Today was an astonishing day as we got to sleep in and create memories with our last 9 hours in the village. The plan for today was to finish off the bookshelf that we constructed yesterday and turn it from a plain boring bookshelf to a more captivating design that attracts the kids’ attention. After an hour ride to the school, I heard the rain impinge upon the muddy floor as we got off the bus. Nonetheless, it didn’t stop us from painting the bookshelves for the kids. We stayed under a shaded area that gave us just enough space to work and not get soaked in water. For the design direction of the bookshelf, I came up with the idea to reference the era of Bauhaus where things are colorful yet simple. I went on Pinterest and found this beautiful piece by Piet Mondrian that we decided to take inspiration from. The finished product looks similar to what we envision and we were very proud with the outcome. I looked around and every team did an amazing job whereby each piece has unique touches and individuality. While we were very content with the result, it was also time to say goodbye to the kids. As we walk up the hill departing from the school, some kids even ran to the rooftop and send us away with their heartwarming waves. In the afternoon, we visited another village to join a wax printmaking workshop. The experience was very compelling because we’ve all got to create various patterns with just wax. We ended the night in a cozy hotpot restaurant. Ultimately, today was one of highlights in the trip because we got to create a safe space for the kids to expand their knowledge and perspectives.

by Justin Kong