Spring Break Report, Part 3

Even though the orchestra's jaunt to Memphis was during spring break, it wasn't really a "Spring Break" kind of trip. There were no beaches , pools, tank-tops, drink-runs, or slurred conversations with bike cops.

Wait... I guess none of those things really have anything to do with the spring breaks 'round these parts. What I should have typed was: It wasn't really a "Spring Break" kind of trip. There were no random snowstorms, 4-H piglet purchases, pre-planting tractor tune-ups, or quick post-office runs to pick up this year's mail-order chicks.

This trip was educational, very educational, for everyone involved. The kids learned something everywhere we went. For example, our first night we attended a symphony concert at the University of Memphis where the kids learned that Elizabeth wasn't just kidding around all these years when she told them that dynamics really do make a piece sound better.

They even learned stuff in non-educational locations, like the Wolfchase Galleria. Considering their county doesn't have a mall and that the closest thing the neighboring county has to a mall is two clothing shops, a dollar store, and a dialysis center that share a parking lot, the sight of a giant, two-level mall was a life-altering experience. I thought we were going to have to give them oxygen.

Part 3: Educational Experiences

Tennessee was a whole new world for our little group. The kids spent the first day trying to figure out what on earth a "Piggly-Wiggly" is. The chaperons spent the first day trying to figure out if our bus driver was drunk. Turns out, he was just really, really southern.

On our first full day in Memphis, our orchestra kids had an "exchange" with a local high school orchestra. They took turns playing some beautiful, fancy-schmancy pieces for each other, then played "Purple Haze" and a Lady Gaga medley together. We had a blast.

But amidst all of the blast-having, some knowledge-gaining was also taking place. The kids learned that not all high schools are built adjacent to fields and/or livestock (Gasp!) . They also learned that not all school restrooms have doors (Double Gasp!) , and that some kids NEVER drive their tractor to school. Not even on FFA Appreciation Day (Too shocked to even half-gasp!) . We also spent a few hours at Graceland that day, where the chaperons learned that if we all stand at the back of a tour bus line, we end up waiting for a second bus while the kids end up across the street and touring Elvis's mansion without any adult supervision.

The kids' matching orchestra shirts caught the attention of an Elvis.com camera crew who wanted to interview them. That is when the kids learned that, just because you are being interviewed on camera, you don't have to tell the truth. (Well, sir, I have loved Elvis all my life. He is the reason I even started taking music lessons in the first place. I might even name my first born kid Elvis. And my Grand Champion 4-H steer? I named him Priscilla.)

Over the course of the trip, the kids also learned that there is a reason there are several industries and an entire lifestyle built around southern cooking.

Of course, they also learned that there is no such thing as "fry sauce" in the south. Once they got over the shock, a few of them dedicated the reminder of their trip to spreading the fry sauce doctrine across Tennessee. You think I'm kidding, but I'm not. These kids left a lot of confused/grossed-out waitresses, tour guides, college orchestra members, and TSA officers in their wake. And the falafel vendor outside of Nashville... that poor man is nover going to be the same.

We spent a couple of hours on world-famous Beale Street, where the kids learned that jello shots weren't the things they grew up eating at Primary activities . They also learned that, even though they weren't old enough to go inside Coyote Ugly, they could still get a pretty good view by pressing their faces up against the little window in the door. One of the most educational stops on our tour was St. Jude's Children's Hospital, where we all learned just how stinkin' blessed we are.

At the putt-putt fun center, the kids learned that go-karts corner better than tractors and the chaperone's learned why some of those kids will never, ever, EVER get a driver's license.

And then there was the Laser Tag Arena. Oh dear. That is where the kids learned that, even though their orchestra teacher loves and adores them, she has no problem whatsoever with lining their cute little faces up in the cross hairs of a large gun and pulling the trigger. (I believe her exact words when handed her weapon were, "Where are they? Let me at 'em!")

And speaking of their orchestra director, she learned a lot from this trip too. For example, she learned that it really does take two years of fund raising, planning, organizing, and stressing to make a trip like this happen.

While we were there, she learned that her students are even sweeter and smarter than she thought they were.

She also learned that it takes a lot of ice to help her feet recover from a day of chasing those sweet smarties around a big city.

And when the last of the kids drove away from the high school parking lot on Friday at 1:35 a.m., Elizabeth learned the true meaning of the words "bliss", "stress-free", "unconcerned", and "no longer legally or morally responsible for 28 teenagers on a spring break trip". Congrats on a job well done, Elizabeth! You have earned a week off... next March. You can make it till then, right? Good news! Only one more Spring Break Report left! Stay tuned for Part 4: Miss H's Favorite Shots and Final Thoughts.