Monday, October 10, 2011

Transforming trash!

I bought 30 eggs Saturday.  When you buy eggs here, you have to take your own cardboard trays.  One serves as the bottom and the second one will fit on top once the eggs are put in the bottom tray.  Then to secure the eggs, twine will be twisted all around the two trays and then tied.  When I got home Saturday, I couldn't unknot the twine.  So, I cut it in several places and threw the twine away.  I usually try to save it so it can be re-used.  When I can't get it untied, I just pitch it.

This morning, I emptied my box of laundry detergent.  The box holds 3 kilos (6.6 pounds) of laundry powder - so it is a big box.  I put it by my trash can to be burned with the rest of the trash.  My house helper, Paulina, came later this morning and took the trash to be burned.  Her 3 year old daughter, Akiru, follows her around when she is at work.  So, when they came back in the house, Paulina had the box and the 4 pieces of twine in her hand.  Akiru watched her mom while I tried to figure out what she was doing with the trash.  :)

Paulina proceded to cut a hole in the lid and string the twine through the hole.  She knotted one end of the twine so that the box could be pulled by the twine.  She then told Akiru that she would have to wait until her big brother came to make the rest of it.  I had figured out by this time that she was making a "motaka" - a car.  Big brother, Idi (named after my mom), will find some old plastic lids and somehow attach them to the sides of the box to make the wheels.  Then he might cut what is now the box top - used to be the side - to make a seat.  So, my trash was transformed from trash to toy with just a little imagination!  I asked Paulina to make sure the kids bring the finished product back for me to take a picture.  If they remember, I will be sure to post it for you to see.

2 comments:

  1. So sweet!! That brings back great memories for me. I figured out how to use the parts from a push up (do you remember those?) and one of the cheese and crackers containers (the ones from Kraft that came with the little red spreader) to make a little tiny baby carriage. Children are nothing if not creative when they're left to explore. That's true in every country!

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  2. I do remember the push ups - I loved those. Orange sherbet is one of my favs! Kids can get very creative. I've seen these little cars made out of many things. I just thought my box was a little big, but I guess they will figure it out :).

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