November 4, 2015

Event report: Language Show Live, London

Language Show Live is an annual language conference, considered one of the biggest and most important events in the linguistic circles, bringing together language learners, teachers and professionals. As I am currently in my final year of undergraduate studies and the pursuit of employment is fast approaching, I decided to visit this year’s show, which took place between the 16th and 18th of October. I was only able to attend on the Saturday, so I prepared myself for a busy day, with a long list of seminars to go to and stalls to visit (I even managed to squeeze in a 30 minute Welsh taster class!).
At first I was a little overwhelmed by the enormity of the event, there was so much going on I didn’t know where to start! However, I quickly found my way round and the areas I was interested in. The event was divided into different sections, such as Careers Zone, TEFL Fair, Technology Zone and Primary Languages Base among others. Each section had numerous stalls with representatives of the corresponding institutions, ranging from British Council and the European Commission, to TEFL courses abroad and language resources retailers. It felt like everyone and everything language related were all under the same roof.
I attended multiple seminars, which were divided into three categories based on the topic: Teaching, Translating/Interpreting and TEFL. It was very interesting to find out more about some possible careers such as Public Service Interpreting or translating for the European Union. Hearing from professionals and their personal experiences of the job was a lot more insightful and informative than a simple career profile online. It was also a great opportunity to ask more specific questions. Whatever doubt you had, there sure was someone to answer it!

I would definitely recommend the event and I’m hoping to visit again next year. I believe it’s particularly beneficial for final year language students who are exploring different career options, but also for language professionals, for whom the event is a great networking opportunity.

Next year the Language Show Live will take place from 14th to 16th October 2016.

Written by Alicja Zajdel

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October 8, 2015

On Languages: Portuguese

Acordo_ortografico_PT

My adventure with the Portuguese language started almost three years ago, when after six long years of French at school I decided to try something new. Portuguese was definitely that. Even though I already speak Spanish, and was therefore expecting it to be quite similar, I was surprised by how different and well, foreign, it sounded to me at first. The Portuguese I was first introduced to was the European kind, which with its throaty Rs and fricative ʃ[1]and ʒ[2]sounds, can appear somewhat Slavic. It certainly does not resemble the Spanish or Italian pronunciation, perhaps more familiar to most people. However, I embraced this difference straight away, as after all I was after something new. Of course grammatically and lexically Portuguese resembles other Romance languages and having already had some knowledge of two other languages from that group, it was definitely easier to learn Portuguese. I cannot say what it’s like to learn it as your first foreign language.
But let’s backtrack a little. Why did I even start learning Portuguese? It doesn’t seem like the most popular language to learn in Europe, which is a shame, because it’s actually the 6th most spoken language in the world. Of course the biggest contribution to that number is Brazil, with over 200 million native speakers. And here comes another challenge: what’s the difference between the two dialects and which one do I choose?
Generally speaking, European Portuguese (EP) is the older, more traditional variant of the language. It’s characterised by more complex grammar and, of course, many lexical differences. Brazilian Portuguese (BP), having evolved differently with more influence of African and indigenous languages, such as Tupi, is the more exotic and grammar-free sibling. Of course the expression ‘grammar-free’ is used here as an exaggeration, but there are many cases of BP phrases that would be considered ungrammatical in EP. One of the biggest differences is the reduction of the personal pronoun system (I, you, he/she etc.) to just 3 verb forms, which makes learning verb tables a lot easier. The pronunciation is also quite different; BP favours more open vowels and the fricative ʃ and ʒ are reduced to the simple s and z, therefore reducing any resemblance to Slavic languages.
Which dialect is better?
This really is an impossible question as it’s all a matter of taste and individual preferences. I, personally, really like both for different reasons and I try to switch between them, depending on the interlocutor, but it’s not an easy thing to do. If you are considering learning Portuguese (and you should be!), I think you should ask yourself where you will be more likely to use it. If you travel frequently to Portugal and doubt you will venture out as far as Brazil, perhaps that’s something to consider. Of course the Brazilians and the Portuguese can understand each other, so it’s not like you won’t be able to use it in the other country, but misunderstandings do occur at times. Another thing to consider is that BP is a little easier to learn owing to its simpler and less strict grammar rules. So if you are up for a challenge or already have some linguistic experience, perhaps you will be more interested in EP. But if it’s your first attempt at foreign language learning, maybe you will find BP a bit less intimidating. This varies from person to person, so the best thing to do is to just try it and see for yourself. Regardless of which variant you choose, I recommend you learn Portuguese because it’s really fun and the Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) countries make for some really great holiday destinations! And the satisfaction you will feel when you eventually do master it is totally worth all the work. Boa sorte! 

Written by Alicja Zajdel

Photos courtesy of Alicja Zajdel

[1] As in the words shop, sure or national.

[2] As in the words pleasure or vision.
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September 24, 2015

Third Year Aboard: Olomouc, Czech Republic

The first time I went to Olomouc was as a university student and just like my peers, I became fascinated by this small Czech town. To this very day, I cannot say what its charm was exactly, whether it was the beautifully refurbished university library, the cobble stones surrounding the centre and the university or the atmospheric inns with delicious cuisine. Perhaps it was the possibility of experiencing them all at the same time.
I was understandably overjoyed when I found out that my third year abroad will be at Palacký University in Olomouc. I was thrilled with the idea of studying there for the whole year and not only practising foreign languages, but also getting to know the town and the country.
It was a very interesting year academically. As a Socrates-Erasmus student, apart from the compulsory subjects, I could choose seminars I wanted to attend across the department. Among my favourite ones were history of cinematography taught by a truly passionate tutor in the university cinema room, history of theatre in the old building with a theatre stage, political studies where all the stormy discussions happened and Czech literature with an amazing intellectualist-lecturer.
In my free time I travelled a lot, as the train system in the Czech Republic works amazingly well and it is also attractive price-wise. I went to Prague, Brno, Ostrava, but also abroad to Bratislava, Vienna and Budapest. When travelling I became much closer to the idea of Central Europe where everything is ‘centred’ enough that it becomes a new ‘local’. I was utterly amazed by the idea that you could almost bump into a well-known writer or poet in a local café, and that does not only happen in Prague. Localness is felt everywhere, in the form of travelling distance, city & town differentiation, closeness of high culture, ease in making friends. It is also visible in the Czech prose of Bohumil Hrabal, Josef Škvorecký or Jaroslav Hašek where with a pinch of humour you are told a story where the important and serious is greatly mixed with the trivial and silly. Or even the real and fictional, like the extremely popular Czech genius (also a playwright) Jára Cimrman who is a fictional persona created by Czech artists.
As you can see, my stay in Olomouc was a great journey, I see it as my first step into adulthood, but yet under the umbrella of being a university student. Many years later, it still brings a smile to my face and many happy memories. 
Written by Kinga Macalla
Edited by Alicja Zajdel

Photo courtesy of Kinga Macalla 

Olomouc
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September 10, 2015

Film Review: Santiago’s Path in “The Way”

Some weeks ago we were talking in class about the cities called Santiago in the world, such as Santiago de Cuba, Santiago de Chile and Santiago de Compostela (Spain). All of them have something in common: the Spanish language. For the sake of geographical proximity, although unknown to me, I will focus on the last one: Santiago de Compostela. The main reason why people know the city is because of Santiago’s pilgrimage route, known as Camino de Santiago, which runs along the north of Spain and has been walked for centuries. It takes between one and two months during which we can explore new places, enjoy the breathtaking landscapes, meet interesting people, discover new flavors and realize what we are capable. During the class conversation appeared the title of a film, The Way, an American and Spanish co-production, directed by Emilio Estévez and starring Martin Sheen.

The Way

The protagonist, Tom Avery, is a widowed ophthalmologist, who finds out that his son, Daniel, has died at the beginning of the route in the French Pyrenees. The relationship between the father and son wasn’t very close, because the first didn’t understand the lifestyle of his offspring. The last time they spoke on the phone, just before the journey, the son told him: “you don’t choose a life, you live one”. After the news of his son’s tragic death, Tom travels to France to collect the remains, and there he decides to walk the route with Daniel, each in a different world.

The film is not characterized by action scenes or sudden plot twists, but it concentrates on some Spanish topics, such as bulls, gypsies and typical foods like pinchos. The main characters are an Irishman who walks the way to lose weight, a Canadian woman who hides the fact that her husband was abusive and seems to have the purpose of quitting smoking and a writer looking for inspiration for his next book. At first, Tom shows no interest in making friends, not even engaging in conversations with fellow travelers. He only thinks of reaching the goal and scattering his son’s ashes along the way until they arrive to Galicia. There, having completed his journey, he releases the rest of the ashes into the Cantabrian Sea. He also puts his son’s name on the completion certificate awarded to each pilgrim in Santiago.

Besides the beautiful landscapes of northern Spain, several debates are presented in the film. What is the reason to begin the journey to Santiago de Compostela? Some people do it for religious reasons, others to find inspiration or as a means of meditation, others do it just for the challenge or to experience something different. Some even do the journey with a banal reason to quit smoking or to lose weight. Unlike the original travelers who used to make the journey with no help, nowadays many people choose to complete the pilgrimage on bike or use the help of modern technology. I think that the Camino should be a time to disconnect from everything to allow us to refocus on what it is important in life.

From my perspective, I think every day there are fewer people who have faith and belief in God. I would like to travel these sandy paths, crossing the refreshing rivers, but mostly I would like to have a suitable environment for meditation to regain the faith I lost some time ago. It is incredible how as the years pass, the religious origins are lost, forgotten, yet we keep the traditions and festivities. In my opinion we should be more concerned with the origins and reasons of celebrations, to understand better our roots and direct the society toward fellowship, kindness, empathy and understanding.

I cannot comment about the experience yet, but I can say the film made me even more interested to arrive in front of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela having found my inner peace, sticking my victory flag in the Galician land.

Written by Mireya Sevillano
Edited by Alicja Zajdel

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March 31, 2015

Third Year Abroad: Study placement in Madrid

As part of my degree programme in languages, the third year is spent abroad, either on a work or study placement. It is undoubtedly the part of the course that students look forward to the most and often describe as ‘the best year of their life’. I have just started my second placement in Porto, but looking back on the first semester I had spent in Madrid, I’m not sure if those are the words I would use.

Madrid 1

So far, I think my experiences would be better described as an emotional rollercoaster. Moving to a different country all by yourself is both exciting and scary; I have been alternating between feeling like I’m on a neverending holiday to thinking I’ve been sent into exile. There are times when you’re on a trip, exploring a beautiful new place with the sun shining and sipping sangria in the shade of palm trees. But other times you are in your room, on Skype with friends and family, and all of the sudden the magical bubble bursts and you feel more alone than ever. How is it possible to keep falling from one extreme to another?

The truth is, that even though sometimes I feel like packing my suitcase and going home, I wouldn’t change my experience for anything else. Living abroad alone, although sometimes frustrating and confusing, teaches you so much about yourself. You become so much more independent and learn to cope with the strangest, most ridiculous situations life throws at you. I can guarantee that every person who has done the Year Abroad will come back with so many incredible stories. So far, my experiences have included arguing with a Spanish police officer, going on a trip with an old people’s home and having to explain what a kettle is, an invention the Spaniards apparently aren’t familiar with. These things would never happen at home and they really push you out of your comfort zone.

In terms of language practise, being forced to use a foreign language at a daily basis expands your linguistic abilities really quickly. I was really surprised, that although I already had a good level of Spanish, I found myself lacking all the basic vocabulary, such as names of kitchen utensils or other everyday objects. I guess it’s things you don’t usually learn in classes, but once you move abroad they become essential. You’re also forced to think and answer quicker, often being asked things on the spot. I have found that if you hesitate and don’t give the impression of being confident, often people will just speak to you in English or not at all.

Overall, I think it’s important to know that the Year Abroad can be hard, but on the whole it’s a really worthwhile experience. Just studying a foreign language and culture is never the same as actually experiencing it firsthand. I have learnt so much this year, but also realised that sometimes I know very little (I still don’t understand how to make the bed the Portuguese way!). But I think all the struggles of the Year Abroad are worth it in the end, when you get to come back home speaking a foreign language and feeling proud of everything you have achieved.

Written by Alicja Zajdel
Photos courtesy of Alicja Zajdel

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February 23, 2015

Film Review: WINGS OF DESIRE

Wings of desire (Der Himmel über Berlin) is the only film I have seen more than once and it is definitely my favourite. It was directed by Wim Wenders in 1987 and awarded at the Cannes Film Festival. 

Wings of Desire

There are several reasons which make the film so special and lyrical. First of all, it is the romantic fantasy plot. The film tells the story of two angels, Damiel and Cassiel, who observe West Berlin’s life and listen to people’s thoughts while remaining invisible. The angels are immortal observers and can’t interact with people and their world. It changes when Damiel falls in love with Marion, a trapeze artist and decides to become human. With this decision the black and white film becomes colourful and Damiel is able to experience human sensory pleasures, such as food and the touch of his beloved woman.

One of my favourite scenes takes place in a library, where several angels sit by the readers while they immerse themselves in literature. There is an old man among them, named Homer, who dreams of an epic of peace. He expresses his disappointment that peace doesn’t inspire poets as much as war. His thoughts are illustrated with the real images of a ruined city and the victims of war.

The film not only praises peace but also music. Damiel meets Marion on the Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds concert. It is the beginning of their relationship. Music is shown as one of the greatest human pleasures with a power to bring people together.

It is also the poetic language of the inner monologues that makes the film so special. One can find inspirations of Rainer Maria Rilke’s poetry. Wings of desire begins with the poem Song of Child written by Peter Handke, who also wrote much of the dialogue and poetic narrations. One of the most significant monologues are Damiel’s plans for the first day after his metamorphosis, which expresses his passion for life: First, I’ll have a bath. Then I’ll be shaved by a Turkish barber who will massage me down to the fingertips. Then I’ll buy a newspaper and read it from headlines to horoscope. On the first day, I’ll be waited upon… For requests, ask the neighbour. If someone stumbles over my legs, he’ll have to apologize. I’ll be pushed around, and I’ll push back. In the crowded bar, the bartender will find me a table. A service car will stop, and the mayor will take me aboard. I’ll be known to everyone, and suspect to no one. I won’t say a word, and will understand every language. That will be my first day.

Wings of desire encourages the viewer to appreciate every simple moment of life. It also gives them a feeling that people and animals are not the only inhabitants of the Earth. The film was an inspiration for the City of angels with Nicolas Cage and Meg Ryan and it is also an inspiration for everyone who has watched it.
Quotations;

Written by Joanna Michta
Edited by Alicja Zajdel

 

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December 1, 2014

Travelling Corner: Orchid Island. Taiwan.

I stepped off the boat onto a land smothered with jade flora.  Our senses were immediately awaked by the shades of green sandwiched between the turquoise sea and the emerald sky.  My travelling companions and I looked up at the mountainous expanse before us.  Orchid Island lies about 30 kilometres off the south-east coast of Taiwan, and boasts eight mountains over 400 metres high, just three less than England does.  Quite impressive for an island that takes under three hours to circumnavigate on a 50cc scooter.

Taiwan 1
We were picked up by our host family and taken to our basic lodgings, which consisted of six comfortable mattresses on a living room floor with all the standard mod-cons of air-conditioning, heated water and nearby barbecue meat, all of which are standard throughout the rest of Taiwan.  £9 per night was more than reasonable.

Taiwan 2The island itself is mostly inhabited by one of Taiwan’s nine remaining aboriginal people, the Yami or Tao people.  A recently as 30 years ago, it wouldn’t have been odd to have seen some people walking around in loin clothes and spending their days adhering to their ancient tradition of fishing for Orchid Island’s famous flying fish as the aquatic creatures made their way from the equator up to Japan.  This delicious source of protein was, and still is, eaten in abundance during the migration season from March to June, and eaten in dried form throughout the rest of the year.  Sweet potatoes are the next most common food on the menu, with most of the vegetables having to be sent over from the Taiwanese mainland.  The Pacific hadn’t been living up to its name before we arrived, so one of the weekly food boats had been delayed for over two weeks, leaving the island without ketchup, bread or coffee during our time there!  No great loss.

Taiwan 4

The people themselves were such free spirits.  They had a good sense of humour and a beautiful way of looking at life.  When I mentioned the rainy weather (I’ve spent far to long in Britain, and have to include the whether in all conversations with people I’ve just met), she merely tutted and said that it’s like the heaven wants to cry but it couldn’t let it out.  The Yami had migrated from the northern-most island of The Philippines hundreds, if not thousands, of years ago, and shared some customs and language roots with other indigenous people form the archipelago to the south.

Taiwan 3

The island is covered with goats, walking up the most unbelievable of cliffs and protuberances.  It wasn’t rare to see goats, pig and dogs playing together in the middle of the one road that went around the island.  Palm trees only found on Orchid Island were just one type of the many plants that covered over 98% of the island.  We spent our days snorkelling, hiking, scooting around, eating or talking with the local people.

It was with sadness that we departed this verdant land.  Our hearts lifted when we were back on Taiwan’s mainland, as we were back in Kenting, a surfing paradise with copious amounts of delicious food and great beer.  We spent an exciting three days in Kenting, but that, as they say, is another story.
Written by Weiman Sun
Edited by Alicja Zajdel
Photos courtesy of Weiman Sun

Taiwan 5

  

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November 10, 2014

Travellers’ Corner: Cool Berlin

You hear so much these days about Berlin being so cool and ‘the place to be’ that some Berliners tell you that they are starting to feel fed up (which is somehow understandable, even if you are a cool person, wouldn’t you also ask people to stop telling you that all the time?). It is probably also due to the “Berliner Schnauze” (Berlin snout), a term used to express that Berliners tend to be upfront when speaking their mind.
I moved to Berlin in August 2014. There are museums, historical sites and galleries all around. You can tell that this city saw monarchy, fascism and socialism and there are a lot of interesting places to go to if you want to find out more about the history of this city and Germany in general. If you like the old stuff (antique pieces, I should say) you will want to see the Pergamon Museum. If you are interested in modern art, you will definitely like the Neue Nationalgalerie a lot, just to give you two examples. Berlin has inspired a lot of musicians (David Bowie and Iggy Pop, for example, who spent a couple of intense years here) and it still is very much a music city with lots of clubs for all kinds of music.
Berlin is known for its “Kieze” (which could be translated as neighbourhoods), meaning that there is a strong sense of belonging and identity in each part of the town. You will hear people from Charlottenburg (in the western part of the town) say: “I have never been to Pankow (in the Eastern part of the town), why should I go there?” So the Kieze are like little towns in their own right. Talking about East and West, although it has become less of an issue in recent years, you could drop me anywhere in Berlin and I would normally still be able to tell you if it is the East or the West.
It might be interesting to know that, although Berlin is Germany’s political centre and the capital, it is not its economic centre, unlike Paris or London. This might be the reason why Klaus Wowereit, the mayor of Berlin, once said that Berlin was “poor, but sexy”. It is true that there are many other cities in Germany which are performing better or which are more important in economic terms (Frankfurt, Munich…). German history and the system of federalism it brought about also accounts for the fact that Berlin is not the one and only cultural or print media centre in Germany, there are other cities to compete with.
Having said that, Berlin has a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ that is very appealing. Unlike other German cities it still seems to be under construction all the time and you never know where this journey will take you, in regards to architecture, arts or society. So Berlin might be considered an avant garde place in many respects. This, of course, is just my point of view. Ask for instance a businessman from Munich and he might tell you that Berlin, in his opinion, is just a place where things don’t work out the way they should. As an example of Berlin’s ‘chaos’ he could go on and mention Berlin Brandenburg airport, which should have been opened in 2010, but has not due to poor planning and management.
Another thing, which might be of interest, is that Berlin is still quite cheap when it comes to housing, going out or public transport. A day ticket, for instance, which you can use for trams, buses, local trains and underground all over Berlin is 6,70 EURO, so a bit more than £5. Most restaurants and pubs are not too expensive either and there is a large variety to choose from.
So, dear Berliners, just to repeat to you, this is definitely a cool place to be..

Written by Edgar Meier

Edited by Alicja Zajdel
Photo courtesy of BLS

Berlin
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October 29, 2014

Inspiring Artists: Zdzisław Beksiński

Zdzisław Beksiński, born on the 24th February 1929 in Sanok, is a great Polish painter, sculptor and photographer. He is someone I have always heard of, since my hometown, a city in the South of Poland, Częstochowa, proudly owns a museum, where 50 of his drawings and paintings are exhibited. It is, without a doubt, the most valuable and worthy of visiting museum in Częstochowa, a city where not much else can be found, if you are not a devoted Catholic. Anyhow, during my last stay there I visited the museum and discovered a true gem that my hometown has been hiding all along. 

 

Zdzislaw Beksinski

 

Upon entering the museum, many people might be taken aback by the darkness and strangeness of Beksiński’s paintings. They are surreal, gothic and terrifying. But somehow, despite their surrealism, they are the most real paintings I have ever seen. No one can remain indifferent to Beksiński. His work is full of pain and suffering and the artist’s inability to express love in his private life is reflected in his paintings. Beksiński experienced many tragedies during his life; he lived through WWII, watched his wife die of cancer and finally, on Christmas Eve 1999, discovered his son’s body after he had committed suicide.

 

Under these circumstances, it is no wonder why Beksiński’s art is the way it is. What’s interesting though, is that he claimed to not plan or even understand his work. He said that his biggest satisfaction was to sit in front of a newly completed painting and be astounded by what he had created. He didn’t give titles to his work either, as he wanted the viewer to interpret it in their own way, without a previously imposed idea. I, personally, really enjoyed walking around the gallery, trying to understand what the paintings represented and listening to what others thought of them. 

 

Picture 1

 

Beksiński’s own death was also tragic, which seems like a strange coincidence given the nature of his work, when he was murdered in his flat in Warsaw on 21st February 2005. During his life he created many works, which are now scattered across different museums, the main one being in his hometown, Sanok. According to some recent plans, all of his works might be moved to a new museum in Warsaw. Although I will be very sad to see my hometown lose such a valuable museum, perhaps a larger collection in Warsaw will attract more visitors and all of his works will be exhibited together, giving the viewer a chance to admire the whole of his creativity.

To see more of Beksiński’s works: http://imgur.com/a/vdLZg#22 

All biographical information was taken from the recently published biography of Beksiński and his son, a popular radio presenter and music journalist: ‘Beksińscy’ by Magdalena Grzebałkowska.
Written by Alicja Zajdel
Photos courtesy of Google Images

 

Picture 2

 

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October 14, 2014

Book Review: Idle Traveller. The Art of Slow Travel by Dan Kieran

A good traveller has no fixed plans

And is not intent upon arriving 
Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching 

I find travel writing fascinating, and so was the recent publication by Dan Kieran, Idle Traveller. The Art of Slow Travel. It is a very interesting read, which offers an attempt to explore and understand the concept of travelling.
In the introduction, Tom Hodgkinson, the co-founder and editor of The Idler, first clarifies the terminology. He explains that ‘travel’ derives from a Latin word ‘trepalium’ meaning ‘a three-pronged instrument of torture’ and the ‘idle travel’ is not a synonym of ‘easy’ or ‘comfortable’, but can be rather linked with the old-fashioned pilgrimage. And despite all the troubles of travel, the idle traveller embarks upon the unplanned and enjoys all the deserved rewards of ‘serendipitous delights’ and other related pleasures, like thinking, reading and staring out the window.  

The Idle Magazine -- photo

 

Dan Kieran is a travel writer, one who does not go on planes, preferring slow travelling instead. But he admits that his slow travel began as a result of his fear of flying. The author’s views on travelling, and also his own travels, are inspired by many prominent travellers and travel writers, among others Laurie Lee, Paul Theroux, Bruce Chatwin, Thomas Nugent,  H V Morton, Stefan Zweig, Jay Griffiths, Satish Kumar.
The book is divided into 7 chapters, each covering a different travel-related idea. It all begins with the concept of travelling, instead of ‘just arriving’. As Robert Louis Stevenson said: To travel is hopefully a better thing than to arrive. These days with fast moving aeroplanes, we try to get to the place as fast as possible, as if the aim of the travel was more important than the whole experience of travelling; from planning, getting to the place, exploring the place and getting to know its people. The author gives us plenty of examples of such slow travels he accomplished, like travelling by train from Venice to Prague (in fourteen hours in 1994), from London to Warsaw (10 years later), or by a vintage electric milk float across Britain (with maximum speed of 15 miles per hour). 

Another interesting point Dan Kieran makes is that while travelling we should not rely on maps and travel guides in the form they are available today, as they control our travels instead of giving us the freedom to truly experience the place. As opposed to “Baedeker’s Guide to Great Britain” (by Karl Baedeker), which can guide us through our slow travels without assuming that we will only stay in one place (available on openlibrary.org). In relation to the above, Dan Kieran quotes a poem by Czech poet Miroslav Holub Brief Thoughts on Maps which I believe reflects Dan Kieran’s attitude to the named travelling tools: 

Brief Thoughts on Maps 
The young lieutenant of a small Hungarian detachment in the Alp
sent a reconnaissance unit out onto the icy wasteland.
It began to snow
immediately,
snowed for two days and the unit
did not return.
The lieutenant suffered:
he had dispatched
his own people to death.

But the third day the unit came back.
Where had they been? How had they made their way?
Yes, they said, we considered ourselves
lost and waited for the end. And then one of us
found a map in his pocket. That calmed us down.
We pitched camp, lasted out the snowstorm and then with the map
we discovered our bearings.
And here we are.

The lieutenant borrowed this remarkable map
and had a good look at it. It was not a map of the Alps
but of the Pyrenees. 

Dan Kieran also explores other travel-related topics, such as the notion of time, nature, neuroscience or language. I found particularly interesting an extract on language, where the author outlines his thoughts on the idea of understanding a concept without having a word for it. He gives an example of the Hebrew word ‘tzedakah’ which means both ‘charity’ and ‘justice’ and there is no direct translation of it in English. The author argues that because ‘charity’ and ‘justice’ represent two different concepts for a native English-speaker, it might be impossible for him/her to understand the word on its own. And then we read the possible ‘solution’ in the form of travelling and having the time to notice the unfamiliar which enriches our understanding of the world. 

 

The Idle Traveller

 

Travelling does not have one name, e.g. can be accomplished for our own benefit, or devoted to others. Dan Kieran mentions Rupert Isaacson’s story, who travelled on horseback across Mongolia with his family to heal his son’s autism. Rupert and his wife embarked upon this journey as an act of love towards their son. Isaacson’s story reminds me of American novelist Ann Hood’s travel to Chimayo, New Mexico. She flew with her 10-week old daughter from Boston to Chimayo seeking a miracle cure (healing dirt) for her father diagnosed with an inoperable lung cancer. After her visit to Chimayo miracles happened, although life once again showed that it does not follow a plan, but is rather an unpredictable sequence of events.

I do not know if you are tempted to start slow travelling, but after reading the book, I know I am. It will take some time to get used to the idea of spending around 10 hours on the train(s) to get from London to Madrid instead of 2h30 on the plane, but then maybe my understanding of the notion of travel will be deeper and more meaningful. After all it will be a very different experience from the traditional ‘holiday-making’.  

Reference:

Dan Kieran, The Idle Traveller. The Art of Slow Travel, AA Publishing, 2013.

Ann Hood, “In Search of Miracles”, Traveler’s Tales: Pilgrimage. Adventures of The Spirit, edit. by Sean O-Reilly and James O’Reilly, San Francisco, 2000, p. 28-50.

Written by Kinga Macalla 
Edited by Alicja Zajdel 
Photos courtesy of Kinga Macalla

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