Singing and Advent and Three Weeks Left...

(Aw I tried to load the video of my friends singing but it didn't work....) This was at my friend Mono's house. He'd invited us all over for dinner, and we spent the whole night visiting into the early hours of morning. At one point my friend Cristian got out the guitar and started playing, and like usually happens, most of them end up singing. I shouldn't say usually, but I've definitely seen it a few times. I love it! They all know the same traditional Chilean songs, and even though they are usually laughing as they sing and goofing off, the passion and patriotism of the songs still comes through. You know I just can't imagine my friends and I really having fun belting out the star spangled banner, what a funny image that is! But their they are, having a great time and getting really into - there really is something to Chilean pride. I think it is more like deep Texas pride than US patriotism honestly, because it is fiercely loyal, close-knit, and sort of rebellious. Chileans are proud to be Chileans in a way that it feels like only Chileans can understand, like how Texans are really proud to be Texans in a way that anyone not born Texan or made Texan really can't understand. Oh but as much as the video makes it seem, not every Chilean can sing or play the guitar :) But surely alot of them! I noticed most in mass. Though I've talked to some Chilean friends who confess they are to shy to sing because they don't like their voices, etc, the difference in the amount of people that sing from the congregation at a Chilean mass is starkly contrast to any of the US masses I've been to. First of all there are no song books, everyone just knows the music. And they don't just sing the entrance hmyn and exit hymn, even at daily mass the mass parts are usually sung. If their is no choir (which is rare since at least one person usually volunteers to play), someone often just starts the song accapella and everyone joins in. I most treasure the offertory hmyn. Instead of just picking a filler song, or a song that matches the readings, they have specific songs that talk about what is about to happen in the offertory, about bringing before the altar our bread and wine to be transformed, about giving back everything He's given us, about letting ourselves be transformed the way the gifts are, letting our lives and homes and selves be sanctified as part of the Body of Christ. It really draws more attention to what the essence of the offertory is, not a chance to scramble in your purse for the donation, or to be entertained while the ushers walk around collecting...but the time of the mass when we think of everything we've experience since the last mass we've been to, and offer it all back: failures, joy, exhaustion, succeses, sickness, birthdays, pains, time with friends, frustrations, naps, everything. Offer it all to be transfigured.

Though...I am getting a little nostalgic for all those good old classic english church songs, even the ones I was tired of when I left. It won't feel quite like Advent without all those songs being stuck in my head for weeks. It's strange enough that the days are getting hotter as Christmas comes, instead of cooler. But now little bits of Advent are popping up everywhere, purple and white flowers in the shrine, kid's Advent calenders in the little shop, and purple clothes on the altar. I brought home some advent candles and a miniture nativity set, so now it feels a little more like Christmas is coming. There's the comercial side of it of course, which is just hilarious. They still sell the story of winter wonderlands and elves workshops at the north pole, although right next to the giant three story tree in the mall they putting out the swim suits. And you know they are worse than us! The grocery stores had out Christmas stuff weeks before our Thanksgiving...but that is still odd because even with the presence of the tacky comercial abuse of Christmas, there is a peculiar lack of the cheesey carols (which I can't believe I'm seriously missing!). I also found a Christmas tree at the airport, made of suitcases! (at least, I chose to believe that's what the modern art was supposed to be!)

Today is Dec 2, which means I leave in just under three weeks! Suffice it to say time flies. As much as I miss everyone, I am not quite ready to go home yet. I am looking forward to these next few weeks, free of school, to live here a little longer. My parents arrive tomorrow (which means they are getting on a plane tonight!) which is absolutely incredible, and I turn 22. My friend sent me a birthday card which just happened to exactly say what I feel about these next few weeks, don't count the days...make the days count :)