Anna in Ecuador-Day 7
Today we had a great day in class! I am starting to get to know the students a little bit better, and I am thinking that we will be putting hair in the bows today!! We started off by moving some of the worktables around a bit, so that everyone would have room. I do most of my demonstrating and work, at the worktable in the front of the room, but I like to get up and wander around, helping everyone when they need it. Njål and I share the front table and by the end of the first day, it is a miracle we can do anything on it!! It is covered by a million tools, but I love it. It looks like we have been working here for years and I am surprisingly comfortable, given that it is never easy to work away from your normal set-up.
Anyway, the day passed uneventfully, but with lots of laughter. In the quiet moments, when everyone was working, and Njål and I were doing our own projects, he would say, “So what happened next?“ and I would continue with the unfinished tale of the Twilight saga. At this point, we are through book 2! J Meanwhile, most of the students are struggling with cutting plugs, but they all seem to have good attitudes about it. We start putting hair in the bows and I am really excited to see how fast people are progressing. These students are really excellent musicians, and I think that all of that discipline and dedicated study prepares them for the focus and concentration you need to do lutherie work.
After class, Njål and I are invited to go to dinner with Juan Carlos, his family, Juliana and her mother. We walk to a nearby pizza place and have the best time laughing and talking. Juan Carlos and his wife and daughter are one of the neatest families I have ever met, and
I especially hit it off with Belen, their daughter. She is an 18 year cellist and if the repertoire she is playing is any indication, she is a really great cellist!! J She is so friendly and as it turns out, also a Twilight fan, so we had tons in common and just laughed and laughed.
Once dinner was over, Njål and I hopped into a cab and headed across town. Tonight is a going away party for John and all of the Tango folks are going to Hermann’s house to Tango. I am a little worried about how late we are….it is almost 10 o’clock! But Njål just shakes his head at me. Turns out that yet again, I am showing my ignorance of the Tango scene!! Ten o’clock is early for Tango!
Once we get to the apartment, I am ushered into the kitchen with everyone else while Njål goes off for his private lesson with John. Around this tiny table are 8 or 9 of us, sitting knee to knee, drinking wine and laughing. Well, mostly they were laughing because at this point, everyone was speaking full on Spanish! J But I don’t mind at all. I love to hear the language rain down on me, and I enjoy trying to follow the gist of it. Most everyone is absolutely fabulous to me, and except for one new woman, I already know everyone. Kathy and Juan David are there and they kiss me and make me feel like an old friend. The only person who seems entirely unhappy to see me is Hermann’s wife. She is a large, loud woman with tons of long black hair, red lipstick, and to quote Njål , a very impressive bum! This is the third time we have met, but she is obviously not happy to see me. I search my mind for what I could have done to offend her, but literally, there is nothing. So, I don’t worry about it. Instead, I enjoy the conversation and join in when I have a clue what is going on. J
Later, John and Njål finish his lesson and everyone sits down to eat. Having already had dinner, I sat and drank wine while the conversation swirled around me. Soon, however, it is time for dancing.
First off Marivi, a wonderful woman who is actually the one that invited Njål to join in the Tango scene in the first place, did a dance for John. It was a spoof of the dance that John had performed at Cafe Libre the other night and it was awesome! With that, more spoofs followed and then different people danced and danced. It was almost 4 am when things finally wound down. I could barely keep my eyes open, but I was content. Hermann’s wife had gone to bed hours ago, so I felt like I was surrounded only by friends. I had video-taped a lot of the dancing so we hung out for a while longer while John transferred it all to his computer. Finally, we said goodnight to all and headed home. What a great day……..
Anna
PS- In the cab on the way home, Njål said, “Wow, Hermann’s wife really hates you!!” J JWhen I laughed and asked him why, he said that it is probably just because I am American. Oh well, you can’t win ‘em all!!! J
We’re Gonna Dance Upon This Earth! |