To the post office

"It goes across the water." 

During morning meeting, we revisited our theories about how our messages would get all the way to Kenya.  Today's discussion focused on the water, airplanes with mouths, and putting the mail truck on the airplane (more to come after we finish transcribing the videos). We also shared/had Lochie share the conversation that we had on Friday when we discovered that Molly had some letters to mail out to families. Lochie remembered that there would be a post office truck, and a container before the letter is delivered.  He and Jack also hypothesized that the mail truck would have to go on the airplane. After a long conversation today, it was time to invite a small group to actually take our messages to the post office to have them sent off to Kenya.  

First, we had to prepare the envelope

Molly was sure to deliver her letters to us so that we could put them in the mailbox at the post office.  Then, we had to address our envelope to Cedar before we stuffed all 25 messages inside. 

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Documenting our trip

As part of our work, we wanted the children to document their trip to the post office.  Their perspective is so important, and can be so different from our own.  We also intend to have them reflect and share with the whole group early next week.  This also gave us a chance to try out our new digital cameras and the movi freefly (our new photography/videography tool),

"It's not so far away." - Jack

At the post office

On the way to the post office, we were thinking about a few things: 
1. How will the package get to Kenya? 
2. How much money will it cost to send our package? 
3. How long will it take for the package to get to Kenya? 

While we were at the post office, we had to find a box for the family letters, inspect the individual P.O. boxes, fill out our customs paperwork, weigh the package, wait in line, draw about the post office, take photos, pay for the package, buy stamps, put stamps on the letters, and more.  

​The customs paperwork asked for the contents.  When we asked the children, they quickly responded with, "Messages!"  When I asked, "What are they made of?  The paperwork wants to know." They each remembered pieces of their own messages: "Glue, paper, ribbon, tape, and pens." 

"I can take the picture." - Lochie

Please enjoy some more images from their perspective. 

When we left the post office, we received a message from Cedar on the telephone.  She and her mommy sent us some photos that Cedar had taken of an animal (to be determined) and some landscape.  We stopped to send Cedar the photo of the children outside of the post office so that she would know that her package was on the way. 

In all of our busyness at the post office, we forgot to ask about the length of time it may take for Cedar to receive the package.  Luckily, we spotted this postal worker, who was SO kind to answer a few questions for us.  
1. How long will our package take to get to Kenya? 
Answer: I don't know, but in the United States it takes about two days. So, more than two days. 
2. Does the truck go on the airplane? 
Answer: The truck doesn't go on the airplane.  Just the package will go. There will be many forms of transportation to get it there. 
3. Then how are you gonna get back here...to here? 
Answer: The good thing is, I don't have to travel with the package. 
4. Is there a container? 
​Answer: Yes, there is a container. 

We had a wonderful, albeit cold, trip to the post office.  All of the workers, and customers, were so kind and patient as we looked around, asked questions, and prepared our package.  We are especially grateful to the postal worker who took time out of her busy day (she said it would take 8 hours to deliver all of the post-holiday packages) to answer a few of the children's questions; she was also impressed that they had their own cameras.