After our wonderful rehearsal on Tuesday last week, everything started to go downhill. I started the project with about thirty kids, but after the first few days, twenty or so were consistent in coming every day. Then exams and final projects started, and attendance hovered around fifteen. I found out last week that the music teacher started telling the kids they didn't have to come to practice anymore. Because of this, after our awesome rehearsal last Tuesday, I had six. Wednesday and Thursday there were four. Friday there was no class because the music teacher at the school was going to play soccer with his friends and didn't want to come open the door. Yesterday there was no class because the Pope was visiting Ecuador and everyone stayed home to watch coverage of his visit all day. Today, there was one student because of more exams and construction in our rehearsal space.
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed, upset, and frustrated. Music is a performing art. I wanted so badly to perform what we worked on over the past six weeks for the parents, teachers, and other volunteers. The students' excitement and the audiences' enjoyment are what make all of our hard work worth it. I wanted a product to show, something to be proud of. I guess that's out of the question.
I'll be finishing my time here like I started: working at the Center for the Arts. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though. I miss working with those kids, the ones that are excited to learn and totally absorbed in every small moment of music making. I've also learned the most from those students and the teacher there. She is warm, welcoming, and loving; she wants the children to develop a well-rounded love for the art. She and her students have taught me more than the teacher at the high school ever could.
Even if the teaching situation hasn't been ideal, I have had a wonderful few days doing tourist things! On Saturday, a group of us went beach hopping. We travelled through this crazy unkept path through what felt like a jungle in the mountains. It took us about 45 minutes to reach a beach that wasn't even a beach; it had so many rocks that there was barely any sand and no access to the ocean! It was worth the adventure though! We went snorkeling in my favorite spot, Tigetretas, and watched the sunset on the beach on the way back.
On Sunday we took a boat tour of the island. We got to see all of the things we never knew existed! We snorkeled in one place called Punta Pitt, swimming with giant schools of fish. We went deep sea fishing where I caught two 25lb yellow-finned tuna. We explored lava fields that were left behind by the volcano that formed the island of San Cristobal over 4 million years ago. We fed the heads of the fish we caught to the sharks! We went to Kicker Rock, this rock made of volcanic ash that is home to millions of fish, sharks, and birds. It was an awesome day!
On Monday none of the volunteers worked because of the Pope visiting Ecuador. Consquelo and Albert took our family - all seven volunteers in our house - to the highlands. We went to this beautiful lookout spot where you could see literally the whole island; it was incredible. Then we went to this amazing treehouse called "Tarzan's House." It has a bedroom, a bathroom, and a little kitchen and living room. It was the coolest thing I've seen here, and it's only $25/night to stay in; if I'm ever back here, I'm staying there! After, we went to the farm of a family friend. We picked oranges, papayas, mandarins, avocados, pineapple, bananas, and blackberries. They had chickens as well, and it was extremely entertaining watching them jump up to pick at the bananas from the trees!
In my last few days here, I want to revisit some of my favorite places. I'm hoping to go back to El Junco, go kayaking, snorkel at Tigeretas, and watch sunset with the lobos. It's so weird to think that I may never be back to such a beautiful place with such welcoming people. I'm going to miss it all so much!
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed, upset, and frustrated. Music is a performing art. I wanted so badly to perform what we worked on over the past six weeks for the parents, teachers, and other volunteers. The students' excitement and the audiences' enjoyment are what make all of our hard work worth it. I wanted a product to show, something to be proud of. I guess that's out of the question.
I'll be finishing my time here like I started: working at the Center for the Arts. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though. I miss working with those kids, the ones that are excited to learn and totally absorbed in every small moment of music making. I've also learned the most from those students and the teacher there. She is warm, welcoming, and loving; she wants the children to develop a well-rounded love for the art. She and her students have taught me more than the teacher at the high school ever could.
Even if the teaching situation hasn't been ideal, I have had a wonderful few days doing tourist things! On Saturday, a group of us went beach hopping. We travelled through this crazy unkept path through what felt like a jungle in the mountains. It took us about 45 minutes to reach a beach that wasn't even a beach; it had so many rocks that there was barely any sand and no access to the ocean! It was worth the adventure though! We went snorkeling in my favorite spot, Tigetretas, and watched the sunset on the beach on the way back.
On Sunday we took a boat tour of the island. We got to see all of the things we never knew existed! We snorkeled in one place called Punta Pitt, swimming with giant schools of fish. We went deep sea fishing where I caught two 25lb yellow-finned tuna. We explored lava fields that were left behind by the volcano that formed the island of San Cristobal over 4 million years ago. We fed the heads of the fish we caught to the sharks! We went to Kicker Rock, this rock made of volcanic ash that is home to millions of fish, sharks, and birds. It was an awesome day!
On Monday none of the volunteers worked because of the Pope visiting Ecuador. Consquelo and Albert took our family - all seven volunteers in our house - to the highlands. We went to this beautiful lookout spot where you could see literally the whole island; it was incredible. Then we went to this amazing treehouse called "Tarzan's House." It has a bedroom, a bathroom, and a little kitchen and living room. It was the coolest thing I've seen here, and it's only $25/night to stay in; if I'm ever back here, I'm staying there! After, we went to the farm of a family friend. We picked oranges, papayas, mandarins, avocados, pineapple, bananas, and blackberries. They had chickens as well, and it was extremely entertaining watching them jump up to pick at the bananas from the trees!
In my last few days here, I want to revisit some of my favorite places. I'm hoping to go back to El Junco, go kayaking, snorkel at Tigeretas, and watch sunset with the lobos. It's so weird to think that I may never be back to such a beautiful place with such welcoming people. I'm going to miss it all so much!