Visit to Castries

Thursday 10^th June

Front of Dunnattar School.

All aboard the coach for a morning at the shops.

visited Castries with nine students to help them with banking and visiting the shops; when we arrived in town, we split into groups to do various activities, I went with three students to two banks to deposit and withdraw money. I was there to help them get familiar with the protocol of standing in the queue and approaching the bank assistant and the process of requesting the right service and showing their ID cards etc.

The only problem that occurred, which was minor, was that the students had been given St Lucia Bank cheques and the students’ accounts were in two other banks, which meant we had to get a banker’s signature from the St Lucia Bank to withdraw the money. This was resolved and the students experienced and hopefully learnt something extra. We met the rest of the students then invaded the shopping mall. It was good timing as there was an education exhibition on the top floor. Children from all the local secondary schools had stalls demonstrating projects they were working on. One school was showing how to grow plants in infertile soil and reduce water usage; another was demonstrating how to and dye clothes create patterns in tops and T shirts. There was a school band with backing singer that sounded amazing considering their age; I had to keep going back to the band to get one of the students who was fascinated by the drums.

We worked are way to ‘Taxi’ the local sports shop, were Imran chose his football, I don’t think I have seen anyone with a bigger smile than Imran when he received it from the saleswomen. We had to rush back to the school as some of the students were expected in the music room; today they were going to practice ‘My Girl’, which was my request when I first heard them.

After lunch I was amazed at how far they had got, the keyboard player and the two pans players had got the basic verse and chorus off to a tee. The next stage will be to introduce the drums (can’t wait).

The rest of the day was spent working with Danny, organising him to take student photographs and asking set questions to help produce individual portfolios for each student. Rodney (the teacher) was impressed with how much Danny had progressed with his communication skills, particularly when talking to other students. another great day, I am now going to treat myself to a lager (or two !!).

I forgot to mention on my last entry that the church pictured is actually a Cathedral.