Nicaragua - Day 10 - Nagarote farewell

Today was full of more music, more tours, and a good-bye to Nagarote…

The morning started off with a visit to SosteNica, Eco-Center, which is an amazing project in Nagarote, working to make farmers and small family gardens more sustainable and more productive.

It’s an incredible project, and you can check it out here.

One of the coolest things they showed me (besides the kitchen stoves, compostable toilets, and water capturing system) were these seed balls!

They’re little pods that you can just throw anywhere and things will grow! (You can also be organized and plant…but it sounds like so much fun to just throw seed balls everywhere.)

After that - I got a chance to see how people in Nagarote make quesillo - a traditional dish. I even tried a little.

It was awesome seeing tortillas and quesillo made right in front of my eyes. And it was made my serious professionals - these women learned from their mothers, who learned from their mothers, etc.

And last for today was a little thank you show from the kids at NicaPhoto. They gave us a performance - they danced, sang, and recited poetry. It was really beautiful.

To finish the show- my new friend, Katharine presented me with this beautiful necklace. I’ll be wearing it the next time you see me!

Tomorrow- a meeting with the mayor of Leon, and concert in Ruben Dario park (I’ll be singing a setting of one of his most famous poems!)

Nicaragua - Day 9 - Managua / Concert in Nagarote

So my morning started out like this...

For the record, I'd like that to become my every morning.

We started our day at the Flavio Galo School of Music in Managua for a master class/musical exchange and it was so great. People sang and played along, and it was a really interesting experience. Turns out - I'm a huge fan of the marimba!

After the class, we took off for Nagarote, and on our way - stopped for some photos featuring my latest obsession - Nicaragua's volcanos, Momotombo and Momotombito. Here I am with fellow singer/songwriter Lu Miranda. (We've been roommates this trip and have been harmonizing a lot!)

After some volcano photos (and stepping into the lake!) we were off to Nagarote for our first official Nicaraguan concert as the Intake Ensemble.

When we arrived, the kids were so excited and so ready. They came running up to us to show us their outfits, and to ask (for the millionth time) which song we were going to sing first. It was amazing to see how psyched and how proud they were.

You could see their eyes widen as the crowd grew and grew.

Given the fact that there was no sound system when we arrived (we were in the central park of town, so speakers were necessary), and that no one knew how to operate the lights - the fact that we started a mere hour late is some kind of miracle, I think.

The concert was awesome - people love the songs, sang along, and had a great time.

And the kids were spectacular. They sang their hearts out, the crowd adored them, and at the end of the night you could see how their self-confidence and pride had grown in just six songs.

The end of the night included autographs, many many photos, and lot of hugs.

I am smitten.

Nicaragua has a new fan.

More to come tomorrow.

ps…these girls put their hair in dreads just for tonight! So we took a rasta picture…

Nicaragua - Day 8 - Managua / Nagarote / Salsa

Today was our dress rehearsal! 

More members of the Intake Ensemble have arrived, and so today was full of band and choir rehearsals. It was a lot of fun, and I'm not gonna lie...we sound really good.

I'll make sure that we're getting lots of recordings and videos for you.

After singing, playing and sweating (it was another 100 degree day)...on a Saturday night in Managua, Nicaragua, really...what else can you do but go out salsa dancing?

Of course, I did something really special tonight in the club, and that's something that the locals call 'salsa watching'. 

I took a few steps here and there, but not on the REAL floor, because that felt too scary.

We were out with our new friend Nestor, who happens to be a dance teacher, so that was really cool. He danced with a lot of different people - and it was amazing! I couldn't believe that two people who were so in synch, and were moving so fluidly, had never met before.

It was this unspoken language, and it was really great to witness.

Of course, what do you do after a long day of rehearsals and salsa dancing? Why...you rehearse some more.

I'll tell you all about our first concert tomorrow!!

Nicaragua - Day 7 - Leon / Nagarote / Managua / Yoga

Today was our last day of regular rehearsal. It was a little sad, actually, but it's so cool to see how far the kids have come in just one week.

They have six songs ready for our concert on Sunday night, which is in their town. They're going to get to show off all that they've learned, which is so exciting.

In addition, the kids are going on their first tour! We're taking them to the next town over, the big city of Leon, where they'll be performing as a part of a music festival evening. It's going to be amazing.

I don't think they have any idea what to expect.

I know the feeling.

When I agreed to come on this trip (which took approximately .5 seconds of asking) I didn't have any expectation other than to learn some stuff about a place I'd never been.

I figured I'd have a good time, enjoy meeting the people and get to see some pretty sights.

It's been that and so much more.

Today, during the morning rehearsals, some Americans showed up, and were really enjoying listening to the kids. After the rehearsal was finished, we all started talking, and it turns out that these folks are from Westport! How small can the world get?

Turns out, they came as the first part of a group of people that are going to help start construction on NicaPhoto's new property - so of course, I had to check it out. The new property is great, and will give NicaPhoto and the 100 kids that they serve such a great space to work in.

The new property - you can see the volcano, Momotombo, in the background!

After our second rehearsal of the day, we had a little bit of time before our van came to bring us to Managua...so I busted out my yoga mat.

I had brought it the other day after I saw some girls doing back bends, and now the kids always come to ask me when we can do 'la yoga'.

It's pretty cute. Especially in their sing-song Nicaraguan accents.

So, we did some yoga! Of course, when you only have one mat, the kids have to share or take turns. So they did a little of each.

Paula and Aymi sharing my mat for tree pose.

Alan taking on crow pose (and Estella getting ready for her turn right behind him...)

At the end of showing just a few yoga poses I was nearly dead from heat (it's been 100 degrees every day) but my ears perked up right as the kids were hugging me to leave, because the kids all thanked me for teaching them 'la yoga'...And they all called me 'profe'. (Short for professora [teacher])

I can't even handle these kids. They're too cute.

Can't wait to see them again tomorrow! More and more of our ensemble are arriving each day and the kids keep getting to hear new instruments and meet more musicians. 

Tomorrow is the dress rehearsal, and then our concerts start. I'll make sure to get some video tomorrow so that you can see who and what I'm talking about.

Sleep tight.

Nicaragua - Day 6 - Leon / Nagarote / Realizations

I combine my two passions pretty much all of the time.

When I’m in Mexico, I’m working with people, but I’m also teaching and performing music. Same goes for the Reservation in South Dakota.

When I’m on tour I’m talking about Simply Smiles and sharing stories about folks from our projects.

Very rarely do I go somewhere and just work (traveling without a guitar would feel like traveling without an arm).

Equally as rarely, do I have a concert that’s just a concert. A night of music - no stories or social justice songs. It would seem weird not to try to raise awareness and kindness for fellow human beings.

So this trip to Nicaragua is hard for me in a way, because I’m here only to work on music.

I’m not serving anyone any meals. 

I’m not building any homes.

I’m just working on music.

I’m just working on music.

Last night, I had a little bit of a moment where I wondered what the value was in this.

As I was having my mini-crisis, I tried to distract myself by checking some emails.

I happened to see an email from one my students, and opened it right away. She had been working hard on learning one of her favorite songs by ear, had finally figured it out, and sent me a video of her accomplishment.

I immediately felt better.

Really.

I immediately felt better.

That’s what music does.

It connects us.

It is an exchange between people with a chance to say…

I see you.

You matter.

You deserve to hear, see, and feel something beautiful today.

I’m not here ‘just’ making music. 

I’m here making music. Period.

I’m making beautiful music with and for a community that deserves to hear and create something wonderful.

And that’s what we’ve been doing each day.

And that’s something I can be proud of.

Smile! In 1...

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3!