Played a VoiceThread for the Student Today

My little darlings at the Chinese school I visit were entertained by a voicethread from Canada.  It was amazing how it impacted their world.   These kids here base western on what they see on television and moi.  Not much of a basis to understand another culture.  Their teacher and myself both realized that the biggest impact on them was how the students looked, and very little on what they said. I think we might have to replay it so the rest of the students who were blown away about seeing other students from another part of the world appeared, will be able to actually listen to the words without being so overwhelmed.

I am so glad this project is turning out to be such a positive influence on the students.  We westerners tend to forget what other cultures have in their own lives. They also read a letter from a little girl who they have been corresponding with for the past year. She told them that she lives in a city that is on the Pacific Ocean. She asked them if they live near an ocean as well. I asked them. They said no.  They dont even realize that their own country is a peninsula that has ocean waters on three sides.  And the city where they live is right on the coast.  Their little taman is about 25 km from the coast/border, and many have never been there.  I then showed them a map of Malaysia. They were bug eyed and said 'so big, our Malaysia is so big'. Then I showed them Vancouver Island, and they realized it was the same size.  Then I showed them Canada, and I am not sure they can comprehend a country that size.  We in Canada think of Vancouver Island as a wee dot beside a massive country.