Last Monday, which is ALWAYS craft day at the after school program! I took the students outside under the covered area because it was FINALLY raining! Once all of the students were ready we passed out supplies and it was time to make CLAY/PLAYDOUGH! The students had a blast as they slowly figured out what we were making as I gave them one supply at a time! They were so excited to mix all of the ingredient together and once we added food coloring… OoO My… I was the coolest teacher that day!
Needless to say they all enjoyed themselves as many have never made Play Dough before. It is always amazes me still how simple the crafts I do are, they take little materials and the materials that are needed are extremely inexpensive. The students enjoy the crafts like they are extremely in depth, with many materials, and have a high difficulty. I keep it simply because that is what is working!Life does not have to be some long story with many steps! But rather something easy, to the point, and marvelous!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Round Two!
Last Sunday, I went round two with Boiling Lake, a hike I did in December. This time though it was a lot different! One we finished in about 4.5-5 hours compared to the 7-8 hours it took us the first time! This time there was little stopping at the rest area rather we just kept trucking through the hike! Also, I took less pictures, one because I did not want to be left behind and two I took over one hundred pictures the first time, this time I just wanted to enjoy the hike, the nature around me, and the beauty God created for all us to enjoy!
The alarm was supposed to go off around 4:00AM but instead the phone rang with the driver on the other end at 5:00AM! We were in the Van (which is really a truck) by 5:15AM and on the trail a little after 6:00AM! On the way to Boiling Lake it was still a little gloomy with some rain but it was good because it kept the hike cool! We got to the lake around 8:00AM to have some breakfast and take a little break! Then it was time to go back down! It is very rewarding to get to the Boiling Lake but you know you still have two plus hours of hiking plus you have to get out of the ‘Valley of Desolation!’ Which is this heck of a hike to get out of! It is comparable to do the Stair Stepper at the hardest level for about 30mins! But once you get out of the Valley it is smooth sailing!
Around 11 we were finished and enjoying a REALLY REALLY cold lake, worse than Lake Huron! Overall, it was an AMAZING as always! I am hoping to do it five times before I leave. I have done it twice so far, two more times when friends of mine come to visit, and I will just need one more time so each my goal of five!
I am looking forwarding to doing it again when my friend Jessica, who I graduated from the Social Work program with and her mother come down in May! They planned on coming to Dominica before Jessica even knew I was doing the Peace Corps here! I am looking forwarding to experiencing the hike with her and getting one more hike closer to my goal of FIVE!
The alarm was supposed to go off around 4:00AM but instead the phone rang with the driver on the other end at 5:00AM! We were in the Van (which is really a truck) by 5:15AM and on the trail a little after 6:00AM! On the way to Boiling Lake it was still a little gloomy with some rain but it was good because it kept the hike cool! We got to the lake around 8:00AM to have some breakfast and take a little break! Then it was time to go back down! It is very rewarding to get to the Boiling Lake but you know you still have two plus hours of hiking plus you have to get out of the ‘Valley of Desolation!’ Which is this heck of a hike to get out of! It is comparable to do the Stair Stepper at the hardest level for about 30mins! But once you get out of the Valley it is smooth sailing!
Around 11 we were finished and enjoying a REALLY REALLY cold lake, worse than Lake Huron! Overall, it was an AMAZING as always! I am hoping to do it five times before I leave. I have done it twice so far, two more times when friends of mine come to visit, and I will just need one more time so each my goal of five!
I am looking forwarding to doing it again when my friend Jessica, who I graduated from the Social Work program with and her mother come down in May! They planned on coming to Dominica before Jessica even knew I was doing the Peace Corps here! I am looking forwarding to experiencing the hike with her and getting one more hike closer to my goal of FIVE!
Friday, March 26, 2010
“I wish I enjoyed anything as much as my children enjoy Bubbles!”
The above is a quote from the movie “Knocked Up!” I forgot to tell you all this, a few weeks past I decided to make ‘Homemade Bubbles’ with the after school students! We did our craft outside (which I later realized was a HUGE trick and since then they ask me, Miss are we doing crafts outside today!) and I put the students into smalls groups! I tried to make it like a science experiment but having them guess what the items were, mixing it together and what not! I also, got some food coloring so they could color their bubbles!
The students picked out their pipe cleaner to make their wad for bubbles and then I cut out some various shapes for the students as well! That did not last very long and before I knew it the students had their hands all up in the bubble mixture using their hands to make HUG bubbles! It was working better so I just went with it! All I could hear was ‘Miss Look!’ ‘Miss Miss!’ By the end of the craft the students were covered Head to Toe with bubbles and ENORMOUS smiles on their face!
The students picked out their pipe cleaner to make their wad for bubbles and then I cut out some various shapes for the students as well! That did not last very long and before I knew it the students had their hands all up in the bubble mixture using their hands to make HUG bubbles! It was working better so I just went with it! All I could hear was ‘Miss Look!’ ‘Miss Miss!’ By the end of the craft the students were covered Head to Toe with bubbles and ENORMOUS smiles on their face!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Aren't We Just Cute!
You all KNOW How Much I LOVE My Boo-Bear!- My 1.5 year nephew, Austin! This picture was taken on the Second Day of St. Lucia and it is just my FAVORITE! So I thought I would Share!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
‘Miss Why Are You Walking Upside Down?’
I was at the after school program and the students were just hanging out while the other students went to the library! One of the students thought it would be fun to lay on his back, with his head over the edge, so then the world looked upside down. By the time I blinked my eyes all of the students were lined up all looking at the world upside down!
I had to grab my camera and take some pictures of their silliness! Then they wanted me to take some more pictures of them just being them. They were standing really close to me that is why the pictures of so close but I find it tells a better story of who they are! We tried to take a picture together but that did not turn out so well, but at least we tried!
Monday, March 22, 2010
My FIRST Visitor!
Visitors are SUCH a blast especially when you have never met them before until that day! Yes, a little explaining must be done!
One day, I was looking through my comments and noticed one from an individual I had not seen before! It said something a long the lines of, I am a past Peace Corps volunteer, here is my blog, and my wife and I are coming to Dominica on a Cruise, let’s meet up! Yes, my fun little blog, which I enjoy to do, has introduced me to, two spectacular individuals; Joel and Sara!
I am just thrilled to have them and show them around the ‘Real’ Dominica and not just what tourist will see! Joel had his Peace Corps hat on and I spotted them after a few minutes and our adventure began! We went to the office, showed them around, they brought me some goodies! Joel works at a Hardware Store and brought me some VERY interesting items that will test my creative and craft ability, but Joel don’t worry pictures will soon be coming of the finished crafts! ;)
After that, my amazing Host Mother came to town to pick us up and I was able to take them to my village to show them my home, the Garden my Landlord owns, and the beautifully peaceful Catholic Retreat Area in my village. Later did I find out Sara worked part-time at a floral shop! My village was perfect for them!
In my eyes the best part was one I could introduce my two new friends to my Pre-School students! Today was my reading program day and I invited Joel and Sara (both retired Teachers) to read to my students! It worked out well because the Primary School students were not there, so Joel, Sara, and I read to the students and it went so well! It made my soul smile seeing Joel and Sara read to them, Sara taught the students a song, and Joel was doing all sorts of fun little hand movements and gestures with his group! Naturally, after the hard work with the students, the heat, it was time for lunch! I took them to my Favorite Restaurant, Cold Pot, and we all enjoyed a GREAT traditional Creole Lunch together! A great way to end an excellent day!
Even though they read my blog, it was MARVOLOUS to show them, a normal life in the shoes of Michelle! I got to introduce them to the most important individual in my life on island, my Host Mother! I was also able to share the joy the pre-schoolers give me with two other individuals! I hope they enjoyed their time here as much as I enjoyed showing them around!
One day, I was looking through my comments and noticed one from an individual I had not seen before! It said something a long the lines of, I am a past Peace Corps volunteer, here is my blog, and my wife and I are coming to Dominica on a Cruise, let’s meet up! Yes, my fun little blog, which I enjoy to do, has introduced me to, two spectacular individuals; Joel and Sara!
I am just thrilled to have them and show them around the ‘Real’ Dominica and not just what tourist will see! Joel had his Peace Corps hat on and I spotted them after a few minutes and our adventure began! We went to the office, showed them around, they brought me some goodies! Joel works at a Hardware Store and brought me some VERY interesting items that will test my creative and craft ability, but Joel don’t worry pictures will soon be coming of the finished crafts! ;)
After that, my amazing Host Mother came to town to pick us up and I was able to take them to my village to show them my home, the Garden my Landlord owns, and the beautifully peaceful Catholic Retreat Area in my village. Later did I find out Sara worked part-time at a floral shop! My village was perfect for them!
In my eyes the best part was one I could introduce my two new friends to my Pre-School students! Today was my reading program day and I invited Joel and Sara (both retired Teachers) to read to my students! It worked out well because the Primary School students were not there, so Joel, Sara, and I read to the students and it went so well! It made my soul smile seeing Joel and Sara read to them, Sara taught the students a song, and Joel was doing all sorts of fun little hand movements and gestures with his group! Naturally, after the hard work with the students, the heat, it was time for lunch! I took them to my Favorite Restaurant, Cold Pot, and we all enjoyed a GREAT traditional Creole Lunch together! A great way to end an excellent day!
Even though they read my blog, it was MARVOLOUS to show them, a normal life in the shoes of Michelle! I got to introduce them to the most important individual in my life on island, my Host Mother! I was also able to share the joy the pre-schoolers give me with two other individuals! I hope they enjoyed their time here as much as I enjoyed showing them around!
Saturday, March 20, 2010
I hope this duct taped rope can hold me up!
Yes, that was the thought going through my head as I was embarking on this amazing journey, with legs trembling, and hands shaking to see a waterfall, which falls directly into the Atlantic Ocean.
A little back round story. A fellow PCV Alicia, her brother and his girlfriend came to visit for the week and rented a car. When coming to Dominica it is KEY to rent a car if you want to go to the really cool hikes, waterfalls, etc because everything is VERY hard to get to and transportation to those areas do not run at all or it is very limited! We all hopped into the car to visit another PCV Judy, who has MORE energy then my entire group combined and she is a fifty plus volunteer! Basically she is a celebrity in her village and has done amazing work with the children, the adults, built a disaster shelter, and turtles (she LOVES her turtles!) Her village is located on the East Coast about an hour away from town!
Before we began our hiking, we stopped at her friends farm, walked around the farm, ate some Jellies (Coconuts), and Sugar Cane! Yummy! Then we went to her house to have a little lunch and then the journey began!
This hike is not a long hike but it is on the dangerous side! One at a time with Judy leading the way, we were going down the side of a cliff holding onto ropes, roots, and anything else we could grip onto. The ones that read this and know me, know I am not a very brave and adventurous girl (even though I love the thrill, I do not put up a fearless front!) There were moments I thought to myself if I slip, I will fall of this ladder and die, and it was as simple as that! Needless to say, we all made it safely with only a few little scraps!
The end was AMAZING! As I approached the beach I looked over to this breathtaking waterfall that was falling onto the beach! Because of the drought, the change of tide, and basically Mother Nature; it was different then it had been in the past. Usually one must climb on some rocks to get to the waterfall and have to go into the ocean but this time, it was just falling right onto the beach and when I was under the waterfall it felt like the perfect shower head presser!
After playing in the waterfall and the ocean it was time to go to the river! Nothing with Judy is easy and everything is an adventure! The river was the same! The river was made of about 10+ different pools with a little waterfall separating the pools. We climbed each littler waterfall to get to the next! After we all got use to the cold water, it was very refreshing and I enjoyed every moment of it!
A little back round story. A fellow PCV Alicia, her brother and his girlfriend came to visit for the week and rented a car. When coming to Dominica it is KEY to rent a car if you want to go to the really cool hikes, waterfalls, etc because everything is VERY hard to get to and transportation to those areas do not run at all or it is very limited! We all hopped into the car to visit another PCV Judy, who has MORE energy then my entire group combined and she is a fifty plus volunteer! Basically she is a celebrity in her village and has done amazing work with the children, the adults, built a disaster shelter, and turtles (she LOVES her turtles!) Her village is located on the East Coast about an hour away from town!
Before we began our hiking, we stopped at her friends farm, walked around the farm, ate some Jellies (Coconuts), and Sugar Cane! Yummy! Then we went to her house to have a little lunch and then the journey began!
This hike is not a long hike but it is on the dangerous side! One at a time with Judy leading the way, we were going down the side of a cliff holding onto ropes, roots, and anything else we could grip onto. The ones that read this and know me, know I am not a very brave and adventurous girl (even though I love the thrill, I do not put up a fearless front!) There were moments I thought to myself if I slip, I will fall of this ladder and die, and it was as simple as that! Needless to say, we all made it safely with only a few little scraps!
The end was AMAZING! As I approached the beach I looked over to this breathtaking waterfall that was falling onto the beach! Because of the drought, the change of tide, and basically Mother Nature; it was different then it had been in the past. Usually one must climb on some rocks to get to the waterfall and have to go into the ocean but this time, it was just falling right onto the beach and when I was under the waterfall it felt like the perfect shower head presser!
After playing in the waterfall and the ocean it was time to go to the river! Nothing with Judy is easy and everything is an adventure! The river was the same! The river was made of about 10+ different pools with a little waterfall separating the pools. We climbed each littler waterfall to get to the next! After we all got use to the cold water, it was very refreshing and I enjoyed every moment of it!
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