Immediately after finishing their entrance exams, the students here at Padri Vjeko VTC got down to work, each one busy as directed by their teachers, in his or her chosen trade. And so the builders broke up 150 square meters of concrete pavement in one day like it had never been there in the first place. At the same time the tailoring students shortened dozens of new school uniform trousers! The following day the building students used those same concrete chunks to fill all the holes on the local village road, and the tailors were busy shortening the remaining trousers’ hems...!

At the same time, students from the other trades were doing whatever needed to be done in and around the school and, of course, some of them also worked in the school garden. By the way, it is important to note that all of this outdoors’ work is done by hand, without the help of any machines!

With Thursday, also came the realization that there were far more students than there was work to be done - most of the necessary tasks had been completed. Nonetheless, it was evident that every student would rather work than be free that day and go home. Those of us in the so-called “West” would likely prefer to go home and be free, but here it’s quite different… To them it is better to work and be in school than to be free - for a number of reasons... one of which, perhaps, is the daily meal they receive; something many of them don’t have at home. Some of you will perhaps find this strange but, unfortunately, that’s the reality here!

Later that same day, the cement, sand, and everything else needed for the new pavement arrived. However, the day was nearing its end and all work was postponed to the following day… And so they continued to work well like this, as a large, well-managed school team, tackling each job quickly and with so much enthusiasm!

At the end of this first week of school the students’ eagerness to work had not at all diminished. Work was completed, but it seems that they did it like it was some kind of fun. I have to also point out that everything was done very professionally!

The students can’t wait for next week to start and so, neither can we! Back home people go looking for a job, and pray to God that they don’t find it… Here it’s completely different – they pray to God that they find any kind of work!

Translated by: Branimir Mlakić
Edited by: Valerie Kae Ken

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