Kids! (with British accents)

Because I have so much time on my hands and because I absolutely adore children, I have decided to take part in The SHINE Project while I'm abroad this semester.  The SHINE Project is a volunteer program that sends college-aged students into local primary schools for an hour or two a week to help out in the classrooms, whether that be tutoring, playing, or just talking with the children.  It's a bit of an intense program in that I had to get a background check from NY state before arriving, understandably so, and there was also a three hour training session we all had to attend prior to being assigned locations.

I was placed in a local school, thirty minute walk from my dorm, on Tuesday mornings from 10:45-noon, working with four and five year olds (also known as Reception).  This past Tuesday was my first day and I could not have been happier!  The children were absolutely adorable.  And their accents were the icing on the cake!  Because they are so young my main job is to play with them and sit with them while they sing songs or have snack - literally the BEST!

I am so glad that I have this opportunity to give back to the community in which I am living and gaining so much from this semester.  I think it's also a great opportunity for the children to be exposed to a little bit of American culture.

My favorite line of the day was this little four-year-old girl with pigtails that came up to me and out of the blue said (read in a British accent for the full effect): "You're beautiful!  I like your hair."  It literally made me smile from ear to ear and I looked at her right back and said "YOU are beautiful.  And I LOVE your hair." 

They're all so beautiful.  And I'm sure they're all going to make my time here even more wonderful - as if that were possible.

This was a little side street (or side river if you will) that I passed on my way to the school.  It was so unexpected and it surprised me.

London is so charming.

Cheers!