My blogging will be fewer and further between now that the show is over, but I am happy to report that we are alive and well in Cusco now. After a somewhat stressful past two days (spent mostly trying to figure out whether we'd be able to visit Machu Picchu), we took a bus last night at 9:30 from Puno back to Cusco. We've got entrance tickets and train tickets to Machu Picchu, and we're really looking forward to exploring it on Monday. For now, we're relaxing and resting in Cusco, which is luckily a little bit warmer than Puno was (in part due to the couple-thousand-foot drop in elevation).
Having had a few days to look back on the show, I have a much happier outlook on it. While things certainly didn't go as we planned, the boys adjusted well and the thirty-some people who came to watch really enjoyed it. Mostly, I'm so glad to have gotten to work with the kids, who were really wonderful. Before we left Puno yesterday, Sarah and I stopped by the orphanage to say goodbye and drop of some books for them. It was difficult to read their emotions, but they lined up and hugged each of us goodbye, and ran over to the table to leaf through the books. They certainly seemed to enjoy the experience, and I was honored to have been a part of it. A few of the older kids especially, looked us in the eye and gave us very sincere thank-you's and goodbye's.
Later yesterday afternoon, we took a van out to Lake Titicaca, where we took some pictures and watched the sun set over the mountains. It was incredibly beautiful, and a really nice way to say goodbye to Puno. Having spent over a week there, I really enjoyed the city, and the people we worked with. Victor and the whole staff of All Ways Travel, especially our translators, went well out of their way to make sure we had everything we needed. They were truly a great help, and I'm not sure what we would have done without them.
As we get into the final few days of our trip, I feel mixed emotions towards the overall experience. I loved working with the kids, seeing all the sights of Peru, getting to know people of other cultures and learning more about myself over the past few weeks. I also miss my friends and family back home, taking warm showers, and the comfort of my own apartment and bed. I don't regret the experience at all, and I know I will look back on it fondly. For now, I'm excited to see Machu Picchu in a few days, and then make it back home and brag/show pictures. This trip may not have gone exactly how we expected, but it really has been a lot of fun.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
The Final Show
I'd love to write a novel describing the final performance this afternoon; however, I am both physically and emotionally drained. The show went well, though there were many hang-ups prior to the opening. The doors to the auditorium were locked until 3:45 (keep in mind the show was supposed to start at 4), despite the fact that we had met with the people who were in charge of the auditorium at least 3 times in the past 2 days. They had told us we'd be able to start setting up by 3; not quite. Once we finally got into the auditorium, we could not get the speakers working, despite having 4 or 5 tech people working on them; Sarah discovered that the outlet was broken, plugged it into another outlet, and it worked perfectly.
During this whole process, there was a man who worked for the municipality who decided that he needed to ask Sarah and I as many questions as possible, even though we were obviously stressed out trying to get the costumes on the children, setting up the background of the set, and getting the music to work. Needless to say, I had a few words with him. I think he got the message after a while.
*hbhhbhhblakljda;lksjfpoidsa*
Sorry, I really needed to get that out of my system. The show actually went really well, especially given that we hadn't gotten a chance to rehearse in that space. The entrances and exits were a little slow, but the costumes, music and blocking were all very good. I couldn't have been more proud of the kids. As the audience dispersed, we got a whole bunch of congratulations, cleared of the stage and said goodbye to the kids. We decided we'd have to visit them again before we leave Puno, so we set a date for 3PM on Saturday.
I am a somewhat mixed bag of emotions right now, as I am relieved to be done with the show, sad to be done working with the children, and still a little frustrated with the seeming lack of respect for our efforts. While everyone who helped us was wonderful (seriously, I think we would have died without our translators), it felt like we were put on the back-burner by those in charge. It really would have been nice for people to follow through on promises they made to us.
Regardless, this process wasn't for the municipality; it wasn't for Victor or All Ways Travel; it wasn't even for Sarah and me. This show was for the kids, and they really seemed to enjoy it. They loved their costumes, embraced their characters, and did their best when they were onstage. While it didn't go according to plan, they managed to adapt to the circumstances and perform really well. I'm so glad I got this opportunity to work and play with these kids. Sarah and I put in a lot of work over the past week, and it was great to see it come to fruition. I am incredibly grateful to everyone who helped us along the way, and (despite how I may have initially come off), I am so happy with the end result.
During this whole process, there was a man who worked for the municipality who decided that he needed to ask Sarah and I as many questions as possible, even though we were obviously stressed out trying to get the costumes on the children, setting up the background of the set, and getting the music to work. Needless to say, I had a few words with him. I think he got the message after a while.
*hbhhbhhblakljda;lksjfpoidsa*
Sorry, I really needed to get that out of my system. The show actually went really well, especially given that we hadn't gotten a chance to rehearse in that space. The entrances and exits were a little slow, but the costumes, music and blocking were all very good. I couldn't have been more proud of the kids. As the audience dispersed, we got a whole bunch of congratulations, cleared of the stage and said goodbye to the kids. We decided we'd have to visit them again before we leave Puno, so we set a date for 3PM on Saturday.
I am a somewhat mixed bag of emotions right now, as I am relieved to be done with the show, sad to be done working with the children, and still a little frustrated with the seeming lack of respect for our efforts. While everyone who helped us was wonderful (seriously, I think we would have died without our translators), it felt like we were put on the back-burner by those in charge. It really would have been nice for people to follow through on promises they made to us.
Regardless, this process wasn't for the municipality; it wasn't for Victor or All Ways Travel; it wasn't even for Sarah and me. This show was for the kids, and they really seemed to enjoy it. They loved their costumes, embraced their characters, and did their best when they were onstage. While it didn't go according to plan, they managed to adapt to the circumstances and perform really well. I'm so glad I got this opportunity to work and play with these kids. Sarah and I put in a lot of work over the past week, and it was great to see it come to fruition. I am incredibly grateful to everyone who helped us along the way, and (despite how I may have initially come off), I am so happy with the end result.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
A Little Over 24 Hours Until We Open
One of the guys who works with Victor at All Ways Travel is Ivan, who also works at his family's restaurant in downtown Puno. Last night, Sarah and I went down to his restaurant to discuss a few things about our play with him, and also grab a bite to eat. We spent a while sitting at one of the tables with his girlfriend, Inka, who is from Germany. They were a very interesting couple, as they switched seamlessly from English to Spanish to German and back to English. It was a fascinating experience, and I grew increasingly jealous of their linguistic abilities.
As we ordered our food, two Americans walked into the restaurant and began speaking with Ivan in both English and Spanish. It turned out that their cousin is engaged to one of Ivan's cousins (who also happens to own the restaurant). They joined our table, and we spent a few hours talking about our play (which they agreed to come see tomorrow), languages, Peru, and a whole lot more. It was really fun to have full conversations in English again, and it was definitely one of the most fun nights we've had in Peru. I was slowly dreading the fact that we had such a busy day planned for today, as I laid down to sleep around midnight.
As it turned out, we ended up having far more free time today than we had anticipated. We got to the orphanage around 9 planning to work with the kids, but we were told that they had to practice marching for the Peruvian Independence Day, which is on Thursday. Victor told us that marching is an extremely important part of Peruvian culture, and that teachers have been known to fail students for not marching. So, with four hours of our day freed up, we went to the costume shop to check on the progress of our costumes. We were told that they should be ready by this afternoon, which is great, because we are planning to have a dress rehearsal tonight at 7.
We are very much hoping that giving the kids costumes will add some more life into the show, as it has been somewhat sluggish recently. As we wait for the costumes to be finished, we are putting the finishing touches on the other aspects of the show. We have all of our props ready (for the most part), and are getting ready to work on the background of the set (a white sheet with mountains spray-painted on). It feels strange to be so close to the final performance, but I'm really excited to see how the show turns out. We've got a two-hour rehearsal tonight (after which we will most likely go back to Ivan's restaurant to hang out), and most of the day tomorrow to get everything finalized. At this point, it is mostly just tweaking small aspects of the show, so it will be what it is, but I can't help but feel a little anxious and nervous about how it'll go. Wish us luck!
As we ordered our food, two Americans walked into the restaurant and began speaking with Ivan in both English and Spanish. It turned out that their cousin is engaged to one of Ivan's cousins (who also happens to own the restaurant). They joined our table, and we spent a few hours talking about our play (which they agreed to come see tomorrow), languages, Peru, and a whole lot more. It was really fun to have full conversations in English again, and it was definitely one of the most fun nights we've had in Peru. I was slowly dreading the fact that we had such a busy day planned for today, as I laid down to sleep around midnight.
As it turned out, we ended up having far more free time today than we had anticipated. We got to the orphanage around 9 planning to work with the kids, but we were told that they had to practice marching for the Peruvian Independence Day, which is on Thursday. Victor told us that marching is an extremely important part of Peruvian culture, and that teachers have been known to fail students for not marching. So, with four hours of our day freed up, we went to the costume shop to check on the progress of our costumes. We were told that they should be ready by this afternoon, which is great, because we are planning to have a dress rehearsal tonight at 7.
We are very much hoping that giving the kids costumes will add some more life into the show, as it has been somewhat sluggish recently. As we wait for the costumes to be finished, we are putting the finishing touches on the other aspects of the show. We have all of our props ready (for the most part), and are getting ready to work on the background of the set (a white sheet with mountains spray-painted on). It feels strange to be so close to the final performance, but I'm really excited to see how the show turns out. We've got a two-hour rehearsal tonight (after which we will most likely go back to Ivan's restaurant to hang out), and most of the day tomorrow to get everything finalized. At this point, it is mostly just tweaking small aspects of the show, so it will be what it is, but I can't help but feel a little anxious and nervous about how it'll go. Wish us luck!
Monday, July 25, 2011
Second to Last Day of Rehearsals
It's pretty crazy that we only have one more day of rehearsals before the show goes up on Wednesday. While it feels like we have been in Peru forever (or at least a month or so), this rehearsal process is unbelievably short. Having said that, today's rehearsals went very well, and it is clear that the kids are ready for the final performance.
This morning, we worked with the older children, and our main focus was getting them to speak louder and project their voices more. It is definitely a challenge to get a group of children, who have been told their whole lives that their voices are unimportant, to open up and speak loudly. We did a few exercises and games to work on this, and their volume had greatly improved by the end of the session. We also did some individual character work, hoping to get them more invested in their characters and bring them more to life. Going scene by scene, we were able to make small adjustments that really made a huge difference as a whole. After running through their scenes a few times, we decided to play a round of musical chairs, which they really enjoyed. It was nice to play a fun game like that to give them a break and end the session on a fun note.
After class this morning, we went to the Municipalidad de Puno to see the auditorium where we will be putting on the show. It is a very nice space (though the dimensions are somewhat different than we had been planning for), with a large seating area, This makes me somewhat nervous, as we have been told to expect around 20 people, and I don't want the kids to be disappointed when the audience seems small (that's always tough). However, we continue to tell them that the show is for them, and I'm sure they'll knock it out of the park.
This afternoon, we met with the younger kids, and worked on a few of the same things. The key for them; however, is paying attention to their entrances and exits, as well as not running into each other, pushing, shoving, kicking, or otherwise fighting with each other. We decided to more or less choreograph their scenes, so that they'll have less room to run around and bump into each other. It seemed to work well, and we are confident that when they're up on stage, in front of their teachers and an audience, that they'll behave themselves. After a round of musical chairs with the younger kids, they convinced me to play some soccer with them. At 12,500 feet above sea level, you tire pretty quickly, so I chose to play goalie (don't judge me). However, after being scored on twice in a row by one of the kids, Freddy (who is also an extraordinary trash-talker, and I don't even speak the same language as he does), I had to man up and get out of goal. I scored twice, talked some trash back to Freddy (in the middle of the picture below) and called it a day.
Now, sore from a 30 minute game of soccer with 11 year-olds, I'm resting on the couch before we go out to grab some dinner. Working and playing with the kids has been so much fun, and really a tremendous experience. I'm so proud of all the progress they've made so far, and I can't wait to see how it all turns out.
This morning, we worked with the older children, and our main focus was getting them to speak louder and project their voices more. It is definitely a challenge to get a group of children, who have been told their whole lives that their voices are unimportant, to open up and speak loudly. We did a few exercises and games to work on this, and their volume had greatly improved by the end of the session. We also did some individual character work, hoping to get them more invested in their characters and bring them more to life. Going scene by scene, we were able to make small adjustments that really made a huge difference as a whole. After running through their scenes a few times, we decided to play a round of musical chairs, which they really enjoyed. It was nice to play a fun game like that to give them a break and end the session on a fun note.
After class this morning, we went to the Municipalidad de Puno to see the auditorium where we will be putting on the show. It is a very nice space (though the dimensions are somewhat different than we had been planning for), with a large seating area, This makes me somewhat nervous, as we have been told to expect around 20 people, and I don't want the kids to be disappointed when the audience seems small (that's always tough). However, we continue to tell them that the show is for them, and I'm sure they'll knock it out of the park.
This afternoon, we met with the younger kids, and worked on a few of the same things. The key for them; however, is paying attention to their entrances and exits, as well as not running into each other, pushing, shoving, kicking, or otherwise fighting with each other. We decided to more or less choreograph their scenes, so that they'll have less room to run around and bump into each other. It seemed to work well, and we are confident that when they're up on stage, in front of their teachers and an audience, that they'll behave themselves. After a round of musical chairs with the younger kids, they convinced me to play some soccer with them. At 12,500 feet above sea level, you tire pretty quickly, so I chose to play goalie (don't judge me). However, after being scored on twice in a row by one of the kids, Freddy (who is also an extraordinary trash-talker, and I don't even speak the same language as he does), I had to man up and get out of goal. I scored twice, talked some trash back to Freddy (in the middle of the picture below) and called it a day.
Now, sore from a 30 minute game of soccer with 11 year-olds, I'm resting on the couch before we go out to grab some dinner. Working and playing with the kids has been so much fun, and really a tremendous experience. I'm so proud of all the progress they've made so far, and I can't wait to see how it all turns out.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
La Largartija y El Sol
As I believe I have mentioned, the play that Sarah and I have decided to put on with the children is called "The Lizard and the Sun." At the risk of slapping you in the face with symbolism, the title of this play came to life right in front of us this afternoon, during our trip to Sillustani.
It was about an hour long drive to this ancient cemetery, and it was well worth our time and effort. There was an incredibly beautiful view from high up in the mountains, looking out on Lake Umayo; not to mention the magnificence of the Pre-Incan and Incan tombs. The structures of these tombs was truly unbelievable, and the pictures will hardly do them justice. We walked all around the cemetery, while our tour guide offered up many interesting facts in both Spanish and English.
Among the highlights of the trip, besides the breathtaking views, was the incredible number of llamas and alpacas, and how unafraid they were of interacting with humans. On the drive to Sillustani, as I was looking out the window, I saw a llama and dog chasing each other around. Later, there were some little girls, who presumably live in the surrounding area, posing for pictures with baby llamas (and immediately throwing out their hands asking for money).
I'll keep this last paragraph pretty short, as the internet could go out at any moment (that's also why the arrangement of the pictures looks so shoddy). Going to Sillustani was a part of this trip that I will never forget; you'll have to ask me for more pictures, I wish I could fit more on this post. I'm so glad we got a chance to take a break from our project and learn more about the history of the area. Most of all, I'm still awe-struck by some of the pictures from today. The views were truly unbelievable (the "that looks fake," "I can't believe my eyes," kind of unbelievable). What an awesome experience.
Another Rehearsal; This Time, With Music
This will most likely be the first of two posts today, as we should have an eventful afternoon in addition to our already-quite-hectic morning. You probably won't believe this, but maintaining control over 18 young boys, particularly with a language barrier, can be quite a challenge. Still, Sarah and I gave it our best this morning, running through the show another three times.
We began the day with some warm-ups, trying out some new ones, with the hopes that the kids will not be bored by them. They did request a few of the ones we had done in previous rehearsals; however, which was a nice confirmation of our techniques so far. We also decided that we'd try to break up our run-throughs of the show with some games and exercises, for the same reason. This strategy seemed to work well, though the competition got a little serious during a few of the games.
The show is running about 15 minutes right now, and we'd like to get it a little bit longer. That, along with making sure that the entrances and exits are solid, is probably our main problem at the moment. There are also two scenes in the play where all 11 of the younger children are on stage as their animals. We were hoping for these scenes to be a kind of organized chaos, but it seems to be tilting quite a bit more towards the latter. The boys like to push each other and fight as their different animals, which would be alright in small doses, but it tends to devolve into one large mosh pit on stage. Luckily, our two translators today were very helpful, telling the kids to quiet down and stop pushing one another. Sarah and I have often wondered if we'd be able to do anything without the translators.
On the whole, today's rehearsals were a success, with the only low point being the very end. Around 11, as we began to say goodbye to the kids, they all went and sat against the wall, and stared at us somewhat awkwardly. Typically, as we are leaving, they hug us goodbye and say "Hasta luego," or "Adios," but, for whatever reason, they were much quieter today. Despite this unusual ending, we feel pretty good about where we are in the rehearsal process, and we think we have a pretty good fit with the music as well.
So, as we have the afternoon off, we will be taking a tour around Puno and the surrounding areas, which several people have told us is quite beautiful. It will be nice to have a relaxing afternoon, and a break from rehearsals, which is much-needed for both ourselves and the kids. The quick turnaround from yesterday afternoon to this morning seemed to be a little much for the kids, and wasn't entirely ideal for us either. Hopefully, with almost a full 24 hours off, we will all be ready to go tomorrow morning.
We began the day with some warm-ups, trying out some new ones, with the hopes that the kids will not be bored by them. They did request a few of the ones we had done in previous rehearsals; however, which was a nice confirmation of our techniques so far. We also decided that we'd try to break up our run-throughs of the show with some games and exercises, for the same reason. This strategy seemed to work well, though the competition got a little serious during a few of the games.
The show is running about 15 minutes right now, and we'd like to get it a little bit longer. That, along with making sure that the entrances and exits are solid, is probably our main problem at the moment. There are also two scenes in the play where all 11 of the younger children are on stage as their animals. We were hoping for these scenes to be a kind of organized chaos, but it seems to be tilting quite a bit more towards the latter. The boys like to push each other and fight as their different animals, which would be alright in small doses, but it tends to devolve into one large mosh pit on stage. Luckily, our two translators today were very helpful, telling the kids to quiet down and stop pushing one another. Sarah and I have often wondered if we'd be able to do anything without the translators.
On the whole, today's rehearsals were a success, with the only low point being the very end. Around 11, as we began to say goodbye to the kids, they all went and sat against the wall, and stared at us somewhat awkwardly. Typically, as we are leaving, they hug us goodbye and say "Hasta luego," or "Adios," but, for whatever reason, they were much quieter today. Despite this unusual ending, we feel pretty good about where we are in the rehearsal process, and we think we have a pretty good fit with the music as well.
So, as we have the afternoon off, we will be taking a tour around Puno and the surrounding areas, which several people have told us is quite beautiful. It will be nice to have a relaxing afternoon, and a break from rehearsals, which is much-needed for both ourselves and the kids. The quick turnaround from yesterday afternoon to this morning seemed to be a little much for the kids, and wasn't entirely ideal for us either. Hopefully, with almost a full 24 hours off, we will all be ready to go tomorrow morning.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Day 3 of Rehearsals
We had this morning off, and got some much-needed rest, before meeting with some people to figure out costumes, props, etc. Around 11, we went into a small store where we found some wonderful costumes for the kids' characters. There were rabbit ears, a turtle shell, a golden sheet for the sun, and a whole lot more that we needed. And the few things that the store did not have, the lady behind the counter said she would be happy to make for us in the next few days.
With the weight of the costume issue lifted, we turned our sights to what is probably the only remaining problem: music. We were given a great CD full of the exact type of Peruvian music we were looking for, but the CD would not play in our computers, so we were unable to determine which songs we want to use. We paid a brief visit to a friend of Victor's, who said that he should be able to put it on a USB drive for us. We should find out in the next few hours if this is the case.
Around 2, we met with all 18 children (both the older and younger kids). After the third day of working with them, we all seem to be getting into the swing of things. Despite the language barrier, we have gotten into a good rhythm and pattern, and they seem to really be enjoying the games and exercises we've been playing. We also did our first few run-throughs of the show, which were surprisingly very good, albeit a little sloppy. The older children seem to have their entrances and exits down pretty well, while the younger ones are still having a little trouble. Overall, we are very happy with their progress to this point.
We finished up working with the kids around 4, when they immediately turned on the TV to watch the Peru-Venezuela soccer game (the 3rd place game of Copa America). Peru was winning 2-1 with about 10/12 minutes left, so we obviously had to stay to watch the end. In the remaining minutes of the game, Peru scored two more times, to solidify their win. The kids went crazy after both goals, jumping up and down, cheering and high-fiving. I have to admit that I got pretty excited as well, as it was a really cool moment.
We left the orphanage around 5, and went to grab some dinner: I had guacamole for probably the 4th time out of the past 7 or 8 meals. It was definitely one of the better dinners we've had, and Sarah and I agreed we'll have to return to that restaurant at some point.
At this point, we've got our schedule planned out pretty well, with a class from 9 to 11 tomorrow morning with all 18 children again. It's a little nerve-wracking, with only 3 more days of rehearsal before we have our final presentation on Wednesday, but each time we run through it, it gets better and better. Not to mention, the kids are working very hard and having so much fun, which is really the goal in and of itself.
With the weight of the costume issue lifted, we turned our sights to what is probably the only remaining problem: music. We were given a great CD full of the exact type of Peruvian music we were looking for, but the CD would not play in our computers, so we were unable to determine which songs we want to use. We paid a brief visit to a friend of Victor's, who said that he should be able to put it on a USB drive for us. We should find out in the next few hours if this is the case.
Around 2, we met with all 18 children (both the older and younger kids). After the third day of working with them, we all seem to be getting into the swing of things. Despite the language barrier, we have gotten into a good rhythm and pattern, and they seem to really be enjoying the games and exercises we've been playing. We also did our first few run-throughs of the show, which were surprisingly very good, albeit a little sloppy. The older children seem to have their entrances and exits down pretty well, while the younger ones are still having a little trouble. Overall, we are very happy with their progress to this point.
We finished up working with the kids around 4, when they immediately turned on the TV to watch the Peru-Venezuela soccer game (the 3rd place game of Copa America). Peru was winning 2-1 with about 10/12 minutes left, so we obviously had to stay to watch the end. In the remaining minutes of the game, Peru scored two more times, to solidify their win. The kids went crazy after both goals, jumping up and down, cheering and high-fiving. I have to admit that I got pretty excited as well, as it was a really cool moment.
We left the orphanage around 5, and went to grab some dinner: I had guacamole for probably the 4th time out of the past 7 or 8 meals. It was definitely one of the better dinners we've had, and Sarah and I agreed we'll have to return to that restaurant at some point.
At this point, we've got our schedule planned out pretty well, with a class from 9 to 11 tomorrow morning with all 18 children again. It's a little nerve-wracking, with only 3 more days of rehearsal before we have our final presentation on Wednesday, but each time we run through it, it gets better and better. Not to mention, the kids are working very hard and having so much fun, which is really the goal in and of itself.
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