Final Week in Chile!! - Alicia Monroe

My last week in Chile was very busy and wonderful. Jason and I were preparing for the English Song Festival - we were both performing and judging.  We were fortunate enough to be able to play, sing, and work with an amazing group of kids.  Two of our girls, Isidora and Cami, were in the festival and I am going to miss them a lot.  Not only did they have amazing talent, but they were also kind and lovely.

(Jason, Isi, yo, y Cami)

On Tuesday evening, my mom Rosa and I, decided to make beignets with the mix I brought from home.  I was a bit nervous because, well, I've done plenty of beignet-eating, but no beignet-making.  I watched a youtube video, of course, and they ended up turning out great!! My family loved them.

(Mis padres, Ariel y Rosa)

Today, Jason and I were able to go to Colegio Concepcion Pedro de Valdivia and spend time with the music teacher there.  She was INCREDIBLE!!  I loved her.  We learned a Cuban song and put some dance moves to it.  The kids were super engaged and I could tell that they adored her, as did I.  She had such an infectious energy, I wanted to stay with her all day.

(Music class from CCPV)

However, we had to get back to CCSP for the 4th Annual English Song Festival.  We had run throughs and sound checks before the festival.  The festival was a lot of fun.  We had 12 participants and a huge crowd - there wasn't an empty seat in the house!  Perhaps the most exciting part was watching our girls, Isi and Cami, perform.  Isidora performed "My Immortal" by Evanescence and Cami performed "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler.  They were so great and Isi won 1st prize and Cami won 2nd.  

(The 12 participants waiting to hear the results)

My time in Chile has been wonderful and I am going to miss my family and students terribly.  I feel so fortunate to have met all these people and I learned a lot from them.  My family took me in as their own and tonight my brother, Vicente, told me my new name is Alicia Monroe-Manquez :) They were a vital part of this program and I am so grateful to have gotten to spend so much time with them.  Chao Chile, for now!