This One Has a Little Star

Late last year I met an elementary school principal from a small village in the Rahovec region (about an hour from Prizren by bus). He was trying to get a lending library started at his school, which I thought was a fantastic idea. In Kosovo, elementary schools just don't have libraries, much less ones with books that students can take home with them. He mentioned trying to acquire English books to support students' English studies, which begin in the third grade, and I thought, Bingo! That's my next project!

Fast forward to February: I briefly returned to Reno for a mid-year break. I had a goal: I wanted to raise some cash and buy some books to bring back to this school principal. In a matter of days, I had raised nearly $600 and Washoe County Library agreed to give me a few posters.

With the $570 that I raised, I was able to buy exactly 69 books. I worked with the US Embassy in Pristina to get the books and posters to Kosovo (FYI, one can send things media mail to APO addresses). The books arrived in late February. I went to the embassy in March to pick them up. The books sat in my living room for 6 weeks while I made arrangements for this very special Kirsten delivery. And today I gave them the books. The director was extremely happy and the kids in the 8th grade were very excited by my interactive reading of "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish." To be honest, I was afraid that the kids would be too old to have fun with the story, but we had a blast.

The school director and I take a look at Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile

Here's me during a brief moment in front of the class. Mostly, I walked from student to student and we read "One Fish, Two Fish..." together.

I really have to thank my dad, my aunt, my mom, Ken, Turi, Betsy & Brenda for helping me make this happen. It helps me to have people who are always so willing to help me turn my ideas into actuality.