Salina, Kansas
September 17th- September 24th
Theme of the week: Peace
Dave, Olga, Stevie Silverman ~Pepper
Theme of the week: Peace
Dave, Olga, Stevie Silverman ~Pepper
Nicole (Switzerland)
9-17-18 Monday
Its Travel Day!!!! We drove eight hours from Sioux Falls, South Dakota to Salina, Kansas. I sat next to Ivy Lynn on the bus, and we slept pretty much the whole time. We arrived at KWU and met up with our host families. I am roomed with Nichole from Switzerland, and I am very excited to get to know her more. The family is really sweet, and a little quirky. The mom is from Latvia, and she speaks Russian. They have a 13 year old daughter who is a little interesting. Overall, they are so kind and understanding, and they let us go to bed really early. That was very much appreciated.
9-18-18 Tuesday
I spent the whole day at Kansas Wesleyan University doing a Culture Fair. There was not a lot of students who came through the fair so it was a slow day. I was helping out at the Chinese booth because there was not enough people for every station. Then a group of us took some really cute pictures at the college. Ivy and Lara are hosted a block away from my host house so I went for a walk to hang out with them for the night. Yaz, Linda, Kaisa, Ivy, Lara, and Michelle all walked me home because it was dark, and we saw a suspicious guy walking alone. We saw him looking through my host families car window so Michelle called the police. They came, and took care of the guy, but it was very traumatic.
9-19-18 Wednesday
Today we had a private show in the evening for college age students who attend schools around the area. We set the stage up in a GYM!!! Amazingly we managed to make it sound and look good for the show. Every single audience member was sitting higher than us, and the stage-set was on the floor of the gym. I was signed out for costumes in the morning, and then we had rehearsal as usual. The show was one of my favorites because it was the first time that I audibly heard the audience react to almost every song. The cheered and clapped for the songs that talk about Racism, Women's Rights, Mental Health and Hope. It was the first time that I stepped back and realized that what we are singing about has a serious message that all young people need to be inspired by. It was a very cool moment for me to have backstage by myself. Haha! My host dad was very surprised by the role I played in the show, and he was complimentary. I had a really long and tiring day, but it turned out to be a really impactful day.
9-20-18 Thursday
Show Day!! In the morning we had workshops about non-violent communication. The cast had to write constructive feedback to other people in the cast. Then we had rehearsal, and a full show in the gym. Angelis, Mattias, and I were all front of house. They choose us to help sponsors and VIP members find their seats because we have the biggest role in the show. I had a pretty hard day emotionally... I am beyond exhausted, and that showed in my performances. Then we had our first super strike where we finished everything in 1 hour 18 minutes! Alicen, Ken, and I all drove in the truck, and moved the extra seating chairs from the truck to the school across the street in the torrential downpour. It was a huge storm with lightening strikes and strong winds. Such a fun experience!
9-23-18 Sunday (DAY 60)!
Host Family Day! The Silverman's took us to the zoo. We walked around, and looked at animals. Then Olga took us shopping for summer clothes when we go to Mexico. After dinner, there was another bonfire at LaRyssa's house. We all had such a fun time just hanging around the fire and making smores!
9-18-18 Tuesday
I spent the whole day at Kansas Wesleyan University doing a Culture Fair. There was not a lot of students who came through the fair so it was a slow day. I was helping out at the Chinese booth because there was not enough people for every station. Then a group of us took some really cute pictures at the college. Ivy and Lara are hosted a block away from my host house so I went for a walk to hang out with them for the night. Yaz, Linda, Kaisa, Ivy, Lara, and Michelle all walked me home because it was dark, and we saw a suspicious guy walking alone. We saw him looking through my host families car window so Michelle called the police. They came, and took care of the guy, but it was very traumatic.
9-19-18 Wednesday
Today we had a private show in the evening for college age students who attend schools around the area. We set the stage up in a GYM!!! Amazingly we managed to make it sound and look good for the show. Every single audience member was sitting higher than us, and the stage-set was on the floor of the gym. I was signed out for costumes in the morning, and then we had rehearsal as usual. The show was one of my favorites because it was the first time that I audibly heard the audience react to almost every song. The cheered and clapped for the songs that talk about Racism, Women's Rights, Mental Health and Hope. It was the first time that I stepped back and realized that what we are singing about has a serious message that all young people need to be inspired by. It was a very cool moment for me to have backstage by myself. Haha! My host dad was very surprised by the role I played in the show, and he was complimentary. I had a really long and tiring day, but it turned out to be a really impactful day.
9-20-18 Thursday
Show Day!! In the morning we had workshops about non-violent communication. The cast had to write constructive feedback to other people in the cast. Then we had rehearsal, and a full show in the gym. Angelis, Mattias, and I were all front of house. They choose us to help sponsors and VIP members find their seats because we have the biggest role in the show. I had a pretty hard day emotionally... I am beyond exhausted, and that showed in my performances. Then we had our first super strike where we finished everything in 1 hour 18 minutes! Alicen, Ken, and I all drove in the truck, and moved the extra seating chairs from the truck to the school across the street in the torrential downpour. It was a huge storm with lightening strikes and strong winds. Such a fun experience!
9-21-18 Friday
Today was the first day of the whole semester that I called in sick. I just really needed a day to be alone, get rest, and organize thoughts and items. I had one of the best days where I actually had free time to sleep, paint my nails, and watch a movie. If I didn't take a rest day, I would have cried all day, and gotten into fights with people. Dave came home for lunch, and then went back to work. After dinner, I went across the street to Ivy's house and hung out there for a while. We sand and played the guitar all night, and it was just what I needed.
9-22-18 Saturday
I was a crew leader for a CA at the Ashby House which is a shelter for women struggling with addiction. This organization partners with a local laundromat that offers free loads of laundry. Juliette and I volunteered there in the morning. After lunch, I worked in the thrift store sorting junk for the organization to sell or donate. Then we had our first culture jam where the different cultures in the cast could perform something from their country. It was so fun to watch all the groups showcase parts of their lives in front of the whole cast. Then Michelle Dolan invited Nicole and I over for a BBQ dinner. Their house is gorgeous and she invited many more people from the cast as well. She fed us dinner, made a bonfire, and gave us smores. I felt like I was back at home with my friends at a normal bonfire, and it was really nice. By the end of the night, more and more people started showing up, and it was a big party. Then while Ivy, Lara, Nichole, and I were walking home, we decided to go to another house that is literally right across the street from our house. This home is a mansion. We showed up late, and half of the cast was already there. This bonfire was even bigger than the last with music, food, games, and different people! I love the atmosphere that both of these houses had so much, and I am grateful that I had the opportunity to attend both. IT WAS SO FUN!
9-23-18 Sunday (DAY 60)!
Host Family Day! The Silverman's took us to the zoo. We walked around, and looked at animals. Then Olga took us shopping for summer clothes when we go to Mexico. After dinner, there was another bonfire at LaRyssa's house. We all had such a fun time just hanging around the fire and making smores!
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