Hello KP,
this post is (kind of) dedicated to you.
So, this
few days I have been busy at work at a dance theatre company, as part of my GCP.
Along with 9 other schoolmates, I have been cooped up at a corner of town in a small,
rather old building, cutting stuff, painting stuff and sewing stuff for the
production’s props and costumes. Thank God I can sew (despite not attending
home econs)! Even though it could get rather dull during the first 2 days, I
felt quite at home, because those are things I quite like to do.
The third
day was a little different. I honestly expected it to be worse. The 3 dance
teachers kept on emphasizing that we had to be firm with the kids or they would
climb all over us. In the end, I think apart from the first few classes with
the youngest kids (3-5 years), my presence didn’t actually make a lot of
difference. Our job was basically to be their ‘dressers’ and ‘lockers’ –
helping them take out the right costumes and if need be, change them, and then
keep their other set of clothes till they return to change back.
It was
still quite interesting watching the varying comprehension/behavioural levels
of the various age groups. The youngest ones wouldn’t even tell you their names
clearly if you asked. We had to help them change into and out of their costumes
(though I didn’t actually change anyone… I helped sort out the clothes and
stuff). If you just left them alone, they would just stand and stone there. The
slightly older ones still needed help with changing, but they were a little
more inquisitive and active. One kept hopping and tiptoeing around. Another sat
at the table where all the clothes were and poked around. The yet slightly older, primary level ones
were the loudest lot. They insisted on privacy and screamed or yelled whenever
the curtain was opened. They complained that their costume was ‘hot’. The oldest,
secondary level girls, were much like us. They just came in and changed
themselves behind the curtains, and walked over to the studio themselves. All we
did were ‘welcome’ them at the door.
(I don’t
know why I had to tell you all that. Hmm…?)
Today is
the fourth day of work! Thankfully work is only in the afternoons (for now),
and we have a nice supervisor who wouldn’t let us go home too late (even when
we self-impose OT to finish off work that’s needed by the next day, she insists
we pack up and go home). I wonder how we’d
survive the 10am-10pm days though!