"Give me a pen!" many children on the street will say after they see that "give me money" does not usually yield results. If "give me a pen" does not work, they will say, "give me water" which I usually have in my water bottle. I don't have a water bottle full of easily replenishable pen, unfortunately. I skipped off to buy some pens for the school in Rubona's town center and opted for the Obama pens because they were a steal and funny. Funny to write with, to, as they seemed to dry out every other pen stroke. They were just lying there in the little grocery store, right next to the Colgate toothpaste. Now we only get Bic pens. "Donate pens" is a cliché for anyone who has ever worked in development in Africa, as children will not learn how to read and write without them and they are unaffordable to many.
Simple and cheap ball-point pens have always been my neurotic doodling instrument of choice throughout high school, the army, and university. In the art room at ASYV, which is filled with different art mediums, I showed some students how to draw elaborate shadows and reflections using a cheap ball-point pen. I honestly think free time to sit and access to simple pens and pencils, not expensive art material, are a few reasons students in the developed world learn how to draw earlier than in Rwanda. There are some talented students but, as a general rule, you will find more developed talent in the United States. Also, based on very unscientific casual observations, it seems that the boys I have met in Rwanda, both in and outside of Agahozo-Shalom, are better drawers and painters than girls. Part of me suspects this is due to the carrying of water and household chores which girls are subject to, which means less free time to practice.
In addition to doodling with pens, I also have a talent for loosing them, a habit I have dramatically curbed since arriving in a country where pens are valued so highly. If you are reading this blog, there is a high likelihood I have lost your pen at some point in my life. Let me know. I can give the pen I owe you to a child who needs it. Or perhaps you have lost many pens, don't know to who, and feel bad. Or are afraid of pen-loss karma. I can get a pen in your name and you can pay me back the next time I arrive in a country where pens are unappreciated.
The amount of pens that go missing from my desk, or I 'borrow' from other people's desks is truly staggering. I liken it to the banking crisis, mass theft leads to total confusion and nobody knowing actually whose pen is whose at any given point leading to general melt down when the final pen in the office goes missing. :)
ReplyDeletegreat post as always
In Morocco children would sometimes ask for pens too. Apparently the French used to give them pens and now when they see white people, especially in smaller towns they may ask for a pen before money. But in large cities the opposite, money first. I assume it's because the value of money and not necessarily as community oriented as small towns makes city kids understand the value of money to a greater degree than the comparatively 'bumpkin' kids in the countryside.
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