Greetings all who are reading this! today was a really special day because it was our first clown day of the trip. and we went to two of the most difficult situations to clown in. New clowns are energized with adrenaline. Veterens are gleeful with anticipation. We were predictably and suddenly awakened by the giant barking dog at the crack of dawn and it made me happy that the first full day in Nicaragua was beginning so early. Levi made us a big batch of eggs for breakfast. They were delicious. We went to the prison first. Before we arrived at the prison we stopped at a gas station, for what i don't remember, but i do remember that Crissy and Sara escaped from the van and ran to a pickup truck that had a family loitering in the shade. The children were curious until clowns ran full force towards them and scared them into the protective shadows behind the truck. Before we left the girls had charmed them back out with bubbles and the promises of play. It was too short of a stop.
The women's prison was intense in that way that possibly dangerous situations always are. Theres always that possibility something can go wrong and violence will occur, but our clowns didn't look like they had danger on their minds once the women came into the gathering room where we were waiting. The new clowns gained mucho clown respect today. They threw themselves into play and improvisation. It was an insane free for all with most of the women sitting and only getting out of their plastic chairs when a clown coerced or begged them out of them. So many open faces sitting in the front and interacting....so many caught wild animal eyes peeking from the protective spaces in the back of the room. It was one big dance party, with the accordian at first, but then my father abandoned the accordian for the red nose paint and painted all but two womens' noses in the room. Sara was an insatiable vat of energy and strangeness, she fell into my line of vision only when she was writhing on the floor or jumping on someone's lap. Incredible. The children were sitting in the front of the room and were both shy and excited to play. When we had the long line of pairs dancing up and down the hall to merengue and salsa, a small boy weaved back and forth through the legs of dancers, freely enjoying the party. Kristen performed feats of bendability and lithe acrobatics. the onlookers gleefully applauded. Ben did some strange flexible movements on the ground that looked painful but he was spry and dancing moments after. The echos of Ashley's laugh rang out often. levi wore a dress and didnt even look an ounce woman. Allison was a dog, a cat, and a bird and they found it hilarious.
The middle of the day was hot enough to take a nap, but then we woke up sweating through our sheets and more dehydrated and sticky than before we slept.
The afternoon gig was to a women's free *aka poor* hospital. We went to gynecology oncology ward and the ward for women who just had babies. The new clowns gave feedback of the afternoon as both heartwarmingly silly and eye openingly sad. There is a room with bald women who have painful cancer that had palpable pain energy and thick sadness. The new clowns knew they didnt feel comfortable in that space and the veterens recognized why. It was, i think, that first taste of poverty and pain together. We were faced with human suffering today and i am so glad that we talked about it as a group tonight. The more structure we have in dealing with the feelings that rise up after these experiences, the more understanding of ourselves we are. It is comforting to hear your own feelings of doubt, despair, and joy echoed in your peers, your clown family, the ones you share close living quarters with and hear the sleeping breaths of. Human contact, human comfort, human interection. Theres nothing like the exploration of the clown self in the world. I should say more of today, but I feel as though I have said enough for now. I love clown trips. I am so thankful to be alive. I am ready for our adventure tomorrow. Today is International Woman Day. Viva la blue hair mujer.
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