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Belgrade: Day 6

Molly Scarborough

Today was a day of goodness.

This morning Nela ran a couple of workshops with us - we worked together and we told stories of truth both vocally and physically. We were all given the same object: a chair. With the chair we had to make a performance about a specific truth we would like to tell. The chair could be a person, an object or an animal - but not a chair.

Afterwards we had a bit of time to think about our performances on Thursday.

Then we caught a bus to the local dance institute in Belgrade. We met a lovely lady called Snežana and she gave us a mini tour of the building. We were also able to see a few sessions in action too - which was great!

We then went to the book fair where we met a lady called Marina at an EU stall. We spoke about their project and our own (The Complete Freedom of Truth) and how they are both funded by the EU (Erasmus+). Tomorrow we plan to go to the talk about the culture in Belgrade at the same stall where we will find out a bit more.

At times the language barrier can be quite difficult as a lot of words and meaning get lost in translation. For example: I can't be entirely sure what the project was that I saw today at the book fair. I know that it was Serbia specific and I think it is based around the river that runs through Serbia and connects it to the world. But I'm not entirely sure. However, tomorrow I will find out more (hopefully!) It'd be really good to see what other projects are funded by Erasmus+.

I'm a new place, what did I expect? The language is completely foreign to me. So foreign that I can't read. And that is a strange experience. I feel somewhat inadequate. Like I can't even guess what things say. When people are speaking there are one or two words that are obvious or guessable.

But other than that I'm just looking at markings etched on the wall.

The alphabet is completely different so I can't even sound words out most of the time. So today when I looked at the sign on the EU wall - I couldn't read it. I couldn't guess as to what it said. And I'm not saying this is a bad thing, it's just a strange experience. Most places I have been there have been signs in English or at least in the same alphabet. I guess we are more familiar with languages like: Italian, French, Spanish and German and not so much Serbian. (In my case not at all) I kind of want to learn how to decode their alphabet now though.

Anyway.

After the book fair we had some free time so we all made our way back to the apartment. Sammy and Katie organised the lunch / dinner and made us all some pasta.

Then we began to make our way to the Bitef Teatar to see 'Return of The Zombie, EP. 3' by Dragana Bulut. Great show - really enjoyable! There are many things to be said about the show - but I can't quite articulate them yet. But what I can tell you is that it ended with a screening of The Dawn of The Dead (1878) - we even were given popcorn - which is always a plus.

Here are some pics from the day:

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