Civil Compound-AGC

This morning we woke up early, ate breakfast, made sack lunches, and walked over to AGC. It was overcast and approximately 75 degrees, I think all of us kids have acclimated to the heat, because we felt cold and had to wear our jackets. Doug, the founder of AGC brought a team of eight people from the States with him. These people are here for various reasons. A couple are nurses, a few are teachers and one is a carpenter. They are mainly here to offer their services to the school. We divided up into three different cars to make a journey out to one of the outlying schools (Civil Compound-AGC) in the bush. My family got into a van with several other people. It was not the most comfortable car I've ever been in; GG and I could feel each metal bar and spring in the seat we were sitting on. We made a few stops along the road and picked up a few more people, somehow affiliated with AGC, who wanted to go visit the school. By the time we really got going, there were 17 people in our little van! (Talk about taking advantage of space!) The roads are in pretty bad shape from all the rain we've been getting. There were a few areas so covered by water I wasn't sure we would make it through. We had to cross over a river, on a make shift bridge made up of two fallen trees with planks of wood on top of them. The wheels of the car just barely fit on each tree. For our safety, we got out of the cars and walked across ourselves, with the cars following behind us. As we got closer to the school we passed through a small village where most of the students live. Once at AGC we got to watch the graduation of the Kindergarten class. It is a really big deal over here if you graduate from Kindergarten. We have had several Liberian friends talk about parties or celebrations and big dinners for their child, because they have graduated. We would say, "Oh that's so good! From High school or College?" They would laugh and answer, "No, from Kindergarten."
The ceremony was interesting and fun to watch. The students wore little caps and gowns and sang a song while doing a little march around the courtyard. They were each called up by name and awarded a certificate by Doug and his team. As the kids were called up, their moms would scream and clap and come to the front of the crowd and dance. Some of them whipped off their wrap that goes around their dress, and laid it on the ground for their child to walk on. The parents were very excited and had no qualms about showing it as they handed their graduate a gift or two and smiled big for a picture. The children though stayed very stoic. NONE of them smiled throughout any part of the ceremony. Not even when their picture was taken.
After a few hours we made our way home in the snug little van. We had to stop a few times because of car problems, but that gave us time to take pictures and take in the view around us. The fam stopped by JFK hospital so Dad could check on some of the babies, and then finally got home for dinner. It was a very long, interesting but exciting day.
~Meg