After a full day of seeing all the churches in downtown Lima I was so excited to be getting picked up by the family who met me at the airport; Elmer, Miriam, Christina and Francisco. They picked Sarah and I up from the retreat centre, and the two of us squeezed into the back seat of their car with the two kids who are 12 and 14. It mustn't be a highly punishable by law offence in Peru, as the fact we weren't in seat belts didn't phase anyone. We were packed in tight so wouldn't have gone anywhere even if there was a crash!
The first thing they asked was whether we had time for a tour before dinner, which was a resounding YES! So we drove for about half an hour, hearing about their schools and upcoming exams, as well as some local information.
We eventually ended up near the beach and got out at the top of some stairs where below there was a beautiful bridge called the Whisper Bridge. It is apparently a place where couples go to get their wedding photos taken. So all the females hopped out of the car, Sarah, Mirium, Christina and me, and went and had some romantic pictures on the bridge and then quickly ran back up to the car that was holding up traffic.
Whisper Bridge
We then drove further towards the coast and in the distance could see a radiant glowing cross. I asked what it was for and Elmer explained to us that after the terrorists attacked the electricity plants about forty years ago, they used what was left of them to build a monument to remember the hard times. I found this really beautiful and made the glow feel so much more important for what it represented, not only was it a symbol of the faith of the country, but a celebration of the life lost in struggle. It reminded me of the memorials at the 9/11 site in New York, and I think in both cases although life must go on, it is really important to always remember those who have come before us. Because it was such a bright light this was the best photo I could get - the cross is the glowing thing in the distance towards the right at the back.
We then pulled up at the shopping centre that we were going to for dinner, which compared to other buildings in the city was new and modern. It was right next to the Marriott Hotel and was therefore a popular tourist stop. On our way to the restaurant, which was a chicken place, I found it awesome to see, that even though each individual shop was enclosed, the common areas were open air, and the breeze was beautiful. The downside of constant cloud cover is of course never seeing the sun, but the upside is nobody needs umbrellas, and more time can be spent outdoors in any season. I think I'd always choose sun over overall convenience. I like Summer too much!!
We had dinner in the chicken restaurant and had our first taste of Inca Cola. Inca Cola is such a popular drink in Peru that Coca Cola couldn't even beat it in sales, so they bought it and now own it so get all profits from the sale of both products. Definitely a smart move from Coke. If you're wondering what Inca Cola is, it kind of tastes like a cross between creaming soda and Mountain Dew, and is really sugary but really nice. If you're ever going to try it though I would recommend you don't have it anywhere near a time you're going to sleep because that night I woke up at least twenty times unable to sleep.
For dinner we had some grilled chicken and super tasty chips, and tried some Yucce which were fried and are like a potato only not. Whatever they were they were really good! For dessert they brought out a tray of desserts and we had to choose... There were the usual things like lemon tart and cheesecake, but we decided to try something new and had the something leche which was a little tart thing with cream on top which was great except I could only eat the cream on top because the filling at the bottom was a toffee caramel which I can't eat.
After dinner we were walking back to the car when Christina ran into a music store and came out with a Big Time Rush album... Apparently they're big in Peru. I decided at that point that I wanted to buy some Peruvian music to take home with me, so I went in to have a listen. My friends acted as my interpreter, and so I asked for Folk music, not realising that that means something different in Peru, and so I was listening to a CD of pure instruments... Not quite the same as Australian folk music. I then asked for something with words and my friends as well as the shop keepers were confused as to my initial request, but then kindly took me over to the pop music section and pointed out a Cd of the biggest Peruvian pop singer at the moment, so I had a quick listen and it didn't sound terrible so decided after the effort everyone had gone to I should buy it! Working in Coles for eight years I have spent a lot of time in supermarkets or complaining about bad ones, so I was very excited when Elmer said he was going to take us to have a look at the local products in the supermarket. We saw the fruit and vegetable section first and I was so excited to see that in this tiny supermarket alone they had at least ten varieties of potatoes. I was I'm potato heaven! They also had white corn, and really big papaya among other things. I couldn't take any fresh fruit with me so I settled for buying a local pack of potato chips that were all in different colours inside.
Over dinner we had been told about the local "cocaine" plant that was used to make tea, and did not have the same effect as the drug, so when Elmer and Miriam pointed it out to me in the shop I had to buy a pack. Now I just have to wait to see what Sydney customs have to say about it. (they let it through)
After we left the supermarket it was sadly time to head home as we had an 11pm cutoff until the gates of our retreat centre were closed and we wouldn't be allowed back in for the night. We did get to drive past some ancient inca ruins on the way home though, and I found it so strange that they had been gated off and lit up with buildings and houses built all around them. It was really cool to see something so old though in the midst of a normal suburban landscape.
We had so much fun on this trip, and I am so glad we had the chance to see the coast of Lima, and get a local perspective and tour where we weren't confined to the limits of twenty people and a bus. I will definitely visit again some day and see more of the wonderful and different city that is Lima. Who knows, maybe I'll come back for the concert of Pedro Suarez-Vertiz, my new favourite Peruvian singer!
To top off the night they gave us a box of chocolates each. "Princess chocolates for two princesses." Awww!
Prior to coming to South America I honestly hadn't done any research into the country, or even the places I was visiting, minus googling my accommodation in Argentina to see what the pool looked like. This was all in line with my take it as an adventure, no expectations, go with the flow approach to the trip. What I did know about different places was based on what people at work told me based on their knowledge and personal experience. So going into the trip one of the few things I had heard was there was a dichotomy between the churches and the rest of the country. I expected therefore for there to be some fancy churches, but was not prepared for the extent of what I saw.
As soon as we arrived in the city centre I knew it was an important part of the city. Every centimetre of grass was well cut, every scerrick of rubbish was removed, and there were cleaners walking around everywhere with their eyes peeled for people making any mess. The paint on half the buildings surrounding the square was a brilliant shade of yellow (that I want to use someday) and in the middle was a fountain made in 1650, also in immaculate condition.
Each church that we went to got more and more extravagant. We visited the cathedral too which was an extra level on top of that. The most distinctive feature common to all the churches was the use of gold and gold leaf almost everywhere. Each church also had within in several chapels on the sides, all with a completely different style. There was a lot of European influence on the architecture and decor, with a lot of paintings, tiles and furniture imported hundreds of years ago from countries like Italy and Spain in particular. The architecture of each church was different too, with influence from the baroque and colonial periods as well as the Incas. Nothing seemed to match necessarily with anything else, and it appeared to me in some cases like a church themed episode of hoarders. Every nook and cranny that could possibly be filled was filled with another statue or column or painting. Don't get me wrong I saw some amazingly beautiful places, all with but I couldn't help but feel it wasn't a little too much, and couldn't help but wonder if it was helping anyone's faith experience. I had a discussion with one of the priests traveling with us, telling him my thoughts about it and he said: "what you need to remember is that it is a completely different culture to ours... In the history of South America there has been a lot of problems and the people have always had the church as their constant support, so because the church gives them identity they want to give everything to the church, and that is why they have grown and grown in extravagance because the more people receive from the church in the faith, the more they want to give back."
Suddenly it all made sense, and even though all the chapels seemed unnecessary to me, without fail, while the masses were happening (it was a Sunday so they were going all day no matter where we were) there were two or three people praying at each chapel. Living in my own little bubble sometimes I forget that everyone has a different experience of faith, and that varies based on a variety of things, but what I loved, was regardless of what the church looked like, or where someone was standing in a church, and despite my inability to speak Spanish, every so often I would hear a word I recognised, or feel a familiar pause and felt at home.The church of San Francisco was the first place we visited and surprisingly my favourite part was the roof. It was a rich orange/pinky colour and I loved that I could see puzzle pieces in the roof. I did feel awkward though walking around taking photos while people were in mass, but I kept the flash off and made sure I didn't point the camera at any people.
I was surprised when I walked down one side over a grate in the floor and saw some stairs littered with bones that led down to what looked like a small chamber filled with more bones. At closer look I could see that on the very top step was sitting a skull as well. Not having been to many big churches other than St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney, I wasn't exactly used to seeing bones under the ground so I had no idea what they were there for. I found out that they were catacombs of Catholics who had died when they didn't have access to a cemetery.
After this we went to the San Domingo Monastery where I fell in love with the courtyard and could imagine having it as my personal backyard. It was so neat and had so many different rooms and areas everywhere you looked.
I don't know if anyone remembers the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movie, but the scene where Charlie and Uncle Joe sneak into the bubble room while the rest of the group move on, but that was me when I found a room full of relics... There were a variety of relics of the saints including clothing and parts of their houses and in one corner there was a chair that was the replica of the chair used by Saint John Macias in the doorway of the Dominican order convent of Santa Maria Magdalena de la Recoleta. The original is held elsewhere in Lima, but this one contains a fragment of the original, and rumour holds that women who sit in the chair who have had difficulty conceiving recover their fertility after sitting in the chair praying.
Figured I had nothing to lose so I sat in the chair, said a quick prayer, and got my friend (the uncle Joe of my story) to take a picture. If I'm particularly blessed with an abundance of children after I get married I'll know who to thank!
Once I rejoined the group, sneaking in the back of the next room (which sadly I missed the description of and have no idea what it was) we said a quick prayer and then moved down the corridor to where there was a thin doorway leading down some steep stairs where the headroom got smaller and thinner the further you went down until you were eventually in a room with an alter down one end and a large tiled box with a grate on top of it behind you/adjacent to the door.
Even though I knew the space was limited I still managed to whack my elbow on the way in, raising an alarm to the priest who thought I was seriously hurt, and my head on the way back out again. I trip over my own feet walking a few metres on flat ground though sometimes so it was hardly surprising that I was the one to injure myself twice.
Once inside though, and over my elbow pain, It was a really special place. There was a whole lot of empty space with a small altar at the end that contained the body of Saint Rose, (but not her head) and had a small cloth over it. One of the priests traveling with us then offered to bless rosary beads on top of the tomb. This was an exciting prospect to me, as without knowing anything about her, or knowing I'd ever travel to the place where she was born, lived, and died, I had chosen Saint Rose as my confirmation saint, completing my name as Natalie Pauline Rose Viset. I was twelve years old at the time and while others chose their names based on what they were the patron saints of, or what their parents names were, I chose the one that sounded the prettiest.
Being the always switched on and never absent minded person I am... I had left my rosary beads in my suitcase back at the retreat centre, so couldn't get mine blessed, but my bestie had hers with her and offered to swap with me and so we got hers blessed and swapped them when we got back. In terms of the rosary It has never been something that has been a hugely spiritual thing for me. I get distracted easily and so repeating a prayer many times I find it hard to not think about other things, or let my words rattle into each other. I understand that it is a powerful prayer for many people and like the idea of it but every time I try I don't feel as though I'm any closer to God. Who know, maybe I'll have a different experience on this trip. Despite this, I was very excited to have my rosary bleeds blessed. After we came up the staircase we had seen the last of the rooms and went in to the church that was adjacent to the monastery where the skulls of Saint Rose, Saint Martin de Porres, saint Juan Mathias have their skulls presented up high in a special shrine.
This was a little bit eerie, because they weren't originally preserved to be put in a shrine, so they were quite dark and looked like what you may see in a scary movie graveyard scene. The juxtaposition between the skulls and the shrine they were encased in was crazy. The shrine was ornate and decadent, and because there was so much to look at, if you didn't look really closely you wouldn't notice them. There was a mass going on at the same time and a huge crowd of people praying I'm front of the skulls so we didn't stay too long and moved on to our next stop. Not before I got a shot of the roof though, because again it was my favourite thing. This one had a beautiful dome in the roof at one end with moulded icons or carvings of saints and angels in it. I can only imagine how hard that would have been to put together!!
Oh and I bought my first South American souvenir from a man on the street outside. A beautiful hand painting of what looks like the backs of some heads in a marketplace... I'm still not sure exactly what it was, but it was rainbow and colourful AND well priced, so I had to buy it.
The next place we visited was San Pedro. If I thought the first two churches were fancy, this one upped the ante! The roof was amazing! I must have spent a good five minutes taking pictures of it before looking at the other parts of the church. I look back on the day and all my photos and wonder why I was so attracted to the roofs, and I think it was because even though we have some fancy churches in Sydney, and I've seen some nice altars in my time, I have never seen such care and detail taken in something that to me is only there for practicality of keeping the elements out.
The rest of the church was spectacular, and I was starting to get overwhelmed by the ornate chapels everywhere. They were beautiful, but they were just so fancy and detailed that you could stand at one chapel for days and not stop noticing new things. It was also a beautiful time to be there as our visit coincided with the children's mass and so we could hear the beautiful sound of children singing in Spanish, and, although I'm not a Spanish speaker, what sounded like very articulate reading for a child. Seeing kids involved in mass is all kinds of cute and heartwarming.
The most beautiful thing I saw though was near a simple (though a little scary if you looked at the face close up) statue of Jesus carrying his cross. Usually Jesus is portrayed on the cross or as a baby, but not often have a seen a sculpture like this one where I saw a man reach up and hold onto the cross for some prayer. I watched him from a few metres back for a few minutes, thinking it was so beautiful that I was witnessing an important moment for him, and took a photo just as he begun bringing his hands down.
After this we got on the bus and drove a block to the next place which was the birthplace and house of Saint Rose of Lima. While we were there we found out more about her life and how she had a nail in the roof that she tied her hair to so she would always be upright for prayer even when she was tired. We also learnt that despite not being part of an order she wore Benedictine robes and was allowed to do this even though it was not usual because anyone was allowed to wear it. We also got the chance to write a prayer to Saint Rose and throw it in the well. I wrote my prayer, and wasn't sure how to sign a prayer/letter to a saint so signed it xoxo Natalie, and was ready for a special moment as I threw my prayer into the well. In true Natalie style, there is no such thing as graceful, and even though every other person managed to get theirs in, mine landed on the tiny ledge up the top and it took two other people using a notepad and a pen to throw it in. Not quite the poetic graceful spiritual moment I was expecting, but I'll take what I can get!
I bought a medallion from the lady near the well to take home with me, and then we headed to lunch. We walked into what seemed like a chicken chain restaurant. It was two floors of tables and was full to the brim so half of us went to find somewhere else. We took with us our Spanish Volunteer Himena, who misunderstood that we wanted a restaurant that served wine, and led us to McDonalds. Since we had crossed the globe to be there we did not want to go into McDonald's so eventually found a restaurant and sat down to lunch! After lunch we visited the Lima Cathedral. You'll be pleased to know though that I found something I liked even better than the roof in this church. When we walked in we saw the most amazing mosaics... I'd try and explain them but the pictures will do it more justice. It looked like a painting and was different to all the other churches and had used gold in a way that I didn't hate.
On the other side i discovered one of many chapels that I fell in love with so badly that i actually have fifteen photos of it. It was ornate, but not in the same way the gold altars were. Since I've never been a fan of gold, and love blue, this was amazing to see. It was a blue and copper chapel dedicated to Mary from what I could tell. I couldn't really tell you much about the rest of the cathedral once I saw that. It was empty when we went on the tour, so I was able to get a close up of the altar this time, but it was nowhere near as grand as the previous church. There were some awesome sculptures though in the museum part of the cathedral.
The last place we visited before heading back to the retreat centre for mass was the Nazarene church of miracles. In all honesty I was pretty churched out by then, but I got off the bus and had a quick look in and out. It was also nice but it was a shame it was last as it was hard to measure up to the cathedral and Sam Ignacio. We did have a lovely moment outside though where our guides have us some little pins with the icons of Jesus and Mary on them to wear.
Once all this was done we got back in the bus and headed back to the retreat centre for mass. Then before you could count to a hundred, I was ready to be picked up for my nighttime adventure through Lima with my local Peruvian friends who were coming to pick Sarah and me up for the night.
If you saw me on the lead up to this trip and were one of the many people who asked me if I was excited, you may have noticed some hesitation. The truth is, while I have been looking forward to this trip for months, as it drew closer and closer, my anxiety grew. With the exception of a cruise last year I have not been overseas since I was sixteen and went to East Timor so the idea of traveling to a completely new place, a total of sixteen hours away by plane, was very much out of my comfort zone and something that I was starting to wonder what had possessed me to sign up and pay a lot for.
Maybe you were one of the people who asked what I was looking forward to the most, or what I was hoping to get out of the trip... If you were, you'll know that my answer to both was that I have no idea. After experiencing world youth day in Sydney back in 2008, I wanted to do it all over again. I don't remember half of it now, but what I do remember is the feeling of positivity and hope I felt. I had never before felt so at home in my own city and had so much fun walking around the streets of Sydney meeting other people like me from all around the world. It was that feeling that made me want to go to the next one but I missed out and so decided no matter where the next one was I would go.
So here I am, officially on pilgrimage for World Youth Day in Rio 2013.
After frantically packing on Friday night and managing to squeeze in about two hours sleep, I arrived at the airport feeling rather tired on Saturday morning. After we did the family goodbyes and went through customs I chucked in some gum and hoped and prayed my anxiety wouldn't kick in. We boarded the plane about an hour later, and to
my surprise I was fine all through take off and on the flight. Four hours in I was pretty ready to get off though and sadly didn't sleep a wink for the rest of the time. After 13 hours we landed in Santiago Chile where we spent the next four hours waiting to board our four hour flight to Lima. By the time we got to Lima it was 5pm local time and I still hadn't slept, but was so excited to see a wonderful Peruvian family who were waiting to greet me holding up a welcome sign and a flower. At this point I had had a total of two hours sleep in the past 30 hours and should have been on the floor but was so excited by the welcome that I was re-energised.
We then all piled onto a bus with a lovely guide and headed towards our accommodation, a retreat house in the San Isidro district of Lima.
On the way we were told a bit about Lima and Peru in general and I was surprised most by the fact that even in Winter Peru gets no rain, just a very light drizzle and no more than 1mm of rainfall each year! Sadly in Winter though due to the clouds getting stuck between the mountains and covering the whole sky they don't see the sun or sky. The sky during the day is a grey, and by night is an orange colour.
The streets heading from the airport to our accommodation were lovely. There was greenery and flowers in most the medium strips and bike paths everywhere. The streets themselves were also incredibly clean even though some of the buildings on either side of them looked decrepit. I noticed also that all the houses/apartments had strong coloured paint, and had flat roofs. I later found out that because there is no rain, there is no need for a slope for the rain to run off, and for the same reason the paint doesn't get ruined by prolonged water exposure.
I also found the street art/graffiti really interesting... While there were some basic tags, there was some really beautiful paintings and in some cases mosaics representing significant events.
After arriving at our accommodation and having some dinner a few of us decided to go for a walk to explore the local area. We had an 11pm curfew before they wouldn't let us back in the gates after that so we didn't go out for long, but we walked a few blocks in circles until we eventually found a shop, got a drink and some snacks and walked home again. Along the way we must have walked past about twenty security guards in front of houses and apartment blocks, and even some sitting in little phone box shaped boxes on the street corners. I had never seen so much security anywhere other than when the president or pope goes somewhere so it was interesting to learn that the reason for the security was a result of the terrorism that had happened in the past and that everyone in the middle and upper class neighbourhoods all chipped in money to hire a security guard for their area. After an exhausting Saturday, which ended up being about a 39 hour day once we'd crossed time zones, I tried my luck with having a hot shower, but sadly I lucked out and chose the one with the worst water pressure, so I rushed through and jumped in bed.
Though it was a long day of traveling, and sore legs and back for me, it was so surreal looking out over the balcony before I went to bed and realising that I was on the other side of the world, and though I have no idea what will come from this trip, except of course what it written in the itinerary. I was finally ready to answer the question, yes, I am excited!!
You know those little girl fantasies you never knew you had until
suddenly you're given the opportunity? This was one that surprised even me!
I was on the star now website when I saw the following ad:
It was at that moment that I had flashbacks to watching all the bring it
on movies and had a sudden desire to be a cheerleader, despite the fact
that I had absolutely zero dance experience. To be completely honest
though, I have sat in NRL games often and watched the cheerleaders and thought
"that's not that hard, I could do that..." Well if this experience has
taught me anything (and it's taught me a lot) it was that I was very
wrong!
So I applied to the listing and started corresponding with the
coach. By this point I was wanting to back out something chronic! I had a
series of emails and messages back and forth with the coach where I
basically tried to convince her in any way (without actually saying the
words) to not take me on so that I could legitimately get out of what I
was sure was going to be too hard, and perhaps too out of my comfort
zone and not have to say I quit. I had every reason under the sun... I
had never danced before, maybe she would prefer girls from the local
area, there were a few games I couldn't make due to prior commitments
etc. Alas though the big guy upstairs was watching over me and had other
ideas. There's a quote somewhere that says God won't give us more than
we can handle, and though it is not scriptural or necessarily true,
clearly this was something I was going to have to stick with.So I went to SUPRÉ and bought the skirt and shirt I needed by the first
training (much to my horror at the tightness of the short red skirt) and
psyched myself up for my first training.
I left two hours and fifteen minutes to get to training, and it was
lucky I did because I got incredibly lost at the University of
Wollongong, which as a side note is really nice, and made it just in
time for the practice.
When I arrived I met a few of the girls, and when the coach arrived she
sat everyone down for a talk. It was the commitment talk... She ran
through the expectations of the team, for training and for games and
gave everyone the option to leave then if they didn't feel they could
make the commitment.
I'll admit, at that moment I was so scared of what was to come... I
didn't know if I'd make it through the first training session let alone
the whole season, but I'd driven a long way to be there and decided as
scared as I was, I wasn't going to leave.
The first training session was very difficult... I'd missed the first
training session the week before, so not only was I a week behind in
choreography, I was 20 years behind in dance ability compared to some of
the girls on the team. It gave me some comfort knowing that I wasn't
the only one who hadn't danced before, but by the end of the training, I
was not confident that I'd ever be able to do it. Knowing how
uncoordinated I am, but not wanting to look like a total and complete failure, I told the coach and captain that I just needed to
practice and I'd be fine by the next training, but every part of me knew
that was a lie. The only thing I liked about the training was that I knew the song... Taylor Swift's Trouble, minus all the goat inserts!
I drove home that night feeling worse about myself than I had remembered
feeling in a long time. I don't like failing at anything, and for some
reason went into this venture feeling like it was something that might
be hard and a lot of effort but that I'd be able to do it. When I got
home I debriefed with my bestie, telling her it was hard but i'd be
fine. Then she asked me to show her what I learnt. I showed her the one
little bit of floor work that I remembered and then it got too much. I
showed her the video I had taken and she (a dancer of 22 years) said
even she thought it was hard for a beginner. You can imagine my further
distress then, as I started a rant about how I was terrible and a
failure and all those things (it was late at night by that time) so as
the awesome friend she is, she offered to learn the dance herself and
teach it to me. So for the next week she went over bit by bit with me in
the backyard, not letting me go to bed until I could do one section
perfectly three times in a row without a mistake. At 11:30 on the night
before the second training I was rolling around the ground in the
backyard repeating the choreography over and over, as the dew was
setting in, yelling at my housemate that I wanted to go to bed. Knowing
how disappointed I would be if I went to bed without nailing it she
persisted and didn't give up until I eventually got it.
The next night I went to the training pretty confident that I knew the
dance inside out. We started going through it and I instantly
knew the choreography had changed in a few parts from the week before
and had a quick one of those "I don't like change" freak outs before
accepting that I had to adapt and learn it.
I left after that practice feeling slightly better. I got on well with
all the girls so that was an added bonus as well, and talking to some of them made me realise I wasn't the only one who felt a little uncoordinated. It was now two days till game day.
Saturday morning I woke up and was ready to go, I had gotten my hair
straightened the day before so I could avoid the 2 hour ordeal that is
doing my hair, and had my uniform all nicely laid out on my bed. After
practicing several more times in the backyard I jumped in the car and
was on my way.
When I arrived the nerves set in... A soccer field had never seemed so
big to me, and the grand stand, though not too grand seemed to tower
over me. I found the girls and we started practicing over and over
again. After sweating it out for a bit we got ready, and into our skirts which I felt a little like a squashed sausage in.
The anxious face mirrors exactly how I was feeling
It came to 5pm and we went out onto the field for our first performance
for the under 20's game. The grandstand looked half empty and I was more
than okay with that. As I walked out onto the field I suddenly realised
that I didn't need to be worried... No matter how bad I was or how
embarrassed, I was in Wollongong and nobody there knew me. The music
started and off we went! Before I knew it we were throwing our Pom Poms
to the ground and the song was over. I knew I had been slightly off for a
few bits but I didn't care. I was so pumped to have done it and It had
been so long since I was in a performance that I had forgotten how much I
loved it.
Between the games we had to sell raffle tickets to raise money for the
club... Well not me... I was one of the ones who had to stay inside and
keep going over the dance... :-S but a few of the girls did, and I was
surprised to hear when they returned about all the negative comments
people in the crowd had given them. People had made remarks about the
length of their skirts, and made comments about their promiscuity, life
choices and just gave them generally dirty looks.
I was so shocked by this. These people didn't know these girls, or
anything about them and made horrible assumptions. Usually I'm the ultra
sensitive kind of person who would take offence to people judging me or
making rude comments, but in this case I just laughed. I felt like
going up to them and actually telling them about my life and why I had
chosen to join this team and then seeing what they had to say.
We performed the second time at the 7pm A Grade main game to a crowd double the size, and I think this time I
managed to get every move. At the end of the dance and after we had done
the guard of honour, I was surprised when the captain/choreographer
commented on how well I did and how well I had listened and fixed what I
did wrong compared to the first time. This was the exact confidence
booster I needed.
Watch the masterpiece below... You'll find me second from the left (in the middle row) once the group breaks out of the line just before the first chorus.
So every Thursday night, and every second or third Saturday since, I
have driven to Wollongong to be a cheerleader. The drives themselves
(though scary when wet) have been a great chance for me to "practice" my
singing, (something else I want to improve at) and give me a "quiet" down time where I can think and ponder
life.
Since the first dance I have performed routines to Oye Baby by Pitbull and Set it Off by Timomatic.
The most recent was this one which I managed to get filmed. We only had
one training session for this one which I missed because I was held up
in Sydney, so I learnt it all in a day. Because of that I made 2 really
noticeable mistakes (missed a kick, came in late) but otherwise it has been
my favourite so far AND we got a standing ovation! :-) (though we think that could have been because one of the girls skirt got caught up partway through the dance.)
I was quietly impressed with myself this day at how far I had come, from the girl who was stressing in the backyard about the first dance to a girl who could pick up and perform a dance (almost right) in a day.
Watch Below or Via YouTube.
Pom Poms - Jonas brothers
I'm the one back right.
Here are the last two dances of the season:
Oye Baby - Pitbull
Va Va Voom - Nicki Minaj
The things that have occurred to me and I have learnt through this endeavor are varied,
and this task has challenged me in more ways than any of my ten week project ventures to date. Even though I risk sounding fluffy or insincere... Here are my top
5 realisations: 1. Cheer leading doesn't have to be like Bring It On.
While some weeks we did some cool lifts and spins, and some cartwheels
and handstands, there was no rival squad, no fight over a sacred baton
or no girls trying to rip each others face off. We are a group of girls
ranging from seventeen to thirty who all just want to learn and perform
and have fun!
2. It is never ever too late to learn a new skill.
While I won't be touring with the Sydney Ballet, or dancing on Broadway
anytime soon, I have been able to learn and I think get better at a
skill I have never had and always wanted to be able to do.
3. I can be my own worst enemy when it comes to self talk and motivation.
I spent the whole first few weeks hating on myself for not being able to
do something I had never done before. When I got over myself and went
with it, I got there. 4. Always go with your gut.
When I saw the ad something inside me sparked and I wanted to join. The
location and the time commitment had to be figured out later, and even
though I tried to talk myself, and the coach out of it after applying,
my gut instinct had brought me there so I stayed there and learnt so
much along the way. 5. I love performing.
I may not have been very good, and the audience may not have been
thousands, but the buzz of being on a "stage" was something I hadn't
done (Except for acting in the Easter passion play) since I played a
munchkin and flying monkey in my high school production of the Wiz.
It's something I am keen to keep pursuing, and although the Wollongong
thing could get complicated and I may not continue next season, I do
want to take drama classes, and maybe even join a musical or theatre
society.
