Is it already March? Where does the time go? I realize that I haven't been as well as before keeping this blog up, but better late than never right?

Over New Year's I went to Vegas and had a little reunion with some of the GU crew, oh was that a blast! Then I spent a nice relaxing month at home in Denver, gorging myself with some of the great food that is very hard to come by in the campo in Nicaragua. I returned to Nicaragua on Jan. 24th to begin my new assignment here working in the music program, and whew has it been crazy!

We have 3 choirs here in Cusmapa - Coro Chiguinazo for 1st-4th graders, Coro Salesiano for 5th-7th graders, and Coro Fabrettino our high school choir. I work with the little kids in Chiguinazo as well as Fabrettino. It has been extremely fun, challenging, frustrating, rewarding, not to mention it keeps me plenty busy. I love it though, and has brought me much more joy than teaching English did. We also offer classes in percussion, guitar, flute, violin, trumpet, saxophone that many of the kids who were part of the program and have since graduated and are in college teach to the kids.

One of the first days working with the little kids I was handing out the music for "El Burrito Enfermo" or the Sick Little Donkey. One of the girls in 1st grade, Karla, looked up at me with the cutest little eyes and said, "But Profe, I'm only in 1st grade. I can't read." All I could do was smile and say "That's okay Karla, you can look at the pictures." It's fun working with these kids as they always come running in when I call them for choir practice with smiles on their faces and ready to sing. For them it's all fun.

The high school choir has been a bit different. We had about 50 come out for auditions, and reducing it down to 35 was not easy. I've come to know the town of Cusmapa much better after going to nearly 50 houses to let them know who was going to continue in the choir and who wasn't. I've also began giving voice lessons to about 10 of the new members in the choir.

Aside from this we've also resurrected the band. Right now we are working on the the songs "La Bamba", "Mi Linda Nicaragua", and "Noviembre Sin Ti". The last song is a popular one on the radio right now. I've also been working hard on pulling out another song "La Locura Automatica", half romantica and half reggaeton. For those of you who don't know what reggaeton is, it's similar to hip hop, and every song has the exact same rhythm. It' s fun and the kids like it. We are preparing for a performance on March 22, the day Fr. Rafael Maria Fabretto died. Fr. Fabretto started these oratorios all over the country of Nicaragua for kids, and basically made the town of Cusmapa I live in. A great way to commemorate him.

All of this has left me exhausted at the end of the day. Sometimes my days begin at 8 in the morning and don't end until 8 at night. Long days, but great days, busy, filled with much joy, sometimes headaches with kids banging on the drums all day long (we have since moved all the percussion to my house so we don't have to listen to them all day at the oratorio), and I return home only to find more kids at my house ready to play cards, listen to music, whatever. There's a group of about 6 or 7 of the neighbor kids, ranging from pre-school to 5th grade, who love to come by and hang out. How can I say no? They're too fun and cute.

It's great living here in Cusmapa. Every day as I walk to and from work I never fail to hear at least 1 kid yelling "Adios Patricio!" as I pass by their house. The people have welcomed me as one of their own. Needless to say I am not ready to leave. Although I had the possibility of returning in June, I know I'll be here at least until the end of the year. After that.....who knows? Whatever God wills for me. Until He tells me differently, I'll be here living it up.

I do miss and love you all though! If you get a chance drop me a line and I promise to respond, although it may take a little while. Take care and God bless!

UNTIL NEXT TIME.........