Student View: Lily

Reading Three Cups of Tea has changed my life in many ways. Now I’m collecting money for the CAI instead of presents at my birthday party. Now Academically Gifted is doing the documentary. I’m learning new things about being a documentarian every day. I feel more connected too.

For one, for my birthday I was going to have a really big party and get a lot of presents (not that I’m greedy, doesn’t everyone like presents?) but then I read Three Cups of Tea. Instead of presents, now I’m collecting donations for the CAI. That is why I’m inviting so many people to my party. The more people, the more money!

Another thing, now that Academically Gifted has read it, we’re doing the documentary, right? Isn’t that kind of important? I’ve been learning new things about being a documentarian every day! For example, I learned how to use a camera and set up a tripod. We’re going to learn how to edit soon too. Making movies is fun!

Plus, now that I’ve read it, I feel more connected. Almost like I know more about what the rest of the world is like. And now that I know, I want to help. Comparing the U.S. with Pakistan and Afghanistan is just kind of sad. The U.S. has schools in almost every town. Pakistan and Afghanistan do not. The U.S. is much safer than either of the two places. The U.S. has doctors, nurses, hospitals, and good health and in both places over there, health care places, doctors, and nurses are too spread out. There are many more differences but I don’t exactly have enough time to list them all. You get the picture though, right? Whenever we go grocery shopping or eat out at a restaurant I think about how much money we’re spending and how much that money could get for people in Pakistan. What we would spend as a weeks worth of groceries could probably last Pakistani’s almost half a year!

Reading Three Cups of Tea has changed my life by making me different. I am definitely not the same person I used to be. Now I am saving all my spare change to donate to Pennies for Peace because Greg Mortenson taught us all that just one penny can make a difference.

Student View: Xander

How has Three Cups of Tea Changed Your Life?

Three Cups of Tea has changed me a lot. Not only how I look at the world but also how I look at myself. Three Cups of Tea has made me think more about people in the world who aren’t as fortunate as we are. Also Three Cups of Tea has taught me about cultures and how they work.

Before I read Three Cups of Tea I thought that most countries, but not all, were like the U.S. I was definitely wrong. Three Cups of Tea really changed my mind. Now I know that a lot of countries need help. Some families don’t even get food on the table each night. Most families that I know have more food at dinner than people in other countries would have in a whole day.

Three Cups of Tea has made me see myself in a different way too. I used to think that I was pretty much the same as every other kid in the world. It turned out that I was wrong again because there some kids, younger than me who have to work in a field all day or others sometimes have to work for another family for five days a week. Now I see myself as an extremely lucky child.

Three Cups of Tea has made a difference because it made me think about other cultures. Thinking about that made me realize that Americans aren’t the only ones who have special holidays and stuff like that. Personally if I compared our culture against the Balti culture I would think that the Balti culture would be much more interesting. Three Cups of Tea has also taught me that people aren’t bad because they’re different.

Three Cups of Tea is probably more of a lesson than a pleasure read. It taught me a lot and opened my eyes to the world. If everybody in the world read Three Cups of Tea the world would change and become a better place.

Student Views: Ansel

Reading Three Cups of Tea changed my life because I realized how lucky I am. It made me think I shouldn’t complain the next time I have to do something that is hard or something I don’t want to do. It also made me think about how unfair the world can be. I learned some of the lessons that Greg Mortenson, the protagonist of Three Cups of Tea, learned.

I feel lucky because lots of kids are so poor that even if there is a school nearby, they can’t go, because they have to stay home and work. I also feel fortunate because I realize I have a good school to go, a TV to be entertained by, and so many more modern things that lots of poor kids don’t have. Whenever someone gets into a car they probably don’t think how lucky they are to have one, but now I do. I feel extremely privileged to live in the U.S.A., but I also feel a bit sad that I live in a country where most rich people are probably complaining they don’t have the newest kind of iphone.

Now after reading Three Cups of Tea I don’t think I should complain a lot when I have to do a chore. Most kids my age who live in poor villages have to do more chores and some of them are probably more dangerous. For example I know I haven’t ever had to make sure nothing happens to a herd of a hundred or more animals. Also when I put away the dishes I used to complain and procrastinate, but now I think about how some kids may be holding their family’s lives in their hands when they do a chore. Because when I read Three Cups of Tea I saw how hard life is for some kids my age.

Three Cups of Tea made me see how unfair the world can be. Take a look out your window what do you see? You probably see a paved road, cars, houses and streetlights. But think of all the people all over the world who live in poor villages that have no electricity or running water, who have no schools to go to and no paved road to get there. How come we have running water and electricity, and they don’t? How come we have schools and paved roads and they don’t? That’s what reading Three Cups of Tea has made me think about.

Three Cups of Tea has changed my life for the better. It has made me see things a whole different way and this sight has taught me many lessons. The most important lesson is that if you want to make a difference you can if you put your mind to it, just like Greg Mortenson did. And these lessons will stay with me forever.

Student view: Grace

How Has 3 Cups of Tea Changed My Life?
By Grace
Three Cups of Tea has changed my life by making me more interested in the Pakistani an Afghan culture. Their rules and regulation are strange, but interesting. Greg has a very interesting personality, one minute he’s happy and proud, and the next, he’s angry and disappointed. I’d also want to do what (guess who) Greg did by climbing mountains.
I am very interested in the Pakistani and Afghan culture now. I never knew about the Taliban, and how they took over Afghanistan and girls couldn’t go to school. I’ve always thought the U.S. was fighting against Afghanistan, but now I know we’re fighting with Afghanistan against the Taliban. On a happier note, (Well not exactly happy)   I learned how resourceful and hard working these countries are. 3 Cups of Tea has also changed my life by making me realize the kids in Pakistan/Afghanistan are just like the kids in South Portland. They also want to learn and get an education. I knew Pakistan was poor, but I didn’t know it was this poor. They are very orthodox to their religion.
Greg’s work is amazing! He hauled all kinds of supplies way out to Korphe, on his first mission and what does Haji Ali say? “We need a bridge.” I’m not trying to speak badly about Haji Ali, but that would be disappointing. Finally, they build a bridge and Greg goes home. When he gets back, he expects to see the school halfway done, but they haven’t even started! When Greg got kidnapped, he had to persuade the men who kidnapped him to see the birth of his daughter, or so said son – Amira. When Greg was first told they needed a bridge, he was disappointed, but he didn’t give up. What not everybody realizes is that he is a normal person who does different things. In fact, hardly anybody realizes that about famous actors/actresses or sports stars.
When I say I want to do what Greg did, I don’t exactly mean building schools in Pakistan. In fact, I don’t mean that at all. I mean Greg Mortenson and 3 Cups of Tea have inspired me to do actual mountain climbing. I’m not talking about taking a hike at Bradbury Mountain-REAL CLIMBING! He has done it by talking about all the risks, dangers, fun, and excitement in his book. He’s also talked about how expensive it is, and all the training you’ll have to go through.
Greg Mortenson’s work has changed my life by making think about the other countries of the world and just because everything is okay here (SO PO doesn’t mean everything’s okay everywhere). Greg’s work has inspired many to climb mountains, and it has inspired me. I’ve learned about AF/PK culture, like in PK they speak Urdu and Balti. In AF they speak Dari. Greg never really seems to yell, well not at least in what people say about him. Read 3 Cups of Tea so you can see how it changes your life or view of the world.

Teacher view: Ms. Stanbro

When I first read Three Cups of Tea I was struck by Greg Mortenson’s resourcefulness. He decided that he wanted to build a school in Korphe and he went out and did it. He didn’t have a degree in education administration. He didn’t know about building things. He didn’t have a bunch of friends that had lots of money to give. He just wanted to build a school for these people. He lived out of his car and kept persevering until he made this dream come true. I think too often we don’t pursue our own dreams because we feel we have to wait for someone to tell us it is okay, or we are good enough, or we have  a certain amount of money.

Reading Three Cups of Tea changed my thinking about what is possible.

Did this book change your thinking?

Student views: Amelia

Can you believe that some kids live miles from the nearest school? Sibusiso from South America had to walk a couple miles alone and then a few more miles with many kids! How do you get to school? Most kids in the USA walk, take the bus, or carpool. Many girls around the world don’t get to go to school. In Abu Sir, Egypt it’s the boys who don’t go to school. Some schools are so small that on some days there is no teacher! Even though we don’t realize it, many kids like us have dreams that they can’t reach : ( Many children want to become doctors or lawyers. In the USA we grow up deciding what we’re going to be, and then we fulfill our dream but some kids can’t just because they don’t have money or their family needs them. What do you think should be done about making sure kids get an education and/or a job to earn a living?

Amelia

Barriers to Education

What are some barriers to children getting an education around the world?

School in Afghanistan and Pakistan

We have been reading about and viewing videos about school for the children in Pakistan and Afghanistan, particularly those living in mountainous regions.

Check out this video: http://www.pearsonfoundation.org/penniesforpeacetoolkit/videos/video-school.html

What are some of the ways you have notices school is different? What are some similiarities?

The Giver–Sameness

The community of The Giver values “sameness.” They have a controlled climate; they have no hills; they only see in black and white; their children all go through the same stages, etc. Jonas, however, has been chosen to be the Receiver for the community. He will be the only person in this position. He is set apart and now different from the rest.

How do you think Jonas is feeling? What must it be like to be different from everyone else in this community? Would you like to be set apart and different from your community?

Ms. Stanbro

The Giver–Second Meeting

Today’s blog will be about the community that Lois Lowry invented. How is the community different from ours? How are infants and seniors cared for differently than in our society? What do you think about that? Is it better or worse than the way we do things?

Ms. Stanbro