Highlights from April

Haiti Baptist Mission

or as all the Haitians know it

"Kay Wallace" or "Pasteur Wallace"

With Reinhards

My Taïno man

The Landscape

This is where I will be living next year!!! 

...I wish...

Kindred spirits: Tim and Joan with Pastor Wallace and Eleanor Turnbull

Stopped at a restaurant with a grand view of Port-au-Prince 

on the way back down the mountain.

 PRESENTING!!!! ...

PORT-AU-PRINCE!!!

Pi bon zanmi'm!!

Bel peyi

Orchestre Philharmonic Sainte Trinité

and

Petit Chanteurs 

Concert featuring all Haitian composers

Haitian drummer--the best kind of drumming 

Bel Fanm Ayisyen

All of us

Petit Chanteurs wave the Haitian Flag

Student Recital, April 21

 MC, Madame Nicole, our fabulous vocal instructor

Cutie Petuties waiting to go on stage

Me and my girls

Braiding My Hair Monday, April 29

How many people does it take to braid a head? 

I never thought my hair could do this!! 

Sunday evening Skype date with the Coolest Person EVAR!

Sunday, April 28

....And the Adventure continues into MAY!!!! 

A week in the life of Kelsey

Daily Musings:

Sunday April 21

Student recitals should not last longer than an hour...ouch...

My students are some of my favorite people EVARRR!!! 

Below are Hilary, Anne Christine, and Valencia.  They got for the "Best Looking Studio" Award

Monday, April 22

It's rainy today...it kinda reflects my inner feelings. Or maybe my inner feelings reflect the lack of sun. But today I am kinda sad but restful.

Why are there so many flies???

Not sure if I will be going downtown today because of HEAVY traffic. And when I say heavy traffic, that means it takes 2 hours to travel 6 miles--a route that should only take 20 minutes normally. 

Tuesday, April 23
Cockroaches beat dry leaves 100% in crunchiness factor! If you like leaves, try cockroaches...I discovered this on the way to my bathroom in the dark this morning.
I am most assuredly a choc-oholic now.
I decided I should own a motorcycle or an ATV when I live in Haiti--it facilitates maneuverability.

Wednesday, April 24

Fit eight people in a 5-passanger vehicle today. In Haiti, there's always room. One of riders said we could fit in another 3 more...
Wore a yellow tank top and a brown skirt with my hair in low pig tails. Guess that's a winner with Haitians as I received lots of compliments on how beautiful I am.
So, student monthly reports are a pain in the .... but Ashley made it very entertaining as she made a report of my lessons with her and Fritz...in picture form. We had very exciting lessons this month!

Lessons with Ashley: unicorn riding, walking on the moon, moto taxi driving, sword fighting on a pirate ship
Lessons with Fritz: Cowboys and Indians, swimming with sharks, parachuting, and rock climbing 

It turns out that chocolate and playing violin by candle light is perfect therapy for loneliness.

Thursday, April 25
Only in Haiti are the dough balls stronger than the spoons...

I have a bathroom friend. He only comes out when it rains though. He's a handsome fellow. With 6 legs, reddish brown wings, and looooong antennas.

Friday, April 26
I like Fridays...yes.
Marlenn (our cook) is one of my favorite people ever. She is seriously so sweet, and makes delicious food! And she puts up with my craziness.
Some of my daily musings are not internet appropriate...
i.just.stepped.on....a.mouse....
I want to eat chocolate all the time!!!

Saturday, April 27
I do not like Saturdays...I think I will start a club. And call it the "let's skip Saturdays" club.
I NEEEED CHOCOLAAAATTTTTEEEEE!!!!!

Highlights from March

Visual Tour of March....until I lost my camera charger...

MESDA group came for two weeks to help out teaching

This is after a pedagogy class

My special audience members

Fritz's Teleman solo

Brandenburg 

Honoring the soloists

Fan Club! Where are the "We <3 Kelsey" posters...??

Highlights from February

This is the visual Show and Tell, Highlights from February

Ashley's Birthday! 

I got to join the missionaries from Les Cayes for their retreat at 

Kaliko Beach Resort

My wonderful aunt Desma!

Delicious Banane Fwi or Banane Peze--my favorite Haitian food!

Dirk and Karen!!! I love them!

Snorkeling in the Caribbean!

Rudolph, my good friend and chofé for the day

I got to visit Les Cayes during Kanaval and stayed with

Lee and Desma, my aunt and uncle and their family

Ladies Tea

A typically amazing Haitian Paysaj

Since I only have three months left here...

I've decided to start being better about blogging...now that my time here is almost at a close.

It's hard to believe I've been here 9 months already and that the time I will leave is closer than the time I came.

My daily schedule looks something like this:
Monday - Friday
9 - 11 teach the advanced violins (private lessons)
11 - 12:30 maybe eat, wait for the yell "ANN ALE!!!" to go downtown, check emails, etc.
12:30 (or whenever we arrive) - 2:30 Primary school. I help by giving private lessons while group lessons go on.
3 - 5 Teach Intermediate to advanced violins (Private Lessons)
Evenings: chill, read, hang out with friends, catch up with family, sleep, work on school stuff, workout, etc.

Saturday
9 - 11:30 Teach intermediate (private lessons)
12 - 1:30 Rehearse Petit Orchestre de Chambre, the intermediate string orchestra
2 - 5 Rehearse with Orchestre Philharmonic Sainte Trinite, the pre-professional orchestra

News update:
I started Taekwondo. Yeah! It's pretty awesome!

Sunday:
Morning go to church
Afternoon - Evening Concert or recital sometimes, go to the market, practice Taekwondo, chill, maybe spend time with friends