Week 16- Northern Ireland

17 September, 2009 10:43 AM Bangor, N. Ireland

Hey! So it’s my day off and I’m at the church multi purpose building trying to get caught up with this blog and my support letter. I was originally going to go to Belfast but there isn’t anything I need there that I can’t get here in Bangor. I was going to go to a coffee shop and use the Internet but they have it here, I’m in my own little room listening to my music, it’s perfect. I’m trying to save money by not buying things I don’t need. So if I’m not in a place where I can buy things, there isn’t temptation. Makes it much easier.

Aww, the children are rehearsing in the room next to me, and I can faintly hear them singing songs from the Lion King, it’s really cute, they really like that movie.

Last week we were in Armagh for a special event with the Tenors and Divas Icognito put on by the City Council, it was an outdoor event, and about 1500 people showed up. It was awesome! One of the “Divas” knows someone who works for the Lion King show in London and has offered to pay for us to see the show there. She also said she will try and see if the kids can go backstage, they will be so excited! I’m not sure when it will be, and nothing is confirmed, but they are working on it, so it’s looking good. She also offered to pay for the chaperones to see a show as well, we haven’t yet decided which one. I think we are going to like London a lot, if we get a chance to go there.

Our final chaperone Evah has joined us! She met us when we arrived in N. Ireland, we left it as a surprise for the kids. Let’s just say there was a lot of screaming, running, dancing and jumping going on. She knows all the children because she is from South Africa and trained the children before they came to the UK.

The weather here has continued to be absolutely amazing. It’s not hot, but the sun has been shining everyday for over a week. I’m in awe.

In the past few weeks I have really been thinking about what I want to do when this tour ends. I really feel like I should join a North American tour if they are needing chaperones when I return home. It’s a very different tour, things are done differently, the people are different, and the children are Ugandan and Kenyan. I’ve really fallen in love with doing this. I’m making a difference in lives, it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. It’s far away to know what will happen....

I have thought about staying in Scotland for a week after the tour, and spend time enjoying the country and visiting some of my past hosts. I’m already here, so it’s a lot cheaper than flying back over another time. Which I still may do, but I’d rather go to a place I haven’t been like Africa or Australia. Which leads me into my next subject...

We may or may not go to Australia on this tour, I may have shared that with some of you. Anyway, when I first heard there was a possibility of going there my heart stopped. It’s been in my top 5 places I want to go ever since I can remember. It was interesting because I started to tear up thinking about it. It may sound silly, it does even as I type it, but it would another dream come true to be able to go there.

Since then, when someone mentions Australia my stomach starts doing flip flops and tenses up and I get teary when I start to think about going there. They are tears of passion. That’s the best way I can describe it. I don’t know why it happens, but it does. It’s even happening now.

It’s a feeling that doesn’t happen often, but it has happened before. The first time I remember it happening was when I was about 11 and I saw the African Children’s Choir perform. I wanted to work with them so so badly. It was the passion thing. It never went away, it’s still there, even while I am with them. I really believe it’s a way God speaks to me.

So this Australia thing seems to be happening on a regular basis for me, and feels more intense each time. Thus, if we don’t go with the choir, I think it will be the place I travel when I have finished being a chaperone and saved enough money. Even before going to South Africa to visit the children, which is strange to me, but I really believe it’s where I need to go next. I don’t know why, but I’m sure I will find out when I am there. It’s so exciting to think about.

I feel so much better having shared that with you all.

On our way to Bangor Uncle Paul took us the coastal route, which I didn’t think would happen so I didn’t take my travel sickness tablets. I’ve found the coastal routes really make me feel sick. I’m usually fine on road trips, I don’t know what it is. I got a different brand because the first one didn’t work at all, but I have to take it 2 hours prior to travel and it makes you extremely drowsy. I’ve only taken it once, but we didn’t take a coastal route, and I was sleeping every chance I had that day. It was really bad. I don’t really know what else to do. I’m just praying that we don’t have many trips like that. I will just have to ask Paul in advance I guess. Fortunately I haven’t actually gotten sick, but I really feel like I’m holding it all inside.

Other than that everything has been going really well. Tour has slowed down a lot, it’s really relaxing. It’s nice to have our special events though, it spices things up a bit!

We also performed at a mall in Ballymena, and will be going to perform at a church there on Friday, and also at a mall in Newry, we really go all over the country. It's great!

We are back in host families after being all together for a week. Sometimes it’s nice to have a change, although I like being together just as much as host families.

I need to go on a mission now to get the password for the Internet or I may end up at a cafe if I can’t find someone with it. I decided to type it all out first.

So it ends up they don’t have the password, so I paid for Internet online, there is an open network and it wasn’t very expensive. That way I don’t have to find a seat in a cafe. I will go for a walk to the post office in a bit.

19 September, 2009 4:58PM Belfast, N. Ireland

So it's a few minutes before dinner, and the church we are performing at has let us use their wireless, I'm so glad I got my work done and have some free time while the kids are resting before the show. It's sunny outside, but still cool. Lovely. It was raining this morning, I'm so glad it cleared up, even though I am inside. The sun makes me smile :)

We were just in Ballymena, where we performed at a church with an audience of 800, it was great! I love when there are lots of people. The kids seem to come up with extra energy too! Not sure where it comes from.

We are off to Glenglomerly tomorrow, who knows where that is? I sure don't. I couldn't find it on my map, but I will look it up.

Angee told us today we got invited to a hockey game on October 2nd! That's exciting, the kids will get to sing, and they are even handing out donation buckets. It's really sweet of them, they offered! It won't be anything like a Canucks game, I haven't heard the word hockey since I've been here. Football is where it's at apparently. Rugby is also quite popular.

Now that I have time, I don't know what to write, I wasn't expecting to be on here. I'm in the process of trying to load videos onto facebook, but even though they aren't long, it's still not loading quickly.

Well, the kiddos are up, so its time to go!

I can't believe it's Week 16, crazy stuff!

20 September, 2009 12:46 AM Host Family in Belfast

So I should be sleeping, and I'm going in a few minutes. I just have a great host family, and they have wifi too. It's a shame they are only a one night stay. They are so easy to talk to also. I almost always get good ones on the 1 night stays. I haven't really had a bad host family though, I feel very blessed about that. I should count how many families I've been with, It's been close to 40 I think. I heard by the end of tour it will be over 100. Maybe I counted wrong... I'd be interesting to know though....I think it's actually closer to 50. It's weird, I remember them all, some more than others, but I remember them.

I just wanted to mention the kids all got their new Sunday shoes today, which means their Sunday outfits are complete. They are adorable! Trust me, I won't forget to take photos. I'm so excited, but they are much more excited. Most of the girls haven't worn dresses since they have been here, except for performing. One of the boys said, all I need is a tie and I will look like a pastor! I wish I remember who it was...

My hot dog fundraiser is tomorrow at my church, I'm really excited. My brothers said it's been advertised well, and they are going to do me proud. I'm trying to take videos of the kids to send so they can show them to everyone back home.

Alright time for bed!