Day Fourteen: The Art of Home

So today was the day most of the people in my group went to the bullfight…but I didn’t. I’m not against going, but there was something that I really wanted to do and it only happened on this day, so I went there instead and I’m so glad I did. As a part of the week long celebration of the ferias, there was a free performance of Don Quixote in a park. I was so excited to see it because I love the message of Don Quixote, it’s a classic, it reminds me a lot of my best friend, and because I’M IN SPAIN! La Mancha is a few hours southeast of where I am right now. So going to the show was really exciting and also extremely rewarding for me.

For starters, I had to find the place by myself—I don’t have data so I couldn’t just follow my GPS. Then I found the park but wasn’t sure if the crowd of people was for the performance or something else because it was unmarked. Luckily I noticed the props and knew I was in the right place. Then the performance started. It was entirely in Spanish obviously, and the show was done by only two performers. Their timing and energy were incredible; I laughed so much. And I loved that when one had a problem with his mic, no one in the audience freaked out or started to whisper loudly to one another (¿no pasa nada, sí?). Everyone just looked content and enjoyed the show while the sound crew immediately dealt with the problem. And I don’t know much about sound, but it seemed like they had a really nice set up for a park performance.

Anyway, during the show I realized that I felt like I was home, doing the things I love and remembering how much art and performance means to me. The idea of Don Quixote is really important too, especially considering the topic of this project that I’m doing for my thesis. He traveled, he followed his dreams, he saw the world as he wanted to see it, and he told the story that mattered to him. I know it’s fiction, but if that isn’t what I’m trying to do here then I don’t know what is.

After the show, I went to the Plaza Mayor because I noticed there was a blues/soul artist performing that night. Her name was Flore M, and she’s from France but also speaks English. I stayed for her entire set which was pretty good. She and her band carried a very positive message, saying they were gospel performers but not for religion, for the soul, and they wanted to spread love and “positivas energías.” I thought it was a fun set with some good messages like being who you are. It was also really cool to hear her sing in French. Toward the end of her set, she told the audience it was her birthday and the Plaza Mayor sang her happy birthday. For a performer, that seems like it would be such an amazing experience.

After all of that, which was all by myself, I walked around the city, got lost, got scared, found my way back, got some coffee flavored ice cream, and went home to book Airbnbs when I remembered at about 2am that I also had homework. Overall, it was a really wonderful day, and I’m so glad I did my own thing and found the stuff I enjoy. It fills me up and gives me a little piece of home, no matter where I am.