Friends:

It was my fifth day in the Philippines. No matter what time of the day you catch the beach, it is always beautiful! This is Diniwid Beach early in the morning. A great time to go walking and shell collecting BUT we had a date! It was time to get to our paraw (a bangka sailboat with bamboo outriggers). We were going island hopping, exploring parts of Boracay easier to get to by boat.

Here is a picture of Katrin and I posing in a small, beached bangka.

Auntie Jovie, Auntie Espie, Katrin and I boarded the paraw, not knowing what to expect. Two of us sat on each side, on nylon nets secured between two bamboo outriggers. Two men (Tim and Dudes) operated the primitive sailboat. Tim steered the boat from the back while Dudes managed the sails and rigs in the front.

Our first stop was Crocodile Island, where we went snorkeling. Rain and wind threatened our adventure but somehow, it seemed the sea god was listening and Poseidon  calmed down the weather and water for us. How I wish I could show you the splendor beneath the sea! Alas, I did not have an underwater camera! I saw an electric blue starfish, pink coral, orange sea anenome, black and white sea urchins, and an array of fish no landlubber’s aquarium could match. It was spectacular and strangely peaceful to swim with the creatures of the deep blue.

Here is a picture of Crocodile Island, a small desolate island shaped like a… you guessed it - crocodile! It is situated in one of Boracay’s best diving and snorkeling spots.

After our snorkeling adventure, we headed to Talipapa at Station 3. Take a look at this beach!

Here, I did some MAJOR shopping. I bought tons of handmade jewelry with pearls, mother of pearl, abalone, and capice shell at dirt cheap prices. I made sure to stock up for Christmas! Here is the jewelry stand where I bought my priceless treasures. The jewelry was handmade by a woman named Chickitang. She even customized several pieces for me right on the spot! I made her the happiest woman on the beach. My aunt said that I probably fed her and her family for at least three weeks with the purchases I made that day. Wow… So humbling.

I treated Chickitang and her daughter to food and drinks. I also treated our paraw sailors to drinks and pizza. Chickitang was so happy she even threw in some free pieces of jewelry! Our paraw sailors, Tim and Dudes, made sure our trip was phenomenal.

Next, we headed for Puka Beach, a private and protected beach where hundreds of thousands of puka shells can be found. To preserve the beach, tourists are not allowed to harvest any of puka shells. Unfortunately, the wind did not cooperate with us. It died down and walang hanging (without wind), we could not corner around the bend to get to Puka Beach. So the guys took us to Balinghai Point instead, the oldest part of Boracay. We anchored our paraw in the small, rock-protected bay.

The water was clear but it was quite rocky. Thank goodness for US made sand shoes! Here is a picture of the Boracay Beach Babes! Do you see a calendar in our future? LOL!

Okay, not quite Baywatch… But we had such a great time swimming, playing in the sand, and exploring. Dudes took me up a windy staircase that hugged the side of the cliff. Here is a picture of the steep stairs.

After 50 million breathless steps, I finally made it to the top. The view from above was worth the exertion of the trip. Check it out!

Nestled in a secret location at the top of this mountainous climb was a restaurant. Dudes’ wife worked there and gave me a gomamela flower for my hair. See, I really am an island girl!

After climbing down (gripping the railing I might add), I had to capture this beautiful view of the rocky path we just navigated.

We headed back to our hotel, enjoying the last of the water and the wind for the day. Here is a picture of us girls at the end of the day on our paraw.

What an adenture!  Yes, we were tired but our day didn’t end there. We swam for a bit in the pool and headed for D’Mall for a bite to eat and some entertainment. It rained a bit and scared off some tourists but it didn’t stop us. We ate Mongolian Barbecue and had fun anyway. Then Katrin and I headed out for some dancing at the local nightclubs. We ended up at Guilly’s Island and had a blast. We received first class service - our waiter even escorted us back to the hotel (on the back of our tricycle), just to make sure we got back safely. Thanks, EJ!

Here is a picture of me in front of a handmade sandcastle. Too cool!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

Friends:

It was an early day, having to catch a flight to Kalibo in Panay. I was vacationing in Boracay (a Philippine island), rumored to be one of the Top 10 Beaches in the world. I took my two aunts, Jovie and Espie, as well as my cousin, Katrin. Above is the view from my window, overlooking the province of Aklan, where the Kalibo airport is located. From Kalibo, we had to take a 1.5 hour van ride through the countryside to get to the jetty port in Caticlan. From there, we had to take a Bangka boat to Boracay. And finally a tricycle to our hotel. The journey went like this: car, plane, van, bangka boat, and tricycle - just to get to our beach destination. But let me tell you, it was worth it. More on that later — you’ll see…

Here is a picture of my Auntie Jovie, Auntie Espie and cousin, Katrin, deboarding the plane. Auntie Jovie had only flown a couple of times and it was Katrin’s first time flying. We flew Philippine Airlines (PAL or “Plane Always Late” as it is so affectionately nicknamed).

Once we arrived in Caticlan, we took a big Bangka boat to Station 1 in Boracay. This is Katrin boarding the bangka. Yes, it was scary. That’s why you pay a porter to bring your bags on board!

Once we arrived in Boracay, we had to take a tricycle to our hotel, Microtel Inn and Suites in Diniwid Beach. Here is a picture of tricycles taken from a tricycle!

Once we arrived at our hotel, we were greeted by the hotel staff with shell leis, ice cold sweet tea, and cold towels (it’s very hot in the Philippines). What a welcome!

I rented one of the best rooms in the hotel - an executive suite on the ground floor that sleeps four. The sliding glass door opens to the pool and the beach. What a phenomenal view!

This was my room… An American chiropractic standard bed! Yes!

Of course, I had to explore. Check out the BEACH!! Oooh! Aaaah!

Sugar white sands and calm turquoise waters! I really could become an island girl forever… After settling in our room, we donned our swim wear and had lunch in the hotel restaurant. Here we are - just the girls, sipping on Mango shakes…

Afterwards, we spent a few hours playing in the sand, surf, and swimming pool. Here is a picture of me by the swimming pool as the sun is going down.

Take a look at this gorgeous sunset! The sunsets on Boracay are breathtaking!

After getting cleaned up, we headed to “D’Mall,” hip, happenin’ part of town located at Station 2. D’Mall is a vast array of markets, shops, cafes, restaurants, and beachside dining. Since my aunts and cousin had never eaten Mexican, Spanish or Cuban food, I treated them to Cafe Ole’, a cafe serving delicious Spanish/Mexican/Cuban style food. My aunts ordered black rice (colored with squid ink) paella filled with a wide variety of seafood. Here we are dining outdoors.

Speaking of seafood, OMG! Take a look at these lobsters. And they are sooo cheap. About US$6 each and from-the-sea fresh too!

We had a wonderful time our first day in Boracay. We couldn’t stay out too late. We had a date in the morning. I chartered a “paraw,” a sailboat… I’ll leave you with a picture of our pool at sunset. Wish you were here…

Warmly, Dianne

My third full day in the Philippines began with another all-day teacher workshop, the same workshop that I did the day before. This time, the workshop was held at Lourdes School of Mandaluyong (in Metro Manila). The teachers were just as enthusiastic, creative, and daring as the day before, stepping outside of their comfort zones to learn new methods of using storytelling in the classroom.

Here we are, creating a board game from my modern telling of “The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza.” Although I told the same story as the day before, the board game came out completely different. That’s the beauty of working with different groups - every group has its own interpretation of the story. I love that.

After explaining the “Stories on Board” method, the teachers went to work creating their own board games from the stories: “The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza,” “The Three Billy Goats Gruff,” “The Tortoise and the Hare,” and “The Three Little Pigs.” Here is a picture of a very creative board game in progress. It is titled “Pizza Party.”

Colorful, fuzzy pom poms were used as game pieces while dice or spinners were used to determine how many spaces to advance the game pieces.

Here is a picture of Sister Ceterina playing one of the groups’ games called “A Tail’s Tale,” based on the story of “The Three Little Pigs.” She is having a ball. I wonder if she won? Go, Sister, go! Actually, Sister and I sat together for lunch and had a wonderful conversation about the power of reading and education in children of third world countries. We can make change - one story, one child at a time.

Here is a picture of some of the amazing board games that were created that day. I am always in awe of the talent and dedication of these teachers. Their energy and enthusiasm was absolutely contagious. I just LOVED being around these teachers. I can’t wait to see what kind of work they will be instituting in the classroom and how those students will be affected for the rest of their lives. Wow!

After the “Stories on Board” portion of the workshop, we moved on to “Tangram Tales.” Here is a picture of me instructing the teachers on how to create a tangram without a pre-designed patterned. All you need is a square sheet of paper.

Here are the teachers working avidly on their tangrams.

It was then on to create our Tangram Story Theater. Like the groups the day before, they performed “Tiger’s Tale, Anansi’s Stories,” and “It Could Always Be Worse.” The dynamics of the groups were different than the day before but nonetheless amazing. Here is a teacher named Son telling her part of the story, “Tiger’s Tale, Anansi’s Stories.” Her storytelling really touched me - she was so passionate and lively that when she finished, everyone clapped for her! See the tiger tangram in the background? Too cool!

Here is the story chorus, led by a teacher named Ning. Ning was lively, energetic and a real group motivator. The picture is blurry because they were all dancing up a storm! Ning is the third one from the left, in red and the blurriest because she is really movin’ and groovin’!

My workshop ended with “Tell Along Tales,” where I encouraged the teachers to use audience participation in their storytelling. I shared several examples of stories and shared a couple of stories they really liked - “The Viper” and I ended with “Mr. Wiggle and Mr. Waggle.”

It was a great day, filled with enthusiasm, creativity, and lots of caring teachers. I had a blast with the teachers and look forward to returning soon!

I have to thank my sponsor, Scholastic Book Fairs, for an incredible time. Your staff was, as always, so accommodating and helpful. A special thanks and BIG HUG to Meinard Cruz, general manager, who over the years, has become a friend as well as an education partner. Another thank you to Elinor Ferriol, the sales manager of Scholastic, who made sure I had everything I needed. As I said before, Scholastic is FANTASTIC! I look forward to working with all of you again — soon! Here is a picture of Meinard, me, and Elinor (Enoy).

Of course, after the workshop, my day was not over. I had the privilege and the pleasure of spending time with my good friend, Zarah Gagatiga, a librarian and great storyteller herself! She met me at my hotel, the Legend Villas in Mandaluyong, where we had dinner together. Here is a picture of Zarah and I. Time sure does fly when you’re having fun!

After Zarah left around 9:00pm, my day was still not over! I had a date to celebrate with my friends from Alitaptap Storytellers Philippines. We met at a bar called Club Serve in Cubao at the Araneta Center. Boy, did we have a blast! Check us out! (Hi, Cha, Pie, Bing, Mario, Percy and my cousin, Katrin!)

Here I am at the end of the night - exhausted but very happy. And to think - I still had to go back to my hotel room and pack for my trip to Boracay the next morning!

Here is a picture of me with my friend, Jay. Jay is a fantastic storyteller and actor who presents storytelling workshops all over the Philippines. He also attended my first day workshop. Jay told me that my the marketing workshop I taught in 2004 in the Philippines really inspired him to make the leap into professional storytelling. Wow! Jay was kind enough to escort me and my cousin, Katrin, back to my hotel - just to make sure we made it back okay (more coffee, Jay?). Thank you, my friend!

Thank you to all the staff of Scholastic, the teachers, the librarians, storytellers, and my friends in Manila who made my visit so very special. One of the librarians told me, “Dianne, you are my idol! You inspire me so much!” I have to tell you that it is YOU who inspire me! Let’s keep connecting children with learning through the rich and diverse art of storytelling. I will be back - I promise!

Warmly, Dianne

Friends:

My second full day in the Philippines began with a teacher workshop at the Development Academy of the Philippines sponsored by Scholastic Book Fairs, Philippines Division. There were over 100 enthusiastic attendees, teachers from all over Metro Manila.

I opened with a lively song, my adaption of “How Funky is Your Chicken, How Loose Is Your Goose?” I asked the teachers to give me some names of animals and I was given “Hippo” and “Rhino.” That was a challenge but I came up with “How wobbly is your hippo? (with hips wobbling from side to side)” and “How pointy is your rhino?” (with a finger symbolizing the rhino’s horn).

The all-day (6 hr.) workshop called “Explore-A-Story-Um” consisted of three workshops: “Stories on Board: Creating Board Games from Favorite Tales,” “Tangram Tales: Story Theater Using the Ancient Chinese Puzzle,” and “Tell Along Tales: Playing with Participation.”

We began with “Stories on Board: Creating Board Games from Favorite Tales.” I told the story of “The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza,” my modernized version of “The Little Red Hen,” and then, as a group, we created a board game on a white board. First, the attendees and I created a story map based on the characters, the characters’ traits, the motivation of the characters, the perils, the aids, and the triumphs of the story. The board game is based on the characters, the perils, and the triumphs of the story paired with perils and triumphs of a board game. For instance, using the story “Cinderella,” a peril on the game board could look like this: “You lost a glass slipper. Move back 6 spaces.” Participants were also given various kinds of board game patterns to use: the square, the winding path, the zig zag, and the spiral.

Next, the room was divided into groups of six, where they worked on creating their own board games. In addition to “The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza,” they were also provided with three other stories to choose from: “The Tortoise and the Hare,” The Three Little Pigs,” and “The Three Billy Goats Gruff.” Here is a picture of a group working on their board game. This group is creating a board game based on “The Tortoise and the Hare.” They used the spiral path pattern, drawn inside the shape of a tortoise. Very clever!

After lunch, I livened the group up with my song/chant/fingerplay “Peanut Butter and Jelly Jam,” from my “Jump, Jiggle & Jam” CD. They loved it. We then moved into “game playing” mode. The groups moved and played another groups’ game. There was a lot of laughter, hooting, and hollering. This is a picture of me playing one of the groups’ games. Talk about fun!

Here is a picture of the “Stories on Board” games that were created by the many groups in the workshop. Phenomenal creativity!

Everyone got a prize because I just couldn’t pick out a favorite or “best” one. What I really loved seeing was the groups’ collaboration and cooperation in creating the board games. It’s a great way for students to work with stories and really learn the structure of stories. There is also the bonus of tons of fun.

After completing the “Stories on Board” portion of the workshop, we moved on to “Tangram Tales.” I told the story of “The Legend of the Tangram” and then shared a story, “Henny Penny,” using tangrams to illustrate. The participants were taught how to create a tangram without using a pre-designed pattern. Then the workshop attendees familiarized themselves with tangrams by working with tangram patterns.

Next, the room was divided in half and each group was assigned a story. The first group was given “Tiger’s Tale, Anansi’s Stories,” an African folk story, while the second group was assigned “It Could Always Be Worse,” a Jewish folktale. After parts were assigned (storytellers, tangram artists, and chorus), the groups then worked on their parts to create a whole story theater. The results were amazing. While the storytellers told the story, tangram artists assembled the illustrations.

The story chorus jazzed things up by singing, chanting, rapping, and dancing their parts.

At the end of the seminar, Scholastic presented me with a certificate of appreciation. I am pictured here with Meinard Cruz, the general manager of Scholastic Book Fairs. Meinard was a fantastic host, treating me like royalty. Working with Scholastic was fantastic! Maraming salamat po (thank you very much) to my Scholastic “Dream Team!” Mahal kita!

After my workshop, my day was not over! I met up with another friend, Dr. Luis Gatmaitan, a pediatrician and children’s book author from Manila. We ate at Conti’s, a delightful Bistro at “The Fort - Bonifacio,” a new high end mall area in metro Manila. The food was delish and the cake (Mango Bravo) was enough to cause a “foodgasm.” Ha ha ha! Here is picture of “Dr. Author” and I, enjoying the night.

Luis has this ultra cool camera that has a “coupling” feature. Rather than explain it, I will show it to you. Here is a picture of Luis and I, and Luis and I, having fun at a local coffee shop. (Thanks, Luis, for introducing me to “coupling.” It gives a whole to new meaning to the word! Hehehe

Day 2 was a fun-filled day of business and pleasure. Love to all my new friends. Teachers, you can do it! Add storytelling to your curriculum and let me know how it goes! Happy Tales to You!

Warmly, Dianne

Friends:

My day began with a performance at Miriam College, one of the largest all girls schools in Manila. The Philippine Daily Inquirer (the Philippines’ largest newspaper), along with Scholastic Books, partnered to sponsor a reading and literacy promotion event for the preschool (co-ed) children. The children were so fun and energetic. They also loved to participate!

After my performance, I was interviewed by the Philippine Daily Inquirer. The article is scheduled to run in the Sunday (March 17, 2008) paper.

I was so impressed with the literacy level of these children. At 5 years old, many of them were reading! I could tell that the school and the parents worked closely with these children. Dreena del Mundo, the Principal of the Child Study Center, gave us a tour of the preschool facility. It was very impressive and well-equipped. This is one of their preschool classrooms.

I explored the playground and found the children that were in my audience playing. Here is a picture of me with some preschool girls.

Of course, the boys wanted a picture too so we took one on a “bus.” Too cute!

After my fun day with the students, my client, Meinard, took me and my cousin to The Fort, a mall area, for lunch. We ate at Gerry’s a restaurant specializing in Filipino cuisine. It was delicious (but very fattening). LOL Here is a picture of me and Katrin at The Fort.

The Philippines is so full of paradoxes. They have so many well-developed areas with “mega malls” yet the country still has such abject poverty. So many Filipinos struggle at making a living. Today, there was a transportation strike. Jeepneys and buses were not supposed to run, as a stand for higher fares. Still, I saw quite a few jeepneys in spite of the strike. They just couldn’t afford a day without pay. This is a picture of squatter housing.

Later that night, my entire family met me at the SM Mall of Asia, Asia’s largest mall, in Pasay City on Manila Bay, filled with shops and restaurants. It is rumored to take 7 days just to walk the entire mall. It’s HUGE.

We ate at a Japanese restaurant called Tempura. There were 22 of us!! My family had never eaten Japanese food before and I had fun watching them trying to master chop sticks. It was great seeing them again. Here is the gang, my aunts, my cousins, and my cousins’ children. The family has grown! There are four new children since I last visited in 2004, a new wife (my cousin Jug Jug’s wife) and a new fiance’ (my cousin, Shobe’s fiance’). Here is the gang. That is one LOOOONG table!

Mahal kita, pamilya!

When I arrived at my hotel, I was so exhausted, I collapsed in bed and got some GOOD sleep. Seeing my family makes me miss my own family even more. I love you Antonio, Soleil, Eliana, Mom, Clay, Papi, Jennie, Gary & Kids!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

Friends:

The picture above is the last look at the beach in Tumon Bay, right in front of my hotel. So beautiful. I will surely miss it!

I spent my last few hours in Guam walking around (I must have walked about 2.5 miles - good exercise!). I ate at a Vietnamese Restaurant, Hoa Mai. Then I walked A LOT uphill and took a last trip to K-Mart so I could buy a few more Guam goodies for my family in the Philippines. Tina Buendicho, the President of the IRA Guam Council, and her children picked me up to head for the airport.

It was such a sad goodbye. I really made some good friends in Guam. I will never forget how wonderful the people of Guam were to me. I had excellent service at the hotel, made incredible connections with the students, and met such an inspiring group of teachers. Then there was Tina, Evelyn and Cyndy… They made my short stay in Guam a true paradise. Here is my last picture with Tina and her family. I love you guys! I look forward to a return trip!

I am such a lucky woman, blessed to be doing what I do…

My trip to the Philippines took about 3 hours and 20 minutes. When I arrived at the airport, my Aunts, Espie and Jovie, were waiting for me with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. My client, Meinard Cruz, General Manager of Scholastic Book Fairs, was also there to take me to my hotel. We went to my new hotel, Legend Villas in Mandaluyong (Manila). Look at this gorgeous bouquet!

My hotel room is a “villa.” It is two stories, with a kitchen, dining area, living room, bedroom with two double bed, and a huge bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub that can fit three people! LOL Here is a picture of Auntie Jovie and Auntie Espie (L to R) after I gave them their “pasalubong” - gifts from the U.S. and Guam.

Later, my cousin, Katrin, joined us after getting off duty at the hospital where she is training. Katrin is studying to become a registered nurse. This is Katrin.

They all spent the night in my room. Because of all the excitement and the preparation I had to do for the next day, I didn’t sleep until 3:30 am! I had to wake up at 6 am the next day… But I don’t get to see my family in the Philippines very often so it was worth it.

It’s been such a full journey so far! I look forward to my visit here in the Philippines. Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

Friends:

It was another  amazing day in Guam. My day began with my arrival at the Guam Council of the International Reading Association meeting at the Nikko Hotel in Tumon Bay.  I was scheduled to present an hour and fifteen minute workshop to the membership. After membership business and before my workshop began, the Talafofo Cultural Dance Group presented a beautiful Chamorro dance.

The group consisted of musicians playing and singing traditional Chamorro songs with children singing and dancing. The children were gorgeous, graceful and dynamic.  The dance was so inspirational, it moved me to tears. Seeing the children engaging in their cultural heritage with such spirit was an amazing experience. Biba Chamorro!

Following the dancers, I presented my workshop called “Story Safari,” a combination of “Handmade Tales,” “Kamishibai Story Theater,” and “Story Fest.” I demonstrated three “Handmade Tales” - “Joseph Had an Overcoat,” “Bandana Man,” and “Pulling Up the Sweet Potato.” I then explained the Kamishibai Story Theater Process. Afterwards, every member of the audience participated in presenting two of my story theater scripts, “The Turtle Who Could Not Stop Talking,” and “The Ant and the Grasshopper.” The teachers were incredible! Unfortunately, my camera battery died and I couldn’t take pictures of their presentations. But the feedback was phenomenal and we are talking about a return visit for a longer professional development session. They wanted more!

Look at how beautiful the stage is decorated!  Great job, Evelyn and Tina! You are phenomenal women. My resources (books and CDs) sold out. Yay! Many of the teachers told me that they were “inspired” and “motivated” and can’t wait to implement the techniques they learned in their classrooms. What a privilege it was to present to this creative and warm group of people. I am so touched by their hospitality and generosity.  Following my workshop, I was presented with more gifts - a tote bag, a t-shirt, a certificate of appreciation, and a stunning tea leaf and orchid lei handmade by Cyndy Pruski, with flowers from her own backyard. Thank you, Cyndy. I am so honored!

Afterwards, I had lunch at a Japanese hibachi restaurant called Joinus with my hosts, Tina, Evelyn, Cyndy and members of the board. Our chef gave us a spectacular show - it was so much fun! After lunch, Tina, Evelyn and Cyndy brought me to Chamorro Village, where I indulged in retail therapy and purchased delicious Guam chocolate and cookies, handmade artisan crafts, and unique native jewelry.

When I returned to my hotel and unpacked my workshop suitcase, there was one more surprise waiting for me - a stack of letters from students of Harry S. Truman Elementary with a thank you note from one of their teachers, Verna Mendiola. So sweet! I <3 U, Verna! This letter is from third grader, Chloe Reyes:

This letter is from third grader, Devin Topasna.

Tomorrow is a full day of fun! I will be picnicking at Ritidian Beach with my new friends and then going to a Polynesian show at night. I am so blessed to be with such warm, hospitable people here in Guam! I have been deeply touched by everyone’s kindness. Their warmth and spirit will forever be imprinted on my heart. Si Yu-Os Ma’ase’! Thank you!

Until next time,

Warmly, Dianne

Friends:

The above picture is the morning view from my ocean front room at the Fiesta Resort Hotel. Wow!

My day began with Cyndy Pruski picking me up (she’s with the Guam Reading Council) to head to Finegayan Elementary School in the northern part of Guam. Again, there was a warm welcome. The school made a beautiful sign for me, based on the artwork of my “Jambalaya” CD, presented me with a HUGE gift basket, and placed a gorgeous Kukui nut lei around my neck.

I performed my “Jump, Jiggle & Jam” show and it was a hit. The audience was fabulous as were the teachers and staff. They also prepared a small “merienda” (snack) for me following the show.

This is a picture after the hugs from the Finegayan students. So sweet!

After Finegayan, Cyndy took me to Truman Elementary in the south of Guam. I learned so much about the Chamorro culture from Cyndy, who served as my impromptu tour guide, as well as from the Chamorro displays at the schools.

The teachers at Truman prepared a tasty fiesta for me. I even tried a Chamorro specialty - chicken keliguin, a spicy type of chicken salad. Mmmmmm!

After the fiesta, Evelyn, one of my other hosts, had a special Chamorro storytelling presentation performed for me by her second grade students (performed in the Chamorro language). It was delightful. On my way to the auditorium, where I was to perform, I was serenaded with a ukelele by a fifth grade boy named Anthony. What an honor!

I performed to a packed house!

After my performances, I did a little shopping (Thanks, Cyndy!). Then I headed back to my hotel for a little R&R on the beach. Breathtaking!

I ended the day with an interview with Sonya Artero, a local newscaster on one of the TV stations in Guam. She was a complete delight. We just clicked and hit it off. Then I had dinner at a Chinese restaurant with Tina Buendicho and her 13 year old daughter, Edriana.

The people of Guam are so warm and friendly. I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings!

Until then,

Warmly, Dianne

P.S. Love to Antonio, Soleil & Eliana!

Friends:

This is the beginning of when I started packing for my international tour in Guam and the Philippines. I was actually all packed and ready to go quite early when I found out from Continental Airlines that the baggage weight allowance had changed. It is now 50 lbs. per checked-in bag instead of 70 lbs. I had to repack everything. I now have one carry-on and two suitcases to check in. Even so, I am overweight on one of the suitcases and will have to pay the $50 fee. Sigh. Oh well… It’s hard to pack “light” when you are gone for three weeks, have to present workshops in two different countries, and have only one option!

Anyway, besides being a nervous wreck (”Did I forget anything important?!!!), I am excited about my trip. I will visit two schools in Guam (K-5), present at the Guam Reading Association meeting, and be interviewed on a news show in Guam. In the Philippines, I am performing at a large all-girls schools in Metro Manila as well as presenting two all-day teacher workshops for Scholastic Books. It’s going to be a ton of fun!

I will be checking my email as often as possible but I may not be as easy to reach as when I am stateside. I’ll also be blogging as often as I can, uploading pictures from my trip.

Talk to you soon! Wish me safe travels…

Warmly, Dianne

Friends:

It has been a wonderful two weeks visiting all the classrooms of the school where I am the teaching artist-in-residence. I feel like I have truly made deep connections with the students and the teachers.

Today was bittersweet, because it was so wonderful and because it was my last day to visit the classes. My day couldn’t have gone any better if I had planned it that way. My second grade class was as sweet as sugar cane! They had a blast listening to “Pulling Up the Sweet Potato” and “The Cajun Cornbread Boy.” Then we did a cumulative round game that I wrote called “Pile It on the Pie A Mile High.” The students had to think of Louisiana foods to add to the top of the pie as the song went on. It was so much fun because we made mistakes! What a beautiful bunch of children!

My third grade class was fabulously prepared. Their teacher worked with them on the side to rehearse. And it showed. They were so prepared, working completely without their scripts! Their performance is going to ROCK! I can’t wait to see it! Great job, Ms. G (my fellow chocoholic)!

My fourth grade class (the very same one that was a huge challenge the other day) did a great job with their rehearsal. I was such a joy to see the students finally working together to create a piece of which they could be proud. There are a lot of chatter boxes but this class is full of bright, creative children who can accomplish a lot when they put their minds to it. One of my most challenging students (the one who received a behavior report the other day) shone “on stage” when she performed. It gave me goosebumps to see her succeed like that. Afterwards, she hugged me and asked me when I was coming back to the class. It was one of those “Wow” moments.

Today was the school’s Black History luncheon. All the teachers contributed a dish. Talk about delicious! I strayed from my healthy eating habits to splurge on lunch - fried chicken, the creamiest homemade mac-n-cheese, spinach artichoke dip, and the most delectable cabbage and smoked sausage casserole! I really felt like part of the family, laughing at the table with my new friends and sharing their food.

After lunch, I saw Pre-K. What a delightful group of students!!!!! (Ms. S - you are a rockin’ teacher!) The children, teachers, and I had the best time! After I told “The Cajun Cornbread Boy,” one of the students nicknamed me “Cayenne Dianne.” It was hilarious. We laughed so hard that my stomach hurt and my make-up ran. It was one of those moments filled with abundant joy. I love laughing so hard that it sounds like your soul is bubbling to the top. Thank you, Ms. S and Ms. L for a “spicy” time!

My fifth grade class did a great job with their rehearsal. They still needed some direction but, over all, they were fine. Afterward, we even had time for a little fun and played “Pile It on the Pie A Mile High.” I look forward to their performance tomorrow!

The teacher who wrote the grant to bring me to the school filled out an evaluation form for me for another grant I am working on. This is what she said (it brought tears to my eyes)… It was one of the highlights of my day!

“Dianne has been able to captivate our students from three year olds to fifth graders. Her age-appropriate stories have sparked creativity across all grade levels. The teachers have stopped me in the halls to thank me for making sure she was in our grant! They have been very impressed by her abilities.”

But I have to say that my favorite part of the day was receiving a gift from today’s second grade class. I was moved to tears by their gift. Look at this card - the grapes are made with the students’ fingerprints!

The students wrote letters to accompany the humongous card they gave me. And the letters weren’t form letters either - they came from the students’ hearts! Ms. K - you have class!! (pun totally intended… LOL) Here are some of the letters:

“Dear Ms. Dianne, thank you for coming to our school. I loved the Cornbread Boy. I enjoyed the Sweet Potato Story. My favorite part in the Cornbread Boy story was ‘a jump, a skip, and a hop.’ Also, I was fond of dancing with the scarves. I like when we were putting our scarves down and up. I hope you can come back to our class. Love, Mikala”

“Dear Ms. Dianne, Thank you for coming to our school. I liked the cockroach story. I liked the cockroach story because it was funny. Also, I enjoyed Cornbread Boy. I loved the part when the cornbread boy did a triple back flip off of the alligator’s head. I hope you can come back next year and join us again. Love, Vernay”

“Dear Ms. Dianne, Thank you Ms. Dianne for coming to our class. I enjoyed the Pile it on the Pie song. I liked it when it started getting confusing. Also, I loved when you said, Run run as fast as you can! You can’t catch me, I’m full of cayenne. I hope you come back next year. I hope you keep writing stories. Sincerely, Tanlon”

“Dear Ms. Dianne, Thank you for the two fun days. I enjoyed the cockroach story because you sneezed on us. Also, I liked dancing with the scarves. My favorite part was going in circles. We hope you come back next year. Love, Hallie P.S. You smell like vanilla ice cream.”

and one that truly tickled me…

“Dear Ms. Dianne, Thank you for the good times. I loved the cockroach story. I liked when you sneezed on people. Also, I enjoyed dancing with the scarves when we had to bring the scarves up. I hope you can come back next year. What do you take a bath with? I love you. Love, Dwayne”

A side note: Students in all of my classes have been commenting, “You smell so good, Ms. Dianne.” The students have told me that I smell like cotton candy, blueberries, vanilla, strawberries, ice cream, and vanilla ice cream! It’s so funny!

It’s nearly 2:30 am and I have a big day tomorrow — my third, fourth, and fifth graders perform! Yay! Lower grades and parents will be watching. I have been up late preparing treats for my students (autographed pictures and medals or friendship bracelets in pretty bags) and teachers. The students who perform without a script will receive a special treat from me. I hope I have to give out every treat bag! Wish my students luck!

Until next time… Happy Tales to You!

Warmly, Dianne