Chan-CP#10

          This Friday, I attended the CIES BBQ at Lake Bradford.  What fun!  I am glad that I brought my banjo and some percussion instruments for others to play.  Arriving at around 4pm, just after a big thunderstorm, Meagan, Lindsey, and I were warmly greeted and welcomed onto the scene.  I saw lots of familiar faces and some new faces.  After settling in slightly, I found a friendly table on the porch where some American teachers and Kuwaiti students were gathered.  As soon as they saw my banjo, conversation began.  People love to find out about instruments.  Instruments make a perfect conversation starter!  I handed out the percussion instruments and we began to play together.  First, I played a song from the hills of Virginia and my new friends played the bones, the shake-shake, and the cowbell.  At one point, another student came by and joined in on the flute!  It was a good moment. 

            It was getting pretty hot, so I ran down to the lake and jumped in.  There were a number of Japanese people gathered around the lake.  We made eye-contact, smiled at each other, and exchanged a few words.  Afterwards, we all went up to the BBQ area where meat was being grilled and folks were gathering around the tables.  The food was served up, and we all ate and talked.  I played my banjo and sang, and invited children and adults to join me on the percussion instruments.  It was fun!  I met Arifun, who was in my video class the day before.  She and I joined the girls from the Ivory Coast and sang together.  They sang a beautiful West African song for children and we all played percussion.  Dr. Kennell was dancing at the grill!  While speaking to Arifun, I learned that my good friend from Bangladesh is her brother-in-law.  It was a good moment for us to discover that we share a friend.