Let it Snow! Peace Corp Volunteer Brings Winter Wonderland to Kids in the Philippines

Ryan Flach is a United States Peace Corps Education Volunteer who is currently serving in a small town in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines.

While serving in the small town of  Sibalom, Antique since 2010, Ryan teaches a reading and writing class at a national high school.

Ryan teaches children who live in a tropical region of the world and who have never seen or experienced snow. He has tried to explain the magic of snow, but the kids have a hard time comprehending it without seeing or touching it.

My school’s Science teachers have yet to use the powder with their classes, but I’ve had several opportunities to share it with my classes.  Virtually every time we encounter anything about winter, the Insta-snow adds an element of experience that would otherwise be left solely to their imaginations.  This is passable for the students that are privileged to have television at home, where they can watch American movies about Christmas, but many students don’t have a television in their house.

During a recent class, Ryan read the short story “A Day’s Wait” by Ernest Hemingway. It’s a story about a young boy and his father in a small, snow covered town. After reading the story, Ryan made Insta-Snow with the students. To say they loved it is an understatement.

Those of us in colder regions like Colorado and throughout the United States, forget that there are kids in the world that grow up never witnessing the wonders of snow. While they may not get to experience the real thing, they can understand it through people like Ryan Flach who are innovative teachers and educators.

 

 

 

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