Day 4: The Teaching Begins

Today was our first day teaching at Ballanta and it was incredible! We started the day by dropping off half of us at JTR and had a lovely welcome song from the children. We then got on the bus to Ballanta and met all of the musicians that we would be teaching and introduced ourselves. We gave lessons to groups of students, of which some were beginners and some were more advanced. It was so amazing to meet everyone and get to know each other through singing and music. Their musicality and sense of friendship really showed as they sung along. After teaching, we had a lovely dish of rice for lunch and made our way to Merrydeen school for our first outreach concert! We arrived and had a bit of a wait as the power went out and we had to source a generator- however, as soon as we started playing, the children loved the music and got up to dance and sing along with our band. It was incredible to see them bursting with energy and enthusiasm and at the end of the concert they all swarmed us asking for our autographs! We then made our way back to Ballanta for a brass rehearsal, which included some of the famous ‘Shine Jesus shine’, and a singing rehearsal for our church service on Saturday. It was so lovely to join together with everyone and sing pieces which are different to what we are used to. On returning back after a long day of performing and rehearsals, everyone was shattered and was ready for another great meal out at Papaya restaurant! Written by Amelie Thrale

We started off with a delicious breakfast of African omelette, chocolate croissants, and fresh local fruits such as watermelon, papaya, and oranges. After breakfast, we hopped onto the minibuses and made our way to JTR, the school we’ll be working with for the coming week. We were greeted with a beautiful welcome song performed by the entire school, making us feel instantly at home. Next, we were given a tour of the school, meeting many of the pupils and teachers who welcomed us so warmly. Afterwards, we split into our teaching groups: myself (Linsey), Oli, and Chris taught English; Noah and Alvin also taught English; while Harry, Reuben, and Mr. Ashton taught French. My group focused on adjectives, using the gruffolo story to help the children recognize them in sentences and they absolutely loved it! During their lunch break, we spent time chatting and playing with the pupils. They were all so friendly, and I can’t wait to get to know them even better as the week goes on. Later, we travelled to Balanta, where other pupils were teaching their instruments to members of the local music academy. We enjoyed a lovely lunch of rice and mixed vegetables, accompanied by some acappella performances. My personal favourite was Orlando’s rendition of Babra En. In the afternoon, we visited a local school to perform our first outreach concert. The specialist musicians played beautifully, and I loved meeting all the children in the audience. Finally, we headed back to Balanta academy where we practiced our song for the high commission on Saturday which as I write I can hear some of the boys reciting in their rooms! Today was extremely fulfilling my highlight being meeting such amazing children and having the privilege to gain an insight into their lives. Written by Linsey