Well my whistle stop trip to Florianopolis
and the Eurochambres
Academy was enjoyable and
worthwhile. The hotel was on the beach
in what is a very popular seaside resort in season. May is out of season. Empty
beaches and the chance for some very gentle, relaxing strolls, managed an
average of 5 kilometres per walk and did a walk on each of the 3 days I was
there. The course was well received and
the delegates very enthusiastic, even if by the time they got to my session
they had had some 4 days of lectures! I had the opportunity to do some thinking
and generally think about things (see my more introspective blog).
Here is a selection of pictures from my walks .....
The Academy was just at the right time for me as I was “out
of visa” after 180 days it is necessary
to leave Guatemala for 3 days before you can re-enter – as I am only on a
tourist visa at the current time.
Once back in Antigua, it
was time to think about new projects for Santiago Zamora and more importantly
for my Artes Moviles project. My next
posting will be about this project.
The weather continues to be crazy here and combined with the
fact that travel even a short distance can result in very different weather I
have had a cold since Wednesday. For instance on Thursday in Antigua 7 am ~ chilly and damp, 10 am ~ hot sunshine, 1pm
Santiago Zamora ~ warm but cloudy, 5pm Santiago Zamora ~ cold and misty, 6pm
Antigua ~ cloudy and exceptionally humid, 10pm very humid …… Antigua has
its own micro-climate as it is in a
valley and Santiago Zamora is surrounded by the hills forming part of the
slopes of Volcano Acatenango. Net result
a cold!
Some weeks ago Jossefet and I purchased a raft of materials
for making garden mobiles- these terracotta figures need painting and
assembling into mobiles – we were trying the idea out as a possible arts/crafts
project. We had purchased these wonderful terracotta chickens and J spent a
quite, some time painting them as he wanted each one to be slightly different.
I have spent a couple of hours this morning painting stringing them and
decorating the mobile structure. So we
now have the “Flying Gallinas”
pronounced ga-yee-nas ~ which to my mind sounds like a trapeze act in a
circus! But they look good.
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| PLastic beads but "Arty" |
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| Project for the Girls |
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| Set made by Jossefet ~ first attempt! |
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| Something more stylish from Jossefet! |
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| Work in progress- classical from Michael |
We have also been experimenting with making jewellery, originally
as a project, but our creativity has
taken over and we are both producing some “pieces” Jossefet is using polished
stones and I am sticking to using plastic and wooden beads, but we are both
trying to produce costume jewellery that looks good and has its own style. The plan is then to simplify the ideas to
introduce this craft to the children.
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| Using only wooden beads - as a start for the children. |
Today I have made a series of necklaces and bracelets using
only wooden or plastic beads, and arriving at a range of designs for both the
boys and the girls.
I am hoping that this might kick start some
“creativity” in the children, their
schooling is totally devoid of original thinking, and in art as soon as you say
“drawn anything you want” they all rush
to get books in order to copy pictures!
I have been doing a few sessions with them on abstract art
and it has been an uphill struggle to get them to even start to comprehend that
there need not be any rules and that things do not have to be symmetrical, but
slowly we will get there!
Haven’t got a clue what they will make of things when we do
a session on portraits in the style of Picasso!
It looks like Jossefet is definitely off to Brussels for three months in the next week or
two. So I am glad that I have my “Artes
Moviles” project to get stuck into.
The garden is currently getting regular visits from
humming-birds and today a pair of Yellow Torgons …….. but the birds were actually much
more of an amazing Orange colour, so wonderful
to watch as they searched for insects in the Mandarin tree! (Oh, yes it is rather nice to pick a
Mandarin from one’s own tree!)
The introspective blog is posted along with this one
……. (it is NOT required reading) but I
promised that my blog would reflect the various aspects of my thinking and it
was important at the time- though I delayed posting it!
Ok folks that's it for today!
Hasta Luego Amigos!
Mike, writing this on a sunny Sunday morning. Our first thoughts is that this is typical Mike: trying to rebalance somethng that isnt out of kilter and creating a worry in the process. Your personal balance sheets seems very healthy from where we sit and you should try and recognise this.
ReplyDeleteOK, so things havent quite been what you planned when you left here; so what? Plenty of other things have happened and you are now where you are with a great year (almost) under your belt. We think perhaps your bigger hopes are out of kilter with your day to day existence but actually being 'native' in such a place is actually a fantastic accomplishment and one you should rejoice in.
Our lives have changed massively with and end to my full time work and the arrival of lttle Carter. I, too, worry about finances and meeting my perceived family obligations, but I am daily reminded that I have acquired some great things too: time to visit and catch up with friends, time with Jean, time to read, a freedom over the conntent of many of my days, and the chance to shape new things. We feel you should stop worrying without cause. And we also think the suggestion you slow down is a good one; the chance to help the locals and build arts projects and lifechanging experiences wont go away. Maybe you should change down a gear whilst you are on your own,and when you are back in the UK. OK, maybe think through your 2012/13 options but dont rush at them.
And look for the good in your relationships: always a difficult thing for you to do, we know. There are no rules abut achhieving ingerpersonal harmony so take what you can, and balance it with giving of your best.
We should talk face to face. Busy week for me coming up with driving on Monday and Friday, a NICE day in London on Tuesday. a business mentoring course with the Princes Trust on Thursday and signing a new will on Wednesday! Can we try and Skype in the evening(s) this week.
Dont be down about things, but also dont keep asking yourself too many big questions. Enjoy the rest of your stay. M&J xx