The OLPC Launchapalooza!

When i previously said "all that has to be done is have the launching" i perhaps misrepresented, or was rather, ignorant of, the massive undertaking that this would be, so let me begin by describing some of the preparations. On Sunday we went to the market, which was experience enough in itself, several of the other volunteers had been before to buy fabric for dresses (of which there is a really amazing variety of some truly awesome patterns) but I had not been before, and not with the same mission to accomplish. Our journey was lead by Madam Amelia, Mr Orock's wife and a lady of considerable force. We began by haggling over some chickens, which involved pulling them up by their wings and shaking them to test their weight while they squawked and struggled. We ended up buying 8, at which point they were stuffed into a burlap sack we had brought and tossed in the van, while we went in search of the other necessities for the reception that would be a part of our launching ceremony and included fish, nuts, onions, yams, oil, eggs, and wine, though Mr. Orock had already picked some of this up on his way back from Yaounde. Loaded with all of this several hours later we returned home and most of the others fell to napping, while Brittney and I were invited to help, or rather, watch, the preceding taking place behind the house. Though we missed the beheading we did arrive in time for the boiling and plucking of the dear fowl, and the gutting of the fish in great quantities for the fish pie we would be enjoying the previous day. This was some rather gory work and so after a while we begged off to go and prepare our presentation for the next day. We wanted something that introduced the XO in an exciting way that would also demonstrate some of its potential but also not lose the momentum of the speaches and other exciting aspects of the ceremony. What we came up with was to make a short narration asking the audience to imagine a world where every shild had access to their own laptop and where they and their teachers worked together to advance their education, providing the tools to the children to explore on their own and chart a successful path through life and one that would enefit not only them but their communities on the whole as well. We would then announce that that world was not far off and that our program was seeking to do just that. Then we would introduce the star of the show, the XO laptop, and have an XO hooked up to a pair of speakers greet the audience and announce the launch of our program using the Speak activity, really giving a face to associate these mysterious computers with. With this and a prayer we decided to retire for the night and finish with the preparations the next morning, with the ceremony scheduled to start at 10 am, Africa Time of course. The next day we had breakfast with the other volunteers and Madame Amelia took care to inform us that she and the other kitchen help had been up to 2 am the cooking for the occassion, a tremendous effort for which we were extremely greatful. We arrived at the Hall at the Jamadianle School arounf 10, having spent some time packing the 20 boxes containing all 100 of the laptops into a van to take over and set up. Once we arrived at the hall we found that the other volunteers had already arrived and there were also a good many kids chatting in the white and purple chairs we had set up the previous day. There were several tables set up nice with table clothes, presumably for the more distinguished clientel that would be arriving to join in the occassion. We quickly unloaded the laptops and set them up around the long table in the center, and then fell to our number one pasttime, waiting. As we sat the rain started to come down even harder and we began to doubt that anyone would brave downpour to attend our launching ceremony, but before too long people began to arrive, along with a massive speaker system and the rest of the UAC staff and we were ready to rock and roll. Among the officials that arrived were the Director of the school project in Mamfe, Mr. Orock's hometown and a place we would be bringing the XO's later in the summer, the directors of several sister NGO's there to support the UAC, the Regional Delegate for Basic Education, the Regional Delegate for Youth Affairs, the Mayor of Buea, and several other important personages. To this distinguished audience we made our introductions and began our presentation. After the centerpiece XO announced the official launch and thanked everyone for attending all of the audience erupted in applause for its computerized performance and the Regional Delegate for Basic Education and then the Mayor delivered long and strident speeches that the audience cheered on at several occassions, and Mr. Orock made his own address to the crowd. During these precedings several of us were called outside to give interviews to the TV station crew that was present and we tried to but on our most professional demeanors for the cameras. The ceremony cumlminated in the government officials each presenting one of the XO's to one of the teachers from the Jamadianle school and we then gave the teachers a mini lesson to demonstrate some of the more impressive features. By this point the time was long and we were hungry for the meal that was to arrive a little later, delayed we were later to learn because the van had become stuck in the mud between Mr. Orock's house and the school. After the officials had drunk their wine and finally moved on, we stacked up the chairs and returned to the volunteer house triumphant, full of confidence that the launching was a success and we were prepared to start class that wednesday...