FORMER FIRST LADY ASKED ME TO TEACH HER GRANDSON AGAIN
Before my 23-day vacation to Philippines in June 02-23, 2015, I met former First Lady Valeria Toribiong, right, on my way back to Palau Royal Resort. She asked me to call her after coming back from vacation so that we can arrange the schedule of the resumption of piano lessons of Ethan Nate Meyar, 2nd from right.
(Photo from Tia Belau Dec. 27, 2010-Jan. 02, 2011 Issue)
POTENTIAL EXTRA EARNINGS
THROUGH MUSIC
WHILE I'm in line at the Bank of Guam on June 02, 2015 cashing my cash prize of $100.00 for finishing 3rd in the 2015 Palau Blitz Chess Championship, the secretary of former Senator Alfonso Diaz informed me that the Senator wants me to record Palauan songs again in his music studio. But this time, he wants me to record the 16 Palau States' songs.
I tell her that I will be having a 23-day vacation in Philippines and when I come back, I will record those songs again live or whatever we decide.
Two weeks before going to Philippines to get Schengen visa for participation in the 2014 World Chess Olympiad in Tromso, Norway, I recorded 20 Palauan songs with Senator Diaz. He paid me $10.00/ song.
We agreed in principle that he will make only copies of those songs if somebody wants to use it personally. He don't like to make many copies for sale because the piracy is so easy to ruin sales with so little market (20,000 population).
After hearing what a Bishop at Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ (4th Watch) has said, "How can you out-give God?", I started to give 51% of my cash chess prizes to PMCC. I started it with $63.00 donation after finishing 1st runner-up in the 2014-2015 Palau National Chess Championship, winning a trophy and $125.00.
$51.00 was donated when I won $100.00 in the 2015 Palau Blitz Chess Championship and now $31.00 for winning $60.00 and a trophy for finishing 3rd in 2015 Palau Rapid Chess Championship.
Since doing that, God gave me back more than I expected! Not only in terms of tips and additional music students, but also wisdom in everything I do. I'm more at peace at work, at church, with family and friends. I couldn't ask for more.
A few months ago, while playing piano at Waves Restaurant of Palau Royal Resort, I was approached by a Palauan lady. She asked where can she buy my recording of Palau songs. I told her that we have an agreement with Senator Diaz. She can ask him to record those songs for her for a price.
On the same day that I was cashing my chess prize, I met the former First Lady Valeria Toribiong at the parking area where they have an office. She asked me to call her to set a date for the resumption of teaching her grandson Ethan piano again.
After coming back from Olympiad, I taught Ethan 2-3 more times until his grandfather former Palau President Johnson Toribiong was not reelected as president of Palau. That somehow diminish their financial capacity to afford $20.00/hour music and chess lessons.
A few weeks before my 23-day vacation, I'm having my breakfast at the bench outside Belau Medical Clinic while waiting for the results of my blood sugar test, when I was approached by Petroia Koshiba of Belau National Museum. She asked me if I'm available to teach kids at the Museum in the daytime. I said I'm free in the daytime and gave her my card. I mentioned to her that I've tuned the piano there a few years ago.
She called me at Palau Royal Resort's Dormitory 1 a few days before my vacation. She said when I come back from vacation, we'll talk about teaching kids (maybe by group) at Belau National Museum. I've experienced teaching guitar by group before. The students can save but I can't concentrate on one student. Unlike in individual teachings, students learn faster and more focus on music lessons.
Before Taiwan Embassy Minister Joseph Ma was assigned to California this month, he referred to me the new Counselor of Japan Embassy Koji Tomita to teach his daughter keyboard. Mr. Koji and his wife and daughter will be taking the apartment that Minister Ma is vacating.
A month ago, while shopping fruits at WCTC Shopping Center, I met the mother of my 2 former students in Airai state. She wants me to resume teaching her daughter Aya keyboard again. Her son Otsi (which I remember because I usually take a look at all my former students at
Otsi is now in Philippines and a teenager already. I taught Aya and Otsi keyboard from December 2005 - June 2006.
On August 24, 2015, I started to teach piano again to Dichem Tmetchul, the daughter of Senator Mlib Tmetchul and Dixie. It will be thrice a week now-- (Mon. Wed. and Sat.)
The last time I teach Dichem on Wed. Aug. 26, 2015, we have enjoyed one hour of teaching that it passed as if it's only 10 minutes, but for her, it's just like 5 minutes.
Dichem enjoyed and appreciate these words that I told her: "I feel right now that I have planted a tree when I teach you more than a year ago. You grow like that tree and even though I'm not around to continue to 'teach and water' you, you are now bearing fruits and I'm reaping those fruits now because you still remember many of what I taught you."
I tuned their piano for 2 hours (3-5pm). She came from school at about 4:30. She gave me coconut juice drink and their long-time domestic helper Annabel gave me egg sandwich while waiting for Dichem to finish her snack.
The first song that I teach her is "Puff, The Magic Dragon". While looking for the next song to teach her, she suggested that she will say the first number of the page of the songbook, I will tell the 2nd number and she will say again the 3rd. But the green-colored songbook don't have have pages higher than 130, so she chose page number 65 --"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" (1973) by Elton John.
It's a very hard song than even me can't play it without looking at the chords. But Dichem insisted to learn it because it was picked by her. She's learned about 92% of the song. The next one is page 269 of the blue notebook, which is "Sharing The Night Together" by Dr. Hook. The problem is the chords is written not from pen but from a pencil that is why she will having a hard time to see it.
We choose another one --"There's a Kind of Hush All Over the World" by Herman's Hermits/Carpenters. It's in the '60's and she asked why there is no year except 196_. I explained to her that I have a songbook with a title of "Songs of the '60's". So all of the songs there are from the decade of the '60's. I know it's from the '60's but I don't know the exact year. SHE'S LEARNED IT ON THE 2ND TIME!
Next is page 210 - "I Don't Want To Talk About It" by Rod Stewart. I suggested to her that we should lower it down to key of G (original is Key of A) to make the chords easier but she prefers the original and she's got it almost perfect on the 3rd time.
We're having a good time till the last one "Leaving On A Jet Plane" by John Denver. She's got it on the 1st try and even put it 2 steps higher.
IT'S MY FIRST TIME TO ENCOUNTER SUCH A DARING MUSIC STUDENT NOT AFRAID TO TRY ANYTHING THAT COMES HER WAY BY DOING THIS RANDOM SELECTION OF SONGS TO BE LEARNED!!! YOU CONTINUE TO IMPRESS ME, DICHEM.
Sources: Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
The Beginning of Chess in Palau
By Roberto Hernandez
To be published as a book in the future
Music and Me
By Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
March 2012 -- April 2013
http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
April 2013--August 2015
