VICENZA, Italy- Beginning in November of last year at Vicenza Middle School, George Hanby's seventh-grade World Geography students had to make a choice. From among the regions they were studying -- the Middle East, Russia and Asia -- each student had to choose a country and conduct research on its background, history, geography and culture.
They also had to learn about and re-create local products for which their country is known to present at the school's Grand Bazaar, which was held Jan. 18. The students were encouraged to use their imagination and creativity when designing and making their products, and dozens of researching entrepreneurs began to produce wares to bring to the Grand Bazaar of Pumastan.
In order to create an authentic bazaar, there needed to be the feeling of being under a tent of some type -- like maybe a couple of parachutes? Hanby contacted 1st Sgt. Tim Jensen at Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, and asked about borrowing some used parachutes. In early January, three huge, olive green "bazaar ceiling tents" were installed in the seventh-grade wing of VMS.
Authenticity in place, the excitement continued to build.
Finally, the day of the seventh-grade Grand Bazaar arrived and more than 70 seventh-graders spread out blankets and rugs to display their wares for sale. Students were dressed in the costumes of their countries: China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Mongolia.
The Grand Bazaar was officially opened by Sheikh al-Hanbibi, who welcomed the entire VMS sixthgrade class along with their teachers and parents. Al-Hanbibi generously handed each guest 100 weros -- the fictitious currency of Pumastan -- to spend while shopping in the crowded, noisy, swirling mass of humanity at the first annual Grand Bazaar of Pumastan.
To everyone's surprise, a special guest stopped by to do some last minute shopping before returning to Afghanistan. Shoppers were surprised to see the Sheikh accompanied by Haminimi Karzai, pausing to smile for photojournalists attending the bazaar.
The memories of this exciting experience were filmed by Vicenza AFN-TV. Perhaps there is a miniseries in the future?
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