A Day With The Kids.....

Well, Saturday continued to confirm my reasons for Always wanting to teach and be with the kids. This was the first adventrue with some of the students I teach as well as mentor. I have 11 kids in one of the classes and only 5 participated instead of the original 9 who returned their permission slips. Sleeping late was more important for one, two had to play baseball, and the others, I have no idea why they chose not to go.

I decided to take the kids to Grand Cayes near Cul de Sac on the French side of St. Martin. Most of these kids have never been out of their own communities nor have they ever visited the French side. I picked up the school van in the morning; I was told and reasured "would be ready and in proper running order", prior to the close of school on Friday. I met the kids at the Le Grande Marche'. (also note: the sliding door on the van fell off its track which I had to put back in place a few times) so much for the van being fixed properly. We arrived at Grands Cayes, and the kids were amazed that this beach exisited on "their island" Remember, these kids are 16, 17 years old and had never been there before. We hiked first down the beach, up and over the mountain to Petite Cayes and went swimming as well as sat on the beach after the hike. Along the way, I pointed out different types of flowers, insects, shells types, sea urchins, crabs that left their shells behind to grow into new ones, birds etc. ( you get the idea-fun, but still educational ) I planned the hike so that when we hiked back to Grande Cayes, My Business Partner Phil, would be waiting for us with BBQ's fired up and 12 racks of ribs would be cooking, as well as 10 pounds of potato salad and 1 dozen devilled eggs that I had made at 6am that morning, watermelon and bananas for dessert and plenty of water. (By the end of the day at 5 pm, after playing ball on the beach and swimming, and hiking, all racks of ribs, 10 pounds of potato salad and watermelon would be eaten entirely by the kids. This trip didn't cost the kids anything because the food was donated by Tabba Khady Restaurant and I paid for the fuel.

I learned alot this day.... Remember, these kids are not "priveledged kids". On the way back, the kids found a fisherman's marker made of styrofoam that had washed up on shore about the size of a softball. Simple thing, Right? That styrofoam ball became the toy of the day. It was a soccer ball (even though I had brought one with us), it became a ball the kids used along with, the swim boards as paddles to hit the ball in the air in a circle, volleying the ball to each other. The point is this: the kids made "something from nothing". No complaints, no wishing they had a "commercial toy to play with", just a styrofoam fisherman's marker that had washed ashore.

On the way to take the kids home, and for me to return the van to the school, the engine stalled 4 times at different points on the road after leaving Grande Cayes. I managed "safely" to get the van to a gas station in French Quarter where I learned upon opening the hood with the service station attendant, that the radiator cap was left unscrewed, but still sitting on the top of the radiator which allowed all of the water to escape and heat the engine. (the shop teacher who teaches automotive to the kids never screwed the cap back into place) After 20 minutes of cooling the engine and adding water, we were back on our way home, listening to reggae and laughing and joking. So much for the van being in "proper running order for us" for the trip as promised.... In St. Maarten/St. Martin I've learned that these kinds of minor setbacks aren't to "Crisis Levels" as they would have been in my past in the US. In the states, it would have ruined my day, added to Stress in my Life, and would have been "blown out of proportion". Over the years, I've learned how to adjust and things like this are just mere occurances and can be resolved. The best thing is to just say, "okay, here we go again and laugh". When friends visit us on the island and things like this happen, I still hear, "why do you want to live this way", and my answer is always the same, "It's the quality of life and the fun....!"

The kids had a great day, as we did as well. Five kids had a day out with adults who cared enough to take time out of their schedule for Them! I will continue my bi-monthly trips and monthly trips with these kids because they need to know they are important and that adults do care for them. And, it's about time they see and learn about where they live.