MEXICO

When I last left off, I was on my way to Los Cabos. The rest of my Mexican experience was so outrageous, I don't think words will be able to adequately express how much I adore that country.

Los Cabos:
I arrived in Los Cabos, where we learned our cast would be split between Cabo San Lucas (the resort area) and San Jose del Cabo (a more residential, less touristy area). I was allocated in San Jose del Cabo... with a wonderful family and their 6 year old daughter, Yoalli. Yoalli is such a special little girl... I have so many stories of our giggle sessions... I could write forever. Although my family didn't speak English - my time in Cabo will always bring back amazing memories of touching moments. I had deep conversations with my host mom... sometimes lasting for hours. We talked about love, and life, and people, and my reason for leaving my world behind to embark on this journey. Yes. I know... she didn't speak English. I don't speak much Spanish... but somehow, when it is forced, one finds a way to make things work. I don't really know how to explain it, but as was similar in most of my cities in Mexico... language becomes a seemingly insignificant aspect of communication. Smiles, tears, and exaggerated gestures transcend all languages... and compensate for those awkward silences that you can't find words to fill. And even though neither party speaks the other's language perfectly... its as if you reach a mutual understanding, if from nothing else... the respect you gain from knowing how hard everyone is trying. In Cabo... I saw sea lions while on a cast cruise, watched a sea turtle peek up out of the water...and so much more. I drove across the arroyo (riverbed) with my host dad each morning -a bumpy ride considering it was an unpaved area full of cacti, vacas, roadrunners, and crater sized potholes. Fortunately for us... obstacles don't really matter - because ... in Mexico things just are the way they are. If something is in your way... you go around it... there are no right and wrong things in terms of traffic... everything just goes. Oh. Also in Cabo, I ate fish tacos in the morning, tried enfrijoladas (which quickly became my favorite Mexican dish), and drank lots of agua de jamaica. And... to top off an awesome week... I watched Yoallis very first loose tooth lodge itself in her hamburger while we were out to dinner... and then caught her reaction on video! Cabo was difficult. The juxtaposition between the rich and the poor was heartwrenching. We went to the invasiones... which is basically a squatter camp of *homes* constructed of a piece of plywood with ripped sheets stapled to the sides for a wall. We played with the games, and I learned that true happiness is a matter of perspective not possessions. They had nothing. Literally... nothing. And yet, they smiled, and laughed... because they saw themselves as rich... surrounded by their families - with something to call home. That philosophy, which permeated every city in Mexico... is something I found particularly beautiful about their culture... and will definately influence the way I live my priveledged life back in the States.

Tepic:
Tepic was totally different then Cabo. The area was lush in green vegitation.. but it wasn't coastal. We experienced a lot of rain while we were there (which became a haunting theme of our Mexican tour... to the extent that we contrived our own rhyme we'd sing each showday "rain rain go away, come again another day... viva la gente wants to play... rain rain go away!")... and of course, the streets flooded. We were welcomed into the city in the most fascinating way... OUR OWN PARADE. Yes.. our host families had dropped off costumes for us at the local mall.. which practically shut down for our arrival. Everyone (I'd say like 1,000 people) gathered in the center of the mall around a catwalk. There were men on stilts, and people juggling.. and a chinese dragon... etc... all for us! We then had to wear these fantastic costume collages and strutt our stuff in front of the ENTIRE CROWD to crazy music. Our host families could then identify their students by which outfit they wore! In Tepic, I lived with an older woman and her 2 adult daughters. They were awesome, and doted over us every chance they got. My host mom was a sweetheart as well. Unlike in Cabo, in Tepic I actually had a roommate. Her name was Rina.. and she is from Finland! We got along well... and it was great getting to know a castmate who I hadn't previously spent much time with. With our sisters, we went shopping, out to dinner, clubbing, and even on a boatride to a lagoon (created by a volcanic crater). We swam there... and it was awesome... the water was cool and refreshing... as was the free Corona (in a can!!!) that each person got as a complimentary gift with a boat ticket. Sweet.

Culiacan:
Culiacan was my most emotional experience in Mexico. While there, we worked with children with cancer... taking them to a beach, building sandcastles, and teaching them to swim. They were so spirited, and full of life, even though some were probably staring death in the eyes. I learned from them -that ones life should be measured in its quality, not quantity. They too were happy although acutely aware of their sometimes grim situations. They were our biggest fans... and when I had to hug some of them goodbye after spending a week getting to know their little personalities... I cried. It was hard, as we stood 107 strong on stage (as cast B)... to come to the realization that for some of these innocent children, this would be the last performance they'd have the chance to see. It was subsequently one of our strongest shows to date... full of energy and emotion - so that they'd remember us, and the feeling of that night.
Also in Culiacan... my absolutely amazing brother Jorge. He and I became so close over the week... he was one of those people I just connected with. Since he spoke English, I could more effectively communicate with my family... because he could translate. Also, I could have deeper cultural conversations - as we could communicate verbally. It was such a relief to be able to express myself. I learned so much through our late night conversations... which extended often into the wee hours of the morning. We went clubbing, and I was introduced to a lifestyle that I was largely unfamiliar with. His friends became my friends, and together we had bunches of fun. Saying goodbye was so difficult. I know we will continue to keep in contact... but still - it would have been nice to stay a while longer - We were told the city was dangerous. And to an extent, I suppose it could have been/was. But behind the *danger* was this incredible place, full of people who were so excited to have us there - as messangers of positivity and peace.

Hermosillo:
Ah... Hermosillo. Totally different from Culiacan... though not different bad... just... different. In this city, I was allocated with Paulina... she is from Mexico.. and speaks English super fluently. Again, this made conversation between my host family and I much easier, as my limited phrases could be elaborated on by someone who actually knew how to conjugate and make sense of my jibberjabber. In our home, we had four little siblings, all under age 10! There was Omar (9) and Natalia (7), and the twins Camile and Ximena (both a year old). The kids were adorable. Our dad would sing us banda music on the way to drop off every morning. The kids would take turns reading out of a prayer book, to ask for safety on our journey. We would drop them off at school, then stop by dad's tortillarilla (tortilla shop) prior to heading to our drop off destination. On my free day, I had the opportunity to help make tortillas in the tortillarilla... and I got to watch and cheer on my host siblings as they competed in a swim meet! It reminded me of the times when I got to watch Nikki swim back home... except I only saw like one blonde child at the whole pool ;-)
With the one little one, Ximena... she was so funny. Everytime I'd be exasperated and utter my authentically Mexican "Ay ay ay"... I'd hear a little echo from the next room "ay ay ay!!!" and then a sweet giggle. She'd then poke her pigtails around the corner to see if I had heard her. Adorable. Oh. And Camile, her twin... had an infatuation with me and Paulina's luggage. She would be fascinated by our clothes, and continually rummage through them when given the chance. At one point she even snuck into my room, and emerged wearing my #1 shoes (my most fancy)... they are like 3 inch high black heels. So cute!!!

Other things that made Mexico memorable...
~The heat was BLAZING. Over a hundred almost every day. Our venues were outdoors... which meant lots of hot performances under a setting Mexican sun. Wouldn't trade that for the world... that's for sure!
~Driving is CRAZY~!!! Seriously.. traffic laws and signs are merely regarded as suggestions. It is nothing to drive up on a sidewalk to avoid a hole in the road. Stop signs mean yield to the traffic that you KNOW got their ahead of you... or gun it to go ahead of those who arrived at the intersection with you. Vacas (cows) are all over the roads. Very few roads are paved... and the ones that are, generally are too busy to be taken. There are speed bumps in the middle of all roads... randomly. Its quite interesting. Oh... and there aren't street drains most places, which means the few times it rains, it pours - leaving drivers waist high in waters that they patiently wade through until the waters subside.
~Mexican time - is not on time. We started every show so late... because if we had started remotely close to the time that was scheduled, we'd have been without an audience. At first, I found this particular cultural difference difficult to get used to. And yet... as I spent more time with my host families there... I began to embrace it as something that reflects the priority they give to PEOPLE. If they see a friend... they talk. If they miss someone, they visit. It doesn't matter if something is scheduled. Life can wait... but people take precedence. What a neat quality, ey?
~Toilets. Honestly, I have never experienced a greater frustration in life than I did with my Mexican bathroom issues. Firstly, let me say that sometimes you have to pay to pee. That's right. There are tolls on the bathrooms, so you pay 2 pesos to go potty! Furthermore, this price does not include toilet paper. NO bathrooms in Mexico... unless the place is an Americanized anomoly... have toilet paper in the stalls. Instead, you must remember to constantly carry a roll of toilet paper on your person (in your purse)... unless you want to be stranded. And of all this toilet paper drama... most interesting is that due to the old plumbing systems in the majority of Mexico... you ARE NOT.. under any circumstances... allowed to flush the toilet paper in the toilet. It is disposed of in the waste basket in the bathroom. This is fine in families where the bathrooms are maintained... but in public places, you can imagine the stench. No me gusta.

Also in Mexico;
I played with sea turtles (baby ones!) as we prepared them for their release into the sea (there were hundreds and they were only a day old!!)
I had my passport checked more times than I could count
I thought I was going to die on the windy roads with cliffs on each side
I painted stadiums
Experienced the Mexican Independence Day (which is a pretty fantastic celebration)
Met important people (like governors and such)
and interacted with locals (IN SPANISH) daily.
I ate foods raw (shrimp!)
And learned to appreciate 50 cent Coca Colas.

Overall.. my Mexican experience can be summed up in one sentence
"So incredible, I know I'm going back."

I have many homes in Mexico... and can't wait to visit.

To all my faithful friends...

...yes, I am alive!

Wow... its been forever since I have updated everyone on my incredible experiences here with UWP - I'll do a few posts tonight... a general, a Mexico, and an American post.

So. Where to begin?!?! LIFE IS CRAZY! We have been so busy since La Paz - as a cast we have bonded so well - we truly are a family. There are so many things that are unique to Up With People culture, that really distinguish our interactions from those in the general population of people.
~We are forced to reflect - many times, every day. It is amazing how much you learn about yourself, about others, and about your capacity to learn in general when you are actually given the time to process an emotional activity- or a challenging conversation.
~Awkwardness promotes growth. Okay... so that's not exactly how they phrase it within the education team... but that's basically what it boils down to. Surviving those experiences that push us out of our comfort zones - forces us to be flexible, adaptive, and more confident in our own capabilities.
~Communication is essential. Conversations here, are so... blunt. There are times when they are superficial... and there are moments where they are deep and philosophical. And yet, regardless of the type of conversation... the fact that it is people from 22 nations attempting to reach a respect, understanding...and common ground is miraculous in and of itself. But people here are honest. We have to be... as we have no choice. We are together...all day every day for 6 months. If you can't be honest, you aren't being real... and if you aren't authentic in a situation, you can't possibly be maximizing your experience here. Learning how to have the difficult conversations has been hard... but such a valuable life skill.

We still have our workshops to refresh our minds about life in the *real world*... this program really does force you to have a worldly awareness...and become conscious of your role as a global citizen. We are in the middle of a workshop series which deals with relevant social and environmental issues. Among them: pollution/recycling initiatives (ask the family... they witnessed my week long trashbag briggade... it was unpleasant to carry, and even more unpleasant to smell), human rights, poverty/hunger, religion, etc. It keeps us mentally refreshed to have those engaging conversations... where you can have insight into the perspectives of such a diverse group of people.

We have also been working dilligently to refine our dances... and to develop our Stand For Peace cirriculum. The Stand For Peace project is an UWP initiative which takes us into school systems (grades 3-8) with a specific agenda of games and activites designed to promote peace, respect, and understanding. Working with the kids is so awesome... the program is well received - especially by the little ones... who are so curious about the array of people who come parading into their classroom to play with them. I love it!

A Treat.

Sorry there isn't a musical accompanyment... but... I got lazy and don't have any songs on this computer... so deal ;-)

Leaving La Paz

Well.. we did it.
Tomorrow, I leave La Paz and head to destination LOS CABOS. I thought for sure, that Cabo would be my favorite place on tour... but the more I think about having to leave La Paz, the more my heart hurts. I don't want to leave this host family. I love it here. The people are amazing..

Our show had probably a good 2,000 people in attendance. The children would stand in the aisles and dance with us. Here, we are like little celebrities. I am not even kidding... they treat us like royalty. People stop us on the street during community impact activities to sign things, and to give hugs to the cast of "Vive la Gente"... they jump up and down, and stand and take pictures with us. They come out of their houses bearing gifts when they see us in their communities. One even invited a few of us into her home to talk to her family. Its really insanely amazing.
I speak much better Spanish now than i ever did in school. You really do get better with practice. At home, my host parents often speak to me in Spanish. I told them when I arrived that I was determined to be more fluent in the language before I left. It is working. Just hearing people talk all the time in a new language, you pick it up bit by bit... and can understand a lot of unfamiliar words just through context. But yeah. Lots of people have been going on interviews... TV, radio, you name it... its around us. We were doing a community impact project the other day... and unannounced... like 5 different stations/newspapers all arrived... and put us on the spot. Our cast is on the news nightly. Its like we have a personal paparazzi at our events... esta muy bien. ;-)
Our show went well... despite some minor glitches here and there. It was a miracle that we even had a show, given the weather of the day. It rained...yes... rained. Fantastic little drops poured from the skies. Good, in that it kept us cool during our outdoor "rehearsal".. bad, in that it made extra work for the tech team, who had to reset everything do all lighting and sound checks over once the rains stopped. We hardly practiced all day.. because it was impossible due to safety reasons to do anything full out. We were in a baseball stadium, so getting wet was unavoidable. We changed in the sand, grit, and mud... and made it happen.
It was awesome. I danced with a little girl with Downs syndrome, and she told me I was beautiful. It made my night. Also, I got to see Osmara sing up on stage... she is so sweet. And she even remembered me!!! - I went over prior to the show, to say hi... and asked if she knew who I was ... she replied "si..." and then held up her little hands and started to sign to me, as we had at the BTS show. Amazing. I am so glad that we could give back to this community, and these people, who so lovingly have opened their homes and hearts to welcome us... as more than just Vive La Gente... but as host sisters, brothers, and children.
Strike for the show wasn't complete until like... 2am. Made for a really long day... but well worth it. Today, I slept late, because my host parents are awesome like that... and let me wake up on my own. My mom took us shopping- and I got a tortuga (turtle magnet, made of shell) and some jewelry. We then stopped by my dad's work, as well as the Government Palace (where she gave us an awesome history lesson... because she is a teacher and is muy inteligente) and headed home briefly to freshen up. We went to the movies - which was fun, and much cheaper than such an excursion in the States. Finally, we stopped at a super yummy Chinese restaurant on the way home. Can I just tell you what an interesting feeling it is... to be sitting in a CHINESE restaurant... being waited on by Mexicans... and reading the names of the Chinese foods... in Spanish. Once in a lifetime expereinces... of this I am positive.
Our rains... apparently came from tropical storm Julio. It is moving up the Baja peninsula.. it may cause further issues for our cast tomorrow, as we are scheduled to depart La Paz for Cabo at 1. The storm, is in Cabo currently, and has flooded many of the roadways. You see, because it doesn't rain here much... the roads have no drainage system. Because of this, the water collects into massive puddles (and flowing streams) in the streets. Whole streets are washed out, and inaccessible in the rains. Hopefully, we don't get stranded...

Adios for now...
Pictures to follow :-)

This is Brittany (Rhode Island), Humberto (Mexico) and I... we are getting ready for our final rehearsals on our very first SHOW DAY!!! ... Denver, Colorado
This is some of my castmates... all pumped up in the dressing room ~ because, at this point, it was T-45 minutes til SHOWTIME!!


Well, this is us at the end of "Keep the Beat"... I am in the front line (one of the purple people).. splitting center (look center, then right).

This is one of the tourguides at Phoenix Mine... right outside of Idaho Springs, Colorado. What an interesting character he was... with many old miners stories to boot.
This is beautiful Breckenridge, Colorado. The town is so adorable... all colorful with a mountain backdrop. So picturesque.
Here I am, front and center, as we perform a small show to promote our larger production. YAY!!


Hola! That's me... my papa taught me how to waterski at La Playa Balandra here in La Paz. I had so much fun!!! It took me 6 tries to actually stand.. and on the 7th, I skiied pretty far (farther than I expected)... kudos to me for stepping out of the comfort zone.
Beautiful Balandra beach... as the sun set, and we watched the sky change colors. As if you aren't jealous enough right now, I may add that at this point, my "mom" and I were ine warm ocean (over 80 degrees!) having a great conversation about the need to be catalysts for positive change. I was standing between my Mexican mom, and my Danish roommate... as a friend of my "papa" brought me a rum and coke. I stood, just soaking it all in... and realized it wasn't a dream. I truly am here.. in paradise.

This is Sammi... she is a sweet little thing. She and her father had the umbrella next to us at the beach.. with their dog, Sandy. I could tell she was curious, but shy. When Catherine (my roommate) and I were out in the water, she finally worked up the courage to come ask me to play. She spoke no English... and me limited Spanish. But somehow, we talked... and I learned she loved gymnastics and singing, but wasn't so good at dance. I love that about children. Their innocence makes it so easy to converse... even with huge language barriers. She wasn't judging me when I misspoke... (though at times she'd giggle if I couldn't find the words)... but instead, she just did her best to understand me so that we could play.
This is my dad, Alejandro (on the right)... he and his friends taught my roommate and I how to waterski! He is so awesome.. comes home from work everyday, eager to hear how our days were and what is in store for tomorrow. He laughs at me a lot, and says I'm "muy loca"... that means "crazy"... I can't help it. Sometimes, I use really bad spanglish (because my host parents are really helping me converse in Spanish so my speaking skills improve). Other times, its just cuz I do stupid things.... like forget to say "Chile o no chile" instead of "picante o no picante" ... you see, chile refers to those darned green peppers.. and picante means hot. In Mexico.. if you ask a Mexican, NOTHING is picante... however. their mild can best be described as the hottest tobasco sauce your tongue has tasted. Come to think of it... I am quite thankful that with all of the food mistakes I have made this week, I still have a tongue. I think I have resilient tastebuds or something... but they were totally tortured over these past few days!
This is me and my Dane, Catherine. She is one of my roomies here in La Paz. She is great. We talk often and I am really getting to know her. I am gonna miss our chats when I move on to another roommate, in our next city.

Ay.. mi mama. My mom here, is named Malvina...and she is a wicked amazing cook. She prepares all kinds of amazing classic Mexican dishes for us... to give us a taste of her country. Here, we had for breakfast, fresh tortillas, cottage cheese, regional cheese, huevos con jamon (eggs with ham) and frijoles refritas (refried beans). What you can't see is the fresh watermelon and mango she also sliced for us. It is a daily thing to have fresh food, and phenomenal breakfasts and dinners.

Just for jealousy...
Malvina, mi mama. She takes such good care of me here. It is amazing. Here she is in the kitchen. She spends a lot of time there making our food - and getting goodies together for us to take for snack. See the fresh frutas in the front of the picture>>? They were consumed shortly after this picture was taken! ;-)

Another story... then I promise I'll shut up. Tonight, was our first Mexican BTS show. It was amazing! I was so nervous... but the crowd was so supportive. Over 300 people gathered to watch us! Some of those in attendance were kids from Mobilize Mankind, who is our benefactor for the city of La Paz. Mobilize Mankind, works to increase accessibility and quality of life for those with physical handicaps that may otherwise limit them.

One little girl, Osmara... touched my heart. As I entered the audience to perform our One 2 One song in sign language, I knelt down to sign to her. Bless her heart, she started to sign back. The adults who were supervising her, gathered around videotaping and snapping pictures. I didn't understand why this was so much more of a featured event than those other UWP cast members who were also signing to children. However, after the show, the director of the Mobilize Mankind program personally found me, to tell me more about Osmara. You see... as of a few years ago, they weren't sure if she could even think... because she demonstrated such little mobility and such. Now she has a motorized wheelchair. She plays on her school's football team, and loves to wear wigs and sing kareoke. I asked her "Te gusta bailar"... and she said "Si, me gusta"... meaning, yes, I like to dance. So we danced a bit after the show.

I think, Osmara has CP... or something similar. She has very very limited use of her hands... as they don't seem to move as easily as she wishes. However... tonight... Osmara signed. With me. She put those little fingers up, and moved those hands to action. She tried, and tried... and sure enough, she did it. People were amazed. I was told it was the first time that she had demonstrated such focus and dexterity.

When we performed the sun was setting over the palms and the water. The stage was constructed beachside, and it was still a boiling 80 some degrees as we took the stage. Here, it is so easy to get caught up in the paradise that is La Paz. But La Paz, actually means the Peace. ... tonight, I feel so peaceful inside. I hope that this little girl's day was that much brighter... because she accomplished what was to her, such a difficult feat. Perhaps she will one day have the opportunity to perform. Until then, I will savor my moments on stage for her... as she reminded me why I am here. I want to make a difference... and to change my world... one person at a time.

Long Overdue...

Hi all..
I apologize to faithful readers... but these past few weeks have been insane. I'll try to backtrack a bit, and bring ya'll up to date ;-)

1st show:
Rough around the edges, but full of passion! Someone tripped a cord in our opening number, causing the music to cut out mid song... leaving the entire cast (and lead soloists) singing acapello as we frantically tried to regain our timing and choreography. Other songs weren't quite as disastrous, however, they weren't amazing... that's for sure. We were proud that we got through it, but it was no secret that there was a lot of work to be done.
We said goodbye to our host families in Denver the following Monday. They had enjoyed the show... and hopefully their time hosting us... It was hard to say bye to Barbara... 4 weeks is a long time, and Littleton had begun to feel like home. I looked forward to our dinner conversations, and Olympic TVOed gymnastics. Sunday night, I had the opportunity to go with my host mom's nephew INDOOR SKYDIVING. Yes, that's right... for anyone who knows me, I am terrified of heights. But I did it. Amazing. It was the most free feeling...to just fall into an open tube and feel the air lift you 30 feet into the open space.

On our way to Breckenridge we stopped in a small town called Idaho Springs, CO. It was so quaint... words just don't do it justice. We chatted briefly with locals in coffeeshops, while meandering around to see the historic sights of the place. After watching (in horror) as some of my fellow castmates purchased and proceded to eat RAW earthWORMS... it was time to go.
We moved on to a mining area... it was called Pheonix mine. Craziness... the guys there were wild westerners... who lived only by the law of the land. I kissed the lucky bucket.. and panned for gold... and then boarded the bus for Breckenridge.

In Breckenridge, our host codes were related to the Olympic games. I had to find the person holding the flag of the country which hosted the 1988 Winter games. It happened to be the Butler family... they would become my home for the next four days. What an amazing group of people they were. The children (aged 4 and 2) were absolutely adorable... and by far the politest children I've encountered. The parents were both patient, and so willing to open their homes to us. It truly was a life altering experience, even if the stay was a mere 4 days. I hope to keep in contact with the Butlers (and Barbara) as I continue on my journeys. The one boy, Frankie, brought Meron (Ethiopia) and I flowers after our show. A dozen roses each... because he said we deserved it. He looked for us (we were roommates) in EVERY dance, and even refused to watch people dance if they impeded upon his view of Meron and I. Too cute... it was a hard goodbye, and I remained choked up well into the afternoon...thinking of how fortunate I was to have gotten placed with such a neat family.
In Breckenridge, we performed our first REAL show. It was so much better than the last one had been. Plus, we had had a mini show during that week, to promote UWP within the community. So fun!... It was intense dancing there though. The air is so thin, you gasp and gasp and still can't breathe!!! Anyways, the night of the show, we had to strike the set.. host pickup, therefore, was not until 1am~! Until we got to bed, it was after two, and Meron and I woke early to do a load of wash and get showers before another long day. When we said goodbye, we had a matter of minutes before our sessions started... education, dance, culture... etc. At night, we had time to wind down - and a bunch of us set out on a quest to Downtown Breckenridge. It was an awesome little place - we grabbed dessert at Bubba Gumps, and headed back... ending up soaked due to the torrential downpour. Seriously, we looked like drowned rats, but it was well worth it! Its so nice sometimes to just have a group of people to escape with... and talk to.
Our flight to Mexico left early the next morning. We had to leave the hotel (where we had camped out and pulled an all-nighter on the ballroom floor) at 3:30 am. We hit snow on the pass on the way to the airport. What a contrast from the 90+ heat we would experience just hours later as we landed in Los Cabos.
When we arrived in Cabo, we took buses to La Paz. On the way, we stopped at a roadside burrito shack to get some food. I even ordered in Spanish!!! It was muy bueno... we met our host families shortly after arriving in La Paz. Mine is a couple who has two grown sons... My mom, is Malvina, and my dad is Alejandro. Both are the sweetest people you could ever know. They dote over the three of us (I live with Crystal from Wisconsin and Cathrine from Denmark) because we are their first ever host girls. Malvina especially, always says how special it is that she has daughters.
We eat well here. Malvina is an EXCELLENT cook. She prepares breakfast and dinner for us daily.. and gives us treats to hold us over during the day!... On Sunday, our parents took us to a private beach for a picinic dinner where we watched the sun set over the red rocks of La Paz. I also learned to water ski for the first time and found my new favorite food and drink. The food is a type of helado, or ice cream. It is helado con petales del rosa... or rose petal ice cream. As romantic and fragrant tasting as it smells. My favorite drink, is agua con jamaica... which is a type of tea made from the flowers of the jamaica plant. So yummy.. you all must try it!
Oh.. and the food here is nothing like at home. The Mexican food of the states does NOT resemble actual Mexican food... and the fruits of home, are insanely large in comparison to the ones here (which are much riper and fresh tasting). Mangos especially, are so different than what I am used to. But I love it. Esta muy bueno!!!
For our Community Impact work here in La Paz, we are working with Mobilize Mankind... it is a group which tries to integrate the handicapped into the folds of regular society.. and recycle and refurbish the unusable wheelchairs, prosthetic pieces, and other devices of the USA, to areas that need them most. Pretty cool. All profits from our show on Saturday will go towards this organization... and we are hoping to perform to a sell out crowd of about 5,000. Pray for that. This organization does so much good. Oh. And we repainted the entire stadium where we will perform. It is a baseball stadium that had been defaced by grafitti... and so we repainted it, to draw attention to our show, and help out the community. Again, muy bueno!
Something cool? We found a blue starfish today during our regional learning at the beach. Also, the other day (not cool, but interesting)... one of my castmates got stung by a sting ray. Here, they are called mantarayas - scary. They are poisonous. She is okay though... lucky for me, my mom watches for us at the beach and does the 'mantaraya shuffle' in an effort to scare them away.
Tomorrow I have a beach side BTS or back track show... which is basically a small version of our big program for promotional purposes. That's right... its beachside. Be jealous. The water is crystal clear, and the people are amazing. I wish you could be here to live this life. It is muy incredible...

Pictures coming soon...
Abrasos y besos de La Paz, Mexico
(hugs and kisses from La Paz, Mexico)

Countdown to Curtain Call #1

This is on a break. Our cast is big on massages. Hey... I'm not complaining... be jealous... very jealous. This was taken on the drive into our CI the other week... I thought it was such a beautiful little scene... it was this meandering stream.. and just lush grass that opened into the mountains. Sadly, only feet away was the damage of that fire...
On the way to CI (it was a long drive...) many games were played. This bunch (who sat directly in front of me... what entertainment)... decided to give themselves tattoos and indicate whether they won or lost games by doodling Ls and Ws on the heads of all participants. Do note that this was all done in permanent marker.
This makes me smile. Too fun. I could try to list everyone's names, but I know I'd spell most horribly wrong. But.. instead I'll list some countries I see represented. We have a Dane, two Mexicans, a Brazilian, two Germans, A Belgian, and a Swede...we also have someone from North Carolina, from New Jersey, Connecticut, and one other... but I forget where she is from... Texas?
Another picture of that pretty-as-a-picture view we got out of our bus windows on the way to our CI.

Well everyone... its almost time.

All month we've been working hard- for this coming Saturday.

I can only hope we pull together the passion and energy that our cast is capable of to deliver an amazing show...

Rehearsals have been long this week.. but there were a lot of really positive moments and breakthroughs.

Our staff has really been pushing us to explore our emotional boundaries. Our performance quality has enhanced so much... as each person has really taken that mission to heart... to try and convey through their voice, their face, and their body the essence of why they are here, in this Cast...

Today, we had Steve Faber ... a realllly awesome guest speaker. He speaks on Extreme Leadership... and is also the stepfather of one of my castmates - Kelsey. His annecdotal stories were so awesome and inspirational - as was the speech of Ms. Lee earlier this week.

Today, we caught the WATERBALLOON BANDITS!! Yay for Celiana, our Business Manager on the road - she caught them (with photo documentation!)... and instead of getting mad, helped the cast to get EVEN. So... today at wrap up, she called out Jenny and Maggie and pretended to be thanking them for their hard work with the send-off committee. For their surprise, they had to close their eyes...

And Matt, and I believe Rafa, proceeded to dump buckets of water over their head. There was no escape. They were drenched... but they deserved it, lol. After all the nights I walked to the train station all the way through the 16th street mall in my wet clothes, or damp sneakers from their shennanigans... you bet I was lovingly laughing as they stood dripping like wet little noodles!

Also today, Jochem treated about 8 volunteers to a "Dutch taste test"... What a cultural experience that was, as they bravely tried the Dutch drop they were given. The reactions were priceless. Overall, Europeans loved it, North Americans were split, the South Americans didn't like it... and the Asians/Africans didn't really care that much for it either. I had tried a Dutch drop previously courtesy of Mayke... wasn't a big fan. Its basically like licorice...intensified.

Colin's mom and cousin were nice enough to send the entire cast COOKIES... yep... all the way from Texas, we received a package of snickerdoodles, biscotti, and a chocolate brittle type treat. Loved it. The perfect end to a long day.

Our new venue is beautiful. I am excited to have our first show there. They estimate about 1,000 people will be in attendance.. mostly host families who will be preparing to say goodbye to their "kids" for the past 4.5 weeks. No doubt Monday's host drop off will be difficult. Its hard to change - but on this tour, I suppose we will soon become accustomed to it. It is how we live. Like global hobos with a mission. It is so different than what I am used to. And yet, its nervewracking, and thrilling all at the same time.

For now I will leave you with some cute little pictures (above) that capture the craziness of our cast.... enjoy.