“Wow. I’m going to be there.”
That’s what I keep thinking when I see the online images of pristine white beaches, clear waters, lush forests, and bustling, colorful markets. As someone who’s never stepped outside of the “Western” world, much less the African island nation of Mauritius, it seems almost unreal when I imagine myself in the landscapes depicted in these photographs.
But I will have to get used to that, because I have a task to complete. This trip will not be a vacation. I am leading an education project that involves creating and teaching vocal renditions of various pop, Indian, French, and Mauritian songs. And I have to figure out how to implement that project with the students that I will be directing.
Right now, I’m choosing the songs that I will be teaching and figuring out the best way to arrange them into choral vocal pieces. While I’ve been singing in a vocal group since starting college, this will be my first time as a leader of such a group, and I’m a bit nervous about my abilities. But here I am, and while I am a bit anxious about the experience, I am also excited to see what I’m capable of and to help these kids realize their potential. As I go through the next month’s series of meetings with the rest of my team, I will take their feedback into account as I sharpen the edges around my project.