Made it to Bergen and Oslo Norway safely. I arrived (stressed) after a long journey of cancelled and delayed flights. I really am astonished that I made it to Bergen, Norway, where I attended the 8th Annual Bergen Tango Marathon, with about 200 other people! I guess that the Tango Goddesses were on my side, they wanted me to be here!
I arrived on a nice day, not too cold, maybe about 60 F which didn’t last. It rained most of the rest of the time here. The landscape is gorgeous in Bergen and as one of the ladies from Technique class said, “Bergen would be paradise if it wasn’t for all the rain”! I might agree if I had seen more of it. So a return visit might be in order and several umbrellas and super duper rain gear. Although it seems like the locals are accustomed to being wet. I was bundled up AND wet and there were many locals (clearly) wandering in jeans and sneakers! I was cold for them!
I really enjoyed the marathon. I had met one of the organizer, Birger at a marathon in Berlin. He did everything in his power to convince me to come to Bergen. (He clearly is very persuasive, and truly one of the kindest people I know to date.) I was lucky to have a lovely hostess, Ellen, although we didn’t see much of each other, she was handling several aspects of the kitchen management for the marathon. She was very organized and efficient. I would hire for a project manager any day! Again in these events, I run into familiar faces and also meet new ones.
Those who know me and know my classes, will appreciate hearing that I exposed a (special) dancer to the stick, also known as the shopping cart exercise. This great exercise thanks to Graciela Gonzalez always clarifies issues and it did once again! Thank you J for letting me share it with you. It is always so nice to share the simple aspects of tango with dancers: technique, simple social movements, that make all the difference in the world. And when a dancer loves to receive them and their dance clearly changes, my heart is filled with so much joy, love, too, for this dance and the gifts it has given me and the gifts I can share. Thank you for being open! (D too)
The lovely surprise was to see 3 of my favorite Berliners there. Suzanne, Alex and Carola – we had several good laughs. It really made me very aware of what I do miss of Berlin right now, many of the lovely people I met during those initial 6 months this year. I will go back, it is just uncertain when. I did receive news that I was not accepted as a teaching partner at one of the studios but will be doing a course of some kind in the New Year! In the meantime I toodle around and see where I land next!
I am now spending the weekend in Oslo, where the sun has greeted me! I am visiting a woman with whom I went to school in France! (A very long time ago!) We have not seen each other since. I remember saying, however, that I would like to visit her in Norway one day and never thought the day would come! There was no tango in the cards but I am very much enjoying the much needed rest and visiting with Marianne after such a long time. She and her husband are great hosts! I am so grateful for the time with them.
I am really enjoying meeting people and connecting with them. I hear so many times that there are many tango teachers who are not very friendly. I do not understand this. And I have seen it myself. What does it take to be nice to people? Nothing! I love meeting people! It is very much a high for me. But I have been told more than once that “I am so nice”! And I didn’t understand but now I am beginning to put it together. Attitude is everything. And I really have met some wonderful people, this weekend included.
Pictures of Bergen:
Pictures of Oslo, a really lovely city!
See you in Budapest.