For the Battalion Hawk Blogger's original post, click below...

Making the World a Better Place … One ALPACA at a TIME!

Hello Battalion Hawk Bloggers,

It has been some time since I last left a comment on your blog. I have spent a great deal of time converting and compressing old VHS videos I’ve made over 30 years of filming. I’d also decided to scan 1000s of photos and negatives either my family or I have taken over the years. While I still have over a 1000 negatives and still more old slides to go, I had to return to blogs and have been catching up with the world.

What a wonderful face on the first photo on your post! Some of the farms in my region have alpacas for their wool. Below is a photo of a young female I met at our local country show.  She was very gentle if not a little nervous if too many people were around but she didn’t mind children stroking her fur. “What’s NOT to love about these ADORABLE and VALUABLE alpacas?” how true are these words. 🙂

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1900 - 1944)

Pilot and author (including “The Little Prince”)

It seems some people think planning is just a matter of setting a goal and then hoping it comes about but I see you understand a goal, in order to be more than a wish, needs a plan. Of course we can’t achieve if at some time we don’t set our plan in motion. We see the goal and must set in place the needed steps along the way. Having seen the outstanding efforts of Global Grade 3, I know the Battalion Hawk Bloggers will work hard to continue what I think may be becoming a Battalion Park tradition.

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

AJ – I can easily see your excitement at starting a new project. I think your idea to collect clothing is very thoughtful. It would indeed be very cold in the mountains during winter.

Chelsea – You understand the need for continued support of a good project. Projects, once set up, can need more support to keep them fresh and new in the eyes of the people.

Joyce – Fund-raising is an important part of many projects. With all of the best intentions and plans, we at time need to be able to purchase needed materials. You understood a problem in the library project, the need to have someone operate the library.

Lauren – Beginner books would be a very good choice. If the young learn to read, they can pass their skills on to their children when they become parents. One generation builds upon the previous as reading grows.

Tre – It’s true, reading can help people gain a better job. It can also open people up to the world and, as you say, provide entertainment.

Nick – We can take warm clothing for granted but when you have little warm clothing may not always be available.  Your idea is a good one.

Amro – What a wonderful idea. Art supplies would allow the children to express themselves artistically whereas maths can allow the children to manage money. Wouldn’t it be amazing to know one of the children you have helped eventually went to university? I wonder what they would choose to study?

Jayden – A librarian cannot only bring order to a library, they can pass on skills in research and the care of books. They could train children to help in the library.

Dimitri – Very true, Dimitri. The books not only help you read, they can show you how to write.

James – Warm clothing would most certainly help the children when the weather is cold. Around my town and at the beach many people wear sandals we call thongs (picture below). Others call them flip flops or jandals. While they’re great in summer, I don't think I’d like to wear them in winter.

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Tommy – Imagine how hard it would be if your school only had 42 books. I think adding more choices is an excellent idea.

Elijah – Collecting clothing is a very good idea. As you are now moving towards spring, Peru is entering autumn (fall). It’s a good time of year to collect unwanted warm clothing.

Chris P – Collecting books is a great idea. They would have to mainly be in Spanish as that is the official language of Peru. English books could also be sent if any children wanted to learn English. ¿Habla usted español? I’m afraid I don’t speak more than a few words of Spanish.

Tyler – Can you imagine the Peruvian children learning to read and write then sharing some of their traditional stories with your class? They might eventually be able to write books of their own.

Christopher – With books to read, sending art supplies and maths equipment would fill a gap in resources for the children. Like people in your school, there may be children with an interest in art or maths but lack the equipment.

Ben – I like your idea of expanding options. Learning materials for reading, art or maths are always good but perhaps you were suggesting sending some sports equipment or hobby materials.

Rayann – I can imagine the books in their library would be in Spanish, their national language. Imagine being able to translate some of your favourite stories into Spanish.

Rebecca – With all of the options being of great value, I can understand why I have seen different people choose each option. Whichever is decided, the next move would be working out how as a group to put a plan into action.

Which option would I choose? While all are valid, I would probably choose a part-time librarian to help them make use of a resource already there.  Perhaps the librarian can show them books on how to make warm clothing and sandals or maths equipment and art supplies.  Whatever is chosen, the future will be better for your efforts.

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Walking alone, the journey is hard but together we can achieve greatness.

For the original Global Grade 3 post…

Pennies for Peru … walking a “mile” in someone else’s shoes!

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Hello Global Grade 3,

“To walk a mile in someone’s shoes”… what an interesting saying. There are many variations around and I don’t know of any specific origin but they all have the meaning, understanding.

As you’ve pointed out, such sayings can’t be taken literally. Although, it might be possible to spend time in Peru and wear the recycled tyre sandals and walk to school this might be an adventure for us. For Q’enqo children, it’s as every day as perhaps you riding in a car or dropping into a shopping mall.

I’m sure all of you, if it was necessary, could walk four kilometres to school and four kilometres home. Your shoes would undoubtedly be warmer and more protective than the sandals. I have seen sandals made from recycled tyres sold in Australia at times and know they may protect the bottom of your feet but they wouldn't keep out the cold.

Consider one problem you might face if you were to visit Q’enqo and walk with the children. Did you know the higher you are, the lower the air density and air pressure? What might seem normal to Q’enqo children might have you struggling to breathe if you tried to run or walk far.

I don’t know what altitude you’d find Q’enqo but, as an example, I once took a group of parents and children to New Zealand. We visited Coronet Peak on New Zealand’s South Island. Its altitude was only 1649 metres above sea level. While most people found breathing easy, one person had said they were finding breathing a little hard.

From what I have found, Peru’s highest peak is Hiascaran Sur at 6746 metres. Q’enqo wouldn’t be anywhere near that altitude but I suspect it’s much higher than Coronet Peak.

Now back to your walk in someone’s shoes…

What would happen if you were to carry out the same walk but only breathed in about half the amount of air you might normally take in?

Would you tire more quickly?

Would you find it harder to walk?

Now think again, if you were to wear sandals during winter, took only half breaths and had to walk four kilometres…

We are all very lucky to live where we do in countries where we have greater ease. What is so important about your walk is you are trying to share an experience with distant children and, in the process, raising money to help them.

Your school is a school of change makers.

This little girl is from a local alpaca farm. These cute little guys from South America have even made it to Australia.

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Mya – When we have a need, we often find ourselves much stronger than we think. You’ve experienced the walk but, if you had to do it twice each day, you would find yourself growing stronger.

Rijul – Distances can sometimes be hard to judge. On some of my longer walks, people have asked if I get bored walking for hours but I always said I don’t think about the walking. I just keep going and perhaps think of a story to write or watch for interesting animals and plants.

Tormod – Long walks can make you feel tired and, if it’s a warm day, sweaty. It might feel different in the thinner, cooler air of Q’enqo.

Ava – 6.9kg of money sounds impressive. That’s around the weight of a six month old baby. Something great was born in your walk and the children of Q’enqo will benefit.

Max - 7km is quite a walk. It’s almost the distance some Q’enqo children have to walk each day. How sad would it be to walk the 4km only to find the teachers aren’t there? It wouldn’t be possible to warn children ahead of time without the internet or phones.

Larissa – It is wonderful you have learned so much from your walk. For the children of Q’enqo, the walk is a normal part of the day. I think you would find strength if you lived in Q’enqo and had to do that as part of your day. We all learn to do what is needed to make our days successful.

Galen – Running may make the distance quicker but you can end up more tired. I think the Q’enqo children would walk. I once timed my distance walking speed and it came out as 4.8 kph so the 4km walk in your school would take me about 50 minutes but, in Q’enqo where the air is thinner and the walking is uphill, it would take me much longer.

Zahra – Q’enqo children do have a much harder life than children in your school and my area. Only the closest students walk to school here. Four school buses pass my house each morning. One travels 2km, a second 10km, another 20km and a fourth travels 35km depending on the school the children attend. Many children do walk to the nearby school but more than half take the bus or are driven.

Julia – Even though you were tired, I know you would have felt great because of the good cause the walk was supporting. Sweaty and tired in a good cause is worth the effort.

Alexia – I can see by the first photo on the post, some of you had the Peruvian flag to carry. I found a You Tube link of the Peruvian National Anthem. Check to make sure it’s okay for you to view…

Thalia – I can understand the Peruvian children’s liking for school. They are able to learn and be with others before they return home.

Brenden – I think you had a great attitude in the walk. When getting tired, you need only remember the reason for the walk and it can help you find new strength.

Natasha – “They think they are lucky. We know WE’RE lucky.” How good a world it would be if those with more were willing to share with those who have less.

Damian – Achieving 7km in an hour is quite a feat. I‘ve already mentioned my distance walking speed is an average of 4.8km per hour but, over shorter distances of only a couple kilometres, I reach 5.8km per hour. This means you would have out walked me by a little more than a kilometre. J

Jun – I know the feeling asthma can give you. I have what’s called exercise-induced asthma. Most of the time it’s no problem for me but I think it would be at Q’enqo’s altitude. One of the times I was on top of Mt Tarawera in New Zealand, I had some problems with asthma meaning I couldn’t do the walk into the volcanic crater. It was only 1111 metres above sea level. Here’s a link to a post I wrote for a class last year. It shows you Mt Tarawera…

https://rossmannellcomments.edublogs.org/2012/05/23/samples-scree-obsidian-samples/

Martin – Your achievement for the children of Peru is something worthy of being proud. More than that, it helps fill your invisible bucket.

Kaylee – Running 11 laps in 50 minutes is very impressive. I might walk quickly but I hardly ever run. The amount raised might be important but what is more important is the effort you all put into making the walk-a-thon a success.

Jesse – From the photos, I can see you are very lucky to have a very large grassy area around you school. This would have made it easier to walk around rather than the stony paths used by Q’enqo children. I can tell the Q’enqo children inspired many to try harder even when tired.

Sophie H. – I have also taken part in walk-a-thons in some schools. They can be good fun and raise money for great causes.

Eric – Exercise, whether it’s walking a long way to a school or out hiking, can build strength. If you were to walk four kilometres each day, in time it would become easy and you would find your feet getting tough just like the Q’enqo kids.

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

When you think of the hardships of the Peruvian children compared to you and how hard it was to walk the distances you should also think of the last photo in your post. The smiling girl says it all. You are filling your invisible buckets and in the process helping the children like the girl in the photo.

One last point, you didn’t want to walk another 4km in the afternoon to simulate the walk home?

I see your teach has the same type of sense of humour as I do. 🙂

@RossMannell

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

NOW, BEFORE you click the link at the bottom. Read through what I’ve written and answer the question in your own mind as to what you would do. Once you are ready, click the link to see what I had written as an entry…

Here is something a little different. One of my blogs is dedicated to my story writing. As well as some longer stories, there are many short stories. Two regular challenges I enter ask us to write one hundred words on a given prompt. One I wrote in March this year was entitled, “ARK”. Perhaps it might interest you.

The prompt in the Saturday Centus Challenge starts the fictional story as its first paragraph. Here is the prompt…

My untied shoelace changed my life. As I leaned down to re-tie it, I kicked away a few leaves. When I turned my head slightly to look where the leaves had been, I was astonished to see a rubber-banded wad of hundred dollar bills nestled in a little indentation in the muddy ground.

What would you do if you had found the money?

Now click to see my fictional story then see the comment I added in the comments section of this post…

http://rossmannell.com/2012/03/31/saturday-centus-wk100-the-week-a-53-word-prompt-153-words-ark/