Music Teacher Happiness

I was quite a bit worried this morning about a.) playing the piano and leading my music students in Mass and b.) the students singing loud enough. Turns out, they sounded absolutely beautiful! (No major piano mishaps either). I was so proud of them. Mr. Jose (guitar player/singer/teacher) even added a great guitar rhythm in for the closing hymn and I totally had a "music moment" where I was truly touched. I could not have been more proud of them! I had a rough class with the boys on Tuesday "Miss, this is booooring" (we were doing music theory) but a great class with the girls (that picked me back up again). Then I found at the day before that we were actually singing this week (I thought we were singing next week or later). Plus, the music system is not the best at school so at times it seems like a gamble: Is the piano too loud? (usually it is) Can we hear the students? Are they on key? Do they even have their hymn books? This time I came prepared. Half (or more) did not have their hymn books but I printed out lyrics ahead of time just in case. But it all worked out---praise God!

I would also like to ask for some prayers. A young girl in the Benque community is currently in the hospital in a coma---she needs a lot of prayer, as does her family. I would also like to ask for prayers for "Student Y". He is going through a very difficult time right now and could use all the prayers he can get! Thank you again for all of your support, generosity, care, and prayers. It is such a blessing to be here and to be able to "pour out" to this community and to these kids. They are amazing and a true light to my life. I could not have gotten here without your help. I will be praying for all of you on Mondays!

God Bless.

I think I'm in Love...

...with seventeen 1st, 2nd, and 3rd form boys! Let me explain.

We recently started softball season out here. Practices began about two or three weeks ago, with anywhere from 7 to 18 kids showing up. We've been throwing softballs around and hitting in the small field that sits in the center of our campus. The softballs gracefully BANG(!) onto the tin roofs of the food-processing room and the bio lab a well as the basketball court. It's a miracle we have not taken out a student leaving school. It honestly reminds me of the sandlot, some of us playing in bare feet and tripping on the grass (a kid was even wearing converse sneakers the other day). Miss Brynne is head coach and Mr. Mike W., Mr. Mike D., and I are assistant
coaches. The first few days of practice, we were wincing as softballs dropped from gloves every three seconds. Some of these students had no idea about the game of baseball/softball. We worked them on the field after school and tried to get kids to throw double plays and "turn and go!" in the outfield. The outfield was terrifying. (These guys have come a long way!)

Slowly but surely, we found players that fit in the various positions and we began having them work on batting. The softball season here is a tad bit short: two games to be exact. This is because there are not many schools that play softball/baseball. Last week we had our first game against "Mopan" who beats us at every sport. They come out with spiffy new uniforms and the knowledge of Mount Carmel High School being the high school that has literally lost every game we've played this year. We run out in our donated uniforms ("Miss! Why does it say "Ladies Medium" on this tag?" Woops. Thought they wouldn't notice) and start throwing balls around.

We were down by four in the first inning. Great. It's over. The kids at MCHS are so used to losing that they will root for the other team or ask at a game, "Are we losing?". Okay, it's not over yet we have plenty of innings. Before we know it, we catch up and end up winning 8-4! Our first MCHS sports win of the year! I ran out and just about knocked over the left-fielder out of excitement. It was an amazing feeling! We coaches wondered if we were more excited than the students!

The second game (and the game that could be our ticket to regionals) was yesterday afternoon. We played at a tournament this weekend and did surprisingly well with two wins and one loss and two homeruns as well as a blowout game 11-1! The boys were so excited. They just kept on hitting...everytime I looked up the ball was a line-drive into the outfield. Then it started pouring and we were soaked. Next thing I knew we were trying to climb over a little stream to get to our lunch and Brynne and I were falling all over ourselves into the mud. The tournament ended up getting postponed due to weather. (We were at the top of the tournament when we last checked but not every team was able to play as many games as us...so we will see).


Yesterday afternoon, we beat Mopan again 14-9. It was a glorious win and a fantastic feeling to be going to regionals! The boys got the fabulous idea of spraying everyone with water after we won so we were all wet (this seems to be a trend). Regionals are this weekend---wish us luck and say a prayer! (Still not sure if God helps teams win sports but it's worth a shot haha)

It's an amazing thing to see these guys grow as a team and in their friendships. They are a joy to get to know---each one with their own distinct personality. They are all so different but each one brings a light to my life out here in Belize. They are young enough that they still think Brynne and I are "cool" and they are like our little brothers: it is one of the greatest gifts I have received in my time in Belize. I am very grateful for each one of them.


Brynne: Who would have guessed that Mt. Carmel's only win would be in softball?
1st form player: God knew, Miss...God knew.

Thank you, Enrique Iglesias

After watching a few episodes of Glee (which, by the way, I do not necessarily recommend watching), I was inspired to give music class a face-lift. This meant getting slightly creative. So with the help of a fellow teacher, we picked out some songs that the kids might like doing. There is a very popular song out here by Enrique Iglesias called "Cuando me enamoro". It's a very fun, bachata-style song with a relatively relaxed tempo. Well, these boys were practically model singing students on Tuesday (Gasp! I know). I gave a few of them solos and had some of them pair up to sing the verses and they were fantastic. They still need some work (they sing too softly because they are nervous) but it was a wonderful break from the pulling-of-teeth that I face half of the time. My only concern is finding more songs that are this much of a hit with them. I gave out no "Jugs" (detentions) and did not send anyone out of the room. A miracle indeed!

Next, I had the girls. A few students and I have been working on "Take a Bow" and it went over okay. Problem is, the girls have now been taking the attitudinal-wand within the past few weeks. A good amount of them were singing and did a great job but then of course there is always the bunch that just has to talk and chatter or worse, whine. "Ayyyy, Miss!" You would think they would be grateful to have a new song because we have been working on hymns for the past few weeks. One girl literally said to me at the end of class (whining):
"But I don't know it, miss."
"Well, that is part of music class. It's about learning new songs."
"You can't force me to learn it."
Ugh. And this is a student that is usually pretty good in class. To top it off, the girl who had been chatting on and off all class decided to pass candy right in front of me. This is what happened:
"I see your candy. " (Here I stick out my hand for it)
"Miss, it's an...eraser."
"Right. Hand it over."
"It's an eraser!"
"It's not an eraser, I saw it."
Pause.
(Hand still sticking out)
Finally she hands it over. I look at it.
"Do we lie at Mt. Carmel high School?"
No's are heard along with yes's (really, people?).
I'm holding the red square in my hand trying to figure out what I'm going to do with it. I am definitely not giving it back to her. I don't have a pocket. So I did what any right-minded-volunteer-teacher-from-America-that-isn't-always-as-mean-in-class-as-she-should-be would do, I took off the wrapper and ate it. I ate it right there in front of them. As I stuck it in my mouth, I hoped that it really was candy and not an eraser.
The girls burst out:
"Oh my gosh, Miss!!"
Laughter heard everywhere.
"Good for you, Miss."
"Ahhhhh!!"

If you are wondering, it was gum and it was rather tasty.
:)

A treasure

Liturgy prep is a treasure of Benque life. I love it. Every Saturday morning, a group of S.O.L.T. candidates, priests, sister, some volunteers, and some students meet in the convent after morning Mass and we enjoy delicious breakfast and reflect on Scripture. We look at the readings from the next Sunday Mass and reflect and then share. It is similar to a Bible study. It is simple, yet I have found that it is one of the greatest treasures in my volunteer life out here.

There is something so moving and consoling about reflecting upon Scripture. I love that everyone has their own personal touch to their reflection and often remind or inspire me of things I may never have thought of. It is a flame to my mission "fire" that at times grows dim by the end of a week.

Praise God for Liturgy prep!

Words of Inspiration

"I have the body of a cheetah and an engine like a Ferrari. No one can stop me miss, no one can stop me."

-1st form student

Call me Grace

Every time I attempt to tell myself, "Beth, you are not that clutsy," I am pleasantly surprised.

A few days ago after wishing a third form class a good day, I turned right around and walked into a fan. Obviously I added a bow in at the end to save what little pride I had left. Usually following these situations, I begin to remind myself that this doesn't happen that often and that I haven't tripped that much in the streets of Benque and that this is the first fan I've walked into since teaching out here.

One day later: One of my students was cleaning the chapel for a detention and I was going in to bring the chairs I left in there back into my office. I picked up the nice, wooden chair and as I lifted it, the top ricocheted off the wall and rammed right into my face. Yes, into my face. Ow. I don't really remember what my student did...I think he just kind of stared and said "Are you okay?" I scuttled out of the room with my hand clutched to my head saying, "Yes, yes."

Sigh.

There is nothing like...

There is nothing like playing softball on a sunny afternoon. Now I can say: there is nothing like playing softball with my students in Belize on a sunny afternoon! I am helping coach the boy's softball team and I don't know what it is about it, but I am just loving playing with them! I am getting a taste of what my coaches must have felt like teaching us the sport all those years. I did not realize how much I knew about softball until I went out there and tried to help them. I love connecting with them outside of the classroom in this way and being able to support them and the school. It is probably the sport we are most likely to excel in (we are a bit of an "underdog" school in sports, if you will) so we are going to try our best. We still have a long way to go but it is great to get to know these kids better and help them with their fielding and batting. Our first game is in a couple of weeks so we need to teach them rules, running, tagging, stealing, catching, etc. It is always an adventure in Benque :)