Hands and Hearts Across the Sea, a Pen Pal exchange between GVPLA and Paradise of the Angels School in Kribi, Cameroon, continues this year with Fifth Grade Scholars ready to send their first batch of letters.

 

Designed to provide a cultural exchange of information and ideas, the pen pal project allows scholars to learn about each others' differences while realizing they have more in common with one another than they may think. During the initial year of correspondence, scholars discovered they share a love of school and learning, a dislike of large spiders and too much homework, and that family celebrations play an important role in both communities. There are some differences- our French-speaking pen pals are learning English, and many foods readily available here such as hamburgers and doughnuts are saved for special occasions in Cameroon.

 

Scholars at GVPLA are enjoying African folk tales and art, and learning about Cameroon's geography and economics while awaiting correspondence from their friends from across the globe.

 

(pictures are of GVPLA scholars' hands with friendship bracelets sent to Cameroon, as well as artwork sent to us last year from one of our pen pals)