T.I.A

I walked into the nursery confused. The kids ran up to The Girls, jumped in the arms and sat in their laps. I just stood there. I guess this is what happens when you’re the last volunteer to arrive. Everyone seems to be pleased with the way things are. The volunteers come and entertain the kids which gives the teachers a break. I didn’t know anything about the lesson or  the school. I met the headmaster and had heard whispers about the lesson to come. When we split up Aliya and I had older kids. We wrote the assignment on the board (write 5 sentences about what you want to be in the future and draw a picture of it on the back). The kids wrote headers on their paper, using their rulers to craft immaculate lines and borders. It reminded me of KIPP. After introducing ourselves and explaining the assignment; we sat. I felt useless. I didn’t see the therapy in a room of 62 children drawing pictures of (white)docters, (white) nurses, teachers football players, and the occasional pilot.One boy wrote 5 sentences about why he wanted to be an artist, then crossed out artist and put teacher, when i saw this i asked him why (he had no answer he was willing to share). I told him to tell the truth and that there was nothing wrong with wanting to be an artist or musician or even a rapper. Another boy wanted to be a banker. When i circled back around i noticed that he had drawn a picture of a white man sitting behind a desk. I asked him who it was and he said it was supposed to be him the future, "but you don't look like that," I said. He laughed.

There is a picture in Rick Goldstein’s room at The Paideia School of the ideal learning environment. In the picture, rows of desk in front of a chalk board are grey and dreary. On the opposite side there is sun a grass and other luxuries afforded to those who can pay for private hippy education. Here, there are rows of rocky wooden pew-like desk. There is sun (coming through the open walls) and dusty floors. This is how the rich go to school. Far from the western hippy ideaology I was fortunate enough to learn from. This is Africa. T.I.A.

**T.I.A is what The Boys say. It is typically offered as an explanation for an unfortunate circumstance. It is a line repeated throughout the chorus of a K’naan song (This is Africa). It is basically used where my friends in Atlanta would say ‘rachet’ or ‘ghetto’. The toilet won’t flush? T.I.A. You almost get hit by a taxi? T.I.A. The television is blurry and full of static? T.I.A.