el 16 de febrero

This morning has led me through a twisting path of emotions today, and I’ve only been up for 3 and a half hours! It all started with me dreaming that I couldn’t sleep…you know, it’s too early to wake up but you just can’t regain blissful unconsciousness? Then at 9:45am my blaring ringtone roughly startles me awake (allowing me to realize I had been sleeping quite well before that, contrary to my dreaming restlessness). When I pick up it’s to the voice of one of the ISA directors, David (pronounced in a Spanish accent of course [Dah-VEED]), asking me if I was interested in a volunteering opportunity at noon today for one of Granada’s movie festivals, called Retro Back where they pick a star to honor and screen old. Still confused from the contrast between reality and sleep, I agree to show up at some office at noon to see what it’s all about.

Noon comes up and I walk into the elevator of one of the Ayuntamiento’s buildings (the city government), fully expecting to be one of several volunteers to help set things up for the festival, vaguely recalling David mentioning something about driving around and picking people up, when I finally find the correct room. Peeking around the door frame I am confronted with 2 people busily making arrangements on the phone in a tiny cramped and cluttered office. The woman, in charge of this particular affair of the Granada Retro Back Festival, welcomes me in and proceeds to call me Melissa throughout my stay in her presence. But I have to stress it wasn’t out of haughtiness or forgetfulness; she was simply stressed and apologized profusely after every mistaken naming. While she continued making calls, Sergio, her partner in crime (or rather chaos at this moment), was explaining to me in a rather round-about way what I was to do. It all came down to this – I was to be an interpreter!! A blues, jazz, etc band from Michigan (don’t get your hopes up, they were all middle-aged or older, =p) had come to Granada to play for the opening ceremony of the festival, I was to help explain their itinerary and the plans for the day.

Not really sure what to expect, but willing to make a full out of myself for the experience, I followed Sergio to the hotel where the band was staying. After calling every member to meet us in the first floor (that would be the floor above the lobby in Spain and most of Europe), I start explaining what the plans are for tonight, asking Sergio specifications in Spanish (though he can understand English) and conveying the answers to the band in English.

It was such an amazing experience. And I get a free lunch!

And the entire day was ended with a viewing of Beauty and the Beast. But I nearly exploded from not being able to sing out loud with the songs (there was one girl who had only seen it ONCE before in her life. Preposterous.)