Hi, and welcome back to another "Sunday with Sarah." I'm Sarah Baldwin and today I
wanted to talk to you a little bit about Waldorf education around the world.
Did you know that there are now over a thousand Waldorf schools worldwide and
in more than 60 countries? There are
Waldorf schools now on every continent except Antarctica which I think is
really exciting.
I've developed
such an interest in recent years on how Waldorf education is manifesting in
different cultures and different countries. As some of you may know,
last year I had the opportunity to visit China and I have to say, in addition to
the Great Wall, one of the highlights of my trip was visiting Waldorf
kindergartens there.
It was so interesting because I felt like such a stranger in a strange land,
it was all so unfamiliar being in China and disorienting, and then I
stepped foot into a Waldorf kindergarten and I just felt like I was
home.
I just felt my body relax and it all was so familiar and calming, even though the
teacher whose classroom I visited didn't speak a word of English and the
children in that class didn't speak any English. I knew
just what was going on and even though many of the elements were
familiar like the lazured walls and the playstands and the wooden toys,
it also had its own cultural imprint. And the food they
had for snack time was so good, they had a cook there and wonderful local
delicacies. And watching on the playground, the songs the children were
singing in their own language,
it was just very, very enriching for me. So, I wanted to tell you too that I won't
see you for a few weeks and the reason is I am now going on a trip to Africa. On
Thursday I will be flying with my mother
to Kenya and I am so excited that I now have the opportunity to visit several
Waldorf schools in Kenya.
There are three in Nairobi, and there's one school,
I believe it's northwest of Nairobi,
for the Samburu children. The Samburu are a nomadic tribe and so this is a school
that tries to meet the needs of these migrating people. So I know it's going to
be so different, I can't even quite imagine what it will be like, but I am so
grateful and I feel so blessed for this opportunity.
Even though I won't to be with you for a few weeks
I do hope when I come back to have some incredible videos for you and to
share with you what I saw
and what I learned. I'm also getting to go on safari with my mom and sister.
My sister is there doing graduate research, she's already over in Kenya, and
my mom and I will meet her. Next year will be my mother's 80th birthday and it
has been her lifelong dream to go to East Africa.
She loves elephants, always has, and I'm really excited not only for my
own opportunity but to spend
this time with my mother and seeing her live her lifelong
dream. So I hope all your lifelong dreams come true
and thank you for your support.
I will see you in a few weeks. Be well. Thanks, bye-bye.