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Some issues with the Ambassador of São Tomé to the USA (whose name I will not mention) who told me he'd write me a letter that I can present at customs to prove that the laptops are donations, but now has gone back on his word. Luckily I have some backups- three letters written from various people involved in the "laptop receiving" process. I'm also hoping that one of my friends can come to the airport when I arrive and explain to the customs officials what I'm doing.
Miguel recently emailed me telling me that a whole bunch of the students' chargers were not working. Luckily, we have a lot of them in the STeP UP office and he was able to go there and pick them up. Woohoo!
The teachers have taken the computers back from the students temporarily while they go through final exams and before the computer classes start. Not sure how I feel but I'm happy that the teachers are taking an initiative that they feel responsible for.
Other things on the "to do" list:
- Find fundraising options for my project, potentially involving other people who will help to fundraise for us
- Print out a bunch of learning materials I have assembled in Portuguese over the past few months so that teachers can have them
- Sweet-talk Staples or some other place to print out 120 color certificates for our students in São Tomé when they finish the summer program
- Finish translating the Etoys lessons in Portuguese, get Etoys games and translate them too so that we can have some Etoys fun this summer
- Re-write my funding proposal and print it, to give to UNICEF and the Ministry of Education
- Make said appointments with UNICEF and the Ministry of Education
- Find E-books for children in Portuguese, if possible
- Figure out how to get my luggage onto my TAP flight in Lisbon without paying enormous fees (got it waived in Boston but Portugal will be a whole other puzzle)
- Potentially download Quicktime Pro (or something else that works in .ogg format) so that the kids can make their own movies that can go onto their XOs
- Get some last-minute funds
- Look into hiring someone full-time in STP who can take care of things while I'm gone. A mentor of sorts??
- Stress like crazy
- Be super excited to head back to São Tomé!
If you can help with any of these things, please do let me know.
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kevix here. the xo's can play ogg vorbis (audio) and ogg theora(video). But there are tool to convert to and from other formats that might be patent-encumbered. I do not know if you are looking to just play video or want to transcode it into ogg theora. email help@laptop.org with what you are trying to do.
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