Urbi (Trujillo) et Orbi (my readers!)

(This weeks photos mainly feature Otuzco - up in mountains about 1.5 hours from Trujillo.)

My good friends Marco and Ara and family, Inspirational.

I was given the opportunity to reflect on life here in Trujillo, and as a nomad, by a posting on face book by my good friend Marco:  Mexican, married to a Mexican, studied and lived in UK, obtained citizenship, and now as a European, working in Madrid.  The subject was living abroad and the ex-pat life. He hankers to move back to London rather than back to Mexico City, I simply don’t have a desire to move back to the UK and if I did I simply couldn’t afford to do so. And I would have to live on my annuity and savings (my saving would be gobbled up in about 3 years, and then what?

The articles is here: http://thoughtcatalog.com/2012/what-happens-when-you-live-abroad/#JCeBWJJJgUODPbyi.01

Nick

When you live abroad I think you can go in two directions, live as a foreigner, stick with the ex-pats and cling on to life back home or, immerse yourself in the traditions, culture and way of life of your host country. For me I simply have to switch or analyse my motivations and motives when finding myself at odds with things here.  Having lived in India for the best part of seven years I was challenged to give up my “historical colonial past” and eventually I was given honorary Indian status  by those who knew me and my work, this culminated in participation in India’s 50^th anniversary celebrations of Independence back in 1997, where I conducted a concert in Delhi.

A nomad

 

Street scene

So the positives (in the article):

“It’s hard to deny that the act of living in another country, in another language, fundamentally changes you. Different parts of your personality sort of float to the top, and you take on qualities, mannerisms, and opinions that define the new people around you. And there’s nothing wrong with that; it’s often part of the reason you left in the first place. You wanted to evolve, to change something, to put yourself in an uncomfortable new situation that would force you to into a new phase of your life.”

Well, a new phase in my life, certainly, looking back I see my life a series of seven(ish) year cycles:

7 years secondary school

7 years music college and professional musician

7 years working for the BAA

7 years  independent consultant

7 years in India

7 years in Birmingham Chamber of Commerce

Then in 2009 a return to Independent Consultancy and then it starts to come apart…….

Old cathedral now a museum

 The return to independent consultancy coincided with the credit crunch and the financial crisis and the service sector suffered, I suffered. Little work, unemployment, bankruptcy and a general loss of direction, falling back on my resourcefulness I tried my hand at art-painting, chocolatier-ing, I worked in care home for those with Alzheimer’s but everything was increasingly a struggle and I was in danger of loosing myself.

Having serendipitously found that I could draw a small pension on my 55^th birthday, I made the decision for a change of direction relatively quickly. In three months I had sold up (well given-up) my struggles in Birmingham and swapped it for a year in Guatemala and a life devoted to travel, and charitable work as a volunteer, with a vague back of an envelope plan to travel for 10 years and discover the whole of Latin/South America.

Main Square from the new cathedral

Well here I am 18 months in, year two In Peru, happy, contented, energised and focused. Teaching in the conservatoire has given me back my first and greatest love, music and it occupies almost every waking thought.

Original bell tower, gateway.

Well as the article says “ I wanted and NEEDED to evolve” (again) to open myself up to new possibilities new challenges and new vistas.

Two farmers discuss ......... in main square

The perceived negatives (from the article):

“When you live abroad, you realize that, no matter where you are, you will always be an ex-pat. There will always be a part of you that is far away from its home and is lying dormant until it can breathe and live in full colour back in the country where it belongs. To live in a new place is a beautiful, thrilling thing, and it can show you that you can be whoever you want — on your own terms. It can give you the gift of freedom, of new beginnings, of curiosity and excitement. But to start over, to get on that plane, doesn’t come without a price. You cannot be in two places at once, and from now on, you will always lay awake on certain nights and think of all the things you’re missing out on back home.”

Contemplation ?

Of course you miss out on things, life continues in the old-country, your friends lives continue, the clocks don’t stop and world doesn’t stop spinning and of course you do miss out in not being “at” events with friends. But all this is a state of mind.

Friends may miss you, be cross with you for going away. Leaving is a selfish act, but true friends understand and there is the internet to catch up on everything else!  I don’t have a part of me lying dormant waiting for that return to where I belong.  I am a nomad, and a citizen of the world and I don’t have time to lie awake at night wondering what I am missing.

I am a “newshound” and always have been I get my fill of BBC World, BBC news and the Guardian online and through this prism I see life in the UK differently and for me I feel that in my situation I am increasingly heading in the direction of one of the people the government seems not to understand or care about.  Maybe I have “burnt my boat” return to the permanently is UK increasingly unlikely but hey, there is a whole world out here to be discovered, worthwhile work and activities and opportunities galore.  I wish more “50 somethings” would be nomads like me!

So, I am more the surviving here, I am thriving.  I avoid ex-pats I am trying to integrate, of course I will always be seen as a foreigner and I will always be a foreigner, but hopefully people will also see that my intentions and actions are honourable. I am 100% integrating into life here.

When I get angry, about audience behaviour for instance, or the casual attitudes of my students, I have to examine motives why do I want to change things and for what benefit. I have a different life experience to the people here, not better, not superior, just different. I need to use that difference to enhance and empower and to explore possibilities.

To deliberately misquote The Serenity Prayer I am striving for serenity, courage and wisdom   in that Life (not God)“ … has granted me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.”

The thing missing I think is flexibility, the original 10 year plan was only a plan on the back of an envelope, if it changes it doesn’t matter: it was a plan for liberation not a plan to chain me down.

Jamonaria - air dryed hams ...mmmmmmm

My now personally established Atheism has also been a great strength and this personal liberation from the shackles of “Theism” – simply life changing and life affirming.

How to be a musician 101 - turn the dream into reality .... hard work.

Here Christianity pervades almost every aspect of life, dominated by either the Catholic Church or the “alleluias” (a myriad of evangelical sects) [Mormonism is also big here.] A deep dependency culture has been created, I won’t get started this week on this subject but suffice it to say that I tell my students that praying will not make you a musician no matter how hard and long you pray: all time more beneficially used in sitting at the piano and practicing your scales.




I am pretty serene here, even given my passing frustrations, I have taken courage in both hands, not in moving here, but probably in at last trying to have serious, honest and meaningful relationship and I am learning that wisdom comes from listening, reflecting and bring true to oneself.

A dedicated student - he works very hard!

The nomadic “gene” exists in all of us, we are all world citizens, for the majority the opportunity to realise this beyond notions of living and working abroad and being an “ex-pat” are either non-existent or simple not yet on the horizon. I am a lucky man.

What I have traded to have this is worth every sleepless night and they are VERY few and far between (and more likely caused by the weather or too much to eat and drink).


Postscript.

My recent trip to Otuzco where I got badly and unexpectedly sunburnt as I had planned for cold mountain weather and got bright, sunshine and trips to the Futbol and Voleibol will have to wait! Hey and only 10 days to go before Nick and I head for Cartegena and Santa Marta in Colombia!



Final picture gallery:

Peru is voleibol mad!

Player red card led to an altercation by the player with the ref the police were called!

 And finally, finally,  final preparations underway for:

 

Preparing for the new academic year

All the pictures this week are from the trip to Cajamarca. 

The last three weeks have passed in something of a blur, my summer courses came to an end with a bit of a whimper as I was suffering from a heavy cold and had to cancel my last two days teaching. The date for my Chamber Choir concert had to be changed twice and then I decided to move it from Holy week and to do the concert in April, my Chamber Music students end of concert happened this last Thursday, and eyebrows were raised at the idea of doing a concert at lunchtime.But it was an informal concert and the students benefited from the opportunity to perform, at whatever level they were at, so we had a very quirky programme of music, including a duet for the unlikely combination of violin and euphonium, Elizabethan love songs on the saxophone, and a solo for double bass!

Here is a video of preparations underway; 

 

Cajamarca Cathedral

I have at last got the Harpsichord into a (just) playable condition but there is still a huge amount of work to do, and I think it will never be back to it's original condition, there is simply to much corrosion, oxidation (rust) and warped wood, thanks to it sitting in the damp for five years! But it was hugely enjoyable to play it during a chamber music rehearsal even it the tuning was still a long way short of perfect, and I have managed to break only 1 string in retuning so along with the string already broken I have two to replace.

Poster for the concert - with Luis the concert promoter

On March 2 I was in Cajamarca, a city some 7 hours from Trujillo by bus and up in the hills, it was good to escape the heat but still a shock to experience very British weather, weak sun, rain and wind. I was cold! I had travelled to Cajamarca along with Prof. Guillermo (Violin) and 5 students to give a chamber concert as the inaugural concert in a proposed series re-introducing the people of Cajamarca to classical music. It was a lovely event with over 100 people attending (and paying S.8/£2 for entry). Having been up all night Friday on the bus, I was too tired for any sightseeing but the city looks like a place well worth a future visit. I returned to Trujillo again by bus on Saturday night. The return journey being memorable for being with a very down-market bus company, the chicas in our group felt very vulnerable, as some of the other passengers looked to be very “rough diamonds”, I changed places with our cellist as her seat was next to a fat guy who was sitting with his stomach hanging out of his shirt, he smelled, and he was stuffing his face full of some horribly greasy hamburger. I made it quite clear that he had to not not stray into my space, but it was an uncomfortable journey. The bus was dirty, had no air conditioning and the toilet did not function! Mental note, next time I need to check with concert organizers as to which bus company is being used.

I gave a presentation to the Professors this week about the introduction of London College of Music exams and diplomas from this coming November. This is a real coup for me and the conservatoire as it will be the first time these examinations will be available at a high level in Latin America, let alone Peru. Prof. Carlos, the conservatoire director, is very supportive of the idea and of my plan to slowly, slowly raise standards of performance for those students with ability and motivation. Sadly neither all the students, nor all the professors have ability, motivation or the necessary enthusiasm improve!

During the meeting Carlos mentioned that new computers had been purchased for the library and the professors common room, I saw this as my cue to “bag” one of the old computers for my room. My room Aula 13 (lucky for me) is to be renamed the “Centre for the Execution and Interpretation of Music” with me as its “voluntary” director. The idea being that my efforts in the coming academic year (and beyond) is to support, encourage, promote and direct all efforts to improve music performance, through individual lessons, chamber music groups, a chamber choir and orchestra and in enabling more concerts and recitals. A very exciting prospect for me. The centre will also support all candidates and their teachers for LCM examinations and diplomas.

I have already identified some 15 students whom I think will be able to participate in musical performance at what I consider to be a level equivalent to that found in a UK music conservatoire. And this group of students will be the foundation for a fundamental shift in standards.

The computer being vital for me to make arrangements of music for various chamber groups and to write the necessary exercises and material to support this period of growth and change.

I need to restart my Spanish lessons urgently. Whilst I can understand and participate in conversations I am missing some of the subtleties which has led me to unwittingly agree to run several conducting courses for organisations not part of the conservatoire. I also appear to be a start turn in an upcoming Trombone festival and will be official accompanist to an international wind instrument festival later in the year!

So, my plan is to have two days off per week Tuesday – which will be “study Spanish day” and also (apart from some private practice) Sunday is devoted to quality time with Nick.

The next two months are looking hectic (in a good way) I have a concert on April 1, Conducting Course April 1-3, Concert April 9, holiday April 11 – 21, Conducting Course April 25 – 27, Symphony Concert May 10, Chamber Concert May 17, Opera end of May, plus a couple of recitals! But if I am to be credible I must also practice what I preach and so performing is a key part of being a role model for the students.

I has been good having the support of Kathryn (Otra Cosa volunteer) over the summer period, she has worked hard with the students every day and has been rewarded by the chance to play in the symphony orchestra, not a usual younger volunteer! I hope that through Otra Cosa a couple of other qualified teachers can come and assist in the work of improving opportunities for the students and professors. This really is an area for volunteers like me, older and with experience to share, who are willing to work hard 30 – 40 hours a week, rather than younger volunteers who want to combine a bit of volunteering with the opportunity to party nightly on the beach in Huanchaco.

Not a coffin - but the digital piano!

I feel as though I am missing something vital in this blog entry, but for the life of me cannot remember what it is …...... my next task is to write to the CEO ok KLM and persuade him to change my ticket (against all the booking conditions of my ticket) so that I can visit UK during the two week break in August, rather than returning on July 9 the date of my ticket! I am also exploring changing my visa status post August.










FINALLY,  after at least 50 years, I regressed to being 5 or 6 and  was tempted to eat some spun sugar candy, shame it made my fingers, tongue and mouth bright yellow! I just remembered this stuff is called "candy-floss"