In Joy’s daypack clean out, she discovered:

* Shekels from Israel
* Lyra coins and paper money from Turkey
* Euro coins from Greece
* Candies from Israel, Turkey and Greece
* Shells from beaches along the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas
* Colorful stones from sea shore exploration
* A large rock from the region of the Acropolis
* Pot shards from Turkey and Greece including the rim of a dish, part of a handle, and pieces painted with red and black designs
* Pot shard “pebbles” worn smooth like stones from the shoreline of an Ancient Greek harbor
* Bobby pins to hold back hair on windy tops of ancient tels (hill-like mounds with layers of ancient cities which have succumbed to the destruction of time and weathering to be buried under layers of sediment.)
* A “Whirling Dervish” keychain from the Konya Dervish Hotel nearby the tomb of Rumi and the origin of Sufi Islam
* A bracelet with cobalt glass beads painted into eyes to ward off the “evil eye”
* Lots of cat and dog hair from all the kittens, cats, puppies and dogs Hope has befriended around the world

Thankfully, it did not include additional discoveries and “treasures” like the head of a snake whose brain cavity had already been emptied, leaving the intact skull with it’s covering of scaled skin.

I recognize this cache of treasures differs considerably from the typical stash of crumpled school papers, candy wrappers, leaves, sticks and rocks I used to clean out of my children’s backpacks.

I have struggled mightily with the anxiety that “learning” this year looks nothing like the classroom-based learning to which we are more accustomed.

But when a world schooler empties out their pockets and stories come tumbling out along with treasures, you know the world is truly the best classroom!