A week in Bulawayo to develop artistic self expression tools there

Now, in our Volens programme, several tools have been developed to work with children and have them open up, or talk about certain issues. For that, we've used arts like puppetry, poetry, capoeira, theatre or hip hop. Now, most of this has benefitted the partners from Harare, but not the partners in Bulawayo. 

So, last week I went down to Bulawayo together with two of the artists we have been working with to develop some of the artistic self expression tools, Rahim and Chiyedza. It was, as always when I go to Bulawayo, intense and busy, but also very rewarding. On the Monday, we had a meeting with counsellors and artists that were interested in our approach of using arts as a tool to counsel, and the following three days, both artists rolled out their tools at one partner. At HOCIC, Chiyedza did Theatre vs. Oppression, and at Thuthuka 

Rahim did puppetry and hip hop with some of their street kids. It's hard though to sh

ow a tool in three days, the time children are getting used to it and starting to open up, it's already finished.  The Friday, we had another meeting with the 

same people, and wanted to see if, after what they witnessed during the past three years.  

Besides that, we also networked the entire week, meeting up with artists or interesting institutions, such as a theatre group that is already using theatre forum to work with youngsters. Also, and which I personnally felt was a great success, we met with some organisations for and of people with disabilities. Now, disabilities is a cross cutting issue for Volens and the Belgian government, so we are supposed to work on that theme, but so far we haven't had many ideas on how to go about it. 

Now, we started thinking that since we involve so many artists, why not get one that has a disability and have him/her teach the artist skill, thus exposing the children to a person with a disability but that has still managed to do something successful and inspiring with their lives. Might be a good starting point. 

So, it came as quite a shock for some I think when three people in a wheelchair also came to participate to the Friday workshop, which might indicate it is a necessary step... 

Anyway, we identified some artists, including one guy in a wheelchair who wants to do comics with the kids, three guys that do hiphop, one acrobat, slam poetry, and now we just have to be able to get it off the ground.

the BnT Hostel

The Harare festival draws quite a crowd, and this was also reflected in the amount of CouchSurfing requests we received. Where during the entire past year, we only hosted about 5 people, of which a couple were journalists, now, we got flooded with requests to the point we didn't really knew who was who anymore. Eventually, we hosted about 15 people in our little flat, with about 8 nationalities, from Lusaka, Germans driving to South Africa in a minibus, two Danish fact finding guys... 

Our place got very crowded but honestly, it was a fun feeling. A bit like a hostel, where you catch one playing the guitar, another two are swimming in the pool, some chatting or chilling. A relaxed atmosphere and we had copies of the keys made so everybody sort of went their own way. Bit of traffic jams for the bath room, but hey, that's why we had the pool filled up.   

An afternoon at Domboshava with the CS'ers

We decided to take Liam, Leslie and Gavin to Domboshava, after having run some errands, preparing for the influx of people for HIFA. We stocked in on water, bought an extra mattress (300USD, thank you please) and got loads of beers. After all this shopping, time for some sundowners at Domboshava, so we headed out there just in time for the sunset.

Liam is into photography (like really), and he really took some awesome pictures, with the sun setting that I wanted to share in the most narcistic manner.

Liam and Leslie make such a sweet couple. I really took to them, and the way they interacted.  Leslie comes from this tiny place in Oregon, where her travels are sometimes the topic of the local newspaper, while Liam is from sunny Brisbane in Australia. She used to work as a nanny, while he's a mecanical engineer that loves to explain why roads can get bumpy. She was brought up a catholic and still clings to some aspects of faith, while he's all into evolution and scientific proof (the god illusion). But they fitted, at least now in modus traveli. 

I liked them both very much. It is the fun and sad part about CouchSurfing, random people come and go.

They eventually left on Thursday morning, after a final treat of some belgian chocolat at Doon Estate. I must say, despite the sweet taste of chocolat, it was still sad to leave them by the side of the road hitch hiking to their next destination. 

I know, I've been in their shoes so many times, leaving, saying goodbye. No real reason, you're simply on the road, and you move on.  I've had to explain so many times without being able to. "But why do you need to go, you don't have anything in particular waiting for you, stay a bit longer..." Such a sweet question but impossible to answer.  

It did get a little tail, when at HIFA we met this Brazilian girl, Vivian, who had picked them and given them the ride. She just arrived to Harare and was interested in starting capoeira, so they had given her our phone number. It was funny to hear how the roadtrip had been... 

HIFA is here... and so is everyone

This week, the Harare International Festival of Arts (or HIfA in short) is taking place. This is THE main cultural event for all of Harare (and a lot of Zimbabwe), with lots of local and international artists perfroming during 7 days in all corners of the city (and then buggering off, leaving Harare as dead - or maybe I should say comateus - as it was before). 

Everybody's been talking about it for ages. When the programme finally came out, people had lunchons, going over the schedule, deciding what they wanted to see, which show to buy tickets for and all. Many of them have been brought in by embassies, so our diplomatic friends also have their two cents to put in. We've been a bit more laid back about it then most people, haven't even bought any tickets yet and just hoping at our good fortune to be able to get last minute tickets without having to queue for eternities. 

With this festival taking place, our CouchSurfing network has picked up once more. For those who don't know it, Couchsurfing  is a website to hook up travellers and locals, where you host them or meet up for coffee and share what you know of your city. Great system since it allows people to get a bit off the beaten track and interact more with the people living somewhere (as well as being cheaper). Both Thomas and me have benefitted of it numerous times and had great trips through it, so time to give some travel-karma back. So, since last Thursday, we have two Ozzie guys, Gavin and Liam and one American girl, Leslie ("loving America anyway") staying with us. Two Germans are scheduled to arrive this evening (with their tent), adn Thursday, some French chick from the Alliance francaise in Lusaka would be coming with 4 more friends. Others coming is still possible, so our house might get a bit hectic over the next week, but the more, the merrier, right? 

Loic, my godchild has just arrived!

Yesterday evening, we'd already turned in, at 23.30, the phone starting ringing. I must admit, it is sort of a shock. It is one of the first times I get a phone call so late, so it was funny to see what my reaction was. You just can't help wondering if it is bad news, to be calling that late. "Oh, I hope my parents are okay." "Hope it isn't any bad news for Bart". I could actually imagine a bit of those thoughts that would run through a parent's head. 

But it turned out to be the best news ever: my brother, Bart was on the phone from Belgium. The minute I heard his voice, I could guess what he was calling about. His wife Dominique had given birth, and all was well. Little boy, 2.9kg, named Loïc.

Le prénom Loïc est un dérivé de Louis. Les racines germaniques "Hlod-" et "-wig" signifient "gloire" et combat". Au fil des siècles et des monarchies, le prénom est passé de Hlodowig à Louis. 

Gosh, I am so glad! It is a bit of a weird feeling, being so far away and all, but my mind keeps going back to it. I have been looking up headlines for today's papers, the top 10 songs for this week, the name, all such. Thought it would be cool for Loïc to read later on, once he bigger, what were the headlines at the time, listen to music that was in fashion the date he was born... Shame our internet connection isn't that great, if not, I could do so much more. 

But I will definitely come back to Belgium for the party (12th of July). Have been pestering Volens to go ahead and make the booking, but it's been taking some time...