Monday, April 19, 2010

Choir Tour

(Sorry this post is so late. I started it the day after we got back and have finally finished it just now. Yeah, I'm lame, I know.)
This past week has been one of the most interesting of my life. The college choir went out to Navajo reservations in New Mexico to sing at various churches. Many of the girls had never been so far out in the country before--some of the churches had no running water or electricity. Several experienced that milestone of using an outhouse for the first time(cue groan and eye roll).

The geography of New Mexico is unlike anything I have seen--it is wonderful and terrible at the same time. Wonderful, unique rock formations, twisted trees, endless blue sky, winding ditches, glassy-smooth plains, and rippling sand; terrible scorching sun, swirling dust clouds, a land with only a single river winding through its vast plains. I didn't want to leave, but at the same time I couldn't see the beauty of the place. I have never had such an odd, mixed-up feeling about a place. I loved the people--that's what could keep me there. I don't feel any particular calling to the Navajo people, but I would still like to go back there and see those churches again.


This was a wonderful choir tour--I heard one of the junior girls say that she felt it was her best choir tour so far. We all had an opportunity to ride a horse, which was exciting and scary...all the first timers did an excellent job and caught on very quickly. Friday we went to Carlsbad Caverns, a magnificent cave--one of the most fantastic things I have ever had the privilege to see. For about half a day I had a wild but probable(in my mind at the time) dream of becoming a caveologist. I have no idea if that's what they're called but who's asking? Okay fine, I dreamed of being a spelunker(one who goes diving in caves)....proof that I still have no direction in my life whatsoever(sarcasm).

Anyways...I had a very good time getting to know some of the girls better, especially the home students who sometimes seem a little out of the loop. One of the girls started a joke about being lost in the desert so we took pictures of different people in "dead wanderer" positions with "DAY 1" and so forth written beside them in the sand or spelled out with rocks. Lindsay is working on a power point of choir tour, so when I get it, I'll try to put it up.
School will be out soon, and I am going to miss everyone sooooooo much! I'm going to have to print off a bunch of pics and something along the lines of an OBC shrine on my bedroom wall at home. On a slightly less creepy note....Finals have now begun and note to self--never try to memorize eight pages of notes at two in the morning after your caffeine buzz has worn off. Pretty sure the colours were not flying on that test. :P

Last, just a few pics of my "homies", as Christina S. would say.

Andrea, Emily, me and Vanessa
Emily and I
Lindsay Larson and I
Lindsay L, Andrea, Mandy and I