Man, it has been a long time since I signed for this trip and the anticipation has been growing since day one. It feels like yesterday I filled out the google form saying I wanted to go on this trip. I remember being overwhelmed and anxious for a trip of this magnitude, but then I realized the opportunities for cultural and musical growth. The day we got the music was when the realness and proximity of the trip really hit me. I was suddenly flooded with songs I either haven't played in months or not at all. Even though it was a stressful few weeks the challenge of having to relearn or teach myself the music reinvigorated my desire to go on this trip. This last Monday when the band came together the first time it was clear that there was work to do. I don't know if it was the North, South divide or everyone was as anxious as me, but that first rehearsal I struggled to find my place within the ensemble. However after a lot of hard work and focused rehearsal time, we are no longer a band made up of North and South kids, we are now the District 99 Honors band! And I am ready to show our friends in Germany all the hard work we've put into preparing for this trip, as well as absorb as much out of our time with them as possible.
-Noah Tunney
