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Day 10 - Liliya F. - Big Hot Dogs

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Hello! I started this day off right with the best drink ever invented: espresso and condensed milk. Vivian and I tried this drink during one of our first days in Buenos Aires and I think it may have changed the course of my life forever… it aligned my coffee chakras. It was a beautiful morning in San Juan; the weather was perfect and the sun was warm and it made for a cheerful walk to and from the hotel. We had a short performance at a historic home for some of the locals and some members of the other choirs that are participating in the San Juan Canta festival. The home belonged to one of the former presidents of Argentina and his impact is still clearly felt and beloved by the people of San Juan. The home itself had been turned into a well groomed museum and was open for members of the public to get a glimpse of Argentinian life during the 1800s. We sang four of our pieces: Domine, Leron Leron, Soneto De La Noche, and De Colores. Each of the pieces included brief introductions about the background of the piece or interesting musical elements that were present within the piece to engage the audience a bit more. 

After our performance, we stepped outside of the house with one goal in mind:

Go get big hot dogs. 

Murmurings of hot dogs floated around the historic house… many of us wanted to make our dreams come true… we were determined to make it happen. A small group of us marched forward towards the corner shop and the promise of a tasty treat lingered in the air. We placed our orders and waited anxiously. As time passed people grew impatient. Where were our hot dogs? What could be taking so long? Friends traded anxious glances… and then suddenly! The hot dogs arrived! And they were HUGE!!! Did my eyes deceive me? Could this be real? We were joyous. As far as boiled hot dogs go they weren’t bad. See image for more details. 


After lunch we ventured towards the concert hall for a combined rehearsal with 400 singers. We rehearsed two pieces: Across the Vast, Eternal Sky and Rejoice in the Lord Alway. I really enjoy singing the first combined piece with everyone. Singing with such a large choir feels like a little treat and I tried to take in every moment of it. I made friends with the people singing around me (despite the language barrier) and we bonded over the love of the game. After rehearsal we had a small break and a group of us explored the area around the venue. We ended up befriending a kittie cat and exploring a park. There was a pond with big, big koi fish and cool ducks. It was awesome. 


Skipping forward, the concert went very well and we all sang our best. I was disappointed to be singing the first half of our set for the last time but I was really pleased with our performance. Singing in front of an audience of all choir members feels very rewarding and I think all of us were happy to have put our best foot forward. 


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