"The next three days in the schools went just as well, if not better, than the first. As the students got to know us better, they became more response to our methods. Tuesday was our second singing and drumming lesson for each grade, so we were able to add some really neat aspects to our lessons. For example, we sang 'By the Rivers of Babylon' with the Nyabinghi drumming patterns we learned the day before, and we added dancing to the Dinki Mini beat. In our singing lesson, we added harmonies to 'By the Rivers of Babylon,' a solo part to 'Mango Time,' layered parts to 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight,' and a round to 'Oh What a Day.'
We also were able to teach the second grade class today. The lesson was a bit different--we stood in a circle and sang classic children's songs like 'The Wheels on the Bus,' 'The Hokey Pokey,' 'If You're Happy and You Know It,' (so cute!) and 'The Itsy Bitsy Spider.' I led 'Row Row Row Your Boat' and 'Whatta Come A Mi Eye.' Then, they got to solo on the big drum for a little before playing shaker games with us.
Wednesday was just like Tuesday.
Today (Thursday), we simply did recorder lessons all day. It was difficult for a lot of kids, but I think they ended up catching onto some of the concepts and had a fun time. We've been racing a lot at recess, playing handshake games, taking lots of pictures (the kids really, really love using the crazy Snapchat filters), and just hanging out with the kids is such a blessing. And, they still love braiding our hair. so cute and this has been an amazing experience so far. They're a little hard to understand sometimes because they speak quickly and softly with an accent, but we are able to communicate well. All the kids are
They all jump up and down and are very happy when we arrive and gather around our bus to help bring in the supplies, then get very sad at the end of the day when we leave. Tomorrow will definitely be tough, because it will be our last day for good.
This week, we also got to watch some of the kids practice for the Mini Miss Boston Bay pageant. They walked down a runway, answered questions like 'Why do you like your school?' and 'Who is your favorite person and why?' then did a group dance. It was precious.We've been spending our nights getting to know the staff around the huts and just hanging out. Last night, we went to a Rastafarian restaurant (they only eat what comes from the earth), and I got to drink coconut milk straight from the shell! It was good, but I felt a little sick so I couldn't enjoy it as much as I usually might have. Tonight, we are watching a documentary on the economic state of Jamaica."
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