Finland & The Beginning of Mexico!

Last week we ended our European tour. We went to Senajoki and Kouvola, two smaller cities in Finland. It was definitely a different culture than the rest of Europe. I stayed with a fellow band member in Senajoki, and we collaborated on a song during our week together. We also treated our host family to a little jam session. Also everyone in Finland has a sauna in their house, and they are AWESOME. It feels so good after a long day to go sweat it out. During the last 2 days of our tour, I stayed with my mom's castmate in Helsinki. It was so cool to have a full circle moment again :-)

Early Monday morning, we flew to Mexico. After a 20 hour travel day we arrived in Mexico City. What a place! So different from anything I've experienced so far. The people are so welcoming and friendly, its so warm! The crowds are different from anything I've performed for. For the most part, our audiences have been more like a theater audience. In Mexico, I feel like I' in a concert. There is endless cheering, and everyone wants a high five, or a picture or autograph. It's insane. I'm excited to do the show for the first time in a while.
Next week we go to Aguascalientes, a city about 5 hours away. Wifi may be spotty, but I will update when I can. Until then. stay cool yo.

--Spencer

The Even More Massive Update from Sweden!

Ok, so Europe has very spotty wifi. But here goes. The rest of Belgium was wonderful, I spent 3 days in Vise and 4 in Gistel. That was a marathon week which ended in me Djing warmups for the cast. I stayed with a host family in Vise that spoke very little english, but the son played mad bass. In Gistel my younger host brothers loved the show and claimed I was the best friend they ever had :-) That was the first time I saw anyone directly impacted by me through UWP, amazing.
In Denmark I was alone for the first time, which proved very....lonely, for lack of a better word. My host family was a single dad with 4 kids, ages 4, 5, 8, and 10. I loved Denmark, and getting to do Community work at a zoo!
In Oslo I stayed with my mom's castmate. Norway was beautiful, and I heard some fantastic stories from my mom's travel year. We performed in a 5-star theater which blew me away. Took public transportation everyday which was surprisingly easy to figure out.
Next I stayed in Stockholm for the 3rd week alone in a row. Awesome city, reminded me a lot of Colorado. Similar landscape. My host sisters were both dancers and gymnasts, so I introduced them to my sister via skype. So cool to have them connect.
Now I am in Eskulstuna Sweden. This is the last week of my sound internship, so I will be running our set up and take down of the sound, as well as part of rehearsal. We have 4 mini shows this week, followed by a full show. So I'm gonna be really tired by the end of the week. Until then, stay cool yo.
--Spencer

The Massive Belgium Update

Hi! Sorry its been so long, I've been kept busy by host families and UWP stuff, and wifi is limited.

Europe is amazing. I've met so many amazing people, and everyone is so friendly! Hasslet was an amazing start. My host family took me to explore the city, as well as Brussels, which was equally amazing. I experienced some awesome Belgian food (Fries from the source!) as well as Belgian beer. Also experienced my first bar and first club. Who would have thought it would be in Belgium?

Vise was much smaller, and my host family spoke very little english. Although I thought this would be a huge barrier, it was surprisingly easy to communicate. They took me to Maastricht, a city in The Netherlands, located only 15 minutes away. Although everything was closed, it was still amazingly beautiful. Our show was in a gym that got really hot, everyone was sweating like crazy on stage. I didn't notice though, having to much fun rocking out :-) We were only in Vise for 3 days, and I really wish I had more time to get to know my host family.

Yesterday we went to explore Brussels with the cast. Although I saw Brussels last week, it was still cool to explore on my own. This country is so beautiful, I think I'm gonna have to come back.

Currently I am in Gistel (only 4 days), and my host family's house is only a 10 minute walk from the beach. It was so great to see the ocean again. One thing I've noticed is that the sun looks different here. In the morning and at sunset you can clearly see the circle of the sun, whereas its just a big shiny thing in Colorado.
I'm so happy in Europe. It feels so good to experience a different culture, I'm learning so much. Next week we head to Denmark. I'm so excited to experience another European country :-)
So I'll keep updating weekly, wifi pending. Until then, stay cool yo.
--Spencer

Last Week In The USA

This week we were in Tucson AZ. We performed at a gala event for the opening of the UWP archives at the University of Arizona. Lots of important people there. I re-met the founder of UWP, and The Codwell Brothers, who wrote about half the songs in the UWP catalog. The show was fantastic, very good energy all around. My mom and sister flew down for the gala and totally surprised me. It was so great to see them again before I go abroad.
Tonight we fly to Belgium. This US tour has been incredible, I've met some truly amazing people and experienced so much. However, I am excited to truly get out of my comfort zone and experience completely new cultures.  This is the beginning of another chapter in my life, and I am beyond thrilled.
Stay cool yo.
--Spencer

Week 8!

This week we were in Ruidoso NM. I'm staying with a family on the nearby Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation. It has been amazing staying with such a generous family. Both kids gave up their rooms for the week so they could accomodate my 3 roommates and myself. They took us to a buffet at the nearby Inn of The Mountain Gods Resort, and we hot-tubbed for an hour or two :-)
For my community service this week, I went to the Ruidoso Parks & Recreation Association and helped clean up a park. I painted picnic tables most of the time, but also helped with raking pine needles. I ran the USA booth at a culture fair in the Apache school. The kids were fascinated and seemed to have a fantastic time. I also went to the Humane Society Thrift Store and helped sweep, dust, and generally clean the store.
Friday we went back to the Apache school for a presentation on Apache Culture and History, as well as some delicious "Indian Tacos" which are very similar to traditional tacos, but instead of tortillas there is Fry Bread, which I highly recommend. Later that day we went to the White Sands National Monument: 256 square miles of sand dunes, and the softest, whitest sand I had ever seen. And it was sooooo windy! Sand kicking up everywhere till it hurt. Still a fantastic experience!
Our show is tomorrow, and Monday and Tuesday are Internal Days, where we will do Education Workshops and Culture presentations from fellow cast members. Wednesday we head off to Tucson AZ, where we will do 2 Private shows, one of them being a Gala to celebrate the opening of the UWP archives.
Until then, stay cool yo.
--Spencer

Week 7 (not sure...)

This week we are in Silver City, NM. This is a very small town (approx. 10,000 people), so I'm pretty sure UWP is the biggest thing to come through here in a while. In place of my community service, I helped to run the culture fair at Western New Mexico University, and I helped set up the stage for our show. On Thursday I did a walking self-guided tour of Silver City's downtown. Although not much is going on, this city has a lot of history dating back to the USA's westward expansion. Billy the Kid washed dishes in a hotel on Main St!
Both shows were a smaller crowd, but VERY high energy. Rocking out during the show was very therapeutic for me, I guess I was able to "sweat out" my negative emotions. I need to exercise more....
Tomorrow my host family is taking me on a hike through the beautiful desert land. I'm really excited, its so gorgeous down here.
Next week we go to the tiny town of Ruidoso for 10 days, the Tucson Arizona.
Until then, stay cool yo.
--Spencer

Week 6 (I Think)

This week we were in Farmington, New Mexico. After a very long (10 hour) drive we arrived at San Juan College, which we would use as our home base. My host family was awesome, they have a hottub and fantastic food, plus a nice big bed! On Tuesday the entire cast went to the Kirtland Youth Association, which was similar to the Boys and Girls Club. We built a pond for storm runoff using geo-textile fabric and a bunch of rocks. It felt great to get out and sweat for the betterment of others :-)
Wednesday a part of the cast (including myself) went to the Farmington Salvation Army and painted a room that is used as a homeless shelter. We finished remarkably fast and had a fantastic handmade lunch!
Thursday was our first Culture Fair. This is when each country that is represented in the cast gets to have a booth dedicated to their way of life. I ran the "Jet Lag" simulator. For this, anyone who wanted to go to the Europe/Asia side of the room had to spin around 10 times then run 10 feet. It was a blast, and watching people fall over was hilarious. I also made a playlist of American Music and a slideshow of pictures from around the USA for the USA booth. We will have a Culture Fair almost every week, so my playlist will be heard everywhere.
Friday was a show rehearsal and then a sold-out show to 1,100 people. It felt amazing to perform for everyone again.
Saturday was Regional Learning Day. Since Farmington is near the Navajo reservation, we spent the day learning about the Navajo Culture. We did workshops on Navajo history, food and arts/crafts, and later we went to a trading post that sold Native American rugs and artwork. After that we went to Shiprock, a sacred place to the Navajo. We got to climb on the rift that comes out of the rock, and the view was mindblowing. I could see for miles, and when I climbed over the rift and the sun hit me, I felt a million emotions within me, and I felt as if I was about to enter heaven.
Earlier this week, I was very angry about parts of the day/tour. After talking to one of my friends, I listened to the song "Color Storm" by Bassnectar. As I listened to the song, I felt my body sink into the ground and my head begin to rise towards the ceiling. I am convinced I had an out of body experience, and it was an absolutely amazing feeling. I felt so many emotions within me: joy, anger, depression, euphoria. I will never forget what I experienced.
I have found that I am re-considering my thoughts on spirituality. I've noticed that since the tour begun I have been searching for a necklace that I can wear as a symbol of protection. I've begun to think that there is some energy out there that I can believe in that will keep me safe. I'm definitely out of my comfort zone, but it feels great.
Today we went trap shooting with a few shotguns, followed by a massive lunch. Such a great day with a great host family. Tomorrow we head to Silver City, NM for another great week.
Until then, stay cool yo.
--Specer

Week 4/5 Update!

Hey Everyone! I have been so busy these last 2 weeks I havent gotten around to posting. But anywho...
Staging is finished and I am now on the road. Our first show was fantastic, sold out both nights! It was so great to see everyone enjoying the show. My grandma flew out to see me, and we celebrated my birthday with her, my mom, sister and host family. The next day we bussed up to Fort Collins, but not before a stop at the Celestial Seasonings Tea Factory for a tour. It was really fun to do this tour again, and even more fun to watch everyone else in the Mint Room :-)
Currently I am up in Ft. Collins staying with an older couple who are both teachers who taught overseas for almost 30 years! This week started with community service at H.E.L.P International, a group that sends donated clothes toys and technology to places recovering from disasters. I spent the day packing boxes and sorting power cables. At the end of the day we had a wheelchair race around the warehouse, which thankfully didn't end in a crash. Wednesday was my birthday, which was celebrated with a dinner with my dad and cake with my host family. The cast gave me lots of hugs, probably more in one day than I have ever gotten. Today we are running through our show before performing to an almost sold out house. I'm so excited to finally be out on the road and getting to see the world. Next week we are in Farmington, New Mexico. More updates next week! Until then, stay cool yo.
--Spencer

Week 3 Update!

Hi Everyone!
Week three was marked by my confirmation as 1 of 2 bass players in the UWP Band! I will be playing act 2 of the show. Im the meantime, I will spend the next few weeks learning vocals and dances for act 1, as well as Act 1 of bass in case the other bass player gets sick.
Over the weekend I went to JumpStreet with my host family. This place had wall-to-wall trampolines (fantastic workout!). Also trampoline dodgeball, which I highly recommend.
Our show director arrived this week, and the rest of the cast has been working on blocking with her. The band joins the cast on Tuesday to begin full run throughs. We did a workshop on culture shock and how to deal with adapting to/living with other cultures. I think I'm more prepared now but I know culture shock will still come and go. The rest of the week was spent with the band practicing the music, as well as at my host house.
I'm definitely not as nervous as last week, mostly due to the fact that I now know what I have to work on. I still have a lot on my plate, but I know I can do it. I'm so excited to get out on the road :-)

I'll probably do a mid-week update one dress rehearsals are underway. Until then, stay cool yo.
--Spencer

Week 2 Update!

Hey Everyone! Here's the update for week 2

Last weekend was mostly spent catching up on sleep, and a trip to the National Western Stock Show with my host family, and a trip to The Grizzly Rose for some line dancing.

For most of this week I've been in the band room learning the songs on bass. I still don't know if I'm in, but I think they are going to split the show between me and another guy auditioning for bass. I'm alright with this, but it means that besides learning the whole show (in case the other guy gets sick), but I also have to learn one act of singing/dancing. It's gonna be a lot of work, but I know I can do it.
Some major workshops this week included talking about stereotypes and how to break them, and a card game that turned out to be a metaphor for dealing with cultural differences and language barriers. In this workshop, we were each at different tables with slightly different instructions for a card game. Once the game started, we couldn't talk. As the winner/losers moved from table to table, they had to adjust to the different rules. The metaphor is that every culture will be different, and you have to learn to adapt quickly.

Wednesday night was the cast "Culture Jam". This was a short show for the host families that showcased different traditional songs/dances from the different cultures within our group. I performed a electronic hip-hop remix of the UWP classic "It Takes A Whole Village". This was a big hit with the cast, and the staff wants more remixes :-) You can listen to the song, as well as my other jams here: www.soundcloud.com/crunkworkorange

As I move into the third week of staging, I'm nervous. The infamous Lynn Morris is coming; she directs the UWP show, and is apparently very upfront and blunt about her opinions. I'm frustrated that I'm not learning the bass lines fast enough, even though I know its just a matter of time and practice. I know everything will turn out fine, but its just a little stressful. Gah.
Anyhow, I'm still having so much fun. I've met some great people and I know this tour will be incredible.
See you next week! Stay cool yo.

--Spencer

Week 1 Update!

Wow. This has been the longest week of my life. But at the same time, it has been a blast. There are so many great people here, and I'm learning so much! So here's a day-by-day update:

Monday was generally a "get to know each other" day, and we went over the program handbook. Later we talked about staying in our "Challenge" Zone, as opposed to comfort or panic, and then began work on the show.

Tuesday was "Module Day". We went from station to station showing our abilities at speaking, dancing, singing, as well as learning about the tech side of the show, and showing the show staff our costumes.

Wednesday began with a workshop about defining culture. The staff used an iceberg as a culture metaphor; Most of the culture is under the surface and not instantly recognizable. After that, I went to the band auditions. I was surprised to learn that out of the 120 minutes of the show, the band plays for about 110. So if i get in (I play bass), I'll have a lot of practicing to do. The band auditions are a multi-day process, and consist of the band staff giving us some music and seeing how fast we learn it, as well as how good we are at performing, aka rocking out.

Thursday was our first Community Impact Day. My group went to the St. Francis Center, which is a day shelter for the homeless. We did a lot of work in the back, including folding laundry, organizing donated clothes, cutting big bars of soap into smaller, hotel sized pieces, and scraping ice out of the back alley. Even though we didn't interact with the people who were at the shelter. It still felt really good to give back. After spending most of the day at the shelter, we did a scavenger hunt through Denver, primarily the 16th street mall area. Since I knew this area well, my team finished first :-)

Friday began with a workshop on the experimental learning cycle. This was really just a fancy way of explaining how humans learn and apply what they learn to their lives. I spent the rest of the day with the other potential band people playing more songs. I find out on Tuesday if I'm in, and I have a really good feeling about it....

Also, an update on my host family: they're awesome. They have 4 kids (one in college, who is back for the week) so the house is always full. They're incredibly nice, and make fantastic meals; we had Ethiopian food last night! My roommate is from Belgium, and he's kind of crazy, but in a fun way. Sharing a room with him is pretty interesting...

So even though I come home every night dead tired, I'm still having a fantastic time. This weekend we're watching the Broncos game with another host family (Go Pats!) and possibly going to the Denver Stock Show/Rodeo. I can't wait for next week and the rest of the tour.
 I'll do another update on Friday/Saturday depending on how tired I am Friday night. Till then, stay cool yo.
--Spencer

First Impressions

Today we had our opening session. We got a preview of the show, including a few musical numbers, as well as a speech from the CEO. Turns out we have an Iraqi student, first ever in UWP!
On another note, I find it interesting how a song can bring back certain emotions from a point in my life. For example, there was a song in the show preview that was part of another show I did last year. This earlier show was incredibly stressful, and the moment I heard that song, I had a flashback to the show and all the stress and depression came rushing back. Likewise, songs that I associated with certain relationships bring back other emotions, some joyful, some sad. It makes me wonder if these songs will bring back similar emotions in five, ten years.
That's not really related to today, but still, something I find interesting.
Tomorrow we start staging, I'm so excited! Hopefully I will play bass in the band, if not then I'll see what I get. I'll start doing weekly updates on Friday/Saturday. Till then, stay cool yo.
--Spencer

Last Day Here

In less than 24 hours, I will meet 100 other young people from around the world, and we will begin our 6-month adventure together. I'm so excited to get out and see the world, make new friends, and expand my thinking and maturity. Thank you to everyone who has been so kind to me for the last 18 years, I'm going to miss you all. I'll continue to update this blog and release new music during the tour. Hopefully I'll see some of you when I get back in July. Until then, stay cool yo.
--Spencer