Last summer I was lucky to go to France for a volunteer work camp.I thought it was partially accidental, but I believe everything happens for a reason. I met so many nice people there.
The House La Maison des Bateleurs became our common way to finding common language apart from linguistic or any other pecularities. As a part of work-camp we were supposed to create something, I helped to draw a picture of the main symbol of the house to decorate the place with it. But still I had a “more personal” project to do – to make a film about incredible time with amazing people.
I don’t think anyone slept that night. When I learned of the metro closing, I didn’t think about how I was going to get home. And it wasn’t about trying to look patriotic or empathic – it was about a new way of thinking, thinking not only about myself.
The reason it was closed, a reality that has already become quite customary, was clear. In fact its closure occurs so often these days it might make sense to include it in some kind of weekly schedule.
But the bus and tram lines operated as per usual, and people just asked each other’s advice on how to get where they needed to go – not unlike walking by touch in the darkness.
“You are not a warrior nor a doctor. You don’t have a camera to cover the events!” – were only a few of the arguments my friends used to try to persuade me not to go. But there are never enough reasons. And besides, I am far from reasonable these days.
Many journalists “practice” many professions in order to uncover those things they might not be able to learn otherwise. In this case, there is no secret. Just the opposite. The same goes for those on the barricades, or those helping to collect and sort out medical supplies and food for EuroMaidaners, or those who distribute sandwiches and hot tea among the activists.
On 19 February, Mykhalivskyi Cathedral turned into a hospital, and the territory around it flooded with Kyivites bringing medicine, warm clothes, and food.
If you wanted to become a volunteer you didn’t need to fill out an application, you just started helping any way you could. Like it has always been at EuroMaidan.
Journalists and reporters worldwide cover the events of #EuroMaidan. It is a pity that a majority of materials are devoted to acts of aggression and confrontation. I admit is important to report about such things to raise awareness of what’s going on. But here I cannot post such things. Here I would like to share my impressions of simply being there around people and having so much in common with them.
Just to make sure you understand what I am talking about.
Kyiv Modern Ballet presents unique charismatic experiments in choreography. Each performance has a special philosophy behind. Leader and mentor of the ballet crew Radu Poklitaru(MD) created many choreographic novels. But this time he let members of the ballet to show their creative work. Olexiy Bus’ko and Anastasia Kharchenko presented to Kyiv audience Seasons… of Love
I was lucky to be present at premier and talk to dancers. Music and dance stand together in inspiring me. You can be inspired by music to dance or inspired by dance to compose music. Dance is music of movement. Get inspired with me.
Watch and go through Seasons of Love with me and dancers.
Recently I’ve visited a concert of Brainstorm in Kyiv. To be honest it was inspiring in several ways, but one of them I would like to describe here. But first let me tell you a little bit about the band.
Members of this Latvian band Brainstorm are good friends since school. They founded their band in 1989. When Renārs Kaupers (solo), Jānis Jubalts (guitar),Kaspars Roga (drums),Māris Mihelsons (piano) are on stage, you are swept away with a storm of emotions.
Their songs combine two quite peculiar ingredients – pictured in Soviet cartoons romantic perception from childhood and a striving for change, movement and freedom.
They were admired in Latvia and after taking third place at Eurovision 2000 gained international acclaim.
They collaborate with musicians from different countries and ready for “brainstorming” experiments.
Enjoy the best moments of the concert in Kyiv (15.11.13)
I never thought that a visit to a concert can be so inspiring, inspiring in a way I have never imagined it to be. After a concert of Brazil Bossa Nova Quartet at Kyiv Conservatory I fell for Portuguese. Actually I feel incredibly Spanish, though I am Ukrainian …
One year has passed after previous concert of Brazil Bossa Nova Quartet.They visited Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Simferopol and Odesa and come again to amuse with their music. This time Brazilian singer from Rio-de-Janeiro Maucha Adnet presents her new compositions recorded with pianist Helio Alves (BR). Flamboyance of Brazilian jazz and vivacity of rhythms are incorporated in musical quartet. Deep voice of Maucha Adnet (vocal, alto), profound piano chords of Helio Alves (piano), energetic rhythms of Duduka Da Fonseno (drums, ) and heart-touching string improvisations at counterbass by Arkady Ovrutski .
Just listen, it is such a beautiful language, even without understanding, which now I would like to have…
Some interesting facts about Portuguese I would like to share with you:
1.Portuguese Interesting facts 15-16 ages are to be considered a bloom of Portuguese, as it was quickly spreading. This happened mainly due to military operations and colonization.
2. Portuguese is spoken in Portugal, Brazil, Mozambique, Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, and São Tomé and Príncipe, Macau and East Timor.
3.Portuguese is a Romance language and quite similar to Spanish, Galician to be more precise. It is also close to French. So should you happen to know any of these languages, the tasks is easier.
4. You should also take into consideration that pronunciation differs in every country, so if you like to get to learn the language select which one you want, the one spoken in Brazil, Portugal or another country.
5. All in all there are over 200 million of speakers with Brazil taking majority.
My advice:
1. Listen to Portuguese as much as possible. Here is a list of web-sites you may find helpful. http://www.easyportuguese.com/
2. Visualize what you learn or it is better to say learn visually. I love picture dictionaries. If you cannot find one, use some drawings. One more interesting technique is to make stickers for objects. I saw it in one of English school all things in the office had names on them. I guess it is not because of sclerosis.:-)
3. Try to speak, just listening and nodding gives poor results The best way is definitely communicate with native speakers.
If you don’t succeed in that, no worries. I do believe that if you like the language, it inspires you, the way to realize your plan will come along. For now let me give you a spur – visuals to start with. I normally start with different “COLOURful” and “FRUITy” things.
I enjoy sharing with you sources of my inspiration. I am not the only one to be inspired by music in all her forms (I don’t use “its” on purpose) . Piano is definitely an orchestra in the land of musical instruments. So many things are harmonized and infused in it. Flamboyance of techniques and emotions are embodied in every note. Just press the keys and fly away to a let’s say better variant of “here and now” .Chords, arpeggios, gammas… Unfortunately, I don’t have a piano at dorm (except for an app on my tablet, so all in all I have a piano… in my pocket). I am getting too poetic…
I thought that I would like to feel presence of piano with me, to preserve these emotions. So let’s piano around, I mean make it more “piano’y” around. Read the rest of this entry →
Sources of inspiration are quite unpredictable. Probably that’s what makes it even more interesting. It can be just around the corner. This time it is not “around the corner”, but rather out there on my balcony. I have noticed that clothespins were faded and old. I could surely go to some supermarket and get new ones. But looking at clothespins on the rope I realized they look like notes on stave. It is only left to add notes. Let’s get to work.
Facilities:
1. Inspiration
2. Old faded clothespins
3. Threads, needles
4. Plastic bottle
5. Scissors
Inspir-Action plan:
1. First cut a plastic bottle into small pieces, so you can make notes out of the. You can use any other material that you have at hand.
2. With the scissors you cut a piece of plastic and create notes (follow 1,2 arrows to cut) Read the rest of this entry →
I enjoy reading definitions. I am fascinated by simple things being explained and described in detail. You can know a lot about something. Yet, when you look at an apple there are few chances you think of it as “the round fruit of a tree of the rose family, which typically has thin green or red skin and crisp” In Latin inspiration means “breathe into” Yup, it is vital.
Inspir-Active 
