One plaque among many (Krakow's darker history)

The place we did not visit, yet one that is reported by many to be a life changing experience, was Auschwitz. Our apartment in Kazimierz (the district that had been central to Jewish life pre WWII) faced a central square. On the same side of the street as our apartment was the oldest synagogue and cemetery - taken over by the Nazi's and made into an office, although not destroyed. Thankfully, it houses a small but active congregation once more and has been reinstated to its former place in the community. The plaque above, commemorating an entire family, if not bloodline, of people murdered was the only one in English - but as my title suggests, was one among many.

Faith in Practice near Krakow - The Black Madonna

Dear Friends,
This post goes with the one above it - because a visit to Krakow gives the traveler choices - do you want to investigate faith and hope or man's inhumanity to man and despair. Both are just a day trip away! Perhaps that is true for most of us.

Margie and I opted for faith and hope, although when we decided to go to Czestochowa (a small town 2 hours from Krakow by train) we did not realize what a treat we were in for. Shown here is the processional walkway to the cathedral where the Black Madonna is housed. Said to have stopped a war at one point, the collaged painting has been the destination for millions of pilgrims for centuries.

Inside the cathedral a visitor will experience faith in action. We were there on a very mundane Thursday afternoon with nothing in particular to cause religious activity, yet five confessionals, spread throughout the larger cathedral were filled with priests hearing confession. In the Sacristy to the side, where the Black Madonna is displayed, thousands of visitors throughout the day rotate for prayer. Some crawl on their knees in a path that starts on the left of the small altar, takes them around behind the painting and then out on the right. Crutches, Medals and other signs of devotion and healing cover the walls.

Having been in Poland, an otherwise poor country, yet rich in faith, throws light on the importance of John Paul II being from this part of the world. In greater relief still was the spotlight on pictures of the millions who were in attendance during his visit to Czestochowa while Russian tanks were parked just outside the border. I had not remembered, if I had ever been aware of, the cannonization of the queen (also reported as king) "Jadwiga of Anjou (1373/4 – July 17, 1399) was Queen of Poland from 1384 to her death. Wikipedia says, "she is venerated by the Roman Catholic Church as Saint Hedwig (Jadwiga) the Queen. Jadwiga is the Patron Saint of queens, and of United Europe."

Our visit to Czestochowa left us feeling satisfied - lovely to see active faith in a secular world!

All the best,
Alana

The frugal traveler: Krakow, Poland

Hi everyone,

Everyone should take a second Christmas in Poland! Since they leave their Christmas decorations up longer than other parts of Europe and fares are inexpensive in January, why not consider Krakow? Once the Polish centre of government, Krakow has much diversity for the frugal tourist. We toured the royal palaces, investigated the Jewish area of towne, took a day trip to a centre of prayer and adoration. Others we spoke to were provoked by a visit to Auschwitz and in seeing the relatively unchanged communist designed communities. Due to the low cost of tickets on Ryan air, Margies' finding us the Rainbow house small apartment, and our preplanning, the entire trip for both of us was less that €1,000.

No where are you likely to find more friendly people. Several times during our trip Polish people started up a conversation with me - in Polish! It felt wonderful and welcoming, inclusive and genuine - even if I was only guessing at what they were saying.

Poland, along with most of Eastern Europe has been struggling to achieve financial independence and move from being a new member of the European Union to be solvent enough to use the Euro. What this translates to is that while much of Krakow is grey and somewhat run down, much of its previous grandeur is aparent. The tour book we were using called the Kazimierz district (the old Jewish district prior to the Nazi devastation of WWII) "delapedated chic". Indeed, I felt that this could be said about much of the central area of town. As an example, going into our apartment we had a hallway with peeling paint and wooden stairs that were curved in the middle from wear. Once we reached the apartment we had a cheery and recently redone interior that was more than adequate for our needs.

Margie and I kept our costs down (due to the ever shrinking dollar) by bringing along Irish Museli, instant coffee, tea and Chinese noodles . With the addition of milk, a few veggies and some fresh mozarella cheese we had both breakfast and dinner handled. This allowed us to splurg a bit, such as on the restaurant above. Called "Once upon a time" it is at the corner of the large square which houses the oldest synagogue in the city, its cemetary and many wonderful little cafe's. We found it a fabulous place to rub elbows with history as we enjoyed fabulous food.

Well dear friends, our week was magnificent - with many stories (an more picture) to show and tell - but those I will leave for another day as we also returned home to lots of work to catch up on. I look forward to telling you about Czechtova and the glorius cathedral with the black madonna - one of the most direct experiences of the beauty of active faith that I have experienced.

Lots of love to all,
Alana

MultiCultural Living in Cork

Hi everyone,

This weeks blog (can you believe it three weeks in a row!) focuses on a multi-cultural class that Margie and I are privileged to be invited to in Cork. Our inclusion in the course comes through the Zappa quilt experience of all places, just going to show the synchronicity of the universe can travel long distances through time to set up new beginnings. About eight weeks ago I got a letter from a Zappa fan who had looked up the quilt project on the internet and found my e-interview from a couple of years ago. In it I mentioned that I was moving to Kinsale, and this woman decided to write me here. Her tone was friendly and I put it aside but with the intention to write her back.

Time went by and as I was leaving for our trip to the US I decided to write. Since she had asked about how my life had progressed after the quilt I told her about my desire to write for different types of publication. At the times these ideas were focused on reinventing life and I mused about doing an advise column. Long story short, she replied quickly, stating the she had just attended a Christmas party for a newspaper she writes freelance for The Immigrant whose mission it is to advance Cork as a multicultural place to live. The story continued that I wrote to their editor and hopefully that the February issue will see my first advise column in print. Quite exciting.

Well as marketing and networking go these days, this put us on the mailing list for the newspaper, which is funded by the Eastern European Alliance and they also put on these multicultural exchange classes. Margie and I jumped on the chance and off we went to Cork last Thursday for our first adventure.

Fifteen people attended from twelve countries: the US (of course), Rwanda, Nigeria, Serbia, England, France, Ethiopia, Ireland, Italy, Russia and Trinidad. We did not get into all the reasons that brought us to Ireland, although a couple of women came here because of their husbands. Another man is on work exchange and I suspect at least two of the people are there because they are writers and think that it is not only interesting but the stuff of which good stories may be made (in this I am in full agreement).

We spent our first time together sharing briefly about our countries - not directly but through the vehicle of telling someone else who tells the group. It was interesting that Margie and I both stressed the diversity of the US and how, even if we are to exchange bits about our country how we can't be said to speak for the "American experience." While I suspect that is true to at least some respect of everyone in the room, I left thinking that this was a new concept for the others. In other words, it seemed that the others in the room felt as though they could speak to how life was in their country - that they came from a unified experience based upon their native origins. I find this especially interesting in that one of the men (from Rwanda) comes from a country with 5 clearly defined ethnic groups. Of course we know of the war between between the majority Hutu and minority Tutsi, where somewhere between .5 and 1 million people perished in the spring of 1994. I cannot even imagine the lives or experiences of some of the people in our group. As I told the group, I came along because I realize what a baby I am in terms of understanding the experiences of the rest of the world.

A couple of times a US identity became too much the center of focus for me. The first was during the presentation by the woman from Serbia in which she was answering questions about Bosnia. I did not understand the references, but the men from African countries were questioning her about the political unrest. Her point of view is that Bosnia is a group that developed recently, as Yugoslavia broke up and that Serbians don't know much of what happened there. After mentioning "the Nato bombing" she looked directly at me and said something that left me wondering to what extent inappropriate (in Serbian terms) US intervention had instigated whatever happened there. More to learn about at another time - recent history will come alive for us as a result of this class.

During the small gathering at the end of the meeting one man said it was nice to have the US represented and then the group asked questions about the upcoming elections. I replied as I commonly due (hoping for a democratic outcome, trying to explain the dynamics behind decisions that might include either a black or woman president - etc) but came to a place where I pointed out to the group that we all were discussing the politics of the US but were unlikely to be able to equally discuss the politics of anywhere else in the world to the same extent. It seems to me at times as though the US is both a world power AND a source of entertainment for the rest of the world. Entertaining, likely until some overt foreign intervention makes our colonial ideals become apparent once again.

Colonial history can also bring laughter however. As the man from Ethiopia was explaining that his was the only African country which was not taken over by outside powers during the time of world colonization, the man from Italy said, "But we tried!" To which everyone laughed.

Before I go, the personal and honest conversation I had with the woman from Trinidad moves me to what is likely a common experience anywhere in the world that is currently experiencing modern day colonialism - that of the multinational corporations. She was telling me that while the oil and asphalt (pitch) industries were the big producers of wealth in her country, that it makes her mad that the smart black Trinidad men always take second slots in management behind their white, foreign counterparts brought in by the companies that employ them.

Clearly the complexities of the world will be displayed in what we learn from this group. Please comment from your experiences that may be similar or different to the ones I describe here. I look forward to keeping up the conversation in weeks to come. Next week however we will be experiencing Eastern Europe for ourselves as we take three days and go to Krakow in Poland.

More next week,
Alana

The Drumming Circle

Happy Saturday morning blog reading fans!

I am celebrating my second weekly blog of 2008 - so far so good.

Last night found me going for the first time to what will likely be my regular Friday night gig - African drumming. A local man hosts the drumming circle every Friday, and a couple of people I know have gone and liked it - so what the heck, last night I gave it a try. We meet in the Temperance hall - the one that Jean and Carla wrote about as the pink building, "a gathering place for meetings and plays and watching tourists pass by." You enter the building to find a circle of folding chairs set up (last night for about twenty drums) each with a drum in front of it.

The drums are about 2.5" tall with a drum head of about 12"-14". The travel across town from their owner's apartment (whose name I have to catch on my next visit) in these fairly elaborate bags that keep their heads warm on cold nights and give the carrier a strap to hang on to. Many of the participants carry them back on our way to the pub when we finish the 2 and a half hour session.

A little web research this morning told me that the drums we use are Dejemba:

Djembe has a vast sound range and is very responsive. Although on the surface it appears to be played with just three conventional strokes, by slight changes in positioning, pressure and accentuation of each stroke, slightly different sound can be created. Add touch notes(or grace notes, These are the non existing notes which can be represented by gentle touch on the drum, useful for keeping the timing) and you can create a colorful vibrant tapestry of sound.

my experience is that base notes are played with the flat of your hand in the middle of the drum and higher notes are played at the edges. Both require some pressure on the hand (rings removed to save the drum head). Very quickly fingers tingle if not ache, but this sensation too is lost as the head warms up, the drumming becomes intensified with many of us playing two or three different rhythms that weave and dance over the course of a session. Not that I could follow the complex rhythms very well, but I know this will come with time and experience.

At the pub afterward, I valued the diversity of people that come to Kinsale - many of the most interesting are drawn here by the Future Education College. Several in the drumming circle are in that group - many learning permaculture - or the art and science of sustainable living. The most distressing potential (as we talked about climate change) is that if the polar ice completely collapses, so does the gulf stream. This would create a climate in Ireland much like Norway (BRRRRRRR). Not that this is likely to happen in my lifetime, but something to research more in the future.

Other than this, it has been a great week back at work. Unexpectedly an old work acquaintance looked me up to help mentor one of his students in action research. It has spurred my interest in finding part time work with helping teachers and organizational development folks in these projects.

Got to go now - Shadow doesn't seem to be very perky this am and we are giving her lots of attention.

All the best,
Alana

New Year's Resolutions

(rough drafted on the plane home from the US on the 2nd)

Hi everyone,
Starting in again with regular blogging is one of my New Year's resolutions. I am especially saying "Hi" today to Alice, Joan and Jean as the three of you have proven to be my most faithful blog readers. Blogging makes sense as part of this year's major task: to break into writing for a consumer marketplace.

Looking back on 2007 I see a series of misdirected actions which caused me to end the year with a loss of life's gusto. Thankfully the trip we are just finishing reversed that trend. Being in the US and seeing large numbers of family members on what Margie and I called our, "Grand tour" turned out to be a wonderful prescription for rejuvenation. Traveling to the US as a tourist is a blast! California is blissfully sunny, San Francisco is a fabulous city, the ocean is magnificent with waves that shoot up over our heads, can I say more? Of course I can! We took in coconut Palm tree lined streets, Christmas lights, and all the American favorites (such as Mexican food!). Balmy days strolling on the beach dodging the waves at high tide and adobe Spanish styled tile roof homes, nestled in neighborhoods that are diverse as time and building styles could allow. These and many more memories will be stored in our brains as treasured keepsakes from this trip.

Family can be wonderful, warm, inviting, and our experience was that everyone generously opened their homes and their lives to those crazy relative who now live in the Europe. Small children have grown two years older, and have their parents. Talk around dinner tables was of political change, imagined or hoped for. Thank heaven all were well and enjoying good health, although in one case it had been a close call.

Since we did not shop we did not see the commercialism at Christmas that used to drive me nuts. We celebrated by sheparding an aging mother out to see decorations in Houston's malls and hotels and (later) to see the lights decorating the houses at night. When we left the US two years ago the large blow up Santas were something of a novelty. Now a variety offer bright and colorful splashes on most blocks. Two of my favorites were a Santa in a hammock between two palm trees at a beach house and a full Santa express train, complete with elves, toys and moving parts.

As is often the case within deep human connections we travel home realizing that we were given a great deal through our exchange of ideas and conversation with others. It was refreshing to be viewed and acknowledged by friends and family who see us from the same cultural lens as that we grew up in. I leave having felt "seen" and this energized my passions for writing. It feels good to be able contribute fully and I look forward to some new beginnings when back in Kinsale.

On the horizon for 2008 are:

1. Volunteering and perhaps leading a meditation class at a cancer center in Cork.
2. Writing a book proposal and query letters describing our passage from the US to Ireland.
3. Writing an advise column for a free newspaper geared for immigrants and multicultural living in County Cork.
4. Teaching online, mentoring doctoral students, drawing pictures and playing games with friends.

Now I look forward to hearing about your hopes and dreams for the New Year! May 2008 bring you joy and fulfillment.

love to all,
Alana

Christmas cheer

Hi everyone,

Margie and I are running off to the US for Christmas, but not before she aided the Kinsale business community by clowning on the street corner, entertaining children and youth while their parents shopped - or at least that was the idea.

Kinsale is lovely this Christmas and, after a few days of stormy weather has been shirt sleeve pleasant.

We were able to enjoy many of the town Christmas events with our different groups of friends and will be able to return just in time to see this year's Panto - snow white and the seven blow in's (dwarves). Some of you may remember our introduction to local theatre as part of last years Panto.

We are wishing everyone who reads this the best of holidays, may you enjoy the many people who love you.

We hope to catch up with other stories before the new year - ah but that is what New Year's resolutions are for is it not?

Love to you all,
Alana

Edinburgh

Hi everyone,

This is a quick and dirty travelog from our trip to Edinburgh. We found the city fantastic, complete with a large palace on a hill, lovely wide streets in the Georgian section and full of mideaval and 17th century history. Here is the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots, the Royal Mile and the docking place for the last British Yacht, The Brittania. In our three days exploring the city we enjoyed them all.

The first picture is the Palace at Hollyrood, where the queen is in residence every summer when she is in Scotland. It is here that we saw the Scottish Honours - or crown jewels, which had been hidden in a trunk for a number of years - a real treasure hunt story!

More in a minute,

Alana

Fall is in the air, the berries and the sea!

Hi everyone,

I have to tell you that two of my favorite parts of Ireland in the fall are the berries on the road when you take walks and the seals in the harbor. Both of which I enjoyed immensely yesterday on a long walk from Kinsale home. Then, if that isn't good enough, our neighbors have mostly gone back to their lives elsewhere in the world, leaving the car park empty and the area quiet - just as the sun comes out.

So how did I celebrate all this abundance? Well every few hours in the midst of work (yes I know it was Labor Day in the US but London calls later this week so I had to work today) I went out to the huge grassey area and read a new book. Sunshine, easy reading, dogs rolling in the grass, and a few little kids on the beach screaming as they played in the cold water. Life just does not get any better than this.

Love you all,
Alana

Our anniversary

Margie and I celbrated 12 years together this last week. We made use of the "getaway package" from our utility company and stayed in a funky older hotel near the town of Caher - known for its Butler castle which you can see above Margie's head in the background of the picture on the right. We relaxed by riding our bikes and hiking. The Indian looking structure on the left was originally made in paper mache' for a wealthy land owning (and therefore English) couple upon their return from their honeymoon in India. They loved it so much they made it up again in stone - and now the state keeps it up so that people like us will venture that direction to see it.

When our friend Vicki visited this June she exclaimed about the ferns - having had tourble keeping them going in dry Colorado weather. The picture in the middle, taken at the private grounds at the back of Blarney Castle, shows just how big they can get.

Twelve years have zipped by, living, loving, reinventing and doing it all over again. We are not the women we were then, but those seeds are still growing.

Our best to everyone,

Alana and Margie

Thank heavens for Harry Potter!

July found me surrounded by family, sharing my brother's cabin near a Lake in Northern Michigan. The fun of the trip was all of us with our own copy of the last Harry Potter book. I can't read without comment and the conversation went like this, "Oh no!" "Where are you now?" "Can't say too much but they're were just in the graveyard." "Oh yea that was a great part, wait until you see what is next." Bless JK Rowling for giving us so much fun.

After my niece and I were about 2/3rds through we took my brother to see the movie of the earlier book (the rest of us had already seen it). Of course the new news, delivered in book 7 completely changed our understanding of the characters in the movie and the explanation of what was happening, causing us to closet ourselves and talk it through after we got home.

Fabulous times indeed. If my life ever lets up or I am on an extended holidy when I have unlimited weight available in luggage (like on a container ship cruise) I want to reread them all - or at least 4, 5, 6, and 7.

Books are our good friends aren't they? And they don't make judgements or let us down.

all the best,
Alana

I've got the scoop . . .

This morning, while walking our grey-muzzled pups up to James Fort I met the two old gents who periodically show up along the shoreline to scan the sand for lost coins and other metal treasures as they point long, lean metal detectors. Being friendly and nosy, I asked which days brought the BEST of good finds. The response was something like “when the beach is full of people with loose pockets” (I still have trouble understanding a Cork accent.) As my curiosity began to grow about this potentially lucrative hobby, I then asked if they combed the beach after the sand sculpture-making workshop during Kinsale Arts Week. With startled looks, they replied that they did not know of the hundreds of spade toting sculptors who descended on Dock Beach a few Saturdays ago to create sand castles, mermaids, and sea turtles. HHHHMMMMMMMMM. I felt like I scored one point as a local who was able to share interesting and valuable information to fellow beachcombers.
All is well!!!

Colors calling, "HELP!!! Please???"

I was in a pinch. For Kinsale Arts week I was leading two children’s recycled games workshops. The first one was gratefully over and I was feelin’ in a panic as well as exhausted from the pace of the event and the numbers and age span of the kids—who were clever in their carnival-type game creating. As Alana couldn’t help with the second workshop the following day, we quickly learned the hard way that I needed more volunteers to guide the 15 kids through the playing and making of games. I wasn’t leaving it to chance that the event volunteer coordinator could find willing and able bodies within 24 hours. So -- we thought of whom we could ask. Working down the list, I called. AND, two friends, one of our Castlepark village neighbors, and the other—the queen mother from the Christmas Panto-- came to the rescue! Both women easily fell into the swing of playing and helping the 5-10 year old workshop participants. The kids had fun, no one was hurt (THE primary concern I learned from my mother) and I realized that I had people to count on in Kinsale, when in a pinch (another mother saying.)
All is well!!!

Moaning Myrtle hugs Professor ?????

Harry Potter rocks Kinsale!

Hi everyone,

Saturday night at midnight the newest Harry Potter went on sale at bookstores everywhere. Kinsale's Bookstor' was no exception. Lyn, Mike, and Cal (shown with Margie above) hosted 200+ young people and older people, most in costume in the square outside the shop. Mouse dropping cookies were enjoyed by most and the time flew as people in the cue discussed the survey questions. Do you know the name of the Hogwarts' librarian?

Personal PAR Mandala

I've been working to establish the median ground between two areas of work: 1) the eight aspects of living a multidimensional life and 2) participatory action research. Also I have been developing personal mandalas for the four mundane aspects of Self: mental, physical, emotional and intuitive. While not yet inclusive of the four highest aspects: knowingness, archetypal actions, conditioned bliss and unity the mandala above begins to illustrate the energies I look for in my "Reinvent Life" work.

Kinsale arts week starts with a bang

Fireworks on our hill Saturday night started a week of arts activities in Kinsale off with a bang. Finishing up a lovely evening of good food and chats with Kathy Kelly, another JIU professor and our friend Joan from Castlepark, we headed up the hill to see the fireworks up close and personal. Alas it was not to be as a young lad met us and shooed us away for health and safety issues. Joan and I bravely took the car around to the other side and actually it worked out alright. We walked a bit, talked a bit, watched a seal in the water assuring himself or herself that all these spectators didn't have food, and then they started.

Close to what would have been independence day in the states the curly cues, big bombs etc in brilliant colors seemed and appropriate touch to the season. The piers were mobbed but we stayed clear of the crowds, sat on the ledge and had a great time.

Thanks Joan for getting us out!

vicki's visit

Compassion meditation

Hi everyone,

I think unrealistically, we all make changes in our lives thinking that "this will do it - such and such will finally change," only to discover that no matter where we go there we are (big smile). Part of my story is learning to overcome a life long tendency to overwork and underapprecitate what is around me. Life in Ireland continues to remind me to live in the moment with enjoyment - a task that comes and goes. This weekend I listened to a book on tape about a Buddhist meditation where we breath in that which is stuck or dark - in ourselves and in others - "the unwanted" and we breathe out white purified light with the energy that would transform the situation, consciousness, courage, love, loving kindness, etc.

From another source I came across the idea (quantum-ly based it turns out) that when opposites meet (like the center of the paradox of our lives) transformation and magnificence happen. This propels us to look at and embrace our darker sides, "the unwanted" bits, and to transform them.

So here I am, when stressed about things, or bored, or frustrated - taking it in to myself rather than pushing it away, and the giving myself a gift of whatever energy seems helpful. When the unwanted begins to dissipate, the meditation then reminds us to pass it on to all the people in the world who are feeling those same dark thoughts at the moment. No matter what we feel, of course, there must be millions feeling something similar.

I attach the newest self portrait - part of a developing series of which the last one with the celtic mandala and the fire were a part. Someday I may grow into the potential that this one offers (smile).

Love you lots,
Alana

A small art group forms in Kinsale

Hi everyone,
Did I tell you about our art group? It happened spontaneously. I took a favorite book: The creative Habit by Twyla Tharp as my entry into the book club at our local Bookstor' (that is the spelling). During the conversation one of our group mentioned that, "of course you can't learn art - you have to be born with the talent." Well all who know me from my art teacher days know that this is one of my pet peaves, I know for a fact that you can "Learn Art" because that was the philosophy of my art teacher - and I did!

To make a long story a bit shorter a group of four of us have been meeting now on the odd Tuesday a couple of times a month. I designed three two week segments: drawing from an object in front of you, drawing from a photograph (where we are now), and creating a composition (which we are working towards). They have learned to see as a person drawing needs to see, to use their pencils to create values, textures. We started a game to play with shapes as we discuss composition and next week I will bring my art books and we will discuss our thoughts as we create compositions of our own - which will begin the following month.

Our group include Katherine who lives out of town in Oz Haven with her husband and two early teenagers on an acre + of land - gorgeous, by the river. She works in juvenile probation so, of course, we spent one evening talking about at risk kids in Ireland and comparing that to the US. We can share professional resources etc. Una is our other member who is new to our lives. She and her husband work from home on the internet as Margie and I do. She is in information management and brings a wealth of interesting ideas to our discussions. For instance, do you know why the years go faster as we grow older? It is all a matter of perspective - when we are ten a year is one tenth of our lives - when we reach 50 the proportion is much different (let alone a 100). They lost their first child after six months due to a whole in his heart, and I have learned a lot from her sharing her stories and being willing to help us understand the issues that have defined her life. Artwork gives us time and space to let these stories develop - it is lovely.

They love it - I love it and we are discussing adding a few more people and maybe going on the odd field trip. Serendipity at work.

Lots of love,
Alana