Don't play with it

How was MIGfest? HMmmm....

In all honesty, for me, it was all about the experience in its entirety rather than the festival. And... if i'm to say that, as i just did, it's only fair to start this story from the night before.

We had the final night-before-performance meeting, Wednesday. The Writers Association of Grenada.. yummy... sounds so professional. We met at the Complex in the Botanical Gardens.. Just deciding on what pieces we shall perform...

On the walk down to the Gardens was.... Me, Akil, Bop (Liz), Shamz(Cemal) and Joachim. It was hilarious. We were singing and dancing the whole way down. Halfway there, Joachim and I started Square Dancing to the drums. Akil and i started singing.

By the time we made it to the gardens, everything was finished. Bop then had an epiphany to go to Foodland for Biscreme cookies. As in... walk VERY far in the opposite direction of the bus terminal for cookies... As in... the sun already SET and we have to start timing the buses, to go look for cookies.

Well it was fun. Akil and I sang the whole way there, random songs from Betty Wright, Mariah Carey, Lauren Hill, Beyonce, Alanis Morisette and Natalie Imbruglia. Upon arrival, much to our dismay, after the long as hell journey - FOODLAND WAS CLOSED.

So we turned and walked back. Well, atleast we got to walk Port side across the Lagoon to get to the Carenage. I haven't done that in a while. Reminded me of college. As we walked past, it dawned on me how much has changed since i left.

At first, i couldn't fathom not being there anymore. Initially, I was disappointed at work because i felt i reached a stump in my growth. After being surrounded by so many minds with just... all this information.. Like my Lit teacher... I can't think of a topic he DOESN'T know about.. Being in his class, front row center, pen poised in hand ready to scribble every word that leaves his mouth because his classes were that enlightening... To even my CAS(C'bean Studies)/History teacher. Set in his ways, a radical perhaps, but he had a method to his madness that revolutionized the way i saw some things... i thought i knew. And Drama.. Oh my lord.. The most quirky man on campus. He even just looked unique. His tales of his experiences, and the knowledge and doors that he opened to us as students... one could hardly leave a session feeling anything but enlightened... And my Law teachers.. wow... they made me love Law. And my first year History teacher had this passion for teaching, this sincerity in the way she interacted with her students... She gave you all sides of the story and let you write the ending... She taught me to develop my own opinion and be confident in it... Those words "I can't" and the expectation to have the last paragraph dictated to you, was due to fear... and the realization that you're learning and you ARE a part of this process...this thing called learning... And my Art teacher. Wow. I had a strong dislike for her at first. I believe it was mutual.. But then overtime i realized she was just pushing me to reach my full potential. She shock-treated me out of my skin and got me out of this play-it-safe mode i was in with art. She changed my approach.. Made me see things differently.. She's so sincere... I adored speaking with her.. she helped me get my job..and helped so much since... as did my first year His. teacher and Lit teacher... I loved my teachers... i got them all thank you tokens when i left.. it doesn't feel like enough.. *sigh* I aspire to someday be able to affect my students way of thinking, as they did mine... *sigh* I miss college...

And as fate would have it... As my year left, they put up proper fences, fixed up the facilities... We were the Ivan class of 2006. Class of closed moldy rooms (designed to be primarily using A.C.) with water dripping from the ceiling with no air conditioning.. Class of constantly shifting your desk around so as to not get wet INdoors from water dripping through the ceiling because its raining outside.. Class of searching for an available room for class. My, what an experience. Now they even have proper ID cards. NOT these flimsy laminated paper things.

P.S. Don't get me wrong.. I adore my staff now... i've met my fair share of enlightening people there. I've learned so much more from.. i'm learning so much more...

*sigh*

Back to my story..

We ended up at Andalls.. to replenish my Cup Noodles stock. Reluctantly Akil and I, stretched out our hands, succumbing to our latest addiction... the all new low.. of noodles in a cup. After all the cuss i cuss to Ryan about his junk food habits when he visited...

We bounced into a member of WAG that coincidentally assists with the running of Deyna's City Inn... She insisted on a tour. It's really a beautiful place. The restaurant has the most delightful painting. It's a Grenadian setting... The lights just add to the already cozy setting. The rooms are gorgeous. Each named after a parish. Each Individually decorated so that no two are alike. And.... we christened their stage. We (the group) presented bits and pieces of our work to a small impromptu audience. At first i was nervous, but then it was nothing. I loved it... We loved it..

As for MIGfest.. all it was was an experience. It was disorganized, poorly advertised, and almost a waste of our time. I saw almost because it was an opportunity for us to get a feel of the stage, to present and prepare our work and touch other people, a chance to develop ourselves, a chance to take something seriously... I was so nervous i forgot my two memorized poems. Due to time restraints with other acts, we cut it back to one each per person... When i got on the stage, it all came back to me... I was in another world. I read 'The Snail'... I was, the snail. I had one shot to get it right.. and i did my best... Some of the members said that people really liked my poem, how i read it... that when i walked off people said 'that was (actually) good'.. I felt good. I also felt the whoosh of air out of my the second i got off the stage though.. nearly collapsed.

Ru was sick. He missed all of these moments.. But he's healed now. Didn't infect the rest of us with his cold virus.

Overall, we all did good for our first time. Everyone did great. I realized at the last meeting how well the other members write. They feel what they write, they convey their emotions well.. and it's not cheesy and frivilous 3rd grade writing. It's the kind that makes you sit back and go... "Dang..!" *eyes widen in awe* "I feel honoured to be a part of this..."

...

That was all.

I hope we do it again soon.

Shelli out.