So one Wednesday in early July, I got up, a tad dazed, and as most of us young people do these days, went straight onto my iPhone, and checked my Facebook, e-mails, and Twitter, not expecting anything earth-shattering to swing my way. However, I was mistaken, as a boss of mine informed me he had turned down a job in the Bahamas, had recommended me for the experience, with an e-mail address to send my CV and phone number!
So I did an interview over Skype that afternoon, had my flights booked that evening and flew out the following Friday. I was the music co-ordinator for an amazing camp called Space2Create, run by the enigmatic William Simmons. I'll be honest, it wasn't the work that appealed to me more so than the Caribbean weather, the sun, the beaches, the relaxing! So much for that! It was tough work, looking after 15 kids in an academic programme 5 days a week, and I led the music programme in the afternoons six days week, teaching roughly 60 kids, in a camp that catered for over a hundred children from the beautiful island of Harbour Island.
As I said, the appeal for me wanting that job was the weather, the way of life, but what made me fall in love with that island was those children. Those children whom I cursed some evenings, whom I pleaded with to sing, whom I pleaded with to stop talking, hitting each other, make fun of each other, but at the end of the day, they are the abiding memory I have of the island, and only good memories.
Like Shantia, who asked me one day while I wrote on the board, 'Mister David, Why is your armpit hair so curly?!!', to which i had no reply, apart from 'Genetics?'!
Or the day i went to church, (which is bloody amazing, by the way, felt like I was at a rave, THAT is how people should celebrate their faith!) and Mischa, Breontae, and Elijah were part of the congregation, and their dancing and worship was something to cherish, like butter wouldn't melt!
These children are my abiding memory of Harbour Island, these children, who look forward so much to Space2Create every year, who run to William Simmons in the street in October asking about the following years camp. These children don't have a huge amount to look forward to, and I feel quite honoured to have been a part of their enjoyment.
I am also honoured to have been a part of this arrangement, in our final show. It is safe to say there wasn't a dry eye in the house (and the staff were a disgrace with their blubbing!), as our kids realised they had 'What It Takes'!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21jflQht3oU
More words on the Bahamas to come, until then, Sing It Louder!
Wednesday, 19 September 2012
Friday, 18 November 2011
Time to Pretend
MGMT really caught a generation with the lyrics to that song, a young generation who question who's more sane;
'This is our decision, to live fast and die young, We've got the vision, now lets have son fun. Yeah, it's overwhelming, but what else can we do, get jobs in offices and wake up for the morning commute.'
The generation gap was really obvious to me a couple of weeks ago, when I was in a conversation with a lady my age, and a gentleman who couldn't understand why some people spend all their lives 'searching' for themselves! I found the conversation fascinating, as I found myself unable to agree completely with either party, as the younger lady led the conversation with statements like 'I'd rather spend my whole life searching for what I really want to do, than do a job that I hate', and the man leading with 'But who is going to fund you while you 'find' yourself?' and phrases like 'In my day......!' Jesus I'm sick of that phrase!
But as the conversation went on, I found myself siding with the gentleman as he seemed to speak more sense, while the other lady seemed to waffle on (another phrase I never understood, is it because waffles have holes, ie, holes in their story, answers on a postcard!) and not really give her case across convincingly.
Obviously, we have a different viewpoint to our parents, and older generations, due to the obvious generational gap, but also because we are 'Celtic Tiger' babies, and a mentality has been stored in the hard drives of our heads that we HAVE TO find our dream job. This is a good thing, obviously, as we can all dream , but not everyone will be that lucky. We are in a climate that does not facilitate that, and this in unfortunate. So maybe at this moment in time, it is 'Time to Pretend' that we enjoy whatever job we have, 'cos we're damn lucky to have it!
I tell this because I had a job that paid well, but hated with a passion, and I quit it like an idiot to live the dream, it didn't work out, and I was left unemployed. I now rue that decision, as I live from week to week.
Maybe it's Time to Pretend for a while!! Believe me!
'This is our decision, to live fast and die young, We've got the vision, now lets have son fun. Yeah, it's overwhelming, but what else can we do, get jobs in offices and wake up for the morning commute.'
The generation gap was really obvious to me a couple of weeks ago, when I was in a conversation with a lady my age, and a gentleman who couldn't understand why some people spend all their lives 'searching' for themselves! I found the conversation fascinating, as I found myself unable to agree completely with either party, as the younger lady led the conversation with statements like 'I'd rather spend my whole life searching for what I really want to do, than do a job that I hate', and the man leading with 'But who is going to fund you while you 'find' yourself?' and phrases like 'In my day......!' Jesus I'm sick of that phrase!
But as the conversation went on, I found myself siding with the gentleman as he seemed to speak more sense, while the other lady seemed to waffle on (another phrase I never understood, is it because waffles have holes, ie, holes in their story, answers on a postcard!) and not really give her case across convincingly.
Obviously, we have a different viewpoint to our parents, and older generations, due to the obvious generational gap, but also because we are 'Celtic Tiger' babies, and a mentality has been stored in the hard drives of our heads that we HAVE TO find our dream job. This is a good thing, obviously, as we can all dream , but not everyone will be that lucky. We are in a climate that does not facilitate that, and this in unfortunate. So maybe at this moment in time, it is 'Time to Pretend' that we enjoy whatever job we have, 'cos we're damn lucky to have it!
I tell this because I had a job that paid well, but hated with a passion, and I quit it like an idiot to live the dream, it didn't work out, and I was left unemployed. I now rue that decision, as I live from week to week.
Maybe it's Time to Pretend for a while!! Believe me!
Monday, 14 November 2011
As time goes by....!
I've had a few days off recently, and basically been doing absolutely nothing, when there are things to do that should be done. And that got me wondering, what is the worst thing about being a graduate? I have found a number of things that are pretty crap, especially after having a graduation last week.
Firstly, is the comradery. The fights, the laughs, the rivalries, the craic! Having met my classmates for a grad, it was the end of an era, even thought I'd miss the people I didn't like all those years!
College is a huge part of your life, those people that you meet are people who will more than likely be the best friends you will ever have, as you have the interest of whatever course you go into. And then you finish your course.......
It really is a bang straight down to Earth when you realise it. It may take a while to realise it, as you have the summer, but if you don't start another course, it's gonna hit ya like a steam train. It will never be the same again. Especially if you're someone like me, who has ABSOLUTELY no idea what I want to do with my life, those organised people probably won't find it as hard, or maybe they suppress it, I don't know how an organised brain works!
Now I'm not one to be all nostaligic, and I realise change is a good thing, and we all have to move on, BUT you also have to take a moment and realise that those years were probably some of the best times you'll ever have, and if you don't realise that, it may just come and hit you like that metaphoric steam train I mentioned!
I would love to know your thoughts, and if there are any other things you think are bad about the impending real world, and on the other side, the advantages of leaving that place where your lecturers looked down on you for using Wikipedia or not understanding the Harvard referencing system!
Firstly, is the comradery. The fights, the laughs, the rivalries, the craic! Having met my classmates for a grad, it was the end of an era, even thought I'd miss the people I didn't like all those years!
College is a huge part of your life, those people that you meet are people who will more than likely be the best friends you will ever have, as you have the interest of whatever course you go into. And then you finish your course.......
It really is a bang straight down to Earth when you realise it. It may take a while to realise it, as you have the summer, but if you don't start another course, it's gonna hit ya like a steam train. It will never be the same again. Especially if you're someone like me, who has ABSOLUTELY no idea what I want to do with my life, those organised people probably won't find it as hard, or maybe they suppress it, I don't know how an organised brain works!
Now I'm not one to be all nostaligic, and I realise change is a good thing, and we all have to move on, BUT you also have to take a moment and realise that those years were probably some of the best times you'll ever have, and if you don't realise that, it may just come and hit you like that metaphoric steam train I mentioned!
I would love to know your thoughts, and if there are any other things you think are bad about the impending real world, and on the other side, the advantages of leaving that place where your lecturers looked down on you for using Wikipedia or not understanding the Harvard referencing system!
Wednesday, 2 November 2011
An Intro
Hi, I'm David, a recent graduate who is staying in Ireland, well basically 'cos I like Ireland, and at this moment in time, I don't think anywhere else would suit my confused state. I have a music degree, and probably will go on to further study (only option, really!) but I just thought I'd write about my feelings as a graduate who is currently out of work, and where I see myself in five years, that age-old question asked in every interview so far!
Teaching seems like a good option for me, but also like the cop-out of most musicians, or maybe I shouldn't say that to alienate any teachers out there. At this stage in my life, teaching does seem a cop-out though, like I should be reaching for the stars, or some other such cliché. I think of Taylor Mali's poem, What Teachers Make, and feel like I'm being hard on myself, but sometimes I feel as a tenor who loves performing, I should be performing. I realise this isn't the main crux of most graduates problems, but maybe there are parallels in engingeering, law, or other fields where compromises are felt by people who had dreams, bah blah blah! But you know what I mean. I'd love some feedback on whether are are compromises and maybe we could spark some old-fashioned debate!
Signing off for now,
David
Teaching seems like a good option for me, but also like the cop-out of most musicians, or maybe I shouldn't say that to alienate any teachers out there. At this stage in my life, teaching does seem a cop-out though, like I should be reaching for the stars, or some other such cliché. I think of Taylor Mali's poem, What Teachers Make, and feel like I'm being hard on myself, but sometimes I feel as a tenor who loves performing, I should be performing. I realise this isn't the main crux of most graduates problems, but maybe there are parallels in engingeering, law, or other fields where compromises are felt by people who had dreams, bah blah blah! But you know what I mean. I'd love some feedback on whether are are compromises and maybe we could spark some old-fashioned debate!
Signing off for now,
David
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