Montessori's 142nd Birthday

I taught at a Montessori school as a teacher's assistant for 3 years during undergrad.  I remember the progression of my thinking, wondering if I could possibly ever send my own children there and when I left I was absolutely in love.  I learned so much from this alternative atmosphere!  I can only hope there is a school as amazing as Seminole Montessori around when I have little ones.  Check out Google's feature today on Maria Montessori and her 142nd birthday!  Happy Birthday, Maria.  You are one unique, gal.

Montessori's Birthday & 10 famous people who graduated from her schools

Etsy for the BAPD

We all had to make an ipad project and I chose to make an etsy site for the Bahamas Association for the Physically Disabled (BAPD).  I am selling notecards featuring art made by the children from our trip, and all the profits will be mailed directly to the BAPD.  Please take a look at what is available.  There will be more coming soon and more photos coming soon, too! Enjoy.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/BAPDart

llama, llama!

I got an email the other day from my professor about llama therapy and I could not help but think of one of my favorite children's book series. "llama, llama...."

Enjoy this awesome video about llama therapy!

coming soon

I have been soaking up my experience from the Bahamas for a month now.  Now and then I sit down to write the words that so often either come to my head or I express to others so well, but for whatever reason they will not flow freely on the page like they do from my mouth when I share my experience or when I quietly reflect.  Coming soon, I promise, I will share more.

Saving Starfish One at a Time

Each day I feel like the children are a little more comfortable. Today we worked on the power of smile and laughter, and the kids had a ton of fun decorating sunglasses and making kites. Day by day these children leave a print on my heart and I can only hope we're doing the same.  My professor told us a story at the beginning of our trip about a boy who walked along the sea shore picking up star fish, tossing them back into the ocean, one by one. Another person stopped the boy to ask why he was doing it because he wouldn't make a difference, and he said sure he would. He would help this one, and he picked up a star fish and tossed it in the ocean, saving its life, and he'd help this one, and he picked up another. He went along, one by one, helping as many star fish as he could. I realize now, why my professor shared this story with us. She told us in all the international work she does, sometimes it feels this way, but what she didn't mention, was the bittersweet feeling within it. It is a wonderful feeling to help that one starfish, and the next one or two that you are able, and it fills you with happiness, but it's hard not to want to help so much more, whether it be more time or more people, the feeling of wanting to give more resides within me, and I know when this trip is over, I will have to seek a different way of helping. I will not be able to have the hands on interaction in which such wonderful relationships have been created these past couple weeks. Being present while with the children is easy, but staying in the present after the volunteer work is done is harder. It's easier to think about next week when I will be gone, and this is where the bittersweet feelings come back.

Relating to someone with a disability

Today I got some time to myself to speak to an aid at the Bahamas Association for the Physically Disabled. She has a mild case of cerebral palsy. Her arms are very strong and she is in a wheelchair but she is able to do everything for herself. She is cognitively very intelligent and very educated. She is absolutely wonderful and I sincerely enjoyed the one on one conversation. She expressed how pleased she is with everything we are doing and she shared with me some of her experiences of having a disability and being treated less. She asked if it was the same in the United States. I told her a little bit about my own disability, lipomyelomeningocele (associated with spina bifida) and how even though I can walk, I cannot run, jump, and I am not nearly as fast and coordinated as lots ofpeople and I am often treated differently, and it is something I have had to learn to deal with. I told her even though our culture is different I thought the average person still treated someone with a disability differently because they did not know any better and we do have to prove to them we are able. We talked about how proving ourselves is hard sometimes but we can do it. I think she liked finding out that I had been through so much and was there still helping the children, just as she was, even though her life has been completely different than mine, we could relate a little. I have always feared that I might have children with disabilities because of my own. I have read a lot online from other mothers who have heathy  children with no neurological problems or complications, but when you have grown up in and out of hospitals I suppose it is a valid fear. Seeing and working with her is a wonderful inspiration and I know if she can raise two children, than I certainly can.  In the United States we hear about athletes who have a prothsetic leg and have run marathons but I have never been very athletic. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have new feet, but then I also remember how lucky I am to walk. So what if I cannot run or jump like everyone else can. I am blessed with so many wonderful friends, family, and experiences, new feet are small in the large picture ;)

Fast Eddie Danes and Junkanoo

Yesterday we met Fast Eddie Danes. Later that evening we already had plans to go to a Junkanoo parade. Turns out he's quite the dancer around here! He even knows one of our professors, Dr. Cherry. When we first met him, we had no idea. Junkanoo is normally at the end of December but they have parades now and then for others to enjoy when they visit the Bahamas.