Just a Juicebox

We are not supposed to pick favorite students, but it just happens over time. I love all of my students but some are extra special to me. Like Franceska. Franceska is one of my third grade students. She is very smart and incredibly kind. She was my first student to remember my name. She could scream "teacher Carsyn is mine! Teacher Carsyn is da best!" before I knew her name. Now she runs to me every day as I walk into school and begs me not to make her let go so we can start teaching.

Recently I had the privilege of meeting Franceska's family. They live a few blocks down from me. They do not have much, but they do have a small roof over their heads and a little space in front before their street.

Though she has next to nothing to give she gives me everything. Our students are given one juice box every day at school for a snack. Franceska hides hers in her bag and then gives it to me. She includes a letter which I reply to the following day at school.

 At first I would resist and tell her to keep her juice but she would just persist that she wanted me to have it. I have a small collection of her sweet letters in my journal which I will always treasure.

As for the juice box, I do not keep it with me. I gratefully accept it from Franceska and put it into my backpack. And then I save it. I save it for my walk home from school. Because when I am about half way from home there is a little house with a young girl standing behind a fence. She is always there. No matter what day it is or what time she is always there standing. And if your lucky, you can get her to smile. She can't be more than 4 years old and I have never seen her with any adult. Only by herself, behind the fence. So everyday after school I regift the juice box to her. Her face lights up and I am gifted with the most beautiful smile I have seen in the Dominican Republic.

I've had a lot of great experiences here in the DR but it is the little things in my daily routine that mean the most.