strewn with a tone of apocalypse

Hello hello hello! I am officially the editor of the camp newspaper, of which the first edition acme out yesterday. I'm sorting through photos to put in tomorrow's issue, so I'll post some on here as well.

Today was beautiful. It rained and was incredibly cloudy/foggy all day, and despite this weather, we went outside for a lunch "field cooking" lesson. Despite the weather, we had a great time talking and playing around, and I enjoyed a bit of dancing.

I cringed a bit when I had to play a doctor in the clinic situational teaching, as I do not want to tote Western medicine to anyone. I tried to play an evil doctor to aid in association, but it didn't work after a while, and I ended up focusing on helping the students realize how they were feeling rather than on telling them.

My class seemed like they began to form a familial bond today, looking out for each other and whatnot. I adore them. We had a great session of household object identification and spelling, and they were so into learning it! I also combined my group with Meghan's class, a bit older group, for arts and crafts time. The kids got on great, and everyone was remarkably well behaved.

This afternoon I was able to give a lecture to the eldest group (ages 12-15) entitled "Our Earth." I hijacked the material (and their attention) and went off on how human beings are only one species of many on this earth and have come to destroy and dominate. I tried to get through to them that we are in no position to "save" or "protect" the earth, as we are solely inhabitants, and our massive overpopulation is a principal cause of the disequilibrium. I drew a diagram to explain the earth, as it is, with the continents, oceans, and huge people, a few dots for other species, and sparse trees. Then I explained a state of equilibrium, with more greenery, fewer humans and more species. (I also added in a note about how humans are indeed animals, with a bit of an ape act to entertain them). This all followed a "reduce, reuse. recycle" lecture I'd given them a few days ago. That was what we used to symbolize one way on the path to equilibrium.

My lecture was also strewn with a tone of apocalypse and extinction.

In the end one girl asked how to lessen the population, and I told her I do not plan on having children but may consider adopting. More importantly, I told her that if I could give this lecture to kids their age all over the world, that education would be a huge step. I wish I'd recorded it.