Hi, everybody!!! Thanks for stopping by the Glitter Gypsy Den!! I have been having some techno-difficulties, & for those of you who know me, that’s not too hard to believe. I normally like to post some images with my posts. It just seems to make it more “real.” But, as I said, I’ve not been able to do that, both from my computer or my iPhone. But, as an artist & a gypsy, I’m used to adversity, so, as they say, “The show must go on!!!”
The past few weeks have been CRAAZYY—Beginning with my field trip, as a chaperone, of course, to “The Big Island,” as we say around here, of Hawaii`. What an amazing adventure!!! 60+ 6th graders, 8 parent volunteers, & 3 teachers from the school. I really cannot believe how much we got to see in 4 days time, however we paid dearly for it!!! The itinerary of each day began w/TAPS & so-called “stretching” at 6:00 a.m. at the military barracks, where we stayed, w/ 6 bunks to a room. For those of you who already know me, I would like to ask that you refrain from cracking up too loudly over this one, PLEASE!!!! On to a “full military breakfast, please,” where my assigned task was “scooping rice with an ice cream scooper, please.” I was scolded at the 1st late night de-briefing w/ the chaperones at 9:45 p.m.(??!!) we’d been up since 6:00!!! I was covertly, not directly, told “that we all must carefully review our tasks for the next day, so as to keep everything running smoothly for our next shift, which was to begin promptly at 6:00 a.m.,” by getting ourselves up and dressed & insuring that our assigned group was indeed ready for stretching & TAPS at 6:30 the next a.m. The “vibe,” if you will, was not real cool for Glitter Gypsy, who likes to start up at around 10 or 11:00 a.m., & doesn’t really care for that type of an itinerary. We were then “released,” & told to “check on our assigned groups, albeit, do not dare enter the room, but ensure all are asleep & rooms are tidied??!!” Day 3: 6:00 a.m.-again, up & dressed, insuring all children in our groups were ready for TAPS & stretching??!! @ 06:30. (Again, no entering of rooms, but ensure all are dressed & ready by 06:30a.m.!!??) Full military breakfast again @ 7:30- Please remember your rice-scooping duties`:(!!! 8:30–return to barracks, pack everything, ensure all children are fully packed & showered to load bus by 9:00 a.m. (Again, be sure to complete all tasks on time; make sure nothing has been left behind, but DO NOT ENTER anyones’ room other than your own!!!) Do we think that possibly the Catholic Church has some unresolved business???!!! (I did not just say that!) Bus fully loaded, brakes released w/ all bags loaded in the lower compartments (loading assigned to male chaperones only; females reserved for rice-scooping,) @ 9:02a.m., en-route to Kona-side w/ multiple stops for sightseeing & pastries (per our lead teacher.) 1st stop- King Kamehameha Statue for ROTC-style photo shoot. By the way, I did Not come up with that one, one of my co-horts did. Next stop– Sacred Site, & on to picnic style “bento-lunch.” “Do not allow the children to take more than 1 bottle of water, the juice is “for later,”(which never happened.) On to more sights enroute to Kona-side. Multiple stops later, arrive at King Kamehameha Hotel, where we were not permitted to leave the “grassy area” until all rooms had been assigned. Somehow, this process had us waiting in the “grassy area” for well over an hour. On to “free-choice dinner w/ our groups” & then back to our rooms for “free time.” The only problem I saw w/ free time was that we had another “debriefing meeting “@ 10:15 p.m.??!! I had already been up & about since 6:00a.m. & was ready to relax & then hit the sack after our group was back at the hotel. I fell asleep , but left a note for my “room-mate” to wake me up for the meeting. She apparently thought it unneccesary, & quickly “briefed” me in the morning @ 6:00a.m. Again, ensure that all students are up , showered, & packed by 6:30 in the lobby, no entrance of others’ rooms, but DO ensure rooms are tidied AND nothing is left behind! Arrived in lobby to be told the classes were going on a tour of the hotel, & on to nature hike. Parents could eat breakfast or do the activity. I was so exhausted at this point in the journey that I opted to go back to bed & skip breakfast. Arrived lobby at 9:00 a.m. to find bus fully loaded; hopped on, only to be scolded by the Headmaster again! How was I to know that they would finish breakfast/tour/hike Ahead of sked? I was following the printed itinerary!! On to final day–Kona Coffee Tour, where”no coffee was to be tasted or consumed,” Mauna Loa Macadamia nut factory, where the kids were allowed, & I quote, “45 second to walk through!!” no children allowed in gift shop, only parents!! The rest of the day is a bit of a blur….arrive at airport at 4:00 for a 5:00 flight-delayed 1 hr. , kids confined in small holding area–ready to get home! Again, was scolded for checking my bag in w/ my son. “he’s supposed to learn independance!!” , turns on her heel, again, & does not allow me to respond, which was what she did throughout the trip!!
In conclusion, I was reduced to feeling like a 10 year old w/o a voice, & have not felt like that in a very, very long time. I can only imagine how the children must feel in her classes!!
Arrived home, on fire, & exhausted. I still have not decided how to approach rectification. I wanted to cool off at home, before doing anything hasty. I will make this right, though. I’m not paying _ _,ooo.00/ ayear, per child, for a private, Catholic Academy education & my own $$, time, & attention for a field trip, only to be abused by a mean bully.
We must all pay attention to all of the details of our children’s lives, instead of just assuming that it will all be OK, just because it’s “private school.”
May Intuition be at the center of all choices………….
Thank you for reading this.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Read Full Post »
Glitter Gypsy's Art & Adventures 