Our three months in Bolivia: Word for the Week: Forrar

Forrar means to cover...specifically school supplies since it's back-to-school season here. Rosi spent the better part of the weekend before school started forrando for her 4 kids. Here's a picture of Nicol with her portion of school supplies, all covered first in paper AND again in clear plastic by Rosi:

Remember, this is just 1/4 of what she had to cover!

So I was pleased to learn that the Montessori school provided all materials for the students--I figured I wouldn’t have anything para forrar. But not so! It seems one must cover every book, notebook, workbook, spiral notebook, and even manila folders. Everything Elliott was provided at school has been sent home to be covered in specific colors of paper.

I remember covering books in High School, but that was to protect them so they could be used from year to year—so the Algebra book would still be in good shape when we turned them back in. All the items I’ve been asked to wrap for Elliott are blank notebooks and workbooks that won’t be used again. This is certainly not a problem…I just find it a little curious (and time-consuming).

Luckily either the photocopy place or the little "Multimas" (minimart) right down the street has had most of the materials I've needed. So each day this week when Elliott's "homework" has been to have his mother cover a new offering of notebooks, it hasn't been too much trouble to take care of it!