One week delay

So this happened last week and with my sometimer's disease, I might not recall everything.

Last week, Saturday afternoon, my capo classmates pick me up from the Craft to drive down to Champaign, IL, for a fundraiser / workshop. We left around 4:30pm EST and arrived there around 8:30pm CHI-time. That's a long drive. We pull into the academy, not quite limber, and we're given a little bit of time to stretch before joining the class. We got there just in time to do some back-intensive partner work. We finish the class with a roda, which was really cool, especially getting to see CM Denis's capoeira.

Afterwards, we pack everything up, get some Los Amigos Mexican food, and head over to Denis's house for the night. I am, pretty much, exhausted (I even slept on the way there) and was nodding out of conciousness during conversation. Denis kept us up until 3 or 4am. I woke up around 8am or so, and I put myself on breakfast duty, making pancakes and eggs for everyone. The workshops started at 1pm, starting with a samba class with CM Marisa (note:I am now in love with the samba). There, I learned my first song in samba. Now I just need to get in contact with other people who know the words to the other songs that we sung...

At about 2pm, us young'ns went upstairs for a cordless capoeira workshop - all the "advanced" capoeiras were downstairs. That's okay by me - there's a lot more I need to learn before working with them. And I learned some new things that are totally sweet.

The last workshop was African drumming / school of samba. I got to play the a-go-go, which is amazing when Mr. Dunn solo'd on it. When we switched, I got to play on the shaker, which is harder than I thought it was. But I'm also observant and learned how to play the pandeiro correctly for samba. (Note: I really want to learn to play the tambourine like a professional.)

Then we had a huge roda to end everything. I was dead tired, so I filmed everything. Then Forte took the cam, and I was tossed into the roda and I surprised myself and played. (Four hours of sleep + major dehydration = ...) After everything, I met Quiobo, whose speed is apparently legendary. We stayed at his place Saturday night, chilling with Melissa and Explicasão (both are capoeiras).

Sunday morning, I got a call about a job in BC as a Spanish teacher for elementary school... I got to chill with "Uncle" Manhoso (and he and I are basically from the same page of the same book, so to speak; we both talk and talk and talk and talk), and Soneco, and Forte, and Caçula, and Melissa and Explicasão... Good times, good people...

I can't wait for March, because I'll be headed back to become even poorer, but I should have my green cord in CDO at that point!