The room had been ready when Cifan arrived; Avoh had made sure of that. She'd even thought to set a small arrangement of cut flowers on the bedside table, and she'd brought fresh tea in as soon as she'd finished carrying in her sister's bags.
She hadn't been sure what to expect -- they hadn't seen each other since she left Balmorra, after all -- and it had seemed that Cifan felt the same. But there had been none of the bitterness that Avoh had thought might come, that she had feared ever since she'd learned what had happened after she left. They were still sisters, after all, even with so many years apart. And Cifan needed her.
Now, hours later, Cifan was finally asleep, curled up small under the covers. It had taken a long time just to calm her down and reassure her, and even longer for the full story to come out. Avoh wished she could be surprised, but it matched up rather neatly with the impression she'd gotten of Nisha while working for her father. The woman simply didn't care who she hurt, if she could get her way.
More painful, though, was what Cifan had said as she drifted off to sleep, squeezing Avoh's hand tight: "I thought you hated me.”
"Shh, of course not. I could never hate you." The rest of her words choked in her throat, though. I thought you hated me.
Now that her sister was sound asleep and snoring lightly, Avoh slipped her hand out of her grasp and tugged the blankets up a little higher around her, tucking the edges in. It would be different having Cifan here, but maybe... Maybe it could be the start of something good.
Walking softly so as not to wake her, Avoh slipped out of the guest room and shut the door behind her.
Cifan is sending Andrius and Bi’juta two bottles of very nice wine -- one ready to drink now, and one to save and age for a future anniversary. The star wars universe equivalent of this stuff is probably involved in some way because she’d think it’s really neat.
there is also a second package with a set of nice wineglasses, and a note thanking the pair, and Bi’juta particularly, for their help after Khanek’s death in obtaining samples from the corpse. it has, Cifan says, brought her great comfort.
Encounters in Chile - a series about interesting, inspiring and special people that I ran into. Today: Teens of the Youth Orchestra CIFAN in Valdivia, Chile.
"Alright, focus", Pablo Matamala says with a firm voice and slams a baton at a music stand. The room is suddenly covered in tense silence. The baton whirls through the air, "One, two three, and" he whispers softly, and the room is evenly filled with the smooth sound of string instruments.
And my jaw drops to the floor.
Sitting right in front of me is a group of Chilean teenagers from one of the poorer districts of Valdivia, Chile who form part of an orchestra. A special orchestra. An orchestra who is set out to help kids and teenagers from difficult family backgrounds through music.
Ten years ago, together with María Elena Saavedra (CIFAN Foundation Director) and Osvaldo Urrutia (music professor at Universidad Austral de Chile), Pablo Matamala had this idea. As music professor he wanted to share his understanding of music not only with privileged college students, but also with children and teens who didn't know how to read music. So they initiated a project.
Their idea worked.
Today, 106 teens and children benefit from the youth orchestra CIFAN. Every year, the orchestra hosts 50 concerts in different ensembles, in 2009 they were invited to play in front of the Pope. Hundreds of kids and teens from the surrounding school go through a screening process to participate in the Children orchestra and Youth orchestra. The instruments come from donations and recently a children choir (comprising 90 kids) was set up to accompany the orchestra.
Pablo sees music an an element to teach children and teens self-esteem, the art of listening, self-control, values, and teamwork. And the kids and teens he works with seem to like it.
"Music fills me", says Abaigail, 18, without hesitation when I ask her why she plays the violin. Her friend Natalia, 16, plays cello. "I want to become a musician" she adds. Through the orchestra she learns the fundamentals of music - but most of all she learns to believe in her dream.
During the rehearsal, Pablo Matamala is set on encouraging the young musicians to give their best. "I know you can do it", he motivates a girl who struggles with a harder sequence of the piece. "Play bravely, play with confidence." Words that help. "Let's try it again!" Pablo says excitedly and slams the baton at the music stand. And this time it works. As she masters the sequence, both, she and the conductor smile.
"I have a dream." Pablo Matamala says with a serious face during a break. "And my dream is that one day, all musicians may bring their pencils to our rehearsal." This seems to be an international phenomenon of musicians (I am guilty of this as well), just as the reaction of the teenagers. They roll their eyes upon the expected exhortation. But Pablo does not complain. Instead, he asks them a question: "Do you know why it's important to have dreams?" The room remains silent for some moments. "You need to have dreams" he says and pauses. "Because your dreams will create hope. That is why you should never loose your dreams."
I can only estimate how these words shape and build up the teens. Powerful testimonies are the outcome. One boy who plays the violin describes how he used to be very shy and how music allowed him to gain self-confidence.
Not all teenagers, however, want to become musicians. Abigail wants to study Management at a university in Santiago. "But music will always remain my hobby." And as she walks out, she says to Pablo: "I'm looking forward to next week!"
The passion with which she says these words makes me believe that she wished for another rehearsal on the next morning.
The main goal of the orchestra is to allow kids and teenagers to overcome situations of social risk through a participation in the Youth orchestra CIFAN. The CIFAN depends on donations. Each year, the orchestra needs US-$ 100.000 to maintain instruments, finance concert tours and ensure administrative work. Anyone interested in supporting this amazing project, may most certainly do so: Get in touch with Lavinia Armasu, Marketing director of the CIFAN Foundation.
