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When I left Guatemala city, I had mixed feelings in my heart. On one hand, sad to leave Dani and Vinci,
because I love them and I keep them in my heart. I really enjoyed their conversation, maybe in a bar, or at home,
getting to know incredible places and people. It was then unavoidable to remember images from those moments, faces of many people.
But on the other hand, I was happy to be back on the move, with new friends...a new family!
- In the bus going to El Salvador, I was remembering Guatemala and laughing loudly,
even if the rest of the people in the bus looked at me as if I was crazy, but as usual, I don't care too much.
I felt that the best thing about that country had been to share moments with people in remote communities.
I really loved their simplicity, their generosity and I enjoyed the opportunity to get to know their problems first hand.
I can still hear the giggles when Dani and the rest of the clowns were performing, when they had their shows to educate about AIDS prevention.
I learnt, by the way, how I have to take care of myself and how to take care of others, so that this desease doesn't keep on spreading.
- Close to the border at Las Chinamas, a feeling invaded me, like an internal spark, that made me understand much of what I had lived in the last months.
I discovered that art and humour are really nice ways to help! And that is how I decided to become an actor.
- When we arrived at San Salvador, the capital city, I told Palacete, my puppeteer friend, that I would love to act in their show with
Antonio “El Buitre”,Toñito and Rony, my travel companions. He answered "But of course!", but he emphasized that I had to rehearse a lot
and work almost always at night. No problem, deal! Anyway, if I don't know something, I can learn it!
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Drinking mate in San Salvador
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I'm going to be in the show with Antonio!
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- We soon found a place to stay and prepare the shows. It was a strange but magical place: a room in a terrace roof, close to the National University.
There I met first Freddy, Margarita and Jason. And then, many other friends, like a guy called Guko that paints murals. He proposed that I could be a model
for one of his works... but I feel too cold to pose naked.
- Days passed by, rehearsing, eating papusas and drinking juices. And finally, the day of the premiere arrived.
We had prepared everything very well, but I was still nervous. It was a Tuesday. We left around 7pm to the "La Luna Casa y Arte", a cultural space which
is also restaurant and bar. My tummy was tickling but my mates told me that was normal, and that it wasn't a bad feeling, since it would help me concentrate.
My role was... myself, I mean, Aki. I had to dialogue with Antonio, he is flamenco cantaor and balaor, and he cries for her ex-lover, Dolores.
We did it really well, and little by little, the tension was transformed into pleasure. I let go my body and the words came out of my mouth. At the end,
when the show was over, I was given a big applause, while I bowed respectfully to the public.
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The poster of our show
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With San Simón, worshiped in Central America and patron saint of the bohemians
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- We had some beers, chatting about our show with San Simón, a really nice fellow with a lot of experience. This drunk guy is sacred for
many people in this part of the universe. They always serve him some glass of alcohol and a greeting, to get help... I think he was having whisky that night.
- Our shows went on in many places of San Salvador. But the show that moved me most was the one we did at the prison of Quetzaltepeque, for Father's day.
The place was built for 250 prisoners, and they are now 820, so you can imagine that the subhuman conditions in which they live. Many of them are part
of the so-called Mara Salvatrucha, one of the gangs that frighten central american countries. They get tattoos as a signal of hierarchy, so the most they have,
the worse they are. I had never seen people with tattoos in the head and I was quite impresed. The most fascinating thing anyway was to see some of these man,
that would terrify most persons, sharing an improvised dressing room with me. Four of them were making up, since they have a group of clowns that always
participate in this kind of events. We became good friends, but I can't go back to visit them.
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The clowns getting ready for the show
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Clown friends at the Quetzaltepeque prison
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Prisoner friends watching our show
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Quetzaltepeque prison in San Salvador
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- In San Salvador, I also met a luminous character, Baru the magician, an elder that charmed the USA public with his tricks during his youth.
Now he juggles in front of the University buildings... and he is too generous, since he gives away money to people, even if he has so little for himself.
And talking about good people, we visited recently the grave of Monseñor Oscar Arnulfo Romero. Romero, who was San Salvador's archbishop and was known
as the archbishop of the poor, was an important fighter against the repression that the country suffered in the 70s. Brave action that cost him his life: he was
murdered by a sniper while celebrating mass on the evening of 24th March 1980.
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With my friend Baru the magician, he taught me some good tricks...
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Monseñor Oscar Arnulfo Romero's grave
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- Our trips and shows continued in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, where we even appeared in a TV program; several places in Nicaragua;
Puerto Viejo in Costa Rica and the wonderful area of Bocas del Toro, in the middle of the Panama's Caribbean.
There, we had a show in the prison with Palacete and Antonio...
well, I have to go now, so I will continue my story some other day...
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With Antonio and my friends at the prison of Bocas del Toro, in Panama
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Bocas del Toro
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