Week 2 Is Underway!

What builds a family?

Toño from Mexico City, Mexico said, "In order to make a strong family, you need to 'be the change you wish to see in the world.'" Ashley from Alaska said, "Conflict builds a family and working to resolve those conflicts makes it even stronger."

Paul Whitaker from the United Kingdom, Senior Vice President of Up with People explained that hard work and dedication is what builds a family. Our reputation is a part of the group. Becoming a family is hard work. There will be tears, and laughter and we should welcome them. That is how we learn. We learn when it gets difficult. Mr. Whitaker said, "It is not out job to make it easy. It is out job to make an experience." We came for it to be different. We came for an adventure. We are here to learn, love, adapt, accept and explore. We won't let anything or anyone derail us.

Today was day 7 of staging. Today was the day we learned all about our future tour cities. Today we learned how to properly coin cables. Today I learned. It wasn't the fact that I was in a classroom environment with students from 19 different countries surrounding me. It was because we are all here to  experience something completely out of our comfort zones. We came to be immersed in a variety of culture, where one night we may be sleeping on a thick, luscious mattress, and another night we may be sleeping on a bamboo mat with 8 other people. We came to make a difference, and that is what I am going to do.

I want to share an experience I've already had here in Denver. This morning, we stopped for a cup of coffee on the way to staging. I ride in a van with a few other students, and we all walked in with our name tags on and smiles on our faces. A man in line asked us if we were touring, and we said we are doing staging in Denver and there will be a show in August. Immediately, his eyes lit up and he said, "I have to tell my wife about this! I've always wanted to see an Up with People show!" I'm sure it sounds like a simple thing to you all, but the fact that this man was already excited about his day because he knew there was an Up with People show made me appreciate that mornings can be turned around with just a couple words! I felt so proud to have made a difference today!

I'm sure this is going to be a small thing compared to some of the experiences we will have along the way, but I know I will never forget this. It started with a couple of name tags, and ended with quite a few happy people, and on a Tuesday! I will greet these upcoming experiences with open arms and I will cherish the memories I make. I will share them with you and maybe they will make a difference, too.

De ja la musica sonar.
Laisse la musique jouer.
Sakana de yo.
Let the music play.

Dance on, my friends.

Bonnie Waller, USA