i write from yopal, colombia where i am traveling for work (batuta). i am here for a few days working with the choral program and it's gorgeous. super warm weather (never sweat so much in my life), great students, receptive teacher, a nice run during twilight, a mazorca arepa (which are not common in bogota at least), and to top it off, a surprising conversation with the woman who made the arepas and an invitation to go on a hike in the morning before work, and flying back to bogota.
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it would be useless to try to update this blog from the past 6 months but here are a few snap shots of living in colombia:
- fracturing my ankle and being in a cast for 1.5 months in bogotá was not the easiest experience, but boy did i grow internally (and externally) from it. asking for help, love and appreciation for yoga, and patience were among the many lessons learned.
- beginning work full time with batuta. i am part of a team of 12 choral directors from around colombia who have the honor and responsibility of tutoring, mentoring and supporting the many regional choir directors, their new choral programs and the 'choral culture' throughout colombia. i also have 8 choirs of my own that i am growing and directing in bogota in 2 centers of batuta. the communities and kids i work with are all displaced victims of armed conflict and living in neighborhoods at the very edges of bogota- placed there by the government. needless to say, very rewarding, challenging and intriguing work that inspires me and pushes me each time i set foot in my classrooms.
- having my beautiful old friends from home visit: izzy, lindsey and natalie from childhood, and the teeples family (kev, lindz, ky and sean) just recently. it makes things a bit more real having your old life meet your new life- and it is really great. we went to the atlantic coast, ate fish eyes, sipped coco locos, went dancing, hiking, eating, shopping, and above all laughed and hugged a ton. nothing like old friends.
- went from being on crutches to training and doing yoga and pt every other day, to just recently running a 10 k 'race' during the half marathon of bogota. i'd say i'm doing alright.
- meeting a lot of new wonderful friends/ bogotanos/ colombianos. i can't say enough about letting yourself open up to new experiences, and really letting yourself fall in love with this culture and the odd, surprising, beautiful and inspiring pieces of the world around you.
- i still think running is bomb. helps me ground and engage in the world on a slow, real pace.
- visited ibague, where i met a ton of great choral directors: wha'chew know about networking! becoming a pro...
- put on my first huge choir concert with over 150 singers of mine in bogota.
- i bike to work on wednesdays. it's great.
- the resilience of some of my students- well really all of my students amazes and inspires me daily.
- maureen and manuel, my oldest friends here (i met them and lived with them the first night i got here, and we were close ever since) just moved to texas (of all places). i am so happy for them but will miss their presence here in colombia a ton. a great memory from the past 6 mos. is singing at their awesome wedding in bogota, then dancing my ass off to a live salsa band with my new sweetheart.
- i grew my first real garden. i really was craving kale so smu%#^led kale seeds into colombia.
- i visited villa de lleyva with friends and hiked all the way to the finca outside of town where i met up with olga and others to chill at a beautiful 'eco' straw clay finca.
- went hiking to la chorrera, a huge waterfall right outside of bogota- supposedly the largest in colombia.
- starting to like coffee- like actually! just say no. :)
- visited my grandmother ruth in new mexico. what a joy to not only see her, and be with her, but reconnect with that side of my family.
- went camping and made pudgy pies over green wood and rain.
- skyped with my 97 year old great grandmother (twice!). it's the little/big things.
