Futbol Tico Latinoamer

"DIARY WRITTEN BY A NOWADAYS PEASANT"

Saturday, January 15, 2005

Dear Diary:

I have a new worry today. The classes shall start in about a month and we do
not have all of the school supplies for the 8 kids to go to school. Not all
of them are mine. My friend Silvana's house got in fire and she lives with
us now. She has 3 kids. And my niece Estela lives with us now and she has 2
kids. It is not good this early start. Classes used to start on March. Times
Change but it is shocking to adjust. We earn a little bit of money picking
up coffee but we do not have enough money yet and this is our main income
these days. I thought to do home made bakery and sale it at the bus stops in
the market on Fridays and Saturdays to do a little extra money. I use the
old solution to pass the old school uniform from the older to the younger
child; so, I have to buy only one uniform. Like people say nowadays, I
recycle the uniforms. The notebooks are a big worry. Let me see. I always
buy 8 notebooks: 1 for Math, 1 for Science, 1 for Social Studies, 1 for
Spanish, 2 for homeworks, 1 for Religion and 1 for Music. It is a total of
64 notebooks for all of the kids. We prefer to buy a box of notebooks
because is cheaper than buying single notebooks. There are years when the
teachers ask for extra notebooks like 1 for Spelling, 1 for home messages, 1
Home Education and whatever they teach additional that year. There are not
pencils left from last year. Sometimes, the textbooks change every year and
we have to spend more money. No special bags for the kids to go to school.
How are they called now? I remember now, back packs. The kids have to use
the empty rice, bean or flour plastic bags instead. At least it protects the
books and notebooks during the rainy season. Mom told me the Government
supplied the notebooks and pencils for every poor child like mines. Of
course, it was years ago when there was less population, the Government
employees did not steal the taxes and other income and the Government was
more concern about educating the population. My grandchild Espirulato says
there were about 425.000 people in Costa Rica when Mom went to school and we
are 4 millions now. If there would be a good conscientious to do a good
usage of the money for the education, if there would be honestly yet, if the
Government would pay more attention to the population necessities, then,
there would not be so much misery like now to go to school. Ay Diary, I do
not know how to solve this early school start. I thought to look for the old
notebooks, to look for the ones that have a lot of unused pages yet and tell
the kids to use them while I can buy them new notebooks. And one pencil for
every one until I can buy more pencils. I pray the notebooks do not change
this year so I do not have to buy new ones. Excuse me to bother you with my
worries but I do not know whom to share them with.