The Hobart Shakespeareans: Merchant of Venice

I had the privilege of attending the last performance of The Hobart Shakespeareans' The Merchant of Venice at Hobart Elementary School in Los Angeles on Saturday June 13. To appreciate just how much of a treat it was, let me describe the transformation of one classroom into a working theatre.

Rafe's classroom is relatively small: there's no windows to the outside, no vaulted ceilings, and cabinets and tables take up other wall space to give a very "cozy" feeling. There is a bleacher unit brought in to seat maybe 30 people on 4 levels. I sat in a row of chairs on the floor and other people were standing. The front of class has a 3-rise platform like an olympic medal ceremony, with musical instruments on the sides. Professional stage lighting stands in the back and sides of the class. One of them features looping video of backgrounds such as water through windows or a cross and Star of David to enhance the mood of the scene. Rafe and a past student operate the control board with a crazy array of switches and knobs.

The Play

Rafe opens the play with an explanation of the thousands of man-hours that have gone into making the production. He prepares the audience for some of the mature content of the songs by giving a context to the overall message of the play - racism, hate, and prejudice are not new. Then its the students' turn to give context through a musical message. They're performing on vocals, guitar, drums, and keyboard.

A classical guitar prelude is first. Most of the students had never played guitar before this year. This is the result:

Due to privacy concerns, I've taken down my videos from the performance. You can still watch videos of the Merchant of Venice from the official videographer above. My annotations to the videos I took are below.

Next, the students infuse a modern sound to give the play context in current events.

Another segment of the song:

Act 1, Scene 1 opens with Antonio and one of the theme songs for the play, Neil Young's "Heart of Gold". Shylock, the Jewish money lender, desires a pound of flesh as collateral for the bond he issues to his enemy, Antonio, if he cannot repay it.

As the plot progresses, Antonio gets news that his ships have been lost at sea. He cannot repay the bond and begs Shylock not to take the pound of flesh that he is due. Shylock and his daughter Jessica discuss the persecutions they have born as Jews in a Christian world and the repercussions of not taking what they are legally due.

There are various subplots of romance and deception, but unfortunately those where summarily deleted from my flip video camera as I tried to upload them from my vacation in Guatemala! Arrgh.

What remains are scenes from the trial where Shylock is legally given his pound of flesh, but only if he does it in a way that exacts not a drop of blood: impossible, this releasing Antonio from certain death. Message: the legal system may protect individual from discrimination, but it cannot change hearts or grant revenge at the expense of another's life.

Well, that's all I've got to annotate my descriptions. I'm especially bummed that my videos of Paul Simon's "Obvious Child", complete with brazilian drum corps, and the B52's Beach Party dance scene didn't survive. You can at least imagine the juxtaposition of 400 year old Shakespeare with modern pop culture to make the play come alive.

Bravo Hobart Shakespeareans and I hope that I can make it to "A Comedy of Errors" in 2010!

You betta Belize it!

Internet access has been few and far between and unreliable at times, thus the long period of time between posts.

Since my last post, I've had 2 weeks of homestay-immersion-one-on-one language study in San Andres, Guatemala; a visit to the Mayan ruins of Tikal; and a week on the pleasant beaches of Placencia, Belize. Now Gilda and I are on our way to Guatemala City to complete the circle of our little trek through this part of Central America. We had originally planned to visit Copan, Honduras, but with the recent coup there and difficult logistics, we decided to scrap it and extend our stay on the beach. Not bad, eh?

My language study at Eco-Escuela de Espanol was very beneficial. Although my curriculum was rather grammar-based (today we learn about present perfect tense, tomorrow the conditional), I didn't mind it too much because I was a language teacher myself and understand that structure. I had a good teacher with a sense of humor and flexible teaching style so things didn't get boring staying in one place or on one topic too long. The first week saw only one other student at the school, but the second week had 6 students there so we were able to do some activities and excursions together. We learned how to make tostadas with guacamole and limeade. We visited the school's forest preserve and learned about the native and agricultural plants and trees of the area. We visited the Mayan ruins of Yaxha, which impressed me a lot. Pictures will follow when I have the chance to upload them.

My girlfriend Gilda arrived at the end of my two weeks and we rendevouzed in Flores. We took off to see Tikal for two days. There are literally thousands of structures and hectares of property to explore, so even with two days we didn't see everything there was to see. But with a detailed book the first day and a great guide Cesear the second day. Highlights included understanding the dual Mayan calendars and number system (base 20, not 10); seeing the vantage point of Star Wars Episode IV shot from the top of Temple 4 in Tikal; and seeing howler monkeys swing from branch to branch.

We stayed an evening in Western Belize and could immediately feel the difference in attitude of this only-English-speaking-country in Central America. Trek Stop was a pleasant place to stay as we rested from the bumpy, dusty ride across the border.

Belize public transport consists of re-purposed American school busses, so we spent a good 6 hours on them getting to Placencia. Although cheap, these busses don't protect one from the sketchy travel arrangements of others. In Belmopan, Gilda and I squeezed our way into the back of a crowded bus, only to find the sole available seat was next to a dog in a box with motion sickness. Then it started to rain. The stuffy sweaty bus, combined with the wretched smell of dog barf, didn't not make for a sweet entry to Barefoot Perfect Placencia. Oh well.

We were finally out of the jungle when we arrived in Placencia. The cool breeze from the Sea and the fresh air finally told us that we'd reached our vacation relaxation spot. Our cottage was right on the beach, with a veranda full of easy chairs and hammocks to relax in. Although Gilda insisted that I just do nothing for the 6 days we'd be here, she had other plans.

We went snorkeling at Bugle Caye with its solar-powered lighthouse. Gilda snorkeled while I SCUBA dove at Laughing Bird Caye. We both toured Monkey River and learned the hard way that 30% DEET bug spray is useless in the midst of swarming mosquitos. Our guide could only laugh that we'd left the veritable "Jungle Juice 100% DEET" back at our cottage.

We ate at a lovely Austrian restaurant, Danube, and experienced schnitzel for the first time. Gilda fell in love with the Coco Colada smoothies at The Shak. I savored the familiar flavors of chicken, rice and beans.

Now we're on the move once again. Tomorrow we catch the 9am ferry to Puerto Barrios, Guatemala and then a bus to Guatemala City. We'll stay with Gilda's uncle Jorge and visit Antigua, like every tourist should I suppose. Friday we catch an evening flight to LA and get back to our lives.

Its been a great month of adventures and learning. Vinettes and episodes with video and pictures to follow!

Back in the Tropics

I wasted no time after school ended for the year. If I was to have a month of travel before my mid-summer training, I had to catch a plane to Guatemala Saturday night when school ended on Friday. Gilda and I drove down to LA, where I would get a cheaper flight. I saw my brother for a few hours before his own trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico. I went to a performance of The Merchant of Venice by the Hobart Shakespeareans. That event deserves a post of its own when I can post the video I took from it.

I took a red-eye flight to Guatemala City. Gilda's uncle Jorge picked me up from the airport, took me to breakfast, and saw me on the bus to Flores. After a hot and sweaty 8-hour drive, I arrived in the lakeside town just as night and rain were falling. I plopped down on my bed in Hotel Casablanca, took a shower for the first time in 2 days, and faded off to sleep.

Today I'm taking a boat across the lake to San Andres where I'll be starting my spanish classes. More later when I can get back into town for Internet access!

White Nights

Its a phenomenon of the Northern Hemisphere's Summer, where the sun hardly sets or rises, but lingers its light to allow all-night revelry and insomnia. I experienced it when I went to St. Petersburg during the Spring and Summer of 1997. And I just had a short experience of it again by watching "White Nights" with Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gregory Hines.

Most films about Russia in the 1980s were steeped in politics and this film was no exception. But the location shoots of Leningrad, now St. Petersburg, and the dance scenes between Hines and Baryshnikov were special. Of Leningrad, because it captures life at the end of perestroika and glastnost, which made the KGB cloak and dagger stuff kind of over the top.

But for having gone there just two months ago with American Councils for International Education (two very longs months now that school is almost over), I've seen how much has changed. While there's a political glass ceiling for anyone not in the United Russia party, there is relative freedom for artistic expression. I was so impressed with the community support of the arts of any kind: dance, embroidery, photography, and painting. Any child could have access to it and express themselves. My students are fortunate to have classes other than English, Math, and Physical Education! As I work to teach my little niche in the US system, I can't help but wonder how our school community could be different if all the pencil tapping boys could have an outlet it. How all the kids that can't get enough attention talking in class could express themselves through song for 50 minutes long.

Thanks for that trip back White Nights. I'll continue to seek out Russian connections as the reality and urgency of my teaching situation tries to keep me from living in many directions at once.

Students' Questions about Russia

The first school day that I returned from Russia, I had my students write me a letter to get out all the questions they were bursting to ask me. The following questions were asked by my 50 12- and 13-year-olds:

Did the Russian students send us anything?

Yes, I received a few penpal letters from students before I left. Others will be arriving in the mail, hopefully by May.

What fun things did you do in Russia?

If I could name just a few of the fun things that I did in Russia, I went ice skating, cross country skiing, and played volleyball against some very tall and strong Russian players. I went on day trips to visit Russian fortresses, churches, and monasteries. I visited art and history museums. I went to a children's theatre where I was asked questions like a celebrity after the show!

Did you bring any pictures?

Yes, I took almost 1000 pictures. It has taken me a few weeks to organize them into interesting slideshows but soon you will see them in class or on my blog!

Did you meet any ladies in Russia?

What an interesting question! If you mean, "did I meet any women?" then yes, of course, I did. Actually, most of the teachers in every school are women because teachers aren't paid enough to live on. Teachers need to combine their income with a spouse, so that's why so many Russian teachers are women. If you mean, "did you find a girlfriend?" then the answer is, no I did not, but then again, I'm happy with the one that I'm with now!

Did some students see our pictures [in the photo albums]?

Yes, I shared the "Days of Our Lives" photo albums with about 100 students from two schools. They were very interested in the foods and activities that La Paz 7th graders like.

Did you make a lot of friends on your trip?

I certainly did! One of the goals of my trip was to increase understanding between Russian and American teachers and students. I did that smiling, making jokes, giving gifts, and listening to the Russians that I met. Almost everyone was curious about the USA because they only see pictures of the USA on TV and sometimes they are not positive images of America.

Who did you meet in Russia?

I met a lot of school children. I counted over 400 children in 7 schools that I met. I met teachers and principals of schools. I met 2 TV reporters and 1 newspaper reporter. All of these people were very curious about the USA and our town of Salinas.

What did you eat on your first day?

Great question! I ate chicken soup, rye bread, and tea. Russians eat the tastiest bread with every meal. They also like to drink lots of tea.

Where did you sleep?

I slept on a normal bed in my own room. Someone from my host family had to sleep on the couch because I took their room. Russians are very hospitable people!

How did you get there?

First, I flew on a little jet from Monterey airport to Denver. Then I flew on a bigger jet to Washington, DC, our nation's capital. I had meetings there for a day with the other teachers from all over the USA who were also going on this trip. The following day, we all few in the same plane to Franfurt, Germany. We stayed there for just 2 hours before we boarded our last plane to Moscow, Russia. Once we landed in Moscow, however, our trip wasn't over. We had to carry our heavy bags through the crowded subway system to make our train because the surface streets were in a traffic jam! The train ride lasted for 2.5 hours. Finally, I was met at the train station by Tatiana, my host teacher, who drove me the 2 hours back to Korablino. Phew! I was certainly tired by the end of that journey!

How cool was it?

Russia is a very cool place, literally and figuratively! On most days it was around 32 degrees, so I had to wear my winter jacket but I got to throw snowballs, too. The first thing you'll notice when you are in Russia is that all the signs are in a different language and different writing system, called Cyrillic. Once you know how to read the Cyrillic letters, you'll discover that Russian has some words that are the same in English. Look at these two examples:





What did you see, taste, hear, and feel?

A great sensory detail question! I saw beautiful works of art and architecture (how buildings look and are made). I saw a TV show dedicated entirely to accordian music in Siberia! I tasted delicious beet soup (Borsht) and cabbage soup (Shchi). I heard a guitar concert in a kitchen, a women's day concert in a school. I felt the icy water of a frozen river when my left leg fell through it! (I was trying to cross the river to get from the country house (dacha) to our car).

Why did you go there?

Last year, I applied to this program that takes teachers to Russia to understand their people and schools better. They liked my application and what I had to say about my students and how I teach, so they selected me. Pretty cool, huh? But if I didn't apply, I wouldn't have had a chance. So the next time you have the chance to apply for an opportunity, go for it! Even if your chances are slim to be selected, they're still better than your chances if you don't apply at all!

Did you learn different things for your teaching?

Yes, I did! I went to a university class where Russian students were studying to be English translators. They were studying 19th century English painters and the vocabulary to describe the style and message of their art. I learned how to make an English class useful and interesting for very advanced students by studying a topic that they all like.
What did you bring us from Russia?

I made sure that I brought back different examples of Russian candy for you! I hope that you enjoyed it.
Did you get to meet your penpal partners?

Yes, I met the students that will be your penpal partners. They are very nice students with some interesting hobbies. I hope you'll be patient with them because it takes them longer to write good letters in English.
Is Russia a big place?

Yes, it certainly is. The area of Russia that I was in, Ryazan Oblast (state), was very flat. There were fields a mile wide and 3 miles long. In summer, these fields are filled with wheat and oat plants for people to make bread with. Russia is the largest country in the world. There are 11 time zones in Russia, compared with 6 time zones in the USA. That means that Russia stretches almost halfway around the world from itself!

How was the weather in Russia?

For the first 5 days, it was cloudy and cold. Then on the 6th day, the sun came out and it was warm enough to go outside with just a sweater on. The sunshine caused some river ice to melt, and we got to see some raging rapids through the snowy fields!

Did our penpals send pictures with you?

I was only able to get a few pictures from penpals. I will request that the rest of the penpals send pictures when they send their letters.

Did you understand everything that they said?

I understood about 50% of what they said. I studied Russian in college, so I knew a lot more than the other teachers on my trip, who didn't study Russian. But now that I'm studying Spanish, I've forgotten some Russian. Still, it was fun to speak Russian with them and have them practice English with me.

What questions did the kids have about America?

What a great question! Russian kids wanted to know what sports Americans like, what they do in their free time, and what sort of challenges they have in their lives.

What was the favorite thing about your trip?

I think the opportunity to experience a different culture was my favorite thing. It helped to me understand how big our world is. Russians have many similar beliefs and traditions to Americans, but they also have different ways of doing and thinking about things. Every time I travel, I understand how beautiful, complex, and fascinating the people of planet Earth are.

Prekhodit V Gosti (Coming as a Guest)

In my two visits to Russia, the concept of "coming as a guest" is the essence of building relationships. There's no pretensions or preparations necessary for the event. The humble kitchen with its stools and tiny table, bare floors and walls allows a glimpse into the unvarnished, undaunted Russian Soul.

To enjoy coming as a guest, just be yourself, maybe bring some sweets or a drink to share. The tea is poured from a kettle, brewed strong, then diluted with hot water. Add honey, milk, and some sweet cookies.

The conversation comes naturally when hearts are warmed by the tea on a late Winter's night. Most Russians that I've known haven't had the money to go out to the movies or a restaurant. Why let a dark room or mouths filled with food get in the way of conversation and just BEING with each other? Coming as a guest means coming as you are.

Friendships are forged when one comes as a guest. Like Greg Mortenson's Three Cups of Tea, after the third cup, you're family. When I went to the house of Elena, I could tell that she was a kindred spirit. She is the best friend of my host teacher, Tatiana. I warmed up to her quickly, too. We all would get together two more times in my remaining time in Korablino.

There is something about coming as a guest in Russia that builds relationships based on sharing nothing more than who you are as a person. With nothing to conceal in a bare kitchen, there's nothing to unravel a friendship's future with false pretenses.

Confetti Taste Testing

 

Well, there's not enough hours in the day to experience everything from the Russian countryside AND blog about it, so you'll have to forgive me for not writing more frequently. I'll have to catch up on all the stories I've experienced here when I get back.

Yesterday, Tatiana and I went to the market to buy some things for dinner parties we'll be having in the next few days. Inside of the buildings of the market were the candy (confetti in Russian) vendors. My previous trip to Belarus in 1997, I wanted to taste test every type of candy in a store. The poor attendant had to weigh each piece of candy, print a price sticker, and then total it all up for me to the whopping price of $1.

Things were just the same 12 years later! Spakoini nochi! Good night!