I have been learning this week to stop and ‘experience the moment’ and really take in that I am here, in Jamaica, with other amazing teachers, professors, and pre-service teachers teaching the incredible Jamaican children. Jamaica is a beautiful country and is made more beautiful by its kind and generous people. Today was an especially poignant experience of being ‘in the moment’ on our last day working in the schools here in Jamaica. I was at Pell River Primary school this week and they let the entire school out of classes early today to give us a farewell school assembly. The school sang their school’s songs and then each grade performed a song or poem they had made up for us. It was such a touching tribute and meant so much to us. We came here to help teach the children, but as always for teachers, the children taught us more. Pell River Primary is located on the top of a high hillside and has a beautiful view of the mountains. They brought all the students outside for the assembly and it was during this time of them sharing with us that I took the opportunity to stop, look around and take in the breathtaking experience of being in the gorgeous Jamaican countryside, surrounded with love and being sung to by 170 precious little faces. It was a bittersweet day with lots of hugs, kisses and tears but with a promise that the students here will be stronger readers and dedicated to what we have taught them and we will spread the love of this beautiful land with us back to the US. May we bring the love and kindness we have been shown here back into our schools, our college, our homes and our lives. May that be the best souvenir we return with from this trip. As they say in Jamaica, One Love.
-Ashley Allen