What a difference a day makes
Christian, the pianist and leader of the musicians, approached me later that night with a jump drive in his hand and asked me to copy a song file from it to my computer, so I could practice it on my own time. I thought at the time that he must think I needed more help with the French words of the song, so I agreed. When I got back from Amsterdam, I found out that he had been saying that he wanted to me sing the song as a solo, with the choir as back up during the chorus. I was really pleased and amazed that I would be entrusted with such a big role in the music part of the musical. Then, he changed his mind (in a good way!). He gave that song to another soprano who has a wispier, more vulnerable sounding voice. It matches the song better, so I understood.
However, he told me that he had written another song for the musical that he wanted me to sing with another girl, Germanie. We each sing a verse and the choir joins us for the chorus. Its a darker, more soulful song, representing a character who is almost suicidal in the drama. Germanie and I both like the song, even though the words are very dark and depresssing.
The best part of all of this is that suddenly, I have an identity. I am one of the "musicians" for this massive production. The whole young adult group is divided into teams, like the script writers, the actors, the art/deco team, the dancers, etc. It's done wonders for new people, like me, who just hadn't been able to "break in" and make friends easily with over a 100 young adults. Being with only 10 other musicians when we practice means that I know them much better now and they know me. We joke, we laugh, we tease each other and I finally feel a part of things.
Besides being "the one who sings," I have another identity, too--the one who speaks English. That is important because this year the group has seen a few other English speakers from Canada, England, Malaysia, and even Australia, that have come as exchange students at the university in Bordeaux. I have become (somehow) their leader. When they visit the church, speaking their shy and limited French, someone inevitably says, "Oh, you speak English? You have to meet Ariel!" And then I am sort of their den mother helping them navigate the rigors of being new in the young adult group and in France itself. All of the sudden I not only have an identity, but I have responsibility!
I spent my day today with some of these English speakers, shopping at a few downtown outdoor markets, before heading to a public square in the city to watch an open air concert. The band singing was from our neighboring AG church north of the city and their evangelism team was out in full force circulating among the crowds. Since the two churches often unite for evangelism purposes, some of our musicians were asked to sing and play at different times as well (giving the others a chance to breathe a bit between songs). We went mostly as moral support; we sang along, clapped, danced and screamed "woooo-hoooo" at the end of the songs to encourage them.
This is Germanie singing and Christian at the keyboard, singing in the square today. Below is the group from the Lormont church dancing to a funky, fast song.
Afterward, the young adults from Bordeaux went bowling. I had gone once before with them in August, and wrote about it on this blog, saying that since the French don't bowl much, I am actually considered "good." HA! If only they knew! At least, that's what I normally say, but tonight, I don't know what came over me--perhaps all this new comfortable acceptance with them--I bowled the best game of my life! Below is proof: the second line with the score 111 is mine! I know it says "vito" as the name, but that's because a guy paid for my game and they just left his name up there. A guy on the other team bowled an 111, too, so we tied for the best score of the whole group. Everyone kept saying, "Why didn't you tell us you could bowl like that?" If you notice my frame-by-frame scoring though, you'll see that I am truly not that good; it's just that they are not that good (check out the other scores!).
