es en tí la ilusión de cada día (martes, 31 agosto)

Yesterday was alright. I read on the bus on the way into Santiago, where we played at the same church / school as on Sunday. I rehearsed with my students outside in the vine-covered walkway between the church and the school, and they´re getting a lot better. They are actually singing ´Battle Hymn of the Republic´with more emotion and spirit, and it´s almost at the tempo it´s supposed to be. They sang really well during the concert. After we were done singing and playing we drove back to El Tabo where we ate a late dinner before having another rehearsal. I played the guitar for a while in the salón after rehearsal. For some reason I was really in the mood to sing and play in the middle of an otherwise quiet and calm night. I am starting to get irritated that we waste so much time on the bus and that everything seems pretty disorganized. No one seems to know what´s going on, and much of the time it seems like the students know more than I do as far as what they´re doing each day. I´m also starting to get fed up with the fact that it´s not looking like we´ll get to spend much time actually sightseeing in Santiago. But at least the group of choir / orchestra kids is a fun bunch of students.

Today I got to sleep in until 10am, and for once, the sun was already up and shining brightly before I got out of bed. We had tea and then took the micro to the centro of El Tabo to walk around for a little bit. It was kind of funny having to fit the entire group of students on the micro, but not a big deal. Honestly, the centro was within walking distance of the campamento, but then again I guess I walk a lot more than most people. The centro is picturesque, right on the ocean, and windy. There were hardly any people walking around, and most places were closed, including the feria artesanal. I was disappointed, but it was nice to walk around for a bit. Unfortunately there were lots of mangy and gross looking wild dogs on the streets. I´ve never been a dog person, but it was sad how people have all these dogs and then never take care of them. We stopped in La Casa Cultural to watch a group of middle-aged and elderly people dancing the cueca and then continued walking. Combine a ghost town with a windy, cold beach town, add a little bit of forest, and that´s pretty much El Tabo.

The whole time I was wishing I could go running out here, but a few of the girls´moms who are chaperones won´t give me ´permission´to leave the campamento to go running by myself or with two other students who also like to run. I really wish people would stop infringing upon my freedom. It´s only the fifth day of the trip, but I am getting super annoyed with the way I can´t live my life exactly as I want, and that I haven´t been running in six days now.

Later in the afternoon we went to Isla Negra, one of Pablo Neruda´s three houses. It was very beautiful. He was a very eccentric man, and like La Chascona, this house reflects this. It is right on the Pacific with beautiful views. His boat is outside the house, and he´s buried behind it too. There are lots of random collections of everything from New Zealand art to beetles, shells, Venetian glass, pipes, miniature guitars, and so forth. I bought two books of his poetry in Spanish and so far am understanding most of what I read. My students have been very supportive of me trying to learn Spanish. They have taught me new words and chilenismos. One of my students is also a vegan, so we´ve been buying soy protein, fresh fruit, and vegetables each day since everyone else eats the same thi ng, which is some sort of meat. The other directors and some of the students are always joking around and trying to get me to eat meat or eggs.

After we got back to the campamento we were doing breathing / energy exercises with the music students. It´s difficult to explain but I´ll try. The point was to get everyone breathing and singing together to help with the sound of the choir. The other director learned it when he studied in Argentina. It´s sort of like music therapy with movement, meditation, and breathing exercises in a circle. While doing this, his instructions were in Spanish and we listened. Because the nature of the activity was very relaxing and meditative, I completely forgot he was speaking in Spanish. I could understand everything without needing to translate in my head or think too much about it. With the music we could express everything and language was no longer an issue. It was special beause although I feel like my Spanish has been improving, I´d never felt this comfortable with it. This group of music students and the directors have become sort of like a music family here and it´s amazing. The kids are great--so much different than the kids I´m used to working with back in the States. They want to learn, are respectful, and put forth a lot of effort. Leaving here will be so difficult because I love my job. I´m really fortunate the other directors wanted my help with the music program and asked me to come on the trip. Both of them have been really supportive of me.

Although I do wish we could be staying in the city of Santiago and doing more sightseeing, I am enjoying my time here.

written by

Sara Florecita on August 31, 2010 from El Tabo, Chile

from the travel blog: año de dos inviernos (Chile 2010)

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