OBISK IZ BETHLEHEMA

Our friends from Bethlehem in America arrived to Murska Sobota on 27th September, but in school we first met them with the beginning of the new week.  The introduction in week mixed with music and hanging out with our new friends was done by their professor Frank DiBussolo who held the lecture about basics of jazz music. Later on we listened to young musicians and what they do.

After the performance they said they are happy that they had a chance to present themselves, but they are really sorry their audience didn't really respect their work, but they understand jazz just isn't that popular here.

On Tuesday our guests had to join the class. They started with  geography, Students of host school present them Slovenia, our capital city and the region of Prekmurje. Then the guests introduced themselves to the students and told them more about their city,USA in general and about the school they attend. After geography class they participated in english class. So host students asked them few questions about educational program in States, about their city, their free time and stuff they like to do. After school they went to Maribor. First they walked near by Drava and saw the old part of the city. After it they went up to hill called Pohorje. On the top of the hill we admired the view and slovenian food.  After enjoing the food we took adrenalin ride with summer sledges. Then it was time to go to the small city near Maribor, called Lenart. There a performance of our guests in city culture hall took place at 7.




On Wednesday our guests and us with them had to go to the class again. The day started with computer science. They learned about editting the web page wich will be like the bridge between Bethlehem and Murska Sobota. After dealing with computers we went to the school yard to plant the red oak tree wich also grows in the area where our guests come from. We also listened to an interesting story about this tree. The story tells about two lovers, to whom it was told that they'll have to die when the trees will lost all of their leaves. They asked spirits of gods to keep their leaves through the winter, but none of them was kind enough to help them. Only the spirit of red oak tree promised them: »I'll keep some leaves till the spring, so your love can live forever.« And with help of the red oak tree lovers didn't die. And the hope of all of us is that the friendship between our cities will last for ever, like the love that lovers in the story love. After planting the tree they had a meeting with major of city of Murska Sobota.

After a busy day it was nice to relax with dancing.  And in the evening it was time to present jazz music to Slovenian audience again. They preformed in club called MIKK in Murska Sobota. The audience was more than just satisfied with what they heard and they just didn't let young musicians leave the stage and they wanted more. The audience was positively surprised about Josh's idea of includeing a melodie of Slovenian national song. After amazing performance both were satisfied: audience and musicians. Audience was amazed because of the energy in the music and young ambasadors of jazz music were happy because of the greatful audience that loudly showed they liked what they heard.


Eva Dora
Foto: Zoran Vogrinčič