When people travel, they always want to see a city's highlights; Empire State Building, Golden Gate Bridge, Eiffel Tower, Westminster Abbey, and so on. Don't get me wrong, I like seeing them too. These places are famous for a reason. And while we'll probably always remember those postcard moments, there will be little moments along the way with a much more meaningful impact.
Today, I spent the day in Dijon, France. I'm here with 60 other people in a touring choir from home, having the time of our lives. After our performance in a gorgeous cathedral that rings for eight seconds after the final note of every song, a few of the older kids were pulled aside and told we were going to a last-minute reception with the host church choir.
Confused about the new plan, we walked down a cobblestone street, into a courtyard, in a building, and down some steps. The host choir, all but one of whom were adults, met us down in the brightly lit church basement and cornered us with endless hors d'oeuvres, bright smiles, and thick accents. After twenty minutes of mingling (which is especially fun for an introvert with a language barrier), they explained to us their tradition: after food, drinks, and conversation, they like to sing songs back and forth with the other choir.
They started with a song in French as the six of us, a small and incomplete portion of the choir, panicked while trying to pick a song. Eventually, we went with an extra song we didn't have the chance to perform from our concert repertoire, but one that we were a little more comfortable with. After that, the French choir turned back to us and told us they were going to sing an American song. Okay... we thought, not sure how to prepare ourselves. Much to our surprise, they hoped at the top of their lungs "Barbara Ann" by the Beach Boys, pronouncing it "Baba Ran" the entire time. We joined in quickly, laughing at how ridiculous and unpredictable the situation we had found ourselves in really was. After a few more songs, we said our goodbyes and left, walking to a restaurant to reunite with the rest of our group for dinner.
While this was a silly, strange, unusual moment, I will never forget it. Never in my life did I imagine singing Beach Boys with a tipsy French choir in Dijon, but this will stick with me stronger than the typical experiences. Travel gives you magical opportunities to see new cultures, but the best memories are made when you jump in and participate.
