Snapshots of the Midnight Sun.doc

You may not know it because I'm not keeping a formal counter, but this indeed marks the century point of my blogging experience. This is my 100th post. It has been a great ride so far. Instead of writing a lengthy update of life post-Finland, I'm still feeling nostalgic for those great times so I'm going to share some snapshots of the midnight sun.














After 100 posts, I am 'le tired'. But with an Amsterdam departure on the horizon (seven days and counting) you can look forward to a post or two about how much I'll miss the city this weekend.

Doc's Prescription of the Day: If I was a Doctor in Finland I think prescribing sleep related remedies would be a big part of the job. How could anyone sleep with such beautiful sunsets? Stay up late to enjoy them.

Finlandia Summer School: Play Hard.doc

In this the second installment of the Summer School Summary (see post one below), I’ll get to the social aspect of things. Play Hard indeed.

It would be an understatement to say that we had fun this past week. I never really went to summer camp as a kid, but I’m sure children have a ball running through the forest, swimming, and doing all kinds of activities. This past week of summer school was like that…but for adults. We could stay up as long as we wanted, partake in consuming a few beverages, and socialize to our heart’s content. One of the features of graduate education is that your professors treat you like colleagues rather than students and the truth of that approach was brought home this week.

Whoever says theatre kids don’t do well at sports certainly didn’t meet our group of MAIPRs. We took part in just about everything there was to do activity wise. The first evening we played some Ultimate Frisbee while waiting for the last group of students to arrive; we played a game of soccer most days of the week; we messed around in the gym; and we even jogged a bit around the football pitch. While there wasn’t much time to fit these activities in, they provided a great way to transition from the demanding school schedule. Sometimes it got a bit competitive, but only enough to make things interesting. For me, the highlight of the sport activities was taking the rowboat out on the lake and rowing around taking photos. We went out on the water for the first three nights. Lotte and I took the boat out at 2am on Monday evening – it seemed like a good idea at the time.

In addition to sports, we had social events planned every evening. These nights usually involved heading down to the sauna, grilling food over the bonfire, and then sitting around joking and laughing the night away. You’d think that this combination would get old, but nothing could be further from the truth. On Monday and Tuesday we had sauna and bonfire nights, Wednesday we were invited to a party by the Forestry students, Thursday was chilling and sauna after our environmental theatre pieces, and Friday was our final party at “Sausage Rock.” Yeahhhh, I have no idea about the name.

With breakfast at 8am and a full schedule, you’d think we’d at least have some concern with getting a decent night’s sleep, but it obviously was not so. I’d say that the average time for bed was 3:00am. Those of us dedicated to the cause were averaging about five hours of good sleep. Part of this was the energy of being with our fellow program mates, but it was also determined by the number of hours of sunlight. By the time 11 o’clock rolled around one could see the sun was a faint glow of red; at midnight the sun had set but the sky was light blue; at 2am the sky was a blueberry colour, and by 3:30am the sun was already starting to rise. There was not one point in the week where there was no light outside – a deep powder blue is as dark as it got. It was fantastic living in this environment. You feel pretty invinsible with the sun not setting. It gives new meaning to the term “never going home.”

Part of the reason for the late nights was the feature of the week: the Finnish sauna. It put all the other saunas I’ve been in to shame. Not only was the temperature 10 -20 degrees warmer (if you’re sitting on the top level when water was added to the coals the air you breathe in is warm and soft) but the combination of the warm sauna with the cold lake was refreshing every time. Add in a few beverages and there was no need to head to bed anytime soon. It was great seeing such an international group embrace such a culturally specific tradition – our professors also joined in on some evenings and made the 3am trek home with us. Sauna, sauna, sauna was the highlight of the week.

We were sharing the conference site with fifty forestry students who spend ten weeks studying and living in the environment. We shared the dining facilities, sauna, and all the sports equipment with them. They were really interested to chat with us about what theatre students could possibly be doing in the forest (I don’t think the site gets a lot of non-biology folk) so it was great to have some other people around. On Wednesday night they invited us to their weekly party, the theme of which was “Kid’s Party.” Now, I’ve been to a few theme parties at Queen’s, but I’ve never heard of the re-creation of a children’s party being appealing for 20 somethings. I was proved wrong; it was a blast. We pieced together costumes as best as possible and joined them in the main dining room where they played great music, had some games, and even asked us to perform. I took the lead and emceed a hilarious game of Freeze Tag to involve the whole group. Fins + MAIPRs = success. They loved the game and were eager to continue.

On Friday, we had a day of reflection on the academic pursuits covered over the week and finished with a wonderful sit down dinner, a bonfire, some boating, and one more trip to the sauna. At 4:00am, as the sun was rising, the last group (professors included) sat outside around the picnic table post-sauna and chatted about the success of the week. It was really quite special.

Today we packed up and left the site at 10am, stopped through Helsinki and returned to Amsterdam. It was really tough to come to terms with the idea that the week was over. Twenty-nine of us embarked on this crazy program for the first time and five full days just doesn’t seem long enough to be the only time when we’re all congregated together. It was really difficult to part ways, and really brought home for me just how privileged I am to be having such a perspective changing opportunity. The week was the best of 2009 and is something I’ll remember for years to come.

Some pictures of the Finnish sunset coming soon…

Doc’s Prescription of the Day: It’s a Finnish tradition to fashion a bundle of birch branches into a whip like structure and hit yourself with it in the sauna. They say it opens up pores, but to me it felt like I was hitting myself with tree branches. At the same time, when in Finland...

Finlandia Summer School: Work Hard.doc

In these two summer school installments I’m splitting the week into work hard and play hard posts – way too much to mention for one entry.

It’s impossible to summarize these past six days in a blog post – it was one of the best weeks of my life. No overstatement. It would be like blogging about graduation from high school, convocation night from Queens, Cuba reading week 2007, or the magic that was the last year at UofT. What I will do is narrate the week’s activities to give you an idea how much it has affected me. I’m currently on the bus ride from Tampere to Helsinki so it seems like the best time to look back.

To preface, you’d be hard pressed to find another MA like this one. Twenty-nine students from over twenty countries study performance and theatre at four different universities in three different countries with staff from over twelve nations. That in itself is staggered. The week in the Finnish forest was the very first time this group has been brought together in one place. Not only was it important to meet the one third of the students we haven’t studied with at our two sites, but to have everyone in one room (who you’ve heard about or befriended on facebook) was a little overwhelming. At the core of the experience is the international feature of the gathering; every continent was represented. Having generally lived in places where diversity is poor at best, the program has inspired an international awareness and appreciation of intercultural exchange.

The trip from Amsterdam to Helsinki was a lot of fun. One look at the group and you could tell the energy and adrenaline was flowing. We met up with the Finnish students in Tampere (where I met two of the other Canadians I hadn’t studied with). It was super exciting to see Lotte again. Of all the students in the program she reminds me most of friends back home (more to come on our adventures…).  The conference centre had all the amenities: four saunas on-site, a boathouse, football pitch, volleyball court, bonfire and grilling pits, and a fully serviced dining room. I have to take a moment and mention the dining schedule – breakfast, lunch, coffee and cake, dinner, evening snacks, and a packed fridge for 3am post-sauna chat. I ate the whole week, and I’m not apologizing for it. On the Sunday night the Warwick group was the last to arrive to complete the MAIPR circle. Tory and I were reunited in the absolutely chaotic kitchen. It was to be the start of an amazing week.

Monday was the kick-off of our jam-packed schedule. Breakfast each day was at eight in the morning and the last official session ended at 8 in the evening when we were left to our own devices. The academic chunks of the week were split into lectures, dissertation meetings, poster sessions, and student-led sessions. I won’t spend precise space blogging about boring details, but all of the academic content was well thought out and beneficial since we’re in the process of formulating our dissertation topics. It was valuable to have access to all the professors and to share ideas with fellow students. On that morning, I spoke at the first gathering on behalf of the student committee – the events we scheduled for that week couldn’t have gone any better.

All the student led-sessions were well received: Dev from India led us through an acting workshop; Helen from Russia led a session on contact body improv; Lonneke from the Netherlands and Jocelyn from Singapore taught belly-dancing for the girls; our professor Kati from Germany instructed on the waltz; and I lead improv games at our party with the Forestry students (more on that later). The feature of these sessions was that it provided a space for young international practioners to share their skills and learn from one another.

Without a doubt, the feature of the “work” side of the week was the practical explorations we did in the Finnish Forests. Our instuctors, Baz Kershaw from the UK and Mark Fleischman from South Africa, lead us through three hours of practical work a day both in studio and in the forest that led to the creation of site-specific environmental theatre. In my group was Courtney from the States, Lotte from the UK, Hetta from Finland, Olga from Russia, and Joao (my roommate for the week) from Portugal. We created a ten minute piece that explored the invisible environmental cycles of the earth’s atmosphere that regulate weather patterns. It was a bit abstract, but we drew from our surroundings in the dense forest to conceptualize the piece. The performances from the five groups on the Thursday evening (attended by around fifty spectators) took place in the forest and showcased the results of our “practice as research” explorations.  It was one of the most organic theatre experiences I’ve had. I look forward to utilizing some of these techniques in future work.

Our daily schedule was mapped out for the whole week, but the work was never too taxing. I think it was because we were finally all in one room together that a common purpose developed. Near the end of the week we discussed post-MAIPR options and it was comforting to hear that my friends are just as clueless and open to possibilities as I am about where the degree can take me.

Doc’s Prescription of the Day: Spending a tranquil moment out on the lake in a boat at 2am is a great way to reflect. We went on many a row.

Reaching the Finnish Line.doc

This whole week has been a bit of a blur. Each day I've had a grocery list of items to complete before tomorrow's hotly anticipated departure. They have requested us to bring a large collection of items to complete the summer school academic and practical tasks (alongside all of our clothes) so I've been running around the city looking for really specific 'objects.' It feels somewhat like we're making a soup with really exotic ingredients. Thankfully, I have found everything I need (hopefully) and have completed my science fair type poster and am ready to leave tomorrow at noon.

Originally, I did my poster up on the computer to be printed as one document. Unfortunately, I wasn't prepared to shell out for the printing costs. I'm curious what the P&CC charged for a colour A1 on semi-gloss; I'm sure it wasn't anywhere close to the 30 - 60 Euros I was quoted. Instead I took one of my large maps of Amsterdam and used that as my base. It'll add a really creative dimension to my presentation. Also, while everyone maneuvers their rolled up posters through customs, I can fold mine safely into my carry on. Sometimes I don't give myself enough credit. I'm patting myself on the back. And the 30 Euros I saved on printing can be spent on duty free...cologne.

Alongside my school supplies I'm bringing some of the following items: a Canadian frisbee, Dentyne Ice, a trashy magazine, my ipod, my laptop, a clown nose, and a blow up beach ball. Summer Camp anyone?!?

Things I am most looking forward to in Finland:

1. The first time all of the students in the program are together. We've been studying for eight months and have, at most, only met two thirds of the group. Thirty theatre students together in the Finnish Forest should be interesting to say the least. I will record all stories.

2. There are four saunas onsite, two of which are right on the lake. I'll be the last one out.

3. There is a beach volleyball court. After a summer of beach volleyball in Prescott, and playing on the UofT Drama Centre team, I'm looking forward to playing a game or two again. I hope the MAIPRs like competition.

4. The stats I read on the web say that we should expect 19 hours of sunlight while in Finland. The sun rises just before 4am and sets after eleven. I'm really interested to see how this feels. I think it will mean late nights, and early mornings are scheduled so I'm prepped for little sleep.

5. Traveling in Europe sometimes doesn't feel like you're on vacation because you usually have so much to see. There is nothing to see in the Finnish forest except wildlife and the lake. It should feel like a real vacation even if there is a full schedule every day.

My task this afternoon is to pack. We're heading out tonight because Zhenya from Russia isn't coming back to Amsterdam, so it'll be one more night with the mobility crew. I think I'll be digitally MIA all of next week but will provide full updates when I arrive back in Amsterdam. Here is the link to the conference centre: Hyytiälä Forestry Field Station. I'm happy to be returning back to the North after the visit to Sweden last year. Best Wishes to Canada!

Doc's Prescription of the Day: If I had it in my power to prescribe 20 hours of sunlight, I would. It is still of course the month with the most sunshine, so enjoy it.

Life's a Beach.doc

After such a wonderful time at the beach with the girls last week, I suggested an MAIPR beach day happen immediately. The crew was more than happy to oblige. Monday was another holiday here in the Netherlands (at this point I can't even keep track) so we boarded the train with the other holiday revelers on our way to Zandvoort.

We picked a great day. The temperature reached 24, which for the lowest part of Europe (we're below sea level) is pretty respectable. After learning from the last time (when they tried to charge us for using the lounge chairs!) we staked out a beautiful spot in the sand and went straight to relaxing. I brought my copy of Hello Magazine Canada - sent by my wonderful friend Emma - and read all about the celebrity happens on our side of the border. The other members of the group were razzed when they pulled out school related library books. Sand + Theory just does not mix.

On the last visit we didn't end up going swimming because the water was super cold. This may surprise some of you since I love to swim in saltwater. I could spend my whole day trying to ride waves. On this visit however, Hetta bullied me into joining her in the water. She's use to Finnish lakes where a dip is taken after a nice long sauna; I'm use to Island beaches on reading week and warm lakes on Prescott evenings. The water was cold upon entry, but as with any dip, after ten minutes I had adjusted to the warmth and rediscovered the joys of swimming in salt water. Hetta left after ten minutes but I stayed in for a half hour.

Dev, Adam, and Courtney wandered down after a while to see where their Canadian comrade had disappeared to. After they took some photos of me splashing in the waves (there were actually a lot of surfers in the water too) they joined in: Courtney rolled up her pants and waded in a bit, Adam came fully in and then retreated back to the warmth of the sun after ten minutes, but Dev's another story. He wore jeans and a T-shirt to the beach not expecting to swim. After rolling his jeans up (belt and all) he entered the water and it was a struggle to get him out. Having lived in a small village in India, Dev had never swam in saltwater before. We waded in, swam out a bit, and tried to catch waves as they crested. I can't really remember what the ocean must have been like as a young child, but seeing Dev jump and splash around I have a pretty good idea. It was really a great moment to share with him; he was in his glory. After twenty more minutes of hanging out with Dev, the hour in the water left me a little drained. I laid down in the swallow water to relax while keeping an eye on my friend and his new found fun.

Once we made it back to the beach, the rest of the afternoon was spent chatting about the upcoming summer school, enjoying the packed surroundings, and venturing to one of the many patio bars for a beer. By the time six o'clock rolled around the seven hours of sun, sand, and water had taken its toll. You'd think that after a day of doing absolutely nothing productive that one wouldn't be tired, but we were all wiped. We boarded the train back to Centraal and called it a day. I took with me a winning sunburn that is quickly making its way into a golden tan. I chalk it up to practice for the 12 days of scorching sun I'll be seeing in Portugal and Spain in July. It'll go down as one of the best Amsterdam group days.

Yesterday was my Mom's birthday. It's difficult to try and catch her at home during the weekdays since she gets in around 6pm, but I was happy to be able to wish her a good day. Last evening I took Bec out for dinner as a thank you for her wonderful help during the macbook crisis. We went to a pizzeria just around the corner from her house - I had a pizzer with broccoli, eggplant, onions, and asparagus. Today I've been working in the library and madly trying to get errands done before a Sunday departure to Finland. Apparently we'll be having about 21 hours of sunlight during our days - that should be an experience.

Doc's Prescription of the Day: I always think that I'd be really happy to live on or near a beach. Here's hoping you're able to schedule some beach time this summer.