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:: Testimonials ::
A New Generation, A Chance at Education
I had a routine with Eleni, the youngest of the three children I taught English to and cared for. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings I drove her to karate class in Halandri. The ride, depending on the traffic along Kifissias Avenue, varied between ten minutes and a half-hour. During this time I would take the opportunity to have in-depth conversations with her. Despite her age--seven--she was an incredibly astute child. Her English was nearly flawless and she often came out with advice and thoughts well-beyond her years.
On this particular occasion, Eleni initiated the conversation. She said to me, "Why do you have pictures of your cats in your bedroom?" (My bedroom in Athens). I replied that I missed my cats back home in the States. Seeing their pictures made me feel closer to them.
She thought about this for a moment before saying, "But cats are mean. I hate cats." This comment stopped me. I said, "I'm sorry you feel that way. Most cats are actually very sweet. Have they ever done anything bad to you?" She said, "No, but they are always running through the backyard. Mommy hates them. So does Daddy."
The sad reality of her words hit home for me. She was at such an impressionable age that any idea put into her mind by her parents or siblings could, ultimately, dictate her future actions. Her parents frequently cursed the stray cats that roamed through their prestigious neighborhood. I was afraid this general disdain for animals was already rubbing off on their seven-year-old daughter, even if she didn't fully understand the situation. I knew my response needed to somehow convince her that cats--and all animals--were not the enemy.
I began to tell her about my volunteer efforts for the Friends of the Cat charity in downtown Athens and talked about the cat shelter I'd volunteered at back home in the United States. I explained that many cats and dogs are just very scared, hungry and lonely because they don't have homes or anyone to care for them. I told her about the cats I owned, and how I found them outside in the cold, hungry and scared. I talked about the special doctors who help sick or hurt animals. She asked lots of questions and listened to every word I had to say.
A
few weeks after that conversation, Eleni came home from school and
immediately began telling me about a litter of puppies a fellow
classmate had found in a garbage
She said, "Why would people leave puppies in the trash? Don't they know they will die?" I explained that many people don't know what to do with animals they no longer want, and although they may think they're helping them, they're really hurting them, by either putting them in the trash to die or leaving them outside where they could get hurt or killed. She watched me with big, wide eyes. The sadness was evident on her face. At dinner she tried to tell her parents about the puppies, but they brushed her off. She was noticeably quiet for the rest of the evening. Later that night, after I'd read to her and tucked her into bed, she said, "I know what I want to be when I grow up." I said, "What?" "A doctor to help animals."
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