[Maybe…] ein unvergessliches Erlebnis!
Das “Southafrican German friendship Project” begeistert auf dem Schultheaterfestival der Länder in Bremen
Unsere südafrikanischen Freunde sind wieder da, denn in der Zeit vom 18.09.-28.09. darf unser Theateraustausch, zwischen dem Carl-Orff-Gymnasium Unterschleißheim und der Ersterivier Secondary School in Südafrika, noch ein letztes Mal stattfinden.
Beim Schultheaterfestival der Länder (22.09.-27.09.2024) in Bremen, dürfen wir noch einmal zusammen unser erarbeitetes Stück “[Maybe…] – A tale of two cities” spielen. Dort vertreten wir mit unserem Projekt das Bundesland Bayern.
Auf einem bundesweiten Festival zu spielen ist eine große Ehre und unter anderem eine Chance, den Erfolg unseres Austauschs zu zeigen. Während diesem Projekt haben alle Beteiligten unglaublich viel über andere Kulturen, Theaterspielen, das Miteinander, aber auch über sich selbst gelernt. Jede Gruppe brachte am Anfang des Austauschprojekts, im Januar 2023, ein eigenes verkürztes Stück mit, um in enger Zusammenarbeit ein neues gemeinsames Stück zu kreieren. Dies war ein sehr intensiver Prozess, der unsere Theaterlehrenden aber auch uns Schauspielende sehr gefordert hat. Diese intensive Erfahrung hat unsere Gruppe zusammengeschweißt und wir wurden erst Freunde und dann Familie.
Der Erfolg dieses Projekts zeigt sich allerdings nicht nur in unserem Spiel, sondern auch an der Begeisterung der Mitglieder. Da unsere gemischte Gruppe nicht nur aus derzeitigen Schüler*innen sondern auch Ehemaligen besteht, ist es eine weitere Bestätigung, dass manche sich nun für vier Besuche extra Zeit oder sogar Urlaub genommen haben, um mehrmals Teil dieser Gemeinschaft zu sein. Eine Gemeinschaft, bei der man sich auf Augenhöhe begegnet, um unsere Gemeinsamkeiten und Unterschiede zu feiern und zusammen zu tun, was wir alle lieben… das Theaterspielen. Dabei verbindet uns unter anderem die Bereitschaft, nicht aufzuhören, bis es wirklich gut ist.
Vom 18.09.-21.09. wurde also noch einmal intensiv geprobt, um unser Stück wieder zum Leben erwachen zu lassen. Während dieser Zeit haben wir zusammen in der Jugendherberge in Moosburg gelebt, getanzt und gespielt.
Mit einem bühnenreifen Stück und unseren Requisiten – darunter drei Besen, einem Lenkrad und einem Pömpel – bestiegen wir schließlich den Zug nach Bremen. Dass wir auf dem Schultheaterfestival der Länder auf die Theatergruppen aus 14 weiteren Bundesländern treffen würden, war uns bewusst. Was wir jedoch nicht erwartet hatten, war die große Vielfalt an Themen, Inszenierungsweisen und Altersgruppen. Doch auch dieses Festival bot eine Möglichkeit zum Austausch und das Knüpfen neuer Kontakte aufgrund der geteilten Begeisterung für das Theaterspielen.
Nachdem wir bereits einige Produktionen anschauen durften, hieß es am Dienstagabend „Bühne frei für das Southafrican German Friendship Project“. Auf der einen Seite des Vorhangs warteten knapp 400 Zuschauer*innen gespannt auf eine Performance voller Tanz & Gesang, Humor & Identitätsverlust, Hoffnungslosigkeit & Zusammenhalt. Vielleicht warteten sie auf die Geschichte zweier Städte? Aber bevor das Bühnenlicht für „[Maybe…] – A Tale of two Cities“ anging, stieg auf der anderen Seite, hinter dem Vorhang nicht nur das Lampenfieber, sondern vor allem die Vorfreude. Vorfreude darauf, gemeinsam als Gruppe zu zeigen, woran wir hart gearbeitet hatten und was uns verbindet, denn obwohl wir eine „story of the great divide“ präsentierten, taten wir das als Gruppe, die durch das Theaterspielen zu einer Gemeinschaft, zu Freunden geworden ist.
Also Licht an! Nachdem im Prolog zunächst die beiden Metropolen München und Kapstadt präsentiert wurden, begleiteten wir anschließend den fiktiven Autor und Schauspieler Karl Brenner, wie er in München der Frage nachgeht, wem seine Identität als berühmte Persönlichkeit tatsächlich gehört. Doch dann veränderte sich die Szenerie und wir befinden uns in Kapstadt. Der Obdachlosigkeit auf den Straßen wird die gehetzte Geschäftigkeit einer Vielzahl an Arbeitenden gegenübergestellt. Nach 50 wie im Flug vergangenen Minuten wurden wir vom nicht enden wollenden Applaus des Publikums immer wieder auf die Bühne geholt.
In den anschließenden Gesprächen wurde unsere mitreißende Präsenz und Energie auf der Bühne gelobt. Die Zuschauer*innen waren begeistert von den Bewegungen und Bildern, die das Stück erschuf und auch von den vorgetragenen Texten. Der Auftritt wurde als „Vision für das Schultheater“ bezeichnet und es fielen Ausdrücke wie „semiprofessionell“ und „bestes Stück bisher“.
(Mit diesen Komplimenten im Gepäck ging es allerdings noch nicht sofort zurück nach Hause. Bisher kannten wir nur die Bühnen der Stadt. Das änderte sich jedoch, als wir am Mittwochnachmittag eine Stadtführung von den Eltern einer Teilnehmerin unserer Gruppe erhielten. Am darauffolgenden Tag besichtigten wir außerdem das historische Bremer Rathaus.)
Schließlich fand diese aufregende Woche ein Ende und wir machten uns samt Pömpel, Besen, Lenkrad, neuen Erfahrungen, Eindrücken und Komplimenten auf den Heimweg!
Unser Slogan, mit dem wir 2024 Bayern auf dem SDL vertreten haben, hat sich durch den Austausch und die gemeinsame Zeit in Bremen bewahrheitet: Stronger together!
Luisa Kreitmair und Kyra Knacke
Fotos
P.S. I
Das Schultheater der Länder (SDL) ist das größte Schultheaterfestival Europas, auf dem fünf Tage lang jeweils eine Schultheatergruppe aus jedem Bundesland ihr Stück aufführt. Seit über 30 Jahren bietet das SDL nicht nur ein großartiges Bühnenprogramm, sondern auch eine einzigartige Gelegenheit für Schülerinnen und Schüler aus unterschiedlichen Bundesländern in Kontakt zu kommen, sich zu vernetzen und voneinander zu lernen.
P.S. II
So eine Reise konnte der Gruppe nur durch Sponsoren ermöglicht werden, die schon Monate davor ihr Vertrauen in die Theatergruppe gesetzt haben. Flug- und Zugtickets, sowie Unterkunft und Verpflegung während der Probentage wurden der Gruppe durch die Bayerische Staatskanzlei, das Bayerische Kultusministerium und die Stiftung Hubert Beck finanziert, wofür wir herzlich danken!
Aufzeichnung
SDL 2024
Presse
Bundespräsident verleiht Theateraustausch Sonderpreis in Berlin
Theateraustausch beim 11. Schulwettbewerb zur Entwicklungspolitik ausgezeichnet
Südafrikanisch-deutsches Theaterprojekt des Carl-Orff-Gymnasiums gewinnt Sonderpreis des Schulwettbewerbs: „alle für eine Welt für alle“ in Berlin.
Der im Januar 2023 gestartete Austausch mit der Eersterivier Secondary School in Südafrika, der kommenden September mit dem dritten Rückbesuch unserer südafrikanischen Freundinnen und Freunde, der Einladung zum Festival Schultheater der Länder in Bremen, weitergeht, wurde am 18. Juni 2024 zur Preisverleihung nach Berlin eingeladen, um im Rahmen des Schulwettbewerbs des Bundespräsidenten zur Entwicklungspolitik „Alle für EINE WELT für alle“ gewürdigt zu werden.
Aus der Laudatio
„Der Beitrag überzeugt durch eine Kooperation auf Augenhöhe mit gleichaltrigen Lernenden aus dem Globalen Süden, die beidseitig Perspektivwechsel und Kompetenzentwicklung fördert. Das Theater[1]stück bildet das authentische Ergebnis einer intensiven Zusammenarbeit. Mit dem Ziel, Selbstbewusst[1]sein und das Gefühl von Selbstwirksamkeit zu stärken, wurde das Theaterstück im Januar 2024 bereits an mehreren Schulen in Südafrika aufgeführt.“
NRO-Sonderpreis: Carl-Orff-Gymnasium, Unterschleißheim (Bayern)
Bei einer feierlichen Preisverleihung wurde der jahrgangsübergreifenden Projektgruppe des Carl- Orff- Gymnasiums der Sonderpreis der Nichtregierungsorganisationen verliehen. Bundespräsident Frank Walter Steinmeier, Schirmherr des Wettbewerbs, würdigte mit Bundesentwicklungsministerin Svenja Schulze 22 der 576 eingereichten Projekte aus ganz Deutschland. 306 Schulen mit über 33.000 Schülerinnen und Schülern hatten an dem Wettbewerb teilgenommen, von denen 22 in fünf Kategorien ausgezeichnet wurden.
Der Austausch und sein Stück haben darüber hinaus auch einen regionalen Sonderpreis in der Kategorie „11.-13. Klasse“ auf Bundeslandebene gewonnen, der noch nicht überreicht worden ist.
Béatrice Utescheny und Michael Blum
Links:
Urkunde:
Südafrikanisch-deutsches Theaterprojekt des Carl-Orff-Gymnasiums gewinnt Jury-Preis bei den Theatertagen am See in Friedrichshafen.
Die gemischte Theatergruppe der Eersterevier Secondary School aus der Nähe von Kapstadt und des Carl-Orff Gymnasiums Unterschleißheim überzeugte mit ihrem Stück „Maybe- a tale of two cities“ die Jury der 39. Theatertage am See, die in ihrer Laudatio die Ästhetik der Co-Produktion hervorhob, die dabei gleichzeitig Brücken zwischen den Lebenswirklichkeiten der Spielerinnen und Spieler geschafft habe, die unterschiedlicher kaum sein können. Denn den Gymnasiastinnen und Gymnasiasten aus dem Münchner Speckgürtel begegnen in diesem Projekt Jugendliche eines unterprivilegiertem Vorortes Kapstadts, in deren Umgebung der große Unterschied zwischen Reich und Arm täglich sichtbar ist. Die Brücke zwischen diesen Lebenswelten stellt das gemeinsame Schauspiel dar, in dem sich alle auf einer Ebene begegnen können. Und so entstand, was die Jury als „mitreißende, lebhafte und präzise gearbeitete rhythmische und chorische Szenen“ lobte.
Im zehnten Jahr der Kooperation der Theaterfachschaften der beiden Schulen war das gemeinsame Stück zu den „Theatertagen am See“ in Friedrichshafen eingeladen worden, um dort ungewöhnlicherweise gleich zweimal aufzutreten, und zwar einmal als Gast der Schultheatertage Baden-Württembergs und zum anderen als Teil des Internationalen Amateurtheaterfestivals; 56 Gruppen hatten sich für letzteres per Videoeinsendung beworben und 12 Gruppen aus Marokko, Frankreich, Italien und der Schweiz waren ausgewählt worden.
Das Stück „Maybe“, das sich das Leben in den Städten Kapstadt und München in einer modernen Zeit zum Thema gemacht hat, war bereits 2023 entstanden, als sich beide Gruppen im Januar für zwei Wochen in Südafrika und im Juli für zwei Wochen in Unterschleißheim begegneten. Dabei stellte man den Identitätsverlust im hektischen Alltag einer wohlhabenden Stadt der Nordhalbkugel der sich immer weiter öffnenden Schere zwischen Arm und Reich in Kapstadt gegenüber und zeigte dabei nicht nur die Unterschiede beider Städte auf, sondern auch die zwei Seiten, die beide Städte haben. Nachdem „Maybe – A tale of two cities“ bereits im Juli 2023 das Unterschleißheimer Publikum begeisterte, wurde es nun in nur vier Tagen mit langen und intensiven Proben wieder aufgenommen und umbesetzt und dann auf dem Festival präsentiert. Dies war nur mit viel Selbstdisziplin der Jugendlichen möglich, deren Leidenschaft für das Theater und die Begeisterung für die gemeinsame Theaterarbeit alle auf dem Festival begeisterte. Und so betonte die Jury: „Die intensive und grenzenlos vertrauende Zusammenarbeit des Ensembles ließ dabei keinen Zweifel daran, wie die globalen und lokalen Herausforderungen der Zukunft angegangen werden können: Gemeinsam!“
Michael Blum und Steffi Höcherl
Bilder
save the date – 5. Juli 20 Uhr: Südafrikanisch-deutsche Produktion [MAYBE] im Bürgerhaus
Bereits zum siebten Mal kam es im Januar 2023 zu einer Begegnung von Schülerinnen und Schüler des Carl-Orff-Gymnasiums in Unterschleißheim mit der befreundeten Eersterivier Secondary School, einer Gesamtschule aus einem unterprivilegierten Vorort von Kapstadt in Südafrika kommen.
Am Ende stand die Aufführung eines Theaterstückes zur Gestaltung einer gemeinsamen Zukunft. Die preisgekrönte Partnerschaft der beiden Schulen hat bereits mehrfach bewiesen , dass soziale, ethnische und ökonomische Unterschiede überwunden werden können.
Im Januar 2023 besuchten Zehntklässler und einige Ehemalige und Alumni die Partnerschule , um gemeinsam zu wohnen, zu proben und die eigene Utopie auf die Bühne zu bringen.
Im Zeitraum zwischen dem 23. Juni und 14. Juli ´23 kam es dann zum Rückbesuch der südafrikanischen Freund*innen und am 5. Juli gab es eine große Aufführung im Bürgerhaus Unterschleißheim.
Wir hoffen, dass wir mit unserem Austausch die Kraft des Theaters in die weite Welt tragen können – eben dadurch, dass wir zwei Welten miteinander verbinden, und zwar in partnerschaftlicher Planung, mit gleichwertigem Hin- und Rückbesuch (!) als respektvolle Begegnung und Ort gemeinsamen gegenseitigen Lernens.
Wir danken allen Unterstützerinnen, Unterstützer und Sponsoren,
Stefanie Höcherl und Michael Blum
Presse
Mehr Fotos, Videos und Berichte zu den zurückliegenden Austausch-Runden seit 2014 und den daraus resultierenden Eigenproduktionen …
Januar 2023 in
Südafrika: Trailer
Januar 2023 in
Südafrika: Aufführungsmitschnitt
Juli 2023 in Deutschland: Aufführungsmitschnitt
Impressionen Januar ´23 in Südafrika und Juli ´23 in Deutschland
Auswertungen – Feedback-Runden Januar und Juli ´23
DIARY: JUNE/JULY 2023: Drama Camp in Oberschleißheim
Eersterivier Secondary School meets Carl-Orff-Gymnasium – June 2023
25th of June: Happy reunion
It almost felt like waiting for a lifetime until our South-African exchange partners and their teachers finally entered through the gate. As soon as we saw them, we all ran up to them. There was a lot of hugging, laughing and even crying and even though we hadn’t seen each other for six months, it felt like never having been apart. Together, we went to the Heiner Janik Haus, where everyone was officially welcomed. After a lovely dinner with many great conversations, a former student of the COG guided us through Oberschleißheim, which was very interesting. Back at the JBS we went to bed, exited for the next day.
26th of June: Visiting the COG and Munich
With private busses we drove to the Carl-Orff-Gymnasium, where we visited a theatre class. Together with the 7th graders we danced and the South-African learners answered all their questions. Afterwards Frau Schicker, the headmistress, welcomed the South-Africans and we were guided through the school building. Afterwards we went to Munich by public transport to play a city game, where we discovered different places in little groups. We had a lot of fun! Before we got back to the JBS, we had dinner in a typical Bavarian restaurant, the “Hofbräuhaus”.
27th of June: First Rehearsal day with a touch of Schuhplattler
We started the day with an intense warm-up and then went right into the new piece we were about to create. It felt so good to finally rehearse in this group again. After an exhausting rehearsal and many breaks with delicious food, we spent our free time playing volleyball and other fun games. After dinner, Amelie and Sophia, two students of the COG visited us. They are both members in a club for traditional Bavarian dancing and taught us some of them. In the beginning we didn’t really know what to expect, but in the end, the traditional dancing was definitely a highlight for everyone. Especially the famous “Schuhplattler” was extremely funny. To end the day with another highlight, Lisa’s mum baked “Rohrnudeln”, which we enjoyed together.
28th of June: Another Rehearsal day and even more Bavarian culture
The rehearsing on that day was exhausting, but in the end, it really paid off. Only after two rehearsal days we already achieved so much, which made us proud. Right after eating dinner and relaxing, another surprise was waiting for us. Lisa’s partner visited us with his accordion to play some Bavarian music. Of course, we took the chance to show off our traditional dancing skills by accompanying him with the Schuhplattler. So much fun!
29th of June: Rehearsing again…
After a nice and strengthening breakfast we started our rehearsal. Because of the sweat and the exhaustion, it was sometimes hard to stay energetic and positive, but every day the whole group managed the rehearsals together and in the evening, while reflecting the achievements, we were all content and just happy.
30th of June: Day in Munich
After the three big rehearsal days, Friday was finally an excursion day. We started in the morning with an early breakfast and went by train to Munich. There we walked to the BMW Museum and BMW World where we split up and one group went to the guided tour at the World and the other to the guided tour at the Museum. It was very interesting for both of the groups. Then we walked to the Olympic Park and visited the memorial of the 1972 Olympic Games assassination. Our next stop was the Olympic Tower. From up there, we had a great view of Munich and the surrounding area. Since we were getting hungry, we headed towards the Tollwood Festival. We got a little pocket money and were divided into groups to move freely and buy something to eat or a souvenir. When everyone had eaten something, we took the train to the Gärtnerplatztheater where we were enchanted by the ballet „Peter Pan“. At the end of the evening we went to a Vietnamese restaurant in Oberschleißheim to finish the day with an amazing supper. It was a packed but very exciting and interesting day!
1st of July: Family Weekend Day one
When we woke up this morning our parents picked us and one or two of the exchange partners up and brought us to our homes. There we had the possibility to spend time with our exchange partners and to get to know them better and they also had the chance to experience a day in a German household.
2nd of July: Family Weekend Day two
We still spent the morning at Home. In the afternoon we all returned to the Heiner Janik House and had lunch. While we ate, we exchanged stories about the beautiful weekend and the many different experiences we went through. In the afternoon another rehearsal was scheduled which lasted until dinner. And in spite of the already exhausting rehearsal, it was time to continue rehearsing right after dinner. When this rehearsal was over, we could relax a bit while we all looked at the pictures that had been taken so far.
3rd of July: Another Excursion day
After another wonderful breakfast, it was time to get back to work, which meant another rehearsal. After lunch, we again took the train to Munich to the “Kunsthalle der Hypo Kulturstiftung” and visited a wonderful exhibition about flowers. Then Mr. Münzer gave us a tour of Munich where we saw the Odeonsplatz, the Residenz, the Hofgarten, the State Chancellery, the Haus der Kunst, the Eisbachwelle and the Monopteros. For dinner we went to a great beer garden and had a very good dinner. With all the many impressions we went back to Heiner Janik Haus and enjoyed the relaxing evening there.
4th of July: Rehearsal at the Bürgerhaus
Directly after breakfast we drove to the Bürgerhaus in Unterschleißheim and set up everything there. To prepare for the upcoming performance, we rehearsed everything again, both the technology and the piece itself. At noon we could eat the packed lunches we prepared in the morning and directly continue with the rehearsals. In the evening we went back to the hostel and enjoyed the evening together.
5th of July: Performance at the Bürgerhaus
After breakfast we immediatly drove to the Bürgerhaus, so we could continue our rehearsals. It turned out to be quite a tough day. At 2 p.m. we had lunch and were already exhausted. Nevertheless, we carried on with rehearsals and since the big performance this evening was getting closer, we also started getting nervous. In the late afternoon we had a big break and a delicious dinner at the JBS to calm down a little bit. We returned to the Bürgerhaus at 7 p.m. to get ready for the performance. We put on make-up, checked our probs and tried to focus on the piece. And then, we could finally perform our drama-piece in front of more than 400 people. We did our best and at the end after some amazing speeches, some of us cried, because it was such an emotional evening.
6th June: Performance in Traunstein
After getting up very early, we drove to the Chiemgau Gymnasium in Traunstein and considering we only had ten minutes to get ready for the performance it all went quite well. After playing our performing we talked a little bit to some of the students and drove to the Königssee. It’s the most beautiful lake in Bavaria and we even got to take a cruise on it. We enjoyed it very much and in the evening we had dinner at a very traditional Bavarian Restaurant.
7th June: Excursion day
This day we had to show our South African friends the dark side of German history. After breakfast we drove to the memorial site of the concentration camp in Dachau. There we had a tour through all the different parts and facettes of these dark times. We were all very shocked and sad and needed to cuddle each other. To blow away the cobwebs we all went to Mr Blum’s and Mrs Höcherl’s flat where we got the most delicious cakes and afterwards we were at the Siedlerfest in Karlsfeld. We had a great time there and enjoyed it all so much. There were lots of carnival rides like carousels and we ate a lot. In the evening we all returned to the JBS with a smile on our faces.
8th June: Trip to Regensburg
We travelled to Regensburg by train and after 1,5h we finally arrived. We got to know the town a little bit and even went into a huge church. At 10:30 a.m. we took another cruise over the Donau, which was an amazing experience. We arrived one hour later at the Walhalla, a hall of fame that honours laudable and distinguished people in German history. To get there we had to go up lots of steps. It was quite exhausting, but everyone managed. When we had returned to Regensburg we ate traditional Bavarian dishes and got some freetime which we used to eat some ice cream and to wander around in the city. Our trip back to the JBS turned out to get exciting since we almost got aboard the wrong train. Nevertheless, we got home and even had a big party in the evening.
9th June: Another day in Munich
Since we stayed up very late for the party’s sake on Saturday, we had the privilege to sleep until 10 a.m. After a very late breakfast we took a ride with a suburban train to Munich. There we watched a GOP Varieté-drama-piece. It was such a breathtaking show and everyone of us was so impressed! Each single artist was so multitalented! And afterwards we even were allowed to talk to some of them. After supper we just enjoyed being together and already started to feel sorry that tomorrow was the last day of this exchange.
10th June: Last performance and saying goodbye
After getting up early (again), we took a ride to the COG where we had our last two performances. Despite the fact that it was an unfamiliar stage and we didn’t have much time to get ready, we handled it well. And after the show we talked to some of the students. After putting all our probs back into the cars and taking a ride back to the JBS we just arrived in time a to eat lunch. We started to pack our stuff and tidied up the JBS and in the afternoon we had an evaluation about the wonderful last two weeks we had experienced. Everyone spoke out of his heart and it got quite emotional. Only a few hours later we were all standing at the airport and said goodbye to our South African friends. Most of us were crying and then we hugged each other for the last time. It was the worst moment of this exchange seeing your friends going through the security at the airport and not knowing whether you will see them again. Our eyes were filled with tears but I think our hearts were also filled with these amazing memories we had experienced during the weeks of this exchange.
In the end I think it is safe to say that this unique exchange was more than just a vacation or a play, because no matter what we were doing, we were doing it together. Weather it was a rough rehearsal, a long and exhausting walk or a visit to a theatre. We cried, laughed and pushed ourselves to the limit. Not just as a drama group, but also as one big family. This exchange was a time, in which everyone of us changed and grew. Weather we learned to open up to people, or to put our own egos behind, we all returned as a new and somehow more mature person. I wish for this drama group to reunite as soon as possible and for many other magical exchanges like this one to take place in the future.
Unser Besuch in Südafrika – Our visit in South Africa – January 2023
von Lina Nägele und Paula Kusterer
What we experienced and will experience in June, when we will meet in Germany, was and will be unique. To be part of this exchange is both an honor and an opportunity. An opportunity to get to know people your age who live on the other side of the world. To play drama together and even get to know a bit of their culture and country. An opportunity I wouldn’t want to miss. Thanks to everyone who made this possible.
13th and 14th of January: Britannia Bay
With a taxi we drove almost four hours through South Africa´s West Coast and got our first impressions. We viewed the beautiful landscape with its animals (we saw antelopes and ostriches!), but also realized many townships and people standing on the highways trying to sell different things. The second we arrived in Britannia Bay we went swimming in the sea. After we had cooked together and had had a nice barbecue dinner, Mrs. and Mr. Markram told us a lot about their country, its problems and the school system and their learners. We fell asleep listening to the ocean.
After an amazing breakfast with fresh local fruit, we headed to the Christian Brothers Centre in Stellenbosch. After visiting the penguin colony in Betty’s Bay, we spent the evening at Mrs. and Mr. Markram’s house and got to know two of the South-African exchange partners, Jasmine and Charlize, and also Benilde who graduated as one of the best in Cape Town. She couldn´t have done it without the help of our exchange program and the befriended Verein “Equal Opportunities for Kids in Cape Town´s townships”.
15th of January: Arrival of the South-Africans and first day together
We started the day with a walk to a nearby market, where we shopped for souvenirs and food. Later and back at the Christian Brothers Centre, the South-African exchange partners arrived one after the other and there were tons of hellos. After everybody arrived, we started to rehearse in separate groups. In the evening we had two performances, one German and one South-African. There was load shedding (South Africa has huge problems providing enough power so the electricity is cut off on purpose for several hours daily to distribute the available amount) and the Germans had to perform outside because it was already getting dark. The sunset, the mountain backdrop and the croaking frogs made this performance unique. I enjoyed playing outside as much as I enjoyed the South-African play.
16th of January: Dancing through the Dylan Lewis sculpture garden
Monday was dancing day. We drove to the Dylan Lewis sculpture garden in Stellenbosch, and it was just great. We were divided into groups of four, which was a good opportunity to get to know some of the exchange partners better. We created little dances, inspired by the abstract and beautiful sculptures. In the end we showed them to each other under a pavilion, where we went on dancing together. Before we drove back, we had some refreshing drinks, which I think everybody was thankful for. (35°C !!!)
17th of January: First big rehearsal day
After a nice breakfast we went outside for an intense warm-up including push-ups and cartwheels. The day was full of sweat and exhaustion, but everybody held out bravely. In the end we were all content with how far we had come in such a short period of time. We ended the day relaxing and playing games together, which was awesome.
18th of January: Another day with 12 hours of rehearsals
Again, we started the day with a fun warm-up. At this time, we already knew each other better and playing drama together got more fun and effective. As one big group we worked very hard, especially because we didn’t have much time. After dinner we played volleyball and other games together. We went to bed early to be prepared for the next rehearsal.
19th of January: again … rehearsing
Although a lot of us were a little sick that day, we managed to be productive. In the afternoon we even finished working out the final dance for our piece. After this stressful but funny day, we sat down together to talk about the time we had spent in the camp and what we had accomplished. Then we quickly went to bed to be ready for the next day.
20th of January: City stroll
After another wonderful breakfast, we had two run-throughs of our piece coming up. This was the first time we performed our piece completely, so we were all excited! We did well, so we deserved a break and went to town in the afternoon. In Stellenbosch a small historical city tour with Mister Markram awaited us. It ended in a nice pizzeria where we had dinner. Afterwards we strolled a little bit through the city and Mrs. Markram bought us all some ice cream. It was a lovely ending of a lovely day.
21st of January: Excursion Day – Cape Town
Saturday was a packed but awesome day. After breakfast we drove to Cape Town to the District Six Museum, where a contemporary witness of Apartheid´s brutality told us about her past and made most of us cry. Thereupon we drove further through the so-called Bo-Kaap and made a short stop at the colored houses to take many pictures. Afterwards we enjoyed a delicious, packed lunch at the waterfront. Then we went to the Aquarium and watched colorful fish as well as sharks and rays. It was an amazing experience. The third museum of the day was the new Art Gallery where we could admire pictures of different art styles. The highlight of the day was the visit at the Baxter Theater in the evening, where we watched “Auntie Merle”. It was an inspiring and entertaining musical of outstanding quality. So to say a perfect day.
22nd of January: Second Excursion Day – The Cape
After getting up very early, it was time for us to get back into the cabs and drive along the south coast. After a while one of the cabs broke down and we had to wait for a new one. But that didn’t matter because we could spend the time on the beach, where we didn’t only swim, but also sing and dance. After the new cab arrived, we could continue driving towards Cape Town and Table Mountain. We went up Table Mountain with a gondola and enjoyed the beautiful view before we went back to the center. There, we quickly put on our costumes and had a final rehearsal.
23rd of January: First performance at the New Orleans Secondary School
Concerning the fact that it was our first performance we were very satisfied with the result. We still had to improvise a little, but we handled it as a group. Directly after we had received our earned applause, we drove to the impressive Afrikaans Language Monument. After a nice little tour, we strolled through Franschhoek. To complete the day together we had the nicest barbeque dinner.
24th of January: Last performances and sad goodbyes
We performed two times in front of Eersterevier Secondary School´s learners, meaning each time about 500 learners sitting in the hall and watching us closely. The students reacted very much on our play and were very appreciative, so we had a lot of fun. We were thrilled to perform for relatives, friends and former exchange partners in the evening and after we had finished our play it got very emotional. The play was followed by touching speeches. Many of us were crying. I think we also cried because we knew only half of us would return to the Christian Brother Center. It was time to say goodbye… After all of the South Africans were gone, we returned to the camp and spent our last night there.
Let´s go for a reunion in June!
Lina Nägele und Paula Kusterer (10a)
Kooperation mit dem Heiner Janik Haus – JBS am Tower, des KJR München-Land
