On one of my morning walks, I began to write a story in my mind as I reflected upon the countless times I met mothers along the dirt path asking me to take their children to America. I was overwhelmed with the impulse to leave my students with a story about the struggle of experiencing a sense of belonging in today's developing world. But, I did not just want students to hear the story, I wanted them to experience the story. Thus, later that night, I sat down and wrote the following play for my 5th grade students. The play will be performed on my last day of school, along with songs, and a learning gallery in which each class will present the beautiful work they have created over the past eight months. In many ways, this play is a metaphor representing what I have learned from the exceptional students through our eight months together. I hope that the play will touch their hearts like they have touched mine.
Village Sister, City Brother
Once upon a time, in a small village, a twin brother and twin sister were born. Their mother and father were very happy, and they loved them very much,
Narrator 2:
When the twins were twelve years old, there was a very cold winter. All the plants in the village died, and there was no food.
Father:
We are going to the city to look for food.
Mother:
We will return to the village in one week.
Narrator 3:
But a month passed by, and they did not return. Soon, news came to the village that the twin's parents had died.
Narrator 4:
The twins were very sad, and did not know what to do. They had no money, and no food. They missed their parents very much.
Narrator 1:
There was one man in the village who owned a small restaurant. He wanted to help them.
Restaurant Owner: (to sister)
If you come and clean and cook at my restaurant, I will give you some food.
Sister: (to brother)
What should I do?
Brother: (to sister)
You should do what you can to survive.
Narrator 2:
So, the young girl agreed to cook and clean dishes at the small restaurant. She was very sad because she could not go to school.
Narrator 3:
The restaurant owner also had a brother who lived in the city.
Restaurant Owner: (to brother)
A young boy like you does not belong in a village like this. You should go to the city and live with my brother. In the city you can study at a good school.
Narrator 4:
Thus, the young boy decided to leave the village to study in the city.
Brother: (to sister)
I will miss you.
Narrator 1:
And with those words, he left the village where his grandfather's grandfather had been born.
Narrator 2:
A year passed by, and both the brother and sister were very sad.
Brother:
I dislike the city very much. I have no family here, I have no friends. All I do is study. I miss the clean village air; I miss the farms and the friendly people—I miss my sister.
Sister:
I dislike the village very much. People treat me like property because I am a girl. I want to go to school. I want to learn. I want to make a difference in the world. All I do is wash dishes and cook food all day. I wish I was in the city.
Narrator 3:
One day, the brother called his sister.
Brother: (talking on the phone)
I want to come back to the village.
Sister: (talking on the phone)
Good, because I want to go to the city.
Narrator 4:
So, the brother and sister decided to change places.
Narrator 1:
At first, the brother was happy in the village. The air was clean, and the people were friendly. But soon, he too became tired of washing dishes and cooking food all day.
Brother:
I dislike the village very much. I miss going to school. I miss my sister. I don't belong in the village, and I don't belong in the city. I don't know where I belong.
Narrator 2:
At first the sister was happy to be in the city. She loved going to school, but the other students were not kind to her.
Unkind Student 1:
Hey village girl, go milk some goats.
(Unkind Student 2 and Unkind Teacher laugh)
Unkind Student 2:
Village girl can't even read.
(Unkind Student 1 and Unkind Teacher laugh)
Unkind Teacher:
Village girl is so stupid.
(Unkind Student 1 and Unkind Student 2 laugh)
Narrator 3:
The girl felt so sad. It was not her fault that she had not been allowed to go to school when she was small because she was a girl. All her life, she had dreamed of going to school, but now she did not want to go to school anymore because her teacher and classmates were so unkind.
Sister:
I dislike the city very much. The people are so unkind. I don't know if I ever want to go to school again. I don't belong in the city, and I don't belong in the village. I don't know where I belong.
Narrator 4:
One day, the brother called his sister again, and told her that he did not belong in the city, and that he did not belong in the village.
Brother: (talking on the phone)
I miss you sister, I want to see you again.
Sister: (talking on the phone)
I miss you too dear brother. Let us meet in between the village and the city tomorrow and we can talk.
Narrator 1:
The next day, the sister and brother traveled to the town between the village and the city. Before they could talk to each other, they met a kind teacher on the side of the road.
Teacher:
Welcome! Come quickly, you are going to miss the lesson.
Brother:
But...but….we are not…
Teacher:
Oh, don't worry, we have been waiting for you to come.
(The kind teacher takes them to his school. The brother and sister are very confused.)
Kind Student 1:
Welcome! Where are you from?
Kind Student 2:
Welcome! What is your name?
Kind Student 3:
Welcome! Do you want to visit my house after school?
Brother:
Maybe we should stay here, the people are so friendly and kind.
Sister:
Yes, maybe we should stay here, this is such a nice school.
Brother:
And there are farms with fresh vegetables.
Sister:
And the air is clean.
Brother:
We can keep what we love about our culture, but also move forward.
Sister:
And we can be together.
Brother:
Yes, we can be together.
Whole Class:
We all can be together.
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