Valentina čači

Strange title for this post?

I know, but this is the first thing that comes in my mind when I think about Tangersdorf, my summer camp in Germany. I am used to hear people using with me strange nick-names that should sound italian, but actually they're not... like someone at the camp used to call me „muchacho“... (??????). For this reason it was normal for me that one of the Czech children used to call me Valentina-čači all the time.

Only on Sunday, the last day, coming back from Germany, she told me that „čači“ is a Moravian way to say „pretty“. (she comes from Moravia). I was very surprised! With this girl and almost all the participants of the Czech group I didn't have a common language, however I „spoke“ with them a lot. Of course the lack of a verbel language created problems sometimes, but what surprised me it's that despite this big lack we communicated a lot. It's like, that if you want you can develop alternative way of communication, putting verbal language on a second plane. In this case I totally ignored the fact that a person was calling me all the time „čači“, totally ignoring the proper meaning of the word, but feeling at the same time as a friendly mean created to be closer to me.

This second camp was very different from the one in Liberec, for many reason, but now, I feel it as a continuum of it.

The camp lies in the Brandeburg, just into a forrest. The German leaders used to call the place Ass of the World, I agree with them. What we had around was only trees, lakes and wild boars... The children were 2 groups, Czech and Germans. They were very nice and funny, even if in the Czech group someone was sometimes too „lively“... But i liked them really much, and I spent very nice moments with them.... one of the best was of course when everyone in the camp was sure to have lice... It was a fake lice epidemic who created panic in the camp for some hours.. actually it was not true.. but we needed the doctor to stop this panic!

My „disadvantaged position“ to be there alone, was somehow an advantage too: I was like an observer, not German, nor Czech, I could watch from outside the different behaviours of the groups... it was funny!

Cultural shock for poor Sardinian girl:

One day they served Rise with sugar (Alfonso... now I know the feeling that you had in your summer camp).

Ok now I am Prague again, and I am really happy to be back. Even if it was a positive experience, I was very tired at the end, and 14 days are really a lot! But again yesterday, waking up in the calm flat where I live, i felt a bit lost, and somehow i miss the nice mess of the summer camp.

Hey, what about Mister G? Does someone have news from him??
Next weekend i'll leave for a very special WEEKEND !!!!! I am so happy!!!!!!!!!!!

And people at Meet At The Freak?? I guess it will be cooL!!!

Hey, I am not joining the working camp in september! Some friends are coming to visit me FROM ITALY! And of course, i want to stay a bit with them ; )

So, I put some pics of Tangersdorf.. i even made a video, that the children appreciated a lot, but it's quite long, so, maybe I'll cut something and I'll load it here!

KISSES FOR EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Vale, Tinozza, čači!!!!