WHY NOT?
It was a sunny day in Prague. Charles bridge was crowded and Czech people
were drinking beers as always. Then, in the middle of the happiness, the phone
rang. It was Vladimir and his driving style.
After a long way to Klamovka, the battle to choose the best bed started. It was
warmer than everyone thought before arriving to Czech Republic, and everybody
tried their best to make the other feel at home. When most of the people were
having dinner, a guy that was shouting ‘I am an astronaut’ came as a
representation of Germany. Actually, he is Spanish and he came by bike,
Penelope. But it was not the only strange thing in the German group, if you can
call it German... Two Indonesians, two Turkish, a Spanish and a German were in
the group. That’s Europe!
After two hours, the Portuguese and the Spanish made necessary the big rule:
BORA-BORA. But you know, latin people don’t care too much about rules. ‘Joder’.
During the first game of the project, when everyone just had met each other for
one hour, love arrived. The latin lips of Cisco fell in love with Mike’s ass, but the
Cypriot was already kissing Marcelo. People wanted to know Stradonice, so some
of them went to explore and met the whole population of the village: two people.
Maybe not too many, but well enough to know how Czech people are. No
expression, no smile, no emotions, no nothing. They can say ‘I love you’ with the
same face than ‘My cat is dead’. Soon, they also knew the special kindness of the
Czechs. “10% for Tips because of the good service and all the chips”. And
remember “If you want to go, you can go, there are so many cheap hostels in
Prague”. (Vladimir accent) But not all of Czech people were like these, the
amazing Andy came to break stereotypes.
An unforgettable experience was starting. It doesn’t matter if there was no water
for two days, because everyone smelled as pigs, so there was no problem with
social relations... Even if none could put their hands up. And please do not forget
about the food: the chicken that everybody was searching but nobody found.
Some parties later, there was already a ranking of party animals: 1. Portuguese,
2. Spanish, 3. Cypriot, plus Arthur and Kuba. Anyway, the hangover was never a
problem to do the activities, even when nobody could speak because Mike was
late for half an hour. Of course, alcohol was one of the ingredients: palinka,
sangria, rakie, zivania, wine... Can you guess which one was the strongest?
PALINKA.
But party is not only alcohol, it was also time to share different music, dancing
and life styles. Mixing cultures, even when the Polish songs were played and only
Polish people were dancing.
As in every international project, languages were something funny. A Spanish
trying to speak Polish, or a Indonesian trying to say something in Portuguese, or
a word with different meanings in different languages. Like ‘servilleta’, that
means napkin in Spanish, and compress in Cypriot.
Do not forget ‘love’. Not only the couples made from the beginning, kissing each
other when nobody saw them. That connections built just two days after
meeting. But love is also something more than couples. It is the smile of Gita, the
respect of Selam, the humour of Elias, the cheerfulness of Arthur, the passion of
Marvin... Love is the paradise created in Stradonice during these days. Even if
someone could not speak English, even if a conversations needed to be slower. It
is tolerance, respect and generosity. Love is the way the concert was done
yesterday.
We learnt how to make bracelets as well with Juanma as an amazing teacher, the
free-soul supreme leather. “From the back to the back, from the front to the
front, from the back to the front, to the back to the front, and do not forget the
middle”. A new life style was created these days, a way of living when it does not
matter where you are, the time, the country you are coming from or your
religion., when you live the moment. Let’s be free souls.
Breaking stereotypes or confirming others during the whole week, knowing each
other deeper and deeper, making friends forever, the project was coming to his
end. After this, everyone takes an incredible experience to home. How many
times in life will you have in your own room a concert of two Polish and a
Spanish guy? How many times will you have dinner together with a girl from
Indonesia, a rapper from Germany, and a half Romanian half Cypriot like the
unforgettable Diana? How many times will you have a deep conversation with
the different views of countries from Asia, South, North and Central Europe?
Imagine there is no heaven
It is easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today.
The sense of community built during the week was represented in the final
performance: a final picture of different cultures, different life styles, tolerance,
respect, curiosity and a big aim of sharing. Everything, finishing with a exciting song as ‘Imagine’. Love is creating. We have created connections, moments,
feelings and values. We did magic. We have created music.
Close your eyes and try to remember every moment here. Just a few minutes to
think on what we created.
MUSIC
Can we go back to Sundays 11st? Why not?