¡Qué Ojos!

Phew! I have made it through musician arrivals! For two days in a row I was "on" from 7 am to 2 am the next morning, being happy, helpful, excited, and having to speak in both English and Spanish. I made it through, and have had two nights of a full night's rest since to make up for it. Today should be more laid back - almost a "day off" for me, although I wouldn't particularly say that any day on Tour is a day off.

Last night, the secretary of education hosted the YOA Faculty and Staff at a fancy dinner. We got all dressed up and were brought to the restaurant.

Me all dressed up for dinner

After a while in the van, I realized we were passing the same block over and over... It turned out that the restaurant wasn't ready for us yet, so the drivers were looping around trying to kill time. (Kind of a funny way to coordinate timing, but hey, it worked.) Once we arrived, they brought us through the kitchen to a private back room, where we were received by a group of traditional musicians and dancers, who entertained us as we got seated and were served drinks.

Musicians

After a while, they served the appetizers, and then a man came around and gave each of us the business card of the Secretary of Education, and let us know that he would be arriving shortly...

In comes the Secretary of Education, we all stand, he goes around to each of us to shake our hands, and we tell him our names and where we're from. He gets around to me, and as I'm shaking his hand, he shouts: "¡Qué Ojos!" (What eyes!) Everyone laughs and I quickly say my piece and that it is a pleasure to meet him (in Spanish). Then Gilberto, our Stage Manager (who has been coordinating our Residence here in Xalapa) gives a speech welcoming everyone, and introduces everyone around the table. When he gets to me.... he introduces me as "the girl with the eyes, Emma Moores".... Oh geez...


Anyway... We have dinner after that, and it is delicious food, great music (videos here and here). We had a good time. At the end they gave each of us a set of books about the state of Veracruz, and then the Secretary went around one more time to shake our hands.

All in all, it was a strange but very nice event, and we all felt very honored to have been hosted by these people. I'll tell you one thing though... Next time we have an event like this I think I will wear my glasses so I don't get as many comments about my gringa eyes...