enough to be able to read to her. Lord, I hope I never complain about reading a bedtime story to a child because I am too tired or busy. There is a fine line between a chore and a privilege, in the fog of life the two get easily confused.