Once again, away from home for another major holiday. However, a couple from the show invited us over to their family´s home for Christmas Eve dinner. Hans and Kia. They do a unique rope/trapeze act. Hans speaks English pretty well and has helped us so much with anything that we need during our time here. It was really nice of them to invite us to the meal. They had been talking about the tradition and the foods they eat for weeks before and insisted that we join them. They would not take no for an answer, so there we were...
The Menu consists of Bacalhua (fish, and I promise some of them were still breathing), cooked cabbage (ask my family about that experience), potatoes, rolls and tea. The smell of the fish was almost too much, but I took it like a true champ. They divide the Bacalhua into two sections. One is the body of the fish. Still has it´s skin, still has it´s little fins. The second section is consider a delicacy. It consists of the heads and guts all mixed together. So, I took them up on the first section. It wasn´t too bad, just tasted like fish. The hardest part was probably getting the bones out of every bite before I ate it. And trying to look civilized while I was picking at every bite. I didn´t have any cabbage, but the potatoes were wonderful.
After dinner, we all sat and talked for a while. Then came dessert...
They brought out these little elephant ear looking things. And they tasted like elephants ears too. So, one for one. But then, the desserts started pouring out of the kitchen like the Peru flood of 1913. Look it up, it happened. They brought out a marshmallow cake, a cookie cake, two fruit cakes, little dough balls stuffed with apples, little dough balls stuffed with pumpkin, pineapples, and oranges. It was wonderful. Although I was full after my piece of cookie cake, I didn´t want to seem rude, so I just kept eating my share of the desserts. If only they could have brought out the desserts first, maybe I would have been too full to eat my Bacalhua.
It was a great experience to see how another culture celebrates the holidays. Like I said, Hans had been talking for weeks of how great the Bacalhua was, so it was pretty cool that we got to experience it first hand. It was really nice of them to let us be a part of their celebrations.
After we got back to the circus lot, the Pages and I opened our secret santa gifts. Then, I surprised them by playing Jingle Bells on my harmonica that I was secretly learning how to play down by the ocean everyday. They were quite impressed! Haha. And then...we had three shows on Christmas Day. EEEK...Merry Christmas!!
Monday, December 29, 2008
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Portugal Schedule
An average day in Portugal:
Noon-3 pm: Wake up, lay in bed and eat dry cereal, watch DVDs of the Office
3 - 4 pm: Get ready for the show. This really only takes like 10 minutes. I have no idea where my time goes.
4 - 7 pm: Show time. Fly like delta.
7 - 9 pm: Go to the mall, check my email, eat supper...all at the mall.
9 - midnight: Show time. Fly like Tina Ross.
12:30 - 3 am: Lay in bed wondering why I cannot fall asleep, then realizing, ooooh right, I sleep in until at least noon everyday.
Yep, thats about what a typical two show day looks like here in Portugal. Of course, we haven`t had a show in the last three days, so I find other things to do. I usually hang out at the mall or go walking down by the ocean. And I find myself eating two meals on days off. If you know me, you know I am not much into eating unfamiliar things, so my usual meal is McDonalds, KFC, or Burger King. I am actually keeping track in my notebook of how many times I eat at each. I will share the results at the end of my stay, but FYI, McDonalds is in a commanding lead.
A couple things that are different on the restaurant scene in Portugal:
1. McDonalds has bendy straws.
2. Burger King has green tomatoes. Gross. Maybe that was just a bad batch yesterday.
3. Big Macs taste alot healthier here which isn`t really saying a lot.
4. All the fast food places offer beer as a drink option. Gross.
5. They have Kit Kat McFlurries. I have had at least one a day for the past week. Amazing.
Noon-3 pm: Wake up, lay in bed and eat dry cereal, watch DVDs of the Office
3 - 4 pm: Get ready for the show. This really only takes like 10 minutes. I have no idea where my time goes.
4 - 7 pm: Show time. Fly like delta.
7 - 9 pm: Go to the mall, check my email, eat supper...all at the mall.
9 - midnight: Show time. Fly like Tina Ross.
12:30 - 3 am: Lay in bed wondering why I cannot fall asleep, then realizing, ooooh right, I sleep in until at least noon everyday.
Yep, thats about what a typical two show day looks like here in Portugal. Of course, we haven`t had a show in the last three days, so I find other things to do. I usually hang out at the mall or go walking down by the ocean. And I find myself eating two meals on days off. If you know me, you know I am not much into eating unfamiliar things, so my usual meal is McDonalds, KFC, or Burger King. I am actually keeping track in my notebook of how many times I eat at each. I will share the results at the end of my stay, but FYI, McDonalds is in a commanding lead.
A couple things that are different on the restaurant scene in Portugal:
1. McDonalds has bendy straws.
2. Burger King has green tomatoes. Gross. Maybe that was just a bad batch yesterday.
3. Big Macs taste alot healthier here which isn`t really saying a lot.
4. All the fast food places offer beer as a drink option. Gross.
5. They have Kit Kat McFlurries. I have had at least one a day for the past week. Amazing.
Monday, December 1, 2008
One Week in Portugal...Five Things Learned
I have been here in Portugal for a total of one week now, and there are certain things that have stood out to me right away. It did not take me a whole week to notice these things, but every single day, they are confirmed.
1. Parking. You can park wherever you can find a space that your car will fit in. Many times on the sidewalks of the bus station. There are alot of compact cars, so they can fit almost everywhere. If there is a space in between two cars that is not quite big enough to parallel park in, do not worry. Just back into the space, ramping your rear tires up onto the sidewalk with your front tires remaining on the street. No problems.
2. Jason Bourne. I think at some point in every movie of the Bourne triology, he is running through a crowded bus/train station. That is totally legit. I walk through the bus/train station every day. There are people yelling in different languages. There are people running, in a hurry to make it to their train on time. There are suspicious looking security guards at every single corner. It is just like the movies.
3. Soccer. Nobody here cares about football. If I pass a TV, there is soccer on it. 24/7. I do not know how they can have that many soccer games. We did find a little coffee shop called Maxi Toast that will change the channel to the NASN (North American Sports Network) on Sundays, so we watch whatever football game they are showing. That is the only station. It covers NFL, NCAA, and NHL. Now that I am thinking about it, I guess we only have a couple stations that show soccer in the U.S. So, I guess that is fair.
4. Smoking. Everybody smokes. Backstage during our shows, before people go out to perform, they are smoking. Everyone at the coffee show smokes. Everyone does it. During the show, the workers will finish a cigarette and then light up the next one right away. It is crazy. Every pack of cigarettes here has SMOKING KILLS in big bold letters, and it is even written in their language. I do not get it.
5. Language Barrier. Everyone here speaks Portuguese, of course. But everyone in the circus can speak at least 4 different languages. So, everybody can communicate with everybody. Except little ole English speaking me. I cannot understand anyone or talk to anyone. It gets lonely sometimes. HA, it is getting better. Some of the Romanians speak a little English, and all of the cashiers where I eat speak enough English to take my order and my money. And all of the movies and music at the mall are in English. We went to see the new James Bond, English with Portuguese subtitles. How horrible is that if you speak Portuguese? The radio that plays where I use the internet always has American music. The first day when I heard Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays by Nsync I thought it was pretty cool. Now, I have heard it too many times to keep track of. So, they are adapting to me. Slowly, but they are.
1. Parking. You can park wherever you can find a space that your car will fit in. Many times on the sidewalks of the bus station. There are alot of compact cars, so they can fit almost everywhere. If there is a space in between two cars that is not quite big enough to parallel park in, do not worry. Just back into the space, ramping your rear tires up onto the sidewalk with your front tires remaining on the street. No problems.
2. Jason Bourne. I think at some point in every movie of the Bourne triology, he is running through a crowded bus/train station. That is totally legit. I walk through the bus/train station every day. There are people yelling in different languages. There are people running, in a hurry to make it to their train on time. There are suspicious looking security guards at every single corner. It is just like the movies.
3. Soccer. Nobody here cares about football. If I pass a TV, there is soccer on it. 24/7. I do not know how they can have that many soccer games. We did find a little coffee shop called Maxi Toast that will change the channel to the NASN (North American Sports Network) on Sundays, so we watch whatever football game they are showing. That is the only station. It covers NFL, NCAA, and NHL. Now that I am thinking about it, I guess we only have a couple stations that show soccer in the U.S. So, I guess that is fair.
4. Smoking. Everybody smokes. Backstage during our shows, before people go out to perform, they are smoking. Everyone at the coffee show smokes. Everyone does it. During the show, the workers will finish a cigarette and then light up the next one right away. It is crazy. Every pack of cigarettes here has SMOKING KILLS in big bold letters, and it is even written in their language. I do not get it.
5. Language Barrier. Everyone here speaks Portuguese, of course. But everyone in the circus can speak at least 4 different languages. So, everybody can communicate with everybody. Except little ole English speaking me. I cannot understand anyone or talk to anyone. It gets lonely sometimes. HA, it is getting better. Some of the Romanians speak a little English, and all of the cashiers where I eat speak enough English to take my order and my money. And all of the movies and music at the mall are in English. We went to see the new James Bond, English with Portuguese subtitles. How horrible is that if you speak Portuguese? The radio that plays where I use the internet always has American music. The first day when I heard Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays by Nsync I thought it was pretty cool. Now, I have heard it too many times to keep track of. So, they are adapting to me. Slowly, but they are.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Thanksgiving
So, a couple days ago, I spent my first major holiday away from family and friends. It was a sad day overall, although we were setting up our rigging here in Portugal, so that kept my mind off of it for a while. I actually did not even realize it was Thanksgiving until the late afternoon. We had a dinner break in the middle of set up. I had a Big Mac, fries, and a coke for my Thanksgiving feast. I am not complaining, I love me some Big Mac, but being alone and having no big celebrations made me think of what I am most thankful for...
I am thankful for my family. I am truly blessed to be a part of such a close knit and loving family. We all get along so well, and can talk to each other about any situations or problems that we are having. It is so nice to have six best friends to go to any time, day or night, for support or encouragement. I hope and pray that I will be able to raise a family that sticks together and supports one another just like the family that I am so blessed to be a part of.
I am thankful for the circus, Peru and the Pages. God has blessed with the opportunity to be a part of these amazing organizations, and I, foolishly, take them for granted every single day.
I am thankful for my nephew, Isaac Mason. He is such a beautiful and fun baby...well, 2 year old now. I love every chance I get to see him and go to the park and do circus tricks. He is a blessing from God. I love doing or saying something funny, and him replying with "Silly Jon Jon!"
I am thankful for my girlfriend, Jenny, and our growing relationship. It has been fun and exciting getting to know Jenny and Alivia. I pray that God will be in our relationship and guide us down the right path.
And last, but most of all...I am thankful that God sent his son Jesus Christ to live and die on the cross for all of our sins. And that I can be with all of the ones I love for ever and ever and all of eternity.
"The beauty of grace, is that it makes life not fair." -Relient K
I am thankful for my family. I am truly blessed to be a part of such a close knit and loving family. We all get along so well, and can talk to each other about any situations or problems that we are having. It is so nice to have six best friends to go to any time, day or night, for support or encouragement. I hope and pray that I will be able to raise a family that sticks together and supports one another just like the family that I am so blessed to be a part of.
I am thankful for the circus, Peru and the Pages. God has blessed with the opportunity to be a part of these amazing organizations, and I, foolishly, take them for granted every single day.
I am thankful for my nephew, Isaac Mason. He is such a beautiful and fun baby...well, 2 year old now. I love every chance I get to see him and go to the park and do circus tricks. He is a blessing from God. I love doing or saying something funny, and him replying with "Silly Jon Jon!"
I am thankful for my girlfriend, Jenny, and our growing relationship. It has been fun and exciting getting to know Jenny and Alivia. I pray that God will be in our relationship and guide us down the right path.
And last, but most of all...I am thankful that God sent his son Jesus Christ to live and die on the cross for all of our sins. And that I can be with all of the ones I love for ever and ever and all of eternity.
"The beauty of grace, is that it makes life not fair." -Relient K
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Portugal...1st time overseas
Well, apparently the Pages were serious about going to Portugal, because here I sit, in a hotel lobby in Lisbon, Portugal, updating my blog. What dedication I have to this blog!! So, this is my first time ever going overseas and it is already quite the experience.
Here is how Sunday went
5:45 am-Left Myakka City for Tampa Airport
10 am - Flight from Tampa to Charlotte
1 pm - Watch the first quarter of Brett Favre slaying the undefeated Titans
1:55 pm - Flight from Charlotte to Newark, New Jersey
4:00 pm - Watch the last few minutes of Brett Favre still slaying the Titans
6:05 pm - Flight from Newark to Lisbon, Portugal
Monday
6 am - Arrive to Lisbon, Check passports, get driven to our place for the next 6 weeks
So, that was an adventure, with 6 in the troupe, one from Mexico, and two dogs that we just had to bring. Interesting travels.
Now, here is where I left off...
We arrive at our homes, which are in the same lot as the Circus tent. Circo Chen. Good news is I have a room all to myself! Bad news is, its not quite as nice as my cargo back in Myakka City. It is a 8 foot by 12 foot box. With bunk beds, one European electrical outlet, and a rack to hang my wet towel, or clothes or whatever I choose. No heat (although I am supposed to be getting a portable heater tonight) The showers are only about a 20 foot walk, and the toilets 50 feet more.
Ok, surely I am making sound worse than it is. I mean, it definitely makes you grateful for what you have back home! But alot of people are alot worse off than I am.
I have a mall within two blocks that is just massive. And internet there so I can email and talk with my family almost everyday. It also has McDonalds, Bunker King and Pizza Hut!! My first meal in Portugal was a Whopper, Fries and a coke...and people said I would have a hard time adjusting to the food. HA! Shows them! There was a pretty funny moment at Burger King when I was ordering. The total was 4.70 euros. So, I gave the lady a 5. Then, she pointed at the amount due, 4.70, so I pointed at the 5 that I had just given her. It was not working. So, I got out all my little euro coins, and before even trying to look at them, I just stuck out my hand and let the lady pick out the ones she wanted. So, I ended up giving 5.70, and she gave me 1 euro back. I thought it was odd and I laughed, she did not. Apparently, they like giving out exact change here! Learn something new everyday I guess. Now I just need to go study my coins so I know what they are worth!
That is about all of the excitement for the first day in Portugal! Oh, and I woke up today and looked at the time on my computer. It was 10 am. Not bad, plenty of the day to explore or do anything I want. It took me about 2 hours to realize that its 5 pm here...soooooo, still adjusting...
Here is how Sunday went
5:45 am-Left Myakka City for Tampa Airport
10 am - Flight from Tampa to Charlotte
1 pm - Watch the first quarter of Brett Favre slaying the undefeated Titans
1:55 pm - Flight from Charlotte to Newark, New Jersey
4:00 pm - Watch the last few minutes of Brett Favre still slaying the Titans
6:05 pm - Flight from Newark to Lisbon, Portugal
Monday
6 am - Arrive to Lisbon, Check passports, get driven to our place for the next 6 weeks
So, that was an adventure, with 6 in the troupe, one from Mexico, and two dogs that we just had to bring. Interesting travels.
Now, here is where I left off...
We arrive at our homes, which are in the same lot as the Circus tent. Circo Chen. Good news is I have a room all to myself! Bad news is, its not quite as nice as my cargo back in Myakka City. It is a 8 foot by 12 foot box. With bunk beds, one European electrical outlet, and a rack to hang my wet towel, or clothes or whatever I choose. No heat (although I am supposed to be getting a portable heater tonight) The showers are only about a 20 foot walk, and the toilets 50 feet more.
Ok, surely I am making sound worse than it is. I mean, it definitely makes you grateful for what you have back home! But alot of people are alot worse off than I am.
I have a mall within two blocks that is just massive. And internet there so I can email and talk with my family almost everyday. It also has McDonalds, Bunker King and Pizza Hut!! My first meal in Portugal was a Whopper, Fries and a coke...and people said I would have a hard time adjusting to the food. HA! Shows them! There was a pretty funny moment at Burger King when I was ordering. The total was 4.70 euros. So, I gave the lady a 5. Then, she pointed at the amount due, 4.70, so I pointed at the 5 that I had just given her. It was not working. So, I got out all my little euro coins, and before even trying to look at them, I just stuck out my hand and let the lady pick out the ones she wanted. So, I ended up giving 5.70, and she gave me 1 euro back. I thought it was odd and I laughed, she did not. Apparently, they like giving out exact change here! Learn something new everyday I guess. Now I just need to go study my coins so I know what they are worth!
That is about all of the excitement for the first day in Portugal! Oh, and I woke up today and looked at the time on my computer. It was 10 am. Not bad, plenty of the day to explore or do anything I want. It took me about 2 hours to realize that its 5 pm here...soooooo, still adjusting...
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
8 months later...
So, I really planned on writing in this blog alot more! Haha, I missed a few months! Anyway, where did we leave off?? Oh yes, the beginning.
Well, it's not the beginning anymore. I have almost completed a whole year of traveling the country with The Flying Pages. Circus life has ups and downs, but when I tell others that, they simply reply with "All jobs have ups and downs." That puts it in perspective for me. I am going to try to write alot of entries in the next couple of weeks while my travels are still fresh on the mind...cause the point of all this is to have stories to tell.
Here is the situation as of today. It's a Tuesday, and we are supposed to be leaving to perform in Lisbon, Portugal next Monday! We're supposed to perform there for six weeks, so we would be there for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. Holidays away from home :( ...but I'm traveling the world and getting paid for it, so I shouldn't complain. Here is the other part of the situation. We were on our way back to Florida to ship out the rigging and get ready to leave, but the bus broke down in St. Louis, MO. Therefore, I am sitting in a hotel and waiting to see what will happen with everything. Either I will be in Portugal over the holidays or back home to Peru...I'll let you know when we're on the plane. That's kind of how things work around here!
In the next couple of weeks, I will fill my blog with how life is on the circus tour compared to how things are during the summer fair tour and when we're in Myakka City, FL practicing and not making a dime...or even a penny.
Until we see you again...
Well, it's not the beginning anymore. I have almost completed a whole year of traveling the country with The Flying Pages. Circus life has ups and downs, but when I tell others that, they simply reply with "All jobs have ups and downs." That puts it in perspective for me. I am going to try to write alot of entries in the next couple of weeks while my travels are still fresh on the mind...cause the point of all this is to have stories to tell.
Here is the situation as of today. It's a Tuesday, and we are supposed to be leaving to perform in Lisbon, Portugal next Monday! We're supposed to perform there for six weeks, so we would be there for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. Holidays away from home :( ...but I'm traveling the world and getting paid for it, so I shouldn't complain. Here is the other part of the situation. We were on our way back to Florida to ship out the rigging and get ready to leave, but the bus broke down in St. Louis, MO. Therefore, I am sitting in a hotel and waiting to see what will happen with everything. Either I will be in Portugal over the holidays or back home to Peru...I'll let you know when we're on the plane. That's kind of how things work around here!
In the next couple of weeks, I will fill my blog with how life is on the circus tour compared to how things are during the summer fair tour and when we're in Myakka City, FL practicing and not making a dime...or even a penny.
Until we see you again...
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
In the Beginning...
It all started one cold and rainy night in September of 1984. OK, just kidding, we'll fast forward to 1990 when I was 5 years old. My mama put me in this youth organization called the Peru Amateur Circus. I enjoyed it, so I did it for the next 15 years. (I would have done it longer, but 21 is the age limit...so it was my time to retire) I cannot say enough about the Peru Circus, but I'll do that some other time. Here is the story of circus life after Peru...
Eric Craft was the middle catcher of the flying trapeze act in Peru before I was. When Eric left the Peru Circus, he joined a professional flying trapeze act called "The Flying Pages." When I was too old for the Peru Circus, I loved circus so much that one of my dreams was continuing on by joining a professional circus. However, I was still in college at Indiana Wesleyan University, so when I was 22, I became a trainer in the Peru Circus which I loved every minute of. But, I still had this desire to get away for a while and see the world while performing professionally. God's timing is perfect. I graduated college in December of 2007, one month before Eric was leaving "The Flying Pages," after being with them for 5 years. Perfect timing. The Pages were looking for a middle catcher, and I told them I would like a shot at the position. I tried out with them at a fair in Michigan in August of 2007, and also in Springfield, MA, in September of 2007. During my second tryout, they told me I got the job! Very exciting news. Soooo....that's how it all started. In January of 2008, I went to Myakka City, Florida to start training with the troupe. Three weeks later, we were on the road.
The initial plan with "The Flying Pages" involves 2 or 3 years with the troupe. In 2008, we are touring the United States. In the next couple of years, there have been talks of performing in either Europe or Japan.
After my 2 or 3 year commitment, I plan on returning to Miami County, finding a teaching position at one of the county schools and training in the Peru Amateur Circus...some people think that sounds crazy, but to me it sounds like the perfect life.
Eric Craft was the middle catcher of the flying trapeze act in Peru before I was. When Eric left the Peru Circus, he joined a professional flying trapeze act called "The Flying Pages." When I was too old for the Peru Circus, I loved circus so much that one of my dreams was continuing on by joining a professional circus. However, I was still in college at Indiana Wesleyan University, so when I was 22, I became a trainer in the Peru Circus which I loved every minute of. But, I still had this desire to get away for a while and see the world while performing professionally. God's timing is perfect. I graduated college in December of 2007, one month before Eric was leaving "The Flying Pages," after being with them for 5 years. Perfect timing. The Pages were looking for a middle catcher, and I told them I would like a shot at the position. I tried out with them at a fair in Michigan in August of 2007, and also in Springfield, MA, in September of 2007. During my second tryout, they told me I got the job! Very exciting news. Soooo....that's how it all started. In January of 2008, I went to Myakka City, Florida to start training with the troupe. Three weeks later, we were on the road.
The initial plan with "The Flying Pages" involves 2 or 3 years with the troupe. In 2008, we are touring the United States. In the next couple of years, there have been talks of performing in either Europe or Japan.
After my 2 or 3 year commitment, I plan on returning to Miami County, finding a teaching position at one of the county schools and training in the Peru Amateur Circus...some people think that sounds crazy, but to me it sounds like the perfect life.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
