The Land of Oz

It seemed only fitting that The Waifs, an Australian band that has been
one of my favorites forever, blasted on my ipod when I deplaned in
Sydney about a month ago. As the sister group belted the following
words: "Take it in. Take it all in. Now is the time that will not come
again. Take it in. Take it all in. This is the day and its here for
the living," I couldn't help myself from getting emotional. Once again I
was starting a new leg of my adventure, and finally getting comfortable
with embracing the constant state of limbo the Watson is. Always on the move,
I am finally getting to the point where I don't need to remind myself to
take in the breathtaking beauty of the people, places, and things I am getting
to experience and soak in. Finally I'm coming to the long awaited feeling
I have been looking forward to: MY LIFE ROCKS!

A week into my stay in Melbourne I rode 50 kilometers out to
Frankston, Victoria to participate and observe the Hip Cat Circus
Program. My friends in Australia tell me that Frankston is filled with
Bogans. What is a Bogan? I have no idea. I think it might be the
equivalent of a red neck back in the states? Anyways, set directly on
the beach, Frankston seems similar to your typical slightly down-and-out
city suburb. What sets Frankston apart however, is the gigantic,
state-of-the-art, community arts building it boasts. Hip Cat Circus
began as an offshoot of West Side Circus, a social circus in
Melbourne. In the two weeks I got to watch and participate in the Hip
Cat circus I found myself continually impressed with the community
they have created there. Thankfully, I wrote down the games, community
building, and art building activities they did. So far, Hip Cat has
been the best community I have seen in youth circus to date.

Near the beginning of my stay in Melbourne my friend at 'Ultimate
Victoria' was supposed to teach Frisbee in Frankston, for Disabilities
day. He happened to be away that day and asked if I would fill in for
him. I was particularly excited because there was a circus skills booth at
the event as well. So I gladly obliged and took the hour long train out to
Frankston and taught Frisbee for a couple hours to people of all ages
that were autistic, blind, deaf, paralyzed, developmentally disabled, and
more. After the Frisbee session was over I went and joined the circus
station. To my delight the people there were welcoming and had lots to say
about all-access circus and other events and groups dedicated to arts
empowerment within Victoria. Therein lay new connections here in
Melbourne: Hip Cat Circus, Ready Set Play Kids, and AcroYoga
Melbourne. The three facilitators were experienced in everything from
Acroyoga, fitness, circus, arts administration, personal training, and
more. AWESOME! All three were inspiring and were able to help send me
in some new directions for my time here. Not that I needed more
opportunities here...

In the short three weeks I was in Melbourne I somehow managed to meet
with five circuses, contact four more, take pole, dance, parkour,
aerials, do training on my own, and take tumbling. I also conducted interviews with
people from all of the above. I have somehow managed to play frisbee
five times and played in 2 tournaments. I went on multiple runs,  took numerous
 trams and trains, rode on a motorbike, went to a benefit
concert, went to the NICA graduate showcase, ate the best kebab (say
my Aussie friends) in the city, ate kangaroo (See picture of me eating
Kangaroo and enjoying it! Also note that I have since dumped most of my
clothing and what I wear in this picture is pretty much what I wear everyday.
Nothing like lightening the load!), biked over 150 kilometers, taught disabled
people frisbee and circus, taught some future team Australia teens some frisbee
skills, walked a huge amount of the city, discovered some of the best pubs
and cafes in Melbourne, met some amazing people, been too sore to walk,
and laid in the grass doing absolutely nothing. I feel so alive. Actually as I just read
back what I just wrote I sound a bit like a robot... But I knew what I
was getting into when I arrived. I tried to fit in as much as possible
when I got here seeing as Melbourne is one of the best places to study
circus in the world. I also spent minimal time outdoors when in
Indonesia, so am more than appreciating the outdoors here in Australia.

Sophie camp has begun again. I spent my time in Melbourne observing
social circus programs, and training myself in circus. As I have come
to realize, it is incredibly helpful to be able to do circus if you
want to teach it. I also spent lots of time with friends I have met
playing new games I have learned. What kind of games you ask? Imagine
a bunch of hyperactive early 20s closing their eyes and seeing who can
sprint faster into a fence 20 yards away. Yeah, I told you my maturity
level is dwindling!

What was next? Well...after completely depleting myself of energy I,
of course, hurt myself! So I went to Sydney and spent a few days on the
Northern beaches running the beaches, scrambling over the rocks, looking
out into the gorgeous scenery, making some new friends, and relaxing. I then
hopped on a bus up to Byron Bay. I have come to think that this is my
favorite place in the world. If you get outside the few kilometers of
Byron Bay tourist town you seen endless rolling grassy hills,
waterfalls, vast ocean views, and the kindest people I have come
across on my trip. The past two days have been spent running around
the hills taking in the beauty, observing the couple of circuses in
these parts, and training, training, training on the trapeze and
fabric. I love it.

What is next? Tomorrow I leave to go up to the Woodford Folk Festival.
This festival has been described to me as the following: a mix between
Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Burning Man, and Woodstock. I will be
volunteering at the circus tent from xmas to new years in exchange for
free admission to the festival. I have some intensive courses I will
be taking through January, and then have hopes of heading out into
central Australia with a couple guys I met for an undetermined amount
of time. We'll be bringing a whole lot of discs and juggling balls and
hope to teach some circus and ultimate for a couple of weeks. But as
always, I really am just winging it! The Watson freedom will allow me
to take advantage of whatever opportunity crosses my path in the
coming weeks. Crossing my fingers that it works out. I can't wait for
the rest.

Happy Holidays All! Happy New Year! I miss you all dearly!

Wrap Up From Indo

HELLO STRANGERS! Greetings from down under!

I haven't really been near consistent Internet since I left Indonesia in November. Although I have been writing for these blog posts, I haven't had a chance to put them up. So here comes a couple:

That I could possibly fill you in and do justice to the events since my last post is unlikely. It would turn into the craziest, lengthiest, most heartbreaking, hilarious, and probably most boring blog post known to man. But with the coming new year I have resolved to be better at blogging- even if it means condensing lots of time into a few well-chosen words.

McDonald's is one of the only places with free Internet in Australia! Here I sit in McDonald's borrowing a kind stranger’s computer because I recently left my computer in Sydney as I begin to explore the northern parts of Australia. Let me tell you, it is so liberating to have less stuff to drag around with me and worry about! I have some pictures and videos I will post when I have better internet access.

If there is one thing I am learning on this trip it is to stay present. I have even been finding that taking pictures takes me out of the experience. In one of the few times I have spoken to my dear friend Hannah Sohl (who is also on a Watson Fellowship) we marvelled together on how difficult it is to articulate our experiences to anyone else. The whole concept of the Watson- solo trip and all- makes it inherently a bit hard to explain. But I will try.

If you squint your eyes, you could almost mistake Melbourne, Victoria for Austin, Texas or some other super-hip, cutting edge American city. Constant buskers on the street, music on every corner every single night, OpShops (consignment clothes etc), incredible public transportation, welcoming people, everyone dressed "alternatively," and much more. I am in culture shock to say the least. I look up at night and there are stars! There is a blue sky! I can walk down the street for more than 5 minutes without being called Mr! I can take off my socks and shoes and wade in the ocean without fearing for my health! I can lay in the grass! There IS grass!

Even though I am gulping up the clean air, and wearing tank tops and shorts that I wasn't able to wear in Indonesia (a Muslim country) I find myself missing Jakarta. Something about the utter overwhelming crowdedness, the absolute poverty, the environmental disaster of it all……My roommate there hired a driver once that owned a monkey who smoked. I mean, literally! Looking back, Jakarta doesn't seem real. Five person families riding on one motorbike with no helmets, children dragging around dead rats on a leash as a pet, getting woken up at 4:15 am every morning as the call to prayer was blasted on a loudspeaker through my window. But there was something about Jakarta. There was never a dull moment. The pace of life- although slow due to traffic that made a 5K journey take upwards of two hours - seems so hectic, it was almost fun. The Indonesians, despite some overarching negative patterns Expats will tell you about, were very friendly (to this white woman), and they were extraordinarily funny just about all the time.

Although I did venture briefly to the 1000 Islands and to Bali, I spent the majority of my time in Jakarta. Indonesia itself is said to be one of the most beautiful, biodiverse places on earth. Above, I am of course only speaking about the parts that I experienced. The other night I met an Australia who had written his thesis on Leftist Radicals in Indo. I spoke about my disenchanted opinion of Jakarta and he offered his wisdom in response. I hadn't known much about the history of Indo, and when in Indo it is hard to find. Expats basically know nothing about it, and Indos don't really seem to care. I look forward to speaking more with the Aussie I met to find out more about the beautiful country of Indonesia.

Anyways, it all comes down to missing the kids in Cilincing. I spent approximately 7 weeks going to Cilincing Tues-Fri, and hanging out with the students when Hidung Merah bused them into Jakarta proper for training on Sundays. And of course, at around 7 weeks was when I really started to make breakthroughs with the kids. They started to trust me and joke around with me, right as I was getting ready to leave. Awesome. Tuesdays and Thursdays were spent tutoring kids on anything from English to math. Of course I couldn't really speak the language so that presented some interesting situations and circular conversations. By the end of my time there I could get around in Bahasa Indonesia. The other day on a bus in Melbourne I eavesdropped on some Indonesians and felt so accomplished! But I can feel it already slipping away. Wed, Fri, and Sundays were spent doing circus skills and English. Man oh man, were these kids awesome! Juggling clubs while standing on shoulders, passing rings, flexibility. Their skills were impressive, and their hunger to learn inspiring. Although sometimes they did need a little kick in the butt!

I had the unbelievable opportunity to take on a lot of responsibility with Hidung Merah because when I arrived they were just losing many employees and volunteers. Every morning I walked an hour to the office through the most traffic filled streets I have ever seen. Then we'd drive the hour to Cilincing. Many a Tuesday and Thursday was spent with Ddy, the field manager for HM. Ddy, an aspiring Indonesian rock/pop singer, would belt out the words to American pop songs and I would follow suit. Then we'd tutor from 10-3pm or so in the small circus space. Laying on the mats, joking with the kids, and trying to get some work done. When I taught a 15 year old boy to do algebra in five minutes I finally got a complete picture of the disrepair the Indonesian school system lies in. They had been learning algebra for months, and he still had no idea what was going on! All it took was 15 minutes of one-on-one help to explain it.

The people I lived with in Indo can attest to the fact that I smelled like fish, mussels, sweat, and shit the entire 2 months I went to Cilincing. But besides the stench I dragged around with myself for a couple of months, I found myself always on the brink of tears. I have never been great at separating myself from the experience of others and I found it extraordinarily hard to separate myself from the poverty that I saw in Indonesia, and in Cilincing specifically. I have never seen people living the way they lived there. In trash villages, fishing villages, and small settlements I saw on the side of the road I saw easily the most unsanitary living I have ever seen. As I mentioned in my previous post, I constantly battled with my place in the lives of the kids I was volunteering with. They seemed so happy in their lives. Who am I to judge the way they live? Perhaps living simply and with a smaller view of the world is a more satisfying way of life.

Anyhow, I happened to arrive at Hidung Merah when the kindergarten group (ages 3-6) was beginning. I ended up helping out with the structure of the class and some of the content. While I never felt that my lack of language skills held me back with the older kids, the kindergarten class was filled with little menace children that did need discipline. I wished I could have helped out more in that regard. My disciplinarian skills centered around my ability to constantly run around picking kids up and and putting them elsewhere.
My time with Hidung Merah was largely spent learning how to juggle, teaching fitness and some beginning acrobatics, running around chasing 3-6 year olds, teaching a bit of trapeze, and trying to be cool enough for those 13-17 year olds to like me. Hidung Merah can take credit for my juggling skills!  In the 2 1/2 months I was in South East Asia (which short trips to Singapore and Malaysian Borneo), I spent considerably more time with children than adults. Thus I am noticing that my maturity level may well be dwindling!

When I applied for the Watson, I cited my previous abroad experience in Israel as the inspiration from my social circus study. I wanted to use circus in the same ways that my program at the Arava Institute had used working on environmental issues as a central focus for bridging differences among Israelis and Arabs. I wanted it to be more successful, thinking perhaps using a performative tool instead of another highly contested issue (the environment) would have significantly more potential to empower individuals, create community, and move us toward peace. Additionally, when I was dreaming about my year as a Watson fellow, Indonesia was not  part of my application. Thank god I added it! I can honestly say that I accomplished the above goal when I was in Indonesia. In my humble opinion, I saw with my own eyes that the organization Dan Roberts (the coolest guy ever!) has created in Indonesia, not only empowers children to have dreams, but it also instills within them a work ethic and accountability you would be hard-pressed to find in other Indonesian children. Giving children the opportunity to have aspirations, to develop skills, to learn how to help others and develop trust has an impact far beyond the particular circus skills they may acquire.  My experience in Indonesia was challenging in almost every way, but I also know that these challenges have made me a stronger, more responsible, more effective and passionate person.

Hidung Merah is contemplating sending some of the kids to the US to train this spring and summer. I am already more than looking forward to seeing them when I get back to the states.

Also a special thanks goes out to Anne and Matt Stanley, Linley York and her fam, Dan Roberts and family, Ddy, Children of Cilincing, Elo, Carmen, and Lisa. Thanks for being my home away from home.

On to Australia!

Hidung Merah: Social Circus in the Jakarta Area

The Red Nose Foundation
Pictures below of work in Bintaro and Cilincin


I just came in from a run in which i almost choked multiples times on my own spit. Why you ask? Well as a matter of fact it is illegal to spit in Singapore. It is also illegal to sell or chew gum. It is also illegal to jaywalk- as in people are arrested for jaywalking! People are also arrested for littering! It is extremely polluted in both Indonesia and Singapore, and my lungs were coughing up some pretty gross stuff- all of which I had to swallow. What a weird place! So here I am in Singapore for the weekend. The driver of the family I have been staying with in Jakarta has a daughter with Cerebral Palsy. She had to come up to Singapore to have some braces made for her legs. They needed an escort because she can't fly alone, so I thought why the hell not? She is so sweet, shy, and beautiful. It has been fun/frustrating trying to get to know her in my more than broken Bahasa Indonesia, and her less than broken English. In Singapore I am staying with a former student of my parents who does a lot of relief work in this part of the world. It is interesting to learn more about Southeast Asia from her and her family. Thank you Linley and family!

Today I spent exploring parts of Singapore and then I observed a dance class at one of the high schools here. I also gave a juggling lesson to a couple of pretty privileged 8-10 year old boys this afternoon in an effort to raise money for Leana's braces. There are aerial classes here and beach ultimate, so I think I will have a good time. I'll be teaching and assisting in some physical theater/dance classes on Monday before I head back to Jakarta. Bring on the countries! Singapore's national language is English which I find strange. On my run I encountered my first adult playground. Pull-up bars, push-up bars, sit-up stations and more. Apparently these fitness stations are commonplace in Asia. Go Asia!

I have begun volunteering with Hidung Merah (Red Nose Foundation), a social circus program based in Jakarta. I have been 3 days so far and from what I can tell I NEVER WANT TO LEAVE EVER AGAIN. I am already in love with the kids, in love with the people of Hidung Merah, and am in love with the concept of social circus.  I got lucky in that Red Nose is short staffed right now, so I am actually needed! Soon I will rig my trapeze and get to teach a little aerial. On Mondays we go to Bintaro a southern suburb of Jakarta to a trash village to teach some English, juggling, plate spinning, and other basic circus elements. We teach in a small clearing in the middle of their houses. And by houses I mean something very similar to a small clubhouse made from tin, recycled wood, or cement. The rest of the week is spent in Cilincin (pronounced chilinchin), a northern fishing village about an hour north of Jakarta center. The kids come in between the morning and afternoon sessions of school. From Tuesday-Friday it is a mix of English lessons, tutoring in all school subjects, and circus. Then on Sundays all of the advanced children get bused to Jakarta International School to train together. The deal is, you have to be in school to come to the circus.  Dan, the inspiring clown who runs Hidung Merah has all of the kids sponsored to go to school. Unfortunately a lot of their teachers do not have degrees and it is incredibly easy to drop out, so Dan is quite accustomed to kids dropping out of the program. I can't imagine how heartbreaking it must be to pour everything into these children and have only measurable success with some. I guess you just have to hope that some of what you taught sunk in somewhere along the way... When teaching English the other day I found that the book was simply wrong in many cases. At a loss I tossed the book and tried something else...but this is their curriculum. Scary!

I actually started crying the other day. I was doing colors and shapes in English with a group of 7-12 year olds. I held up a white squiggle. The all burst out: "Eet Eeeez a awhiiieeet." Then I held up a pink heart. They sang: "Eet Eeeez a Peeenk Lahhhv." With the biggest smiles on their faces. Oh my god. That isn't a love, it is a heart, but who cares. They are amazing.

While I paint a beautiful idealistic picture let me be clear it is not. In Cilincin there are cats everywhere. They are unbelievably skinny and sleep all day. I am sure almost half of the ones I see are dead. The smell is of feces and fish. You have to walk with your mouth shut or else flies choke you. There are piles and piles of muscle shells everywhere. Everyone from children to old men sit by these piles and shuck the muscles. The houses are built very close together with 2 foot pathways in between. There is a soccer field made of crushed shells in the center of the settlement, and there is trash lining everywhere else. I am entirely unsure where they go to the bathroom. It is an unreal culture shock from beautiful Colorado where there is open space, clean air, and nature. 

What is particularly shocking to me is that as we gather kids to come to class you find that they are all clean and well dressed,. The girls have stylish haircuts and cute clothing, and they ALL have huge smiles on their faces. You would have literally no idea where they came from if you met them on the street. So it leaves me with an unsettled feeling. I am not sure whether to feel depressed when I get to Cilcincin or to feel refreshed. Obviously living conditions are so much different compared to where I have come from, but in a sense their worry at the end of the day is if they will have money enough for food. What are my worries? I HAVE SO MANY ALL THE TIME. Its a simpler life, 

Hidung Merah tries to inspire the kids to have dreams. They try to educate the children to know that there are other options besides being a fisherman, a muscle shucker, or a house mom. Although if they got an education and still wanted those things of course that would be fine! Red Nose works to teach how learning can be fun, and they try to teach values of responsibility and aspiration. But what is truly incredible is how fast these kids learn to juggle and do other circus tricks. Their faces are pure delight when juggling, and they rise to any challenge. As a new juggler myself, I can't help but be amazed at these 7-16 year old kids who effortlessly toss up the balls. I am particularly impressed and inspired when they pass rings or pass balls when juggling. Although I have found Indonesians to be friendly, the culture is not all that concerned with helping one another. Teamwork or collaboration seem foreign. So watching these kids learn how to trust and work with one another is empowering. They can pass balls even while standing on each others shoulders! They are so eager to learn and are such good hearted people. I am trying my hardest to learn Bahasa Indonesia and we'll see how far I get in the next 2 months. I originally was supposed to spend the month of November in Bali finding another adventure, but these kids have decided for me that I will spend November in Jakarta despite the smog, traffic, and lack of nature.

I did my first crossfit workout the other day with a bunch of Indonesians which was quiet an experience. INTENSE! WHOA! I played Frisbee with a group that was mixed Ex-Pats and Indonesians which was super fun minus the fact that I was coughing up half my lung from the fires that were burning near. I have yet to figure out housing or how I will eat for the next couple months, but I have a feeling it will all come together...(I hope!)

As for Indonesia...here is some of what I've learned about thus far:

-Indonesia doesn't recognize Judaism as a religion.

-It is illegal to not have a religion in Indonesia.

-Every male over the age of 12 smokes, some younger even. The youngest person I saw smoking looked like he was 5.

-Indonesian people throw their trash on the ground or into the ocean without thinking twice

-Indonesian people are the most friendly people I have encountered to date, especially in contrast to the Quebecois.

-Jakarta has the worst traffic in the world. It can take over a half hour in a car to go what I could run in less than 10 minutes.

-The language Bahasa Indonesia doesn't have a past or future tense- it is all in the present.

-if you have 50 bucks you can buy a motorcycle on credit so EVERYONE has a motorcycle

-You can pay off your boss to not go to work (in government positions!) and you can buy a high school or college degree, or even a verdict in a court case... 

-Most expats have a driver, cook/maid, at least 4 guards, and a gardener
-I love Indonesia already.

Thank you so much for all your birthday wishes! I so appreciate the support and love you are all sending me from across the world. Have a wonderful weekend!

Love from Singapore,

Sophie

Montreal-->Toronto-->Hong Kong-->Jakarta-->Kepulauan Seribu

The pictures above are from my past week in Jakarta. 


After a speedy 48 hour travel affair from Montreal to Jakarta I finally arrived about a week ago. The world is so ironic and funny sometimes. Along my journey I met people from Australia, South Africa, and Indonesia, all of which are places I will be heading this year. So I have now arrived here on the other side of the world (literally) with a multitude of other connections in the global non-profit, performing, and circus worlds that I couldn't have even dreamed up! PLUS a whole bunches of places to stay for free! Somehow I think this year is going to turn out just fine for me.

In the end I spent a bit over six weeks in Montreal. One of the most important moments of my time there being an evening I spent with Jessica Hentoff the owner and founder of Circus Harmony in St. Louis, MO, two alums of her program who now study at the National Circus School in Montreal, and Sara Deull of Zip Zap Circus in Cape Town, South Africa. We sat down in a small restaurant in the Latin Quarter. Asking questions around the table and falling into a comfortable banter, I was struck by the two men before me. Both studying at the best circus school in the world, it was interesting to figure out their stories and how they ended up here. Social Circus right before my eyes! Talking with two performers and two teachers of social circus showed me that while it is hard work and can sometimes be very discouraging, the success you can have is tremendous. I had so many enlightening and life changing experiences in Montreal, but alas it would take up so many pages to write it all for you. Just know that I had a blast and am better prepared for the remainder of my year because of it. The last Montreal tidbit I will include is this: Thanks to Zoe Daniels (with Sophie and Lucy), Joe Wood, Bobby Lee & Hard Ultimate, and Andrew Louchuck for being kind, supportive, and allowing me the opportunity to not be homeless! 

Aside from being completely and totally wrecked from jet lag and culture shock my adjustment to life here in Southeast Asia has been smooth. Riiiiight...A couple days after I got to Jakarta, and while still struggling with the time change I accompanied 7 women on a trip to the Kepulauan Seribu (Thousand Islands.) It is the beginning of the rainy season here and the streets in Jakarta were completely flooded out. There is bumper to bumper traffic pretty much everywhere and at all times in Jakarta. Even with the roads under water there were still hundreds of motorcycles weaving in and out of the cars with up to 5 or 6 people on one bike! Sometimes even babies! 

We pulled up to the dock to hop on a ferry and saw mountains of trash everywhere and booth after booth of locals selling every sort of fish you could think of. It smelled of shit and fish mixed together with compost. The ferry we took was a local one packed to over double capacity and was probably only about 40 ft long. I sat on the roof the entire ride taking in the scenery of the fishing pier. We left the dock and the first thing I noticed was that the Indonesians on the boat were throwing their trash out the window. Looking down into the water I saw that it was a deathly shade of brown, saturated with waterlogged trash and oil sludge. With so much pollution in the air and the water alike, I looked out onto the horizon and literally couldn't tell where the grey water ended and the grey sky began. It took a full hour of our ride to pass the line of trash and get to the beautiful turquoise water that the islands are so famous for. And in the grimy waters we passed many a fishing boat. I may not eat fish for my entire time in Indonesia it was so nauseating. As cigarette after cigarette were thrown into the water I looked ahead to the Islands appearing before us. Docking about 2 hrs off shore from Jakarta on Pramuka Island we set off to snorkel for the day. Some of you might know that I am terrified of snorkeling. It is something about the silence and listening to my own breathing that freaks me out. Well you'll be happy to know that I DID IT! I snorkeled all day. The coral was an expansive, spectacular, and intricate underwater landscape. The fish were beautiful shades of purple and red. It was breathtaking especially in light of the disgusting water conditions only about an hour away. It has been a great but shocking start over here in Southeast Asia for me.

I start volunteering with a social circus foundation here in a couple of days and will keep you posted about that. My quest for all 3 splits,  juggling, the scorpion, and handstands are well on their way. I am lonely some, but have been finding great people to connect with along my way. I hope you are all well! I love you all!

Sophie

Conclusions About Montreal

What a wacky place.

The true circus I've experienced here is the people I have met, some of which I have now befriended. But they include and are not limited to: an aspiring woman stand-up comedian, an olympic level ice skater, a pro wrestler, so many professional circus performers, so many climbers, people who run improv music for disabled communities, burlesque dancers, musicians up the wazoo. This is the most eccentric place. Who woulda thunk? Seriously though, I have never seen so many grown men rollerblading to work shirtless while smoking a cigarette!

So what am I really doing in Montreal? Good question. There were two main reasons why I decided to come to Montreal as my first stop on this wild ride. One being Cirque Du Monde, and the other was due to the training in circus technique I could get here myself. The standards of excellence and technique in circus is excessively high here. Everyone is so accomplished. When planning my Watson I realized that I am a complete novice in most things circus, and if I want to participate and not just watch while visiting (and maybe creating) Social Circus sites around the world than I had better brush up what I do know, and get some more skills fast!

Flying trapeze, beginning acrobatics and parkhour, improv, silks, static trapeze, flexibility, pole dancing, more flexibility (my legs hurt!), and a bit of juggling. Phew...its tiring! Also, I am still observing at some schools too. All the while I elected to subscribe to BIXI instead of riding the metro. Its a shared bike system throughout the city. Fortunately every single thing I do in Montreal is nowhere near one another. I spend 2-3 hrs on a bike a day just trying to get from here to there! Aside from trying to take the fast track into learning circus technique I've been reading quite a bit. Its such a relief to be able to read again for pleasure. I also had a little stint at Canadian Nationals for frisbee, and brought the wonderful journal/sketchbook the lovely Lucy Holtsnider helped me make to journal in.

Listening to music, dancing a bit, singing a lot, learning circus, watching circus in action, meeting people, biking, swimming, sleeping. I feel like I am at a summer camp designed for me. The only thing missing are the people who are close to me.

Great news coming about my next destination. There has been a change of plans! After dinner last night with two Social Circus teachers, believers, and advocates I believe I should be headed to Africa. More to come soon as I see whether this plan will be worthwhile. Departure date from Montreal will be around September 9th.

I LOVE FLYING!

In the past when I mention I do trapeze people always smile and say, "WOW! So you can fly?" Well the short answer there is...no. I normally do single-point trapeze or as it is sometimes called, dance trapeze. It is different from static trapeze and it is also different from flying trapeze. The single-point trapeze can swing and can spin but is often rigged only about 2 yards up from the ground. It requires immense strength and control because all you have is your own strength to lift, bend, and twist around the trapeze. Now, in the circus mecca of Montreal, I am finally learning how to fly! Flying trapeze here I come!

In flying trapeze lessons I am learning it is more about coordination, momentum, and listening than about strength. Even though in performance flying trapeze may seem individual, it is truly a team activity. People on the ground and on the rig are always calling to one another, and the fliers communicate constantly. At its best the teamwork seems like a well oiled machine, catapulting people across the air. 

At Trapezium where I am learning, they are very kind. They are encouraging, but their style of teaching revolves around the idea of: JUST DO IT! They explain what you are supposed to do yes, but only once. Then you just have to try. I like experiential learning so it works just fine for me! There is something freeing about jumping off a ledge and flying through the air. I can feel my posture improving after lessons. I walk taller because I can fly! I'm always happy when I leave.

Before you learn how to do the big swings and release tricks, you have to pass through the lower level tricks. I am still at this level learning knee hang, heels off, straddle whip, and splits. Then after you master the tricks you learn that at the top of your swing you let go and reach for the catcher. My first try at the straddle whip catch I punched the catcher in the face. Whoops! 

And here is my first catch!

First Bit of Social Circus

"L’École de cirque de Verdun is a non-profit organization dedicated to the training and development of circus arts. The school acknowledges the universality of circus arts for their privileged contribution to the expression of a better world based on solidarity, mutual aid, and self-accomplishment, where young and old of diverse social, cultural and ethnic environments thrive."

The children sit cross legged, faces painted, hardly able to contain their excitement. Giggles erupt in small spouts from little girls and boys awaiting their moment to shine on the tight rope, trapeze, trampoline and more. It is 30 minutes til show time. Under Pressure is played, which seems ironic to me as I stifle my own giggle, but the kids don't seem to feel any pressure. They sing along in gibberish, as most of them favor French, as they stand beginning to jog in place facing the center of the matted stage area. This old ice rink has been converted into a full circus center. With areas designated for acrobatics, dance, juggling, aerials and the like- the space is an adventure waiting to happen. The counselors and teachers are in the middle demonstrating their warm-ups. They too seem unable to contain their enthusiasm both for this show, and the kids themselves. High knees, frog jumps- the pre-show warm up show has begun. I sit on the stands alone noticing just how different these kids seem from the babbling hyperactive ones that arrived just two weeks ago.

I have had the pleasure of observing this summer camp at Cirque Verdun for the past two weeks. If there is one thing I don't know too much about yet its circus education for kids. Oh yes, I've taught dance, acting, art, sports, hell I've even taught Hebrew which I don't even know to kids from 4-16, but not circus. Not yet anyways! I decided to begin my trip with this observation to set a precedent for myself, to grasp what circus education can look like.

The first thing you notice about this camp is the communal feel. They go to great lengths to create tradition and fun for the campers. With call and response songs, warm-ups, and a fun filled schedule I often find that I am wishing I was 10 again so I could go to this camp! I want to jump on the trampoline, learn the devil sticks, and walk around on stilts! They split up by age group to learn for the majority of the day, bouncing around to each station: trampoline, tumbling, balance, aerials, dance, juggling, and more. 

While there is so much to say about this school and how it inspires me, how is confirms in my mind that Social Circus really does work, I'll just say one thing. Through interviews with kids, counselors, directors, and founders at this school I have found a true team. A team of people who believe in what they do. A portion of the day is dedicated to human pyramids and making shapes with the other campers. Watching the enthusiastic francophone children learn how to climb up one another sums up why Social Circus is important. They learn to trust their partners and their groups to hold them. They learn to trust themselves to balance. They learn to work in a team, truly supporting one another, all the while improving their own strength and stamina to keep working at this art form. I venture to say that it is powerful to watch the delight on their faces when they accomplish a shape and graduate to the next.

Seemingly to further my complete euphoria with this experience, I notice another studio on the other side of the rink. Studio B. Peeking in I notice some extremely buff men climbing a pole. They seem to just be shooting the shit as they nonchalantly run up the pole with lightning speed and do back flips back to the ground. All like it's easy or something! In another corner of the studio there is a woman working on a trapeze, pumping out pull up after pull up. In yet another corner there is a man holding a woman's hand above his head as she does a one armed hand stand (hand to hand as it is called.) My eyes finally falls on the label and I realize suddenly I am watch MY FAVORITE CIRCUS COMPANY REHEARSE. Les 7 doigts de la main circus is known for its spunk, collaborative genius, theatrical portrayal of intriguing characters, and unique shows. PSY their hit show on mental illness is particularly interesting to me. I am taken back by how their shows always have a message and always inspire the audience to take action. Here is a video of them so you can get a taste of what I got to watch! Many of the people from this video we're rehearsing at times I watched. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOkWUjHPRqg&feature=related

I find it interesting that the Cirque Verdun School and The 7 Fingers circus are housed in one building. How beautiful to see with your own eyes just how far a child can go in circus if she or he puts their mind to it. What a little Social Circus can do!

Cirque Du Monde!

11 days in, and I find myself back at Cirque Du Soleil's headquarters. I selected Montreal as my starting point because of Cirque (as it is called for short.) As the story goes Guy Laliberte selected the location of the headquarters in a rundown part of town in order to revitalize the area. Also housed in the same neighborhood is TOHU- The City of Circus Arts (making circus accessible to the community), and the National Circus School, one of the best professional contemporary circus schools in the world today.

The building is without a doubt beautiful and houses everything Cirque Du Soleil. This means that not only are the financial, HR, marketing, corporate-type offices here, but also everything on the creative side. From shoe manufacturers, to screen printers, to cloth dyers, to wig makers, to the library, to make-up studios, to rehearsal space, to artist and crew lodging, it is all here. In addition, there are two cafeterias with gourmet food. Naturally the gardens surrounding the complex supply the veggies. I am completely thrown off by their efforts at becoming a sustainable unit, as such a successful company. They even make the wigs by HAND, strand by strand!

I am taken on a tour of the complex where I pass dozens of model heads. I learn that up until 2008 every artist performing in one of the 22 shows around the world has a model head (now it is done virtually with a computer.) This is so that they can make the masks, hats and more without flying them back to the headquarters. I also learn that every artists does their own make-up for every show. They learn every stroke of the design right here at headquarters before being sent off to their show. It takes up to 3 hours for each artist to finish before each show. The fabulous painted faces of Cirque Du Soleil is one of the aspects that makes the shows special. Every three months all costumes are replaced for each show- every single costume is made here.

They make an effort to make everything- including their food- from scratch. But I shouldn't have been too surprised. After all this is the company that started Cirque Du Monde. They are at the forefront of Social Circus. It was my pleasure to interview and spend 2 whole days with the people at the top of Cirque Du Monde. I met with Lino, Margarita, Sonia, and Anik, all of whom help organize projects around the world. Cirque Du Monde, by  nature very modest about what they do, does not claim to be the first or the last Social Circus organization, but it does claim that their brand of Social Circus works.

I am particularly taken with one aspect of their organization. They don't come in and set up projects around the world. They are very against setting up a project and then leaving it. Thus they partner with local non-profits, both circus and social ones, and supply circus trainers and/or circus training to local instructors. They then check carefully in on these projects around the world. Currently they serve over 80 communities around the world. In addition they hold social circus instructor trainings. I am inspired by their dedication to the work they do.

I have come to Montreal first for this experience. To immerse myself in what Social Circus looks like at its best and also most corporate. Cirque Du Monde has managed to legitimize social circus around the world in its near 16 year existence. With about 50 employees worldwide Cirque Du Monde sends a message that Social Circus can be done effectively and well. 


Oh and did I mention that I god to watch some rehearsal. Bafflingly beautiful performers which such intense strength it is frightening. I need to speed up my own training!
Throughout my trip I will be visiting Cirque Du Monde sites. I was able to confirm my participation in some of the sites specifically in Brazil during my meetings. Time to brush my my Portuguese...more like learn it...

I know this was a long post and read slightly like a book report, but I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT SOCIAL CIRCUS! 

And I'm Off!

One full day of bus rides later and my Watson has begun. Hard to believe that as I stood there at the bus station in Northampton with my parents this would be the last time my feet touched American soil in 12 whole months. What am I doing!? The whole prospect of this trip still hasn't dawned on me, nor do I completely understand the point yet. But such is life. All I know is that I am headed in uncharted territory for me: adventure without restraint. With unsure footing, I am getting more and more excited as time goes on!

As a compulsive over packer, I shocked both myself and the people helping me pack when I fill up one backpack and am set! I was almost convinced to take Claire along instead of my clothes, but ultimately decided that would be irresponsible (she told me I had to post this picture. So here is my test run of uploading pictures.) I will be bringing this large backpack and my trapeze bag with me this year, and hopefully that will be it. I want to be as mobile and as flexible as possible throughout the next twelve months. What this means is that I definitely won't be looking that nice for 12 months! I will be wearing the same thing everyday pretty much. My uniform? Black dance pants and a black patagonia tank top. Very unassuming. But however light I planned to pack on this first leg of the trip, I decided to bring a GIANT suitcase with all of my food needs for the 6 weeks in Montreal (aside for produce that is) so I could save money. 

I get to Montreal 6 days ago and upon arrival I begin to notice that my bags are extremely heavy. Trying to make my way through the metro system and find my way to where I am staying seems an impossible task to do alone. I am drenched in sweat and somehow still in a good mood two hours later when I stumble into Bobby Lee's house, the captain of the ultimate team I will be playing on for the next two weeks. This is probably because I got approximately 1 hour of sleep the night before. I was running around in a frenzy making sure everything was set for my departure until the wee hours of the morning, and when I finally did collapse into bed my mind was still racing with guesses as to what this year would bring. 

While I did carefully plan my first two weeks in Montreal, the rest is just about getting my footing and figuring out what makes sense. For the first two weeks of my Watson Fellowship I will be observing at a circus school to build a base of what circus education looks like, spending time at Cirque Du Soleil and Cirque Du Monde, taking flying trapeze, and playing in two Frisbee tournaments to keep my sanity. I know where I am living for the first 5 days and that is all. I will be moving to a Youth Hostel after and will then begin praying for the housing angel to introduce me to someone who has an extra room for free! Who knew it would be so expensive being homeless? Youth Hostels cost about 30 bucks a night. Sort of annoying when all I need is a place to sleep.

Which brings me to the real point of this post:
I just want to thank all of you- friends, family, professors, mentors- who have been there for me in the past 22, almost 23 years. Thank you! Stepping onto the bus bound for Montreal and for a year full of uncertainty and excitement, all I could think about was the people who have helped me get to this point. Whether teaching me to throw a Frisbee or do a pirouette, editing my papers, mentoring me through the Watson process, or just being a friend, I am forever indebted to all of you. Heading away I realize that what I haven't had recently is a lot of time- time for reflection, time for quiet moments, time to just relax, time to fully tell all of you how much you mean to me. This Watson gives me the gift of time. Since I graduated high school my life has been a whirlwind- Israel, CC, creative projects that seem to take over my life, Frisbee, theses, graduation, the Watson process, and so many more things in between.

Anyone who has spent any time around me knows that I love to do things. I am always doing a million activities and have always had a crazy schedule. This next step for me is to discover how to live a more flexible and spontaneous lifestyle. My goal for this year is to discover who I am and what Social Circus is without the confines of a rigid schedule. Old habits die hard, so we'll see how I do! But thank you all very much for supporting me, believing in me, and loving me. I support, believe and love you all.

Feel free to follow this blog as much or as little as you like in the coming year. I also would LOVE to hear from you all throughout the year. Email me anytime! I will be in and out of email contact, but I promise to respond. Best of luck. So long until August 2012.

My slogan from my trip to Israel still stands: Off I go. The Windows of My Soul I Throw Open To The Sun!

What is Social Circus You Ask?

Contemporary circus, an offshoot of Circus, delivers a message to its audience and instills values of trust within its performers. This circus pedagogy can be used in a new movement called Social Circus, which uses circus technique as a way to build self-confidence and trust both within individuals and groups. 

Be sure to click on the title of this post. It is a link to the Wikipedia page dedicated to Social Circus.