Friday, April 29, 2011

Manta/Tosagua/Santa Rosa

This is inspired by Valerie's spanish blog post. You can copy and paste everything I write into google translate, here!

MANTA
- Me fui a visitar mi amigito Alejandro en la costa con la Valerie.
- Le conocí a su familia. Su hermano, Omid, es mi otro mejor amigo. Tengo bastante mejor amigos. No diga nada a Ruhi...
- Nos fuimos a la playa. Cada día. Fue incrediiiiible. No estoy acostumbrada a nadar en el mar, entonces fue una experiencia tan chevere. Antes, nunca nadaba mucho en el mar... solo en los piscinas de mi tierra desierto. Ah cactus.
- Había muchos gusanos de arena... no me gustó.
- Comí pizza con Juan y Luchito
- Me fui a conocer los abuelos de Alejo. Sus abuelos son de Iran, entonces solo me hablaron en persa. Y también, me mostraron muchos vídeos de danzas irani... jajajaj fue muy linda y bien divertido.
- Jugué con el Alejo (o Tuti) el juego de los pies y el esfero. Le gané.
- Si hubiera un Tsunami en Manta, la casa de Alejo todavia viviria
- Una vez, estábamos comiendo helado en un heladero y un niño pobre estuvo a la esquina mirando nos y a los helados con ojos tristes y maravillas. Se parecía que no había comido en años. Creo que este niño trabajaba en algo muy duro porque tenia un fundo pesado a su lado. Entonces, Alejandro se acercó y le ofreció un helado. Después, me di las llaves de la casa y se fue con el niño a ayudar con su trabajo, llevando todo mientras que el niño comió su heladito.
- Aprendí a leer y escribir persa!

TOSAGUA/CANOA
- En el bus de Manta a Tosagua, habían dos hombres musicales. Nos presentaron un show de hip-hop. Y en realidad, fue muy buena!! Sus letras hablaban sobre queriendo mejorar el mundo. Entonces les compré su CD. Me siento que mi contribución pequeña va a ayudar el mundo en uno manera o otro.
- Conocí a la familia de Mauro. Viven a lado de un cementerio... que es raros pero no me importa. Quiero vivir allá con su familia. Por siempre.
- Fuimos al río con FABRI y Alejandro. Crucé al otro lado con Alejo aunque el corriente era muy fuerte. Y después, nos siguieron Valerie y Fabri. Mas tarde, subimos un monte pequeño de tierra y me zambullí como un pro :P
- La próxima dia, fuimos a la playa en Canoa. Teníamos a cruzar el parte donde el mar alcanza al rio en un bote y después llegamos a la playa. Jugamos fútbol y volley :) Y comimos pescado. YUM
- Había la reunión a elegir la asemblia espiritual de Tosagua, entonces fuimos y quedemos hasta 11 en la noche, conversando y jugando y riendo con las Baha'is de la comunidad. Tanta alegría, tanto amor, tanta unidad.
- Las calles en Tosagua no tienen cemento. Todo es hecho de lodo... y tambien llovió muchismo. Mis zapatos son demasiados sucios... pero no importa.

SANTA ROSA - La Convención Nacional de Ecuador
- El viaje de Tosagua me cansó mucho. Viajamos por mas que 12 horas en bus. AHH. Finalmente, llegamos al Instituto de Santa Rosa. Era un lugar tan hermosa con tantos flores y jardines con una vista de la cuidad y sus montañas.
- Les encontré a mis amigos de todos los lados del Ecuador. Me pusó super feliz y nos acompañaron a la casa de Emily, mi amiga de Chicago. Yo, Shirin, Valerie y Emily trabajemos hasta 2:30 en la mañana, preparando por la clase de niños y el grupo prejovenil. Compusé mi cancion en este noche... :)
- Las próximas dos días, ayude con la clase de niños. Ruhi estuvo. Creo que jugué con el mas que lo ayudé al clase... pero no importa :P
- Escuche a las charlas del Consejero Almeida y unos consultaciones de los delgados.
- La parte que fue la mas especial fue cuando les despide a mis amigos. Tenía agua en mis ojos. Pero todo bien.

Ok so I'm done with the spanish now. Remember earlier when I was whining about my spanish skills? Now I'm whining about going. Waaaa, whine, waa, whine.

I have so much to learn, so much to share, so much to study, so much to teach. It's overwhelming. But it helps to keep in mind that I'm not alone.

-I've got Jose Luis Perugachi, who calls me brother because he never remembers that hermana actually means sister, who can tutor the shiz out of Book 7 and make you so excited and ready to serve the world, you just want to run around from place to place being a servent.
-I've got Julian, who doesn't believe in a God, but sees the need to better the world and likes the spirit and programs that the Faith has to offer, so he animates a junior youth group and he believes that people should get passionate about things, about real things, things of significance.
-I've got Kendy, my four year old neighbor who whipsers "I love you" in my ears as we watch the Lion King in English together and has memorized two English prayers, constantly sings We Are Drops, and walks into our house everyday asking to help wash the dishes.

On a separate note, I've changed a lot. In ways that I'm not so sure of, ways I can't quite put a finger on yet. But, what I can see is that it's powerful, it's weak, it's grand and it's small. And that's really exciting.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Corazones - MY FIRST ORIGINAL SONG!!!

Hi, I'm back and I had a ball. I'll post more about my amazing week later... but right now I can't hold in the excitement and I have to post this video. I WROTE MY FIRST SONG.
Hooooola, ya regresé y me fue tan linda. Voy a escribir mas sobre esta semana pasada mas luego... pero por ahora, no puedo esperar no mas! Tengo que compartir eso video. COMPUSE MI PRIMERA CANCION!!!



The story:
I wrote this song for the children of the national convention in Santa Rosa. I was inspired by thinking of kids frolicking in fields of fairyfluff, singing songs of sweet melodies with bellies full of laughter and love. I'll record it officially this weekend I hope. Wow I am so thankful for that microphone, J. Really, best gift ever.
Escribí esta canción por los niños en la convención nacional en Santa Rosa. La idea de niños corriendo en campos de flores de belleza, cantando canciones de melodías dulces con caras llenas de risas y amor me inspiró. Espero que pueda gravarlo pronto. :)

Translation of the prayer

Sunday, April 17, 2011

I'm off!!

Manta, Tosagua, Santa Rosa
Be back 4/25
PEACE

"En breve, que cada uno de vosotros sea como una lámpara brillando con la luz de las virtudes del mundo de la humanidad. Sed dignos de confianza, sinceros, afectuosos y plenos de castidad. Estad iluminados, sed espirituales, sed divinos, sed gloriosos, apresuraos hacia Dios, sed bahá'ís." - 'Abdu'l-Bahá

Maryam The Diva

Uhhhhh so they liked us so much they asked us to come back and sing AGAIN!
Which is awesome because my videos/recording failed the first night we played.

Awesome things that happened:
1. People from the first night we played came back to see us again! You can hear they call out my name in summertime. EEEEE GROUPIES?????? Lol jk.
2. It's more of a cafe/restaurant than an actual bar... so we ate. And when I went to pay my tab, the lady said "oh no you don't pay! no worries" OMG FREE FOOD
3. The owner asked for my number so he could call me to come play more. WHAT? I'M A LOCAL BAR SINGER????????

Wawaweewaa so fun.


Saturday, April 16, 2011

The Red Pub

So. Last week, Julian asked me to sing with him and his jazz teacher at a bar. I practically jumped up and down at the idea of it. Anyway, last night was the gig and it was super chill, laid back and very jazz. It was cool being the person that I always saw in pubs and bars around the world, sharing their love for music in a fun, who-cares, intimate setting.

I sang:
Summertime, I've Got You Under My Skin, Body and Soul, I Could Write a Book, Shadow of Your Smile, Nature Boy

I played the keys for:
Blue Monk, Footprints, Straight No Chaser

And I wasn't even NERVOUS. Dang I love being a diva. Divalicious. Divaland. Diva.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Why I've Never Been Happier

This is a really sentimental, memory keeping slash diary blog post. Just thought I'd warn the two of you that read this. Hi Valerie and Mom!

I live in Ecuador and I've never been happier. Here's why.

Because of the time the q-tip cotton bit got stuck in my ear and Valerie had to stick tweezers down my auditory canal to pull it out.
For the way that Kendy's eyelids droop when he's super super tired.
Because of Rosita's shy/unexpected/hilarious eyebrow-looks.
For the time that I laughed so hard with Carlos and Oscar, I cried.
Because I went on my first date and he took me salsa/merengue/bachata/reggaeton dancing.
For the fact that table manners don't exist. Elbows up, fingers ready, mouth open and talking.
Because I was dancing with Wladimir in the kitchen and he tried to dip me but then dropped me... and I fell hard on my back on the floor.
For the high-top converses that the hotness monster wears. I'm writing a song about it.
Because Paolo and Paola are dating.
For Jose Luis Perugachi's humor. Pero pero pero por supuesto!
Because I'm singing as a jazz vocalist at a gig in a bar next weekend.
For Tahereh's sweat pants. And how we opened the locked door to the girl dormitory in the institute using a metal wire.
Because Mauro Cedeño taught me soccer tricks and is the best young man I know (besides my brother).
For Anthony's constant love, although he doesn't do any work in class.
Because Andres in Kindergarden has a crush on Alejandra and whenever she goes to the bathroom, he goes and waits for her to come out, just so he can try to get her to notice him.
For Julian's friendship. And music. And the many many lessons he's taught me.
Because Nabil likes Mr. Bean and opened his house and heart for me.
For the summer school in Chongon. I met some really special people there.
Because Alejandro makes fun of the way I say 'doctor' in Spanish. I say it with a persian accent. Ha.
For the way that the kids in our children's classes love to memorize quotes using the little white boards.
Because Bahieh sends me emails with really cool links that brighten my day.
For Danny's cool/sexy/laid back attitude.
Because of Valerie's cool/sexy/laid back attitude.
For the time that 7mo/4to de basica and Paola dragged me down the hill and drenched me completely with water from the hose on "cleaning" day.
Because we made pizza in Kinder and it was really yummy.
For the time I asked Fabricio to fight.
Because I studied the December 28th letter and the Ridvan 2010 message from the UHJ in spanish and learned SO MUCH.
For the pineapple Janet gave us. Which I used to make pineapple jam.
Because I baked homemade brownies and haven't stopped since.
For the spiritual growth. The swirlings of spiritual stuff stirring around there in my soul.
Because of so much more.

My heart is so full. So full.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Noran Bakrie

Stunned by these effortless, simple, indifferent photos. Noran Bakrie