Blogs from Breda, North Brabant, Netherlands, Europe
August 16th 2011
Our visit back to Etten Leur had to do with a visit to family in Kalmhout, Belgium. Our Cousin Ronald was over and we promised him that we would be there on the 13th of August. There was also a birthday of the twins at the same time. We had not been there for five years, when the kids were in their school years. We were welcomed back by Jola & Hugo in Etten Leur on the Friday. Kalmhout is just 30 kilometres away from Etten Leur, that made it easy. That Saturday we set up the Tom Tom to Kalmhout. It is all so close and before we knew we were there. The kids had partied the night before so we were lucky that Ronald was up to open the door. There was this warm ... read more
April 25th 2011
April was a busy month, with friends from England coming to visit me. Mike came for a weekend, we saw a football match taking place for homeless players and spent almost a whole day cycling around Mastbos woods to find the Galderse Meren where we dived into the freezing cold lake just to jump out again! There is also a nudist beach there but we didn't go! Mum told me that people have drowned in the lake because they get cramp from the cold as it's so deep. I was told that the hieght of the Grote Kerk could fit under the deepest centre of the lake! This month has been very hot and summery, so I showed a couple French boys the way to the lake where again I couldn't resist a quick swim, then ... read more
April 25th 2011
Eveline and I had organised an awsome party on the roof Thursday night, inviting all my international and Dutch friends, students from my minor and her friends. It was to welcome Eveline home and for me to say goodbye to all the wonderful friends I've made in Breda. We asked people to bring a speciality dish of their culture and I ended up staying up till 5am singing with the French who bought their guitars! I was asked to hold another one and thought the same as I still had a week left and not everyone made it to the last party so I organised one for the last Friday before I flew back to London Saturday! My neighbours were there this time too and helped us out with the music. I saw more faces again, ... read more
March 25th 2011
So my minor in Scenography is over... Thursday the event took place at AKV St Joost and I walked round the school with another pupil inviting individuals at specific times to our attraction. I dared myself to approach a real Dutch guy who I had seen everyday walk past our studio, even though he was busy talking to a girl outside in the sun and everyone stopped to stare! The visitors would arrive at thier given time walking on the red carpet into our Baroque installation where they were seated in an old Grandpa chair and given a heart on their plate to eat! At first piano music is playing in the room which changes to a heart beat speeding up to the heart projection on the wall and ending with a flatline. Men in real ... read more
March 11th 2011
Bought a couple smart suits at the second hand shop to alter and two of the same black dresses as part of the costume for the hosts and waitresses in our attraction. So I've been busy picking at the stitches, cutting and altering, to create a couple smart penguin tailed suits with added Baroque fabric. After faffing around on the first one the second only took a day to copy as I finally knew what I was doing! I found myself helping others out more with their tasks to have a break from doing one thing. After a tutorial I realised we had drifted away from our orginal task of promotion so returned to finish the poster which will be placed around the school for students to find. Reality finally kicked in when I was reminded ... read more
March 8th 2011
Saturday midday I helped my American friend fix a toga costume for carnaval and then collected my fellow NUCA student, Matt from the station to go to the international carnaval house party! Matt still had no costume but brought several yellow plastic shopping bags with him which we cut up in 5 minutes to make the best costume there, or at least according to me anyway. It was so hilarious I hadn't laughed so hard and long in a while, but it was probably also due to the fact that Matt was so reluctant in wearing it. The international students were all playing beer pong since 5pm till midnight when we decided to go dancing in the centrum. We were such a large group that it was impossible to all stick together. We lost everyone within ... read more
March 4th 2011
Got a message from a French Erasmus student today saying she wanted to spend a day celebrating carnival with me so we met up in the afternoon, her in her blue outfit and me in half of my Dutch outfit. From 4pm till 7pm we danced in the bars to Dutch silly and jolly carnival music which I soon got the feel for! We joined in the singing as best we could and chain and tunnel dancing- it ended up like early afternoon clubbing! It sure was great to see everyone so dressed up everywhere in town and acting silly in their costumes to such frivolous music! Most people bought their outfits from indians, superheros, pirates, hippies, policemen, princesses, gangsters, babies, animals, birds but I also saw a group dressed as pregnant chavs which was plain ... read more
February 25th 2011
Friday morning I got a bit carried away at the market buying, fruit and veg, cheese, bread, pastry, nuts and dried fruit, tutu netting for Carnival and funky tights to add to my collection back home! At 11am I had arranged to catch up with my tutor over Skype which was really lovely and I look forward to the next one. Went into uni to find I couldn't gain access to the one and only sewing machine and none of the students were to finsh the group maquette for Monday! So now we only have Saturday and Monday morning to finsih it!? One of the girls came in afternoon to film so I helped her out with the lighting. In the evening I finally got hold of a couple friends willing to go out and went ... read more
February 23rd 2011
This morning we watched the Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus for inspiration of the use of theatre space and optical illusional effects. I thought it was exciting to think that we could immitate similar effects of a fold up stage, walk in mirror, swings and slight of hand tricks with a live audience! Then the film followed through with too many digital effects and the beauty, simplicity and mystery of the visuals was lost in the mix up of happenings and special effects thrown in together. My strengths were finally coming through in the studio today when working with my partner on the communication plan, promotional ideas and interactivity for the attraction! This group project event will take place on the summer parade and we decided on promoting the event by handing out free food samples like ... read more
February 17th 2011
Tuesday night I went out with the lovely Spanish students to the Speeltuin for some live jamming jazz and they made me get up and join in the band, singing 'don't worry about a thing'! Today in class we had to decide on a story for our theatre attraction, but in a group of 14 students that didnt go down too well. Too many ideas and not enough open minds to accept, negotiate and adapt or alter ideas. I sat back and listened most of the time then added my views and suggestions on how to make it work as a team. They all seem anxious about settling with an idea when they know our tutor has her own strong ideas on what she might want to see so instead they want to wait and hear ... read more
