Durango, Mexico

Durango Mexico
October 15th- October 21st
Theme of the week: Motivation
Manuel, Paula, Ana, Natalia Medina
Kaisa (Finland) Lindsey (Oregon)

10-15-18 Monday

Travel Day!! We drove from Torreon to Durango in about two hours. We arrived at a gorgeous facility where the mayor of the town greeted our cast. It felt like a palace. The weather here is absolutely perfect and I am so grateful. It's a little bit warmer than crispy fall air, and it's glorious. Then the cast went to lunch at the Historic Center of Durango. There was so much publicity at this place with the mayor, the news, TV interviewers, and government officials. After we ate, they played traditional Mexican songs and we danced salsa. We went back to the Silvestre Dorador and heard an orchestra rehearsing in a fabulous venue, and it made me miss classical music. My new host family is amazing! The family dynamic and vibes remind me so much of my own family. I feel right at home. There are three girls in the house, and the family is very involved in their Christian church. The two oldest girls play on the worship team there. Everyone in the family is musical except for the mom. I love how quickly I bonded with this family, and its so interesting to see how our families could be so similar but live in totally different places. They also have wifi, so I'm back on the grid!!

10-16-18 Tuesday

Today was a community action day at Red Cross. A group of us were transported in an ambulance to the center where Cruz Rojo is in Mexico. We volunteered with the workers of Red Cross to paint the outside of their building. We also got a tour of every room where patients are treated. When we got back we had a cast meeting where we realized the semester is half way over! Crazy how fast time has gone by. When we got home, my host family took us to Plaza de Armas in the Constitucion of Durango. It is basically just down town with beautiful buildings. We went through a haunted house that was actually underground. Usually I am not phased by things like this, but there were a few times I was terrified for my life. They separated you from the group and had extreme strobe lights. It was really fun, but scary at the same time. Then we went to San Juan. This place is notorious for having the best Elotes in Durango. Elote is corn, chips, and chile. It's delicious. When we got home, we found a scorpion in the garage!!!

10-17-18 Wednesday
There was a Backing Track Show at a high school very early in the morning today. The teenagers who came to see the show where complete fans of Vive la Gente. They stood up, sang along, asked for autographs, cheered for an encore, and asked to take pictures with the cast for an hour after our performance. This was the closest the cast will ever be to fame. We all had legitimate fans, it was a cultural experience for sure. We were supposed to go to a different CA in the afternoon, but it was canceled. Then we learned the lyrics to the Swedish Medley because we will be there in two weeks!!! AHHH! I am feeling very exhausted to the point of sickness. My host family went out to the movies, and I decided to stay home and rest because I need it so bad.

10-18-18 Thursday

The acoustic promo group went along with the culture fair group and did two performances. Something with the communication went wrong so we didn't start the culture fair until after lunch. We had some free time to explore downtown. Angelis, Momo, Nasya, and I went into many stores, and then decided to grab some coffee. We started talking about being camp counselors. If all four of us went to camp, the campers would have the most amazing experience. Once culture fair started, we sang, promoted the show, talked to people in the street, and hung out. It was a really cold in the morning, and then while we were singing it got extremely hot. Once again... I got a heat stroke! 

10-19-18 Friday

Double Show Day! I am not feeling 100% still, but the show must go on. Our show venue is absolutely gorgeous. The staff had to set up the stage from midnight to three in the morning because they needed to close down the streets for the trucks. While they staff where sleeping in the morning, the cast wrote a song about our experience. We were very connected as a group because we all had ideas that were incorporated in the song. When we performed it for the staff, they all started crying. It was very special. Then it was time for the first show. This was the worst performance of our show that we had ever had. Everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong. During Keep Hope Alive, the lights in my face and the heat in the air made me feel like I was going to pass out. As soon as the song was over, I ran off stage and threw up in the bathroom. After that, I ate, got some medicine, and felt so much better. In the greenroom for the second show, the staff wanted to pump us up for a better show. They told us that we only have nine shows left together as a full cast. We can never come back after December 12th and do it all over again. I felt extremely grateful for my cast, the show, and experience of a lifetime that I was having. Then Momo came into the circle and talked about "Warriors." She brought "Peanut Butter Reese Cup" from camp into Up with People. All of the campers got excited and jumped into the middle of the circle with her to teach the cast. This chant was one of my fondest memories at camp, so I was so excited to have it be on the road as well. While the second show was going, I felt very sick, but I pushed through and had a great show. I started to really appreciate who is surrounding me because before I know it, they won't be there anymore. After the show, I saw Cindy!! She drove all the way from Torreon to see us perform again. Then I was signed out for Parent Newsletter that evening. 

10-20-18 Saturday

Today was another Community Discovery opportunity. The cast went to a museum called "Bebeleche." We learned a lot of information about El Dia de los Muertos! It was interesting to be educated into the Mexican culture and beliefs through exhibits and hands-on interactions. There was a mini studio with five microphones so Angelis, Camyrn, Ellen, Nasya, Pluen, and I each grabbed a mic and sang some harmonies. After the museum, we went to a golf course called Campestre de Durango. The people there made our arrival a huge ceremony. They asked us to perform for them, so the acoustic promo group did two songs, and the cast joined in on the last song. Then we had free time to play golf, tennis, soccer, and to swim. The water was so colds, I finally felt like I was back in Minnesota. Everyone was complaining about the cold, and it was just perfect temperature. At night, Cindy picked Leonie and I up from our houses and took us out. We went to a bar called Cerveceria Duragno. We met up with people from the cast and had a really great time. When I got home, I had an amazing faith conversation with my host sister, and I encouraged her to go to camp this summer. She is really interested, and I could see Josie and her becoming best friends.

10-21-18 Sunday
Host Family Day! We went to church in the morning. Ana and Natalia were both on the worship team and they sang Hillsong songs in Spanish. My host dad was playing the piano for the band, and they were actually really good! After church we went to a place called "Nombre de Dios." We had Tacos and Gorditas for lunch. Then we tasted different tequila and mezcal samples. Then we went to El Salitito which was a big waterfall on the Rio Mezquital! It was beautiful scenery and we took many pictures! After that, we went to this place where many famous cowboy movies are made. There were people dressed up as Indians, and role playing random cowboy scenes. When we showed up, there was so many of our cast members participating in this massive spectacle and it was hilarious. For dinner we went to a place where you could see the entire city of Durango! This was one of the best host family days so far! We did so much in the day.