Thanksgiving communication

Train to Santiago, ¨Rehearsals Begin TODAY!¨, From the cliffs overlooking Santiago

Well, it has been over a month that I moved to the pueblo tan tranquilo Santiago de Chiquitos to teach the choir and orchestra. Summing up the experience does not do justice to the wealth (and challenge) of learning and growing that is happening, but here are a few tidbits to help paint a general picture:

-- The Place --

When I first arrived in late September, Santiago (along with the whole eastern part of Bolivia)was covered with a thick smoke from everyone burning their fields. (People like to burn things here - when there isn´t a great system to dispose of trash, it's what happens.) Combine the smoky air with heat and dryness, and the climate becomes not so pleasant. Now, however, the rains have started coming, and the air is clear as glass. I LOVE it. The cliffs surrounding the town seem so close you could touch them; the birds are active and I´m identifying new ones every week; the fruit trees are ripening and I´m tasting new fruits every day; the temperature is cooler with the rains, too, so everything just feels more pleasant. This, I love.

-- The music school --

In the three years of the music school´s existence, Santiaguenians have seen teachers come and go every three months or so, often with months in between without any teacher. If you can begin to imagine what this does to student moral, let alone the organizational/structural capacity to find (and continue receiving) funding, materials, and a rounded understanding of what it takes to make quality music...oh! its been a challenge. Right now, I see the task at hand as getting parents organized to drive the school, and simply getting kids to come to rehearsals consistently. These goals, humble as they may seem, are huge.

We have already performed once (in Mass at the neighboring town), and the kids really seemed to enjoy themselves. We look forward to getting a concert ready for Christmas. I am learning that the students come to rehearsal when they see immediate deadlines--concerts in the near future--so I am going to work on giving the students more opportunities to sing and play in church or for other small occasions to keep them motivated.

-- My Cat --

I got a kitty and her name is Luna Llena (Full Moon), but mostly she´s called MeetchyMeetchyMeetchy (Spanish equivalent of kittykittykitty) or Lunita. She´s white as the moon but her two grey spots on her forhead make her look a bit cow-ish. She´s a snuggler, which is often just what I need when I come home. Very photogenic, you think?

A few photographs:
Hombres Nuevos, the youth orchestra in Santa Cruz I worked with during my first month´s stay. I taught oboe lessons and practiced my very humble violin skills in orchestra rehearsals.
Marta starting up the oven to bake bread.

My host sisters Diana and Daniela as we´re bundled up enduring a ¨sur¨ (cold spell).
A presentation at the school in town -- my host brother is dancing. You can see their elaborate costumes with their Spanish influence.
On my birthday! My host family made me a delicious meal of wood-fired oven baked chicken and an ''interesting'' banana-mango pie with crackers on top. As soon as we finished, well satisfied, Milton and Katharyn´s children march over to my house with blackberry cobbler and icecream. What a taste of home! We feasted heartily.

Photos of my students will come!

Happy Thanksgiving to all. I am thankful for the prayers and notes of encouragement from many of you; thank you. Living fully immersed in a new culture has so many challenges, and I am learning the immense value of being grounded by prayer, reflection, and a sense of connection to community.

''Escarabajo'' Beatle

We get all types flying through our kitchen over our late-night suppers.