Day 3:
We finally had our first show! We’ve all been waiting and working hard for this moment, so we were incredibly excited when it happened. We started the day off with practice in the parking lot of a church (the oldest building in the town!) – but no worries, we kept our eyes peeled for drivers. After a good, hard rehearsal, we went off to the eating commons for lunch. Potatoes are a huge part of every meal here, so we’re definitely loading up on our starches.
Later in the day, we finally were able to kick off the festival with a procession through town with all the other dance groups. Brittany even go to read a traditional blessing before the procession started! We were all a bit nervous though, because it was pouring! Of course we were prepared for rain, so we just put on our big smiles and made sure to have fun. We marched through town and straight to the garden that most of the performances are being held in. Every group was given ten minutes, and it was incredible to see all the cultures and their dances! Plus, the rain stopped before we got on stage!
We ended our night with another practice. We all know we still have to work hard to make our shows as great as possible. Right before bed, when we were all tired out from our long day, our chaperones surprised us with a pasta party! A highlight of our trip will definitely be Danielle telling us, “Mama made you pasta!”
Ciao for now,
Tori and Sarah
