I officially have 1 week left of Fall term before a well-deserved long Winter break. Today was my last day of group teaching, and I guess it's appropriate to reflect a little bit here.
The most difficult thing about teaching in general is knowing how far you can push/how hard you can work a student before they hit the breaking point. I feel like my first month of teaching was lots of little tests to see how I could work with each student individually, or each school class as a group. As I see it, private students divide into 4 categories:
1. Students who can accept direct criticism - These are the kids who you can say "Go back and fix the rhythm" or whatever without sugar-coating it at all and they don't get discouraged. These are usually the more advanced students or the more self-aware students who understand the good things and the not so good things about their individual playing. Teaching these students is really nice because you can have a thoughtful, mature conversation about technical and musical matters with them. The only caveat is that you need to emphasize what they do well just as much as what they need to improve. It is VERY easy to focus on what to fix (this is our job as teachers, anyway), but we must focus on cultivating in them an appropriate level of confidence so they don't feel self-conscious about their level of playing, especially when they are in performance. You have to be careful that you don't make them afraid to make mistakes. Which brings me to my next group of students.
2. Students who are afraid to make mistakes. I have a few students who are really really afraid to make a mistake (read: miss a note). The problem with these students is they don't realize that making consistent rhythm/tempo mistakes are much much much worse than playing a wrong note or two. The difficulty in teaching these students is that you have to demonstrate to them why it is worse to play rhythmically badly than to play a few wrong or out of tune notes, and then you have to back off on the direct criticisms of their intonation on a run-through. For these students, it is more important to get them playing at tempo than to have things polished pitch-wise at the outset. A good practice strategy for them is to really separate intonation work from playing the piece with rhythm. I usually don't do this, as I really think that it is important to practice playing the piece with bowings/rhythms/tuning as an organic unit, but these students have a tough time doing that.
3. Students who are on the cusp of quitting/dropping lessons. I have a few students who I know are really close to stopping their lessons. What I try to do here is to not worry so much about them taking an exam, but getting them into playing some more fun music - fiddle tunes, showtunes, popular music, Disney music, anything that they enjoy playing. Also, getting them to play in an orchestra is very helpful - they start to associate playing music with socializing and having fun.
4. Total beginners. These are some of my favorite students to teach. They are excited to learn every new skill and usually come to the lesson ready to listen and learn every week. You can get them into an immediate schedule at the lesson - violin out to tune right away, rosin the bow while I tune, get the music out, start right up. If you can make a good schedule during the lesson, it will pay off dividends in the future. Out of the 4 or 5 kids I have started from scratch this term, they are all using the bow and starting to use fingers - most WITHOUT finger tapes, actually. I'm really impressed with that. And they are all reading music - I'm not teaching a single kid by rote and I think the strategy is paying off, so far. We'll see how far these students get by the end of summer term.
I'll get to the kinds of school classes I have in a future post.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Monday, November 3, 2008
Some things to do while on vacation in Bermuda
I know a bunch of people who are coming to visit me, or just coming to Bermuda in general in the next year, so I figured I'd dedicate a blog entry to things that would be really fun to do on vacation here, and some tips I have from being here for 2 months.
1. Transportation
If you don't feel comfortable driving a 50cc motor scooter around the island (read - if you're horrible with directions, or are freaked out about driving on the left), your best bet is to get a weeklong pass for the ferry and bus system, which is pretty comprehensive. You can get a weeklong unlimited pass for something like 50 bucks, which is well worth it. The ferry system is really the best way to see the island, and it's much faster to take a ferry to St. George's or Dockyard than it is to drive there.
A bike is really nice for if you want complete independence and want to do what you want, when you want. If you'd like to see as much as you can all over the island in the shortest amount of time, a bike for a day or two is actually a pretty good idea - especially if you don't want to have to keep going back to the bus terminal in Hamilton to catch the bus to the other side of the island.
Renting a bike for a week probably costs around $200ish, and gas will probably cost you around 10 dollars every 5 days (and you have to return it completely full of gas).
2. The beaches
The best beach on the island by far is Horseshoe Bay. You can hang out at the little cafe, sit on the beach, swim, play volleyball, or take a nice walk all over the place. It's really beautiful - the only catch is that it can get pretty crowded in the summer.
If you want to find a less crowded beach, just drive along South Shore Road until you come to one of the many smaller beaches that line the coast.
3. St. George's
St. George's is the town on the East End of the island, past the airport. You can get there via bus or ferry (I recommend ferry). It's a really cool small town with a nice little beach and a whole bunch of shops and little restaurants. Supposedly the perfumery is there too, but I haven't been yet. Another neat thing about St. George's is that it is one of the ports for the cruise ships, so you'll meet a lot of foreigners there, too. You could easily spend an afternoon in St. George's, and a day if you came back via the Aquarium, etc.
4. Dockyard
The dockyard is actually a really cool place to visit. You can access this via the ferry system as well. There's a cool restaurant called the "Bone Fish" that sometimes has salsa dancing, and always has 24 oz souvenir beer cups. I had some pasta when I went, and it was quite good. Dockyard is smaller than St. George's, but a good afternoon trip.
5. Elbow Beach/Curry night/Tapas at Lido
I haven't been to Elbow Beach to go swimming, but I have played several gigs there. The beach is really beautiful, and the restaurants are awesome. On Friday nights, there is an Indian curry buffet which is surprisingly good, and also surprisingly only $15, which is a STEAL for Bermuda. Cafe Lido also does very good sushi and tapas right on the beach.
6. Hamilton
You can easily spend a day in Hamilton. The capital city of Bermuda, Hamilton is where the SeaExpress (ferry) central terminal is located. If you're all about the crazy expensive shopping, you can certainly get all of that done in Hamilton. Walking around Hamilton is really entertaining. Front Street has a whole bunch of little shops and restaurants where you can get lost for a long time. If you're missing home, you can visit the KFC on Queen Street - the only fast food place in Bermuda (and no, I haven't been yet). Just past the main part of Front Street is the Bacardi building, which is really great looking at night. Just past the Bacardi building is the Hamilton Princess hotel. Over the summer, they do a GREAT happy hour (6 bucks a drink), but in the off season, you can always go into the nice hotel restaurant and get a nice burger and fries (or chicken sandwich, or fish sandwich) for like 15 bucks.
6. Water stuff
As this is an island, there are a ton of things you can do here in the water:
-The beaches, of course.
-Snorkeling - you can do this at basically any hotel, either on your own (fins, masks, and snorkels are always available for rent)
-Diving - If you don't want to get certified, you can usually go out diving for an afternoon for something like 200 bucks. Getting certified takes longer (you should be on a LONG vacation here for that) and is considerably more expensive, but you get a lot more out of it. I eventually want to get my diver certification - maybe in the Spring.
-Kayaking - my favorite place to kayak is at Grotto Bay resort near the airport (just past the Shell station that you pass on the way out of the airport) and the Swizzle Inn. It's inexpensive (20 bucks for the first hour and 15 every hour after that), and you can paddle under the causeway towards the mangroves. You see a ton of fish and stuff, and it's just really relaxing and fun.
7. Nightlife
Usually Friday night is the craziest night for Bermudian night life. Saturday is actually a considerably quieter night, which I found really weird. There are several places in Hamilton where I've been on Friday nights and had a good time (all of them are in Hamilton):
1. The Princess Hotel - great happy hour over the summer through October
2. Portofino - a nice little Italian place on Bermudiana (I think) Rd.
3. La Trattoria - another nice Italian place in Washington Mall (on Reid Street). Be sure to ask for a chicken of wine.
4. Barracuda - On Burnaby Street close to Front Street. This restaurant mostly does fish (obviously). A small bar, but really good mahi-mahi and excellent chocolate fondue for dessert. Also, they have a really good martini menu. The "Lifesaver" martini is probably my favorite.
5. The Hog Penny - Right next to the Barracuda. A great Rock and Roll pub. There is live music and a good atmosphere. Also, great gin and tonics.
6. The Pickled Onion - I only went here on my first day in Bermuda, but it was quite good. I had the asian pork calzone, which was excellent. Also, their Rum Swizzles are pretty good.
7. The Robin Hood - just past the Esso station in Hamilton. Lots of big screen TVs, sports going all the time. Good beer on tap, and a lot of seating - a big bar and a big "sit-down" area.
This list is by no means complete, but it is some of the fun things I've done since I have been here in the island.
1. Transportation
If you don't feel comfortable driving a 50cc motor scooter around the island (read - if you're horrible with directions, or are freaked out about driving on the left), your best bet is to get a weeklong pass for the ferry and bus system, which is pretty comprehensive. You can get a weeklong unlimited pass for something like 50 bucks, which is well worth it. The ferry system is really the best way to see the island, and it's much faster to take a ferry to St. George's or Dockyard than it is to drive there.
A bike is really nice for if you want complete independence and want to do what you want, when you want. If you'd like to see as much as you can all over the island in the shortest amount of time, a bike for a day or two is actually a pretty good idea - especially if you don't want to have to keep going back to the bus terminal in Hamilton to catch the bus to the other side of the island.
Renting a bike for a week probably costs around $200ish, and gas will probably cost you around 10 dollars every 5 days (and you have to return it completely full of gas).
2. The beaches
The best beach on the island by far is Horseshoe Bay. You can hang out at the little cafe, sit on the beach, swim, play volleyball, or take a nice walk all over the place. It's really beautiful - the only catch is that it can get pretty crowded in the summer.
If you want to find a less crowded beach, just drive along South Shore Road until you come to one of the many smaller beaches that line the coast.
3. St. George's
St. George's is the town on the East End of the island, past the airport. You can get there via bus or ferry (I recommend ferry). It's a really cool small town with a nice little beach and a whole bunch of shops and little restaurants. Supposedly the perfumery is there too, but I haven't been yet. Another neat thing about St. George's is that it is one of the ports for the cruise ships, so you'll meet a lot of foreigners there, too. You could easily spend an afternoon in St. George's, and a day if you came back via the Aquarium, etc.
4. Dockyard
The dockyard is actually a really cool place to visit. You can access this via the ferry system as well. There's a cool restaurant called the "Bone Fish" that sometimes has salsa dancing, and always has 24 oz souvenir beer cups. I had some pasta when I went, and it was quite good. Dockyard is smaller than St. George's, but a good afternoon trip.
5. Elbow Beach/Curry night/Tapas at Lido
I haven't been to Elbow Beach to go swimming, but I have played several gigs there. The beach is really beautiful, and the restaurants are awesome. On Friday nights, there is an Indian curry buffet which is surprisingly good, and also surprisingly only $15, which is a STEAL for Bermuda. Cafe Lido also does very good sushi and tapas right on the beach.
6. Hamilton
You can easily spend a day in Hamilton. The capital city of Bermuda, Hamilton is where the SeaExpress (ferry) central terminal is located. If you're all about the crazy expensive shopping, you can certainly get all of that done in Hamilton. Walking around Hamilton is really entertaining. Front Street has a whole bunch of little shops and restaurants where you can get lost for a long time. If you're missing home, you can visit the KFC on Queen Street - the only fast food place in Bermuda (and no, I haven't been yet). Just past the main part of Front Street is the Bacardi building, which is really great looking at night. Just past the Bacardi building is the Hamilton Princess hotel. Over the summer, they do a GREAT happy hour (6 bucks a drink), but in the off season, you can always go into the nice hotel restaurant and get a nice burger and fries (or chicken sandwich, or fish sandwich) for like 15 bucks.
6. Water stuff
As this is an island, there are a ton of things you can do here in the water:
-The beaches, of course.
-Snorkeling - you can do this at basically any hotel, either on your own (fins, masks, and snorkels are always available for rent)
-Diving - If you don't want to get certified, you can usually go out diving for an afternoon for something like 200 bucks. Getting certified takes longer (you should be on a LONG vacation here for that) and is considerably more expensive, but you get a lot more out of it. I eventually want to get my diver certification - maybe in the Spring.
-Kayaking - my favorite place to kayak is at Grotto Bay resort near the airport (just past the Shell station that you pass on the way out of the airport) and the Swizzle Inn. It's inexpensive (20 bucks for the first hour and 15 every hour after that), and you can paddle under the causeway towards the mangroves. You see a ton of fish and stuff, and it's just really relaxing and fun.
7. Nightlife
Usually Friday night is the craziest night for Bermudian night life. Saturday is actually a considerably quieter night, which I found really weird. There are several places in Hamilton where I've been on Friday nights and had a good time (all of them are in Hamilton):
1. The Princess Hotel - great happy hour over the summer through October
2. Portofino - a nice little Italian place on Bermudiana (I think) Rd.
3. La Trattoria - another nice Italian place in Washington Mall (on Reid Street). Be sure to ask for a chicken of wine.
4. Barracuda - On Burnaby Street close to Front Street. This restaurant mostly does fish (obviously). A small bar, but really good mahi-mahi and excellent chocolate fondue for dessert. Also, they have a really good martini menu. The "Lifesaver" martini is probably my favorite.
5. The Hog Penny - Right next to the Barracuda. A great Rock and Roll pub. There is live music and a good atmosphere. Also, great gin and tonics.
6. The Pickled Onion - I only went here on my first day in Bermuda, but it was quite good. I had the asian pork calzone, which was excellent. Also, their Rum Swizzles are pretty good.
7. The Robin Hood - just past the Esso station in Hamilton. Lots of big screen TVs, sports going all the time. Good beer on tap, and a lot of seating - a big bar and a big "sit-down" area.
This list is by no means complete, but it is some of the fun things I've done since I have been here in the island.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Why I don't mind getting up early on Thursdays
Thursday mornings, I have my "early start" of the week. I have to teach at St. George's Prep (about a 40-minute drive) at 8:30. It's my earliest start of the week by a solid hour - plus I have to drive quite a ways, so I generally have to get up by 7:00 to get there on time.
I am usually pretty tired on Thursday morning, but I wake up really quickly on the way to St. George's because the drive is just spectacular. It generally divides into 4 parts:
1st leg - I start in Paget and drive Eastbound on Middle Road. The road is usually pretty crowded with people driving into Hamilton to work, so I generally drive like a dick and follow all of the other bikes that pass cars by the dozen. While the view isn't necessarily the greatest, it certainly wakes you up.
2nd leg - Once I pass the roundabout where you can either head into town or head out through Devonshire towards the East End, I'm driving along South Shore Road. It's a really nice drive. There are lots of palm trees, some golf courses, a nice church, Palm Grove Gardens (where I stayed for a couple weeks), and head over Knapton Hill, where there is just a SPECTACULAR view of the Southern coast of the island.
3rd leg - From Knapton Hill, I drive on Harrington Sound Road, which is great because you can see a bunch of boats when you first turn onto it. Then I drive through a bunch of curves, which is always nice on a bike. After Harrington Sound, I drive over the causeway, which I daresay is the best view on the island. The causeway is the bridge that connects the main island to the airport and St. George's, and you can see all the way out to the ocean on the south, and up the bay on the north. It's really easy to see the Grotto Bay Beach and pier, where I went kayaking the other day. It's also really neat to drive past the airport and see a bunch of different planes on the runway. There is also a really nice straight stretch of road (the longest on the island, I'd venture to guess) where you can really just relax and take in the scenery, which is just beautiful.
4th leg - Driving into St. Georges is just great. St. George's is this really cool little town on the East End. There are all kinds of little shops, a great little beach, and generally lots of tourists, beacuse St. George's is one of two cruise ship ports on the island (the other being the Royal Naval Dockyard on the opposite side of the island). You can always see the tourists walking around or driving on the bikes they rent from Oleander Cycles (you can spot them coming a mile away because of their red bikes and small, white helmets).
It's a really great drive, and it certainly wakes me up at 7:40 in the morning.
I am usually pretty tired on Thursday morning, but I wake up really quickly on the way to St. George's because the drive is just spectacular. It generally divides into 4 parts:
1st leg - I start in Paget and drive Eastbound on Middle Road. The road is usually pretty crowded with people driving into Hamilton to work, so I generally drive like a dick and follow all of the other bikes that pass cars by the dozen. While the view isn't necessarily the greatest, it certainly wakes you up.
2nd leg - Once I pass the roundabout where you can either head into town or head out through Devonshire towards the East End, I'm driving along South Shore Road. It's a really nice drive. There are lots of palm trees, some golf courses, a nice church, Palm Grove Gardens (where I stayed for a couple weeks), and head over Knapton Hill, where there is just a SPECTACULAR view of the Southern coast of the island.
3rd leg - From Knapton Hill, I drive on Harrington Sound Road, which is great because you can see a bunch of boats when you first turn onto it. Then I drive through a bunch of curves, which is always nice on a bike. After Harrington Sound, I drive over the causeway, which I daresay is the best view on the island. The causeway is the bridge that connects the main island to the airport and St. George's, and you can see all the way out to the ocean on the south, and up the bay on the north. It's really easy to see the Grotto Bay Beach and pier, where I went kayaking the other day. It's also really neat to drive past the airport and see a bunch of different planes on the runway. There is also a really nice straight stretch of road (the longest on the island, I'd venture to guess) where you can really just relax and take in the scenery, which is just beautiful.
4th leg - Driving into St. Georges is just great. St. George's is this really cool little town on the East End. There are all kinds of little shops, a great little beach, and generally lots of tourists, beacuse St. George's is one of two cruise ship ports on the island (the other being the Royal Naval Dockyard on the opposite side of the island). You can always see the tourists walking around or driving on the bikes they rent from Oleander Cycles (you can spot them coming a mile away because of their red bikes and small, white helmets).
It's a really great drive, and it certainly wakes me up at 7:40 in the morning.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Driving in Bermuda, or an analysis of idiots.
There are a few things here in Bermuda that make driving - especially in town - really interesting and different from in the states.
1. Turn Signals
Incidentally, cars/bikes are not required to have turn signals. Now, virtually everyone does, and if you have turn signals on your car/bike, then they have to be in working order or the vehicle won't pass the TCD inspection. But really, nobody uses turn signals (or shall I say "indicators") basically at all. It's really interesting because you sometimes have to guess where the car is going, which side you should pass the car on, or, in the case of a roundabout, where the hell the car is going to exit.
2. Horns
You almost never use the horn to signal to someone that they are doing something stupid or about to hit someone. Instead, you beep your horn vigorously whenever you see someone you know (your friend, family member, someone you saw once at a bar, someone you don't know but would really like to know, someone who looks vaguely like someone you know, etc). This makes driving in town really noisy, as everyone knows everyone (there are 65,000 people on this island - you're bound to know someone). Eventually, you get used to the horns and never think anyone is ever honking at you - a bit of a problem...
3. The "bike" lane
Appropriately, this is number 3, because the bike lane is like the 3rd lane on the road. The third lane extends about 6 inches on either side of the center line - this is where motorbikes drive if there is any kind of traffic, passing cars by the dozens. It's really dangerous, and probably horribly illegal - especially going around tight corners where you can't see the traffic coming.
...it's still better than driving in DC.
1. Turn Signals
Incidentally, cars/bikes are not required to have turn signals. Now, virtually everyone does, and if you have turn signals on your car/bike, then they have to be in working order or the vehicle won't pass the TCD inspection. But really, nobody uses turn signals (or shall I say "indicators") basically at all. It's really interesting because you sometimes have to guess where the car is going, which side you should pass the car on, or, in the case of a roundabout, where the hell the car is going to exit.
2. Horns
You almost never use the horn to signal to someone that they are doing something stupid or about to hit someone. Instead, you beep your horn vigorously whenever you see someone you know (your friend, family member, someone you saw once at a bar, someone you don't know but would really like to know, someone who looks vaguely like someone you know, etc). This makes driving in town really noisy, as everyone knows everyone (there are 65,000 people on this island - you're bound to know someone). Eventually, you get used to the horns and never think anyone is ever honking at you - a bit of a problem...
3. The "bike" lane
Appropriately, this is number 3, because the bike lane is like the 3rd lane on the road. The third lane extends about 6 inches on either side of the center line - this is where motorbikes drive if there is any kind of traffic, passing cars by the dozens. It's really dangerous, and probably horribly illegal - especially going around tight corners where you can't see the traffic coming.
...it's still better than driving in DC.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Get your motor running...
Today I took (and passed) my auxiliary cycle test, so I'm now authorized to drive a 50cc bike around the island. It's kind of weird, as I have been renting a bike for the past 5 weeks and riding around just like anyone else, but now I'm able to purchase and drive my very own bike.
The test was actually really stupidly easy. It reminded me a little bit of my driving test when I was 16. There are 3 different parts to this test:
1. Driving around a couple of cones.
Basically, you have to do a slalom course around like 5 cones and turn around in a circle, then do the same thing on the way back. As long as you keep your speed up a little bit, it's fine.
2. The "Emergency Stop"
You drive in between the cones up to the circle, turn around, then drive back and stop right at a white line.
3. Hand signals
You drive up beside the cones and make a left turn doing a left hand signal (sticking your left arm straight out before you turn), come back, and then go up and do a right turn with a hand signal (sticking your right arm out).
If you can manage to do all of these without bumping a cone or putting your foot down on the ground during the test, then you pass!
So, after waiting at TCD (think the DMV in the USA) for about 2 HOURS.... I have a Bermuda Driver's License. And my picture is just as bad as my American Driver's License.
The test was actually really stupidly easy. It reminded me a little bit of my driving test when I was 16. There are 3 different parts to this test:
1. Driving around a couple of cones.
Basically, you have to do a slalom course around like 5 cones and turn around in a circle, then do the same thing on the way back. As long as you keep your speed up a little bit, it's fine.
2. The "Emergency Stop"
You drive in between the cones up to the circle, turn around, then drive back and stop right at a white line.
3. Hand signals
You drive up beside the cones and make a left turn doing a left hand signal (sticking your left arm straight out before you turn), come back, and then go up and do a right turn with a hand signal (sticking your right arm out).
If you can manage to do all of these without bumping a cone or putting your foot down on the ground during the test, then you pass!
So, after waiting at TCD (think the DMV in the USA) for about 2 HOURS.... I have a Bermuda Driver's License. And my picture is just as bad as my American Driver's License.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Role Reversal
I guess I should probably post something on my actual job, so here goes:
I'm hired as a violin teacher with the Menuhin Foundation, so I have two main duties that I perform every day. First, in the morning, I give group lessons in schools (public and private) around the island. Generally, we teach 3 group lessons each morning - sometimes in 3 separate schools, sometimes 2 in a single school and 1 in another - for 45 minutes each. The group lessons are just fantastic. In certain schools, we have just a first-year program, which is meant for total beginners in P4, which is like the 4th grade in the US. In other schools, we have second- and third-year programs for P5 and P6 students who want to continue with the program. Having the extra programs mostly seems to depend on the school's ability to accomodate the extra students (they have enough violins on hand, and they are able to get the older kids out of class to have violin lessons).
In the group lessons, we almost always teach in pairs. This is great because then we have 2 teachers for something like 10 students (sometimes more, sometimes less) so if there is a problem - a string breaks, a violin goes horribly out of tune, anything like that - there is one teacher to fix the problem, and the other teacher can go on with the lesson. Also, if a teacher is sick or unable to make the group lesson for any reason, the kids will still get a lessons because there is always the other teacher coming. During the week, I spend one day with Kerry, two with Charles, and then I spend Friday with Caroline. On Thursdays, before I meet up with Charles, I teach a class all on my own - a second year program at St. George's Preparatory. That's the only class that I am totally on my own, which is great.
This week we've done most of the first lessons for the kids, as last week we mostly just distributed instruments and made sure the kids were all signed up for the class and paid for rentals - general administrative/housekeeping stuff. The first lesson is actually really fun. We've been teaching the first-year students rest position, playing position, the names of the strings, and pizzicato technique. I actually learned a really great method of getting the kids into a good playing position from Charles - if any of my fellow pedagogues are interested, just leave a comment here or ask me via facebook or email, and I'll be happy to detail it for you. The second year kids we are mostly just trying to get back into the swing of things - playing some of the pieces they did last year, getting reacquainted with proper bow holds and stuff.
In the afternoons, we teach private lessons starting at 330, when the schools let out. We also can do private teaching on Saturday mornings. For this, the Menuhin Foundation rents out rooms in Bermuda High School downtown - there are two music classrooms and four practice rooms where we do all of our private teaching. Right now, I teach privately for something like 10.5 hours per week, which works out to about 3 hours per day. I mostly have half-hour students, so I actually have somewhere around 20 students! the levels of my students vary pretty widely - I have really young complete beginners, one student who is working on the Bartok Roumanian Folk Dances, a really nice adult student who is doing Mazas etudes and the Vivaldi A minor concerto, and a whole bunch of really solid intermediate students. I really really love teaching privately here. My students are without exception very nice and respectful. I'm really looking forward to watching their musical growth and development over the term.
In addition to teaching, the Menuhin Foundation gets a ton of gigs for weddings, parties, etc. Alison, the cello teacher, organizes the gig schedule, and is really great about it. She's very fair about allocating gigs evenly to the violinists (as there are 4 of us, we have to rotate gigs), and we all get a chance to arrange individual gigs - that is, we each are given the option to work out all the music that is to be played, and to be the main contact person for specific gigs. It works out really well that way, as the arranger gets paid a little extra, and it shares the burden of having to organize all the gigs over the year.
Another opportunity that is open to us is the Bermuda Philharmonic. This is mostly a volunteer group that also hires out professional musicians for the orchestra. We've been rehearsing for a couple of weeks now, and the concert is something like next week. This particular concert is a pops concert, and we're playing things like Carmen, An American in Paris, the Khachaturian Sabre Dance, etc. It's really great, because I'm meeting a whole bunch of fellow music teachers on the island, both teachers in the school system and teachers with the Bermuda School of Music.
Well, that's why I do, 5 days a week. It's really hard to believe that I'm getting paid to do this - it's a real dream job, and I'm truly fortunate to have it.
I'm hired as a violin teacher with the Menuhin Foundation, so I have two main duties that I perform every day. First, in the morning, I give group lessons in schools (public and private) around the island. Generally, we teach 3 group lessons each morning - sometimes in 3 separate schools, sometimes 2 in a single school and 1 in another - for 45 minutes each. The group lessons are just fantastic. In certain schools, we have just a first-year program, which is meant for total beginners in P4, which is like the 4th grade in the US. In other schools, we have second- and third-year programs for P5 and P6 students who want to continue with the program. Having the extra programs mostly seems to depend on the school's ability to accomodate the extra students (they have enough violins on hand, and they are able to get the older kids out of class to have violin lessons).
In the group lessons, we almost always teach in pairs. This is great because then we have 2 teachers for something like 10 students (sometimes more, sometimes less) so if there is a problem - a string breaks, a violin goes horribly out of tune, anything like that - there is one teacher to fix the problem, and the other teacher can go on with the lesson. Also, if a teacher is sick or unable to make the group lesson for any reason, the kids will still get a lessons because there is always the other teacher coming. During the week, I spend one day with Kerry, two with Charles, and then I spend Friday with Caroline. On Thursdays, before I meet up with Charles, I teach a class all on my own - a second year program at St. George's Preparatory. That's the only class that I am totally on my own, which is great.
This week we've done most of the first lessons for the kids, as last week we mostly just distributed instruments and made sure the kids were all signed up for the class and paid for rentals - general administrative/housekeeping stuff. The first lesson is actually really fun. We've been teaching the first-year students rest position, playing position, the names of the strings, and pizzicato technique. I actually learned a really great method of getting the kids into a good playing position from Charles - if any of my fellow pedagogues are interested, just leave a comment here or ask me via facebook or email, and I'll be happy to detail it for you. The second year kids we are mostly just trying to get back into the swing of things - playing some of the pieces they did last year, getting reacquainted with proper bow holds and stuff.
In the afternoons, we teach private lessons starting at 330, when the schools let out. We also can do private teaching on Saturday mornings. For this, the Menuhin Foundation rents out rooms in Bermuda High School downtown - there are two music classrooms and four practice rooms where we do all of our private teaching. Right now, I teach privately for something like 10.5 hours per week, which works out to about 3 hours per day. I mostly have half-hour students, so I actually have somewhere around 20 students! the levels of my students vary pretty widely - I have really young complete beginners, one student who is working on the Bartok Roumanian Folk Dances, a really nice adult student who is doing Mazas etudes and the Vivaldi A minor concerto, and a whole bunch of really solid intermediate students. I really really love teaching privately here. My students are without exception very nice and respectful. I'm really looking forward to watching their musical growth and development over the term.
In addition to teaching, the Menuhin Foundation gets a ton of gigs for weddings, parties, etc. Alison, the cello teacher, organizes the gig schedule, and is really great about it. She's very fair about allocating gigs evenly to the violinists (as there are 4 of us, we have to rotate gigs), and we all get a chance to arrange individual gigs - that is, we each are given the option to work out all the music that is to be played, and to be the main contact person for specific gigs. It works out really well that way, as the arranger gets paid a little extra, and it shares the burden of having to organize all the gigs over the year.
Another opportunity that is open to us is the Bermuda Philharmonic. This is mostly a volunteer group that also hires out professional musicians for the orchestra. We've been rehearsing for a couple of weeks now, and the concert is something like next week. This particular concert is a pops concert, and we're playing things like Carmen, An American in Paris, the Khachaturian Sabre Dance, etc. It's really great, because I'm meeting a whole bunch of fellow music teachers on the island, both teachers in the school system and teachers with the Bermuda School of Music.
Well, that's why I do, 5 days a week. It's really hard to believe that I'm getting paid to do this - it's a real dream job, and I'm truly fortunate to have it.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
My first gig, finding a bike, and road rash....
Again, 3 stories:
1. I had my first gig yesterday - a wedding right near Elbow Beach, on South Shore Road. Now, I've played a million wedding gigs before, and this one was actually pretty standard. We even used the same music that we do in the states (the Wedding Album stuff for trio). This gig felt really long, though, because it was a Catholic wedding (hello, mass....) and because we didn't play for all of the parts that we usually would: the Unity Candle, Communion, etc. Instead, we just played some prelude music, some shit for the bridesmaids, and then for the signing of the register and some exit music for the guests. So, basically, we just kind of sat there and watched the wedding for about an hour while we weren't playing. It made the gig easier, but it felt really long. Although, I can't really complain about getting the 2 hour rate for only playing for about 15 minutes.
2. I think I might have found a suitable bike to purchase. I'm going to look at it today - it's a TGB 50cc bike, and it's only $850, which is more than in my budget. It apparently has one of those boxes on the back to carry stuff to keep it safe from the rain, etc. I'm going to look at it today, so hopefully it will be a good solid deal.
3. There's a pretty common saying to everyone who gets a bike and plans to ride it for an extended period of time: "Everyone falls off the bike sometime." Well, my sometime came last Tuesday. It was raining, and I guess I took a corner a bit too sharp, and totally just fell over onto my left side. Luckily, I wasn't going fast enough to get hurt too badly - just a little scrape on my arm and just below my hand. It was actually my ego that was more damaged than anything. But, I feel like a real Bermudian now, with my first case of road rash.
1. I had my first gig yesterday - a wedding right near Elbow Beach, on South Shore Road. Now, I've played a million wedding gigs before, and this one was actually pretty standard. We even used the same music that we do in the states (the Wedding Album stuff for trio). This gig felt really long, though, because it was a Catholic wedding (hello, mass....) and because we didn't play for all of the parts that we usually would: the Unity Candle, Communion, etc. Instead, we just played some prelude music, some shit for the bridesmaids, and then for the signing of the register and some exit music for the guests. So, basically, we just kind of sat there and watched the wedding for about an hour while we weren't playing. It made the gig easier, but it felt really long. Although, I can't really complain about getting the 2 hour rate for only playing for about 15 minutes.
2. I think I might have found a suitable bike to purchase. I'm going to look at it today - it's a TGB 50cc bike, and it's only $850, which is more than in my budget. It apparently has one of those boxes on the back to carry stuff to keep it safe from the rain, etc. I'm going to look at it today, so hopefully it will be a good solid deal.
3. There's a pretty common saying to everyone who gets a bike and plans to ride it for an extended period of time: "Everyone falls off the bike sometime." Well, my sometime came last Tuesday. It was raining, and I guess I took a corner a bit too sharp, and totally just fell over onto my left side. Luckily, I wasn't going fast enough to get hurt too badly - just a little scrape on my arm and just below my hand. It was actually my ego that was more damaged than anything. But, I feel like a real Bermudian now, with my first case of road rash.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
My accomodations debacle (aka the month of September)
So, I've been here for 23 days, and am just about to move into my 4th (and final!) house. Here's a recap of where I've been living over the past month, and what my permanent place is like.
1. The studio apartment at Mount Royal - Sept 1-4 - Paget
The first few days I was here, I lived in a little studio apartment in Paget, which is the Parish located just south of the City of Hamilton. Although I wasn't extremely happy living there (especially due to homesickness for the first few days), the place did have a really great air conditioner. What it did not have, however, was a TV that worked, internet access, or a full kitchen. I spent most of those first days sleeping as late as I possibly could, reading a lot, and listening to my ipod nonstop. While the apartment itself was pretty nice - the bathroom was reasonably big, the bed was pretty comfortable, and the place was really clean - I was pretty isolated, and since I hadn't really met the teachers until I moved out I was also pretty lonely.
2. The "Gardener's Cottage" at Palm Grove (aka the Gibbon's estate) - Sept 4-15 - Devonshire
I moved to Palm Grove on Sept 4, and this place was AWESOME. It was a huge 2 bedroom house with a full kitchen, a laundry area with a really nice washer and dryer, a big master bathroom, a huge living room with a fireplace and flatscreen tv (that had a satellite so I got a ton of channels). Devonshire is about as far from Hamilton (maybe a little further) as Paget, so my commute wasn't really much longer. The estate was really beautiful - the main house was huge, the gardens were awesome, and I had a few parrots who lived right next to the cottage. The only drawback to living here was that I didn't have internet access - my EasyConnect box from M3 Wireless didn't get a signal there.
3. The "Somerset House" at Salt Kettle - Sept 15-now - Paget, up by the water on Harbour Road
The Somerset House is the main house on the Murphy's estate. The Murphy's have several cottages on the property, one of which is going to be mine in a few days. I'm living in the main house currently because although my cottage was supposed to be ready on the 15th, it wasn't. The dude who lived there before me was dragging his fucking knuckles on moving his shit, so I've been here for a week. It's not so bad because the landlords are gone so I have a great big house all to myself, but it doesn't really feel like home. I'm living out of suitcases, which is not really fun but at least I have a place to stay. The view is stunning from here - I can see right across the water into Front Street in Hamilton. I'm literally right across from the Princess Hotel, too, which is pretty cool.
4. "The Boat House" at Salt Kettle - (hopefully) Sept 25-on - Paget, right on the water
My permanent house is actually pretty nice. It's basically like a studio plus a master bedroom. As you walk in the front door, there is the living room and the kitchen (which is a corner of the living room). In that room, there are two sort of loveseat couches, a table, and a TV. You walk through a little doorway and there is the bedroom - a wardrobe, a bed (double or a queen, i can't really tell), and a desk. The you walk up a few steps, and the bathroom and walk in closet are both up there. Possibly the coolest thing about where I'll be living is that I'm literally 15 steps from the water - not the beach, but the harbor, which is just great. I'm also only about a 2 minute walk from the ferry that goes right into downtown Hamilton, which is AWESOME.
So, the boat house is ready-ish today. All of my predecessor's stuff is out of the house, but it hasn't been thoroughly cleaned yet. I'm just waiting for the main house's maid to come on Thursday and clean it really hardcore. Then I should be done moving!
1. The studio apartment at Mount Royal - Sept 1-4 - Paget
The first few days I was here, I lived in a little studio apartment in Paget, which is the Parish located just south of the City of Hamilton. Although I wasn't extremely happy living there (especially due to homesickness for the first few days), the place did have a really great air conditioner. What it did not have, however, was a TV that worked, internet access, or a full kitchen. I spent most of those first days sleeping as late as I possibly could, reading a lot, and listening to my ipod nonstop. While the apartment itself was pretty nice - the bathroom was reasonably big, the bed was pretty comfortable, and the place was really clean - I was pretty isolated, and since I hadn't really met the teachers until I moved out I was also pretty lonely.
2. The "Gardener's Cottage" at Palm Grove (aka the Gibbon's estate) - Sept 4-15 - Devonshire
I moved to Palm Grove on Sept 4, and this place was AWESOME. It was a huge 2 bedroom house with a full kitchen, a laundry area with a really nice washer and dryer, a big master bathroom, a huge living room with a fireplace and flatscreen tv (that had a satellite so I got a ton of channels). Devonshire is about as far from Hamilton (maybe a little further) as Paget, so my commute wasn't really much longer. The estate was really beautiful - the main house was huge, the gardens were awesome, and I had a few parrots who lived right next to the cottage. The only drawback to living here was that I didn't have internet access - my EasyConnect box from M3 Wireless didn't get a signal there.
3. The "Somerset House" at Salt Kettle - Sept 15-now - Paget, up by the water on Harbour Road
The Somerset House is the main house on the Murphy's estate. The Murphy's have several cottages on the property, one of which is going to be mine in a few days. I'm living in the main house currently because although my cottage was supposed to be ready on the 15th, it wasn't. The dude who lived there before me was dragging his fucking knuckles on moving his shit, so I've been here for a week. It's not so bad because the landlords are gone so I have a great big house all to myself, but it doesn't really feel like home. I'm living out of suitcases, which is not really fun but at least I have a place to stay. The view is stunning from here - I can see right across the water into Front Street in Hamilton. I'm literally right across from the Princess Hotel, too, which is pretty cool.
4. "The Boat House" at Salt Kettle - (hopefully) Sept 25-on - Paget, right on the water
My permanent house is actually pretty nice. It's basically like a studio plus a master bedroom. As you walk in the front door, there is the living room and the kitchen (which is a corner of the living room). In that room, there are two sort of loveseat couches, a table, and a TV. You walk through a little doorway and there is the bedroom - a wardrobe, a bed (double or a queen, i can't really tell), and a desk. The you walk up a few steps, and the bathroom and walk in closet are both up there. Possibly the coolest thing about where I'll be living is that I'm literally 15 steps from the water - not the beach, but the harbor, which is just great. I'm also only about a 2 minute walk from the ferry that goes right into downtown Hamilton, which is AWESOME.
So, the boat house is ready-ish today. All of my predecessor's stuff is out of the house, but it hasn't been thoroughly cleaned yet. I'm just waiting for the main house's maid to come on Thursday and clean it really hardcore. Then I should be done moving!
Monday, September 22, 2008
A few stories about my first couple of weeks.
Since I've been here 3 weeks, I guess I'll have to share 3 stories with everyone. Not necessarily 1 for each week, but 3 good ones.
1. My first happy hour at the Princess Hotel.
So, there is this big hotel just outside of downtown Hamilton that has a glorious happy hour every Friday night over the summer. It's called the Hamilton Princess Hotel, and it's this giant pink building on the water.
The first time I went was my first Friday on the island. After a week of homesickness and being stuck in a really small studio apartment with no TV or internet, I was going a bit crazy, but Caroline (a fellow violin teacher) invited me to come out with the other teachers to go to happy hour and then to dinner. I was really happy to get out and experience some island nightlife.
I arrived at the Princess around 7ish, right when Caroline showed up. We walked through the lobby and around back to this awesome outdoor area right on the water. There were several hundred people hanging out, drinking, and listening to the live band that was playing.
As soon as I got outside, I decided that I needed a drink. Happy hour here is really interesting. Instead of bars where you pay the bartender individually, you first walk up to a small table where you purchase some tickets. Each ticket is good for one alcoholic drink, whatever you want. Then you take the ticket to one of the bartenders at one of the many other tables that line the patio area. Caroline and I decided that I needed to try the quintessential Bermudian drink, the Dark 'n Stormy.
The Dark 'n Stormy is made from Ginger Beer and Gosling's Dark Rum (made in Bermuda). Now, there are 3 things that I detest immediately of this drink - Ginger Beer (too strong a taste for me), Dark Rum (we usually don't get along too well), and using the abbreviation "'n" for "and". But, I decided that I had to have a Dark 'n Stormy. As much as I hate the ingredients alone, the Dark 'n Stormy is DELICIOUS! It's really hard to describe what it tastes like, but it ends up being a bit sweeter than either the Ginger Beer or the Rum - completely unexpectedly great.
Anyway, so we (me, Caroline, and Charles, who showed up a bit after we got there) hang out for a few hours, drink a bunch of Dark 'n Stormies (each drink is only something like 6 dollars), and head off to dinner with the rest of the teachers. Let's just say that the night ended with my first taxi ride out of town, and the next morning ended up with me drinking the remainder of my Powerade when I woke up around 1.
2. The guy that fell off of his scooter.
My second night in town, Caroline called me up and invited me to go out for a drink downtown with a couple of the teachers. Eager to meet my new colleagues, I was really excited to meet them and hang out. We chilled at a bar downtown for an hour or two, and then headed home around 10 or 1030. On our way home, I was focused on trying to kind of figure out my way from downtown to Paget, as I'd have to drive it the next day.
As we're coming off of Front Street, Caroline says "Oh shit! That guy just fell off his bike!" So we make a U-turn as soon as we can and Caroline comes to the guy's rescue. She's trained in First Aid, so she pulled over and sprang into action. As I'd had a few drinks, I stayed in the car so I wouldn't get in the way. Apparently the guy was swerving all over the road behind us (read: drunk, probably) and had hit the curb, fell off of his bike, and smacked his head onto a tree. He was breathing at the scene, but was apparently not really responsive.
Lesson #1 - don't drink and scoot, or you'll end up like that guy.
3. This isn't so much a story as it is unfamiliar British words that I've heard the past 3 weeks (and their meanings, as least I hope so).
Driving words:
Give way = Yield
Overtake = Pass
Dazzle = distracted (as by someone with high beams coming towards you)
Zebra Crossing = a crosswalk, I think
Pedestrian Crossing = Crosswalk
Time is especially weird:
Half nine = 9:30
Then they all use "quarter past" or "ten to" instead of (for example) 9:15 or 9:50
And don't even get me started on musical terms:
crotchet = quarter note (I think)
quaver = eighth note
then you start adding demi- and semi- to quaver to get notes of diminishing value. (I think)
semiquaver = sixteenth note (I think)
And of course the spellings of things here is the Queen's English:
Centre
Manouvre
Colour
etc, etc.
And finally, the dates:
Generally, it varies, and places specify which date format to use, but instead of
mm/dd/yy
it is
dd/mm/yy
so my birthday would be 26/03/08.
I don't think I'll ever get used to that.
Anyway, 3 stories (sort of) of island life. I'm sure I'll have about a million more after this week - it's the first week of teaching group lessons in the schools.
1. My first happy hour at the Princess Hotel.
So, there is this big hotel just outside of downtown Hamilton that has a glorious happy hour every Friday night over the summer. It's called the Hamilton Princess Hotel, and it's this giant pink building on the water.
The first time I went was my first Friday on the island. After a week of homesickness and being stuck in a really small studio apartment with no TV or internet, I was going a bit crazy, but Caroline (a fellow violin teacher) invited me to come out with the other teachers to go to happy hour and then to dinner. I was really happy to get out and experience some island nightlife.
I arrived at the Princess around 7ish, right when Caroline showed up. We walked through the lobby and around back to this awesome outdoor area right on the water. There were several hundred people hanging out, drinking, and listening to the live band that was playing.
As soon as I got outside, I decided that I needed a drink. Happy hour here is really interesting. Instead of bars where you pay the bartender individually, you first walk up to a small table where you purchase some tickets. Each ticket is good for one alcoholic drink, whatever you want. Then you take the ticket to one of the bartenders at one of the many other tables that line the patio area. Caroline and I decided that I needed to try the quintessential Bermudian drink, the Dark 'n Stormy.
The Dark 'n Stormy is made from Ginger Beer and Gosling's Dark Rum (made in Bermuda). Now, there are 3 things that I detest immediately of this drink - Ginger Beer (too strong a taste for me), Dark Rum (we usually don't get along too well), and using the abbreviation "'n" for "and". But, I decided that I had to have a Dark 'n Stormy. As much as I hate the ingredients alone, the Dark 'n Stormy is DELICIOUS! It's really hard to describe what it tastes like, but it ends up being a bit sweeter than either the Ginger Beer or the Rum - completely unexpectedly great.
Anyway, so we (me, Caroline, and Charles, who showed up a bit after we got there) hang out for a few hours, drink a bunch of Dark 'n Stormies (each drink is only something like 6 dollars), and head off to dinner with the rest of the teachers. Let's just say that the night ended with my first taxi ride out of town, and the next morning ended up with me drinking the remainder of my Powerade when I woke up around 1.
2. The guy that fell off of his scooter.
My second night in town, Caroline called me up and invited me to go out for a drink downtown with a couple of the teachers. Eager to meet my new colleagues, I was really excited to meet them and hang out. We chilled at a bar downtown for an hour or two, and then headed home around 10 or 1030. On our way home, I was focused on trying to kind of figure out my way from downtown to Paget, as I'd have to drive it the next day.
As we're coming off of Front Street, Caroline says "Oh shit! That guy just fell off his bike!" So we make a U-turn as soon as we can and Caroline comes to the guy's rescue. She's trained in First Aid, so she pulled over and sprang into action. As I'd had a few drinks, I stayed in the car so I wouldn't get in the way. Apparently the guy was swerving all over the road behind us (read: drunk, probably) and had hit the curb, fell off of his bike, and smacked his head onto a tree. He was breathing at the scene, but was apparently not really responsive.
Lesson #1 - don't drink and scoot, or you'll end up like that guy.
3. This isn't so much a story as it is unfamiliar British words that I've heard the past 3 weeks (and their meanings, as least I hope so).
Driving words:
Give way = Yield
Overtake = Pass
Dazzle = distracted (as by someone with high beams coming towards you)
Zebra Crossing = a crosswalk, I think
Pedestrian Crossing = Crosswalk
Time is especially weird:
Half nine = 9:30
Then they all use "quarter past" or "ten to" instead of (for example) 9:15 or 9:50
And don't even get me started on musical terms:
crotchet = quarter note (I think)
quaver = eighth note
then you start adding demi- and semi- to quaver to get notes of diminishing value. (I think)
semiquaver = sixteenth note (I think)
And of course the spellings of things here is the Queen's English:
Centre
Manouvre
Colour
etc, etc.
And finally, the dates:
Generally, it varies, and places specify which date format to use, but instead of
mm/dd/yy
it is
dd/mm/yy
so my birthday would be 26/03/08.
I don't think I'll ever get used to that.
Anyway, 3 stories (sort of) of island life. I'm sure I'll have about a million more after this week - it's the first week of teaching group lessons in the schools.
3 weeks in.
So, I've been in Bermuda for 3 weeks now. I'm currently waiting for my laundry to finish washing so I can throw it in the dryer and head off to TCD (transport control department) to hopefully ace my written test for my bike permit. Which brings me to the point of this entry - not so much a recap of what's been happened the past 3 weeks (that will take a lot more time than I have now), but the really interesting/weird/cool/shitty things about living in Bermuda.
1. Driving on the left is, well, really hard to get used to at first. Especially on a 50cc motor scooter. It's not that bad when just driving down a stretch of road - it's when you have to turn at an intersection that can easily throw you off. Making a left turn means you're turning really sharply and making a right turn means that you turn really wide. If you're the only one at the intersection, it's really necessary to check that you're going to be driving in the correct lane after you make the turn.
2. Learning your way around Bermuda is actually not very difficult. There are 3 main roads - South Shore Road, Middle Road, and North Shore Road (plus a few other big ones, but these 3 are lifesavers) that basically run parallel to each other and to the ocean across much of the whole island. If you can find one of these roads, you're not lost. If you don't know where you are, just start driving, and if you don't hit water within 5 minutes, then you're driving parallel to the ocean, likely on one of the 3 roads. The smaller roads (throughstreets, etc) aren't very well marked, so you really need to plan ahead with a map, especially if you're not familiar with the area where you're going.
3. The prices here are both astronomical and not so bad. Generally, the wages here are much higher than in the states, so people have a bit more purchasing power. Also, most of the boxed/canned (non-perishable) stuff is only slightly more expensive than in the states - maybe as expensive as in NYC or DC or some comparable large city. Produce is just disgustingly expensive (I paid 8 bucks for 6 gala apples the other day) because it has to be imported frequently and quickly. Gas is somewhere around 8 dollars a gallon but driving a scooter means I'm only filling up around once every 5 days or so, and then it only costs me about 10-11 dollars.
4. Dining out is a really different experience here. It's much slower and more relaxed than in the states. The food has been generally really good, although fairly expensive. If you go out for dinner at a decent place, get (alcoholic) drinks, an entree and either an appetizer or dessert, plan on spending around 30-40 dollars per person. And if you're paying with credit cards and splitting the bill, everyone just throws in their card and the waiter splits the check evenly. It doesn't seem kosher to split up exact entrees and give the waiter an exercise in his math skills. I actually like this a lot better than what we usually do in the states, which is make sure everyone pays exactly for what he or she ordered. Even if you pay a couple extra bucks, it is worth not having the hassle of trying to be "fair." Also, gratuity is almost always included.
5. You have to get a license to own and register a scooter, but not to drive one. This is one of the strangest laws I've found in Bermuda. You can rent scooters by the month if you'd like, for as long as you want, but you aren't able to purchase your own unless you have a driver's license. It kind of sucks for new people, because instead of just buying a used bike for around 1000 dollars, I'm paying 400 dollars a month to rent one until I can get my license.
I think my clothes are just about done, so I'll leave it at this for now.
1. Driving on the left is, well, really hard to get used to at first. Especially on a 50cc motor scooter. It's not that bad when just driving down a stretch of road - it's when you have to turn at an intersection that can easily throw you off. Making a left turn means you're turning really sharply and making a right turn means that you turn really wide. If you're the only one at the intersection, it's really necessary to check that you're going to be driving in the correct lane after you make the turn.
2. Learning your way around Bermuda is actually not very difficult. There are 3 main roads - South Shore Road, Middle Road, and North Shore Road (plus a few other big ones, but these 3 are lifesavers) that basically run parallel to each other and to the ocean across much of the whole island. If you can find one of these roads, you're not lost. If you don't know where you are, just start driving, and if you don't hit water within 5 minutes, then you're driving parallel to the ocean, likely on one of the 3 roads. The smaller roads (throughstreets, etc) aren't very well marked, so you really need to plan ahead with a map, especially if you're not familiar with the area where you're going.
3. The prices here are both astronomical and not so bad. Generally, the wages here are much higher than in the states, so people have a bit more purchasing power. Also, most of the boxed/canned (non-perishable) stuff is only slightly more expensive than in the states - maybe as expensive as in NYC or DC or some comparable large city. Produce is just disgustingly expensive (I paid 8 bucks for 6 gala apples the other day) because it has to be imported frequently and quickly. Gas is somewhere around 8 dollars a gallon but driving a scooter means I'm only filling up around once every 5 days or so, and then it only costs me about 10-11 dollars.
4. Dining out is a really different experience here. It's much slower and more relaxed than in the states. The food has been generally really good, although fairly expensive. If you go out for dinner at a decent place, get (alcoholic) drinks, an entree and either an appetizer or dessert, plan on spending around 30-40 dollars per person. And if you're paying with credit cards and splitting the bill, everyone just throws in their card and the waiter splits the check evenly. It doesn't seem kosher to split up exact entrees and give the waiter an exercise in his math skills. I actually like this a lot better than what we usually do in the states, which is make sure everyone pays exactly for what he or she ordered. Even if you pay a couple extra bucks, it is worth not having the hassle of trying to be "fair." Also, gratuity is almost always included.
5. You have to get a license to own and register a scooter, but not to drive one. This is one of the strangest laws I've found in Bermuda. You can rent scooters by the month if you'd like, for as long as you want, but you aren't able to purchase your own unless you have a driver's license. It kind of sucks for new people, because instead of just buying a used bike for around 1000 dollars, I'm paying 400 dollars a month to rent one until I can get my license.
I think my clothes are just about done, so I'll leave it at this for now.
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