Viva La Vigo

Hola,

I am currently sitting in front of a state-of-the-art computer (we´re spoiled here) with the rest of the Vigo group, hurriedly pulling together a music video that will accompany a song that our group has been composing for the past week. So far it has consisted of turning on PhotoBooth and dancing around with a pilgrim hat and walking stick. But that´s ok. Even though it´s not the most sophisticated, we had a lot of fun doing it (all of us laughing histerically in our current states of sleep deprivation).

Casey dubbed our experience in Vigo ¨Catholic Glee,¨and I think that´s pretty accurate. Another term could be music boot camp. The crystal-blue eyes of Manuel, our coordinator, sparkle with an enthusiasm that comes across even though he speaks only Spanish most of the time. In our various workshops, we have learned how to compose an entire song using only three chords, how to record different instruments in GarageBand, and how to sing properly. It´s been a lot of fun getting to know the other Spanish and Hungarian young people in our group--a feat I thought would never be possible with the language barrier. At our reflection the night before Father Jim left, everyone agreed that it´s amazing how much can be communicated between people with the use of only a few words.

We have all become great friends, staying up until 3-ish am (hence the sleep deprivation) teaching each other dances and games (USA´s contribution included Soulja Boy and Cotton-Eye Joe), sharing countless loaves of bread at meals (I estimate that at least the equivalent of one full-length baguette is consumed by every person each day), and frolicking at the beach.

All right, now we have to go share the fruits of our musical labor with the elderly nuns that live in the upstairs of the school in which we are currently residing. This shall be interesting!

Much love from Vigo,
Alexis (and Tom and Casey and John and Cait and Carol)