School Leaver's Party.

This morning was the informal party for all the kids that have finished school and will be leaving the home next month (school years here run January to December). They had streamers running from the activity hall to the pool, and what one of the little boys called a jumping house (bouncy castle), as well as ice cream, candy floss, cool drink and suckers (lollipops). All the kids were so hyped up on sugar, it was great!

Children either have to leave the home when they turn 18, or when they finish school (depending which comes last). When a child turns 18, they can choose to leave the home even  if they haven't finished school but more often than not they stay, there is a boy here who is 20 (I think he's the oldest, he's only 4 days younger than me). When they leave, there's an informal party like we had today and a formal one where their volunteers are invited (if they have one) and they choose a child-care worker or social worker that lights a candle with them, they're also given a crate of things they might need that includes a duvet, pillow, iron and ironing board, cutlery, plates, cups and a kettle. At this ceremony there is also a gold plaque that goes on one of the bricks on the activity hall's wall. It has the child's name, the year they arrived at the home, and the year they left. If a child decides to go to university, the home has a system that helps them with funds and how to get accommodation. This year, one of the children has won an international competition that got her a scholarship to a Drama Conservatory in New York, so there's been a lot of fuss over her!

And now, I'm off to make some musical instruments with the little ones, plastic bottles filled with rice and what-not! I'll try and post pictures :D

Violin

For those of you who don't actually know me or my family, I come from a very musical household. Both my parents are professional classical musicians, my little brother plays the trumpet, my other little brother used to play flute and jazz piano! I've always sung, I think I started in my first choir when I was about 4 and I was in at least one choir every year from then until I left for South Africa (of course at that point, I picked up djembe drumming!). But I used to play violin as well. As far as I'm aware, I started having lessons when I was 3 and according to my very biased parents, I was quite good. However I was a very stubborn child, still am, and when I was 9 I gave up the violin in favour of the trombone (which only lasted a term...really I wanted to play the tuba). I remember it being quite a big deal, both of my brothers had already given up the violin in favour of other instruments even though I had been wanting to stop playing for quite some time. I think in the end, there was nothing my parents could do to persuade or bribe me with to continue.

Annoyingly, I have always kind of regretted that I didn't continue playing, I mean think how good I could be now! Not that I would ever admit it to my parents, they would take that as me saying they were right. 

About a week before I flew out, the three of us were having coffee somewhere and it was brought back up. My mum suggested I take it back up, practise simple folk songs while I was out here and play them to the kids.. I quite liked the idea, even if I knew it wasn't really possible to play the songs to the kids (they're quite grabby). The plan was that mum would find me a cheap violin from the stash she keeps under the piano for her pupils, and I could take it out with me, then if I didn't have room for it in my luggage to bring back, I could donate it to the home (I still have to get my djembe home). That plan changed when someone mentioned electric violins and I got all excited. I persuaded mum to buy me one on the agreement that I learn a different song for every pound it cost. (200 songs!). The electric violin I have is 'silent' so although you can hear it without headphones or speakers, it is considerably quieter.

I have a tendency to get wheeled out at events as the performing monkey. I'm not a huge fan of this, but I do it because it usually means I can call in a favour down the line! Before this week, I'd always been able to get away with singing at whichever events I was needed at, no biggie, I've been singing in front of people since I was 4, I don't particularly like doing it on my own, but I know I can. However this time, my manager made me play violin. There was no getting out of it. I have never been so nervous. I originally picked to slower pieces, but changed them when I realised that shaky hands made my bow wobble! I practised more in the last two weeks than I think I did for the last two months. Part of my nerves were because I hadn't played in front of anyone for more than 10 years, and then I was taught by probably some of the best teachers in Manchester, this time I was teaching myself. Of course you are always more critical of your self than others are and this wasn't helped by the fact that I was getting very frustrated that I couldn't make my songs sound as good as my parents (who have been playing all their lives and make a living out of it!). ANYWAY, I did it, the video I've uploaded is when I was practising (the lady talking is my manager) and although my fingers got a little bit drunk with nerves and didn't do what I wanted them to, the performance didn't go too badly. There were lots of mistakes and things I would have done better but aren't there always!

Enjoy :)