First stop, Runaway Bay Jamaica!

Visiting Jamaica was the first time that I have traveled outside of the United States and it was the first time I was on a plane – first time for everything so I had a lot to indulge in while on this experience. I am so glad this was my first experience as it relates to traveling abroad; it was very spiritually moving. However, the first stop we made on this trip was Runaway Bay, which was an all-inclusive resort. I was a little put off by the act of engaging in being a tourist because of my personal beliefs and what we have learned in EDUC 262; it almost does some sort of disservice to the countries we visit. This, however, was not the experience for the Augie Jamaica 2019 group; we all engaged quite well with the workers at the resort which these interactions were no surface level. On the second night, for example, Ally, Autumn, Kacey and myself were able to talk some workers about Vybz Kartel, politics (in Jamaica and the United States – which they knew a lot about our current president and those that live within Jamaica. These folks were also surprised about how much we knew the music there, especially Dancehall and the artists. Being a tourist is quite interesting, one could either take the country without the people or engage and learn from those within the land of the country. The latter is what I choose to do no matter where we traveled to on the trip.

Goodbyes to the student's in 3P at Alpha and the students at Trench Town Reading Centre

The act of goodbyes have no doubt always been the hardest for me. Add on the layer of leaving some of the most beautiful, dedicated, and intelligent children in a space that was so welcoming to our group was very difficult and left me a little empty on the inside. However, a motto I live by is 'Do not be sad because it's over but be grateful for all those who have been encountered and the wonderful experiences you have endured'. I am grateful for having the opportunity to experience the Jamaican education system, where the young men and women take school very serious and are dedicated to improving the conditions within Jamaica. Though these students were not equipped with crayons and paper, these individual undoubtedly made the best out of their situations and utilized all the tools that they were provided with, and their mind being the most powerful. Lastly on the students at Alpha, I was amazed at the question of 'What is it like to be a Black person in America?'. There is great sense of inquiry from these young people - always wanting to know more about experiences outside of theirs - which made it difficult to depart from Jamaica. 

On the other hand, the students in Trench Town held a huge impact on my heart. These individuals were dedicated everyday after school to visiting Natalie and I, which I am sure they make it their business to attend even if there are not visitors. To known that these children included us in a space that allows them to be agents of change within the community was so interesting. Lastly, I am so thankful that I was taught a physical Jamaican game called Dog on Bone; where there would be two teams, with the same number of players, on the opposite sides of the field. There would then be a ball or shoe, which all the players and including myself preferred, and we would have to run and get it, or lik the opponent if they grabbed the shoe first. All of these joyous and playful moments made it difficult to depart. 

Community and empowerment!

 Before arriving in the country Jamaica, I held a lot of worries about visiting this place; I was certainly unsure about how I would be perceived and treated being that I someone from the African Diaspora, however, I do not hold any real connections to my roots and heritage. The constant question of ‘Would I be welcomed in this space similar to my peers?’ crossed my mind a lot. Nevertheless, once landing in Jamaica and navigating our way through different parts, I was welcomed with open arms and was pointed out as a “brethren” quite a few times. Though there has been a lot of negative thoughts and ideas voiced about Trench Town, this was one of the spaces that I felt the warmest and affirmed in my identity of being a Black person in a majority Black Country. I am sure this is a result of a shared experiences of the ways in which I was raised and also the connection I built with Breezy, Stoneman, Auntie Sweets, and all of the children at the Trench Town Reading Centre.

To Breezy,

    I am thankful for your advice about the importance of after school programs for Black Children, especially in communities and areas where there is not a strong oasis – where young Black kids could be empowered and have a safe space to heal and be in community with others who have the same experience. Lastly, thank you for stating that you and your community would always be watching out for me.

 To Stoneman,

    Thank you for the beautiful art piece and the words of encourage about how us all people are connected to each other and the earth.

Auntie Sweets,

    Thank you for showing me how to be an agent of change in even some of the darkest times and spaces – this is also an important characteristic to illustrate to younger generations.

To the after school children at Trench Town Reading Centre,

    Thank you all for the most beautiful moments and your dedication to interacting and teaching us from America.

Tourist Jamaica vs. Teaching Jamaica

I believe that it was a very valuable experience to be able to be immersed in many different sides of Jamaica on our trip across the island. We had talked a lot about the tourist industry in Jamaica, so it was interesting to be fully immersed in a typical tourist destination on the island. I could tell that the employees were working very hard to please the guests and they were taking extra care to ensure that everyone had a good time. Being on the resort was fun of course, but it was upsetting to know that most of the other guests would never step foot off the resort or try to understand the country they were visiting. I am very glad that we were able to have the opportunity to learn in depth about Jamaica before traveling there because the group was aware of the above concerns and we were excited about leaving the resort to experiencing more of what Jamaica had to offer. Our second week in Kingston to me seemed to be almost a complete 180 from the resort. We were no longer surrounded by other tourists, and we for sure stood out, especially at the school. But it was at this point in the trip where I learned the most, and the point in the trip that I loved the most. Interacting with Jamaican citizen and learning about their schools and country is something that I will never forget. Being with the students at Alpha academy taught me a lot about the kind of teacher that I want to eventually be. It also reminded me to keep in mind the uniqueness of each of the students I will encounter and to highly value each unique personality I encounter in the classroom. I understand that most tourists would not consider traveling to places outside the resort, including Kingston because of the "dangers" that are around. But I hope that more people will realize that there is going to be danger wherever you go, an you cannot avoid it in any country. If you are willing to look past your assumptions ans rumors you have heard, you can find beauty and incredible experiences wherever you go, as I found at Alpha academy in Kingston and all across the island of Jamaica.

Blog Post 3 - Final Days at Alpha

Throughout the entire week at Alpha Primaary, I learned so much from the students and stafff. I learned how fortunate I am to have had the space and the materials I used throughout my primary education. I learned to be grateful for the toys I played with at recess and the playground to climb on. Even though the students lacked these things I felt were essential growing up, the students were as happy as can be. There were not upset that they didn’t have any toys to play with at recess, the played bottle flip. They were not sad that they couldn’t play on their playground, they played hide and seek instead. They were not mad that they were outside, they began to make up their own game to see how long they could stand on the hot pavement. They made everything a game, and there was always a smile on their faces. It was a humbling experience to spend time with these amazing students. They are so intelligent and community oriented and I hope that I can bring some of that insight into my classroom in the United States. These students left an impact on my life and I hope they are all successful in the future.

Alpha and Trench Town

 My experience within Jamaica has been unreal. I have never felt more fulfilled yet sad to leave a place in my entire life. I have met so many vibrant, kind, and wild people along the ride. Jamaica is warm, not just in weather, but in culture and personalities. I absolutely adored working with the students, the teachers, and meeting the locals.  Dr. Egan was so right, there is no beauty like the ghetto. On the first day, our group walked around Trenchtown and had the BEST tour guide, Breeze. He was so proud of his hometown and really emphasized how they are all a family. You could tell by his presences and personality that he knew everyone in town and really did think of them as a family. In America, we are so individualistic and proud, that we don’t often consider that by sometimes helping others we are also helping ourselves. After walking around Trenchtown, we were then brought to the Trenchtown reading center. This is where I met the amazing Kianna. (I really hope I am spelling this right!) Dr. Scarlett pointed out to me that she had Augie student to read with her, so I went up to her and asked if she wanted to read with me. We sat there and read 3 books together. She was so sweet and such a great reader! We bonded so much, and she was the reason that I came back on Friday for our last day there! This program is such an incredible opportunity to encourage reading, learning, and community engagement. I would love to come back and work with the Trenchtown reading center again in the near future.

For 5 days during the week, we shadowed and taught at Alpha Primary. Rachel and I were put into 1^st grade, and we did not expect to fall so in love with the little kiddos. We were given so many notes, hugs, “I love you’s”, hair pets, and a few unexpected kisses on the cheeks. These kids were so sweet and kind to us. Even though they were oh-so sweet, they were still first graders which can be a handful at times. Our teacher Mrs. Latibeaudere had a tight handle on classroom management. She told us that with 43 students in her class, she had to have great classroom management. There were a few things I noticed in comparison to my own education in the United States. These 6/7 year olds were learning more advanced information than our 6/7 year olds in the United States. One of the questions on their math test really shocked me. It was basically a multiplication word problem, multiplying 10 x 10. Another problem talked about have 3 bundles of sticks, with 7 sticks in each bundle. But one bundle broke and lost 3 sticks. How many total sticks do you have now? This seemed very advanced! However, some of the students were actually understanding and drawing the problem. I was incredibly impressed. I wish we were able to see more instruction rather than just testing, but I am still so thankful we were able to see the small snippet of the classroom that we did. I loved meeting all of the students. They all had such great smiles and hearts. Working with these kids, made me want to work as a teacher in Jamaica. It is very different than America in some respects, but that is okay with me. I was so moved by these students and this community, that it made me want to stay in Trenchtown. I can only hope I made as much an impression on them, as they did with me. I will never forget my time at Alpha.

To all those people that told me to “not go off of the resort”,

How would I have met all of these beautiful and rich souls if I stayed on the all-inclusive soil the whole time?

Sea Cliff

Sea Cliff was filled with adventure. For those people who do not know me well, I love nature and adventures! Sea cliff was a perfect combination of those two things for me. I did enjoy the “free” alcoholic beverages and food at the all-inclusive, but part of me was ready for some fun off the resort! I was ready to experience the culture and experience the culture we did. The first night we pulled up to some random beach and began hopping in the waves! These waves were HUGE! Some of them genuinely knocked me off of my feet. But the feeling of the waves in my hair and the sand on my toes felt all too amazing, I never wanted to leave. Another highlight of our stay at Sea Cliff was when we played dominos at a bar. Prior to this, I thought we were really getting the hang of playing dominos. However, the Jamaicans absolutely crushed us in dominos. At multiple points, I had someone behind me telling me what to play, so I wouldn’t lose too brutally. It blew my mind that they would react and play a move immediately after someone played! They were so quick that it seemed like they knew what your hand was before you even played a domino. This was by far one of my favorite nights of the trip.

I also loved going to the Blue Lagoon and Reach Falls. When we came along the Blue Lagoon, there were 2 men climbing up the tree and doing flips off of the rope swing into the water. This looked like such a blast. However, the way they were climbing the tree required 2 things I don’t have: height and upper body strength. I didn’t want these two faults to deter me from jumping off this tree, so I found a back way to climb up the tree and was successful in jumping off the rope swing twice! The last day we were in sea class, we went to Reach Falls and it was absolutely amazing. I love climbing rocks, trees, and swimming so this was a perfect combination of all three. I was right next to the tour guide the entire time! When he said dive, I dove. If he said jump, I jumped! I loved the sense of adventure this part of the trip created. However, the best part was jumping off of the waterfall! The water was so clear and felt so nice on my sunburn, I had to do it more than once! I felt so free and I will forever remember this moment.

All-Inclusive

Jamaica is warm! Not just in the weather, but the culture and the people are so warm and inviting. The resort was really nice! I am so glad we were able to swim in the water and lay on the beach. After the winter we have had, I never want to leave the warmth again. I really enjoyed talking to the workers at the resort. There were 4 people in particular that I talked to the most: Lorree, Sabrina, Jamar, and Marcus. Kacey, Kewan, Autumn, and I talked to them a lot about their culture, their thoughts on Americans, and their music preferences. They were all very shocked that we knew who Vybz Kartel was. After a quick survey, I have come to realize that many people think that Vybz was framed. I asked them why and one of them thought it was because he had such a high pull with younger people that it could be threatening to the government. I do not know much about Vybz, expect the small little things we learned in class. Now I want to read his book even more! I also asked them if they all listen to Bob Marley. They all said they loved Bob Marley! I then asked them if they associate any artist with America as we do with Bob Marley and Jamaica. They said that no one in particular stood out in their mind. Throughout our stay, I could not get out of my mind Here Comes the Sun. I hope and hope that none of the workers had to endure a life similar to Margot while working at that resort.

Blog #3

Working with the children at Alpha Primary in Kingston was one of the best experiences of my life. I was moved to tears on the first day when the entire school sang the national anthem together. I think the Jamaican national anthem is so more humble and powerful than the American national anthem. It is hopeful for the future. It's beautiful. It's funny as I am writing and reading through the blogs I've written as well as texting and calling my family and friends from home talking about the trip I've realized that I've used the words "beautiful" and "amazing" excessively, but I'm finding it difficult not to. I'm love this country and especially the people in it. The students at Alpha were so kind. Throughout the week, they all individually wrote love letters to me and Ally, (we were the "visitors" in their classroom). They give the best hugs in the world. We even were lucky enough to do read alouds and to teach a lesson. Our lesson was on fourths, and it went well. We were expecting to have problems with motivating students and with listening because when their teacher left the classroom, they would become unruly very quickly, but the students surprised us by staying attentive for the most part. They were all excited to participate and very positive. We think they met our learning objectives because as we were checking their work from an M&M activity that we did, they were consistently writing the correct answers. 

Overall, it was so much fun to interact with the students. The students were naturally very curious because we are from a different place, and we look different than they do. They had lots of questions and excitement about their American visitors. Sometimes there were so many students surrounding me, touching my hair, and giving me hugs that it was a little overwhelming and I almost fell down, but I loved talking to them. 

One of my favorite things was talking to the quieter students. Often times, a large group of students would surround us, and most of them were very vocal and loud, but there were always one or two who just stared shyly, and I always liked to reach out shake their hand and engage with them and get them to talk because they might not have otherwise. I saw myself in these students because I tend to be quiet when I first meet people too. One of the students, Amanda was very very quiet and would only whisper at first. She was in fifth grade. One of her classmates came up to me and said that Amanda is the student in the class who gets bullied by everyone. She said everyone calls her names and that sometimes she gets beat badly too and that it makes her sad because Amanda is the nicest in the class. As this little girl was telling me, Amanda started to cry softly and I almost started crying too. I told her that I wanted her to always remember that she’s beautiful, smart, and important and hugged her. It broke my heart a little bit. The bullying at alpha is severe and it happens frequently. Even in grade 1, students were beating each other ruthlessly. I broke up a lot of fights on Tuesday especially. The kids are good kids, though. It’s not their fault that they are in hot classrooms full of up to 45 students, with desks so close they can hardly walk around.

Mrs. L is a great teacher. She taught the first grade class we were assigned to. Even though we didn’t agree with every single thing she did, we learned so much from her. She had outstanding classroom management, especially for having 43 students and while she was very stern, she was also loving. The students respected and listened to her. At the end of the week, she expressed her appreciation for Ally and I helping out, and had the whole class sing “oh she is a jolly good fellow” as well as having two students present us with gifts. She gave us hugs and held our hands while asking us to stay in touch and telling us thank you once more. I am going to miss her and the students so much. Here are a few pictures from throughout the week:

I didn’t cry when we said goodbye to the kids. It was hard to say goodbye, but it didn’t fully hit me until we were leaving for the airport. As our group arranged for a picture with Sister Winnie, I started to tear up. It was hard to say goodbye to Winnie and I’m never going to forget her kindness. I gave her a hug and thanked her for being our Jamaican Mother for the week. As we drove off and I turned out the window to wave back to WinnieI started crying and didn’t stop until we got to the airport. It was so bittersweet as we listened to our favorite Jamaican music on the way to the airport. Emily played “No Woman, No Cry” to cheer us up. I am so blessed and thankful for this trip. I am finishing this last part of the blog on the airplane and even though I am sad to be leaving Jamaica, I think I am returning to America as a better person. Thank you, Jamaica, I have learned so much. You have my heart. 

Blog #2

After our stay in Portland at Sea Cliff with many different  excursions and encounters with locals, we traveled to Trench Town. Our walking tour of Trench Town was amazing and one of my favorite experiences so far. Even though the town is impoverished and facing struggle, there is still so much beauty and culture to be seen, experienced, and felt within the streets. 

It is hard to explain, but I truly believe Jamaica is a special place. The energy is different and so are the people. For example, even though we were walking and in the sun and heat for hours that day, I felt great. In America, sometimes I become irritated or grumpy during this type of weather, but I had no complaints. I feel so blessed to be here. Our tour guide had some very wise words that I loved and have been thinking about a lot.

He said:

"I love, love, one love. The way we walk is right, forward." 

He also made his words into art, and her is one of my favorites:

After the tour, we got to read with students from the Trench Town Reading Center. I read and ate lunch with a six year old little girl named Damelle. I was surprised by her reading ability and maturity. She could read at a level that the some of students in my third grade clinical classroom in America have not yet reached. I was impressed. She also could communicate and hold a conversation easily. She was genuinely interested in talking to me, and even asked me questions too. I'm used to being the one that asks all the questions when talking to children to get them to speak. At the end of our time with them, we hugged, high-fived, and she ran after our car waving to us as we drove away. I really hope to see her again when we visit on Friday.

I've come to the realization on this trip that their truly is beauty to be found within everything and everyone. I am already a positive and optimistic person. However, after these experiences, I feel as if I am learning to become a better person, with a more positive outlook in the sense that I see and focus on the beauty in people and places instead of dwelling the negatives, complaining, and letting small things that are annoying or frustrating ruin an experience. There are some things that are out of our control.. many things actually, but it is what it is and the one thing we can control is our attitude. I think a positive mental attitude is an important choice in life. This sounds somewhat cheesy as I'm rereading it. But I think that these words, even thou they may be cliches are true.

Blog #1 Runaway Bay

When we arrived in Jamaica, it was surreal. I've never been out of the country. In fact, I've never even been on an airplane. There was a lot of excitement surrounding all my other Augustana friends too upon arriving at the all inclusive Jewel resort at Runaway Bay. The beach and buildings were all so beautiful. While at the resort, I noticed a few things. First, most of the people staying at the resort were families with young children. Many of the families were American too, so it didn't really feel like we were in Jamaica completely yet. However, a group of us walked out of the resort along the beach and the locals we encountered (even though they were mostly trying to sell us things) were incredibly nice and genuinely welcoming. I remember one lady saying "welcome to Jamaica, you've come home" and I thought it was very kind. When we drove off the resort, I started to wave to the locals and I would say that 99% of them waved back. I loved it! This would not happen in America. My entire van started waving throughout the trip, too. Even though I really enjoyed the time we spent at the resort, I'm so grateful we went to different places in Jamaica. This way, we gained a broader experience of the culture of Jamaica instead of just one part of it. Here are a few of my favorite pictures from Runaway Bay:

Blog 3: Last Day at Alpha

Goodbyes are always so hard especially when you fall head over heels in love with these kids and there’s a slim chance you’ll ever get to see them again. Our last day at Alpha is without a doubt a day I will never forget. Dana and I got almost two hours with our 3rd grade class to do a little lesson with them on relationships with other countries as a part of the integrated studies unit that they will begin next week. We started talking about tourism and how we were tourist last week and showed them pictures of the places we went to in Jamaica. We also asked them if they have ever been tourists and different places they’ve gone. It was so exciting because all of the kids were so engaged and interested in the lesson. One of the boys that had behavior issues all week and couldn’t focus or sit still was jumping up with excitement to answer some of our questions. To give them a break we taught them a camp song and played heads up seven up which both seemed to be big hits. We also showed them some tourist attractions in America such as Disney and the Statue of Liberty to let them learn a little bit about our country as well. After their lunch break we did an interview session where we interviewed them questions about Jamaica and they interviewed us about America. All the students were extremely interested in what kind of work we do. Overall the lesson went over well and it was amazing to get to experience that in a classroom at Alpha. The end of the day was full of bunch of sad and tearful goodbyes, but like I kept telling my students, it was great to get to meet them and form this connection even if it was just for a short amount of time and I will always remember and carry these kiddos with me in my heart because they have made such a lasting impact on me.

Alpha Primary School Experience

My experience at Alpha Primary school is one I will never forget. I had the unique opportunity not only to embrace a new culture, but to see how how the influence of culture shapes education; a topic I am very passionate about as a future teacher. I am honored to have bonded so closely with the students I encountered, and even after only a week, they truly touched my heart with their energy, curiosity, and love. Going into the experience having student taught in a third grade classroom in the United States, I was looking forward to identifying similarities and differences between diverse school settings. Right away, I discovered many differences. In Jamaica, the class sizes were about twice as large as we typically see at home, with the classrooms themselves having a lot less space. It was hot, cramped, and uncomfortable. The students were not supplied with as many resources, many of them not having pencils, crayons, books, etc. Technology was nonexistent. The teachers were not warm and welcoming. The children were constantly rough-housing both in the classroom and out in the schoolyard. Really, it was a night and days difference when compared to what one would see in a formal educational setting in the United States. Initially, I thought to myself, "How does this work?" Despite the conditions of the school, the students proved to me that they are bright kids who are fully capable of learning because of their willingness to learn. They were some of the brightest and most thoughtful children I've ever met. When the teacher asked a question, everyone knew the answer, and they often all responded in unison. Second graders already knew which high-schools they hope to attend. Third graders proposed deep questions such as "What is it like to be a black person in the United States?" Their eagerness amazed me, and their spirits reminded me how important the teaching profession is. With all odds against these kids, as many of them have difficult home lives, broken and/or blended families, low socioeconomic statuses, etc., they still showed up to learn. I began to understand that even these young children recognize the value of education and have a strong desire to better their lives. In turn, this helped me realize that I want to work in a place like this where I can help make a positive impact on those who not only need it, but want it most, rather than in a place where education is taken for granted. With that being said and in consideration of all the above, I find myself dreaming of teaching in Jamaica and very much look forward to searching for opportunities to turn my dream into a reality.