News from Robyn Freatman's
Musical Mission to Nicaragua
Sat. Morning, end of Feb. (2/25/06)
Good morning everyone! We have enjoyed our few days in Granada
city and are moving back over to the coast for a few short days
of surfing before flying home.
We met a couple young men from the states who have been teaching
music at a local school here in the city. It is an after school
program for mostly boys (there is one 8 year old girl) who need
extra time and help with studies. Yesterday Em and I played a concert
full of Wallowa Co. Old Time Fiddle fav. tunes such as Blackberry
Blossom and Swallowtail Jig. Next was a harmonica and fiddle duet
between Andrew and myself and finally we helped teach recorder
and guitar. The school is set up well and have a nice keyboard,
recorders, books, and other instruments. We enjoyed teaching and
performing for a new group of kids - city kids at that.
Granada is a city to visit while in Central America for sure -
the buildings, paint colors, church services, and lots of good
food. Many stories and photos to share.
~Robyn
02/21/06 or there about
Dear Friends and Family,
I just got off a dusty bus with the gang and we are here in Chinandega
doing banking and email before we hop a bus to Managua and then
Granada. It was sad leaving our kids and the hostel in Jiquilillo,
but we want to see a little new country before we fly back in a
week.
The local food here is amazing but I made a very bad mistake and
am thinner for it. I had a bannana con leche late on Sat. afternoon
and by Sunday morning was very ill. The milk that had been out
most of the day Nate thinks. I will spare you the details but as
we all know and I now REALLY know, peel it, boil it or forget it.
No worries, after two days of my fellow travelers nursing me I
am fit as a fiddle.
We brought so much joy, music, and entertainment for sure to the
local fishing families, and now have the chance to round out our
trip with some adventure time.
Lots of photos have been taken. I have more bug bites and a deeper
tan than ever. The swimming, hiking.......all very amazing. Time
to catch a bus.
Love to you all, sorry I can not respond individually at this time.
I will touch base asap once we are back in the states.
~Robyn/Robbie
February 9, 2006
Hello family and friends, I sit
in a hot little internet cafe in Chinandega.
After
a sweaty
and dusty bus ride from Jiquilillo.
This is an amazing place: the colors of fruit on every street
corner here in the city vs the shark that the fishermen were
cutting up
in our village yesterday.
We started kids club and pre-school on Monday after having a
couple days to relax in Nate's hammocks. Between jumping into
big waves
(don't worry Mom I am watching out for Em) on the Jiquilillo
beach and reading "Atlas to the Human Heart" in the
hostel hammocks we settled in quickly. Suprise! The food is amazing:
we
are eating
fresh local fruits and veggies with a lot of rice and beans.
Nate is providing healthy food with some Nicaraguan style. I
taught
the only-Spanish-speaking cook how to make pancakes on Monday!
Bananas
cooked to taste like French Fries, great with lunch! The leche
with banana is also excellent. Oh and the fruit, well...it is
heaven I
must say.
Back to kids club and pre-school. During the week we help with
the pre-school class for a couple hours. Em and I are getting
a lot out
of it because we are working on colors and vowels. These little
ones are right at our level. Today we missed going because of
coming into
town but we will continue going tomorrow and next week.
Over last weekend I learned to play the recorder so on Monday
for our first kids club we demonstrated all of the instruments.
The kids
had not heard live music before (except maybe some guitar) and
were blown away. We really are bringing music to those who otherwise
would
not experience it. For the last couple days we have been teaching
them recorder and harmonica. We are getting through the language
barrier well and I figured out a way to bleach the instruments
to keep germs down. Next week a couple talented kids are going
to start
the violin. Nate has taken well to having evening lessons with
me and he will be able to carry on when we leave.
For Em and I it has been an eye opening experience, being a white
women here. We went to the local dance on Sat. Every song men
would ask us to dance and as a result we did dance our hearts
out. The
focus is on couple dancing and being the fellow who got a dance
with the gringo is very exciting.
Our Spanish has improved. I find that I am very shy with adults
but that I come away glowing after talking with the kids. If
we don't
understand they will keep explaining and smiling until we understand.
These are very warm and funny people (more in the village than
in the city) and the children want to learn and be with us so
badly.
Eric and I got sunburned the first day from swimming and walking
on the beach. Em is of course nice and tan. Andrew made it down
safely and amazed the kids with his harmonica playing yesterday.
We are
hiking a volcano this weekend and getting some fresh fruit from
the market after this email.
We plan on staying in Jiquilillo for another couple weeks to
work with the kids, they are voting for music over football most
of the
time! What a rewarding experience, and they are learning something
as well. Nate fixed his surf board yesterday so we will start
learning that soon also. We may take a week to explore the Corn
Islands -
who knows.
More later, many great stories and photos to share. ~Robyn
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