sol17 #30: lots of emotions but mostly pride

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I sat on the bus to the Holocaust Museum with my class. They listened to music and talked quietly. I showed them how I left my self tanner on my hands too long and they were now orange and they laughed. I sat there, in the last seat, watching over them, thinking about how much I cared for these kids, and feeling so much

gratitude for this life's work.

And when we got off the bus and went through the entrance and down the stairs, our docent talked to us briefly. The first question she asked the kids had them standing there all quiet, too shy to share. And so I reminded them that they could turn in a ticket every time they participated, and so then they did. After the docent learned of the ticket situation, she remarked that they must have a good teacher and I remarked that I must have good kids and in that moment I was

proud to be with them.

And then we ate lunch - so fast, like in 10 minutes - and a few kids were at vending machines even after I asked them not to be and we didn't have enough time to eat and we were frustrated because of that but they didn't know what they were about to experience. And so even in our discontentment we got ourselves composed and cleaned up and started off on our way and I just felt

excitement for what they were about to encounter.

Our docent began a conversation with my students, sharing about why this museum exists. She asked if they knew what an Upstander was and they all raised their hand to share, and one student also added the definition of a bystander. And in that moment there was that

pride yet again.

We went into the first gallery and looked at all the pictures of Jewish life prior to the Holocaust on the wall. We saw families and birthday parties and business openings and holidays and we learned that this group of people who suffered the first genocide were people who were just like us. And knowing what was coming,

uneasiness began to creep in.

We continued on, learning about how Hitler came to power, watching videos, seeing real artifacts and pictures, walking across a floor meant to symbolize Kristallnacht, the night of broken glass. Our docent told us how they took away and murdered Jews under 15 years old and over 40 because they were unable to labor. She said, "I would have been done for, I can't pass for 40, I'm a grandma!" and one of my students said, smiling, "Yes you could have!" and we all laughed and he was a cheeseball but in that moment

there was that pride again.

We continued on our way, and saw a model of a ghetto packed with thousands of people inside. Barbed wire surrounded this particular gallery and my kiddos pointed it out to me. We saw a model of the extermination chambers and were told how the Jews were tricked to believe they were taking a shower, but in reality, they were gassed. We stood inside a cattle car - pitch black - and thought about how 100 people or more were crammed into them to move the Jews to the camps. And thankfully we were standing together as we imagined all these atrocities and wondered how it could have ever happened and so being together make the fact that our

stomachs were turning a bit more okay.

Finally we heard a survivor speak. Ruth told her story of how, once resettled in the ghetto, her father bought illegal passports for her and her mother to save their lives. They went on to live on a train for 6 weeks and then tried to find work but lived in a constant fear that they might be found and killed on the spot. About how she finally made it to America only to be called names and made fun of by children in her new class, but finally, after yet another move, she found a place in Chicago that was home where she fit in and could live in peace. And her story will forever be with us, but in the moment she found peace, we found a bit of

relief.

This story reminds me and should remind all of us that we must look out for one another, we must not be silent when we witness injustice. We must stand up for our neighbors and groups of people who are targeted and push back against those who spew "alternative facts" and not just be idle in these moments because silence is

the most tragic problem of all.

Many emotions filled my day yesterday: joy and love for my students, complete bewilderment at the thought of a Holocaust, wondering how events like this continue to still happen, a bit of embarrassment at how our country has not been more welcoming to refugees in need, annoyance at traffic on the way home, but through all of it, there are no other people I'd rather share it with, because watching them learn something that can empower them to make our world a better place brings me

so much pride.

We have one more day, you made it! Congratulations to each of you, I'm so proud! Could you do me a favor for your last post? Could you write about what you think about writing now? Now that you've completed so much in the way writing, what do you think about writing now? Did you find a new hobby? Does it help you relax? Will you keep on writing? Write a post about... writing!