Afrina Khatun, a Grade 6 student from Shree Nepal Rastra Secondary School, Parsagadhi, Parsa, was one of the many participants who explored the Book Bus. Living right behind the school, Afrina had noticed the big red vehicle arriving and was curious about its purpose. To her delight, the bus stopped at her school, offering her and her friends a chance to interact with something entirely new.
Afrina joined a group of girls to explore the different stalls. The Art Corner, with its colorful crayons and familiar setup, caught her attention first. She spent time drawing and sharing ideas with her friends before deciding to explore more. However, the newness of the tools at some stalls made her hesitant. The Lego station, crowded with her male classmates, felt intimidating. Instead, she and her friends decided to try a less scary station with the "Kheldai Sikdai" (Learning through Play) kit, where the craft materials felt more familiar and easy to use.
With instructions from the guidebook, Afrina tried building a paper car powered by balloons. She had some challenges with poking holes in the bottle cap to make the wheels of the car and the balloon she attached to the straw with masking tape had some leaks in between them. However, after multiple tries, she and her friends figured it out and they built multiple balloon-powered cars and raced them around the stall, their laughter filling the air.
Encouraged by their success, Afrina's group grew bolder. The VR station caught their attention next, and they patiently waited in line. When it was Afrina’s turn, she chose to watch a mermaid show. Initially, she looked straight ahead, as if viewing a phone screen, but soon discovered that she could look all around—even up and down—for a fully engaging experience. The sight of mythical mermaids swimming in cool blue waters transported her far from the hot, sunny day in Bara. The amazement on her face said it all—it was certainly a magical experience for her.
Afrina's journey at the Book Bus is a testament to the power of curiosity and discovery, showing how even hesitant beginnings can lead to moments of wonder.
