I would like to share with you the story that practically started a huge change in my life.I was born in Angola and moved to Portugal when I was 3. Growing up in an Angolan household is something that I cherish. The kind of music that I listened to would be african music. Mostly the good 'ol "kizomba" or "kuduru." It was fun. Along with that I would listen to african influenced music like hip hop and R&B. I hated rock. It wasn't really my style of music.
After 5 years of attending an American school in Cascais, I moved to a new American school. The people there had a very different taste of music. A lot of them listened to a lot of 'heavy ' stuff, not too heavy, more like the mild heavy metal. But they also listened to a lot of alternative rock. Something that I hadn't been introduced to, since I listened (out of peer pressure) to things like Linkin Park or Evanescence. The only thing closer to that was Hillsong, which I love ever since I was 9. So I started paying attention to the bands that my friends mentioned.
Because this school didnt have their own transportation, my sister and I took rides with my friend's dad everyday. My friend's dad would always listen to 80's rock, something I didnt like at the time but learned to over the course of the years. Due to the fact that I didnt like it at the time, I would always take my Discman (I know, it sounds so old and it was only 2 years ago!) to the car and listened to my own cd's.
One day, I was listening to a song by Mary Mary. When the song ended, obviously, there was a break between the ending and the beginning of the next song. During that break I heard a man's voice powerfully singing:
I dare you to move!
I dare you to move!
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor!
I dare you to move!
I dare you to move!
Like today...never happened!
Today...never happened, before.
I immediately turned my Discman off and listened carefully to the rest of the song. I was captivated by this man and I remember thinking, "I need to know who they are!" Back then I was an extremely shy girl, so I didn't bother to ask who the band was.
The following week the record played everyday for a week. In the 30 minute period of going to school I listened to the first 8 songs of the record and rarely to the last 3.
I was so determined to find out who the band was but I was way too shy! So one day when my ride arrived at school to pick us up, I made sure that I was the first one in the car before anyone else! When I got there, I sat on the front seat and opened the glove compartment (risky! I know!). I looked for a cd that would sound like the songs I heard. Then I saw a cd that read: The Beautiful Letdwon. I knew it was that one because I had heard the song various times. I looked at the name of the band : Switchfoot. I quickly wrote it down and stuck it in my bagpack. Then we headed home.
I went online and googled them. I was really excited and passionate about this new band and I wanted to know a lot about them. That week seemed to be God-driven or something because I encoutered Switchfoot in the most random places! When we were at our youth meeting at my old youth pastor's home, he played the Switchfoot: Live In San Diego. I was amazed at how good they were live!!! (and they are even better today!). Again, I didn't want to ask him if I could borrow it because I had asked him if I could borrow some other dvds and I felt bad.
But that same week my friend lent me their third album Learning To Breathe. I asked my youth pastor if he could burn it for me and that Sunday, not only did he burn Learning to Breathe but he burned The Beautiful Letdown for me! (since there wasnt enough room in the cd, he didnt put the last three songs of the album: "On Fire", "Adding To The Noise", and "Twenty-Four". Those were the songs that I hadnt listened to enough yet, I had listened to them maybe twice. Instead he put "Monday Comes Around" an extra song.)
The following week, I left for the choir trip. I had a hard time at the choir trip because I was feeling kind of lonely and my crush was starting to hook up with this girl which later became his girlfriend. It was a hard time but everytime I was sad I would always pray to God and after that listen to some Switchfoot. Switchfoot really helped me through those tough moments. The reason why I connected with their music so much was because I at the same time connected with God. And it was a different feeling because it wasnt just random worship music, it wasn't explicit about Jesus, but yet I could see the spirituality in it and felt closer to God.
After the trip, it was going to be my birthday. My youth pastor burned the Switchfoot Live In San Diego for me. It was my favorite birthday present!!! :D I had my birthday party on the 25 of April (my birthday is on the 16th). I was turning 13 and really excited about it!
I had fun with my friends and after the party I listened to Switchfoot, of course.
The next night (April 26th, BIG DAY!) while I was googling switchfoot (I was practically obsessed with them), I decided that maybe I should become a fan. So I got a see-through plastic box, printed switchfoot pictures and taped them onto the box. Then I printed out some words that said, "I hereby declare myself a Switchfoot fan..." something like that, that I can't remember. It was a pretty cool moment for me because Switchfoot's music had affected me so much and through them I have met amazing people and gone through experiences that have changed my life.
For example, about two or three days after my "moment", I decided to google each Switchfoot member one by one. I had already googled Jon Foreman so I decided to google Tim Foreman. One of the things that came up was this discussion about Tim's green jacket. I clicked on it, and up came the messageboards! I didn't even know what a messageboard was but I checked it out. The next day I kept on reading some of the posts there and decided to join. I joined on April 29, 2005. At first I just randomly posted but I saw that I didnt get much attention from that. So I made a thread introducing myself. I still remember the first few posts and the people who first welcomed me to the messageboards.
I only started to be an active member of the boards on around October. All of that because I wasn't able to get internet for the summer. I've been "hooked" ever since. The benefits of being part of the messageboards are that:
You get to meet amazing people with great stories and different backgrounds.
You get to know about inside information on Switchfoot
You meet new cultures and new customs
and lots more!!!!!!!
One of my favorite things is to discuss some things on the What Do You Believe Forum, that's where I learned to be more opened minded about other people's belief and I really got a chance to meet people from their religions and to hear them out. A lot of Christians don't really listen to what these people have to say . They immediately treat them as outcasts and instantly throw a bunch of verses into their faces. I say its important to hear them out, to understand their views, to interact with them on a level that Jesus would. If everyone did that, maybe people wouldnt have such a bad image about Christians.
Anyways, through Switchfoot I came closer to God, met great people, grew intelectually and opened my eyes to great things.
I have yet to go to my first Switchfoot concert and I dream about that and wait for it with anticipation. Until then I keep supporting them.
On April 26 of this year I will be 2 years old as a Switchfoot fan and on the 29th of April I will be 2 years old as a Boardie. I'm really excited to be part of this Switchfoot family.
They will always be a part of my life.
THANK YOU SWITCHFOOT!!
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