Teaching Tales: Rule # 1: Don't sing 50 Cent songs in Church!!!

I have finally started teaching in my classroom here in Trinidad. I am teaching grade one in a classroom of 12 students. What they lack in numbers they more than make up for in volume! The class is LOUD LOUD LOUD!!!! It also does not help that the classroom is separated by a chalk board, and on the other side of the chalk board is a class of 25 kindergarteners. They are very cute little children, who are also very noisy.

The School is very religious, and on the last Wednesday of every month they have a mass at the Catholic church at the bottom of the mountain. We walk as a group down the mountain and line up outside of the church. I was walking with two boys from the kindergarten class and one older girl named Marsha from the 6th grade class. We passed a man on the road who was making various comments about me and how he wants to "be family" with me etc... In an automatic act of confidence, Marsha turns to the man and says "Have a lil' respec' fo Miss, PLEASE!" I am taken aback. It is a hilarious that an 11 year old girl just stood up for me like that. I say thank you to Marsha.

In the church we wait and wait and wait for things to get started. I was sitting with the older children, and a couple boys in front of me turn around and ask me if I had 50 cents (or so I thought). When I told them that I didn't bring any money to the chuch, they said "no, no, do you know any 50 Cent songs?" (as in the rapper guy). The only one I know happens to be the "Go Charlie, it's your birthday, we gonna party like it's your birthday, gonna sip Bacardi like it's your birthday, cause we don't give a crap cause it's your birthday"... That's all I know of the song, so I sang it and they thought it was hilarious. "How you know that song, Miss?" they ask. "I heard it on the radio" I reply. "But you so old". They are astonished at my knowledge of rap music.

Ok, so I am officially "old" by virtue of being considered a 'teacher'. It was a staggering moment of realization.

The next day at school, the boys rounded up all the students from their classes and demanded that I "sing the song that I sang in Church yesterday!" Oh no. The kids have memories like elephants. A teacher is walking by as the students request the song. I say "you mean Holy Mary Mother of God?" "No Miss, you know Miss, the song about "Go Charlie, it's your birthday..." Hmmm, now they only thing they remember about me is that I am the teacher that sang a 50 Cent song in Church.

Another quite embarrassing problem about teaching at my school is that I sweat an outrageous amount. It is sooooo hot in the building. I sweat through my shirt on the first day. Here is a sampling of comments from the students pertaining to the matter:

"Miss, why you so wet?"
"You sweatin' plenty, Miss"
"Miss, you lookin' like my dad when he get home from huntin'"
"Who bounce you, Miss?" (bounce means to throw a bucket of water on someone in the local creole).

Anyways, I am sure that things will only improve. The kids seem to quite like me so far, which is a good sign. I am looking forward to letting you all know what is new and exciting in my teaching adventures!!!

PS: Keep emailing me because I miss home from time to time!